“For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you.” (John 13:15)
Here Jesus gave His disciples — and all us reading His word today — one of the most important lessons about leadership: lead by example. SHOW those who are following you, what to do by your own example. Continue reading
“For He knew the one who was betraying Him …” (John 13:11)
“He KNEW.” Judas’ betrayal didn’t catch Jesus off guard. “HE KNEW” — all about it. So why did He allow it? Why didn’t He do something about it? Continue reading
“Peter said to Him, ‘Never shall You wash my feet!’ Jesus answered him, ‘If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.’” (John 13:8)
There can be no fellowship with the Lord for human beings, unless we have been washed. We are sinful: we have each inherited a sin nature, and we have each personally chosen to sin. Our sin separates us from fellowship with a holy God. This is why Jesus told Peter that if He does not wash us, then we can have no part with Him.
But thankfully, that is exactly why Jesus came: Continue reading
“Jesus answered and said to him, ‘What I do you do not realize now, but you will understand hereafter.'” (John 13:7)
Of how many things that happen to us are these words true: “What I do you do not realize now, but you will understand hereafter”? Continue reading
“Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come forth from God and was going back to God, got up from supper, and laid aside His garments; and taking a towel, He girded Himself.” (John 13:3-4)
John 13:3 describes the confidence that Jesus had in His relationship with His Heavenly Father. As we saw in the devotion on :3 here, Jesus KNEW: 1) Where He came from; 2) What God had given Him, and 3) Where He was going. As a result we see here in :4 the strength this confidence gave Him: Continue reading
“Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come forth from God and was going back to God …” (John 13:3)
The word “knowing” here is a crucial one: “Jesus, KNOWING …”. The scripture indicates here that what Jesus “knew” was the foundation of His life, strengthened Him in His time of trouble, and enabled Him to serve others. What was it that it says He “knew”, that gave Him such confidence and power? Continue reading
As one of the first conflicts of the Revolutionary War made its way back from 
Lexington and Concord, through the little town of Menotony, British troops were vandalizing the home of an American deacon in his absence. The British ordered the man’s wife and baby from the house, and proceeded to ransack it, unaware that five more children were still under the bed. One boy, age nine, peeked out for a better look and was ordered by a soldier to come out.
The boy obeyed, and followed the redcoats through the house as they ransacked it. Finally, the soldiers came to his father’s communion plates. According to the minister who wrote the account, “When they proceeded to take possession of the sacred utensils, he could restrain himself no longer, and in horror and indignation cried out, ‘Don’t you touch them ‘ere things! Daddy’ll lick you if you do!’” (Best Little Stories of the American Revolution, C. Brian Kelly, p. 65.) Continue reading
“Now before the Feast of the Passover, Jesus knowing that His hour had come that He would depart out of this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.” (John 13:1)
The “hour” that Jesus was facing here was not only a strategic and vital one for our salvation, but it also involved great pain and suffering for Him. And yet at the end of that hour, there would be a great joy. This verse says “that He would depart out of this world to the Father.”
Those words, “Out of this world to the Father” are a key. Continue reading
I'm a retired Southern Baptist pastor of almost 40 years. My wife Cheryl & I moved to Norman, OK in March of 2025. I share a weekly overview for Sunday School teachers of the weekly Lifeway "Explore the Bible" lesson, as well as texts of my sermons and other articles.
Uncle Sam DOES need you: our country is in desperate need of you today. NOT necessarily to sign up for the military — though we do always need good men to do that, and we should all be thankful for those who have. But even though not all of us can serve in the military, all of us CAN be what our country needs the most right now: and that is to be the salt & the light that Jesus said we need to be to impact our country.
shawnethomas 