PRISONER OF CHRIST

John 13 : 5-11 

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. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” Jesus replied, “You do not realize now 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!” Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean.

What is the water?

The word of God.

Why is Jesus only washing the feet of the disciples, and not anyone else?

Through the years of his ministry Jesus Christ had been preparing the disciples with his word. Similarly the Holy Spirit has been cleansing us (we who are sealed in Christ) to be like the great one. 

John 15:3 - You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 

If a disciple is already clean, why do you need to wash the feet?

Our feet is the body part that gets dirty quickly. The work and knowledge of the world tends to make us filthy. We need to be washed by his word everyday. Unless you are washed daily in the word of God you don't have a part with Jesus.

Why only the feet, and not the whole body?

Just like Peter we could get excited and want to run with our own emotions and strength. First, Peter says 'Don't wash' or 'Wash me completely'. Either we are too slow or want to run ahead of God.

While we do know Christ, the everyday worldly tasks and knowledge can make our physical bodies exhausted and our soul tired and distracted. But when we sit with Jesus Christ we will be refreshed. The Holy Spirit who lives in us will strengthen our bodies through the daily cleansing.

Romans 8: 11 - .... He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit, who lives in you. 

What will keep us from the daily washing?

Distractions of the world - To do things of the world we may postpone sitting with God for five minutes, to five days, or even fives months. It is so easy to drift away from God.

Spiritual activities becomes more important then being with God. Even Jesus Christ prioritised his time with the Father than working with people. Because anything he did came flowed from the Father. For our spiritual activities to be effective we need to sit with the Father too.

Our own desires

We need endurance - to wait upon the Lord and his timing. Don't be the "Peter generation" that wants to run ahead of God. Our response should be like Ruth to Naomi : "Wherever you go, I will go; and wherever you stay, I will stay." In following God I have my pleasure.

Don't let your busyness, your hurt or your desires take you away from God. Let your excitement not move you away from God's standards and ahead of his timings. 

We are called to be the horses of the Lord - to move with him

The flesh by nature does not like slowness or waiting, but wants excitement and speed. Be careful not to run ahead of God's plans. God wants to prepare you with spiritual food to strengthen you for a race that is coming ahead. When the movement comes you will run with clarity and strength and you will be faster than the horses. Move with God.

Prisoner of Christ

Ephesians 3: 1 - For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles

A prison is a place where prisoners are kept by force, dead to the world, dead to the comfort and luxurious of the world. The prisoners cannot choose their clothing or food, nor do they have freedom to schedule their activities or go wherever they want. They have to take whatever is given to them by the guards.

Being in the prison of Christ is being dead to the world, and dead to our own desires. It is being in the sanctuary and fortress of God. We depend on God for our provisions. 

We are his willful prisoners. Our only desire is to be clothed in the righteousness of Christ, wearing the shoes of peace and feed on the word he gives daily. 

A disciple is a Christian who is a prisoner of Christ.