Treasures Still Hidden in the Upper Room: Part 1

This week I want to feature a guest blogger: my beautiful, multi-talented and wise wife, Colleen, with a multi-part essay entitled "Treasures Still Hidden in the Upper Room."
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When I think about Jesus, the twelve disciples and the upper room I think of the last supper. Then I started searching the passage in John 13: 4-17 and realized that there was so much more for us to learn from it.

John’s version of scripture is the only place where it refers to Jesus washing his disciple’s feet. It states, “...so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.” In order to grasp the complete impact of what Jesus did, we need to put some historical context in place. In Jesus’ culture and time, many homes would welcome a visitor by washing their feet. The person who did it was usually the lowest servant or slave in the household. It was considered a humiliating task. Why would Jesus, the Son of God, wash the disciples feet?

Jesus was teaching his disciples, through example, that a servant’s heart was a massive foundation stone in all that he taught. Let’s go back to John 13. Jesus gets into a debate with Peter concerning washing his feet and it states, “....’No’, Peter said, “ you shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.....” Why was Jesus so adamant about this? Let’s continue, “...When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his cloths and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” He asked them. “You call me Teacher and Lord, and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set an example that you should do as I have done for you. I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.”

Jesus humbled himself before man so that we could see that we need to humble our selves before God. How do we bring this about? I believe it begins with the heart of worship. Worship is to honor our God. True worship brings in the presence of God and makes us realize it’s all about him and not about us. Which leads us to the next step, repentance. When we enter God’s presence, it produces a hunger for more of him. We need to get rid of anything that will hinder us , so we need to ask God to change the places with in heart’s that are blackened by sin.

The more we allow God into our heart’s the more of Jesus’ character dwells within us. If you look in all four gospels you will see that Jesus serving others recurs over and over again. When he worked a miracle, he served. When he healed someone, he served. When he taught, he served. Jesus set a pattern. He’s teaching us, by example, that by putting other’s above himself he’s serving and worshiping God.