John 13:12-17 New American Standard Bible 1995
12 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? 13 You call Me Teacher and Lord; and [a]you are right, for so I am. 14 If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you. 16 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. 17 If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.
The Word of God for the Children of God.
Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.
Would you let Jesus wash your feet?
It is such a close, personal and an intimate act for someone else to wash them.
And it can be a deeply embarrassing one as well – who wants to submit their dirty, stinky sweaty feet to anyone else – who wants to offend anyone so much?
Isn’t it hard then for us to imagine lifting our filthy toes to the King of Kings?
None of us are the least bit worthy of his kingly care and royal attention; yet in Christ’s perfect love, he gives us nothing less.
Does your human heart struggle like mine to serve others humbly as Jesus did?
Matthew 20:24-28 New American Standard Bible 1995
24 And hearing this, the ten became indignant with the two brothers. 25 But Jesus called them to Himself and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. 26 It is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant, 27 and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave; 28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His [a]life a ransom for many.”
On the Thursday before his crucifixion, Jesus ate with his disciples in an upper room and taught us what it means to love and serve.
John 13:4-5 tells us Jesus got up from the supper table, removed his robe, then he slowly wrapped a towel around his waist, and he poured water into a basin.
Then, he knelt down, took water into his hands, he looked up at them, he began gently washing disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him.
We see a precious act of humble servant ministry modeled for us in this scene.
This was a household servant’s job, yet Jesus taught that to lead, teach, and sacrificially love others, we must take on a servant role with a servant’s heart.
John 13:14-17 New American Standard Bible 1995
14 If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you. 16 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. 17 If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.
“If we know these things, we are blessed if we do them.”
It is such a radically different question we need to ask ourselves today as well.
Well, what is your best considered response? Do we actually authentically, know these things, truly want to know any of these things in these 21st century days?
We must understand what Jesus did for us to love and serve others well.
Fully God, Jesus didn’t cling to his divine privileges,
Philippians 2:5-6 New American Standard Bible 1995
5 Have this attitude [a]in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be [b] grasped,
“but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” (Philippians 2:7-8).
Jesus welcomes us through his grace and mercy, forgives our sins by his work on the cross, and washes us clean once and for all.
Then, daily, we get to walk with God in a brand new life as a follower of Christ.
As we learn his love, Jesus gives us the capacity to love and serve as He did.
Jesus wanted to ensure His disciples understood He was Teacher, Messiah, Savior, and Lord.
Soon, he would send them to tell the world the Good News that washed in the blood of Jesus Christ we could be made right with God once and for all.
He calls us to share this hope as his disciples today.
After washing His disciple’s feet, Jesus gave them a mandate, or commandment to follow when interacting with people.
The word “command” comes from the Latin word mandatum.
A shortened form of this word is “maundy,” where we get the term “Maundy Thursday.”
On this important day, he told his disciples (and us),
“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another” (John 13:34).
“By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:35)
May this Holy Week remind us that we have a story to tell as we love and serve.
We get to testify how Jesus saved us and the difference he makes in our lives.
Like Jesus demonstrated, humbly serving others requires us to set aside status and position to love as He did.
From the most lavish to mundane, there are ways we can serve one another every single day.
A humble Christ-like posture and a willing heart are all it takes to respond to the needs around us.
Consider spending unrushed time with a friend or family member.
Try cleaning up a mess you didn’t make.
Think of ways to bless someone or give above and beyond a typical donation, benevolence, or offering.
Serving might be costly, inconvenient, or messy at times.
It may even stretch us out of our comfort zones or require steps of faith.
Time and resources are precious, but as we learn to view them as gifts from God, sharing them with our neighbors becomes even more and more joyful.
Look around you this week.
What is one act of service you can do that you feel is beneath your status or position?
How can you otherwise humble yourself like Christ – to love and serve others in your home, church, workplace, your neighborhood, and in your community?
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
Dear Lord, I am not worthy to be washed clean by you. Yet, as my King, you took the role of humble servant when you took my place on the cross. Teach me your love for others. Lead me to serve humbly. On this particular day that we call “Maundy Thursday,” teach me your mandate to love one another as you love me. It doesn’t always come naturally to me. Lord, you know that person I struggle to love today and those areas of service I tend to avoid. You know how stingy I can be with my time, money, and things. Help me to notice and listen to people this week and respond with Christ-like love and generosity. Make me aware of the needs in my church and community and stir my heart to act. With the love you have shown me, teach me to love others with a servant’s heart like yours. In humble servant Jesus’ Name, Amen
Psalm 103 New American Standard Bible 1995
Praise for the Lord’s Mercies.
A Psalm of David.
103 Bless the Lord, O my soul,
And all that is within me, bless His holy name.
2 Bless the Lord, O my soul,
And forget none of His benefits;
3 Who pardons all your iniquities,
Who heals all your diseases;
4 Who redeems your life from the pit,
Who crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion;
5 Who satisfies your [a]years with good things,
So that your youth is renewed like the eagle.
6 The Lord performs [b]righteous deeds
And judgments for all who are oppressed.
7 He made known His ways to Moses,
His acts to the sons of Israel.
8 The Lord is compassionate and gracious,
Slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness.
9 He will not always strive with us,
Nor will He keep His anger forever.
10 He has not dealt with us according to our sins,
Nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.
11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
So great is His lovingkindness toward those who [c]fear Him.
12 As far as the east is from the west,
So far has He removed our transgressions from us.
13 Just as a father has compassion on his children,
So the Lord has compassion on those who [d]fear Him.
14 For He Himself knows [e]our frame;
He is mindful that we are but dust.
15 As for man, his days are like grass;
As a flower of the field, so he flourishes.
16 When the wind has passed over it, it is no more,
And its place acknowledges it no longer.
17 But the lovingkindness of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who [f]fear Him,
And His [g]righteousness to children’s children,
18 To those who keep His covenant
And remember His precepts to do them.
19 The Lord has established His throne in the heavens,
And His [h]sovereignty rules over [i]all.
20 Bless the Lord, you His angels,
Mighty in strength, who perform His word,
Obeying the voice of His word!
21 Bless the Lord, all you His hosts,
You who serve Him, doing His will.
22 Bless the Lord, all you works of His,
In all places of His dominion;
Bless the Lord, O my soul!
Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.
Loving God, Living God, Loving Hope, Living Hope, Loving Living Life His Way! "Many things are possible for the person who has hope. Even more is possible for the person who has faith. And still more is possible for the person who knows how to love. But everything is possible for the person who practices all three virtues." - Brother Lawrence (1605-1691), Practicing the Presence of God (1692). 