耶稣取了奴仆的形象。但当彼得试图告诉耶稣该怎么做时，耶稣就以主人的口吻说话了。昨天，我们看到耶稣是个奥秘，而这个奥秘的一部份就是耶稣如何使用祂的能力。
耶稣一次又一次教导说，在神的国里，强壮的要服侍软弱的，“谁愿为首，就必作众人的仆人”（可 10:44）。这并不容易理解。它对我们来说似乎是颠倒的，因为它与世界自古以来的运作方式背道而驰。
这就是彼得感到困惑的原因，这也是今天许多基督徒仍然对权力感到困惑的原因。基督徒在拥有权力时仍然挣扎于如何使用权力。有时，他们表现得就好像权力象征着神的特别恩宠，他们可以为所欲为。另一些基督徒则恰恰相反，好像他们应该避免使用权力。
耶稣做了一个很好的榜样。祂并没有放弃自己在地上的权力。祂使用这权力去帮助那些没有权力的人。的确，门徒们可以自己洗脚，但耶稣用洗脚显明祂来到世上服侍和教导他们的方式。一旦门徒们真正认识了耶稣，他们就会去服侍他人，教导他们认识耶稣，使用耶稣给予的权柄。我们也可以做同样的事，使用耶稣给予的权柄去服侍和教导那些还不认识祂的人。
亲爱的耶稣，求你赐我力量，好使我能给予他人力量。请帮助我绝不滥用或忽视你赐给我的能力。阿们。
约翰福音 13:1-17
1逾越节以前，耶稣知道自己离世归父的时候到了。他既然爱世间属自己的人，就爱他们到底。
2吃晚饭的时候——魔鬼已将卖耶稣的意思放在西门的儿子加略人犹大心里——
3耶稣知道父已将万有交在他手里，且知道自己是从神出来的，又要归到神那里去，
4就离席站起来，脱了衣服，拿一条手巾束腰。
5随后把水倒在盆里，就洗门徒的脚，并用自己所束的手巾擦干。
6挨到西门彼得，彼得对他说：“主啊，你洗我的脚吗？”
7耶稣回答说：“我所做的，你如今不知道，后来必明白。”
8彼得说：“你永不可洗我的脚！”耶稣说：“我若不洗你，你就与我无份了。”
9西门彼得说：“主啊，不但我的脚，连手和头也要洗！”
10耶稣说：“凡洗过澡的人，只要把脚一洗，全身就干净了。你们是干净的，然而不都是干净的。”
11耶稣原知道要卖他的是谁，所以说“你们不都是干净的”。
12耶稣洗完了他们的脚，就穿上衣服，又坐下，对他们说：“我向你们所做的，你们明白吗？
13你们称呼我夫子，称呼我主，你们说的不错，我本来是。
14我是你们的主、你们的夫子，尚且洗你们的脚，你们也当彼此洗脚。
15我给你们做了榜样，叫你们照着我向你们所做的去做。
16我实实在在地告诉你们：仆人不能大于主人，差人也不能大于差他的人。
17你们既知道这事，若是去行就有福了。
"You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet.”" - John 13:13-14
Jesus takes the posture of a servant. But when Peter tries to tell Jesus what to do, Jesus speaks as a master. We saw yesterday that Jesus is a mystery, and part of that mystery is how Jesus handles his power.
Jesus teaches again and again that in the kingdom of God, the strong serve the weak, and “whoever wants to be first must be slave of all” (Mark 10:44). It’s not easy to understand this. It can seem upside-down to us, because it is the opposite of the way the world has worked since ancient times.
That’s why Peter is confused and why many Christians are still confused about power today. Christians still struggle with how to act when they have power. Sometimes they act as if power signifies God’s special favor and they can do whatever they like with it. Other Christians do the opposite, as if using their power is something to be avoided.
Jesus gave a better example. He did not relinquish his earthly power. He used it to help people who had less power. True, the disciples could have washed their own feet, but Jesus used footwashing to illustrate how he came to serve and teach them. And once the disciples knew Jesus, they were to serve others and teach about him, using the power he gave. We can do the same, using the power he gives us to serve and teach people who don’t yet know him.
Dear Jesus, empower me so that I can empower others. Help me to never abuse or neglect the power you have provided. Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳
