Jesus knew... Jesus loved.

John  •  Sermon  •  Submitted   •  Presented   •  34:42
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Our passage for today is John 13:1-17. I encourage you to open your bibles to read the passage with me. This is likely a familiar passage for many of you. What I would ask is that we let go of the thoughts that I have heard this before, and truly look at it with fresh eyes, as it were.
When we started our study of John, so many months ago, I encouraged you to read John and fall in love with Jesus again. It is so easy to lose the fire in our love when things become familiar. So, let’s not think of this as familiar, but look with fresh eyes to see Jesus, and to fall in love with him anew.
Let’s pray to that end before we read.
John 13:1–17 NIV
It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” “No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.” “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!” Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean. When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.
Let’s see what God wants to teach us today, and how we can apply this to our own lives.

Jesus knew...

One thing to do when studying a passage is to pay attention to repeated words. There are three times in this passage that it says, “Jesus knew.”
Can you find them?
They are found in John 13:1, 3, 11.
Let’s look at them.
John 13:1 NIV
It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.
What did Jesus know?

Jesus knew… the hour had come to go to the Father

Last week, I told you that when studying a passage, it is good to think what areas of doctrine are seen in the passage.
What area of theology, or church doctrine (teaching), do we see in this verse?
Theology Proper, the study of the Trinity, God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. And, we see Christology, the study of the Son of God.
(Note: Now, in this passage, we do not see the Holy Spirit, so for the whole sermon, I will be speaking of the Father and Son as one God, but not mentioning the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the third person of the three who are one God. But since this passage doesn’t mention the Spirit, I will not be focusing on him.)
All through John, we have seen that Jesus and the Father are two persons, yet one God. We saw that right from the very beginning…
John 1:1 NIV
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
The Word is title John is using for Jesus in the opening verses of his gospel.
The Word was God. He is fully God. Everything that God the Father is, the Son is. Fully God.
John 1:2 NIV
He was with God in the beginning.
And yet, He was WITH God. With implies not being one person, but two that are together.
John 1:14 NIV
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Jesus is God who came in the flesh. He became fully human, while still being fully God. He came from the Father. Once again, coming from shows that he is not the Father. One cannot come away from oneself.
John 1:18 NIV
No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.
No one has ever seen God, meaning God the Father. But the Son, who is fully God himself, and is in closest relationship with the Father has made him know.
Jesus is God, and Jesus is not the Father. Rather he is in closest relationship with the Father.
As we went through the gospel of John, time and time again, Jesus himself refers to coming from the Father. He speaks what the Father wants him to speak. He does what the Father wants him to do. He is fully God. He is not the Father, but receives direction from the Father. He has subjected Himself to the Father as they work in complete unity as one God.
And now in chapter 13, Jesus knows it is time to return to the Father.
Once again, returning to the Father is further evidence of Jesus is not the Father. But, he is in closest relation to the Father, and is returning to him.
Jesus knew why he came to earth. We saw that in John 12. Jesus knew the purpose for him coming to the Earth was to die for mankind, taking the punishment for our sins and iniquities. He knew everything each one of us has ever done, and he knew he was going to bear the weight of that. As he looked around the table at his disciples, he knew them. He knew all of their sin. He knew how they would abandon him. They knew how they would doubt him, and the resurrection. He knew how Peter would deny him. He, being fully God, KNEW all about the hour that was coming, now likely within the next 10 hours or so.
And, he knew that he would be returning to the Father. Leaving these friends, these brothers of his behind. He knew what they would face. He knew the trials to come for them, the persecutions, the hardships.
I enjoy watching the Band of Brothers, a true account of a group of soldiers in World War II. There are soldiers who get wounded, yet they check out of the hospital to return to their brothers. They know the fight their brothers are going to be in, and do not want to abandon them. They want to help them, be there for them.
Jesus knew, and what was Jesus’ action in response to this knowledge?
John 13:1 NIV
It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.

