Jesus and the twelve are enjoying supper in Jerusalem days before the festival of the Passover. Jesus knows his hour to depart this world has come, Jesus knows Judas will betray him, Jesus knows Peter will deny ever knowing him, but most importantly Jesus knows that he loves the twelve that are his disciples now, and builders of his church later.
So, during supper Jesus got up from the table took off his outer robe, and began to wash his disciples’ feet. Washing a person’s feet while refreshing, welcomed, and necessary in a time where feet were the chief mode of transportation was the work of slaves, not the son of God.
When Jesus readied to wash Peter’s feet the disciple protested saying you will never wash my feet. Jesus replied saying, “Unless I wash you, you won’t belong to me.” And then adding “You do not know now what I am doing by later you will understand.
As disciples of Christ, what should we understand? Let me share three understandings from this passage.
First, we will understand that Jesus loves us unconditionally – Jesus not only knew what the disciples were about to do to him, but he also knew the rejection, beating, and crucifixion that was to come. In washing the disciples' feet, willingly taking the beatings, and suffering on the cross Jesus demonstrates his unconditional love for us.
Second, we will understand that we must give ourselves to Jesus – Jesus is trying to make it clear to Peter that it’s not about the foot washing, rather it is about giving ourselves to Him. Simply put we cannot get to heaven unless we submit ourselves to the Lord. Remember what Jesus said in John 14:6 “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.
Third, we will understand the new commandment: we should love one another– Jesus knows to be a disciple charged with spreading the Gospel requires love. Jesus spells out this commandment in John 12: 34-35 34 I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples if you have love for one another.” Love is the calling card of our discipleship, love is what makes us different, it is what makes us Christ-like. In a world of war, mayhem, and crudity we need the love of Jesus, as disciples of the risen savior, we are called to keep Jesus’ commandment to love one another, especially when loving may seem impossible.
Jesus said to Peter, you will understand it later. For many of us later is now, for many of us we know we have lived more years than we have left and like Jesus, we know our time is near. For those in earlier stages of life the question is the same, what do you understand?
I pray as we reach the end of Lent that we have come to understand the unconditional love of Jesus and that we have come to understand that we must give of ourselves to Jesus, and we come to understand that as disciples of Christ we must love one another.
If you do not understand it, I pray that you will come to understand it better by and by.
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