Jesus’ Private Sermon

Before you start todays devotional, ask the Lord to use it to grow you up in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

John 13—17 records one of Jesus’ greatest and longest sermons. It’s a private talk for just His own and reveals new truth. In John 12, we watched Jesus’ feet get anointed with fragrant oil. Now in John 13, the disciples get a good foot-washing.

Read John 13:1-8.

Our Lord washed His disciples’ feet purposefully. He knew His time was short, so in doing this He took the place of a servant and identified Himself with us. He also wanted to communicate His love to them, right to the end. Evil was afoot, and He wanted His example to protect His own.

How does He wash us today? We’re clean, Jesus says, through His Word. He cleanses us so that we can have fellowship with Him. When we come to the cross for salvation, we are washed all over. But as we walk through this world, we get dirty when sin gets into our lives. When “we walk in the light”—that is, the Word of God—the blood of Jesus Christ just keeps on cleansing us from sin. After that, all we need is our feet washed of dirt that comes when we sin.

When Jesus was done washing the disciples’ feet, He said in effect, “You want joy in your life, Christian? Keep your relationship with God current and clean. Confess wrong thoughts and action.” To have fellowship with Jesus you must deal daily with sin. “If we confess our sins” (1 John 1:9) means that you put your feet in His hands for Him to wash. Until you do, Jesus says you can’t have fellowship with Him.

What’s more, if Jesus is your Lord, wash one another’s feet. Instead of beating a fallen brother, go try to restore him. When you do that, you’re washing feet.

Into this beautiful scene, our attention now turns to the greatest crime of the ages—Judas’ betrayal of Jesus. We do not witness a man losing his spiritual life, but rather this scene reveals Judas never had any spiritual life to begin with.

Read John 13:19-30.

Jesus kept the door open to Judas to the last moment. No one at the Passover table even suspected he was the betrayer. Even in the garden when Judas kissed Him, Jesus said in effect, “You’ve fulfilled prophecy, Judas, but it’s not too late for you to accept Me.” But Judas made his decision. God never sent a man to hell who did not first send himself there.

Read John 13:34-38.

When it was just Jesus and His men again, Jesus tells them this sad news, “I’m going to leave you. But I’m giving you a new commandment—love each other as I have loved you. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.”

Next, a message for emergencies.

1. Often, we think about service as an attitude, which is true; but Jesus shows us that God quite literally wants us to serve one another. Who is there in God’s family that you can serve today?

2. At the core of the gospel message is the idea that every one of us needs to be cleansed by Jesus. How should the realization that Christ came and died to cleanse you of all unrighteousness change the way you live your life?

3. Why do Christians so often avoid those who need cleansing, rather than pulling up a bowl of water and getting to work on the job?