Welcome to day 38 of our 40 day challenge! Today, we are in John 13 and 1 Corinthians 11

(You can catch up on our Intro, Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4, Day 5, Day 6, Day 7, Day 8, Day 9, Day 10, Day 11, Day 12, Day 13, Day 14, Day 15, Day 16, Day 17, Day 18, Day 19, Day 20, Day 21, Day 22, Day 23, Day 24, Day 25, Day 26, Day 27, Day 28, Day 29, Day 30, Day 31, Day 32, Day 33, Day 34, Day 35, Day 36, Day 37 if you missed them)

John 13:1-17, 31b-35

Jesus Washes His Disciples’ Feet

13 It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.

² The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus.³ Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; ⁴ so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. ⁵ 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.

⁶ He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”

⁷ Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”

⁸ “No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.”

Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”

⁹ “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!”

¹⁰ Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” ¹¹ For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.

¹² 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. 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 Very truly I tell you, 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 Predicts Peter’s Denial

“Now the Son of Man is glorified, and God is glorified in him. ³² If God is glorified in him, God will glorify the Son in himself, and will glorify him at once.

³³ “My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come.

³⁴ “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. ³⁵ By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

1 Corinthians 11:23-26

²³ For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, ²⁴ and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” ²⁵ In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.”²⁶ For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

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Jesus, our suffering servant from Isaiah 53, shows His disciples what love, power, and authority look like in one beautiful act. I love how John retells this, moment by moment, watching Jesus prepare to serve them. I’ve seen many groups reenact this gesture, and the leaders often miss an important part. Jesus could have directed others to get it all set up. He could have begun with it all prepped. But He set it all up for them. He truly took on the role of the lowest slave in the house to serve them. And in doing so, He set the standard for how His people act.

John says Jesus knew the Father had put all things under His power. He knew He had come from God and was returning to God, therefore, He washed their feet.

Jesus knew His high position, and therefore He chose to serve in the lowest. Jesus modeled for His disciples what leadership looks like. He showed them and us, what power and authority look like in His Kingdom. If we only had this chapter to know what Jesus was like and how we should act in following Him, it would be enough. We now, in Jesus, have been given everything. We, too, are heading to our Father. So how do we act? When we truly realize how much we’ve been given, and how high our position is, we’ll respond in servant love.

In 1 Peter 5:5, Peter says to clothe yourself with humility. I have a note that says a more literal wording is to wrap the apron of humility around yourself. And I think Peter is referencing this. All those years later, Peter still had in mind Jesus setting the example for lowly service in love. I love Peter refusing to be served, and then when Jesus says unless I do, you’ll have no part in me, then Peter says, ” Then go on and wash my whole self!

If we want to follow Jesus, it requires the servant love Jesus had for His disciples. They came into the room arguing over who would be greatest in the Kingdom. They were concerned about power in a Kingdom they didn’t yet fully understand. And Jesus showed them exactly what that takes. Everything looks different in His Kingdom. Power, authority, and privilege mean getting low and serving. We have so that we can give. Whatever it is we have right now, power, wisdom, authority, influence, possessions, it’s not for our benefit alone. Whatever we have, it is so that we can pass it on and use it for the benefit of others. Doing this is some of the most fun you can have.

Jesus is our example in all things. to love His disciples, not in spite of His authority and power, but because of His authority and power. Jesus has forever changed what power means, and all who follow Him must do the same.

Father, empty us of all that is not of you. Let us lay down the messages of the world, of the enemy against us, and let us take up what you are saying to us. Knowing all you’ve given us, help us serve others. Fill us with your love so fully that it overflows onto everyone around us. And help each of us walk in the servant love you modeled so well. ♥

Options for further  journaling or discussion throughout the challenge:

• Choose a part of the passage to write out by hand. Writing by hand helps us slow down and focus on what the Lord might highlight for us in the passage. Our brains can focus and remember better by writing than just reading alone.
• Journal about what the passage brings to mind. Does the passage tell us anything about God? Does it tell us anything about our response to Him?
• Does your heart respond in gratitude to any part of the passage? Write or pray your gratitude to the Lord.

We’ll see you tomorrow for Day 39, in John 18

♥ Samantha