Imagine handing the keys of your house to a master builder, someone who has studied, trained, and spent their life learning exactly how to restore homes. You’ve invited them in because you want the house fixed…but you follow them around, insisting on which walls to remove, which support beams are needed, even telling them how to hold the tools. You think you know best, but the truth is, you don’t. The house won’t be fully restored until you step back and let the master builder do what only the master builder can do.
In the same way, we often hold onto control of our lives, convinced we know what’s best, even for the deepest parts of our hearts. But true restoration…true transformation…comes only when we surrender to the One who gave His life for us all.
We must relinquish control of our lives to Jesus.
A Shocking Refusal
“Thou shalt never wash my feet.” Peter’s words sound loyal, but they reveal resistance. He rejects the way Jesus chooses to work because it feels wrong and humbling.
A child can look very obedient while standing still, but if the parent says, “Come here,” standing still is still disobedience. Sometimes we dress that stillness up with good reasons. “I’m waiting.” “I’m thinking it through.” “I want to be sure.” “I’m not worthy for God to call me to Himself.”
We can sometimes hide our pride behind sounding spiritual! Even genuine faith can sometimes push back when God’s call requires uncomfortable obedience.
A Sobering Warning
Jesus tells Peter in John 13, “If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.” This is a humbling warning for Peter.
Jesus draws a clear line with one simple reality; cleansing is not optional for relationship.
Think of a patient who insists on staying awake during a necessary surgery because they want to stay in control. The surgeon is skilled, ready, and willing…but the procedure can’t happen that way. The patient isn’t questioning the surgeon’s ability; they just won’t surrender control.
Our relationship with Christ is NOT dependent on our control of the situation. In fact, giving up control is a nonnegotiable!
The conclusion of this scene is a little shocking: refusing Jesus Christ’s cleansing means forfeiting closeness with Jesus.
Look at these 7 ways we will refuse Christ’s cleansing today and insist on staying in control:
1. Self-reliance that refuses repentance. We will manage sin instead of confessing sin. We then say, “I’ve got this,” instead of “Lord, wash me.” Proverbs 28:13.
2. Pride that refuses service. We struggle to admit our own needs, weaknesses, or failures. So, like Peter, we refuse to let Jesus stoop low for us. James 4:6.
3. Selective Submission refuses full surrender. In other words, we want forgiveness without transformation! Luke 6:46.
4. Hiding shame will refuse real healing. We can sometimes pull away from Jesus when He is inviting us closer or we nurture the shame and refuse to find true healing. I John 1:7.
5. Comparison refuses honest self-examination. We will say, “At least I am not like them,” and honest self-examination is refused. This kind of comparison will dull our awareness for cleansing. II Corinthains 10:12.
6. Ignoring spiritual disciplines refuses genuine cleansing. When we ignore scripture, prayer, correction, or godly counsel, we are refusing the very tools Christ uses to cleanse us. Ps. 119:9-11; John 15:3.
7. Delayed obedience refuses genuine obedience. Our response of “maybe later” is our polite way of saying, “no.” So, we delay our obedience waiting for the right moment, but the right moment never comes. Our need is to respond to Jesus now! Hebrews 3:15.
So, as you can see, we don’t always refuse Christ’s cleansing by open rebellion. Sometimes we refuse Christ’s cleansing through subtle resistance, quiet pride, and selective obedience.
A Sudden Surrender
John 13:9 records a transformation, “Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head.” The change of heart in Peter is amazing! Peter moves from “never” to “everything!” Look at this example of a heart right with God, but one that is also still growing in grace.
Think of a skilled apprentice who deeply respects the master craftsman. At first, the apprentice is eager, asking questions, offering ideas, wanting to help. But maturity shows when the apprentice stops interrupting and starts following instruction. Maturity is trusting that the master sees what he cannot.
A true follower of Jesus learns to trust Jesus’ wisdom and not just express excitement for Jesus. Genuine spiritual maturity will manifest a strong passion for Jesus that is grounded in full surrender to Jesus.
The Gospel in Action
What Jesus is doing in John 13 isn’t just an example of humility or servant leadership (although it is both of those things). This is a picture of the gospel itself in living color! In other words, the gospel is pictured in seeing that:
1. We don’t get clean enough to come to Jesus. Jesus comes to us to make us clean!
2. We don’t serve in order to be accepted. We serve because we already are accepted.
3. If Jesus doesn’t wash us, we will stay unclean no matter how hard we try!
Imagine someone taking their car to a professional detailer. They want the car to look better, but they’re nervous about what might be found. So they say, “You can wash the outside and vacuum the front seat, but don’t open the trunk. Don’t look under the seats. And definitely don’t touch the engine.”
The detailer isn’t lacking skill, and the owner isn’t lacking interest. The problem is access. As long as the work is limited, the car may look improved, but it won’t be truly clean or restored.
That’s often how we approach Jesus. We’re not deciding how generous we’ll be; we’re deciding how much control we’ll keep.
The question is not how much we are willing to give Jesus. The question is whether or not we will let Jesus wash us at all.
May we all come to Jesus today and be washed clean (I John 1:9)! Call out to Jesus and confess your pride, selfishness, insistence of control over your life…and enjoy an ever-growing relationship with Jesus. Yield to the Lord everything and trust Him to lead you all along the way!