Jesus does the laundry

You and I are dirty laundry, from the inside out. Jesus came to do the laundry.

Verse for the week:  He shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he poured out his soul to death and…bore the sins of many.  Isaiah 53.12

Prayer of the Day:  Holy God, source of all love, on the night of his betrayal, Jesus gave his disciples a new commandment: To love one another as he had loved them.  By your Holy Spirit write this commandment on our hearts and keep it in our behavior; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.  Amen. 

Bible reading for the day: John 13.1-18 

 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. ² During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him, ³ 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, ⁴ rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. ⁵ 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. ⁶ He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, do you wash my feet?” ⁷ Jesus answered him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.”⁸ 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.” ⁹ 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.”

¹² When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? ¹³ You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. ¹⁴ If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. ¹⁵ For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. ¹⁶ Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. ¹⁷ If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. ¹⁸ I am not speaking of all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But the Scripture will be fulfilled, ‘He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.’ ¹⁹ I am telling you this now, before it takes place, that when it does take place you may believe that I am he.²⁰ Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.”

Prayer (based on TRIP** method):  Gracious and almighty Father, you gave all things into Jesus’ hands and he did not drop them… He took service further up and further in, all the way to the cross to save dirty ones like us. Thank you!  Repent me and my brothers & sisters in Christ of our clean-looking, dirty busy-ness that puts ourselves above Jesus and crowds another’s need out of my calendar. Wash me daily, inside out and head to toe Lord… that just as you have done, I may be a servant and messenger to for my brothers and sisters. In Jesus’ name I ask this, amen.

What is the benefit of such eating and drinking (of the Lord’s supper)?

It is pointed out in these words: “Given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.” Through these words the forgiveness of sin, life, and salvation are given to us in the Sacrament, for where there is forgiveness of sin, there is also life and salvation.  (from The Small Catechism, by Martin Luther ©Reclaim Resources, Sola Publishing, 2011)

Anthem: for a meditation on Christ’s passion, put your ear buds in or get to a personal space and listen to Samuel Barber’s “Angus Dei”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AiuC_CaObbI

Benediction:  O taste and see that the LORD is good; happy are those who take refuge in him. (Psalm 34:8) 

 *There are many patterns for devotions.  This pattern has been followed by God’s people for centuries. 

**The T.R.I.P. approach to prayer is based on the way Martin Luther prayed and taught others to pray.  It was later developed by Walter and Ingrid Trobisch and then adapted by Mount Carmel Ministries (Alexandria, MN www.dailytext.com).  The method is founded on scripture and easy to remember:

T: thanksgiving

                                                          R: regret (repentance)

                                                          I: intercession (asking God to take a specific action)

                                                          P: plan or purpose

Reading a biblical text and then applying this method gives one a sound, simple way to form one’s prayers...not to mention that it helps one learn how to faithfully reflect on God’s Word and talk to God.