October 15, 2021Dear friends,
On Tuesday night, our Bible study group looked at the account of Jesus washing the feet of His disciples in John 13. This was something that the twelve men did not expect. Simon Peter, who was not shy to express his thoughts, questioned his Master and after Jesus answered him, Peter exclaimed: “You shall never wash my feet!” (v. 8). As Ray Stedman explains in his book “God’s Loving Word,” it was customary for a servant to wash the feet of anyone entering a house, so that the dust of the roads could be removed. “Jesus waits until they are all reclining at the table, then, without a word, He arises, removes His garments, and assumes the role of a servant. Notice that when Jesus removes His outer garments, He is left wearing nothing but the loincloth of a slave. He kneels before each disciple in turn – even Judas! – and He washes the feet of each one and dries them with a towel. These twelve men are shocked, stunned, and ashamed – and rightly so.”
To get the context of this, we need to read Luke 22, where we see that the disciples argued among themselves as to which among them was the greatest. Pastor Stedman observes: “This may well have involved a debate as to the seating order. Perhaps each felt entitled to a seat of honor next to Jesus.” He recounts the following story to illustrate the importance of serving:
“During the Revolutionary War, a man in civilian clothes was riding his horse along the brow of a hill where he encountered a group of soldiers. The soldiers were struggling to mount a heavy cannon … to defend against a British attack. The stranger halted his horse and watched as three soldiers grunted and strained, trying to position the cannon. A few feet away, a fourth soldier barked orders and berated the men, but didn’t lift a finger to help them.
The stranger nudged his horse over near the man who was shouting orders. ‘Those men could use some help,’ the man on horseback said. ‘Why don’t you lend a hand instead of shouting at them?’
The soldier said, ‘Sir, I’m a corporal!’
‘Oh!’ said the stranger, ‘I beg your pardon. Please let me help.’ He dismounted, joined the three soldiers, and put his shoulder to the task. Soon the cannon was in place.
The stranger returned to the corporal and said, ‘Mr. Corporal, the next time you have a job like this and not enough men to do it, send a message to me at my headquarters, and I will come and help you again. Just ask for your Commander-in-Chief, George Washington.’
Then George Washington remounted his horse and rode away from the speechless corporal.”
Pastor Stedman writes: “Jesus was not merely trying to shame His disciples and quell their argument. He was giving them a powerful lesson in the true meaning and nature of authority.” May we determine to follow our Lord’s example and serve others.
Scripture for the weekend: “If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.” John 13:17 (NKJV)
Thought for the weekend: “I had rather get ten men to work than to do the work of ten men.” – D. L. Moody
Steve