Jesus And The Supper Feast

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. Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. John 13:1-17

What a great lesson in humility Jesus taught his disciples. There had always existed a rivalry between them.
Who is the greatest of all?

Not having a servant at this time one of the disciples would have to humble himself and wash the dusty feet of the others. But none of them were willing to stoop down to that point.

Jesus then stood for a moment to see if anyone would act and then he began to do wash their feet. How is it possible that the prince of the universe, the one who created the Universe was washing the feet of these insignificant creatures?

Peter, broken of heart, understood his mistake and could not allow his Lord to humiliate himself that way. “You shall never wash my feet!” was his reply.

Through this act, Jesus was preparing them to work together. Obviously, by that time Judas was far from the Divine grace. But the other disciples needed to humble themselves, accept Jesus and work together.

Jesus replied, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.”

Christ had come to wash the heart from the stain of sin. In refusing to allow Christ to wash his feet, Peter was refusing the higher cleansing included in the lower. He was really rejecting his Lord. It is not humiliating to the Master to allow Him to work for our purification. The truest humility is to receive with thankful heart any provision made in our behalf, and with earnestness do service for Christ.*

This symbol indicates our need of the redeeming blood of Jesus. We are not worthy and we need him to cleanse us the every stain of sin.

Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool.  Isaiah 1:18.

Like Peter and his brethren, we too have been washed in the blood of Christ, yet often through contact with evil the heart's purity is soiled. We must come to Christ for His cleansing grace. Peter shrank from bringing his soiled feet in contact with the hands of his Lord and Master; but how often we bring our sinful, polluted hearts in contact with the heart of Christ! *

But even it we are not worthy or deserving, there simply is no other way to obtain salvation other than through Christ Jesus.

He alone can wash us clean. We are not prepared for communion with Him unless cleansed by His efficacy. *

Juan calls Him the lamb that takes away sin.

Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! John 1:29.

The holy Watcher from heaven is present at this season to make it one of soul searching, of conviction of sin, and of the blessed assurance of sins forgiven.*

But such forgiveness is only available to those who humble themselves and go before Him. Humility, confession, repentance is the only solution to our present condition.

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9.

Interestingly in these acts of service we can see the origin of God and His character of love.

In His life and lessons, Christ has given a perfect exemplification of the unselfish ministry which has its origin in God. God does not live for Himself. By creating the world, and by upholding all things, He is constantly ministering for others. "He maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust." Matt. 5:45. This ideal of ministry God has committed to His Son. Jesus was given to stand at the head of humanity, that by His example He might teach what it means to minister. His whole life was under a law of service. He served all, ministered to all. Thus He lived the law of God, and by His example showed how we are to obey it. *

What a contrast there will be in that great day when every eye will see Him. He who was born in a manger, who was a humble carpenter, who was abused, mocked, placed between criminals and finally killed, coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

The redeemed shall dwell with Him for all eternity. But right now we must go before Him and take our cross.

Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works. Matthew 16:24-27.

JESUS IS COMING SOON, AMEN, YES, COME LORD JESUS!

* The Desire of All Ages, "71. A Servant of Servants ", Ellen G. White