Hello, I’m Daniel Westfall on the channel “Pray with Me”.

Has someone offered to wash your feet recently? Would you let them do it if they offered?

I was in a group with people who had difficult marriages, difficult jobs, difficult children, and a difficult faith life. At one meeting, we took towels and a dishpan of water, and washed each other’s feet. How moving to see couples step back from their disagreements, kneel in front of each other, and wash their feet.

That’s what Jesus did in John 13. 

John’s gospel contrasts dirty feet and the dirty job of washing them with Jesus’ eternal power and glory. Jesus knew he had come from God and was returning to God, that God had put everything under his power. So how did he use his power? 

He used it to wash his disciples’ feet, teaching them to serve others. But Jesus wasn’t the only one mentoring disciples. The devil showed up, prompting Judas to betray Jesus. Dirty devil, dirty plans, dirty feet. Lots of cleanup needed. 

Why didn’t Jesus delegate the footwashing? President Trump doesn’t wash the feet of his MAGA faithful. But Jesus waded right in with towels and water. He didn’t evict the devil. He didn’t confront Judas the betrayer. No, he just washed 24 dirty feet. 

Only Peter understood how inappropriate this was. “Thanks, but no thanks,” he said. “I respect who you are, Jesus, but it is not your job to wash my feet” (v 8).  

Jesus replied, “You need me to wash your feet. Let’s get on with it” (v 8). 

And then Jesus talked about other dirt in the room, saying, “One of you will betray me” (v 21). Judas accepted the footwashing and broke bread with Jesus, then he welcomed the devil into his life. John’s gospel says “Judas went out, and it was night” (v 30). A night of spiritual darkness, a night to betray Jesus. Judas’ feet were clean but he was getting them dirty again.  

Meanwhile Jesus said to Peter, “Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times!” (v. 38). Peter, with clean feet and a full stomach, would soon dirty himself with three denials. 

Let’s pray. 

Jesus, that was a long night for everyone. For Judas the betrayer, for Peter the denier, and for you who walked into betrayal and denial.  

You came from the father’s glory, you were returning to the father’s glory, and you accepted the cross as part your glory saying, “Soon I will be glorified” (v 31). 

Holy and powerful Jesus, wash our feet. Wash away the dirt of sin. Teach us to be faithful through the long dark nights of our lives. And bring us at last to your glory.

Amen.

I’m Daniel, on the channel “Pray with Me”.

YouTube channel: Pray with Me – YouTube.

Hello, I’m Daniel Westfall on the channel “Pray with Me”.

Did Jesus act out a parody? I think his Palm Sunday procession into Jerusalem was a parody of a Roman victory parade. 

A Roman general, having crushed his enemies, would ride into Rome on a war chariot pulled by fierce war horses. Troops, captives, and spoils of war accompanied him. Military, political, and religious celebrations made for a spectacular and vivid holiday. 

Jesus rode into Jerusalem, not Rome. No war horse or chariot, just an unimpressive donkey. No troops and captives in to show off, just friends and disciples who hoped his popularity in the countryside would bring acclaim and fame in Jerusalem. 

Always up for a good parade, people spread palm branches and shouted, “Blessed is the king of Israel!” (v 12). 

But Jesus didn’t want to be king. He said, “Here’s the kind of glory I will earn. A kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies. I am wheat. You are wheat. We have crosses to carry and deaths to die before our hope grows to life” (v 23-26). 

Hmmm. That doesn’t sound like a victory speech.

Jesus’ fame kept growing. News of Lazarus’ resurrection spread through Jerusalem, until the religious leaders said, “Not good. This guy’s going viral! The whole world is watching him” (v 19). 

For the last time in John’s gospel, Jesus defends himself, saying “I am the light of the world. Walk in the light while it is here. Otherwise, darkness will overtake you” (v 35-36). 

Let’s pray. 

O Jesus, you knew darkness was coming, that soon Judas would betray you. That soon the sun would not shine when you were crucified. Soon, a funeral, your funeral, with your body sealed in a dark, borrowed tomb. 

And you invited us into darkness and death . . . unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains alone. 

O Jesus, we want you to give us spiritual gifts to affirm our identity, to comfort us, to give us strength. We want you to be our light and love, but you warn us of darkness and death. 

O Jesus, light of the world, help us as we follow you into darkness, like buried seeds, like children of God carrying crosses. And afterward, bring us to your glorious light. 

Amen.

I’m Daniel, on the channel “Pray with Me”.

YouTube channel: Pray with Me – YouTube.

Hello, I’m Daniel Westfall on the channel “Pray with Me”.

