My Suffering Savior, knowing the time to sacrifice Yourself in a most painful way must have been excruciating. Having to leave behind, to their own hell on earth later, the ones who had walked with You presented another anguish. In Your ability to see the future, You knew the pain and suffering they too would undergo in getting Your church off the ground. As a final act of love, You gave them the example of a loving servant. Not only did You bear the pain and suffering and death for sins You did not commit, but You bowed down before each of Your Apostles and washed their feet. You were the model of a servant. Washing feet was a job for a household servant, not the King of Heaven. If You were willing to serve, as Your follower, I too must be willing to become a servant. By submitting to You, I bring You glory and accrue to myself an abundance of grace.
Another set of obstacles You encountered was the betrayal of an Apostle, denial by another and total abandonment by the remaining ten. What a letdown and feeling of disappointment You must have felt. These mental pains would only add to the physical pain and death You would suffer for all of mankind. More than anything else You desired Your followers to love one another. You said, “As I have loved You, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples if you love one another.” It was love that brought You to earth to save me because I could not save myself. To love was not a new commandment, but to love others as much as You love them is a new challenge. You have set me free by Your death with the expectation that I will make the benefits of Your sacrifice available to all. Such a love not only brings unbelievers to You, it also helps believers to remain strong in a hostile world.
In leaving the earth You gave Your followers these words, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust God; trust in me.” You have taken the first step by laying down Your life for me. The question You have for me is “Am I willing to lay down mine and follow You as You instruct?” If I love You, it follows, that I will obey You. You gave me an example of the importance of obedience when You obeyed Your Father and gave up Your life for my sake. Through Your coming, sharing and dying, I have been left truths that will forever mold and change my life. Through You, death yielded life and sorrow was turned to joy. When You departed You left me a gift … that of the Holy Spirit. In Your great wisdom You knew I would need a teacher, comforter, and companion. Your “love unto death” has brought me a better life and made me a better person. And it’s in Jesus’ name I pray. AMEN!!
John 15:13-14 Greater love has no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friend. You are my friends if You do what I command.