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"There were certain Greeks among them that came up to worship at the feast:''

“The same came came therefore to Philip ... and desired him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus"(John 12: 20, 21).

As Christians today, we need to see: Jesus! We need to hear Jesus. We must get to know Jesus!

Vast numbers of people today have claimed to be Christians, yet everything about them suggests they have only a most superficial experience. Particularly of the person of the Lord Jesus Christ who reveals Himself to us in the Word of God.

We need to take the time to prayerfully look at the Lord Jesus. Closely study His life and actions. To listen more attentively to His Word.

Only then will we be able to begin to grasp the significance of Paul's exclamation: "That I may know Him'' (Philippians 3: 10).

We will discover a fact which, today, is far too little understood. It is only as we really do know Jesus that we can begin to understand all that is involved in living the Christian life.

Think of Paul's testimony: "For me to live is Christ!'' (Philippians 1: 21). And, "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in ME'' (Galatians 2: 20)

Down through the centuries the Israelites had maintained this memorial. The focus was on celebrating that moment of the decisive intervention of the Lord on behalf of the people of Israel.

The Israelites had been in bondage in Egypt. Moses demanded in the Name of the Lord that they be let go. The Egyptians refused. Even nine deadly plagues could not change their minds.

To the human understanding the situation of the Israelites appeared to be hopeless. But not to God. His plan was perfect. It would work.

That plan involved a sacrificial lamb: the Passover lamb. It called for the sprinkling of the blood of the lamb on the door posts of their houses. That was the witness to the faith of the people in God's perfect plan to save them.

They acted on God's Word, and their faith in God's Word brought them their salvation.

The passover was also an act of judgement. Wherever there was no faith there was inevitable judgement.

Deliverance was assured: "When I see the blood, I will pass over you!" (Exodus 12: 13).

That passover lamb pointed forward: Prophetically, to the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ. He knew that in Him, in His coming, in His life and ministry, was:

The Lord Jesus was, as John the Baptist witnessed: "The Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world" (John I : 2 9).

Man was in total bondage to sin. Enslaved by Satan in all that was evil. There was, is, no other hope of deliverance except in God's perfect plan of salvation.

It was to make that plan effective that the Lord Jesus had come. He was totally committed to follow through with that plan all the way. Even knowing all that it would cost Him to be able to save sinners.

He told His disciples, "This that is written must yet be accomplished in Me, And He was reckoned among the transgressors: for the things concerning Me have an end'' (Luke 22: 37)

His disciples did not understand His meaning. They did not understand, because they were focusing on the wrong things. They were far more interested in what they could gain for themselves. They were thinking about: Power! Prestige. Influence. Authority.

All of those things as the world sees them. Values them. Gives them priority.

"The Passover" culminates in a totally different "power." In an eternal "honor"! In a more dynamic influence, which is exercised on a much higher plane. In an authority which flows from humble, willing submission!

All this by Jesus being the willing sacrificial Lamb of God. The disciples did not understand. Neither do the vast majority of Christians understand today.

The question is, Do we really want to understand? We must! if we would really know Him. We must know Him! if we would really live the true Christian life.

"When Jesus knew that the hour was come that He should depart out of this world unto the Father!''

"The hour!" Prior to this moment the repeated references to "His hour" were negative. In the sense: "Mine hour is not yet come" (John 2: 4). And, "My time has not yet come" (John 7: 6).

In each case the situation concerned the things of the world. Those with whom He was dealing were focusing on things of this life.

They were making the mistake which we so often make. Our persective is distorted because our priorities are misplaced. That includes our priorities for what we desire the Lord to do.

The first and highest priority of the Lord Jesus never varied, it was to honor and glorify the Father! He knew what that meant: having fully completed the mission which the Father had given Him to do.

That was always the guiding principle of His life. To hear the Word of the Father. To obey. To thus be able to go to the Father as the One who had fully and faithfully completed the work which He had been given to do.

"I have glorified Thee on the earth: I have finished the work which Thou gavest Me to do" (John 17: 4).

“His hour" of final and complete accomplishment, in which the will of the Father was made an eternal reality.

To know Him! is to appreciate and apply this principle! Only by that commitment can we honor Him.

"The hour" of what? Jesus, "who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God" (Hebrews 12 : 2 ) .

. The Lord Jesus could only "set down at the right hand of the throne of God" as He went by the way of the cross!

The disciples did not understand that. The cross was a most unwelcome intrusion into their thinking. It was totally alien to their scheme of things. Their plans and ambitions demanded that the cross be completely excluded!

How accurately that illustrates the common attitude among Christians today! It is as wrong now as it was then.

The only way for Him to go to the Father was by the way of the cross. Equally, the only way for us to really know Him is by the way of the cross. That requires an accurate understanding of the significance of the cross.

If there is any avoidance of the cross, any evasion of the significance of the cross, we cannot know Him.

