Jesus knew that the night before Passover would be his last night on earth before leaving this world to return to the Father’s side. All throughout his time with his disciples, Jesus had demonstrated a deep and tender love for them. And now he longed to show them the full measure of his love. 2 Before their evening meal had begun, the accuser had already deeply embedded betrayal into the heart of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon. John 13 TPT
Our right standing in Christ becomes our footing to receive the blessing our Father has prepared for us. Many are still unsure about this and are under the belief that they have to keep the law to be seen as righteous by God, not knowing that this itself is an impossibility.
Remember, the law was given to bring man to the end of himself and to see his need for a Savior.
And Jesus, with His heart overflowing with love for us, came to deliver us from the law and to cut the new covenant of grace on our behalf. This is a truth that every believer, especially the young people among us, needs to be firmly established. We see the identity crisis going on all around us. But getting this established in our hearts will bring about effortless transformation. People held hostage by disease, bad habits, deceitfulness, bondage, addiction, and mental health problems will get breakthroughs as Grace empowers them through faith in His finished work. Then we will be Son-conscious, not sin-conscious.
“Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going to God, rose from supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself. After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded.” —John 13:3–5 NKJV “knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands”—
Despite knowing that His time on earth was ending, Jesus was still very conscious of His Father’s heart for Him and what the Father was doing through Him. As the TPT says, “He knew it was His last night on earth.” In this, He continued to love on and serve the people around Him by washing their feet.
Here’s a profound truth filled with more insight from Joseph Prince….
“This act is symbolic because it wasn’t just a physical act of love (v. 7). It is a picture of how, to this day, Jesus is still at the Father’s right hand, serving us and washing our feet spiritually.” “He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet”—
This act of washing the disciples’ feet is not about salvation at all (v. 10). The water here refers to the water of God’s Word. Our Lord explained that washing with this water cleanses us of the “dust and dirt” that we pick up in our daily walk—things such as lustful or covetous thoughts and negative emotions or mindsets that make us feel “dirty” or “unrighteous.”
When we allow our Lord Jesus to wash our feet, we are being renewed in His love and grace for us. “and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded.”—In His great love for us, our Lord doesn’t just stop at washing the dirt off our feet, He also wipes our feet dry with His towel, which is a symbol of His righteousness (Isa. 11:5 RSV). We no longer have to be bound with envy, resentment, and comparison of ourselves to others….that would culminate in betrayal. This act represents Jesus re-establishing us daily in His righteousness.
For us today, serving one another does not mean literally washing the feet of those around us but refreshing one another with words of truth and grace and reminding them of their righteousness in Christ. Even in all our shortcomings, we can speak honestly and encourage one another not to live under guilt, shame, or condemnation. His grace empowers us with the Divine ability to live out our destiny in victory.
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