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On the night of the first Lord's Supper, Jesus models an attitude that we must choose to have each time we come to His Table.
On the evening of the Last Supper there was a problem among His disciples that Jesus had to address.
While Satan waited at the door, while the High Priest plotted for His life, and while the Roman cross stood not far away, a greater priority than all others was Christ's-His disciples had to learn what genuine love was all about. The hearts of His disciples contained: unforsaken selfishness, disagreements, contentions, jealousies, impatience, and ambition; and none of those are acceptable at Christ's Table.
Luke 22:24
"Now there was also a dispute among them, as to which of them should be considered the greatest. "
The Passover meal was about to start, but no one was willing to take the lowest job. In a home without slaves, someone (usually the lowest in rank) had to take a basin and wash feet before the meal. None of the disciples felt like serving that night.
During the long meal in reclining couches feet would be near faces. Dirty feet would distract, so would dirty hearts. So Jesus addressed their hearts as He washed their feet.
Jesus girded Himself as the slave. Jesus knelt before all of His men and took the lowest place.
The picture they got of Jesus was burned into their hearts forever. Peter wrote of it, John wrote of it, and they talked so much about it that Paul even describes that humble servant attitude and action of Jesus.
What was Christ's answer to their selfishness? His Love.
What was Christ's cure for their selfish ambition? His love.
Christ's Last Supper Message to Us
As we turn to John 13, we enter into that night of nights. It is Christ's last night on earth. It is Passover time and the Seder meal that both Christ and His disciples had participated in from their earliest childhood. This night the disciples came troubled, unfocused, arguing, and out of step with Jesus. They had everything on their minds but Him.
That is the constant struggle that He had with them.
- They thought of Earth as He talked of Heaven.
- They thought of others as He pointed to them.
- They were self focused when He asked for them to think of others.
John 13 is Christ's lesson on how to prepare for meeting Him at His Supper. Jesus teaches a life-changing lesson on the choices we must make in order to have a wonderful evening dining with Him and enjoying the blessings of a meal with God.
There are three vital elements that John 13:1-17 presents to us. These three elements should be on our minds and hearts each time we have the privilege to meet across the Supper Table of Communion with God.
What did Jesus model for us, which we should also do?
- Jesus demonstrates how we get dressed for the Lord's Supper (with a loving attitude).
- Jesus demonstrates how we get prepared for the Lord's Supper (with a cleansed life).
- Jesus demonstrates how we get the most at the Lord's Supper (with a serving heart).
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