Jesus Devotional - Day 5
Day Five
Jesus: Real, Relevant, and Radical!
God of the Basin
Luke 22:24-27(NLT) “Then they began to argue among themselves about who would be the greatest among them. 25 Jesus told them, ‘In this world the kings and great men lord it over their people, yet they are called “friends of the people.” 26 But among you it will be different. Those who are the greatest among you should take the lowest rank, and the leader should be like a servant. 27 Who is more important, the one who sits at the table or the one who serves? The one who sits at the table, of course. But not here! For I am among you as one who serves.”
In our culture, when you seek the powerful, the strong, or the influencers, you don't go to the kitchen or the basement. You don’t look for a boss among the busboys or dishwashers. You head to the head table or the corner office. You go to the front of the line, not the back of the bus. You visit the millions “liked” page, not the one with five views and no subscribers. So where do you look for the most powerful being in the universe? Where would you look for God? Surely, you wouldn’t look to the lowliest position to find the most powerful. You see, that was the problem with most everyone Jesus encountered, including His disciples. They were searching for a Messiah King, a deliverer for the Jewish people, a conqueror over Rome. They wanted someone large and in charge! They wanted to pick a winner and be picked by a winner. They wanted to be on top and to be able to throw their weight around.
But what they found in Jesus was completely opposite of what they thought they needed. Instead of a King on a throne, they received a King on a cross. Instead of a Messiah to help them conquer, they saw a Suffering Servant. Instead of basking in glory, they encountered God in the gory. Instead of a King waiting to be fed, they met a Servant holding a basin.
Jesus is about to be crucified. It is His final moments with His disciples. They are eating their last meal together, and it just so happens that there is no one there to wash feet, as was customary at the time. Washing feet was usually reserved for the lowliest of servants due to the very nature of washing someone else’s feet. It was a dirty job. They didn’t wear the kinds of shoes we do today; they wore sandals, and dirt and grime would get everywhere. It’s safe to say that this was a job nobody wanted. You didn’t grow up saying, “One day I am going to be a foot-washer. That is my dream!”
Luke tells us what is taking place. The disciples, realizing there is no foot-washing servant, begin arguing among themselves about who is the greatest. They are trying to establish a pecking order to avoid doing what really needs to be done. Jesus is very clear in His directive to the disciples that His way of leading is completely opposite to how the world leads. Look at Verse 25. It says, “Jesus told them.” He hears their warped perspective and speaks up. Then look at Verse 26. “But among you it will be different.” He continues in pressing the point home in Verse 27. “But not here!” Jesus says, "You guys need to get this." “My Kingdom is not set up the same way as the world, and in my Kingdom, if you want to be great, you need to learn to serve!”
John 13:1c “He now showed them the full extent of his love.” Jesus is now demonstrating the full extent of His love. He is going to demonstrate it to them in a way they will never be able to forget. Their self-seeking, pecking-order-loving, and position-seeking hearts are about to be confronted in a very real and undeniable way. Their Master and Lord is about to do something they have never seen done by someone of His stature, and it is about to wreck their theology and approach to ministry. They thought ministry was about position and title, and Jesus just blows their theory right out of the basin. You have heard people talk about thinking outside of the box; this is Jesus acting outside of the basin!
John 13:12-17(NIV) “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 I tell you the truth, 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 didn’t say a word until Peter protested, then He continued without saying another word until all the disciples’ feet were clean. You could hear a pin drop in the room. Everybody in that room had clean feet, and as they stared at their just-washed feet, Jesus put His clothes back on and took His place at the head of the table. Why did He remove His clothes? It shows how dirty a job foot washing really was. Jesus makes the point clear! “Do you get what I just did? If I am your Lord and I washed your feet, you should do the same.” Then Jesus adds, “I have done this as an example for you to follow!”
“17 Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.” You say, "Well, I bet they got the message.” I don’t think so! Jesus says blessed are you if you do them, right? Everybody’s feet are clean except for One! Whose feet are still dirty? Jesus’ feet. If they had understood the message, there would have been a rush for towels and basins and a line in front of Jesus. It is amazing that God, in His providence, provided a prostitute to wash and anoint Jesus' feet, knowing that His own disciples would neglect the very Lamb of God in their midst, even after a visual demonstration of Servanthood! A prostitute understood serving better than all twelve of the disciples!
Where do you look for greatness? Greatness is found on a cross. Greatness is discovered in an empty tomb. But before the cross and the tomb, greatness is revealed in a basin.
Prayer:
Jesus: Real, Relevant, and Radical!
