Working In Us
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. 2 The devil had already put it into the heart of Judas son of Simon Iscariot to betray him. And during supper 3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going to God, 4 got up from the table, took off his outer robe, and tied a towel around himself. 5 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. 6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” 7 Jesus answered, “You do not know now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” 8 Peter said to him, “You will never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no share with me.” 9 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” 10 Jesus said to him, “One who has bathed does not need to wash, except for the feet,[b] but is entirely clean. And you[c] are clean, though not all of you.” 11 For he knew who was to betray him; for this reason he said, “Not all of you are clean.”
John 13:1-11
Jesus knew his hour had come. Several times throughout the gospel, John mentions that Jesus’ hour has NOT yet come - the first being when Jesus’ mother asked him to help out at the wedding banquet when they had run out of wine. Jesus’ response to her was that his hour had not yet come. Now, however, NOW his hour had come. And what does he do? He takes on the role of a slave and he washes the feet of his disciples. In the lowliest of acts, he demonstrates his love and humility. Jesus demonstrates his love in humble service. Jesus will go on to demonstrate this love in its ultimate form with his death on the cross.
This passage also makes the end of Jesus’ public ministry and turns toward his disciples as he prepares them for the time he will no longer be with them. Yes, the time has come. We also remember that in the previous chapter, Mary of Bethany had anointed Jesus, modeling the humble service that Jesus was now teaching his disciples. Jesus does all this knowing full well that his disciples will fail him in the very near future. It is a poignant scene of extraordinary love, love that is given freely, undeserved, unmerited, unearned.
Jesus loves them to the end - to the end of his earthly life and beyond, and he loved them completely and fully. Because of our relationship with Jesus Christ, we are called into this love, this humble service that Jesus himself demonstrates. It isn’t necessarily easy, and on our own using our own devices, it perhaps wouldn’t even be possible. But that’s the thing about our Christian faith and the relationships we have; God works through us and in us to be able to do extraordinary things.
Prayer: Gracious God, you show us your great love at work through Jesus your son, who in humble service takes on the role of a slave to wash the feet of the disciples. By his death on the cross and his resurrection from the dead, he demonstrates how far this love will go. May we be strengthened and encouraged in our service to others, trusting that you are working through us.