Day One – John 13 : 1-6

Day One: Read John 13, verses 1-6.

Introduction: The Jewish feast of the Passover remembered and celebrated God’s wonderful O.T. deliverance of His people Israel from Egypt. On the very night before us in this chapter, Jesus transformed that passover meal into what we now call the Lord’s Supper, or the Communion, where Christians remember His death for us, to save us from our sins – Jesus, the true Passover lamb. ( John does not actually record this – see Matthew 26:26-29; Mark 14:22-25; Luke 22:14-20.)

Notes on these verses:

V1: Jesus knows “His hour has come” – the hour His Father God had fixed, when He would leave this world and return to the Father, but by His death on the cross bearing the sins of all who would trust in Him as Saviour – the purpose for which God sent His Son. ( John 3:16.) He loved ” His own” – not just those first disciples, but all His people down through the ages, ” to the end”, to and in His death for them on the cross. Can you say, with Paul, ” He loved me, and gave Himself for me”? ( Galatians 2:20.)

V2: Judas, the betrayer of Jesus. Yes, the devil filled his heart, but he was ready to betray the Lord.

V3: And Jesus knew this, and knew all things were in God’s hand and purpose.So, how did He show His love to His disciples?

V4-5: He took the role of a servant, in the humblest and most demeaning of tasks, to wash their feet. Imagine those bare feet, from those dusty Palestinian roads in the heat of the day. This was the task of the lowest sevant in a household – beneath the dignity of those of higher rank – yet Jesus did it for His loved ones.

V6: Simon Peter protests. Some criticise him at once, but to me he alone sees how unfitting it is, that Jesus should do this for him! But he doesn’t yet understand. Do we realise how amazingly the Son of God has humbled Himself for us? ( see Philippians 2:5-8)