The Servant King
Maundy Thursday – 2nd April 2026
John 13:1-17
As He often had, Jesus continues to challenge perceptions in the events of the Last Supper...
What does the true king look like?
Jesus had the right to be King. He was God. He knew that the Father had put all things under His power. He knew He had come from God and was returning to God. Yet, He took the position of a servant, washing feet.
This story from John hints at other perceptions that are challenged. Some are hard for us, coming from a modern Western mindset…
It is easy for us to say “our religion is private, just between me and God That doesn’t seem to be the way Jesus saw it… He valued community. Being with friends. We look back on this event as the one that initiated our practise of sharing communion. For us, Communion is often a time of silence. A time of reflection. A time when we used set words and actions. There is nothing wrong with taking it seriously. We should. But we can miss something of the community feel Jesus enjoyed. It is something between us and God, not just me and God.
And then we come to the ultimate expression of community, that we are to love each other.
“Love one another,” He says, “as I have loved you.”
This is not a vague sentiment. The kind of love Jesus speaks of is not measured by feeling, but by action.
Live like this, He says, loving each other. This will be the sign for everyone that you are my disciples. Not just by what you say, but by how you live.
Let this be what sets you apart.
Let this be your witness.
The events of the Last Supper are rightly remembered on Maundy Thursday and regularly in church, as we share communion together. But we don’t miss what is arguably the bigger story here…
This event shows Jesus’ plan for His followers - that they would come together, serving one another, showing greatness through humility, and by showing love.
This isn’t just something to remember as a past event, it is a blueprint for how we live now.