I assure you and most solemnly say to you, a slave is not greater than his master, nor is one who is sent greater than the one who sent him. 17If you know these things, you are blessed [happy and favored by God] if you put them into practice [and faithfully do them].” John 13:16-17 AMP
In one of the final acts of Jesus life, we find him washing the feet of the disciples. At first glance you might be prompted to think that the point of this is that we should be servants one-to-another. Of course, this is a central theme of His actions but there is lying below the service a point that brings the whole scene together. Jesus is about to be betrayed, the betrayer sitting at the table. Does He talk about the dangers of betraying someone you love? Does He expose the plot of the betrayer in an attempt to foil the plan? No, He doesn’t. Jesus moves to the very person who would send Him to the cross and washes his feet! In that moment, not only does He display the Father’s everlasting love even for those who will reject Him, He removes from us ever excuse we may have for holding unforgiveness or hatred in our hearts toward anyone. Notice the contexed in which He washes Judas feet.
“So Jesus answered them by saying, “I assure you and most solemnly say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself [of His own accord], unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever things the Father does, the Son [in His turn] also does in the same way.” John 5:19 AMP
Do you see it? “…unless it is something He sees the Father doing;” The response of the Father to what is about to happen isn’t to take Judas off the board. No! Because man was created with freedom of choice, Judas has one last chance to repent of his actions and return to the Father. WOW! How many of us who be responding in the same way? Because God has given us free-will, we must weigh carefully the gains and losses of our actions. The Apostle Paul put it this way,
“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that everyone may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.” 1 Corinthians 5:10 AMP
Sobering truth for sure! If I didn’t know that my life was hid in Christ when I accepted His death in place of mine, I would have no excuses on that day! When we enter the waters of baptism, as we go under the water we identify with His death and we come up out of the tomb of our sin living for the One who died for us! We read about the promise in the book of Colossians.
“Therefore if you have been raised with Christ [to a new life, sharing in His resurrection from the dead], keep seeking the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2Set your mind and keep focused habitually on the things above [the heavenly things], not on things that are on the earth [which have only temporal value]. 3For you died [to this world], and your [new, real] life is hidden with Christ in God. 4When Christ, who is our life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.
What a great promise. “…and your [new, real] life is hidden with Christ in God. 4When Christ, who is our life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.” We will appear with Him in glory, not shames! The enemy may remind you of your past but God has buried it under the blood of His Son and has given us new life in Him in exchange. Have a blessed day, Pastor Ken