Preparations for Departure

John 13  •  5 min. read  •  grade level: 5
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John 13
The Lord Jesus knew that His hour was come, and His own in the world were on His mind. He loved His own unto the end (to eternity). His dealings with the world were over.
Jesus, with His disciples, had celebrated the passover feast. Supper (the common meal) was ended. Satan had put in the mind of Judas to betray Jesus. Jesus was aware of the sin in Judas, but also the glory that lay just ahead for Him. He knew that all things had been given into His hands and that He came from and would return to God.
Rising from supper, He laid aside His garments while He took a towel and girded Himself. Pouring water into a basin, He washed the disciples' feet, wiping them with the towel that He was girded with. Who would have ever thought that God would stoop down and wash the disciples' feet? He did so, first becoming man.
As the Lord came to Peter, he exclaimed, "Lord, dost Thou wash my feet?" The Lord answered Peter, "What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter." Peter said to Him, "Thou shalt never wash my feet." Jesus answered him, "If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with Me." Peter responds, "Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head." Jesus said, "He that is washed... is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all." He referred to Judas.
Before going away, Jesus made His disciples fit for being where He was in the earthly path. They must be prepared to be with Him to the end. Jesus was still a servant of the Father to the end. The washing here is not by blood, but water. Water speaks of cleansing. Nothing but seeing the humiliation of Christ, can correct our ways. Nothing else could make us know the purity of God. We have to see humiliation in a Person.
The washing of feet completed, Jesus took again His garments and sat down saying, Do you know what I have done to you? Being your Lord and having washed your feet, I have left you an example to wash one another's feet. You need to get down and wash your brother's feet. "If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them."
We have an advocate on high. He is the one who washed His disciples' feet. Now on high, He washes our feet, sometimes using another to do it. We all need this form of correction. Repentance builds Christian character. When first saved, we knew nothing of what was right before God. This we learn along the way. Little by little with our mistakes, having our feet washed (feet suggest our spiritual walk), we learn to repent of our ways. One who resists correction is unfit for service for Christ. Some of us can look back over the years and thank the Lord for washing our feet time after time.
Judas
The Lord knew what was in the heart of each of His disciples and knew that Judas would betray Him. Being troubled in spirit, He said, "One of you shall betray Me." Peter beckoned to John, who lay on Jesus' bosom, to ask Jesus who was the one who would betray Him. Jesus said, "He it is, to whom I shall give a sop." Having dipped the sop, He gave it to Judas. John was near enough to Jesus to receive communications from Him. Jesus had produced a constant affection in the heart of John.
After the sop, Satan entered into Judas. Then Jesus said to him, "That thou doest, do quickly." The disciples did not discern what it was that Jesus told Judas. Judas, having received the sop, went immediately out, and it was night.
Judas will know what "night" means for eternity. How the thought of this makes our hearts shudder. We who have believed will never know, because Jesus has delivered us from so great a death by His death on the cross. We know that night is just the opposite of day. The contrast to eternal night is eternal day and will be known soon, when we shall raise the praises of our Redeemer.
Judas was continually yielding to habitual temptations. First he took no heed to the word spoken daily when with Jesus. Then he stole, and finally came the wicked heart of unbelief in departing from the living God. There was no repentance with Judas until it was too late. (Heb. 3:10-12.)
Satan took possession and entered into Judas, hardening him against all that would make him feel the awful sin that he perpetrated. Despair later spoke the truth to Judas, when Satan's veil was torn away. In Judas we see Satan's full power over man and how it would be with us, if we had not a high priest to guard us against evil and an advocate to restore our souls. Satan's power is seen exercised over the whole world.
The cross settled the question of good and evil forever. A foundation of a new earth and of a new heaven was laid at the cross.
Before departing for Gethsemane, Jesus gave His disciples a new commandment: "That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another." He said, "By this shall all men know that ye are My disciples, if ye have love one to another." When Jesus, the leader, was gone, the disciples, in love, would have to lean on one another.
Peter desired to know where His Lord was going. Jesus told him that he could not follow Him then, but he would afterward. Peter said that he would die with Him. Jesus said, 'The cock shall not crow, till thou hast denied Me thrice." Sincerity alone will do nothing; dependence will. Later, Peter fell at the voice of a maid.