Tag Archives: John 13:1-17

Life Poured Out v

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John 13:1-17; 13:31-35 (CEV)

Jesus Washes the Feet of His Disciples

13 It was before Passover, and Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and to return to the Father. He had always loved his followers in this world, and he loved them to the very end.

2 Even before the evening meal started, the devil had made Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, decide to betray Jesus.

3 Jesus knew that he had come from God and would go back to God. He also knew that the Father had given him complete power. 4 So during the meal Jesus got up, removed his outer garment, and wrapped a towel around his waist. 5 He put some water into a large bowl. Then he began washing his disciples’ feet and drying them with the towel he was wearing.

6 But when he came to Simon Peter, that disciple asked, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”

7 Jesus answered, “You don’t really know what I am doing, but later you will understand.”

8 “You will never wash my feet!” Peter replied.

“If I don’t wash you,” Jesus told him, “you don’t really belong to me.”

9 Peter said, “Lord, don’t wash just my feet. Wash my hands and my head.”

10 Jesus answered, “People who have bathed and are clean all over need to wash just their feet. And you, my disciples, are clean, except for one of you.” 11 Jesus knew who would betray him. That is why he said, “except for one of you.”

12 After Jesus had washed his disciples’ feet and had put his outer garment back on, he sat down again. Then he said:

Do you understand what I have done? 13 You call me your teacher and Lord, and you should, because that is who I am.14 And if your Lord and teacher has washed your feet, you should do the same for each other. 15 I have set the example, and you should do for each other exactly what I have done for you. 16 I tell you for certain that servants are not greater than their master, and messengers are not greater than the one who sent them. 17 You know these things, and God will bless you, if you do them.

The New Command

31 After Judas had gone, Jesus said:

Now the Son of Man will be given glory, and he will bring glory to God. 32 Then, after God is given glory because of him, God will bring glory to him, and God will do it very soon.

33 My children, I will be with you for a little while longer. Then you will look for me, but you won’t find me. I tell you just as I told the people, “You cannot go where I am going.”34 But I am giving you a new command. You must love each other, just as I have loved you. 35 If you love each other, everyone will know that you are my disciples.

A bowl
and a towel,
what is he doing?
That is the servants job.

A bowl
and a towel,
kneeling at our feet,
washing gently,
softly.

A bowl
and a towel,
removing the dirt,
ingrained from the journey;
the dust,
kicked up around us;
soothing,
cleansing.

A bowl
and a towel,
drying,
softly,
wiping the drops of water
in the same way
one would dry tears.
Gently,
dabbing,
comforting,
loving.

A bowl
and a towel,
restoring my feet
from the journey so far,
preparing them
for the journey to come.

A bowl
and a towel.
He ministers to me.
He doesn’t wait
for someone else to do it,
he doesn’t need me
to care for myself.
He kneels
and pours out his love for me.

A bowl
and a towel.
I thought I didn’t need it,
need him to do that
for me.
But I did.
I needed
his love,
his touch,
his care of me.
And he needed to do it.

A bowl
and a towel,
such love
poured in that bowl,
gently swabbing my aching body.
He did that for me.

Meekness and Majesty

A bowl
and a towel,
a symbol of how I should live,
in humility,
sacrifice,
service.
A life of giving,
doing,
soothing
and gently drying.

A bowl
and a towel,
Lord,
as I allow you to minister to me,
may I in turn
minister to others,
in your love,
through your life,
poured out
for each one of us.

Maundy Thursday – Humility and Love

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Washing His Disciples’ Feet

13 1-2 Just before the Passover Feast, Jesus knew that the time had come to leave this world to go to the Father. Having loved his dear companions, he continued to love them right to the end. It was suppertime. The Devil by now had Judas, son of Simon the Iscariot, firmly in his grip, all set for the betrayal.

3-6 Jesus knew that the Father had put him in complete charge of everything, that he came from God and was on his way back to God. So he got up from the supper table, set aside his robe, and put on an apron. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the feet of the disciples, drying them with his apron. When he got to Simon Peter, Peter said, “Master, you wash my feet?”