"Having loved His own which were in the world, He loved them unto the end.''

"He loved His own!" When He stood before Pilate, Pilate asked "What is truth?" (John 18: 38), It was a rhetorical question. He did not want an answer. He already had his answer. Yet his idea of "truth" was completely alien to the meaning which the Lord Jesus gave to "the truth" !

This is the problem with this word: "Love"! As with so many other vital spiritual concepts. The Lord Jesus was constantly seeking to lift the disciples to the level of greater spiritual comprehension of these vital words.

They continually resisted His efforts. They knew what words meant! They fully intended to stay with their own understanding and definition of these words.

That also is a significant part of our problem today. What is love? Christians will answer with definitions they have received from the world. We are responding on the wrong level. A fact which the majority will hastily deny.

What is "Love"? Do we insist on holding on to the definition we have always had? Or, do we really want to understand "Love" as Jesus Himself understands it?

"He loved them unto the end!" "To the uttermost!" "To the ultimate expression of love!" "To the eternal and infinite climax of Love!''

By contrast, the "love" of the world dies almost the very moment in which it is born. It is so shallow. So fickle, So selfish. So selfgratifying, not selfgiving or selfsacrificing!

Do we understand "Love" as Jesus lived "LOVE"? Do we want to? We must if we are to really know Him. For us to be satisfied with anything less cuts us off from being able to live the true Christian life!

"And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray Him.''

Many have found it convenient to dismiss Judas as a “Onceonly” problem. A unique aberration. That his kind will not be seen again!

Yet vast numbers of people have done exactly what Judas did. For exactly the same reasons! There was a time when Judas heard Jesus say to him, "Follow Me " He followed. Some want to suggest that he had ulterior motives from the beginning. After all, Jesus did call him, “the son of perdition!"(John 17: 12).

But that suggestion does not match the facts. It ignores the reality of the Person and character of the Lord Jesus. Even as it misunderstands His attitude in dealing with people, including Judas.

The Lord Jesus treated Judas exactly as He did the other disciples. He loved them all equally.

When He sent the disciples out to preach and heal, Judas was among them. He did all that the others did. They saw nothing that suggested that there was a difference.

Judas was so much like King Saul. He had the opportunity to become a good king. "God gave him another heart!"(1 Samuel 10: 9). "The Spirit of God came upon him!'' (versa 10). He had every opportunity.

What went wrong with Saul? He started out very humble. Submissive to the Lord. But the time came when he felt he could disregard the Word of God!

When he rejected the Word of God, God rejected him! He had every opportunity. He failed the test.

At some point Judas was entrusted with the finances. That trust was a test of his character, of his commitment to the Lord Jesus. He failed that test! He became a thief. He came to love money more than he loved the Lord.

Thus; he opened his heart to the devil! "The devil now having put it into his heart!"

Peter said to Ananias, "Why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost?" (Acts 5: 3).

Ananias was faced with the same test: Money! He failed. In failing he opened himself up to Satan. Thus Satan was able to fill his heart to lie, to the Holy Ghost!

The issue is: Love! True Christian character is built on the principle of love. Judas and Ananias were tested on this principle. Did they love Jesus more than they loved money? They failed the test. Satan stepped in!

These tests are absolutely essential to the development of' Christian character. The Lord requires them. How else can we adequately understand the temptations of Jesus?

He proved, to Himself, to His Father, and to the devil, that He loved the Father more than anything and everything else. Lovetriumphant! Made perfect through obedience!

The man who really loves his wife will not be unfaithful. He may be severely tempted. But genuine love guarantees fidelity.

Judas may have claimed to love Jesus. That claim to love Jesus was tested. He failed that vital test.

This fact emphasizes the importance of being committed to go on, to gain a better understanding of the love of Jesus.

"Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He was come from God, and went to God . ''

Notice the reality of His test is clearly expressed. The Father put all things into His hands! He could do as He chose with that: "all things"!

Jesus did not fail. He fully understood the significance of the stewardship. "Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful"(1 Corinthians 4: 2).

Jesus proved faithful. He accepted the responsibility as an opportunity to prove His love for His Father!

"He was come from God!" From that relationship which was perfect love. He knew that "He . . . went to God." He went with the commitment to maintain and prove that love. All the way!

That is the contrast which we must prayerfully examine. It demonstrates how totally vital the understanding of true love is. We must avoid the trap into which Judas fell. That will only happen as we learn to love as Jesus loves.

"He riseth from supper, and laid aside His garments; and took a towel, and girded Himself.''

"The Father had given all things into His hands!" “All things” means exactly that. What does He do?

His disciples were startled at this scene as it unfolded before their eyes. They knew, instantly, what He was doing. They watched in astonishment as He, their Lord, became their menial Servant.

