John 13:1-5
February 18, 2026
John 13:1-5
What is Lent?
Lent is a 40 day period of preparation leading up to the events we remember and celebrate on Good Friday and Easter. The Church has traditionally used this time as one of fasting, prayer, and reflection. Though it is common to "go without" during the season of Lent, the true spirit of Lent involves denying oneself, rather than merely denying something to oneself, such as little luxuries. To deny oneself, as John Stott once wrote, is to turn away from the idolatry of self-centeredness.
So throughout Lent, Central will be encouraging families, roommates, and individuals to worship daily in their homes, cultivating regular patterns of Scripture reading, prayer, and reflection. To support this, a daily guide will be provided featuring a passage from the Gospel of John, a brief reflection, discussion questions, a prayer of confession, a weekly collect, and a prompt for personal prayer.
Why Family Worship?
The Westminster Confession of Faith, the classic confession of historic Presbyterianism, teaches that “God is to be worshipped everywhere in spirit and truth; as in private families daily.” Sadly, the practice of family worship has fallen so far out of use that few have even heard of it, and many are intimidated by the sound of it. Family worship, however, is neither complicated nor time-consuming, but it can be deeply formative for one’s family. The entire experience can be summarized in terms of three simple elements: read, pray, sing.
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Read. The centerpiece of family worship is the Bible. Read a passage of appropriate length for your family, making any impromptu comments that come to mind. Those with younger children may benefit from a children’s Bible and certainly should emphasize the narrative portions of Scripture. Eventually, most families can work up to about a chapter a day, reading consecutively through a particular book of the Bible. Ask a few questions to determine comprehension, or simply ask the children to repeat what they remember.
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Pray. Let the words of the passage you read guide your focus in prayer. The father or mother should pray, and perhaps one or all the rest of the family members. Most days this will be brief.
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Sing. Teach the children hymns by heart or use a hymnal or songbook. Sing a capella or let a family musician lead the way. Sing as little as one verse, or for as long as the family enjoys it.
Any order of “read, pray, sing” is fine. It doesn’t have to be long to be effective. Be patient with the interest and attention span of the younger ones. Remember that you’re introducing your children to God. In these moments together, your children can see your love for God and for his Word, and some of the most teachable moments of their childhood will occur. It doesn't matter when you have worship. For some, early morning is best. For others, it's mealtime, and for still others, it's bedtime. Just start and keep it simple.
Confess
Almighty and most merciful Father, we have erred and strayed from your ways like lost sheep. We have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts. We have offended against your holy laws. We have left undone those things which we ought to have done, and we have done those things which we ought not to have done; and apart from your grace, there is no health in us. O Lord, have mercy upon us. Spare all those who confess their faults. Restore all those who are penitent, according to your promises declared to all people in Christ Jesus our Lord. And grant, O most merciful Father, for his sake, that we may now live a godly, righteous, and sober life, to the glory of your holy Name. Amen.
Read and Reflect
John 13:1-5
1 Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. 2 During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him, 3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, 4 rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. 5 Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
With the opening lines of John 13, we are taken to the “upper room” where Jesus made advance preparations to share a final meal with his disciples. Jesus always had a strong sense of time. Unlike us, his timing was never off. He knew that the time had come for him to depart, and yet, even so, John reminds us that his love for his disciples and for all of us who remain “in the world” is undiminished. His love is constant, and he loves us to the very end. Jesus displays remarkable composure as he draws near to his impending death because he knows that God has already given him the victory over the grave. Though he must endure the cross, he knows how the story ends. With that frame of mind, Jesus gives his followers one final object lesson. He wraps a towel around his waist and proceeds to wash the disciples’ feet, even those belonging to the one who would betray him.
Of all the things that Jesus could have done the night before his death, why do you think Jesus chose to wash his disciples’ feet?
Pray
Weekly Collect
Almighty and everlasting God, you hate nothing you have made, and you forgive the sins of all who are penitent: Create and make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wretchedness, may obtain of you, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Pray for One Another and the World