Our Sermons

Bible Passage: John 13:1-15, 34
Pastor: Pastor Berg
Sermon Date:  April 9, 2020

“How do I love thee, let me count the ways.” Sounds almost Shakespearean, but it’s actually the beginning of a sonnet by Elizabeth Barrett Browning, written for her husband. As I studied this Gospel for Maundy Thursday, those words came to mind as we see Jesus’ love for his disciples on full display. John says, “Having loved those who were his own in the world, he loved them to the end.” You could even say he loved them to the fullest extent, until there was no more love to give.

And perhaps what makes this display of love all the more remarkable is the context. This is the night that Jesus would be betrayed into the hands of sinful men. This was the night that one of his closest friends would trade him for 30 pieces of silver. This was the night when the rest of his friends would abandon him, when his most outspoken supporter would call down curses upon himself rather than admit knowing him. And to top it all off, Jesus knew all of this. John tells us, “Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father…” and “Jesus knew that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God.” Jesus knew it all.

If you knew that your life was going to be over in less than 24 hours, does getting on your knees and washing someone else’s feet make the top of your bucket list? I don’t think it would even make the top 100 of mine. What would you be doing if you knew what Jesus knew? Would you try to get in a couple more adventures before the clock runs out? Would you try to escape reality with reckless abandon? Would you take the day off to spend time with your loved ones? Would you try to prepare them for your death or simply take the time to tell them how much you love them? What would you do?

Knowing what he knew, Jesus “loved them to the end.” It’s remarkable. Consider the task at hand. The disciples had gathered with Jesus in an upper room to celebrate the Passover. Jesus had taken the time earlier to make sure that preparations were made. He’s secured the location. He made sure all the food preparations were made. And now everyone had gathered. But it was just Jesus and the twelve. No servants to take care of the normal servant-like duties, like washing the guests’ feet. 

We might wonder why none of the disciples had offered to take up this task. It was customary. Everyone knew this is what happened. And yet, maybe we’re not so surprised. Would you be jumping up and down to volunteer for such a task as this? And maybe we’re not surprised because we recall how the disciples had been arguing in the not too distant past about which of them was the greatest. And we remember how angry the other disciples were with James and John when their mother asked for them to have the seats of honor and power in Jesus’ heavenly kingdom. So maybe we’re not 0shocked that no one volunteered for the job. But once Jesus gets down and starts washing, why does no one object? It’s hard to imagine a similar scenario. Imagine you’re at a birthday party honoring your grandmother. She’s the guest of honor. And someone accidentally spills the milk all over the floor. You can’t imagine a scene where everyone else just sits there, looking at each other, wondering who’s going to clean up the mess, can you? And you certainly can’t imagine the scene where everyone watches grandma clean up the mess without immediately jumping in and taking over. But that’s kind of what we have here. Jesus is doing something so bizarre, so out of the ordinary. And it’s not until he gets to Peter that someone finally objects. 

However, this was more than about a menial task of washing feet. That was just the application that was the most pertinent at the time. This was all about love. This was about Jesus demonstrating his saving love for his disciples. This is about Jesus showing that the master had become the servant, the king had become the slave. This was Jesus demonstrating that he was doing everything for his disciples. And so when Peter objects,    “Jesus answered him, “You do not understand what I am doing now, but later you will understand.” Peter told him, “You will never, ever, wash my feet!” Jesus replied, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with me.” “Lord, not just my feet,” Simon Peter replied, “but also my hands and my head!” Jesus told him, “A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet, but his body is completely clean. And you are clean, but not all of you.” Indeed, he knew who was going to betray him. That is why he said, “Not all of you are clean.” 

Remember what John said at the beginning of this chapter. “Having loved those who were his own in the world, he loved them to the end.” Peter didn’t get it now, but he certainly would when he wept bitter tears of repentance after having denied Jesus. Jesus knew what Peter would do later that evening, and yet he loved him anyway. He chose to love him first by washing his feet and later by going all the way to the cross for Peter. There’s even love being shown here for Judas! There’s one last invitation to believe, to receive Jesus’ love.  Indeed, he knew who was going to betray him. That is why he said, “Not all of you are clean.” Judas’ feet were washed the same as everyone else. But Judas rejected Jesus’ love.

How much does Jesus love you? Let us count the ways! As Jesus looked ahead to the final 24 hours of his life, he was thinking of you too. Yes, you. Jesus knew how unlovable you would be—how selfish, how foolish, how proud, how quick to doubt and deny. Jesus knew how often you would turn your back on him or even join his enemies against him. He knew how darkened with sin your heart would be, how corrupt with sin your mind would be, how you would object to the true teaching of his Word, how you would fail to let your light shine or imitate him with your life. Jesus knew how much you and I deserve the suffering and punishment and death he would face. Yet he willingly chose to “Love you to the end”. He chose to become a servant for you—coming down from his position of power and authority to be your slave. He chose to become your substitute—bearing the burden of wrath and condemnation and hell that you deserved though he did not. He chose to be your Savior not because you’re so lovable or because you’ve given him any reason whatsoever to save you, but because he loves you with a love that sought your best interest, a love that moved him to endure pain and suffering, ridicule and violence, injustice and cruelty and death. For you, Jesus “loved you to the end.”

At the same time, “loving to the end,” also shows itself in the willing, self-sacrificing love of his followers. Jesus told his disciples, “Yes, I have given you an example so that you also would do just as I have done for you…A new commandment I give you: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, so also you are to love one another.”  It’s not romantic love. It’s not the love of friends. It’s not the love of family or even parents for children. It’s the unique kind of love that comes only from God himself. It’s self-sacrificing love that focuses solely on the best interest of the one who is loved. It’s not just emotion or sentiment or attraction, but a love by choice, a love that is put into action for the good of others, even if it’s undeserved. That was the love that Christ showed all of us in that upper room and in the 24 hours after he washed his disciples’ dirty feet. That’s the love that you and I strive to imitate for family and friends and people we know and don’t know yet, as we willingly serve the Savior who loved us. So how much does Jesus love you? See it in what he did with his last 24 hours. See his love in the Servant washing his disciples’ feet and then giving himself for your forgiveness. See it in the Lord who calls his followers to repent even as they betray and abandon and deny him. See it in the Christ who suffers at the hands of sinners like us. See it in the wide open arms of the crucified Savior who prays for his enemies, who promises paradise, and who finishes the battle for your salvation. See his love as he conquers death and dries your tears. See his love as you love like Christ, and then see the fullness of his love for you as he opens heaven and welcomes you home with nail-pierced hands. My friends, tonight see the fullness of Christ’s love for you! Amen.