''JESUS LAID ASIDE HIS GARMENTS''

JOHN RECORDS THAT: ''JESUS .....AROSE FROM THE SUPPER AND LAID ASIDE HIS GARMENTS, TOOK A TOWEL AND GIRDED HIMSELF........POURED WATER INTO A BASIN AND BEGAN TO WASH HIS DISCIPLES FEET, AND WIPE THEM WITH THE TOWEL HE WAS GIRDED. THEN HE CAME TO SIMON PETER. AND PETER SAID TO HIM, LORD, ARE WASHING MY FEET?'' (LUKE13:3-6). JESUS DIDN'T WAIT FOR HIS DISCIPLES TO MAKE THE FIRST MOVE, HE WENT FIRST. HE TAUGHT THAT IN ORDER TO SERVE GOD YOU MUST BE WILLING TO LAY ASIDE YOUR IMAGE, YOUR COMFORT AND YOUR AGENDA. AND HE DRAMATISED IT IN A WAY HIS DISCIPLES WOULD NEVER FORGET. BY LAYING ASIDE HIS GARMENTS HE SHOWED THEM GOD HAS NO TIME FOR FORM OR FASHION. REAL MINISTRY IS NOT IMAGE CONSCIOUS; IT'S DONE WITH COMPLETE LOSS OF DISTINCTION. GOD INCARNATE CLOTHED HIMSELF IN HUMILITY. AMAZING! BUT PETER DIDN'T GET IT. HE WAS EMBARRASSED TO THINK THAT HIS LORD WOULD ALLOW HIMSELF TO BE SEEN IN SUCH DEMEANING LIGHT. SO JESUS SAID, ''YOU CALL ME TEACHER AND LORD......IF I THEN, YOUR LORD AND TEACHER, HAVE WASHED YOUR FEET, YOU ALSO OUGHT TO WASH ONE ANOTHER'S FEET. FOR I HAVE GIVEN YOU AN EXAMPLE, THAT YOU SHOULD DO AS I HAVE DONE TO YOU........IF YOU KNOW THESE THINGS, BLESSED ARE YOU IF YOU DO THEM''(JOHN13:13-17). IF YOU WANT TO BE BLESSED, DON'T JOIN THE ''SPIRITUAL ELITISTS'' WHO ARE IMPRESSED BY THEIR OWN ACCOMPLISHMENTS. LAY ASIDE EVERYTHING YOU PRIVATELY GLORY IN AND PICK UP THE TOWEL OF SERVANT-HOOD. AND DON'T WAIT FOR OTHERS. SOMEBODY AT YOUR TABLE NEEDS TO START A TREND. TODAY LET IT BE YOU!................READ (PHILIPPIANS 2:1-15).