Not All of You Are Clean
Rev. Tse Amable | July 6, 2024 | John 13:1-17
KEY VERSE:
Jesus said to him, “He who has bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you. John 13:10 (NIV)
MESSAGE:
One of the startling statements made by our Lord Jesus at the table of this last Passover supper with his disciples was “NOT ALL OF YOU ARE CLEAN”. And he was speaking to his selected apostles. This was before he washed the feet of his disciples with water. In that statement, Jesus Christ was not referring to the cleanliness of the physical body but rather to the spirit and soul. Water is used in the Bible to represent the word of God. For example when the Lord told Nicodemus “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of WATER and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God” (John 3:5) he was referring to being born again by THE WORD OF GOD because “faith comes from hearing, and hearing by THE WORD OF CHRIST” (Romans 10:17). Again, the scriptures say Jesus Christ “also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her BY THE WASHING OF WATER WITH THE WORD” (Ephesians 5:25-26).
From the words of Jesus Christ, we see that one of the disciples was not benefitting from the life-transforming messages he had been hearing from the lips of the Master. The Bible says about the Israelites in the Old Testament that “the message they heard was of no value to them because those who heard did not combine it with faith” (Hebrews 4:2). That means it is possible to be attending all the meetings and services of the church, hearing, reading and studying the word of God and remain not clean. This is even more startling to know that these words were spoken to the apostles. They can be spoken to you, a pastor, a deacon or a leader of an auxiliary group in the church.
ARE YOU CLEAN? FEET AND HANDS FOR THE MESSAGE:
Meditate on the words spoken by Jesus Christ and do a self-appraisal. Examine yourself. Are you really in the faith? Is Jesus Christ truly your Lord and Saviour?
PRAYER:
Search me, O God, and know my heart today
Try me, O Savior, know my thoughts, I pray
See if there be some wicked way in me
Cleanse me from every sin, and set me free
THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSING.
SHOWERS! BLESSINGS!!
DAILY word study: CLEAN
The Greek word for "clean" in John 13:10 is "καθαρός" (katharos), which means clean, pure, or free from dirt, guilt, or sin. It can be used to describe physical cleanliness, moral purity, or ritual purity.
In John 13:10, Jesus tells Peter that "those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean." Here, "clean" signifies a state of spiritual purity and forgiveness that comes from Jesus. This passage is part of the larger narrative where Jesus washes His disciples' feet, symbolizing the cleansing from sin that He provides. By stating that Peter is already clean, Jesus is affirming the salvation and purification that His disciples have received through faith in Him. The act of foot-washing also underscores the ongoing need for confession and forgiveness of daily sins, even for those who are already spiritually clean
Reflections:
Jesus' teaching about being clean highlights the dual aspects of initial salvation and ongoing sanctification. It reminds believers of the importance of daily repentance and seeking forgiveness for sins to maintain a close relationship with God. In what ways can you practice daily repentance and seek spiritual cleanliness?
Comments