Scripture: John 13:1-17
This passage speaks of several issues that are
interconnected in our relationship with God that comes through faith in Jesus
Christ. First, there is our discipleship
that grows through our commitment to learn from the words He taught and the
life He lived, second, in our discovery of the Gift that Jesus became for all
who would come to Him, and third, the love that God has for His created order will
always remain true and firm, and will never be renounced, even when we live in
ways that deny and betray His word and way.
Tonight, we
celebrate that relationship in two ways – first through Holy Communion, and
second by the washing of each other’s hands, which Jesus tells us that we
should do.
Read John 13:1-9
This will be the Lord’s final Passover celebration;
but will it? The Jewish Passover
celebrates the time when Israel’s Jehovah God saved the lives of His people
through the gift of a lamb’s flesh and blood! (Exodus 12:1-13) At Calvary, Jesus would become the flesh and
blood of the Lamb, who would become the means to salvation for all who would
come to Him by faith!
But there was a second gift that Jesus presented to
His disciples that evening – He knelt in front of each person to wash their
feet just as a servant would do. This
was God Incarnate – the Supreme, Almighty, Infinite, Perfect, One and Only God
- showed His faithful that in addition to the Power and Majesty that was
inherent in His Spirit, a servant oriented-heart was what made Him a personal
and loving God.
But in addition to the relational aspects of the
washing, it was also a sign of welcome to all.
The point is that Jesus even washed the feet of His betrayer, Judas
Iscariot. The Lord was letting Judas
know that he was loved, in spite of what he was about to do.
The truth is, though, that none of those
present at that meal fully understood the significance of the washing that they
had received, especially Peter!
Read John 13:10-17
Jesus knew that they all were having trouble
connecting what they had already come to know about Him versus this most recent
act of washing by their Leader. And those
additional words about cleanliness must have also caused them some further
consternation! But could His reference
to being “clean” refer to those who would remain faithful to Jesus and His word
throughout their life, regardless of the trials and temptations that would soon
begin coming against them?
And then, just to add more complications to the mix,
they also hear that they needed to develop the same heart for others that Jesus
had just demonstrated! If we really
think about it though, why shouldn’t all of Jesus’ followers treat others in
the same manner as the Lord does?
A life inspired by the Humble Heart of Christ is so
unlike the ways of the world, that it will become obvious to all that a greater
power than they, has led you to live in a way that is totally different from
the one that they live in! That’s what
comes to all who have chosen to be “Washed in the Blood of the
Lamb”!
(Note: Message was shorter, as the service concluded with both Holy Communion and Hand Washing.)
