Lenten Devotion for 16 April 2011

Lenten Devotion for 16 April 2011
1 Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end. 2 And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him; 3 Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God; 4 He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself. 5 After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded. 6 Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet? 7 Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter. 8 Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me. 9 Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head. 10 Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all. 11 For he knew who should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all clean. 12 So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you? 13 Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. 16 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. 17 If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them. (John 13:1-17)

Our journey with Christ over these past weeks has been inexorably approaching a great and profound event. We have come to the moment of the Lord’s Supper. This event is foreshadowed only by the profound events which follow on the few days remaining before His being offered up. “Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end” This is a most poignant statement of truth which should touch the deepest chambers of our hearts. That Passover in the land of Egypt was about to reach its full realization in the Great Passover which is Christ. There are a number of points which cause us to ponder deeply this last comment: 1) the timing of it is amazing in that, while He has only hours to live before His great passion, His thoughts continue focused on the love for “His own.” This is not an expression of special love for the Jews, but for those who are truly His own – have followed Him, believed Him, and remained steadfast until now. “He loved them unto the end” – how beautiful is His heart that He would love us as long as He can love us – unto the end. But more expansive is that love because the text only makes reference to His love up until death. He arose from the Tomb and STILL loves us forever! This is a love without beginning and without end. His earthly ministry would end, but He considered that His disciples, often weak and faltering, would be left behind to face the many dangers and persecutions of being a follower of Christ.

“And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him.” Please refrain from the weary argument that Judas was somehow innocent. He was a thief! He was disloyal! Yes, the devil put the idea in his heart to betray Christ, but only because the heart of Judas was receptive to the devil’s voice! Thirty pieces of silver can be quite tempting to a thief!

“Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God.” He knew all things, including all the humiliating events about to transpire with Him. Yet, God had given victory to Christ in all things even before victory would be acutely obvious to the world around Him. He came from God and returned to God so that He might bring us also to the Father. Someone had to travel the distance to redeem us! That someone was Christ - the only One who was worthy to do so.

“He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself. After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded.” An expression of courtesy to visiting guests in Jewish homes was to have the feet of the guest washed by the lowest household servant. Christ is humbling Himself as an example to His disciples (and to us) of the importance of humility in the Christian minister and laity. This act, too, is a foreshadowing of the cleansing from sin that Christ offers through His shed blood. Even though one was a traitor, Christ spurned him not and doubtless loved Him as well to the end. Unfortunately, too many ministers and Christian laity are too impressed with themselves and their presumed righteousness. It is doubtful that the Pope will ever be seen washing the feet of a dozen Haitian peasants. To follow Christ, we must be Christ-like.

Peter misjudges Christ’s purpose, and so do we too often do. Even if the Word does not seem reasonable to us at given points, we must follow the Word and not our own logic. If we are not washed by Christ, we remain unclean and are not His. “ He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all.” The disciples would have bathed before the Passover meal, but the feet would not have remained clean. Once washed and forgiven by Christ, we may fall into ways that are not pleasing to God. Those areas need confession and repentence. “Ye are not all clean.” There is one present, Judas, whose feet will soon become filthy through his travel to condemn the Lord of Glory. His feet being unclean, so is his heart, and that to his doom.

“Know ye what I have done to you? Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.” Can it be true that some consider themselves better than their LORD in humbling themselves to service? What does it mean if we are reluctant to offer a comforting touch to a little child in squalor? Or to hear the plea of a desperate sinner seeking to find the hope you can provide? If a helpless adulteress is dragged before you by cruel men seeking her stoning, how will your treatment of her differ from theirs? The servant is not greater than his LORD!