4/3/11 John 13:12-17

12 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. 13 “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. 15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16 Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.

Thoughts:  Jesus performed the lowly, humble service- washing feet, dying a slave's death as a sacrifice for us.  So we should not expect to live above others.  Some of the people who are most admired are the retired CEO who works on a Habitat House for someone who he has never met.  Or the nurse or teacher who goes the extra mile for someone who complains too much.  In the movie "Ghandi" Ghandi's wife did not want him to clean toilets, but he said it was good for him.  She thought it was detestable. 

Prayer:  Give me grace, O Lord, to be a servant.  Give me eyes to see. 

4/2/11 John 13:6-10 Jesus Serves Us

6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”
7 Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”
8 “No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.”
Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”
9 “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!”
10 Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” 11 For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.

(Jesus Washing the Disciples' Feet- James J. Tissot)

Thoughts: The washing of the feet was a symbol of the washing of the soul from sin.  Unless Jesus serves us (especially on the cross) we can't be a part of Him.  Jesus served us by coming down from heaven to earth.  He served us by healing the sick, by teaching us how to live.  He served us by his sacrificial death on the cross.  Unless we allow the God of the universe to serve us, then we are left in our sin.  Jesus also sets us an example to serve others too.  As He humbled himself, we should humble ourselves. Jesus shows us the full extent of his love in that He serves us. 


Prayer: Thank you for your service to me.  Help me to serve others by your grace and strength.

John Calvin Abridged: Peter's modesty would be commendable, except that obedience is of greater importance than modesty.  We are taught to obey Christ even if we do not perceive the reason why.

4/1/11 John 13:2-5 The Importance of Good Service

 ² The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. ³ Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; ⁴ so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. ⁵ 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.

(Washing of Feet- Giotto di Bondone 1267-1337)

Thoughts: Jesus last act, would be an act of service.  Not just his washing feet, but his dying on the cross. Jesus said (Mk. 10:45) "Even the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many."  Washing feet was a dirty smelly job reserved for slaves.  In a few hours he would die as a thief and a slave though he was really the most Innocent One ever and a King. 

Prayer: You served then, Lord.  You serve me today by your death on the cross. Give me grace, O Lord to serve someone today in your name. 

John Calvin Abidged: The Evangelist says that Judas had already agreed to betray Christ.  Who could have the patience and endurance to wash the feet of such a detestable traitor? The Evangelist says that he knew the Father had given all things into His hands to show us where Christ gained such great composure of mind. 

3/31/11- John 13:1 The Length of the Love of Christ

¹ It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.

(Upper room in the City of David in Jerusalem)

Thoughts: John does not concentrate so much on the words of the Last Supper as the environment around it in the upper room, and his final teachings before his arrest.  John points out that Jesus knew his end was near when he said the words recorded in John 13-17.  For those of us who are older, we should consider not only making a will, but witnessing to our faith in our will- with some last words to our heirs.  The verses recorded here are tender, compassionate, and a bit melancholy.  Yet they are also full of goodness, hope, and grace.  Christ' s love did not stop when he knew he would die.  It did not stop when he knew or even saw his disicples desert him, betray him, and deny him.  His love did not fail then, and it does not fail now. 


Prayer: Thank you that you showed us love then and you show us love now. 


John Cavlin Abridged: John purposefully leaves some things out that are included in Matthew, Mark and Luke.  But he also adds some things- like the washing of feet.  By this visible sign he shows them his love.  Our Lord still holds the very affection for us that he held at his death. 

3/30/11 John 12:44-46 Christ comes as a light

44 Then Jesus cried out, “Whoever believes in me does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me. 45 The one who looks at me is seeing the one who sent me. 46 I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.

Thoughts: These words are the last time we hear Jesus teaching in public.  To believe in Jesus is to believe in God.  To look at Jesus is to look at God.  Jesus claims to be the light of the world.  Strong claims.  Jesus is saying, "If it walks like a duck, swims like a duck, quacks like a duck- it must be a duck."  One of the last things Jesus is teaching is to make sure everyone knew his claim to be God. 

Prayer: When I look at you, Jesus, I see my example; I see my Lord.  Keep me from darkness for I believe in you.





John Calvin Abridged:  Christ is trying to encourage his followers to a proper and unshaken steadfastness of faith.  Faith in Christ does not rely on mortals, but on God; for it finds in Christ nothing but the divine.  "To see" is used of knowledge of God.  Or faith rises from the flesh of Christ to his Divinity.  Christ came into the world to being light and deliver us from darkness and errors.  The way we obtain such a great benefit is to believe in Him. 

3/29/11 John 12:37-43 If Seeing is Believing...

37 Even after Jesus had performed so many signs in their presence, they still would not believe in him. 38 This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet: “Lord, who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?”
39 For this reason they could not believe, because, as Isaiah says elsewhere: 40 “He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, so they can neither see with their eyes, nor understand with their hearts, nor turn—and I would heal them.”
41 Isaiah said this because he saw Jesus’ glory and spoke about him. 42 Yet at the same time many even among the leaders believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they would not openly acknowledge their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue; 43 for they loved human praise more than praise from God.

(Carl Henry Bloch - Christ healing)

Thoughts: One would think that miracles would lead to belief, but they do not .  If God answered every prayer we prayed in the way we might want, some still would not believe.  Faith is not sight.  All the arguments, evidence, and power shown does not automatically lead to belief.  The opposition to Jesus was strong, and the believers were weak.  IN the midst of the worst disasters the hand of God is at work.  Many refuse to look, because they are blinded by their sorrow or the tragedy. 

Prayer: My eyes have been blind to your hand working.  Open them, O Lord, that I might see and believe.


John Calvin Abridged: The evangelist explains why Jesus was so disappointed with his own people's rejection.  There were numerous undoubted testimonies that proved that credit was due Him.  We see that it was not Christ's fault that they doubted Him.  Many may wonder how the visible power of God had such little effect upon them.  John tells us that they were blind showing us that faith is an exraordinary gift [like opening the eyes of the blind].  It was an ancient prediction that few would believe the Gospel when it came. 

3/28/11 John 12:34-36 A Non-earthly kingdom

34 The crowd spoke up, “We have heard from the Law that the Messiah will remain forever, so how can you say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this ‘Son of Man’?” 35 Then Jesus told them, “You are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you. Whoever walks in the dark does not know where they are going. 36 Believe in the light while you have the light, so that you may become children of light.” When he had finished speaking, Jesus left and hid himself from them.

Thoughts: Isaiah 9:6-7 says, "Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given and the government will be upon his shoulders...of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end."  The risen Lord is reigning now.  But the people of Jesus' day wanted him to reign in Jerusalem physically.  William Barclay points out that in Shaw's play "Joan of Arc" she says when she realizes she is to be betrayed by her own people, "You will be glad to see me burnt; but if I go through the fire I shall go through it to the hearts [of the common people] forever and ever."  The greatest kingdom is not one established by force.  Xerxes, Alexander, Caesar, Napolean, Hitler are all gone.  But the kingdom established by peace lives forever.  This is where the terrorists deceive themselves- thinking that force and terror will win the world. The rebellions in the Middle East today are against the dictators who took over control mostly by force in the past.  The light of the world was about to be extinguished physically, but it would multiply billions of times over spiritually.

Prayer: Lord, help me to believe and live knowing that your kingdom is not of this world.