Foot washing

John 13

1
Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come
that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which
were in the world, he loved them unto the end.

2
And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot,
Simon's son, to betray him;

3
Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was
come from God, and went to God;

4
He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded
himself.

5
After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and
to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded.

6
Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash
my feet?

7
Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt
know hereafter.

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.

9
Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my
head.

12
So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down
again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you?

13
Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am.

14
If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one
another's feet.

15
For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.

16
Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he
that is sent greater than he that sent him.

17
If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.
Examples of foot washing in the scriptures
Gen. 18- Abraham washes the feet of the angels.- foretelling of his son.
Gen. 19- Lot offers to wash the feet of the angels
Luke- Jesus' feet are washed by the tears and hair of a sinner woman in the house of a
Pharisee.

Jesus stated to follow His example of foot washing: that in doing so we

would be happy. Happy in performing a very humble act of kneeling
before someone and washing the filth and dirt that they walked
through off of them.

JPUSA story-

Worker at homeless shelter – who washed the feet of the elderly lady who arrived late.
She was unable to turn the showers back on at the late hour so informed her, her shower
would have till wait till morning. The elderly lady refused to pull dirty feet into a clean
bed. Upon washing her feet the work felt incredibly humbled. This was an act of mercy.
The elderly lady needed comfort and the ability to make through the night.

Looking at the time of when Jesus washed the feet of the disciples, He knew He had
things to tell them- how one would betray Him and another, Peter, would deny Him.
When Peter stated that Jesus would never wash His feet, Jesus replied then you will have
not part in Me. Would we, I, used that opportunity to say- "You are not even going to
make it till morning till you deny me."

Jesus show in this example how we can minister mercy, what Peter would need after
denying would be grace. Something that could only come from God. Jesus only
demonstrated what we are able to do for each within our humanity. We are only capable
of mercy, grace must come from God.

Mercy-

1. compassionate or kindly forbearance shown toward an offender, an

enemy, or other person in one's power; compassion, pity, or
benevolence: Have mercy on the poor sinner.

2. the disposition to be compassionate or forbearing: an adversary

wholly without mercy.

3. the discretionary power of a judge to pardon someone or to

mitigate punishment, esp. to send to prison rather than invoke the
death penalty.
4. an act of kindness, compassion, or favor: She has performed countless
small mercies for her friends and neighbors.

5.something that gives evidence of divine favor; blessing: It was just a

mercy we had our seat belts on when it happened.

Grace-

Theology .

a. the freely given, unmerited favor and love of god.

b. the influence or spirit of God operating in humans to regenerate or

strengthen them.

c. a virtue or excellence of divine origin: the Christian graces.

d. Also called state of grace. the condition of being in God's favor or

one of the elect.

Leviticus 16

Speaks of the priest going before the mercy seat to offer a sacrifice of atonement- only
once a year.

The mercy seat of the Old Testament became the Throne of

Grace in the New.

Ephesians 2
1
And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
2
Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world,
according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now
worketh in the children of disobedience:
3
Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the
lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and
were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
4
But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved
us,
5
Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with
Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
6
And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly
places in Christ Jesus:
7
That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his
grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
8
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves:
it is the gift of God:
9
Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Hebrews 4:15-16 (King James Version)

15
For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the
feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are,
yet without sin.
16
Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may
obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

It is not a once a thing where we have to send one man into God's presence to find mercy,
we can boldly go ourselves before the throne and obtain mercy and grace for what we
need.

And just as the Old Testament lead and prepared us for the New Testament - our acts of
mercy toward each other will lead and prepare others to go before God and obtain the
grace and mercy they need.

We are no longer in the practice of washing feet; but in many ways we are no longer in
the practice of offering mercy either. What are we doing to help someone make it through
a night, not lecturing, instructing, or even informing- just offering mercy. Never leaving
the position of a kneeling servant before them.

Each act of mercy will lead someone who never been to the throne of grace, just one step
closer. Each act of mercy will lead someone who turned away from the throne back in the
right direction.