God's Gospel Truths
John 13:12-17
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.
Pondering Point
Now consider an imaginary conversation between Jesus and a follower of His, maybe even a conversation with you:
Follower: Lord Jesus, bless me.
Jesus: OK, repeat after me.
Follower: ...(waiting)... I'm confused. Repeat what?
Jesus: Repeat what I do. Do what I do and you will be blessed.
Do you believe you are blessed by doing what Jesus did – serving rather than being served? There is blessing in both of course, and we need to learn to give and receive service. Without learning to receive, others miss out on the blessing of giving Jesus describes.
Jesus received from others in the form of meals, housing, financial support. Yet while He did, His focus was others (often doing for them what they could not do for themselves). Chief among that focus was dying for our sins that we might become children of God. It included basic kindnesses within His power to help in day-to-day needs. Such kindnesses are well within our capacity to serve others.
Prayer Prompt for the Day
[Insert your own prayer about today's devotion.]
See a presentaton from The BibleProject: Explore the second part of John's Gospel account, a radical declaration of Jesus' identity as the long awaited Messiah and the Son of God.