Tag: demonstrated love
Demonstration of love
Scripture reading for April 23: John 13
“Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end. During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him, Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going back to God, rose from supper. He laid aside His outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around His waist. Then He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around Him.” John 13:1-5
As Jesus Christ came to the final hours of His time on earth, He wanted to impress on His disciples His love for them and His command to love others by selfless serving. Jesus knew this was the final hour and He would soon depart and leave them. He knew that one of His disciples, Judas, had already betrayed Him for money. As an example to them all, Jesus took off His outer garments and put a towel around his waist and began to wash the feet of His disciples. This was not His place or responsibility according to the tradition of the Jews. This job belonged to the lowest of servants or slaves.
When we think deeply about this story, we realize that Jesus washed the feet of Judas as well that night and offered Judas mercy and intercession in this act. He announced shortly after, during the Passover meal, that one of His disciples would betray Him. This troubled His disciples and caused them to examine themselves and one, John, asked, “Lord, who is it?” (John 13:25) In response, Jesus said it was the one to whom He gave a morsel of bread dipped in the cup. He gave it to Judas. It was at this point that Satan entered Judas and he left to complete the betrayal.
This story is often used at Holy Communion, a meal of remembrance and thanksgiving, to help us as followers of Jesus Christ to examine ourselves and our own hearts. Are we humbly serving others and following Jesus, who laid down His body and blood for us? Do we harbor any betrayal of our Lord?
Prayer: Father God, thank You for Your demonstrated love for Your disciples and people. As I remember Jesus’ sacrificial love and service for me, a sinner, I am thankful and humbled. Deliver me from deception and the delusion of Satan. Use me to wash others feet or serve them as Jesus demonstrated. Amen.
Reconciled with God by His death!
Scripture reading for July 19th: Romans 5:3-21
“You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:6-8)
We are in reality all ungodly people with no hope of saving ourselves. Paul has clearly laid out his case for the universal depravity of men, both Jew and Gentile. We are all sinners who have fallen short of the glory of God and need a savior! (Romans 3:23) But thanks be to God, He has sent His Son at just the right time to die for the ungodly! This act of God sending Jesus Christ to die for us is the supreme act of love.
The shedding of Christ’s blood brought justification to sinners. We have been declared righteous on the basis of Christ’s innocent blood shed for us. (Romans 5:9) We are no longer subject to God’s wrath against sin. “For we were reconciled to Him through the death of His Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through His life! Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.” (Romans 5:10-11) We are not ‘barely’ saved, but fully brought back into relationship with God. We can rejoice in our salvation and in God as our Father! We are safe in His family.
Sin entered the world through one man, Adam. Along with sin came death for all men–eternal separation from God. Death reigned like a ‘king’ over all men from Adam’s time, bringing condemnation to all men. The second ‘Adam’, Jesus Christ bought men back from death by an act of righteousness, His death on the cross in obedience to the plan of God! “For just as through the disobedience of one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of one Man the many will be made righteous.” (Romans 5:19) “so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 5:21) Praise the Lord for his wonderful grace!