Wash One Another's Feet: John 13:1-17- Pastor C.A. Rogers

John chapter 13 puts the Lord Jesus at the last supper, knowing that His hour had come and that He was going back to God. Christ knew Judas had already been moved by Satan to betray Him, yet having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end. The eternal Son, the One whom heaven worships, rose from supper, laid aside His garments, took a towel, poured water into a basin, and began to wash filthy feet.

The washing of feet carried weight in that time. Palestinian roads were dusty, filled with animal waste, and people wore open sandals. A household slave, often the lowest-ranking slave, would do this dirty and undignified work. The host and the person of status would never do it. Yet the Lord of glory knelt down and did the very thing none of the disciples would do.

Luke 22 reveals the pride sitting behind that failure. The disciples moved from discussing the betrayer to arguing about who was the greatest. The kings of the Gentiles loved to lord authority over people, and the Pharisees loved the place of honor, the chief seats, the greetings, and the praise of men. Christ says, “It is not this way with you.” The greatest must become like the youngest, and the leader like the slave.

Christ’s act proves His own words: “I am among you as the one who serves.” The Lord and Teacher washed their feet, so those who call Him Lord and Teacher must follow His example. Calling Jesus “Lord, Lord” without doing what He says is empty. The slave is not greater than his master, and no disciple has a greater example to follow than Christ Himself.

The washing of feet is not merely a ceremony to be repeated. The image calls for humble acts of service, a willingness to do the lowest task so that a brother or sister is cared for. Christ’s humility means He associates with the lowly, serves the helpless, and gives Himself for those in need. His people must not seek to be served, recognized, worshiped, or exalted.

The early church shows that the apostles learned this lesson. Acts describes believers sharing possessions, meeting needs, and refusing to let needy people remain uncared for. Love does not simply say, “Pray for you, brother.” Love sacrifices, puts feet to its mouth, and serves the body of Christ. Christ calls His church to wash one another’s feet in humility, love, and costly care.

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Key Takeaways

• 1. Greatness kneels to serve others Christ overturns the fallen idea that greatness means power, recognition, or being served. The Lord of all eternity is the One who kneels with a towel in His hand. Christ’s greatness is not diminished by lowly service, but revealed through it. [35:30]
• 2. Pride leaves necessary work undone The disciples knew that feet needed washing, yet none of them wanted the lowest task. Pride often sees a need clearly while waiting for somebody else to take care of it. Christ exposes the heart that wants honor without bearing the burden of love. [12:19]
• 3. Christ’s example carries divine authority Jesus does not offer a suggestion from a distant place. The Lord and Teacher commands His disciples to do as He has done. His authority makes humble service an obligation, not an optional extra for especially devoted Christians. [36:21]
• 4. Love serves with costly sacrifice The love of Christ does not close its heart when a brother has need. The first believers gave possessions and resources so that needy people among them could be cared for. Genuine love is willing to lose comfort, money, time, and status for the good of Christ’s body. [49:33]
• 5. Leaders must become like servants Christ rejects leadership that manipulates, dominates, and seeks praise from people. A true leader serves the needs of God’s people and does not stand above them as though greater than them. Humble servants produce a church that learns to serve in the same spirit.
  
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Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [00:24] - A Brother’s Extraordinary Generosity
• [03:33] - The Last Supper and Christ’s Final Hour
• [06:23] - Peter Refuses the Foot Washing
• [07:50] - Why Feet Needed Washing
• [12:19] - The Disciples’ Pride
• [13:17] - The Argument Over Greatness
• [19:48] - Pharisees and Gentile Rulers
• [27:18] - Christ Washes Their Feet
• [28:03] - Follow the Example of Christ
• [34:21] - Humility, Love, and Lowly Service
• [42:52] - Servant Leadership in the Church
• [46:38] - Blessed If You Do These Things
• [48:03] - The Early Church Sacrifices Together

