some of the most significant experiences of worship I remember as a child are those when the people of God gathered together to wash one another's feet as a child I often thought of a foot washing service like playing in the rain a time when we can come together just to be free and be silly I have reflected that foot washing can be understood as playing in the spirit in fact foot washing has been an essential Sacrament in Pentecostal worship and it signifies the essence of Pentecostal spirituality the first general overseer of the Church of God AJ Tomlinson once wrote quote the foot washing service is among the most beautiful and attractive services we have there may be something deeper in foot washing than we will ever know in this world unquote foot washing signifies the humiliation of the Divine Son in John chapter 13 the word who became flesh the Lamb of God who comes to take away the sin of the world Jesus Christ gathered his disciples together to wash their feet the foot washing was a self-emptying of the divine son the Apostle Paul wrote in Philippians chapter 2 that we're to have the mind of Christ or the attitude of Christ who although he existed in the form of God did not regard equality with God as something to be grasped or held onto but he emptied himself so the foot washing service offers believers an opportunity to follow Christ in this self-emptying and self giving foot washing interprets Christ's sacrificial death Jesus washed the feet of his disciples so that they may be cleansed and be in fellowship with him foot washing is a regenerative act in that as Jesus washed their feet his disciples experienced a spiritual transformation in fact he told Peter unless you let me wash your feet can have no part in me so foot washing is a sanctifying act foot washing is often repeated and it corresponds to the believers need for continual cleansing as we make our pilgrimage in this corrupt age Jesus commanded that his disciples wash one another's feet the disciples were often a contentious group James and John were in contention with the others Peter would deny the Lord three times Judas would betray the Lord and Thomas would doubt the Lord but Jesus bowed before each one of these disciples and washed their feet so foot washing signifies the restoration of the sinful it can be an opportunity for confession to confess is to tell the truth about ourselves and foot washing is an opportunity that we can express our love to one another confess our sins to one another and pray for one another the Apostle James declared confess your sins to one another and pray for one another so that you may be healed foot washing signifies a spiritual journey we make pilgrimage through this corrupt age an Augustine wrote that we need to have our feet washed each day by our Lord as an act of his high priestly intercession that as our feet are washed our paths will be ordered and we will be made clean in every respect so foot washing reminds us that the church is a community of grace we're sinful Christians are to be restored and foot-washing exemplifies authentic Christian ministry jesus said in John 13 2008 uyou he who receives whomever I send receives me and he who receives me receives him who sent me so foot washing is an act of commissioning to Ministry the Apostle Paul twice used the metaphor of feet to speak of the proclamation of the gospel he cried out how beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel so foot washing is a sac of commissioning and foot-washing is an encounter with the holy spirit of grace as the people of God gather together as they confess their sins as they pray for one another as they wash one another's feet the Holy Spirit rest upon the water of cleansing the Holy Spirit fills believers and the Holy Spirit brings the grace of God to the worshiping community so that we can travel throughout the world boldly proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