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Christ Our Example

John 13:5-17

 

Christ is our example in all things. In his earthly life of consecration, righteous obedience to and faith in God, and in his suffering and death our blessed Savior showed us how to live for God in this world (1 Peter 2:21). May God the Holy Spirit give us grace, day by day, to follow his steps! In this passage of Scripture, the Lord Jesus gives us a blessed example of genuine humility and love. True humility and love willingly condescends to do whatever is needed to meet the needs of those who are the objects of our love.

      I find it highly instructive to see our Savor washing JudasŐ feet and then breaking bread with the betrayer at the first communion table of the New Testament church. He knew the betrayerŐs heart and his wicked deeds. Yet, he washed his feet and broke bread with him. Shall we do otherwise? It is ours to do good even to our enemies. And it is never our business to police the LordŐs Table or in anyway try to separate goats from sheep in his kingdom.

Though it is apparent that our Savior washed JudasŐ feet, too, the message is in what he did for his disciples. The Son of God stooped to wash his disciplesŐ feet, and he still does! When may it be said that Christ stoops to wash his disciplesŐ feet in a spiritual sense? When he shows us our sin, the foulness of our feet, and graciously makes us dip our feet in the fountain of his blood, he washes them. (Zechariah 13:1; 1 John 1:9; 2:1-2). When he enables us, with tears of repentance, to wash and kiss his feet, he is washing our feet (Luke 7:38; Ezekiel 16:63). This same, self-denying, loving service is our responsibility to one another in this world (vv. 14-15). His example is our rule of life (1 John 3:16-17). And all who follow our LordŐs example find happiness and satisfaction in doing so. — ŇIf ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do themÓ (John 13:17). Nothing brings greater joy to devoted saints than the privilege and grace of obedience to Christ and usefulness to his people!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Don Fortner

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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