Dear friend, it’s so good to have you back with us today, welcome!
Today we’re going to look at one of the most important reasons why God frees people from bondage, and that is, He frees us to serve! Jesus stated that He did not come to be served, but to serve and give His life as a ransom for many (Matthew 20:27-28).
During our time in impurity, we were serving only ourselves; now in freedom, we are to live a life of service to others. Serving others is one more way in which God keeps us living in freedom, for when we are helping others, we are not serving ourselves.
Today, let’s look at an amazing story of service which perfectly illustrates the gospel of Jesus Christ, and then see the conclusion of that story which is a call for us to follow Christ into a life of service.
John 13:1-3 ESV Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. (2) During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him, (3) Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God.
Question 1. According to John 13:1, what forms the basis of what Jesus was going to do next in this chapter?
Jesus came to this world out of love for His people. And as He faced betrayal by Judas, false accusations by the religious leaders, a mock trial by Pontius Pilate and death by crucifixion, He wanted to make it clear that He is going through all of this because of love. “Having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.”
Jesus loved you in life and in death. He loved you to the cross, to the grave and back. All that Jesus did for you was motivated by both the desire to honor and obey His Father, and of love for you. Jesus "loved you and gave Himself for you!" (Galatians 2:20). In John 13:1, He makes love for His people the basis of what He was going to do next!
John 13:4-5 ESV (Jesus) rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. (5) Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
Imagine Jesus, the God of all the universe, with a towel around His waist. The King of all creation, exalted in the heavens, stooping to clean the dirt off the disciples’ feet. And all because of love!
Humbling ourselves to serve others is one of the highest expressions of love.
John 13:6-7 ESV He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, do you wash my feet?” (7) Jesus answered him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.”
Question 2. Jesus declared to Peter that Peter would understand what Jesus had done “afterward.” What event is the “afterward” that would bring understanding to Peter?