inspiring :: encouraging :: challenging :: fulfilling
southside|church
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PO Box 4993
Lafayette, IN 47903
Pastor Jeff: 765.404.0807
Meeting at The Long Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Lafayette on the corner of 6th and Columbia every Sunday at 10:30 am.
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Pastor Jeff's Blog
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The evening meal was being served, and the devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, to betray Jesus. Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”
Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”
“No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.”
Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”
“Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!”
Jesus answered, “A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet; his whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.
When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them. — John 13:1-17
In yesterday’s passage, Jesus declares that all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to him, and he then does something that makes perfect sense—he gives a command. If you have all authority, you give people commands. That’s the way it works, and we understand it.
Here, however, we are told that Jesus, knowing that the Father had put all things under his power, stoops down to wash the smelly feet of his Twelve disciples… even Judas.
Now that doesn’t make sense on any level. The house most likely had a hired servant whose job it was to wash feet. If there were no servant, then each person could have done it for himself or just not done it at all. It wasn’t a life or death situation that these feet had to be washed and they had to be washed now. On top of it all, Jesus commanded all the authority in the universe. If anyone were going to wash anyone’s feet, Jesus should have been on the receiving end. On top of that, Jesus knew full well what Judas was about to do… and he washed Judas’ feet anyway!
If I had all the authority in the universe, you could find me giving commands, but you wouldn’t find me washing feet.
But I don’t. And the one who does not only did just that, but he tells me to do it for others. There is a command here. The one with all the authority has given a command, but it’s a command to show love for others the way he has shown love for us.
Here’s the bottom line. What Jesus does here demonstrates two simple principles for us.
- Loving people is about seeing a need, however large, and initiating the action to meet that need.
- Following Jesus is about passing on to others the love he has shown to us.
Why not do it? Today, think of one person with a need and do something to meet it. Today, think of one way Jesus has shown love to you and do something to pass that on to another.
BIG IDEA FOR THE DAY: John 13:17… Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.
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