“John 13:1-17”

Saturday, June 20, 2020

“Now before the Feast of the Passover, Jesus knowing that His hour had come that He would depart out of this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end. During supper, the devil having already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, to betray Him, Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come forth from God and was going back to God, got up from supper, and laid aside His garments; and taking a towel, He girded Himself. Then He poured water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded. So He came to Simon Peter. He said to Him, ‘Lord, do You wash my feet?’ Jesus answered and said to him, ‘What I do you do not realize now, but you will understand hereafter.’ Peter said to Him, ‘Never shall You wash my feet!’ Jesus answered him, ‘If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.’ Simon Peter said to Him, ‘Lord, then wash not only my feet, but also my hands and my head.’ Jesus said to him, ‘He who has bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you.’ For He knew the one who was betraying Him; for this reason He said, ‘Not all of you are clean.’ So when He had washed their feet, and taken His garments and reclined at the table again, He said to them, ‘Do you know what I have done to you? You call Me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am. If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a slave is not greater than his master, nor is one who is sent greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.”

---End of Scripture verses---

Jesus was in the upper room with His Apostles on the fateful night of His betrayal. Verse 1 tells us that “He loved them to the end.” Jesus loved His disciples to the utmost degree, and even on the eve of His crucifixion, He took what time He had left to teach His loved ones the valuable lessons they would need to make it through the difficult times ahead. Jesus had just taught them that the greatest among them would be their servant (Luke 22:26). Now He would demonstrate that principle to them.

Jesus arose from the supper table, took a course cloth which household servants used (an apron of sorts), and tied it around His waist. He looked like a common servant but He was anything but common. Jesus was definitely the ultimate servant. He then proceeded to wash His disciples’ dirty, sweaty, stinking feet. Even the feet of the scoundrel who would betray Him for 30 worthless pieces of silver. No act of service was beneath the reach of our servant Master.

Jesus asked them if they knew what He had done to them (verse 12). The Good Teacher asked His students to reflect on the lesson He had taught them. Obviously there was a deeper meaning to this act than just washing dirt of someone’s feet. He told them that He had left an example for them to follow (verse 15). If we want to truly follow Jesus we must follow His example of servitude. We must be willing to serve other people to the extent that Jesus served. Jesus would shortly carry His service for mankind all the way to the cross. “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13).

None of us are deserving of the Lord’s service, but we would all be helpless without it.

Please read Matthew 26:30-46 for tomorrow – Jesus prayed in the garden.

Have a blessed day!

-Louie Taylor

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