Jesus shares the Passover meal with his disciples – and midway through the evening, he does something that SHOULD have been done already by someone else.

Custom was if you had servants, they would be at the door washing the feet of guests as they arrive. Dusty, muddy, sandy feet from walking in sandals needed to be taken care of. However, if there were no paid servants, then the custom was that the FIRST guest to arrive would wash the other’s feet. Well, maybe that’s why people often arrive late to parties.

It would seem that they had been gathered for a while. They were reclining at the table when Jesus got up, yet no one had washed the other’s feet. Can’t you just see the first one arrives and KNOWS but doesn’t do. Then the next and the next.

Finally, Jesus got up from the supper, laid aside his outer garment, took a towel, poured water in a basin, and began to wash his disciples’ feet. They knew but had not done.

v12 – when Jesus had washed their feet, and put on his outer clothing, he reclined again and said… do you know what I have done for you?

v13 – You call me Teacher and Lord…

v14 If I … Lord and Teacher have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet

v15 – for I have given you an example…

v16 – a servant (doulos) is not greater than his master… a messenger (aposololos) is not greater than the one who has sent him

v17 – if you know… you are blessed if you do…

Now, I’m not thinking today about teaching on service, or foot washing, but just asking questions…

• If he is Master, are we good servants/subjects?
• if he is Teacher, are we good students?

If he is Master (kyrios) we must be good subjects / servants. It is not even about the task, but about the Lord.

I don’t think they forgot what to do, they just didn’t want to do it.

Romans 6:13b says as those alive from the dead, offer yourselves to God… 15… you are slaves of the one you obey

If he is Teacher… you CALL me teacher… but are we learning? Learning is evident by DOING

Then the beatitude statement – if you know these things you are blessed (makarios = happy, blessed, fortunate, fulfilled) if you DO them

And my mind immediately went to James 1:22-25

Be doers… not hearers only. A hearer only is like one who looks in the mirror but forgets what he sees…

“Oh that’s a nice message pastor…” but then there is no change employed, no action is taken, no life transformed.

How do we become good servants? Good students?

James 1:25

• the one who looks intently into the law of freedom – there is a mirror, we must look into it. And I love the inserted thought of grace. People think James is just about “works”. But no-he says if we look into the “law of freedom” – that is “grace” it should show us things that change us. We have been set free and yet. Very interesting because I’m told that doulos – bondservant – was often one who HAD been set free, but chooses in gratitude to serve, bound to their Lord. We are subjects of servants of students of our Lord and Teacher
• and perseveres in it – parameinas = continue, stay on it. We look intently, understand our freedom, understand our instructions, and look at ourselves and we stay at it, continue in it.
• is not a forgetful hearer – but is a DOER who works
• this one, this person will be blessed (makarios = blessed, happy, fortunate) IN… not about… but IN, what he does –

OH my the power in being good subjects and students of our Lord and Teacher.

Many grace saved people of God are unhappy simply because they will not lovingly DO what the Master, Lord, Teacher, says “do”.

He seeks to fulfill us as we complete his work.

Let’s be good Subjects, good Servants, Good Students, and find the Satisfaction IN it.