Jesus Our Example

"If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. ¹⁵ For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you."

John 13:14-15

Jesus set an example of how His disciples were to serve one another by washing their feet.  He did not say, "I washed your feet, so you ought to wash my feet."  He told them to follow His example in their interactions with each other, and doing so to the least of these Jesus receives as being done unto Him.  We often can be swept up by "fairness" of doing good to others who have done to us by reciprocating, but God would have us give and serve in response to what He has done.  It is not looking to others that sets our pace but the good deeds of our Saviour Jesus and all we have freely received from Him.  This is one of the many "one another" commands Jesus gave His disciples, that they should do to one another according to Christ's blessing upon them.

The Bible is in one sense a double blessing to us, for it reveals what Jesus has done for us and what He will ultimately do.  When Jesus observed the Passover with His disciples they hearkened back to God's deliverance of Israel from slavery in Egypt and Jesus directed their gaze to what He would accomplish on Calvary.  God demonstrated His own love for us that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.  God is gracious to forgive and save sinners at the expense of His only begotten Son.  Jude 1:24-25 also tells us what Jesus will do for all who have received the Gospel:  "Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, ²⁵ to God our Saviour, Who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. Amen."

With souls regenerated by faith in Jesus, with Jude we can credit God with what He will do as well as what He has already done.  God is able to keep us from stumbling and will present us faultless before His presence with joy, so now we are to rejoice in our Saviour and ascribe glory to Him now and forever.  We are prone to stumbling and falls, yet God is able to keep us upright.  We who deserve eternal damnation for our sins are to rejoice in our Saviour who washes us clean, forgives us wholly and is wisdom for us.  I cannot keep another person from stumbling or supply them with everlasting joy, but God can.  All creation is His dominion and He can transform the hearts of people by His grace.  Having been changed by the love, grace and forgiveness of God what joy is ours coupled with privilege and responsibility:  we are to follow the example of Jesus is serving one another for the glory of God.

Jesus continued in John 13:16-17, "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. ¹⁷ If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them."  Understanding who Jesus is and all He did guards against the pitfalls of pride, seniority and entitlement.  The blessing is understood by knowledge yet realised when we put Christ's command into action by obedience as we trust Him.  Jesus did not wash feet because He hoped to have His feet washed but to provide an example of how we should serve one another.  Having been purchased with the precious blood of Jesus and cleansed from sin, let us love one another and forgive, speaking gracious words in meekness, edifying and encouraging one another.  Being clothed with humility before men gives God glory and enables us to stand and serve with exceeding joy.