Daily Scriptures: https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts.php?id=34
John 13:1-17, 31b-35
13:1 Now before the festival of the Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.
13:2 The devil had already put it into the heart of Judas son of Simon Iscariot to betray him. And during supper
13:3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going to God,
13:4 got up from the table, took off his outer robe, and tied a towel around himself.
13:5 Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was tied around him.
13:6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”
13:7 Jesus answered, “You do not know now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”
13:8 Peter said to him, “You will never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no share with me.”
13:9 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!”
13:10 Jesus said to him, “One who has bathed does not need to wash, except for the feet, but is entirely clean. And you are clean, though not all of you.”
13:11 For he knew who was to betray him; for this reason he said, “Not all of you are clean.”
13:12 After he had washed their feet, had put on his robe, and had returned to the table, he said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you?
13:13 You call me Teacher and Lord–and you are right, for that is what I am.
13:14 So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.
13:15 For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you.
13:16 Very truly, I tell you, servants are not greater than their master, nor are messengers greater than the one who sent them.
13:17 If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.
13:31b When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him.
13:32 If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once.
13:33 Little children, I am with you only a little longer. You will look for me; and as I said to the Jews so now I say to you, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’
13:34 I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.
13:35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
Love In Action
What do you like most about your feet? If you are like many people, the least favorite part of their body is their feet. In some ways, it stands to reason. (no pun intended). We walk on them all day every day. We often enclose them in shoes, and generally, unless they are causing a problem, we neglect them. This modern perception is also an ancient one. We find even in this Biblical text a sense of how body perception can drive behavior. Maundy Thursday and the history of foot washing established by Jesus tells us a lot about our roles as followers of Jesus. We never stand so high as when we stoop so low as to wash anothers’ feet.
In our text we find Jesus, sensing the magnitude of the life he has been called to live. It’s a couple days after his “flash mob” parade into Jerusalem, and a day or so before his public execution. A lot is weighing heavy in his spirit. One thing we see about Jesus is although his life is in the balance, he never stops teaching. Jesus is the ultimate example of how to live until you die. Instead of running and hiding, or over-indulging in creature comforts, Jesus in our text is found on his knees, washing the feet of his disciples. That almost doesn’t sound right. The Master, the Lion of Judah, the Prince of Peace, the Son of GOD, on his knees, washing the feet of a group of followers whose faith wobbled, and actions were erratic to say the least. Not only that but Jesus washes the feet of the very man who will betray him in less than a day, and of another who will deny even knowing him. I don’t know about you, but that blows my mind. I can think of the times I have to challenge myself not to think of myself as other. When I say that I mean there are times it takes work to find the connection between myself and the people who are least like me. I can assure you, kneeling and washing the feet of someone I couldn’t trust would be the last thing on my mind. And that is why I love Jesus so. Jesus is showing me that no matter how high I fly I am never better than anybody. Jesus is showing me that if I have been blessed abundantly it is to share and not to show off. Jesus by kneeling helps me to stand up to the worst parts of myself and become a better person.
Now Jesus stooping to bless did not thrill everybody. In fact, Simon Peter said, “You shall never wash my feet”. I like Peter. Stil,l Jesus’ response to Peter gives us our marching orders. Jesus says, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.” Wow! Jesus does not take the easy way out. I might have said, shoot I didn’t want to wash your stinky feet anyway. You’ve been walking through the unpaved roads of the country side, stepping on GOD knows what, with open toed sandals and no socks, Yeah Pete you can have your stink feet. But Jesus, responds in a way that reminds every believer, you are never too good to serve. Secondly, our service is not based on the merit of the people we are serving. Peter was on the verge of denying Jesus and yet Jesus washes his feet. Love is an action word. Love is a verb.
Today on Maundy Thursday I encourage you to bless somebody. Humble yourself and serve.
Point to Ponder: How can YOU serve? Are there any jobs that you feel are beneath you? Would you wash the feet of someone that might betray you?