John 13:1-17 is the familiar story of Jesus washing the feet of His twelve disciples. The very familiarity of the story may lead us to miss just how much cultural distance there is between their day and ours. And most important for us to experience the shock of this event we need to be able to feel the weight of the disciples’ objection to having Jesus wash their feet. Only Peter actually voices it out loud, but no doubt all twelve were feeling uncomfortable as Jesus washed their feet. They were not feeling uncomfortable for the many reasons we would today, but because of what they thought that this should mean. And they felt uncomfortable because not a one of them would be willing to do this sort of thing for one of the other disciples. No doubt they would not hesitate to do this for Jesus, but they would never think to do this for the other disciples because they were in the midst of arguing about which one of them would be the greatest and such an act would demonstrate that they were inferior to the rest. But here is Jesus washing their feet. What did this mean? What does it mean for us? How does it change us?
john13.1-17-theworkofaservant.mp3
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