Red Letter Questions, Part 7: Do You Understand What I Have Done for You?”

Grant Fishbook, Lead Teaching Pastor

John 13:1–17
It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.

An awkward reality (verse 2)
The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. 

An awkward moment (verses 3–5)
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 that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

For his followers, Jesus modeled and called them .

An awkward confrontation (verses 6–11)
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. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not everyone was clean.

The Red-Letter Question in John 13:12
When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. 
“Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. 

Do you understand what Jesus has done for you?

…Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners… 1 Timothy 1:15b

God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5:21

“He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” 1 Peter 2:24

When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. Colossians 2:13–14

…he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. Psalm 103:10–12 

…to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship. ⁶ Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.” So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir. Galatians 4:5-7

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace… Ephesians 1:7 

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. Galatians 5:1 

John 13:13–17
“You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. 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. Very truly I tell you, 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.”

One of the ways we “wash the feet” of our community is by .

The condition of blessing: You will be blessed .

Small Group Questions

1. Have you ever had an awkward moment? What happened?
2. Have you ever had your feet washed? How did you respond?
3. Read the passage from John 13. What do you learn about Jesus from this narrative? What’s your primary takeaway?
4. Review the list of amazing things that Jesus has done for you. What would you add?
5. How is God calling you to bless the people around you this week?
6. How can we pray for you right now and throughout the week?