Jesus Knew

ByJim Stephens

Scripture: John 13:1-20  (Click link for scripture in Bible Gateway)

3 Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God. 4 So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, 5 and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him. (John 13:3-5 NLT)

Jesus knew where he was from – he had nothing to prove.

Jesus knew where he was going – he had nothing to prove.

Jesus knew he had all authority – he had nothing to prove.

Jesus was completely secure! He was about to be unjustly accused, mocked and reviled, deserted by his friends, tortured and killed, and yet he had nothing to prove! He was the legitimate holder of all authority, and yet he didn’t need to assert his authority, demand his rights, or to ensure that those present understood his position.

And so what he did is actually love these guys who were there in the room with him! Even realizing that they would soon betray, deny, and desert him, it was only love that moved him in his words and his actions toward them. He took off his robe, and began to wash his disciples feet, drying them with the towel he was wearing.

The two things that stand out to me most from this story are: 1) Knowing his hour had come, he loved them to the end! Knowing they would soon betray, deny, and desert him, he loved them to the end! 2) Knowing who he was, where he came from, and where he was going, he was the only man in the room who was secure enough to serve. He alone had nothing to prove!

I want to be like that! I want to show love as a gift of grace and not as a transaction or exchange. I want to be secure enough in who I am in Christ and where I’m going as his disciple that I have nothing to prove. Let’s become more like Jesus!

Nothing to gain, nothing to lose, nothing to hide, nothing to prove!

Prayer:

Father, My prayer for my friends and me is that we will be filled with love, and secure in our relationship with you as our Father and with Jesus as our teacher and example. With nothing to prove! For your Kingdom’s sake! Amen!