Lord, help us love one another.

Warren Brosi

February 16, 2025

Dominant Thought: Lord, help us love one another.

Objectives:

I want my listeners to learn the different ways Jesus shows us His love.

I want my listeners to feel encouraged by the love of Jesus.

I want my listeners to pray, “Lord, help us love one another.”

I brought some of our clean laundry today. It’s a load of towels. I’m also thankful for whoever invented this drying rack. Have you ever thought about how many different towels you have? We have dish towels and bath towels, hand towels and paper towels. We have special towels that are to look at, but not to dry your hands. There are shop towels and towels to dry your car--a chamois? There’s this cooling towel called a Frog Tog.

I even have a towel in my study that I received from Berlin Christian Church that we give to our elders and deacons to remind us to lead like Jesus as He washes the feet of His disciples. And that is the towel I was to talk with you about today from John 13.

Last week, we began our series, “Prayers on the Road to Glory.” In John 12, we heard Jesus pray, “Father, glorify your name.” This week’s prayer from John 13 is, “Lord, help us love one another.”

As we walk through this story in John 13, we’ll discover four ways Jesus displays His love for us.

First, Jesus shows us His love by Laying Down His life (John 13.1-5). John, the beloved disciple, sets the scene for John 13 just before the Passover Festival (John 13.1). This festival that is mentioned two other times in John’s gospel (John 2.13, 23; and John 6.4). The Passover Festival celebrates God’s rescue of His people from Egyptian slavery described in Exodus. The families would sacrifice a lamb for the meal.

The hour had come for Jesus to leave this world and go to the Father. Throughout John’s gospel, Jesus reminds people that his hour has not yet come. However since John 12.23, the hour has come. It is time for Jesus to go to the cross.

Jesus shows the disciples the fullest extent of His love. The English Standard Version reads, “He loved them to the end.” F.F. Bruces suggests, “He loved them to the uttermost.”

The evening meal is in progress and the devil has put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot to betray Jesus (John 13.2). Jesus knew what was happening. He gets up from the table and “took off His outer clothing” (John 13.4). The image is laying down or laying aside His garments. It is the same word when Jesus says, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep” (John 10.11).

The next time we will see Jesus in such a humble position with his clothes laid aside or stripped is when Pilate ordered Jesus to be flogged (John 19.1) and when the soldiers divide the clothes of Jesus after they crucified Him (John 19.23).

In this scene, we see Jesus taking the nature of a servant. He wraps a towel around His waist and begins to wash His disciples’ feet drying them with the towel that was wrapped around Him.

In the first century, if you were fortunate you had sandals. Your feet would be caked with dirt and whatever was in the streets that day.

That night in the upper room Jesus shows us His love by laying down His rights and privilege as the King of the universe to serve those He came to save. Jesus shows us His love by laying down His life that would be nailed to a cross in a matter of hours.

Second, Jesus shows us His love by Cleansing us from Pride (John 13.6-11). In John 13.6-11, we witness the interaction between Jesus and Peter. Jesus has begun to wash the disciples feet. I’m not sure who was first. Maybe it was John who was sitting near Jesus. Maybe he started with Judas or James. Eventually, He comes to Peter. Peter asks, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” (John 13.6). Jesus answers him, “What I am doing you do not understand, but afterward you will understand” (John 13.7). Peter replies, “You shall never wash my feet” (John 13.8). On one hand you appreciate Peter’s perspective. Jesus, you do not need to wash my feet. You are my Lord and master, my teacher. However, it generally a good idea not to order Jesus around or tell Him “No” or “Never.” Jesus answers Peter, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me” (John 13.8). Jesus is saying, “If I don’t wash your feet, then you are not with me.” In other words, Jesus is saying to Peter, “Are you with me?”

Peter then replies, “Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!” (John 13.9). Jesus instructs Peter, “The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you [plural] are clean, but no every one of you” (John 13.10). He’s referring to the one who would betray Him, Judas, when He said not everyone is clean. New Testament scholar, N.T. Wright, comments, “There is nothing cosy or romantic about this scene. It is about love betrayed, not just love portrayed” (John for Everyone, Volume 2).

In this moment of footwashing, Jesus invites His disciples to a deeper relationship with Him, a relationship where He washes away pride. In the footwashing, Jesus shows us His love by cleansing us of pride.

My wife and I chose to wash each other’s feet during our wedding. It was visual display to show that we would put each other first in our relationship. We would serve one another in love.

Third, Jesus shows us His love by Setting us an Example (John 13.12-17). After Jesus washes their feet and puts his clothes back on, he takes the role of teacher by asking the disciples a question. He said, “Do you understand what I have done to/for you?” He wants them to reflect on what just happened. He says, “You call me teacher and Lord, and you are right for so I am” (John 13.13). He continues, “If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you and example, that you also ought to do just as I have done for you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them” (John 13.14-17).

Our Lord and Teacher set us an example of humble service. What’s it look like to wash people’s feet today? I was having my pizza and drink at Sam’s on Monday when I noticed one of the maintenance guys changing out the dust mops. I asked him how often they change them out? He talked about the chore of cleaning 800,000 square feet of building. He said, “I won’t even talk about cleaning the bathrooms since you are eating your lunch.”

Washing people’s feet may require you to get your hands dirty. It may require you to do some things that are not pleasant.

About 13 years ago, I had the chance to surprise my dad for his last day of work.  He was retiring after working for 24 years as a custodian.