Do you know who first called death “The Big Sleep”? Raymond Chandler wasn’t first, but he made it famous in a 1939 hardboiled mystery novel and film.

Guess what! Jesus used the metaphor centuries earlier. In John 10, two days after Lazarus was reported sick, Jesus said, “He is sleeping. I think I’ll go wake him up” (v 11). 

The disciples said, “If he’s sick, he needs sleep. It’ll help him get better” (v.12). 

Jesus said, “Lazarus is dead. Let’s visit and see what faith can do” (v 14-15). 

Doubting Thomas said, “Good idea. Let’s go die with Lazarus” (v 16).

Sure enough. When they arrived, Lazarus had been dead and buried for four days. Jesus said to Martha, “Your brother will rise again” (v. 23). 

Martha replied, “Well, yes, in the distant future when all the dead are raised. But that’s not much help today” (v 24). 

Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. I’m helpful today” (v 25). 

Was this a helpful response to Martha, while she was grieving her dead brother, remembering that she too was on the road to the Big Sleep? 

Lazarus’ other sister, Mary, said to Jesus, “Lord, if you’d been here, my brother wouldn’t have died” (v 32). 

Jesus said, “Show me the tomb” (v 33). 

There they rolled away the stone from the entrance, releasing the stench of death. Jesus said to the stinking body, “Lazarus! Come out!” 

He did.

Jesus said, “Take off his grave clothes and let him go” (v 44). 

Let’s pray. 

O Jesus, as you journeyed toward the cross, Lazarus foreshadowed your death and resurrection. We still hear your words to Martha, “I am the resurrection and the life.” But what does that mean for us as we journey toward our last and lasting sleep? 

For Lazarus it meant release from his tomb and decomposing grave clothes. For Mary and Martha, it meant a restored family in the present, not just a distant resurrection at the end of the world.

As we live in our dying bodies, we believe you give eternal life. When we attend funerals, we trust in a future resurrection. When we lower a coffin, we believe you overcame death. And we believe that whether we live or sleep, you give eternal life. 

Amen.

I’m Daniel, on the channel “Pray with Me”.

YouTube channel: Pray with Me – YouTube.

Hello, I’m Daniel Westfall on the channel “Pray with Me”.

Do you think of yourself as a god? In John 10, Jesus said, “Scripture calls people who heard the word of God are called gods” (v 34-36). Really? Calling us gods? Where did that come from?

Before we start calling people gods, let’s look more closely at Jesus’ words.

When he was in the temple, Jews said to him, “Don’t keep us in suspense. If you’re the Messiah, just say so” (v 24). 

Jesus said, “I’ve already said so, but you refuse to believe. That’s because you’re not God’s sheep. God’s sheep listen to me and I give them eternal life. I am one with God” (v 25-30). 

Jesus’ opponents choked at that answer. Not just Messiah . . . now Jesus is claiming that he, a mere man, is one with God. Impossible. Blasphemy. A capital sin deserving capital punishment, so they picked up stones to stone him (v 33).

Jesus responded by quoting Psalm 82. Listen to it:
  “You are gods;
      You are all sons of the Most High,
  But you will die like mere mortals;
      You will fall like every other ruler.”
          Ps 82:6

The psalmist says, “You are small-g gods, sons of the Most High, but you will die like mortals.” Whoever heard of gods dying like men? Some commentaries suggest that the psalmist used the word “god” to mean kings who represent God’s rule on earth, or maybe judges representing God’s judgment.

But Jesus didn’t explain it like that. He took the psalm at face value. He said, “If the psalmist called people gods when they received the word of God, why do you have a problem when I call myself the son of God?” (v 34-36). 

The Jews didn’t argue with Jesus’ use of scripture. Nor his use of the word “gods”. Nor his claim to be a son of God. Instead, they tried to arrest him, but he walked away. 

Let’s pray. 

O Jesus, you kept getting yourself into trouble by claiming a special relationship with God. You called yourself shepherd of God’s sheep, giver of eternal life, son of God, the great I AM, and now, “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30).  

And you used the word “god” much more loosely than we do. You used it for mortals who die.  

Yet, in many ways, Jesus, we humans are gods on earth. We use the rich resources in magical ways to make planes and ships and cell phones and bombs. We judge our enemies and make war on them. We idolize celebrities and worship them.  

Forgive us for ignoring you as we build our kingdom on earth. Forgive us for exploiting creation for our gain instead of your honor. 

May your strong words shake us up, Jesus. May we worship your father, the big-G God, and may imitate him like small-g gods, representing his rule of truth and justice and compassion.

Amen.

I’m Daniel, on the channel “Pray with Me”.

YouTube channel: Pray with Me – YouTube.