The stories of Jesus often have him in conversation with just one other person. Nicodemus, the woman at the well, the guy at the pool of Bethesda, and now Mary. Something about Jesus wanted to (wants!) to deal with us one person at a time. God’s heart is fascinating!

This is it! Jesus' last words to the 11 disciples before he goes to the cross and dies. What will he say? What will he say on his ‘deathbed’? What do you plan on saying on your deathbed? Seems like what you might say on your deathbed would be something you would be living out right now. Jesus did that in his life.

Jesus intends to win the world with love. It makes so little sense on a planet that has always celebrated the strongest and the smartest and the most self-interested. Kindness never won an Olympic medal or a military battle. Our God has chosen his ‘weapon of choice’ and its love. How counterintuitive! Send people out like sheep among wolves, bless your enemies, forgive the undeserving, and love people like crazy. Sounds like a plan that could get a person killed.

Sometimes life feels like it's falling apart. What do you do when you’re in that place? The disciples were there and Jesus watched as their pupils dilated and their palms began to moisten. He began: “No matter what, remember these things…”. It’s good to have a plan when the world is falling apart. It’s good to have a plan before the world starts to fall apart. Thankfully, we have God who loves us and gave us exactly that plan!

The first Christians knew that Jesus loved them. Mary, Martha, Lazarus, and the disciples all knew he loved them. They felt it. That was the basis for the way they did life together: rooted in his love, reminding each other of his love by the way they talked and treated each other. Many things have changed in 2000 years, but loving each other like he loves us has not changed. Never will.

"Washing one another’s feet" ranks right up there with the other crazy ideas Jesus has for his Kingdom: “Go the extra mile.” “Turn the other cheek,” and “Love your enemies.” Inconceivable. Who would ever think that these ideas would gain traction, especially in a group of young men? The only way it makes sense is if these first disciples experienced love like they’d never known before and they were ready to die for it. 

Mary sees Jesus for who he is and pours out everything she has for him in worship. Judas doesn’t think Jesus is worth it and condemns both Mary and Jesus. And Jesus loves them both extravagantly. What’s your response to the question, “Who is Jesus … to me?”

The two guarantees in life are death and taxes and this story is not about taxes! Death brings everything out of us: sadness, anger, disappointment, confusion, blaming, resentment, gratitude, and when Jesus is around, even, in time - joy.

Our world has certain strategies when it comes to dealing with threats: flight, fight, or freeze are the usual options. Our world views intimacy largely as a sexual thing and most often operates on the principle of “birds of a feather flock together.” Fascinatingly, Jesus has a completely different view on all three of these important matters: how to respond to intimidation, how to be intimate, and how to be inclusive. He laid down his life for the sheep to save us and show us his heart and his plan.

What’s it like to be loved by Jesus and to love him back? Or put another way, what’s it like to believe Jesus? John tells the story of the blind man healed by Jesus to help us imagine this. He wants this story to be our story: one where in love Jesus transforms us, sends us, and includes us.