Hello everyone. In the next two days we are going to finish the book of John. In yesterdays reading, Jesus made His triumphal entry into Jerusalem. It is upon this event that we start the final days of Jesus' life on earth. Chapters 12-21 cover this time. That's 10 chapters!!! John puts a lot of emphasis on Jesus' final days.
13:1 It was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love.
This is a different introduction to the Last Supper, unlike the account in the other gospels. Jesus washes His disciples' feet. I don't want to get into the symbolism behind the washing, but I do want to talk about the motivation behind the act. Think about the phrase "He washed His disciples' feet." The very fact that they were His disciples shows that He had authority. He was their leader. How often do we see leaders humble themselves to serve their subjects?
13 “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. 15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16 I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.
Jesus sets a precedent for leadership; a leader who humbly serves those under him. This is where we get the Christian concept of what we call a: "Servant Leader." Servant leaders are rare in the world, but there is supposed to an abundance of them in the church. Jesus has given us the example to follow. We should lead by example as Jesus did. Jesus said, "Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet." In other words, you should serve one another; especially those who find themselves in a leadership role. What type of leadership role? That's a good question.
13:34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
Again, John relates to us the Lord's command to love one another. Jesus has been teaching them this whole time and now He says these words. Love on another. He's just given them a visual aid of what this means. I washed your feet. Now wash each others' feet. I love you. Now love one another. Remember that the washing of the feet was a way in which He showed them the full extent of His love. He humbled Himself to do this and so should we. Jesus never stops teaching. He never stops loving. Neither should we. He touches on this again and again over course of the next couple chapters.
14:6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”
There are some who believe that the Bible says nothing about having a relationship with Christ. I say they're not looking. Here is an example in chapter 14. Jesus says, "I am the way." In this "I am" statement we see that to get to the Father, we must go through Jesus. Notice He says. "If you really knew me." It's easy to know about someone and know all about them, especially now in our technological age. How do you really get to know someone, but by having a relationship? It is our relationship with Christ that gets us to the Father. That's why Jesus is the way and the truth and the life.
15:18 “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. 19 If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. 20 Remember the words I spoke to you: ‘No servant is greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also.
Sometimes we wonder why people in the church do things that are contrary to Christ's teachings and more like that of the world. Are these people merely so-called believers that actually belong to the world? It's hard to answer this question with certainty. It's possible, though very difficult to interpret the fruit of a person. We can't judge the heart, but we can judge the fruit. This is not to judge as to condemn, but to gain an understanding.
We must also remember that we are all works in progress. Jesus just talked about the "True Vine." We are transplants into the true vine from the world. We start in the world and it takes time and growth in order to flush out the world's influence in our lives. That is why we must be patient and kind even if we don't want to. After all, that's the way we wish to be treated. It was Christ who said, "So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you."
There are so many awesome things to discuss from these chapters. It's unfortunate that we can't discuss them all. After all, who want to be reading my blog all day long? : ) I can only try my best to touch on what I feel the Spirit is leading me to touch on. I leave you with the ending of chapter 16 (though this discourse by Jesus continues on into 17). I hope this verse is as much of an encouragement to you as it is for me.
16:33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
Though the world hates us (Christians) because we belong to God, we have a hope and peace that will always last. I find myself thinking about Finding Nemo where Dory tells Marlin, "When life gets you down, just keep swimming." Having a good attitude about life is healthy, but when the world gets you down the "Just keep swimming mentality" can only get us so far. Sometimes life kicks you in the teeth. I'm not going to "Just keep swimming" when things are that rough. I know the same is true for most of us.
Praise God that we don't have to get ourselves through when world gets us down. Jesus says, "Take heart!" In other words "Just keep swimming." But don't swim under your own power, but do so from God's power. He has overcome the world and if we remain in Him we have the promise that there is nothing that this world can do to us that can separte us from the love of God. Nothing can separate us from our God!!! That is where we find the strength to "Just keep swimming" and the peace to endure through the troubles of this world. Until next time...
Peace and grace be with you all.
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