HUMBLENESS TO GOD AND BROTHERS The Washing of the Feet - John 13:1-17. 1 Now before the feast of the Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come that he should depart out of this world to the Father; and having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. 2 And during supper, (the devil having already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him), 3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going to God, 4 rose from the table, laid aside his outer garments, and took a towel and girded himself. 5 After that, he poured water into a basin, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel that was girded around him. 6 Then he came to Simon Peter, and Peter said to him, Lord, are you going to wash my feet? 7 Jesus answered, “You do not know now what I am doing, but you will know later.” Why is it necessary to perform the Foot Washing Ceremony before the Lord’s Supper? The Bible affirms that Jesus instituted a ritual. John 13:14: You also ought to wash one another’s feet. John 13:15: You also ought to do as I have done to you. John 13:17: If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them. Lessons from the Foot Washing Ceremony. Matthew 23:12. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted. 1. The Lord’s humility. Foot washing is the work of a servant. John 13:14. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.” 2. Commemorate the Lord’s life of service, He is the Servant. Louis Berkouwer writes: “The foot-washing in the upper room was a small event, but it summed up His entire ministry.” Matthew 20:28. Even as the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many. 3. Our opportunity to serve Him. Matthew 25:40. …Whatever you did for one of the least of these my brethren, you did for me.” Serving others, serving our brothers, is serving God Himself. Take every opportunity to serve God through serving others. 4. Reminds us to care for our brothers. Genesis 4:9. …Am I my brother’s keeper? Cain’s irresponsible statement was answered in Jesus’ action when He knelt down to wash the feet of His apostles. Satan has sought to make us Cains, irresponsible toward our brothers and sisters, indifferent and indifferent to others. Jesus demonstrated that God holds us accountable for the impact we have, not only on our non-Christian neighbors, but also on our brothers and sisters in the church! Romans 14:7: …No one of us lives for himself… 1 Corinthians 8:11, 12. So then, through your knowledge, you destroy your weak brother, for whom Christ died. 12 When you sin against your brothers in this way and wound their conscience when they are weak, you sin against Christ. 5. Keep yourselves pure and help your brothers and sisters to be pure. Romans 14:13. Therefore let us not judge one another; But rather do not put a stumbling block or an occasion for another to stumble.” Miller uses the literal image of foot washing to draw a lesson: “Let us build up one another. We must have clean hands when we wash others’ feet; if our hands are dirty, we make their feet dirty.” Hebrews 10:24. Let us consider one another to stir up love and good works. 1 Corinthians 12:25. That there may be no division in the body, but that its members may have the same concern for one another.