John 8:31-32… Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.  ³² And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”  (NKJV)

As I try to conclude my thoughts on Jesus’ teaching about what it will take to become His disciple in Jesus’ eyes…I see two things Jesus was trying to teach His disciples, as He was washing their feet during “The Last Supper” (as written in…John 13:1-17)…  As I wrote about yesterday, Jesus had tried several times to explain to His disciples, that their own personal desires should never become more important than those around them that they were going to minister too after Jesus was gone… Even after Jesus explained in detail to His disciples that they were to be servants of others, and not to be considering themselves to be great (in…Mark 10:42-45)…they still couldn’t grasp the idea that they had to be last (a humble servant for others), in order to be first in Jesus’ eyes…

Jesus had one last chance to teach His disciples this important concept, as Jesus chose by example to wash His disciples’ feet in order to teach them how to be both humble, and to be a servant of others… We don’t know if all of His disciples were in shock at seeing their Master stoop so low as to be washing their feet… But Peter, being the leader and possibly the most outspoken, flatly told Jesus that He wasn’t going to wash Peter’s feet… Jesus then told Peter this, in…John 13:8b… Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.”  (NKJV)

Here is the link for the entire scripture on Jesus’ teaching of humble service in…John 13:1-17…   http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=jn13:1-17&version=NKJV

Jesus was not only trying to teach His disciples that they had to be humble, and that they had to have a servant’s heart like His…Jesus was also explaining to them that sins had to be cleansed from a sinner’s body through Him, or they would die in their sins (John 8:24)…  I believe this scripture written by the Apostle John explains what Jesus was trying to teach them, in…1 John 1:7… But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.  (NKJV)

In…John13:10…Jesus goes on to teach His disciples, that once a sinner is saved by being cleansed of their sins, they no longer have to be washed completely again… But there will be need for an occasional washing of their feet (of their sins), to make them completely clean again… The Apostle John writes this following scripture for the Christian who finds themselves sinning, in order to be brought back into alignment with the Lord; and I reference this important scripture all the time…1 John 1:9… If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  (NKJV)

Remaining humble through service to others around them, is exactly what Christians have been called to do… Christians are not only suppose to have the mind of Christ…they are to think of themselves as servants for others, just as Christ was a bondservant to His Father…Philippians 2:5-8…

I have included a video on the washing of Jesus’ disciples’ feet, done to give readers a visual picture of exactly how Christians are to be humbled in their service to those around them… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=02nZg3Mtusg&feature=related

My hope and prayers are that the example that Jesus set for His disciples (and us), will be clearly seen in this video; as well as in the past couple of days of writing on what being a true disciple of Christ really entails… At the end of Jesus’ teaching to His disciples, Jesus makes the following statement, in…John 13:17… If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.  (NKJV

All of us (me included), must be “doers of the Word”, not just hearers or readers… The Apostle James tells us this, in…James 1:22-23… But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. ²³ For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; (NKJV) 

Heavenly Father, I am ever so thankful for Your Son Jesus, who was sent by You to give those who believe in Jesus Christ through faith alone, a way to be cleansed of their sins by understanding and obeying the gospel of Jesus Christ… Help all of us Lord, each in whatever area of spiritual growth is needed…to seek the blessings that Jesus tells us through Your Word, are there for those who diligently seek to live in Your will and Your ways… I thank You now for the hearts and lives that You will touch, in Jesus’ most precious name and for His sake…Amen…

written by bruce