John 12:44 to 13:20

SUMMARY
Today’s reading stresses that receiving Christ is to receive the Father. Jesus proclaimed “he that believes in me, believes not in me but on Him that sent me, He that sees me sees He that sent me”. He also said He has come into the world and everyone who believes in Him should not abide in darkness and the Word He has spoken, shall judge anyone who rejects Him on the last day.
Before the feast of the Passover, Jesus knew He would depart from the world soon, yet He loved His own which were of the world till the end.
At the end of the supper, the devil had put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, to betray Jesus. Jesus laid aside His garment, took a towel and girded himself. He washed the feet of his disciples and wiped with the towel, He girded round himself. Peter asked why Jesus had to wash his feet alone and not wash his hands and head. Jesus said to him that he would understand the reason later and, if he does not wash his feet, he would have no part with Him.
Jesus said to His disciples that” if your Lord and master have washed your feet, ye also ought to wash one another’s feet for I have given you an example that ye should do as I have done to you”.

LIFE APPLICATION
Total dependence on every word that the Lord has spoken is having total faith in God. When you allow the word of God guide you through life, clarity comes into every confusing situation.
Living a life of service was demonstrated by Jesus by washing the feet of His disciples and He expects us to do the same. We are not to judge anyone based on their weaknesses. As Christians, we are to mentor and love people genuinely. Pray for them and trust God to perfect their lives. No one is a cast away.

Personal Declaration
I do the will of the Father with all humility.

Reading John 12:44 to 13:20

⁴⁴ Then Jesus cried out, “Whoever believes in me does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me. ⁴⁵ The one who looks at me is seeing the one who sent me. ⁴⁶ I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.

⁴⁷ “If anyone hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge that person. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. ⁴⁸ There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; the very words I have spoken will condemn them at the last day. ⁴⁹ For I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me to say all that I have spoken. ⁵⁰ I know that his command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say.”

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 His Betrayal

¹⁸ “I am not referring to all of you; I know those I have chosen. But this is to fulfill this passage of Scripture: ‘He who shared my bread has turned^[a] against me.’^[b]

¹⁹ “I am telling you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believethat I am who I am. ²⁰ Very truly I tell you, whoever accepts anyone I send accepts me; and whoever accepts me accepts the one who sent me.”

Footnotes:

1. John 13:18 Greek has lifted up his heel
2. John 13:18 Psalm 41:9