Ripple Effects Reading Plan – W1D2

Check out all the previous Ripple Effect readings here.

Ripple Effect Reading | Week 1 | Day 2

Prayer

Allow some silence for your soul to catch up with your body. Thank God for time to spend with Him and ask Him to meet with you.

Bible Reading: John 13:6-11

Read these verses three times slowly.

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, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their 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.

Reflection & Questions

Yesterday, in John 13, we saw that Jesus knew that He was from God, returning to God, about to face death and had all authority in the universe. And what did he do with that? He washed the disciples’ stinky feet.

Today, we read how Peter responds to this act of humiliating servitude by Jesus. He tells Jesus, “No…you shall never wash my feet.” Peter couldn’t stand the idea of his Lord serving him. It should be the other way around. It’s not unusual for us to have a hard time receiving kindness from someone. But this is a whole other level. Imagine your favorite president coming to your house to wash your feet. It just wouldn’t feel right.

But Jesus tells him, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.” In other words, if you don’t let me serve you, you can’t be with me. Peter then says, go all out then Jesus (because Peter wants all of Jesus.) You see, there is no way to be with Jesus unless we let Him serve us. Unless we let Him make us clean. We can’t earn or deserve our way into his good graces. We have “stinky feet” from all our sins and the only way to get clean is to receive His service on the cross for us. That is what He delights to do, but we must humble ourselves to let Him serve us.

Tomorrow, we will read Jesus’ instructions for the disciples after He’s washed their feet.

1. Picture yourself in Peter’s position. How would you have responded to Jesus? Why?
2. Why do we have a hard time humbling ourselves to let others serve us? Do you let Jesus serve you? How do you know?

Prayer

Talk to God in response to today’s reading.

Worship Song

You might use this song today to worship Jesus today:

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Questions?