“Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under His power, and that He had come from God and was returning to God; so He got up from the meal, took off His outer clothing, and wrapped a towel round His waist. After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash His disciples feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped round Him …. When He had finished washing their feet, He put on His clothes and returned to His place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” He asked them. You call Me “Teacher” and “Lord”, and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet …”

John 13:3-14

Whose feet are you washing and by whose authority?

Jesus to whom all authority has been given (Matthew 28:18) knows His final moments before His crucifixion had arrived. There is however still one more issue He needs to share with His disciples. He has spent three and a half years with them and has taught them much during that time. He has sent them out on missions and they have seen Gods power working through them resulting in healings and deliverances.

What could it be that so burdens His heart before His departure?

Which issue is so important to Him that even at the time of His impending death He takes time out to expand on it? What is so on His mind that He gets up from the table and takes a towel and a basin of water?

With these tools He begins to wash the feet of His disciples…

An amazing lesson indeed for just as Christ taught His disciples so He still teaches us today that He, our Lord and Master, having all authority had only come to serve. Likewise, we as His servants, have been given His authority only to serve.

Jesus did not come to “lord it over us” but to serve us and likewise we His disciples are not “to lord it over others” but to serve others.

“You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servants, and whoever wants to be fisrt must be your slave -just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many”.

Matthew 20:25-28

Jesus needed a towel and basin in order for Him to be able to serve His disciples, likewise we too need our towel and basin so that we might fulfil our servant role within the Body of Christ.

How do we go about finding our particular tools?

That is in fact the task of the Holy Spirit.“There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.

To one is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom.
To another the message of knowledge, by means of the same Spirit.
To another faith by the same Spirit.
To another gifts of healing by that one Spirit.
To another miraculous powers.
To another prophecy.
To another distinguishing between spirits.
To another speaking in different kinds of tongues.
And to still another the interpretation of tongues.
All of these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives to each one, just as He determines”.

1 Corinthians 12:4-11

The Holy Spirit gives gifts, which are tools to be used for ministry, as He pleases to whom He pleases to give them. We have no say in the matter. They are simply a matter of grace.

“We have different gifts, according to the grace that is given us.

If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use in proportion to his faith.
If it is serving, let him serve;

if it is teaching, let him teach;
If it is encouraging, let him encourage;
if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously;
if it is leadership, let him govern diligently;
if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully”.

Romans 12:6-8

Jesus asked His disciples if they knew what he had done to them.

He wanted them to understand that His foot washing was not something, which could be put aside for more important issues. No, what had taken place held the key to their future ministry.

Yes, they would continue to do the wonderful things they had done before such as healing the sick and delivering those oppressed by demons. But these ministries were to be done with a servant attitude.They had to understand that anything they were to do based on Christ’s Authority, was to be done with a servant heart, using the gifts of the Holy Spirit as their tools.

Jesus has not changed His Message. He is still saying to us today:

“Do you know what I have done?
Do you understand that you simply have been called
to serve others in My Name,
using the gifts the Holy Spirit has given you
as your tools.
This is what pleases Me.”

Please email me for more information, questions or comments.