Hello my “Walking with Jesus” friends,
Down through history very important meetings have taken place ‘behind closed doors’ with results which have shaped our world. Political agreements have been reached which have ended wars or forged international alliances. Business meetings have united large corporations or birthed new ventures. Scientific meetings have launched antidotes to plagues or pandemics.
But of all such meetings, I’d like to invite us, over these next three days, to join the meeting which ultimately has impacted more people around the world than any other. It took place in Jerusalem and John the beloved disciple gives us four chapters of his description of this upper room evening with Jesus and His disciples, on the eve of His Easter weekend which changed the course of the human race.
John writes: “It was just before the Passover Feast and Jesus knew that the time had come for Him to leave this world and go to the Father.” (John 13:1)
It’s a profound opening statement! Jesus, God the Son, had come to earth on a specific rescue mission which He, God the Father and God the Holy Spirit, had planned because the human race, created in God’s image, turned away from God and invited Satan into the Garden of Eden and evil has been consuming our world ever since.
This earthly mission of Jesus included His miraculous incarnation in Mary’s womb, His birth in a Bethlehem stable, His growing up in the home of Joseph and Mary in Nazareth, but especially His nearly 3 years of proclaiming God’s truth and proving His identity through His miracles.
But the core purpose of Jesus’ earthly redemption mission was to be accomplished this Passover weekend in Jerusalem, beginning with this evening with His friends in this upper room Passover.
A little later in the evening, John records that Jesus said to His disciples “I came from the Father and entered the world, now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father.” (John 16:28) And then as Jesus prayed, John recorded He said these words “Father, the time has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son may glorify You…I have brought You glory on earth by completing the work You gave Me to do. Now Father, glorify Me in Your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.” (John 17:1-5)
My ‘walking with Jesus’ friends around the world, it is absolutely essential that you and I understand WHO this Jesus is and WHY He came to earth. Jesus is God. Eternally existing God the Son, incarnate in a human body so He could experience all aspects of human life, except sin, including death. His death was essential to rescue the human race from eternal separation from God in our sin.
Since He is sinless God, only Jesus could pay the full atonement sin price for humanity’s ransom and thus make it possible for any person to be reconciled into relationship with God, their sin forgiven, and assured of eternal life with God in heaven. This was His mission, and here in this upper room Jesus knew the time had come for His mission to be fully accomplished. He had much to teach His friends this night, before He would go to the cross purchasing their and our redemption from our sin condemnation.
John wants us to understand Jesus was fully aware of all that must transpire IF God’s Redemption Plan was to be fully executed, making possible the spiritual rescue of the human race.
The friends of Jesus who were in that upper room with Him, however, were oblivious. They were good Jewish men and they knew they were gathering for the Passover Seder meal together, but they had no idea what they were about to hear, see, or experience and what it would mean for them and all humanity, then and now.
I wonder how often that has happened to you and me? Life happens fairly normally and we are totally oblivious to the fact that God is working His magnificent plan in our world and He is including us… but we are simply not aware! The disciples that night had no idea… at least not as the evening began.
John continues his record of the evening: “Having loved His own who were in the world, Jesus now showed them the full extent of His love.” (John 13:1) Jesus was about to do and say things He’d never done or said before, to show these men the extreme of God’s love for fallen, rebellious humanity. Please never forget the Redemption mission of God is rooted in this powerful, famous statement: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son that whoever believes in HIM shall not PERISH but shall have everlasting life.” (John 3:16) A little later that evening Jesus said to them “Greater love has no one than this, that He lay down His life for His friends.” (John 15:13)
A few days before, as they were walking along the road, Matthew records this: “Now as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, He took the 12 disciples aside and He said to them: ‘We are going up to Jerusalem and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn Him to death and will turn Him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day He will be raised to life!” (Matt. 20:17-19)
It was a shocking but very clear announcement of what was about to happen… but they simply couldn’t grasp it! We know Easter weekend is only a few days away now, and we celebrate it every year, but have you grasped the full significance of it my friends? How much has it really changed your life and mine? Is God planning to do something new in your life this Easter? Are you spiritually ready, aware and alert, so you won’t miss it?
