The Last Supper

After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded. (John 13:5)

The dynamics at work in this single chapter in John amaze me. From the opening verse it becomes clear that the entire chapter anticipates the death of Jesus on the cross. At the time it wasn’t possible for the disciples to understand the significance of what was taking place. But Jesus understood. He knew what He was doing and why He was doing it. Because of the timing and the dramatic context, the messages that Jesus communicated through His actions and words strike me with greater force. I am grateful for John’s record of Jesus’ last evening together with the twelve. On that night, Jesus punctuated His ministry with a two-part sermon. In the first part, Jesus washed their feet. He washed the feet of Judas, the betrayer. He washed the feet of Peter, the one who would deny Jesus a few hours later. Do I keep a list? Do I have a mental list of people that I refuse to serve? Do I have a list of people that do not deserve to be loved? Jesus performed the duties of a servant and in so doing He taught them to “serve as He served”. When Jesus put aside his outer garment and wrapped himself in a towel, He showed us what it is like to put aside the pride that we wear like a cherished garment. Jesus showed us what it means to “put on” Christ and serve. In the second part of the message, Jesus gave them indisputable foundation for keeping His testimony alive. He told them to “love as He loved”. Jesus understood the magnitude of what He was saying. Yes, Jesus understood that it is not always easy to serve. It is not always easy to love. He loved and served “to the end” and He did it in a way and at a time that resonates through the ages.