Unless I Wash You, You Will Have No Part of Me

John 13:1-16 (NIV)
     It was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love.
 2The evening meal was being served, and the devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, to betray Jesus. 3Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; 4so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. 5After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples' feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
 6He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, "Lord, are you going to wash my feet?"
 7Jesus replied, "You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand."
 8"No," said Peter, "you shall never wash my feet."
      Jesus answered, "Unless I wash you, you have no part with me."
 9"Then, Lord," Simon Peter replied, "not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!"
 10Jesus 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." 11For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.
 12When 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. 13"You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. 15I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.

1. Unless we learn to receive from Jesus, we will never be a part of Him

John 13:14-15 (NIV)
     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.

Matthew 10:8 (NIV)
     …Freely you have received, freely give.

If we don’t know how to receive, we will not know how to give freely to others  

      Jesus answered, "Unless I wash you, you have no part with me."

Learning to receive from Jesus is the heart of the Christian life!

Grace is not something we understand but Someone we encounter and receive from

John 1:17 (NIV)
     For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
2.  It is not natural to receive God’s gracious love because we are conditioned to believe that love, acceptance and approval must be earned by self-effort
I’ll Be There
You and I must make a pact, we must bring salvation back
Where there is love, I'll be there
Just call my name and I'll be there

I'll be there to comfort you,
Build my world of dreams around you, I'm so glad that I found you
I'll be there with a love that's strong
I'll be your strength, I'll keep holding on

Let me fill your heart with joy and laughter
Togetherness, well that's all I'm after
Whenever you need me, I'll be there
I'll be there to protect you, with an unselfish love that respects you
Just call my name and I'll be there
I'll be there, I'll be there, just call my name, I'll be there...
"Young people in receipt of physical violence have difficulty forming and maintaining long-term relationships,"
If we learn early on that love is conditional, long term relationships (even with God) become difficult because none of us can keep up love without getting tired
"They're 'anxious-avoidant', which means they will often take on what they know they can be successful in, therefore avoid challenges outside their comfort zones and may try to provide their worth by excelling and over-excelling in one particular area."   If that person thinks that to have affirmation and validity, they need to be successful at something, he adds, there is a risk that this is the only thing about them they define as worthy.
In other words, the false securities we are holding on to blind us to even the wonderful gift of God’s loving presence and grace offered to us
3. We receive grace by accepting by faith, the one-way love of God

To receive is to simply choosing to accept God’s full unconditional gift of His love, His forgiveness, His blessings and gift of Himself to you

Let Jesus wash you immediately by His love and grace

Grace offers us relief from the crushing weight of the past and can truly change a future  

Matthew 18:3, 5; 19:14 (NIV, CEV)
     And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven… And when you welcome one of these children because of me, you welcome me… Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."