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Before the Passover Festival, Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved those who were his own in the world, he loved them to the end.
By the time the supper took place, the Devil had already put the idea into the heart of Judas, son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus.
Jesus knew that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God. He got up from the supper and laid aside his outer garment. He took a towel and tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
“A new commandment I give you: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, so also you are to love one another.
John 13:1–5,34
Jesus’ bucket list
What’s on your bucket list? If you were told you have a year to live, what things would you try to accomplish?
Maybe you would fly overseas to that country you’ve always wanted to visit. Maybe you’d quit your job and spend your time on that hobby you’ve wanted to give more time to. Maybe you’d look up your favorite band and go to every single one of their concerts.
I think it’s safe to say you’d also do some things related to the relationships you have. You’d spend as much time with your best friends as you could. You’d call your parents or your kids or your brothers and sisters a lot more. You’d maybe even reach out to friends or family members that you’ve grown distant from, making amends as you could, trying to set things right.
What you probably wouldn’t do is spend time with the people who have wronged you so much that you don’t want anything to do with them anymore. The people that you have cut out of your life, and you feel you’re not any worse for wear. The people who betrayed you, who you feel ruined a part of your life in some way.
Jesus had a bucket list too, so to speak. The night before Jesus died on the cross, he knew what was about to happen. He knew that one of his closest friends, someone who he’d spent most of the last three years with, was going to betray him into the hands of the religious and political leaders in just a few hours. He knew that Judas would lead an armed guard to arrest Jesus. And even worse, Jesus knew that his other friends, his other disciples, when faced with the choice of going with Jesus to share in his suffering or running away, would choose the latter. Leaving Jesus abandoned, alone, to suffer a horrible death.
And the night before Jesus died, he was eating dinner with these friends. He chose to spend his last hours before his arrest with the people who would abandon them most. The gospel writer John describes what Jesus did at that meal as simply this: having loved those who were his own in the world, he loved them to the end.
Instead of using that time for himself, for his own enjoyment or exploits, Jesus used that dinner to serve the people he loved, even though in just a few hours they would show that they loved their own safety more than they loved Jesus. Jesus showed he loved his disciples not only by spending his time with them by but using that time to serve them. He took on the role that would normally be the job of the lowest-ranking servant in households of that time: he washed his disciples’ feet.
This selfless act of service shows just what Jesus is all about, and is shows just how different Christianity is from any other religion or philosophy of the world: when the world will tell us to seek our own benefit, Jesus shows us how seeking the benefit of others flips the way of the world on its head in a far more impactful way. What could this mean for your bucket list? Check out this sermon about Jesus’ ultimate work on Easter to find out!
Holy Thursday, April 2nd, 2026
