This past Sunday, Pastor Jeremiah Niengor preached a message entitled “The Basin, the Towel & the Blood.” Drawing from John 13, Pastor Jeremiah spoke about the descent of majesty, where Jesus, knowing His hour had come, laid aside His outer garments, took up a towel, and washed His disciples’ feet—revealing a love that “went to the end.” He reminded us that we are already made clean, yet our feet still need washing—that baptism is a once-for-all cleansing, while foot-washing is the continual grace of God. The towel, Pastor Jeremiah explained, represents discipleship—humility walked out. He also shared about the battle for the basin, contrasting selfishness with servanthood and quoting, “If we do not serve one another, we have not yet understood the cross.” Finally, Pastor Jeremiah pointed us to the cleansing power of love, from the upper room to Golgotha—where Jesus poured water in a basin and later poured out His blood to cleanse sin—inviting us to let Him wash us, lay aside our garments, and find joy in going low.
✍️ Notes
⭑ THE DESCENT OF MAJESTY
“1Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having
loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. 2 During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him, 3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had
come from God and was going back to God, 4 rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. 5 Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him.” John 13:1-5
⭑ THE WAY OF THE TOWEL
6He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” 7 Jesus 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!” 10 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.” 11 For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not everyone was clean. John 13:6-10
“YOU ARE ALREADY MADE CLEAN, YET YOUR FEET STILL NEED WASHING.”
⭑ Baptism = once-for-all cleansing (louō).
⭑ Foot-washing = continual grace (niptō).
⭑ The towel is discipleship — humility walked out
“It was not a throne but a towel that revealed the heart of God.” - Charles Spurgeon
⭑ THE BATTLE FOR THE BASIN
SELFISHNESS: Concerned excessively or exclusively with oneself; seeking one’s own advantage, pleasure, or well-being without regard for others
SERVANT: One who yields obedience; one
who makes painful sacrifices in love for others
“If we do not serve one another, we have not yet understood the cross.” - Dietrich Bonhoeffer
⭑ THE CLEANSING POWER OF LOVE
UPPER ROOM
Poured water in a basin
Washed feet in private
Cleaned dust
GOLGOTHA
Poured blood from His side
Washed the world in public
Cleansed sin
Call 1: For those resisting grace
→ Let Him wash you.
Call 2: For people holding onto rank
→ Lay aside your garments.
Call 3: For anyone weary of striving
→ Find joy in going low.
QUESTIONS TO PONDER
1. Do I resist being “washed” by Jesus—confessing sin,
receiving grace because I’d rather appear self-sufficient?
2. How might my leadership look different if
I measured greatness by towels rather than titles?
3. Who is God calling me to serve that feels beneath me?
4. How might my life become a basin through which
others experience the cleansing presence of Christ?
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