Jesus loved them to the end

I know there was a time in my life when I knew the end was coming. I was leaving the people group I had lived with, and served and loved for nearly 8 years in Papua New Guinea. I knew I had to leave. Sadly, I was heart-broken about leaving, and I holed up in my house for the last couple of days.
Does anyone else respond that way? When difficulty or hardship comes, you just want to be alone, and deal with it?
Jesus didn’t do that. Jesus was about to face a trial unlike anything any of us have ever faced, nor will we ever have to face. He knew the trial before him, but he didn’t withdraw. He didn’t think of himself. Instead, he loved them to the end. He thought of them. He sought to build them up. He sought to prepare them. He sought to care for them until the end—until he could no more.
Wow. What a savior! What a loving Lord! What a friend and brother. No matter what he faces, he loves, and loves completely. He thinks of you and me constantly. He wants to be there for us. He wants to build us up. He wants to strengthen and encourage us! That’s my Jesus! Jesus, what a friend for sinners! Do you know him?
Let’s move on to the next mention of Jesus knew.
John 13:3 NIV
Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God;
Jesus knew…
The Father had put all things under his power
he had come from God
he was returning to God
Once again, Jesus and the Father are two persons. Both fully one God.
We see that the Father is giving all authority and power to the Son. Jesus knew his position of authority.
He had been trying to tell the Jews this, but they refused to believe that he was the Son of God. They refused to accept him as God. They would not recognize his power and authority.
And, honestly, his own disciples didn’t get it yet either.
However, even though people did not recognize it, Jesus knew who he was. Jesus knew his position. Jesus knew his power and authority. He didn’t need recognition from others. He was fully confident in who he was. He didn’t have to flaunt his authority to try to get recognition. He didn’t need to show off his power and authority. He didn’t need to put himself above others. He was confident. He knew who he was.
So. What did he do?
John 13:4–5 NIV
so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

Jesus loved… his disciples

Jesus got up from the table, and did what none of his disciples were willing to do for him, what they should have done for him. In that culture, walking with sandals on the dusty roads, their feet got dirty. So, when they would go into a house, either the lowest servant in the house, or the lowest member of the group was to wash the others feet. Washing dirty, crusty feet was a demeaning task. That is why it went to the lowest person.
Jesus, got up from the table. He knew his place. He knew his power and authority, and was not worried about what anyone would think. He was not worried that demeaning himself would give others some power or influence over him.
No. Being fully confident in who he was, he became the lowliest of servants to serve all of his disciples, his friends, his brothers whom he loved.
He served these men who constantly argued over who was the greatest. He served these men who always wanted to put themselves above the others. These men who were prideful. These men who were sinners.
Jesus, what a friend for sinners. Jesus what a lover of these souls around the table. He loved them to the end.
He loved them enough to serve them, when he should have been served. He loved them enough to show them how to really live, and be great. He loves you and me enough to serve us.
He loves us enough to show us how to really live, and achieve success!
John 13:15–17 NIV
I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.
Jesus, what a friend to sinners. Jesus, what a lover of our souls!
Let’s move on to the final thing Jesus knew, and see what he did.
John 13:11 NIV
For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.

Jesus knew… the betrayer

Jesus knew Judas was already listening to the enemy, Satan. Jesus knew that Judas had already made arrangements to betray him. He knew that within hours Judas would betray him with a kiss. Jesus knew it all.
And yet...

Jesus loved Judas

This is the one that really strikes me. I can understand Jesus loving his disciples who loved him. They were sinners. They were selfish and prideful. But, they did love Jesus. Not enough to stand up for him, but they did love him, some.
But Judas… Judas obviously did not love Jesus. Judas was a betrayer. Judas was an enemy, following the direction of the biggest enemy, Satan. Judas was a filthy liar, betrayer, and murderer.
Jesus knew. And yet, as Jesus made his way around the table washing feet, Jesus loved and served Judas. Jesus, what a friend of sinners!
Jesus not only taught to love your enemies. Jesus lived it! Jesus loved his enemy, and did good to him. He served him, up until the end!
And, Jesus loved Judas enough to serve him by washing his feet. Jesus also loved him enough to warn him. Jesus warned him of his sin, when he said in John 13:8,
John 13:8b NIV
“No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”
Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”
And in verse 10,
John 13:10 NIV
Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.”
Jesus was warning Judas, right up to the end. Even though Judas had hardened his heart, Jesus still lovingly warned him that he was not clean, and did not have a part with Jesus.
Jesus could have called Judas out. Jesus could have rebuked and condemned Judas. Jesus could have shown him to be the sniveling little snake he was!
But Jesus did not. Jesus loved his enemy, warning him to the end.
Throughout this passage, we see Jesus knew, and as a result, he loved.
My Jesus. What a friend for sinners. Jesus lover of my soul!
Let me summarize what Jesus knew, and how he loved.