1. John 13:1 — “Now before the Feast of the Passover, Jesus knowing that His hour had come that He would depart out of this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.” [03:43]
2. John 13:2 — “During supper, the devil having already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, to betray Him,” [04:40]
3. John 13:3 — “Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come forth from God and was going back to God,” [05:28]
4. John 13:4 — “Got up from supper, and laid aside His garments; and taking a towel, He girded Himself.” [05:58]
5. John 13:5 — “Then He poured water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded.” [06:07]
6. John 13:6 — “So He came to Simon Peter. He said to Him, ‘Lord, do You wash my feet?’” [06:23]
7. John 13:7 — “Jesus answered and said to him, ‘What I do you do not realize now, but you will understand hereafter.’” [28:39]
8. John 13:8 — “Peter said to Him, ‘Never shall You wash my feet!’ Jesus answered him, ‘If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.’” [07:25]
9. John 13:9 — “Simon Peter said to Him, ‘Lord, then wash not only my feet, but also my hands and my head.’”
10. John 13:10 — “Jesus said to him, ‘He who has bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you.’”
11. John 13:11 — “For He knew the one who was betraying Him; for this reason He said, ‘Not all of you are clean.’”
12. John 13:12 — “So when He had washed their feet, and taken His garments and reclined at the table again, He said to them, ‘Do you know what I have done to you?’” [28:03]
13. John 13:13 — “You call Me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am.” [28:52]
14. John 13:14 — “If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.” [36:21]
15. John 13:15 — “For I gave you an example, that you also should do as I did to you.” [44:20]
16. John 13:16 — “Truly, truly, I say to you, a slave is not greater than his master, nor is one who is sent greater than the one who sent him.” [44:58]
17. John 13:17 — “If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.” [46:29]

1. Luke 22:24 — “And there arose also a dispute among them as to which one of them was regarded to be greatest.” [16:32]
2. Luke 22:25 — “And He said to them, ‘The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who have authority over them are called benefactors.’” [23:46]
3. Luke 22:26 — “‘But it is not this way with you, but the one who is the greatest among you must become like the youngest, and the leader like the servant.’” [25:58]
4. Luke 22:27 — “‘For who is greater, the one who reclines at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at the table? But I am among you as the one who serves.’” [26:36]

1. Acts 2:44 — “And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common;” [48:06]
2. Acts 2:45 — “And they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need.” [48:11]

1. What does John 13 say Jesus knew about Himself, His coming death, Judas’s betrayal, and His return to the Father before He got up to wash feet? [04:14]
2. Why was foot washing such a necessary but lowly task in that culture, and who would normally have been expected to do it? [09:26]
3. According to Luke 22:24–27, what were the disciples arguing about, and how did Jesus contrast their view of greatness with the way they were to live?
4. What words in John 13:13–17 show that Jesus did not merely give the disciples a moving picture of humility, but gave them an example they were responsible to follow? [36:23]

1. Jesus knew that the Father had given all things into His hands, yet He took a towel and served. What does this show about the relationship between true authority and humble service? [32:38]
2. The disciples saw the unwashed feet and knew the need, but no one took the lowest place. What does that reveal about the ways pride can keep necessary care from happening among God’s people? [12:19]
3. Jesus says, “It is not this way with you,” after describing rulers who dominate and seek control. What would distinguish a servant leader from a person who uses authority to gain praise, attention, or control? [25:52]
4. Acts 2 describes believers sharing possessions as needs arose. How does this kind of care give a practical meaning to Jesus’ command to wash one another’s feet? [50:13]

1. Is there a need in the church, home, workplace, or neighborhood that has been noticed but left undone because it seems beneath someone’s role or because everyone assumes another person will handle it? What would it look like to take humble initiative this week? [12:25]
2. In what situations is there a desire to be recognized, thanked, consulted first, or treated as important? How can Christ’s willingness to kneel with a towel reshape that desire? [35:45]
3. Jesus calls His people to serve not only in visible ways but also through lowly and inconvenient acts of care. What kind of hidden service would cost time, comfort, money, or status, yet would genuinely help a brother or sister?
4. When someone in the body of Christ has a real need, is the first response usually only words—“I will pray for you”—or is there also a willingness to give practical help? What is one way the group can put feet to its prayers? [50:04]
5. Are there possessions, abilities, connections, or resources that God may have provided in order to meet someone else’s need? How might those resources be used generously without seeking attention or praise? [49:49]
6. For those who lead in any setting—at home, in ministry, at work, or in the community—what would it look like to lead as one who serves rather than one who expects to be served? [43:02]
7. Jesus says that His people are blessed not simply by knowing these things, but by doing them. What specific act of humble love can each person pursue before the group meets again? [46:29]