John begins his description of that upper room night with four profound observations. Like the frame around a picture they shape the significance of the evening. Do you grasp their meaning?
1. “Jesus knew the time had come for Him to leave this world and go to the Father…” Do you hear the omniscience of Jesus, His full understanding of what was happening and His very soon return to heaven?
2. “He now showed them the full extent of His love…” Easter weekend is the ultimate EXPRESSION of God’s love for humanity, and the ultimate EXPERIENCE of life change for any person who fully trusts God to apply into their life what Jesus Christ accomplished Easter weekend!
3. “The evening meal was being served and the devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot to betray Jesus.” While the disciples were oblivious, Jesus was fully aware of a profound, vicious spiritual battle taking place between He and Satan for the lives of every human being!
4. “Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under His power…” Through His miracles Jesus had proved some of His power. While people were impressed, even amazed, even the disciples had no idea that Jesus had unlimited God power and full Sovereign authority over all things, even over the terrible things which were about to happen that night.
From the beginning of time, the devil, Satan, has been opposed to God, God’s truth, God’s purposes, God’s ways, God’s people and God’s plans. In the days leading up to His Easter, the opposition to Jesus accomplishing God’s great Redemption Mission was increasing intensely.
Judas had been one of the 12 disciples, personally chosen by Jesus. He’d seen all the miracles, heard all Jesus’ words, been with Jesus every step of the way over these many months. But Judas’ heart had not yet been touched, in fact it was hard and vulnerable to Satan’s work in turning Judas from disciple to betrayer!
Dr. Luke gives us this explanation: “The chief priests and teachers of the law were looking for some way to get rid of Jesus. Then Satan entered Judas, one of the 12. Judas went to the chief priests and discussed with them how he might betray Jesus to them. They were delighted and agreed to give him money. He consented and watched for an opportunity to hand Jesus over to them…” (Luke 22:1-6)
With that as a backdrop, let’s step into that upper room in Jerusalem and spend the evening with Jesus and His friends. John tells us there had evidently not been a servant at the door, nor even a basin & towel for them to wash their dusty feet as they entered. That was essential, whenever you entered a person’s home, especially if you were going to recline at their low table for a meal. It was the normal custom to remove your sandals and wash your feet clean from the dirt of the dusty roads, before you entered someone’s home. But this night in that upper room, no basin, no towel?
So John tells us Jesus actually got up from the table, found a basin and water, and a towel and went around the room actually hand washing each foot in the room…including Peter who would later deny Jesus, and Judas who would later betray Him! This act was the beginning of what John meant when he wrote “Having loved His own who were in the world, Jesus now showed them the full extent of His love.” (John 13:1)
I’d like us to pause right there for today… just watch Jesus, the Creator of the Universe, the Son of God, with basin & towel, as He moves from person to person, washing the feet of sinful men, even a betrayer! What do you feel as you watch this profound act of humility and love? And what will you do when He comes to you, and asks to wash your feet?
Listen, Jesus is speaking… “Do you understand what I have done for you? You call me ‘Teacher’ (Rabbi) and ‘Lord’ (Master) and rightly so, for that is what I am. But now that I, your Lord and Teacher have washed your feet, you should also wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you…” (John 13:12-17) And what do you suppose Jesus meant? How do we live the type of humility and love that He showed that evening, even in the face of pride, deceitfulness and Satan’s opposition?
And then as Jesus looked around the room, His eyes meeting the eyes of everyone in the room, He shocked them by saying: “I tell you the truth, one of you will betray Me!” (John 13:21) Let Jesus’ eyes meet yours. He knows everything about you… past, present and future. Feel His love for you. Spend a few moments in private conversation with Jesus as you contemplate the significance of what you’ve just witnessed…and what you know is coming!
Oh my “Walking with Jesus” friends, I’ve found a song that fits for all of us, right here, right now, with our feet just washed, looking at Jesus, with profound love in His eyes…yet He just told us a betrayer is among us! Let’s worship together friends…
Today’s Scripture is John 13:1-31.
Choose below to read or listen.
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Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
Have a comment or question about today’s chapter? I’m ready to hear from you, contact me here.
Pastor Doug Anderson 262.441.8785
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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