John 13:1-38 KJV
1 Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.
2 And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him;
3 Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God;
4 He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself.
5 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.
6 Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet?
7 Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter.
8 Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.
9 Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head.
10 Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all.
11 For he knew who should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all clean.
12 So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you?
13 Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am.
14 If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet.
15 For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.
16 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.
17 If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.
18 I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me.
19 Now I tell you before it come, that, when it is come to pass, ye may believe that I am he.
20 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me; and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.
21 When Jesus had thus said, he was troubled in spirit, and testified, and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me.
22 Then the disciples looked one on another, doubting of whom he spake.
23 Now there was leaning on Jesus' bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved.
24 Simon Peter therefore beckoned to him, that he should ask who it should be of whom he spake.
25 He then lying on Jesus' breast saith unto him, Lord, who is it?
26 Jesus answered, He it is, to whom I shall give a sop, when I have dipped it. And when he had dipped the sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon.
27 And after the sop Satan entered into him. Then said Jesus unto him, That thou doest, do quickly.
28 Now no man at the table knew for what intent he spake this unto him.
29 For some of them thought, because Judas had the bag, that Jesus had said unto him, Buy those things that we have need of against the feast; or, that he should give something to the poor.
30 He then having received the sop went immediately out: and it was night.
31 Therefore, when he was gone out, Jesus said, Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in him.
32 If God be glorified in him, God shall also glorify him in himself, and shall straightway glorify him.
33 Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me: and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come; so now I say to you.
34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
36 Simon Peter said unto him, Lord, whither goest thou? Jesus answered him, Whither I go, thou canst not follow me now; but thou shalt follow me afterwards.
37 Peter said unto him, Lord, why cannot I follow thee now? I will lay down my life for thy sake.
38 Jesus answered him, Wilt thou lay down thy life for my sake? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, The cock shall not crow, till thou hast denied me thrice.

Permissions to what go and do and not to do. Most will only see Jesus teaching about servanthood in this chapter, but there more going on then servanthood. There is Judas who chosen to betray Jesus, and the devil has enter into him to do it this very night. There is Peter, who wants to wash Jesus feet, but is rebuked by Jesus, when he tried to take that towel and water bowl from Jesus when he went to wash Peter's feet. Peter response then wash all of me. In reality Jesus rebuke's him you only need your feet cleaned. Peter had road dirt on his feet but all he need was his feet cleaned. Jesus was telling them really that the master is not above his servant. Sounds strange comment to come from Jesus considering he is Lord, but what he saying is servanthood is not about position, but about willing to serve no matter in the chief seat or the lower seat of society, the need to serve each other. This teaching was for their example of how children of God need to serve each other. That the teacher was not greater then the student. God serves us whether we fully realize it or not.

Jesus is troubled in spirit and say there is one here that is going to betray him. It interesting to note Jesus gave not Peter permission to wash his feet nor permission to defend him, yet he gave the one that would dip his bread in the wine permission to betray him. Permisions given in this story of the cross is very important. It demonstrates God's power to allow even evil to arise in order to destroy it. Just like Peter willing to fight for Jesus, Jesus rebuke's Peter telling him he will actually deny him three times. This denial demonstrating God's power to stop us from testifying, preaching, teaching and more if it be not his will at the present moment. God's shield around his children so his will can be done, as well as God's power to allow the enemy to bring up their own doom. Two forces played out in this chapter, in which will come to be only by the will of God.

If you think you are in the will of God, you soon learn that the will of God can stop you, keep and enable you to do the task he called you too. If the enemy does God's will, the enemy will know God's permission and then he will find his own destruction moment. Why is it important, because God knows when we will fail when we will arise to do what he ask and he knows how to enable us to fail because we think we can do it outside his will. Scary thought, not really, it means when you go to testify is it his will? Depends are you in the flesh, do you do things on your own, do you take glory or is God praised. There many things that can motivate your action, but God's power enables you to bring him glory and honor. That when people hear and see your testimony, they don't praise you but God. When people hear you preach, teach, help, and so forth, they don't praise you but praise God. Those words of Thank you God for these who have come and not thank you preacher, you showed up just in time. There is a difference. The praise of God coming before the thank you to man.

Serving without the other showing gratitude to you or God? Will it is possible to be taken for granted. Judas seen money and wanted it, even when Jesus had a plan to be sold/betrayed for slaughter by one that had permission, but not the authority to do so. Authority was God's by prophesy, and Judas plans were his before the last supper, Yet Jesus gave permission for the plot of Judas to continue, because it was the will of the Father. See Judas had his feet cleaned too, but in reality he need more then a foot washing to be cleansed from sin of his heart, from the anger at Jesus, the desire of betrayal and the desire for money.

The going to the cross, the journey to, Christ giving permission for God's will to be done in the life of the one that would betray him, by declaring to the disciples who he was, and stop Peter from trying to stop God's power which Peter could not do anyway. As we continue to walk the road to the cross, we will see Judas betrayers kiss and Peter denial at the trial of Jesus. Important to leading the soldiers to capture Jesus, Peter attempts to stop the arrest, and then Peter's denial. The fear that grip Peter, the soldiers with Judas betrayers kiss. Judas tried to return the money and to repent at the temple and could not repent. Peter finding repentance and hope because his foot washing was all he needed to remove his sin. After salvation all we need is that repeated foot washing, done by Christ himself by the Holy Spirit, called the sanctification process. Our hearts believe in Christ, but our need to turn from sin in our life so real, and our need not to deny our Savior equal as real, but when we refuse to turn from sin, we might as well not to declare ourselves as a child of God and yet we are, unless our heart is not open to faith and obedience to God. Meaning we will fail as humans but not to the will of God in our life.

Dear Heavenly Father, help us to choose the path of righteousness, and the path of evil or bitterness of our hearts that plague us from time to time. Let us not carry out the evil within us but follow your will only to deny when we not in your will. In Jesus precious name, Amen.

Continual Scripture Study: Matthew 26:19-25 KJV
19 And the disciples did as Jesus had appointed them; and they made ready the passover.
20 Now when the even was come, he sat down with the twelve.
21 And as they did eat, he said, Verily I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me.
22 And they were exceeding sorrowful, and began every one of them to say unto him, Lord, is it I?
23 And he answered and said, He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me.
24 The Son of man goeth as it is written of him: but woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! it had been good for that man if he had not been born.
25 Then Judas, which betrayed him, answered and said, Master, is it I? He said unto him, Thou hast said.