The Road to the Last Supper

A Night to Remember

What would you say if you knew you only had one night left on the planet? What would you say to your friends and family? What would you want them to remember?

One of the guys who works for me is a decorated military veteran. I was talking to him yesterday and he made the point that until we our are completely at peace with the fact that life will go on after we die we are not fully engaged with here and now. Until we face and talk about the reality of our death we won't fully live here in our life.

Jesus knew that his death was coming. He knew when he would die. And he knew exactly what he wanted to say to his friends to the man who would betray him to those who came to arrest him and to you and to me.

So today let's spend some time with Jesus on the evening before his journey to the cross

Jesus Demonstrates How To Live Humbly

John 13:4–5 ESV

4 rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. 5 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.

No for you and for me this might seem like an odd practice. I don't think I've ever washed my feet right before having a meal. And I've definitely not washed the feet of my guests. But in this time in Israel this wasn't unusual. What was unusual is that this is traditionally done by a servant probably someone who was enslaved it was rarely done by someone who was a participant in the meal and it was never done by someone of standing like a rabbi. Jesus was breaking norms taking on the clothing of a servant and he left an unforgettable lessons for his disciples: live humbly serve others.

Earlier in his ministry Jesus taught his disciples about service

Mark 10:43–45 ESV

43 But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

On this night Jesus would live out these words for his disciples to see.

Isn't it true that we catch lessons from other people just as much or more than we hear them?

On this night Jesus would demonstrate what it looks like to live out what he taught his disciples.

But of course Jesus was a rabbi. He was always about teaching.

and so next

Jesus Instructs: How to Serve Sacrificially

John 13:6–8 ESV

6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, do you wash my feet?” 7 Jesus answered him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.” 8 Peter said to him, “You shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.”

Jesus knew Peter better than he knew himself and he knew that Peter would struggle with Jesus doing this.

Peter sometimes struggled with speaking without thinking. Or saying aloud the things that no one would ask. Sometimes pupil like that can be refreshing in our lives.

And so Jesus patiently brings Peter to his senses.

John 13:12–15 ESV

12 When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? 13 You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.

Think about it Jesus was the rabbi the Lord the son of God and he has just washed their feet and he wants to make sure they catch the lesson he wants to make sure they understand. If Jesus with all the standing that he has is willing to wash the feet of and serve his disciples. We should be willing to exercise the same sacrificial servanthood.

Jesus knows everything that's coming ahead. He knows the pain isn't just in his death on the cross. He knows that the disciples will be persecuted and will suffer for what he is leading them in. So he wanted his disciples to know that following him will require sacrificial love and service .

We need to remember that following Jesus will require sacrificial service

Jesus Commands: Love Others As I Have Loved You

Do you remember the question from the beginning of this message? What would you do if you knew how long you had to live? If you knew you only had one night left on the planet what would you say to your friends and family? That was where Jesus was when he said these words.

John 13:34–35 ESV

34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

You know love each other sounds easy on the surface. But then he says to love each other as he has loved us. How could this have sounded to the ears? One of them was a traitor what was a zealot one was a tax collector a few fishermen and then a few others how would they get along without their teacher Jesus?

As a side note I recommend the TV series the chosen if only to think about and consider what it was like for each one of the disciples to come to grips with their past as they started to follow Jesus. I feel that the TV series does a beautiful job imagining who these men were.

How well do we get along with people who are different from us? With opposing political leanings? With those whose former employment status or what they did is embarrassing?

Jesus knew that we would need help and so he offers help in the form of a command.

He says love one another and he gives them a simple way to define it love one another as I have loved you. Could they do it?

Love one another. Can we do it? It sounds simple enough but what about them? Do I have to love them? The answer is as we look at the life of Jesus is yes. Even them.

This is a political year. We are all going to give each other plenty of reasons to not like each other this year. But Jesus commands us to love one another.

And remember what he says in verse 35 by this everyone will know that you are my disciples. If you love one another. This is a command for the disciples and for us to follow if we are going to be his disciples as well.

And finally Jesus lives out what He taught in the garden.

Jesus Lives What He Taught

Luke 22:49–51 ESV

49 And when those who were around him saw what would follow, they said, “Lord, shall we strike with the sword?” 50 And one of them struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his right ear. 51 But Jesus said, “No more of this!” And he touched his ear and healed him.

In these final moments Jesus lives out the sacrificial love He taught. He lives humbly, serves sacrificially, loves others,….He’ replaces the ear of someone who wanted to harm him!?

May we Take Jesus’ lessons to heart. May we live humbly, serve sacrificially, love others and do everything in remembrance of him!