God of the Basin
Luke 22:24-27(NLT) “Then they began to argue among themselves about who would be the greatest among them. 25 Jesus told them, ‘In this world the kings and great men lord it over their people, yet they are called “friends of the people.” 26 But among you it will be different. Those who are the greatest among you should take the lowest rank, and the leader should be like a servant. 27 Who is more important, the one who sits at the table or the one who serves? The one who sits at the table, of course. But not here! For I am among you as one who serves.”
In our culture, when you seek the powerful, the strong, or the influencers, you don't go to the kitchen or the basement. You don’t look for a boss among the busboys or dishwashers. You head to the head table or the corner office. You go to the front of the line, not the back of the bus. You visit the millions “liked” page, not the one with five views and no subscribers. So where do you look for the most powerful being in the universe? Where would you look for God? Surely, you wouldn’t look to the lowliest position to find the most powerful. You see, that was the problem with most everyone Jesus encountered, including His disciples. They were searching for a Messiah King, a deliverer for the Jewish people, a conqueror over Rome. They wanted someone large and in charge! They wanted to pick a winner and be picked by a winner. They wanted to be on top and to be able to throw their weight around.
But what they found in Jesus was completely opposite of what they thought they needed. Instead of a King on a throne, they received a King on a cross. Instead of a Messiah to help them conquer, they saw a Suffering Servant. Instead of basking in glory, they encountered God in the gory. Instead of a King waiting to be fed, they met a Servant holding a basin.
Jesus is about to be crucified. It is His final moments with His disciples. They are eating their last meal together, and it just so happens that there is no one there to wash feet, as was customary at the time. Washing feet was usually reserved for the lowliest of servants due to the very nature of washing someone else’s feet. It was a dirty job. They didn’t wear the kinds of shoes we do today; they wore sandals, and dirt and grime would get everywhere. It’s safe to say that this was a job nobody wanted. You didn’t grow up saying, “One day I am going to be a foot-washer. That is my dream!”
Luke tells us what is taking place. The disciples, realizing there is no foot-washing servant, begin arguing among themselves about who is the greatest. They are trying to establish a pecking order to avoid doing what really needs to be done. Jesus is very clear in His directive to the disciples that His way of leading is completely opposite to how the world leads. Look at Verse 25. It says, “Jesus told them.” He hears their warped perspective and speaks up. Then look at Verse 26. “But among you it will be different.” He continues in pressing the point home in Verse 27. “But not here!” Jesus says, "You guys need to get this." “My Kingdom is not set up the same way as the world, and in my Kingdom, if you want to be great, you need to learn to serve!”
John 13:1c “He now showed them the full extent of his love.” Jesus is now demonstrating the full extent of His love. He is going to demonstrate it to them in a way they will never be able to forget. Their self-seeking, pecking-order-loving, and position-seeking hearts are about to be confronted in a very real and undeniable way. Their Master and Lord is about to do something they have never seen done by someone of His stature, and it is about to wreck their theology and approach to ministry. They thought ministry was about position and title, and Jesus just blows their theory right out of the basin. You have heard people talk about thinking outside of the box; this is Jesus acting outside of the basin!
John 13:12-17(NIV) “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 I tell you the truth, 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 didn’t say a word until Peter protested, then He continued without saying another word until all the disciples’ feet were clean. You could hear a pin drop in the room. Everybody in that room had clean feet, and as they stared at their just-washed feet, Jesus put His clothes back on and took His place at the head of the table. Why did He remove His clothes? It shows how dirty a job foot washing really was. Jesus makes the point clear! “Do you get what I just did? If I am your Lord and I washed your feet, you should do the same.” Then Jesus adds, “I have done this as an example for you to follow!”
“17 Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.” You say, "Well, I bet they got the message.” I don’t think so! Jesus says blessed are you if you do them, right? Everybody’s feet are clean except for One! Whose feet are still dirty? Jesus’ feet. If they had understood the message, there would have been a rush for towels and basins and a line in front of Jesus. It is amazing that God, in His providence, provided a prostitute to wash and anoint Jesus' feet, knowing that His own disciples would neglect the very Lamb of God in their midst, even after a visual demonstration of Servanthood! A prostitute understood serving better than all twelve of the disciples!
Where do you look for greatness? Greatness is found on a cross. Greatness is discovered in an empty tomb. But before the cross and the tomb, greatness is revealed in a basin.
Prayer:
- Ask the Lord to help you understand what true greatness really is.
- Pray for a heart willing to pick up your towel and basin to follow your King’s example.
- Ask the Lord whom you can serve during this season of turmoil.
- Pray for wisdom and opportunities to serve.
Posted in Jesus Devotional