The Love of God: Love One Another

John 13 begins the farewell discourse.

Jesus knows His hour has come.

And what does He do?

He wraps a towel around His waist and washes His disciples' feet.

The love of God serves.

Jesus washes feet

Foot washing was the job of the lowest servant.

But Jesus, knowing that the Father had given Him all authority, takes the basin and towel and washes His disciples' feet.

Peter protests:

"You shall never wash my feet."

Jesus answers:

"Unless I wash you, you have no part with me."

This is more than a lesson in humility.

It is a picture of salvation.

We need to be washed by Christ. We cannot cleanse ourselves.

The love of God does not wait for us to clean ourselves up. It washes us while we are still dirty.

A new commandment

After washing their feet, Jesus says:

"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another."

This is not generic love.

It is love modeled on the cross.

Love that serves. Love that sacrifices. Love that washes feet.

The love of God sets the standard: as Christ loved, so must we love.

By this all will know

Jesus says:

"By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."

Not by our theology alone.

Not by our programs.

Not by our buildings.

By our love.

The love of God is meant to be visible in how His people treat each other.

Judas leaves

Jesus announces that one of them will betray Him.

He gives bread to Judas, and Satan enters him.

Jesus tells him:

"What you are going to do, do quickly."

And Judas leaves into the night.

The love of God does not force obedience.

It allows betrayal.

And it uses even betrayal to accomplish salvation.

Peter's denial predicted

Peter insists he will lay down his life for Jesus.

Jesus responds:

"Will you really lay down your life for me? Very truly I tell you, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times!"

Peter will fail.

But Jesus already knows it.

And He does not cast Peter out.

The love of God knows our failures before they happen and loves us still.

Final exhortation

The love of God in John 13 is this:

Christ washes us when we cannot cleanse ourselves.

He commands us to love one another as He loved us.

And He loves us even when He knows we will fail Him.

Serve one another.

Love sacrificially.

Do not think you are above washing feet.

Because the love of God is a servant love that stoops down to lift us up.

Closing prayer

Father, thank You for the love of Christ that washes us and calls us to love one another. Give us the humility to serve and the grace to love as we have been loved. Protect us from pride and self-reliance, and make us known by our love. In Jesus' name, amen.