🙌It's the Friday Call to Worship!🙌

Tension was palpable in the Upper Room. Jesus just rode into Jerusalem under palm leaves and cries for "Hosanna". Right after that, He announced His own death, and an audible voice spoke from heaven. (John 12) The disciples must have had endless questions for their teacher, who only seemed to speak in parables. What did it all mean? Would He save them? Was this all for naught?

They all wanted to be His favorite, wanted the seat closest to living hope. They were there to share an intimate meal, reclining at a low table. No dirty foot was washed after removing their sandals, and it was becoming obvious. You could literally smell the tension.

Surely, any man there would have been happy to wash his master's feet, but then he would have had to wash the other disciples' as well. The submission and inferiority was too costly at such an unpredictable time. John writes about what is, perhaps, Jesus' greatest parable in action.

"So he (Jesus) got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples' feet, drying them with the towel he had around him." (John 13:4-5)

Jesus got up from the table just as He got up from His throne in heaven. He took off his robe, just as He took off His glory to become man. Jesus wrapped a towel around His waist and poured water - a humble servant, ready to clean filth just as He cleansed us from our sin. Jesus did the dirtiest of dirty work. Then He sat down again just as He sat down at the right hand of God the Father after cleansing us. (John 13:12; Hebrews 10:12-13)

Jesus knew who He was. He knew what He would do that night. And, while He sat in a room full of stubborn knuckleheads (just like me!) with dirty feet, He bowed lower. He loved harder. True love was revealed with serving, scrubbing, humble hands on bended knee.

I know Whose I am. I know what He did for me. How will I live out true love today?

Listen to Bridge Worship's "Christ Be Lifted Higher".