This is the day during Easter week when we remember the words Jesus spoke to his disciples at the last supper. Maundy Thursday comes from the latin Dias Mandatum, "The day of the new commandment." That commandment, of course, being, "So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other.?Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples" (John 13:34-35).?
Some time today read John 13:1-17, 31-35 (see the passage below).
Linger over the passage. Picture yourself there, with the disciples, in the upper room. You see Jesus take off his robe and wrap a towel around his waist. He pours water into a basin and you see him wash the feet of your friend next to you. Then he kneels down in front of you and washes the dirt from your feet. He moves slowly, lovingly; firmly showing you what leadership really is.
- What do?you feel?
- What do?you learn from Jesus as he serves?you this way?
- Peter responds in his own way.?How might you respond?
- What would you say to Jesus as he washes your feet?
John 13:1-17, 31-35 - Jesus Washes His Disciples? Feet
13?Before the Passover celebration, Jesus knew that his hour had come to leave this world and return to his Father. He had loved his disciples during his ministry on earth, and now he loved them to the very end.?2?It was time for supper, and the devil had already prompted Judas,?son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus.?3?Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God.?4?So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist,5?and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples? feet, drying them with the towel he had around him.
6?When Jesus came to Simon Peter, Peter said to him, ?Lord, are you going to wash my feet??
7?Jesus replied,??You don?t understand now what I am doing, but someday you will.?
8??No,? Peter protested, ?you will never ever wash my feet!?
Jesus replied,??Unless I wash you, you won?t belong to me.?
9?Simon Peter exclaimed, ?Then wash my hands and head as well, Lord, not just my feet!?
10?Jesus replied,??A person who has bathed all over does not need to wash, except for the feet,?to be entirely clean. And you disciples are clean, but not all of you.??11?For Jesus knew who would betray him. That is what he meant when he said,??Not all of you are clean.?
12?After washing their feet, he put on his robe again and sat down and asked,??Do you understand what I was doing??13?You call me ?Teacher? and ?Lord,? and you are right, because that?s what I am.?14?And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other?s feet.?15?I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you.?16?I tell you the truth, slaves are not greater than their master. Nor is the messenger more important than the one who sends the message.?17?Now that you know these things, God will bless you for doing them.
31?As soon as Judas left the room, Jesus said,??The time has come for the Son of Man?to enter into his glory, and God will be glorified because of him.?32?And since God receives glory because of the Son,?he will give his own glory to the Son, and he will do so at once.33?Dear children, I will be with you only a little longer. And as I told the Jewish leaders, you will search for me, but you can?t come where I am going.?34?So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other.35?Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.?
