Known by Our Love

Intro:

Good morning.

In John 13:34-35, we read of one of Jesus’ most famous sayings:

John 13:34-35

John 13:34–35 NKJV

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

But what was on Jesus’ mind when He uttered these words?

Well, in verse number 21, we find that Jesus was TROUBLED by something.

John 13:21 (Don’t read this verse)

John 13:21 NKJV

When Jesus had said these things, He was troubled in spirit, and testified and said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, one of you will betray Me.”

What had troubled Him? And don’t you find it interesting that even though JESUS was troubled, just a few short verses later He tells His disciples: “Let not your heart be troubled” ? (John 14:1)

Well, you can see at the end of the verse in v. 21 that Jesus was troubled because of His betrayer!

Jesus knew that His time was about up!

He knew that He was about to be betrayed into the wicked and violent hands of the ones who would crucify Him!

And yet, in ALL of this, Jesus (troubled as He was) still thought it important to illustrate to His apostles the importance of LOVING one another, not only through TEACHING, but also through ACTION!

As we read through John chapter 13 this morning, we need to ask ourselves:

Are we teaching others about the love of Christ?

And more specifically, are we teaching others about the love of Christ THROUGH ACTION?

How did Jesus display that love in action? Look at John 13:1-17.

John 13:1-17 - Jesus Washes the Disciples’ Feet

V. 1 - Right off the bat, notice John’s emphasis on Jesus’ love for His disciples!

“Having loved His own who were in the world ...”

“He loved them to the end!” (We might say, “He loved them through and through!” — Just loved them THOROUGHLY! There was no doubting His love!)

VS. 2-4 - Again, what was in the back of Jesus’ mind in all of this?!

Here He is methodically preparing to wash the disciples’ feet, and yet …

Clearly, His impending death — the impending punishment that HE DIDN’T DESERVE — was on His mind!

But He didn’t let that distract Him from teaching this important lesson!

Jesus still had a job to do!

VS. 5-6 - I’ve got the word “my” in v. 6 underlined in my Bible.

I can just hear Peter emphasizing “MY Feet, Lord?”

As if to say, “Lord, you are FAR too high above ME! If anything, I ought to be washing YOUR feet!”

We often give Peter a hard time for his impetuousness, but I do appreciate his humility!

In Luke 5:8, when the disciples had brought in the miraculous catch of fish, Peter says, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!”

VS. 7-9 - Probably the most interesting exchange between Peter and our Lord!

V. 10 - In other words, the feet are the last thing you bathe — So I think there’s actually some symbolism here — Jesus is saying, “Look, this is a symbolic final act that I’m teaching you before I go to the cross.”

You’re complete now. You’re clean now. You are ready for this mission I’m sending you on.

Except for one of you who is not clean who will betray Me.

VS. 11-17 - Jesus gives the reason for His doing this!

He was giving them an EXAMPLE - v. 15!

Jesus was far greater/far ABOVE the disciples, and yet He didn’t act like they expected.

He remained humble, and He SERVED them!

John 13:18-30 - Jesus Identifies His Betrayer:

The first thing that stands out to me in all of this is Jesus had just gotten through doing what?

(Washing the Disciples’ feet).

Including whom? (Judas!)

Jesus had just WASHED JUDAS’ FEET, and now he is identifying him as His betrayer!

V. 18 - This is a quote from Psalm 41:9.

V. 19 - In other words, Jesus (like David in Psalm 41) is prophesying His own betrayal so that when it happens shortly after, His disciples can say - “Oh, now I see!”

V. 20 - Accept Christ, accept God the Father — Do not accept Christ, then you do not accept God the Father.

V. 21 - Again, Jesus was TROUBLED!

Do you think that Jesus was not only troubled by the fact that He was about to be betrayed by Jesus …

But also He was troubled by the fact that so MANY people throughout history would reject Him and His sacrifice?

What a sad thought!

VS. 22-30 — The chain of events leading up to Judas’ betrayal of Jesus transpire.

By the way, v. 23-24 — Let’s give Peter a hard time — Why couldn’t YOU ask, Peter?!

But John ends up asking - V. 25!

Anyways, finally this morning we want to look at …

John 13:31-35 - Jesus Teaches Love:

Jesus uses this opportunity — a very SOMBER moment indeed — to teach on one of the most important subjects known to man — Love.

In fact, Jesus is going to say that it is a NEW commandment.

Now, John in his epistle of 1 John explains how this is a new commandment in one sense, but not a new commandment in another sense.

It was new in the sense that we need a fresh reminder to love one another — We need CONSTANT reminders to love one another!

But it is a commandment as old as the world itself in that we have ALWAYS been required to love one another!

We’re about to see another sense in which this commandment is new, Jesus is going to say, and it has to do with the EXTENT of our love!

He is about to say a couple of things about His glory — His glory in and of Himself, and also His glory in the Father. (Read vs. 31-32)

And then on love:

(Read verses 33-35).

So verse 34 tells us the EXTENT of our love that we are supposed to have toward one another!

“AS I HAVE LOVED YOU, that you also love one another” — Jesus says!

“By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another!”

Conclusion:

So what can we take away from John 13 today?

Working our way backwards from what we just covered:

We are to love one another — not just love one another - but with the SAME KIND OF LOVE that Jesus had for us! — and this is the new commandment that Jesus gave.

Jesus was TROUBLED by the fact that His betrayer was about to turn on him!

(Even though He in John 14:1 tells His disciples to NOT be troubled!)

Jesus says in John 13:17 - “If you know these things, blessed are you if you DO them!”

Do WHAT things?

Serve one another in a manner such as Jesus washing the Disciples’ feet!

In other words, don’t just SAY you love people — PROVE it by the way you treat people!

Our work is cut out for us, but we can do it!

(Give invitation).