Jesus and the Funky Bunch

John 13:5
5 After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples' feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

Sometimes we just get dirty. We go to work, play with the kids, mow the lawn, and who knows what else. It’s easy to see how we could get dirty. All that tumbling around on the ground with little Johnny and the dust and mud being spit back from the mower blades seems to make quite a mess.

Have you ever considered how dirty the disciples must have been? They walked everywhere. It was hot, rainy, wet, muddy, dusty, and windy. They walked by the ocean. They walked in the hills. They walked off the beaten path and on the dusty roads. They did all of this without the luxury of showers or Axe deodorant soap! It’s surprising that the Bible didn’t refer to them all as “Jesus and the Funky Bunch”.

On the night before He died for our redemption, Jesus humbled Himself and washed His disciples’ feet. Oh, what a task it must have been. Imagine the King of Kings stooping to the floor and kneeling to wash the nasty, stinky, ugly, and worn feet of His disciples. Peter tried to stop Him, but Jesus responded interestingly. Jesus said, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with Me.” (John 13:8) Jesus was speaking of His ultimate purpose here on earth and showing it to His posse by literally washing them clean.

The disciples, despite the fact that they walked with Jesus, still got dirty. Sound familiar? We walk with Jesus yet still we manage to get dirty. Unless we continue to let Jesus wash us clean we have no part with Him.

Jesus poured water over the disciples’ feet to wash away the dirt they had been trudging through. Jesus used His towel to wipe their feet clean and dry. The symbolism is beautiful! Jesus used His blood to wash away our sin. He used His robe of righteousness to wipe our slate clean! There were those at the cross who thought, “what is He doing? Why is He allowing this?” Jesus had answered that question too when He washed their feet. He said, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” (John 13:7)

Do you get it now?