7 Jesus answered, “You don’t understand now what I’m doing, but it will be clear enough to you later.”

8 Peter persisted, “You’re not going to wash my feet—ever!”

Jesus said, “If I don’t wash you, you can’t be part of what I’m doing.”

9 “Master!” said Peter. “Not only my feet, then. Wash my hands! Wash my head!”

10-12 Jesus said, “If you’ve had a bath in the morning, you only need your feet washed now and you’re clean from head to toe. My concern, you understand, is holiness, not hygiene. So now you’re clean. But not every one of you.” (He knew who was betraying him. That’s why he said, “Not every one of you.”) After he had finished washing their feet, he took his robe, put it back on, and went back to his place at the table.

12-17 Then he said, “Do you understand what I have done to you? You address me as ‘Teacher’ and ‘Master,’ and rightly so. That is what I am. So if I, the Master and Teacher, washed your feet, you must now wash each other’s feet. I’ve laid down a pattern for you. What I’ve done, you do. I’m only pointing out the obvious. A servant is not ranked above his master; an employee doesn’t give orders to the employer. If you understand what I’m telling you, act like it—and live a blessed life.

A New Command

31-32 When he had left, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man is seen for who he is, and God seen for who he is in him. The moment God is seen in him, God’s glory will be on display. In glorifying him, he himself is glorified—glory all around!

33 “Children, I am with you for only a short time longer. You are going to look high and low for me. But just as I told the Jews, I’m telling you: ‘Where I go, you are not able to come.’

34-35 “Let me give you a new command: Love one another. In the same way I loved you, you love one another. This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples—when they see the love you have for each other.”

What’s this all about?

Jesus, , ,

John 13:1-17

Jesus Washes the Feet of His Disciples

1It was before Passover, and Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and to return to the Father. He had always loved his followers in this world, and he loved them to the very end.

2Even before the evening meal started, the devil had made Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, decide to betray Jesus. 3Jesus knew that he had come from God and would go back to God. He also knew that the Father had given him complete power. 4So during the meal Jesus got up, removed his outer garment, and wrapped a towel around his waist. 5He put some water into a large bowl. Then he began washing his disciples’ feet and drying them with the towel he was wearing.

6But when he came to Simon Peter, that disciple asked, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”

7Jesus answered, “You don’t really know what I am doing, but later you will understand.”

8“You will never wash my feet!” Peter replied.

“If I don’t wash you,” Jesus told him, “you don’t really belong to me.”

9Peter said, “Lord, don’t wash just my feet. Wash my hands and my head.”

10Jesus answered, “People who have bathed and are clean all over need to wash just their feet. And you, my disciples, are clean, except for one of you.” 11Jesus knew who would betray him. That is why he said, “except for one of you.”

12After Jesus had washed his disciples’ feet and had put his outer garment back on, he sat down again.  Then he said: Do you understand what I have done? 13You call me your teacher and Lord, and you should, because that is who I am. 14And if your Lord and teacher has washed your feet, you should do the same for each other. 15I have set the example, and you should do for each other exactly what I have done for you. 16I tell you for certain that servants are not greater than their master, and messengers are not greater than the one who sent them. 17You know these things, and God will bless you, if you do them.

So what’s this all about then?

There we are, gathered for our evening meal, and Jesus gets up and starts washing our feet!

Our feet were filthy – and smelly!  We had gathered the dust of our journey, the sweat of our days. And Jesus kneels and tenderly washes them.

Jesus is washing me clean.

I don’t get it.

Peter, being Peter, had something to say about it!  ‘What are you doing Jesus?  You shouldn’t be washing my feet!  I don’t want you to do that menial and dirty task for me.  I’ll deal with my own cleansing thanks.’

I think we’d missed the point…

…again…

Thank you Lord

that you are willing

to wash not just our feet,

but our hands

and our heads –

and our hearts.

Thank you that

in that momentous week

you gave your all,

to make us free,

to give us a clean slate –

and even today

you wash us

and gently dry us,

that we may learn to do the same for others.