Live to Love Scripture Encouragement

John 13:10 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. "
Let’s not miss what Jesus said. He told Peter that he and some of the others were completely clean. He didn’t understand that then, but we do. If anyone is in Christ, then they were perfected by their union with His perfectly clean life and the washing of regeneration. Paul wrote to Timothy about God “who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity,” (2 Timothy 1:9). From all eternity Peter and all but Judas of the disciples (and us who believe in Him) have been completely clean before God. This is great news! This is why we live to love with Jesus. He has cleansed us for this purpose.

Acknowledgment: Music from “Carried by the Father” by Eric Terlizzi. www.ericterlizzi.com

John 13:9 Simon Peter said to Him, "Lord, then wash not only my feet, but also my hands and my head."
You gotta live this response! When Jesus explained what was at stake in His washing Peter’s feet, “If I do not wash you, you can have no part with me,” Peter’s zeal kicks in. "Lord, then wash not only my feet, but also my hands and my head." Peter kind of gets it. His feet represent his walk in this world. So his hands represent his actions and his head represent his thought-life. Cleanse it all! Father, may we have a zeal for personal holiness like Peter did in that moment. May we have a part in living to love with You today.

Acknowledgment: Music from “Carried by the Father” by Eric Terlizzi. www.ericterlizzi.com

John 13:8. We’ve been looking at Jesus’ loving service to His disciples in washing their feet. Peter offered some resistance. Peter said to Him, "Never shall You wash my feet!" Jesus answered him, "If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me."
There’s obviously much more to this foot-washing than meets the eye. Peter’s rejection of Jesus’ help at this point is tantamount to being an outcast. “If I do not wash you, you can have no part with me.” I think Jesus meant that Peter could have no part in living to love with Jesus. One can’t live to love with Jesus as a part of His body if he hasn’t experienced Jesus’ cleansing power. How can we serve in His name if we don’t know what His name is or what it means? He will say to them later, “Apart from me, you can do nothing.“So if we don’t have a part with Jesus, we will be apart from Him. Therefore we cannot live to love with Him. May we experience Jesus’ cleansing today of all that defiles us from holiness so we can participate in His loving service to His body.

Acknowledgment: Music from “Carried by the Father” by Eric Terlizzi. www.ericterlizzi.com

John 13:7 Jesus answered and said to him, "What I do you do not realize now, but you will understand hereafter."
I’m pretty sure all of us have been clueless about something Jesus has done in our lives. At the time, it didn’t make sense. We didn’t understand what He was saying to us or doing to us. Simon Peter was experiencing something in Jesus’ washing his feet that later he would understand. My guess is that the light didn’t turn on for him until after the resurrection and the Holy Spirit came. Probably within the hour of Jesus’ washing their feet, Jesus told His disciples, “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you” (John 14:26). At this point, however, Peter should have accepted that this foot washing was necessary, and that it was best that he trust Jesus and know that this foot-washing will make sense one day. Is there anything in your life like that? Is there something we don’t understand right now? It doesn’t make sense to us? If so, I encourage us that God is glorified as we wait upon Him and trust Him. He will give us understanding in time. Right now, like Peter, it is best for us to humbly receive what He is doing. The Holy Spirit will help us if we will wait and trust in Him.

Acknowledgment: Music from “Carried by the Father” by Eric Terlizzi. www.ericterlizzi.com

John 13:6 So He came to Simon Peter. He said to Him, "Lord, do You wash my feet?"
We might think that Simon Peter knew better than to question anything Jesus did, but obviously not. Why did John refer to him as Simon Peter? Jesus had given Simon a new name after he confessed that Jesus was the son of God (Matt. 16:16-17). Simon was his flesh identifier, and Peter was his new kingdom identifier. Maybe it’s because in this story, we see both identities surfacing. This response is a “Simon” response—looking at things from a fleshly self-conscious perspective. Is there some Simon in us? Of course there is. Do we think we don’t deserve or need to be served by Jesus? Do we think our feet aren’t dirty from walking in this world today? It not only took humility for Jesus to serve His disciples, it also took humility for them to receive His love. For a reason about which we can only speculate, Simon had a problem with Jesus’ expression of love. Jesus, do You wash my feet? The correct response, it seems, would have been for Peter to say nothing and humbly receive Jesus’ ministry to him. Jesus is still washing His disciples feet today as He lives to love in them. As His disciples, we need to humbly receive His love through our brothers and sisters in Christ and we have the privilege to humbly encourage those who are His on a daily basis. I hope that’s what’s happening this very moment as you listen or read this live to love with Jesus podcast. Jesus, do you wash my feet? Yes, please do!

Acknowledgment: Music from “Carried by the Father” by Eric Terlizzi. www.ericterlizzi.com