Passion Week Fast 2010 Day 4

Back for more huh? Well here it goes…



Yesterday we learned that we can be angry for righteous reasons, and that love is important above all else. Here’s more from the Passion Week teachings of Jesus. I didn’t accidentally miss Wednesday; the bible doesn’t record anything that Jesus did on Wednesday. It is assumed that He was chilling with the twelve in Bethany .



On Thursday, Jesus observes the Passover meal, and washes the disciples’ feet. Many would wonder where the lesson is. It is this: In order to win souls, you must relate to the people, and humble yourself as a servant. Did Jesus have to have the Passover meal? No, but it was culturally relevant and important to the people. We have to show that God can relate that His love is attainable for anyone. Did He have to wash their feet? Again, no, but it was culturally relevant. There were no cars, and everyone wore sandals. So the first thing that was done when they entered the home in the evenings, was? You guessed it! Moms everywhere would shout from the kitchen, ‘Wash those nasty feet before you come in here.’



Read John 13 yep all of it. You didn’t think I was gonna do all the work on these devotions did you?



When Jesus washes the feet, there are several key points to consider.


1. In John 13:1, it states that Jesus had shown his love to them already in His time with them, but He washed their feet in order to show the full extent of his love. So, to show the full extent of our love requires humility. The King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Most High God stripped off His outer garments, wrapped a towel round His waist, and washed His disciples’ dirty feet. It doesn’t get much more humble than that. How much easier should it be for us as mere humans, to humble ourselves before each other? Think about this for a moment.


2. Peter, the disciple with Foot in Mouth Disease, didn’t want to let Jesus wash his feet, but when Jesus gave him the condition (v 8), he gladly accepted and wanted Jesus to wash every part of him. Jesus reply is that even though we are bathed, we will still have to regularly wash our feet. Another metaphor? Yes. Although it speaks to the cultural relevance of walking everywhere in sandals and always needing your feet washed, think about it this way. When we’re baptized, we arise clean, as a new creature (2 Cor 5:17). However, along the way, we stumble, we sin, and our feet get dirty. Do we let them stay dirty? No, we wash them with the blood of Jesus (yes I used that cliché just for Nick). We must seek His face daily, but when we fall, we must repent, and run to Him, and make up the time we lost in that fall.


3. We must do likewise. He tells the disciples, makes a point, that now that He, their Lord and Teacher, has washed their feet, they also should wash each other’s feet (v 14-15). Servant is never greater than master (in this life), so when they humble themselves and bless others, they will also be blessed. How about that? I always wonder why after I help others, I feel like I have been blessed. It’s because Jesus himself said it would be so.


So there you have it. In one night, Jesus showed the disciples that they must relate to the people and humble themselves before others. In doing so, they will be blessed.



How have you served lately? What blessings have you received? Better yet, what blessings have you missed because you haven’t humbled yourself to serve?



See you tomorrow with the last devotional. I love you all.