A Time to Mourn

On the night in which he was betrayed...

Tonight church had such deep meaning for me. So many things happened on this night over 2000 years ago...

On this night, Jesus knew he would be betrayed...and yet, he washed feet, even the feet of Judas, his betrayer. He knew his body would be broken...his blood shed, and yet, he prayed for his disciples and he prayed for you and me.

I remember being taught just what a humbling act this was, the filth that was upon the feet of the disciples included dust from the road, but in that dusty road was also dried animal waste...it couldn't have been a pleasant experience. He undressed...wrapping a towel around his waist in order to dry their feet once washed.

I can understand Peter's embarrassment...

"Jesus, please don't do this. Let me wash YOUR feet, my Lord, my King."

"Unless you allow me to do this for you, you cannot have a part of me."

"Then don't just wash my feet, but please wash my head and hands as well!"

Much like baptism... He washes us clean...and unless we allow him to wash us clean, we can have no part of him. Are you willing to allow him to wash your feet? Are you ashamed...knowing how undeserving you are to have your feet washed by him?

He humbled himself upon the cross, so that we might learn humility.

In his humility
He humbled me.

John 13

It was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love.
The evening meal was being served, and the devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, to betray Jesus. Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples' feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, "Lord, are you going to wash my feet?"

Jesus replied, "You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand."

"No," said Peter, "you shall never wash my feet."
Jesus answered, "Unless I wash you, you have no part with me."

"Then, Lord," Simon Peter replied, "not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!"

Jesus answered, "A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet; his whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you." For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.

When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. "Do you understand what I have done for you?" he asked them. "You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.

Then, his body is broken...his blood is shed... for me...and for ALL people for the forgiveness of our sins.

This Passover night, Jesus...the first born ...only begotten Son of God, showed humility.

Not the pride of Pharoah...whose heart was hardened and would not release the Jews...

Passover, when the Jews remember the placing blood upon their doorframes so that the Spirit of God would pass over their homes and take the lives of the first born of Egypt. The blood that saved them that night...the blood on the door frames...that is the blood we are saved by...that is why we call Jesus "Lamb of God".

Exodus 12

The LORD said to Moses and Aaron in Egypt, "This month is to be for you the first month, the first month of your year. Tell the whole community of Israel that on the tenth day of this month each man is to take a lamb for his family, one for each household. If any household is too small for a whole lamb, they must share one with their nearest neighbor, having taken into account the number of people there are. You are to determine the amount of lamb needed in accordance with what each person will eat. The animals you choose must be year-old males without defect, and you may take them from the sheep or the goats. Take care of them until the fourteenth day of the month, when all the people of the community of Israel must slaughter them at twilight. Then they are to take some of the blood and put it on the sides and tops of the doorframes of the houses where they eat the lambs. That same night they are to eat the meat roasted over the fire, along with bitter herbs, and bread made without yeast. Do not eat the meat raw or cooked in water, but roast it over the fire—head, legs and inner parts. Do not leave any of it till morning; if some is left till morning, you must burn it. This is how you are to eat it: with your cloak tucked into your belt, your sandals on your feet and your staff in your hand. Eat it in haste; it is the LORD's Passover.
"On that same night I will pass through Egypt and strike down every firstborn—both men and animals—and I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt. I am the LORD. The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are; and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt.

He went willingly. Yet, he did not kill himself. I killed him. His blood was for me. He was without the blemish of sin, yet he willingly died for me...his body broken, his blood shed...and he thanked God.

I even eat the broken body and drink the blood of the lamb who was broken and shed for me.

Yet, I cry for him...and for me. I mourn because I betrayed my Lord, my King and because he died, I live.

And he blessed me for it...

Matthew 5:4
Blessed are those that mourn, for they will be comforted.