They would not do that. They had made up their minds on that fact. They wanted power. Authority. Prestige. But never to be a menial servant.

"There was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest"(Luke 22: 24). That took place as they sat at the table with Him at this very time!

They wanted power and authority. Not the place of a menial servant. That is how very little they understood love as Jesus lived it and demonstrated it.

Do we understand love? Even as He seeks to teach us? To demonstrate love to us?

Jesus was not putting on an act. He was totally genuine. He took that place of a menial servant as an expression of complete honesty and integrity. Remember, He said, "I am among you as He who serveth"(Luke 22: 27).

We are so much like the disciples. Words of commitment come too easily. But far too often they lack genuine honesty and integrity. We say, but do not do what we say.

In love He said, "I serve as a menial servant!" In that same love He served as a menial servant! That is love!

That is the love of God for the vilest of sinners, for me! Or you! We say that. But do we really understand? Are we really willing to live that love?

"But made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant (a slave!) and was made in the likeness of men.''

"And being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross" (Philippians 2: 5, 7, 8).

Do we really understand that? We must! if we would actually live the true Christian life!

"After that He poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith He was girded.''

It would be easy to think that this is an object lesson in humility. Easy. But would it be right?

The Lord Jesus had seen so many unsightly exhibitions of the arrogant pride of the disciples. Their persistent selfassertion. Their willful disregard of so much of His teaching.

Perhaps He thought that they needed such a dramatic object lesson to help them see that genuine love serves. So, for a brief moment, He would gird Himself as a humble servant. Get their attention by this act of stark contrast.

Many choose to see this incident in that light. Yet such an evaluation leaves far too much unanswered. Especially as it is based on a false assumption: That He would not have taken the place of the servant if the attitude of His disciples did not force Him to do so.

He took the place of the servant because that is His actual nature. All the time. That is the expression of His perfect Iove. In His love for His disciples He always loved them to the uttermost. His actions were the free and full expression of that love to the uttermost.

It is so vital that we really see this. We actually see the REAL LORD JESUS as we see Him girded as a menial servant. If we fail to see this we will never really know Him. Never really grasp the genuine humility of His love.

We must see this. Understand this. Live by it. Or fail totally to even begin to really live the Christian life .

The alternative is to be caught in foolish selfdeception. To think that the only time the Christian has to take the place of the menial servant is when the force of circumstances leave you with no choice.

. That. would be nothing but a false hypocritical humility. An empty pretense. Foolish and destructive playacting.

When we see the Lord Jesus taking the towel and girding HimseIf, we see the real Lord Jesus.

We see the real humility of true love. To fail to see that is to put an insurmountable hindrance in our own way, blocking our ability to live the Christian life.

"Then cometh He to Simon Peter, and Peter saith unto Him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet?"

Peter had watched these developments with increasing unbelief. This was not at all to his liking. In his scheme for the Kingdom this was quite unnecessary. In his agenda for the future, this was clearly inappropriate.

Peter was not alone in such thinking. Most Christians today would readily identify with his scheme for the kingdom. His agenda, also, is much more palatable to the modern taste.

There is a very clear pattern to be seen in Peter's attitude. Whenever he heard Jesus express a principle which he found unacceptable, he immediately corrected Jesus!

"Then Peter took Him, and began to rebuke Him, saying, Be it far from Thee, Lord: this shall not be unto Thee" (Matthew 16: 22 ) .

The disciple presumed to teach his Teacher! Had he forgotten, "Come ye after Me, and I will make you to become fishers of men"? (Mark 1: 17).

Now Peter is attempting to dictate to the Lord: "I will make YOU to become what I want You to be!"

Let us not be too hasty in attempting to criticize Peter for this. His attitude is identical to so many Christians even now. They hear the word of the Lord. They know that they can improve on that Word. Thus, in their attitude and actions they demand the right to have their own way.

“Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter."

Tenderly. Patiently. So graciously, the Lord deals with Peter. He knew the motivation of this disciple. In matchless love, He reminds Peter, Remember your limitations. There are things you do not, cannot, know.

In this, Jesus speaks, both as Lord, and as humble Servant! That is always His nature! Yet we find it so difficult to see and accept this vital reality.

We do not want to be reminded that we are limited. So we react against this vital selfrevelation by Jesus!

Peter, like so many today, was angry that the humble Servant corrected him! "Thou shalt never wash my feet!"

"It is not enough that You try to humiliate me like this, You suggest that I am ignorant of what You are do doing.”

Just like so many today! Resenting the loving correction and guidance of such gracious love!

Jesus stated the inescapable obligation. "If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with Me!"

Peter, be so very careful what you say or do at this point! This moment is so crucial. You can insist on maintaining your "superior stance", if you will. You can continue to hold yourself aloof from the humble Servant and His loving words and actions.