My dad began working at the Seneca R-7 school district when I was ten years old and my sister had just turned eight.  On the day he finished his last day of service, his two oldest grandchildren are both eight years old. 

I was privileged to have a front row seat as I saw my dad say good-bye to many friends he had served throughout the years.  Bob Coffey, one of my former coaches and my freshman science teacher, still works at the school.   He gave my dad a thank you card.  He told him that he will miss those lunchroom conversations.  He was one of the teachers that had lunchroom duty and would visit with my dad regularly.  Bob’s wife died a couple of years ago.  I wonder if those visits in the lunchroom helped him through those seasons of grief.

The current boys’ basketball coach, a former classmate of mine, told my dad good-bye.  Then he followed them up with these words, “You’re a good man.”  Those words melted into my heart.  As Dad continued his “farewell tour”, he was met with hugs and wishes of good luck.  Nearly everyone commented on Dad’s smile.

The time came for Dad to punch out for that final time. He made his way back to the break room.  His fellow co-workers came in for break.  One of the men handed Dad a wad of cash and a scrap of paper with a list of names.  He said to Dad, “We want to buy your lunch today.  On this list are the names of those who gave money for you to celebrate.”  There in the break room surrounded by his fellow team members, Dad stood by the clock waiting for that final minute to tick away.  Then, as one of the custodians made a drum roll on the table, that unforgettable sound occurred and Dad punched out for the final time at Seneca R-7.

In a day when corruption and political pandering seems to rule the day, guys like my dad go unnoticed on the radar screen.  I told my dad, “Isn’t it cool that you are able to leave this place with your head held high?”  Twenty four years of mopping and waxing floors, picking up trash, cleaning restrooms, and other undesirable duties, have etched a legacy of humility and honor.

I snuck a peak at my dad’s reference letter that his supervisor wrote for my dad.  In that letter he described my dad as a Christian who is always on time and never misses work.

That’s one example of what it looks like to wash people’s feet.

Fourth, Jesus shows us His love by Giving us a New Command (John 13.31-35). For now, we will skip ahead to John 13.31. In John 13.18-30, Jesus identifies Judas as the one who will betray him. Jesus shares his bread with Judas which seems to suggest that Judas the betrayer may have the seat of honor by Jesus as this special feast. Judas took the bread and Satan entered him. Then, Judas left and went off to fulfill his mission and Jesus continue to fulfill His Father’s mission. John mentions that when Judas leaves, “it was night” (John 13.30).

After Judas leaves, Jesus focuses his attention with the eleven disciples on this road to glory by telling them, “Now the Son of Man is glorified” (John 13.31). Five times in two verses Jesus speaks about God’s glory.

Then, in John 13.34, Jesus says, “A new command I give you: Love one another.” Do you remember Don Green’s message a few weeks ago when he said we are not made for aloneness, but one anotherness. Here is another example of those one another passages in the Bible.

From the Hebrew Bible, God has commanded His people to love their neighbor.

Leviticus 19:18 NIV

“ ‘Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.

Jesus even deepens this command in the sermon on the Mount when He says, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5.44). Jesus fulfills the Old Testament by showing his disciples the fullest extent of His love (John 13.1). Not only does He wash their feet, but in a few hours His hour will arrive from Him to hang suspended between heaven and earth to draw all people to himself. He will lay down His life for the sins of mankind. He will rise victoriously from the grave and defeat the power of sin and death.

People will know we are the disciples of Jesus by our love. Bill Hull, author of The Complete Book of Discipleship defines love as “an action designed for the benefit of another” (p. 154).

I have one final towel, I want to share with you.  This towel literally cost thousands of dollars.  It took me four years, thousands of miles, and countless hours to receive this towel.  I receive this towel in May 2004 when I graduated from Lincoln Christian Seminary.  Every graduate of the seminary receives a towel, as a reminder that even though you have a degree and a few extra letters behind your name, don’t forget our Lord’s example to wash the feet of those around you.

Bill Redmond, Lincoln Christian Seminary graduate who preached for Franklin Christian Church in Franklin, IL (1977-1988), who went on to be a US Congressmen (representing New Mexico from 1997-1999).  He received his towel and placed it prominently on his desk in Washington D.C. Redmond came back to Lincoln Christian University to speak for commencement.  He spoke of following the example of the Servant, Jesus washing the disciples’ feet. I wasn’t there, but he at least alluded to the Apostle Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 13.13.

1 Corinthians 13:13 NIV

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

He closed his commencement message, “And these three remain, the cap, the gown, and towel and the greatest of these is the towel.”

In a moment, we will celebrate the Lord’s Supper. Our text from John 13 opens with the evening meal was in progress. It was the Passover meal to remember God’s power to deliver His people from slavery in Egypt. We celebrate this meal now to remember the love our our Lord and Savior to deliver us from slavery to sin. All followers of Jesus are invited to this table. Today, we invite you to come forward to receive the bread remember the body of Christ and the juice to remind us of the blood of Christ. After you receive, the Lord’s Supper, please take a towel that is hanging on each side of the sanctuary as a reminder to pray, “Lord, help us love one another.”

John 10:11 ESV

I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

Let’s pray. Lord Jesus, thank you for laying down your life, cleansing us of sin, and showing us how to love. Lord, we remember and celebrate your beautiful love. Lord, help us love one another. Amen.