IIT UBF - University Bible Fellowship at IIT

Daily Bread

Power and Love

Date: May. 14, 2024

Passage

John 13:1-11 (ESV)

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. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, do you wash my feet?” Jesus answered him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.” 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.” Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” 10 Jesus said to him, “The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean, but not every one of you.” 11 For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, “Not all of you are clean.”

Daily Bread

Key Verse: 13:1

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.

The gospel writer states that “Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God” (3). Jesus, however, never used his power to dominate or manipulate another person. Rather, Jesus chose the path of love and took on the role of a servant, washing his disciples’ feet.

What makes Jesus so powerful is not a fear of retributive justice, but his willingness to restore and take what others deem useless or dirty and make it beautiful. He doesn’t ignore the parts of our lives that we prefer to keep hidden, the parts that we think that if God knew about, we would not be acceptable to him or others. Jesus came to fully embrace all of who we are. It is in washing our feet that he shines light to even the darkest parts of our life. In fact, Jesus said, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.” We must let Jesus wash our feet and love us to the end.

Prayer: Lord, your sacrificial love reaches my innermost being. Thank you for such love.

One Word: Jesus washes our feet.

Daily Bread

The Lord Establishes David As King

2 Samuel 5:1-16

Key Verse: 5:12

And David knew that the LORD had established him king over Israel, and that he had exalted his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel.

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