You will pay a high price for that. You can insist on asserting that you are in the right in your evaluation and in rejection of what He seeks to do. To do so will inevitably have the effect of ending forever your relationship with the Lord Jesus!

Or, you can renounce your foolish pride. Along with you confidence in your own schemes and agenda. Do so, in order to be able to clearly see: Jesus! See Him as you have never seen Him before this moment. See Him, and see in Him: Love to the uttermost! See in His love: Life!

See, and understand this sublime revelation. This is truly: The Lord Jesus, even as the Humble Servant.

Peter had that choice. We have that choice. Our response will decide the most important issues of our lives.

To insist that we know best for ourselves, that is to leave Jesus out of your life and experience. To never really know Him.

Or, we can look again. So that we really do begin to see for the first time. See: Him! through the eyes of humbled faith. Thus begin to really comprehend the glory of this opportunity.

"Simon Peter said unto Him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!"

"Lord!" In verse six, Peter had used that word: "Lord!" His attitude revealed that he did not mean it. That was mere lip service. Jesus was not the Lord of his life.

It had become a habit. "Lord, this shall not be unto Thee!" (Matthew 16: 22). How could Jesus be Lord in Peter's life? Peter was telling Him that He did not know what He was talking about!

"Lord, I am ready to go with Thee, both into prison, and to death" (Luke 22: 33). “Lord?” Not really! Peter was again arrogantly correcting Jesus.

“Lord!” To vast multitudes, Jesus is “Lord” in word only. Not in actual reality.

What will make Jesus Lord in actual reality? Genuine and sincere submission to His authority in all things.

Peter began to see the true issues which were involved. He began to understand just what was at stake. He did not want to lose his relationship with Jesus. He humbly submitted.

"Jesus said to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit.''

Peter's problem was not the total rejection of Jesus. It was much more limited in scope. It involved the specific area of selfpride and selfwill in the aspect of the humility of the menial Servant!

In his pilgrimage with the Lord he had deviated in the area of the authority of the Word of the Lord over his life. That is what he must confess. That is the area in which he must seek cleansing.

When we first come to Jesus, there must be that general, wide ranging, allembracing confession of sin.

Thereafter, in our continuing walk of faith with Him our confession will need to be more specific. Because the area of sin and disobedience will be more specific.

In such circumstances, a general confession could very well be an evasion! We know how we have sinned. And, where. When. And probably, why. Therefore, both the confession and the cleansing, must be specific.

It is only thus that we can genuinely know Him. The humble Servant who seeks to go on washing our feet.

The Lord Jesus focuses on this vital issue. He understood His disciples perfectly. He knew every detail of their personality. Every facet of their character and their conduct.

He knew both Peter and Judas far better than they knew themselves. He saw every significant difference clearly.

There is a vital principle involved in this. A principle we need to understand as fully as possible.

Both King Saul and King David willfully sinned against the Lord. It would be easy to argue that David's sin was worse than Saul's.

David's sin involved both adultery with Bathsheba and the murder of Uriah. Saul's sin involved offering sacrifices which only the priest should offer. Also, not fully obeying the Word of the Lord in the matter of the Amalekites.

Both were confronted by a prophet of the Lord. David by Nathan, Saul by Samuel. Both of these spoke the Word of the Lord to the king. It was each king's response to the Word of the Lord that is the key.

Saul attempted to justify his actions. David repented, and confessed his sins!

What of Peter and Judas? Peter repented and sought and found forgiveness. Judas, motivated by remorse, hanged himself. He did not seek to receive forgiveness from the Lord.

In effect, Peter said, I need to be changed. Judas, I need to change the consequences of my actions

"Ye are clean" when the response to the Word is confession and repentance. When there is genuine submission to the authority of the Lord.

Today, some are "clean" before the Lord. Some are not. The reason is the same now as then.

"For He knew who should betray Him; therefore He said, Ye are not all clean!"

He knew Judas. He knew that Judas would not meet the clear conditions of the Word of God. He knew! He knows!

He knows that many today have that same attitude which Judas displayed. They will not submit to His call to repentance and confession. They insist on asserting that they are all right!

They continue to resist the ministry of the Holy Spirit. His conviction of their sin. His call to come back to the Savior.

They persist in this. And will, until they hear Him say to them, "I never knew you: depart from Me, ye that work iniquity." (Matthew 7: 23)

He loves to the uttermost. Even when He is misunderstood and misrepresented. When His Words, actions, and attitudes are explained away, or belittled.

He loves to the uttermost. If we really do love Him, we will really want to know Him. Hear Him. Understand Him.

We will come humbly to His Word. Sincerely seek to clearly see His selfrevelation of Himself there, with hearts and minds open to receive all that He is saying to us about Himself. Accepting all that He is, says, and does.

When we do come in that attitude, we will really begin to know Him. We will really begin to love Him.

That is so important. That is the only way to really begin the genuine Christian life.