Jesus knew his time of trial, and he loved his own, thinking of them, teaching and encouraging them to the end.

Jesus knew his position, power and authority, and loved, thinking of and serving them to the end.

Jesus knew the sinner, and loved him, warning him to the end.

Jesus truly is a wonder savior, isn’t he?
That is the example Jesus set for us, and he wants us to learn from him and apply it to our own lives.
John 13:12–17 NIV
When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.
Jesus showed us how to live.
Know what is coming, and where we are going (to be with our Father), then we can focus on loving and serving others.
Know who you are in him. Then, you will be able to really succeed by loving and serving others.
Know that your enemies and sinners need to be cleaned, then you will love, serve and warn them.
We will be blessed if we do it.
Jesus - Fall in love with him again as you study this passage for yourself this week.
Jesus, what a friend for sinners like us. Jesus what a lover of our souls!
Saving, helping, keeping, loving. He will be with us to the end!
Let’s sing of our wonderful savior now!
Homework:
Read John 13:1-17. Write in your own words what Jesus knew, and then what Jesus did based upon what He knew. How could you follow Jesus’ example this week? Think of specific examples.
Browse through John. Write down the references that show Jesus is God, and yet distinct from the Father. There are still groups today who do not believe that Jesus is fully God. There are other groups that believe there is one God who sometimes appears as the Father, other times appears as the Son, and still other times as the Spirit. Consider how you might share the truth of who Jesus is.
Read John 13:1. Jesus knew both the trial he was about the face, and the ending. He knew where he was going. How did that give him strength for what he was going to face? Paul was in a similar situation. Read Acts 20:22-24. After Paul told the Ephesians this, he went to Jerusalem, was arrested, falsely imprisoned, sent to Rome, in a shipwreck, and imprisoned and maligned in Rome. What kept him going? Notice verse 24. What was his aim? Now read in Philippians 1:20-23. Did Paul know where he was going? How do you think that helped him as he went through the trials? Do you know where you are going? How will focusing on that give you strength for your trials?
Read John 13:10, John 15:3, Ephesians 5:26-27, and 1 Corinthians 6:9-11. We are washed clean when we receive Jesus as our Savior. However, we still sin at times don’t we. That is why we will need an occasional ‘foot washing’. We are already clean, but sometimes get soiled by sin. When that happens, we need to confess. Read 1 John 1:5-2:2. If there is any dirt ‘on your feet’ from walking in the roads of this world, take time to confess, get your feet washed and be purified, and then walk again in the light, having fellowship with him.
Read John 13:1-17. Consider Jesus interacting with Judas his enemy. Read this:

Teach Me to Love

It wasn’t easy for Corrie Ten Boom to forgive the Nazi captors who had tormented her at Ravensbrück. They had caused her to suffer horribly. Even worse, they had caused the death of her sister, Betsy.

Ten years after her release, Corrie ran into a lady who wouldn’t look her in the eyes. Asking about her, Corrie was told the woman had been a nurse at a concentration camp. Suddenly the memories flashed back. Corrie recalled taking Betsy to the infirmary to see this woman. Betsy’s feet were paralyzed, and she was dying. The nurse had been cruel and sharp-tongued.

Corrie’s hatred now returned with vengeance. Her rage so boiled that she knew of but one thing to do. “Forgive me,” she cried out to the Lord, “Forgive my hatred, O Lord. Teach me to love my enemies.”

The blood of Jesus Christ seemed to suddenly cool her embittered heart, and Corrie felt the rage being displaced with a divine love she couldn’t explain. She began praying for the woman, and one day shortly afterward she called the hospital where the nurse worked and invited the woman to a meeting at which she was speaking.

“What!” replied the nurse. “Do you want me to come?”

“Yes, that is why I called you.”

“Then I’ll come.”

That evening the nurse listened carefully to Corrie’s talk, and afterward Corrie sat down with her, opened her Bible, and explained 1 John 4:9: “In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.” The woman seemed to thirst for Corrie’s quiet, confident words about God’s love for us, his enemies. And that night, a former captive led her former captor to “a decision that made the angels sing.”

Who are your enemies? Jesus taught us to love and do good to our enemies. He taught us to love and warn those who are not clean, who have not part with Christ, as Judas did not. Who do you need to love? Who do you need to warn, in love?
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