1 Peter 2:9 "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light."
Did you know you were a priest? Well you are and if you don't believe me reread the verse above. What does it mean to be a priest, a part of the royal priesthood? It means that you have been set apart to serve the Lord. You have been called to help lead others to the redemption of their hearts through the sacrifice of Christ on the altar of the cross. You do that by declaring the praises of God who lead you out of darkness and into the light of truth.
What does this have to do with today's reading? In Exodus 30:17-21 we read about how a bronze basin was to be made to hold clean water so that the priests could wash their hands and feet each day before they began their service to the Lord. The reason they only had to wash their hands and feet were because in Exodus 29 we see that the priest were already consecrated to the Lord, made pure through the sacrifices offered on their behalf. Their bodies were clean but each day they had to clean off the dirt that stuck to their feet over the course of the past 24 hours so that they could serve the Lord without hindrance or blemish.
In John 13 we read about Jesus washing the feet of his disciples. His royal priesthood. Do you remember what Peter (the one who wrote the above opening verse) said in response to Christ's actions?
"No," said Peter, "you shall never wash my feet." (verse 8). Christ responded, "Unless I wash you, you have no part with me."
Christ was trying to help them meet the requirements (Ex. 30) of the priesthood, as he knew that the disciples were about to be sent out as servants to share the news of the sacrifice of Christ on the cross.
Peter then said to Christ, "not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!" Christ again had to correct Peter and tell him that, "A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet; his whole body is clean. And you are clean."
Christ is our bronze basin, our fountain or spring of living water (Zech 13:1, Jer 17:13). His blood redeemed us from our sins and opened up the pathway to our God. But we still live in a sinful body that dwells in a sinful world. Every day as we take steps along our path of life we can't help but step into sin and dirty our clean hearts. It can be an impure thought, an unrighteous action, a moment of pride or selfishness. We are forgiven and the price was already paid on the cross for our sins. This washing is not that. This is a reminder for us that even though we are no longer a slave to sin we are not immune from its effects on our lives. If we do not daily check our hearts to make sure that they are cleaned from the effects of the sins we encounter each day they will build up and become a blemish in our service to the Lord. It will affect our ability to declare the praises of him who brought us out of darkness and into the wonderful light. If you do not think you need to go to Christ and check your heart each day then he says you have no part in his ministry.
"No," said Peter, "you shall never wash my feet." (verse 8). Christ responded, "Unless I wash you, you have no part with me."
Christ was trying to help them meet the requirements (Ex. 30) of the priesthood, as he knew that the disciples were about to be sent out as servants to share the news of the sacrifice of Christ on the cross.
Peter then said to Christ, "not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!" Christ again had to correct Peter and tell him that, "A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet; his whole body is clean. And you are clean."
Christ is our bronze basin, our fountain or spring of living water (Zech 13:1, Jer 17:13). His blood redeemed us from our sins and opened up the pathway to our God. But we still live in a sinful body that dwells in a sinful world. Every day as we take steps along our path of life we can't help but step into sin and dirty our clean hearts. It can be an impure thought, an unrighteous action, a moment of pride or selfishness. We are forgiven and the price was already paid on the cross for our sins. This washing is not that. This is a reminder for us that even though we are no longer a slave to sin we are not immune from its effects on our lives. If we do not daily check our hearts to make sure that they are cleaned from the effects of the sins we encounter each day they will build up and become a blemish in our service to the Lord. It will affect our ability to declare the praises of him who brought us out of darkness and into the wonderful light. If you do not think you need to go to Christ and check your heart each day then he says you have no part in his ministry.
So as a member of God's royal priesthood, don't forget the importance of going to the fountain of living water, Jesus Christ each and every day and asking him to help rid you of whatever impurities have attached themselves to your heart. Ask him to make you aware of the sins that tend to attach themselves to you so that you can be more aware and more prepared to counter them as you walk your path each day.
You are God's vessel. I don't like using dirty dishes when serving people who have come into my house looking to be fed; I don't think God does either.
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