Scripture: John 13

Key points to ponder: This is the beginning of Jesus’ last body of teaching. Jesus is embodying his sacrificial love in a few ways: 1) through his humble serving. Even after all of the signs he did, he was willing to lower himself to wash feet. 2) Jesus was willing to wash Judas’ feet even though he knew he would betray him. 3) He was willing to include Peter in a prominent role even though Peter would deny him. 4) Jesus gives a new commandment to love one another as he loves them. 

Challenging terms: (vv. 4-5) When Jesus began to wash the disciples’ feet he was doing something radical, since this was something that normally the lowest servants did, so the fact that the Messiah would do that was unheard of.

Questions: In verse 12 Jesus says: “Do you understand what I have done for you?” How would you personally answer this question? What does it look like practically in our context to wash one another’s feet? 

Prayer: Thank you, Lord Jesus, for your sacrificial love, and how you modeled that for us. 

Consider praying: Father, I pray you will help me to truly grasp what Jesus has done through his sacrificial love. Help me to be so moved by that love that I would be moved to emulate that sacrificial love through washing the feet of others.