Power Washing

My husband spent a lot of time power washing this weekend.
He purchased a small machine at one of the local home improvement stores.
It was the perfect fall weekend to tackle this project.
Once he got started…and saw the results…he kept going.

I am so grateful to him for his hard work.
Our walkways, our deck, our deck railings, our porch…cleaner than they have ever been!
It is hard to believe what accumulates over time.

The lichen that builds up on the concrete, especially in places where I water my plants in the spring and summer, amazed me.
We were told that after power washing, a little bleach can be poured on the areas to make sure the greenish algae is killed.

All of our surfaces look brand new!
I have all sorts of ideas about what we can power wash in the spring.
Deck furniture, old rockers by my front door…the list is endless.

Jesus’ disciples often disputed about which one was the greatest.
They did not fully grasp what it meant for Jesus to be Messiah.
It was believed that when Messiah came, He would be a political Messiah.
They thought He would save them from the Romans.

Disputes over who was the greatest mattered in the type of kingdom they envisioned.
Jesus would rule…and they would be at His right and at His left.

Except they had it all wrong!
The kingdom Jesus talked about was not about saving them from the Romans.
It was about saving the Romans…and anyone else that came to Him in repentance.

In order to explain the Kingdom as clearly as possible, Jesus used His life as a parable.

Having loved His own who were in the world, He now showed them the full extent of His love. The evening meal was being served, and the devil had already prompted Judas, son of Simon, to betray Jesus. Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under His power, and that He had come from God, and was returning to God; so He got up from the meal, took off His outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around His waist. After than, He poured water into a basin and began to wash His disciples’ feet, drying them with a towel that was wrapped around Him. (John 13:1-5)

The full of extent of His love!
Jesus, the Son of God.
What does the full extent of His love look like?

Washing feet!
Being a servant!

The disciples didn’t understand this radical behavior.
Rulers of Kingdoms do not wash feet!
Rulers of Kingdoms are waited on…they are tended to…
Not in Jesus’ Kingdom.

Jesus’ Kingdom turns everything upside down.

Simon Peter was confused about Jesus washing his feet.
He actually said the unthinkable…NO, You shall never wash my feet.
Unless I wash you, you will have no part with Me.
Then Lord, not just my feet, but my hands and my head as well. (John 13:8,9)

Peter wanted a power washing.
He wanted the accumulated dirt of his sin to be washed off.
He wanted to be cleaner than he had ever been.

Jesus answered, “A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet; his whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” For He knew who was going to betray Him, and that is why He said not every one was clean. (John 13:10,11)

Only Jesus can power wash our heart.
We could wash ourselves every day, only to have the sin come back on every surface.
Only Jesus can totally clean us with the water of His Word.
After that total cleansing, we are clean…bleached white as snow.

As Jesus explained to Peter, once we have a bath…a power washing…only our feet need to be cleaned each day.
Daily repentance…asking Him each day for forgiveness.
Our sin nature is still there…it will never be gone this side of heaven.
Like the lichen, it will come back, if the conditions are right.

Our sin has been dealt with, if we are in Christ.
If He has power washed us with His forgiveness…we are clean!
After seeing how clean we are, we are not going to want the lichen of sin to grow again.
Repentance…having Jesus wash our feet…will be vital to our daily life.

Dirty build up will not be acceptable again.

Jesus loves to show the full extent of His love!
He loves to wash our feet!

Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.
(John 13:14-17)

The foot washing of repentance.
The power washing of forgiveness.
The greatness of serving.