Riches to Rags!

Do you understand?

Jesus answered, "Unless I wash you, you have no part with me." ⁹"Then, Lord," Simon Peter replied, "not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!" ¹⁰Jesus answered, "A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet; his whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you." ¹¹For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not everyone was clean. ¹²When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. "Do you understand what I have done for you?" he asked them. John 13:8-12

Jesus asks us a provocative question today: Do you understand what I have done for you? While the immediate context is clearly talking about washing his disciples’ feet, we would probably do well to enlarge this to see something a bit bigger – something that meets us today.

Jesus poses this question, already knowing the answer. And he knows our answer as well. Even though the disciples would say that they understood what Jesus had done, many of them were still a bit sketchy on the reasons why. But are we really that much different? Do we really understand what Jesus did for us?

Today as you journey through your day ponder what it is that Jesus did for you. He left the safety and security of heaven to come here and serve. Elsewhere in the New Testament we are reminded that Jesus came not to be served but to serve. Here Jesus puts some meat on that message and actually serves his disciples by washing their feet. But he doesn’t stop with the twelve! He serves us as well.

Through his death and resurrection, Jesus was leaving the safety of heaven to come to a world filled with hatred and fear. He left his home to live in an alien world filled with alien rituals and ideas. He went from riches to rags so that we might inherit his righteousness! By giving up His own life Jesus guaranteed our place in heaven.

So do you understand what Jesus has done for you? Live today knowing that what Jesus did, he did out of love for you! He did because he wanted you to be with him forever.

Jesus gave up his riches. He put on our rags. We now by faith wear his righteousness! That’s what Jesus did.

Prayer

Gracious Jesus – thank you for taking my rags. Guide me today as I seek to live out the righteousness that you have clothed me with. AMEN.