Opening Prayer
Lord, teach us to understand what You do. Amen.
Text: John 13:1–15
Now before the feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour had come that He should depart from this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end. And supper being ended, the devil having already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray Him, 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. Then He came to Simon Peter. And Peter said to Him, “Lord, are You washing my feet?” Jesus answered and said to him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will know after this.” Peter said to Him, “You shall never wash my feet!” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.” Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!” Jesus said to him, “He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you.” For He knew who would betray Him; therefore He said, “You are not all clean.” So when He had washed their feet, taken His garments, and sat down again, He said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you.”
Devotion
There are no words of ours which can do justice to this grand text, or can bring out its wondrous beauty. Lord, explain it to us! – The righteous sinner is completely clean before God. All his sin is taken away. He is clothed with Christ’s whole, seamless robe. “There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” God has justified them, who will then accuse them (Rom 8:1,33)? Such a person is also born again and lives in righteousness and purity. He has a new heart which loves God and does His will. But he also has flesh and blood, and therefore his conduct is still imperfect. There is still more or less dirt clinging to his feet. “You are clean,” Jesus said to the disciples, but see how they sin with their pride! Each of them wants to be the greatest. So all believers have many faults, known and unknown. Therefore we continually need both forgiveness of sins and renewal. This is what the Lord shows by washing the disciples’ feet. If He did not always give us new grace for the sins that still cling to us, then we could not continue in His fellowship. “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us” (1 John 1:8). If you feel no need for daily forgiveness and continual sanctification, then you are not a child of God and cannot pray the Lord’s Prayer from the heart, for there we pray: “Forgive us our trespasses.” If you cannot pray for grace, then you do not have grace, either. Then you are outside the state of grace and have no part in Jesus. O how important it is always to know one’s sin and to receive mercy! Only in this way can we continue in grace, only in this way can we advance in sanctification and day by day become purer in all our conduct.
But whoever is washed by the Lord and continually lets Him wash his feet can and shall also wash others’ feet, that is: serve the brethren with heartfelt love, bear with their faults, cover their weaknesses and help them to improve. This is what the Lord would have us do. Let no one in His flock consider himself too good to bow before his brethren and wash their feet, however impure they are, and let no one look with indifference when his brother strays into filthy paths and defiles himself with sin! Do as the Lord did! He knew that He was the Almighty, and He washed the feet of His sinful disciples. The greater one is, the meeker he must be. Only Jesus can wash us, and yet we also should wash one another. Whoever understands this, let him do it! Here is the true joy of life.
Closing Prayer
If You know me, Lord, that I am washed and completely clean, then I only need to wash my feet! Let me not be found among the unfortunate whom You do not wash! Sanctify me, Lord, wash my feet, let no filth of sin cling to me. Sanctify me completely and wholly in spirit and soul and body. Give me meekness and love, so that I may cheerfully wash the feet of the brethren. Grant me to be like-minded to You, that I may do what You did. Amen.
Hymn
Ye Christians, who yourselves do call
God’s children, listen, one and all:
Live now in God the Father’s will
And not as yet your flesh doth will,
Yea, wheresoever ye do live,
In Jesus’ footsteps do now strive.
O think upon His gracious love
That did your sinful guilt remove;
He loved you even to His grave,
Himself to death He freely gave,
Unto His Father, savor sweet,
That your salvation did complete.
The Holy Spirit’s fruits, now see,
That show themselves in goodness free,
In truth and righteousness they shine
To show that heaven shall be thine,
Receive the crown of glory bright
And enter heav’n’s eternal light.
Kingo: I Kristne, I, som kaldes vil Guds Børn L 286:1.2.6 tr. DeGarmeaux;
tune: Melita (ELH 418); alternate hymn: How can I thank You, Lord ELH 423