Post by Woody Williams on Mar 20, 2008 6:51:07 GMT -5
Text for the Day -- John 13:1-15, 34
----------
Now before the festival of the Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had
come to depart from this world and go to the Father. Having loved his
own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. The devil had
already put it into the heart of Judas son of Simon Iscariot to
betray him. And during supper Jesus, knowing that the Father had
given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and
was going to God, got up from the table, took off his outer robe, and
tied a towel around himself. Then he poured water into a basin and
began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel
that was tied around him. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him,
‘Lord, are you going to wash my feet?’ Jesus answered, ‘You do not
know now what I am doing, but later you will understand.’ Peter said
to him, ‘You will never wash my feet.’ Jesus answered, ‘Unless I wash
you, you have no share with me.’ Simon Peter said to him, ‘Lord, not
my feet only but also my hands and my head!’ Jesus said to him, ‘One
who has bathed does not need to wash, except for the feet, but is
entirely clean. And you are clean, though not all of you.’ For he
knew who was to betray him; for this reason he said, ‘Not all of you
are clean.’
After he had washed their feet, had put on his robe, and had returned
to the table, he said to them, ‘Do you know what I have done to you?
You call me Teacher and Lord—and you are right, for that is what I
am. So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also
ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have set you an example, that
you also should do as I have done to you. I give you a new
commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you
also should love one another.’
Devotional
----------
Servant leadership finds a strong model in Jesus washing the feet of
his disciples. It is an example of the power of humility. Jesus made
evident that his ego had been surrendered to God and to the needs of
his disciples to understand themselves as apostles. Jesus truly came
"to serve and not be served." The gift of Holy Week is the gift of a
life for the life of the world. The lesson of Holy Week is humility
that enables us to serve the life of the world with God's love as
well.
Prayer
--------------
Servant Lord, help me remember the lesson of Maundy Thursday. Amen
----------
Now before the festival of the Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had
come to depart from this world and go to the Father. Having loved his
own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. The devil had
already put it into the heart of Judas son of Simon Iscariot to
betray him. And during supper Jesus, knowing that the Father had
given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and
was going to God, got up from the table, took off his outer robe, and
tied a towel around himself. Then he poured water into a basin and
began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel
that was tied around him. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him,
‘Lord, are you going to wash my feet?’ Jesus answered, ‘You do not
know now what I am doing, but later you will understand.’ Peter said
to him, ‘You will never wash my feet.’ Jesus answered, ‘Unless I wash
you, you have no share with me.’ Simon Peter said to him, ‘Lord, not
my feet only but also my hands and my head!’ Jesus said to him, ‘One
who has bathed does not need to wash, except for the feet, but is
entirely clean. And you are clean, though not all of you.’ For he
knew who was to betray him; for this reason he said, ‘Not all of you
are clean.’
After he had washed their feet, had put on his robe, and had returned
to the table, he said to them, ‘Do you know what I have done to you?
You call me Teacher and Lord—and you are right, for that is what I
am. So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also
ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have set you an example, that
you also should do as I have done to you. I give you a new
commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you
also should love one another.’
Devotional
----------
Servant leadership finds a strong model in Jesus washing the feet of
his disciples. It is an example of the power of humility. Jesus made
evident that his ego had been surrendered to God and to the needs of
his disciples to understand themselves as apostles. Jesus truly came
"to serve and not be served." The gift of Holy Week is the gift of a
life for the life of the world. The lesson of Holy Week is humility
that enables us to serve the life of the world with God's love as
well.
Prayer
--------------
Servant Lord, help me remember the lesson of Maundy Thursday. Amen