These are unusual and difficult days in our world. I want to encourage you in the truth. In response to quite a few subscribers asking if I might consider writing more than just Lent or Advent devotionals, after some prayer, I decided to continue writing daily devotionals through Pentecost, which occurs fifty days after Easter and will take us this year to May 31st. So you can expect to continue to receive daily devotionals through the end of May. They will continue to appear in your emails each morning after Easter. You need do nothing. The Lord is sovereign.
Reader: “A new commandment I give you”
Response: “love one another.”
Scripture: John 13:1-20, 33-35
Before the Passover celebration, Jesus knew that his hour had come to leave this world and return to his Father. He had loved his disciples during his ministry on earth, and now he loved them to the very end. It was time for supper, and the devil had already prompted Judas, son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God. So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him.
When Jesus came to Simon Peter, Peter said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” Jesus replied, “You don’t understand now what I am doing, but someday you will.” “No,” Peter protested, “you will never ever wash my feet!” Jesus replied, “Unless I wash you, you won’t belong to me.” Simon Peter exclaimed, “Then wash my hands and head as well, Lord, not just my feet!”
Jesus replied, “A person who has bathed all over does not need to wash, except for the feet, to be entirely clean. And you disciples are clean, but not all of you.” For Jesus knew who would betray him. That is what he meant when he said, “Not all of you are clean.”
After washing their feet, he put on his robe again and sat down and asked, “Do you understand what I was doing? You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and you are right, because that’s what I am. And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you. I tell you the truth, slaves are not greater than their master. Nor is the messenger more important than the one who sends the message. Now that you know these things, God will bless you for doing them.
“I am not saying these things to all of you; I know the ones I have chosen. But this fulfills the Scripture that says, ‘The one who eats my food has turned against me.’ I tell you this beforehand, so that when it happens you will believe that I AM the Messiah. I tell you the truth, anyone who welcomes my messenger is welcoming me, and anyone who welcomes me is welcoming the Father who sent me.”
“My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come.
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
Reader: “These words were recorded by John, who was present when this happened.”
Response: “Thank you, Lord, that we have this account.”
Some thoughts:
If you knew you were going to die in the next day or so, what would you say to your family and closest friends? What topics would you cover? I doubt you’d be talking about soccer games, March Madness, The Master’s, the stock market, or work. My guess is you’d be telling them how much you loved them. That you wanted them to love and look after each other and that you’d miss them, but that you’d see them again. That’s essentially what Jesus did in John’s gospel in chapters thirteen through sixteen.
The material you just read is found only in the gospel of John. His gospel is twenty-one chapters in length and chapters thirteen through nineteen cover about twenty-four hours! John does not record the observance of the Passover meal as do the synoptic gospels. Foot washing is unique to this gospel. Here also we find the details of Judas’ betrayal and Peter’s denial being predicted. Chapters fourteen through sixteen give great details of Jesus’ conversation with his disciples during the meal. And Chapter seventeen is a marvelous opportunity to listen in on Jesus praying to his Father in heaven. Notice the content of Jesus’ prayer.
I want to make an observation on something the rabbi, Jesus, did. Rabbis had disciples called talmudeen, a small group of people who followed them around wherever they went and did whatever the rabbi did. They copied his every move. They left their homes, left everything and followed him in order to become like him. In this setting, the disciples’ rabbi, humbled himself and took the role of a slave. He knelt before them and washed their feet! Unheard of! A rabbi would never ever do such a thing. His talmudeen would wash his feet. Jesus was demonstrating personal humility and servanthood. He was laying aside every personal right he had. Do you realize he also washed the feet of Judas, knowing that within minutes Judas would leave to betray him? What do you think was going on in Jesus’ mind . . . in Judas’ mind?
As many of you know, foot washing was part of my experience in growing up in our little Mennonite church. Though not shared by all, it is my personal opinion and experience that the practice of foot washing has tremendous significance and impact even today for many of the same reasons that it touched the hearts of the disciples so deeply. It is very humbling to have another wash your feet, and it is a great honor to wash another’s feet. I would encourage you to participate in foot washing if you ever have an opportunity. Email me if you are curious for more information.
The apostle John did us a great favor in recording all of these final conversations of Jesus. Over the next couple of days, take your time and read chapters thirteen through seventeen in one sitting putting yourself in the midst of the disciples.
Music: “Ubi Caritas” Paul Mealor Composer Mealor appears during the applause.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTrMIJKBwRU
“Ubi Caritas” Ola Gjeilo Central Washington Chamber Choir with the composer on piano.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_7mcGqsKP8
Lest you think no young composers are writing beautiful music!
Ubi Caritas-author unknown
ancient text for Maundy Thursday
Where charity and love are,
God is there.
Christ’s love has gathered us
into one.
Let us rejoice and be glad in Him.
Let us fear, and love the living God.
And may we love each other
with a sincere heart.
Where charity and love are,
God is there.
As we are gathered into one body,
Beware, lest we be divided in mind.
Let evil impulses stop,
let controversy cease,
And may Christ our God
be in our midst.
Where charity and love are,
God is there.
And may we with the saints also,
See Thy face in glory,
O Christ our God:
The joy that is immense and good,
Unto the ages through infinite ages. Amen.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus Christ, you stretched out your arms of love on the hard wood of the cross that everyone might come within the reach of your saving embrace: So clothe us in your Spirit that we, reaching forth our hands in love, may bring those who do not know you to the knowledge and love of you, for the honor of your name. Amen.
― the Worship Sourcebook