He (Jesus) came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” Jesus replied, “You do not realize what I am doing, but later you will understand.” “No” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet .” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.” Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet, but my hands and my head as well!” John 13: 6-9, NIV.
Gracious God, please speak to our hearts as we bow in Your holy presence to study Your Word. In the blessed name of Jesus we humbly pray. Amen.
Today we will revisit the original story from which our text was taken. We want to see what we can find hidden in this jewel, as we dig beneath the surface. Yesterday we applied Jesus’ Words to Peter, “You do not realize what I am doing, but later you will understand,” to Job’s experience. These same words can be applied to many of the hard situations in our lives. Usually, when we are being “tried,” we do not “understand,” the “why;” but we can take Jesus at His Word. And He says that, “later you will understand.” By God’s grace, let us trust Him to bring us out of whatever painful experience we are going through, tried, tested, and triumphant!
This scene takes place the night before Jesus was crucified. He and His disciples were in the “upper room,” just hours before “type” would meet “Anti-type.” The veil in the temple was ripped from top to bottom (Matthew 27: 51)! The Passover Lamb that had been selected for the sacrifice, would go free, because the “Lamb of God which takes away the sins of the world,” was about to be sacrificed. The Feast of the Passover, would no longer be necessary. This feast would be replaced with the “Lord’s Supper,” also called the “Holy Communion,” or, the “Communion Service,” and in some communities of faith, the Eucharist.” From the Greek, eucharistia, “to give thanks.” I am sure that at the time they were partaking of that supper, they did not know that it was opening the door, to the greatest gift ever to be given to humankind: the gift of the Son of God, who would take our place! They did not know that after the terrible grief, of seeing the One in whom all their hopes had been deposited, crucified, they would still have something for which to give thanks! From that time forward, whenever they partook of this feast, they would be showing “the Lord’s death, until He returned.” They would be doing it “in remembrance of [Jesus the Savior]!” It was indeed a time to give thanks! But they did not know what the Master was doing. Only later would they understand.
Peter’s experience was quite different from Job’s. Peter did not know that in a few hours he would be denying his Lord with cursing! He did not know that he was weak and needed conversion. He did not know that he would go astray. But Jesus knew – “But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me (when you are converted, KJV), strengthen your brethren” (Luke 22: 32, NKJV, emphasis provided)! Peter loved his Lord sincerely! Of this I have no doubt. His heart’s desire was to defend the Master, even unto death! But his flesh was weak (Matthew 26: 33-35, 41, 42; John 18: 10). He needed to see his true condition, so that he could receive the strength he so desperately needed! By washing his feet the Lord was assuring Peter that nothing, would separate him from his Master! I believe Jesus was telling Peter, “By allowing Me to wash Your feet you will still have a part with Me even after you deny Me. You do not understand what I am doing to you now, but later, you will understand.”
How grateful Peter must have felt after he understood what the Master had done to him. He had cleansed him even before he fell into the temptation! Isn’t that the way the Savior works? Nothing takes Him by surprise! He prepared the plan of salvation from before the foundation of the world (1 Peter 1: 18-20)! Do you believe He is going to leave our salvation to chance? Never! He prepares us from before, that even after we fall, we will know that there is hope for us! Praise God! Sometimes it is after some of our greatest disappointments; after our most heart wrenching failures, that we begin, to understand, the why!
Whatever else you forget, just remember, the Savior will never stop loving you!