Last Night Out

It was his last time to hang out with the guys. Jesus had a long week. He just wanted to kick back. The next few days were going to be killer.

The Passover. The traditional meal included a sacrificed lamb. Peter and John had to buy a lamb, prepare it,along with the unleavened bread, herbs, wine, and other ceremonial foods. The invitation list only had twelve names, those of his most intimate, inner circle of friends. The emphasis was on remembering.

He predicts. The very Promised Messiah was there among them. Yet they were celebrating the coming of the Messiah. You are probably familiar to the red threads that are recorded surrounding the last supper with Jesus and his disciples. You can read it for yourself in each one of the gospels. The most remarkable thing I think about this whole dinner scene is that Jesus knows their thoughts, their future actions. He's telling them that He is going to die for them. He knows who is going to betray, who is going to deny, who will fall asleep, who will doubt and who will fall away. Again his heart is breaking.

He doesn't retreat. Reading in John 13, Jesus didn't give a long oration of all the thruths he forgot to say during the previous three years of preaching, teaching or leading, like one would think. He was at peace. He didn't express any angst, there were no jitters or complaining. Instead of dismissing himself to a quite place, He does the ultimate. He humbly serves. He got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, and poured water into a basin. Then he washed the disciples' feet. Jesus didn't hesitate to serve his friends, even Judas. What a visual picture of love. These chosen few were going to leave him when he was most desperate. There he was on his knees, washing their feet. It didn't matter that he was the Savior of the world, miracle worker, great teacher, and healer. He took off his pride and humility. He served.

How do you serve those you love? Show service today.