The Gospel Of John, Chapter 13
Chapters 13-17 cover the last teachings of Jesus to the 12 people closest to him. And he started everything by performing the task of a lowly household servant.
After all his claims of being the Messiah and God himself, performing this task was extremely radical. This disgusting chore became an expression of love like nothing the 12 disciples could imagine. In fact, Peter REALLY couldn't imagine it. But Jesus made it clear that if he did not wash Peter, Peter could have no part with him.
The reference to Jesus' upcoming work on the cross and the resulting effect should be noted here. Jesus loves us. But if we want to have a real relationship with him, now and in eternity, we have to submit to his "washing".
Jesus also did this as an example for them to throw away pride and serve others. He is their Master and they are his messengers and servants. But as Jesus points out, "a servant is not greater than the master". So they will be expected to humble themselves and serve each other and others around them with the same genuine love and humility that Jesus did.
A challenging example! But also notice that in verse 17, Jesus says that following his example like this is "the path of blessing". So we are promised to be blessed in some way through loving and serving others.
It's interesting that no one had any reason to suspect Judas. The 12 disciples were completely clueless! This is an eye-opening concept. Could this mean that some of those that appear to be genuine believers in Christ are actually not? Absolutely. However, it's not our job to go on a mental "witch-hunt" and make assumptions about who is really a believer and who is not. Our real job is found in verse 34. Jesus said, "Just as I have loved you, you should love each other."
Woah. It's one thing to love your neighbor as yourself. That's nothing new. (Leviticus 19:18) The "new" part of this commandment is to love each other as JESUS loved! PERFECT love that thinks of others BEFORE ourselves is a whole new standard that Jesus is establishing here.
And check out the effectiveness this kind of love will have on the people around us.
(Verse 35) "Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples."(NLT)
If we really want to show people what it means to be a Christian, a real follower of Christ, than love is the first place we need to go. If we make practical love a priority, both the Christians and non-Christians around us will get a better picture of the character of Christ.
And let's challenge ourselves to put the emphasis on practical love here, if we can. Peter was ready to speak volumes about his love for Jesus, but in the end, his actual convictions were not near strong enough. (We'll see that after a few more chapters) We can learn from his mistake by loving through actions before words.
Consider who you can practically express love to today. A friend, a spouse, a family member? Who can you do a chore for, or sacrifice some of your free time for?
Next week, Chapter 14!
Coffee House Question
: What is something someone has done for you that made you feel loved or appreciated?
(We're repeating this one because...well, it's a good one!)
Don't forget to record your answer for us at either http://paeter.libsyn.com/ or http://paetersbrain.blogspot.com/ so we can play it on the podcast, or you can leave it here in the form of a comment!
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