To Be Washed By Jesus. . .

John 13:8

Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.

They were gathered together for one last intimate evening. . .one last sharing of a meal. The years of teaching and ministry with them had passed so very quickly. . .Jesus knew He must shock his close companions a bit, in order for them to understand, and to accept what was about to happen to Him. . .

Jesus disrobed. . .He humbled Himself. . .wrapped himself in a towel and began to clean the filth from the bottoms of the feet and toes of His disciples. . .ministering to them in an uncomfortable and in a most intimately embarrassing way. . . touching them and seeing them in their filth and dirt of the world. . . From a slave, this action would be accepted without second thought. . .maybe even without awareness, but impulsive Peter, realizing what was happening, resisted, not accepting the sacrificial ministrations of his Master.

Very sharply Jesus replied, if I cannot clean you, then you can have nothing to do with me. . .a stinging rejection for one of his inner circle, but illustrating the importance which Jesus placed on the cleansing that He was about to symbolically perform.

Jesus knew that they would not understand what He was doing:

John 13:7

Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter.

This washing of the disciples feet, as humbling as they may have thought it, was nothing in comparison to His fast approaching crucifixion. They must accept His washing of their feet. . . this small token. . .this small precursor of what what to come, as they and we must accept the cleansing and washing by His blood shed upon the cross. . .

My cleansing came at a terrible price. . .a price that I did not have to pay. . . a price I could not in amy manner raise to pay upon my own efforts. It was paid for me by my Savior. He humbled Himself. . . He took the blows. . . He knew the open shame and humiliation that should have been mine. . .

I must accept His cleansing if I want to abide with Him and He with me. . .
To reject His cleansing is to reject His sacrifice. . .
To reject His cleansing is to reject His whole purpose in putting on flesh and coming to Earth. . .