John 13:1-17

John 13:1-17 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. The evening meal was being served, and the devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, to betray Jesus. Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” “No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.” “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!” Jesus answered, “A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet; his whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean. When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.

In the previous breakfast, we read the familiar story of Christ washing his disciples' feet. As we take a second look at this passage, we visualize Jesus removing his outer clothing, wrapping a towel around his waist, and kneeling before his friends with a servant's heart. Such a scene should make us pause in the midst of our very busy lives, even as we think about fathers and our heavenly Father. The concept of serving God and others is not a popular idea in 2011, for serving requires that we seek the Lord, spend time with him, and hear his voice. Listening requires that we discipline ourselves and humble ourselves anew and afresh rather than doing whatever we want when we want. Obedience rarely comes naturally, automatically, or easily to our human nature. We are raised from childhood to think independently and first and foremost to protect and to promote Number One. In 1798, the romantic poet William Wordsworth wrote: "The world is too much with us; late and soon, Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers." Imagine William's shock at the materialism of our day. We no longer bother to disguise our selfish walk. We justify our need for increasing material goods, even luxuries; and we lust for ever more exciting forms of relaxation: "I worked hard for this and I deserve it!"

The Holy Spirit cries out: Open your hearts, your eyes, your ears. I have work for you to do and the laborers are few. Jesus says, My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. (John 10:27) Paul told the church our attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death — even death on a cross! (Philippians 2:5-8) God is ever so patient with us and He loves us immensely. We are his people, his beloved, his sons and daughters. But we are called to follow his Son, to do the work of the kingdom, not to spend all our time fulfilling our own desires, meeting our own needs, and slipping Christ into a convenient corner of our lives when we have a spare moment or two or if it just happens to work out. Often we hear folks say they missed church because they were too tired, had a hard week, were too busy, or just did not feel like it. What if there was someone there they needed to minister to with a word of encouragement? What if the sermon the pastor prepared was the perfect message that would have lifted them up and given them strength to arise and shine for Jesus? What if? We should not obey our feelings: we should listen to the voice of God. Peter taught the church sound doctrine about the mind of Christ: Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because he who has suffered in his body is done with sin. As a result, he does not live the rest of his earthly life for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God. (1 Peter 4:1-2)

Last time we discussed this passage we described how our lives are a book with many pages and chapters. We have constant choices how we will fill the pages every day. We have a pen in hand; we have time and opportunities. God does not condemn you: the Word makes that a clear again and again. Jesus calls you to a life of peace, joy, and love--victory in him forevermore, but the journey is not always easy. This passionate and encouraging word to us from our daughter, Christine Bozich, offers a fitting conclusion to today's breakfast:

The book imagery is really good on many levels. The nice thing is that we know when we read a book that some chapters are harder to read than others. We also know, that a new chapter may bring a completely different turn of events. We don’t have to worry about going back and rewriting old chapters, they are done. That is over and the next chapter can be brand new. This means that even if we have spent ½ a book heading down the wrong path, a life that is lived serving our own needs or going our own way, there is still room for a surprise ending, a sudden twist in the story. The book is not complete. The game is not over. We get a chance to write a new chapter with a happy ending. God wins. Jesus is victorious. He can sit beside us in the end and share our life story and say that it is good. In the end all our books can be titled “It Is Well With My Soul”. Thanks for reminding me to look at the story of my life and how it is being written. Thanks for reminding me that my story is unique and if I do not serve then who will. My responsibility, my service, my calling, that I must live and I alone because it is Christ who has placed this call on my life. I must be a feet washer, a light bearer, and servant to all.