John_13

Scripture:John 13:15-17, 34-35¹⁵ I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.  ¹⁶ Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. ¹⁷ Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.³⁴ “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. ³⁵ By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” Observation:John 13 covers Jesus washing his disciples’ feet, then his prediction of betrayal (by Judas) and denial (by Peter).  But it also reveals his heart of love and servitude to his disciples.  As usual, I found a commentary that captures the lead up far better than I could.“Now before the feast of the Passover: This gives us a time reference. Jesus was about to share a meal with His disciples…Jesus knew that His hour had come: Jesus lived His life in anticipation of this hour…That He should depart this world to the Father: The cross is not specifically mentioned in John 13:1, but casts a shadow over almost every word. We see the shadow of the cross over His hour had come. We see the shadow of the cross over loved them to the end. But we also see the shadow of the cross over depart this world. It is phrased softly, but there is an iron-hard reality underneath the soft cover. Jesus would only depart this world through the cross…Having loved: Surely, Jesus had loved His disciples. He led them, taught them, cared for them, and protected them. What Jesus gave them was already more than any other teacher or leader would or could give his followers…Having loved His own: There is a love Jesus has for all people, and then there is a love for His own. It isn’t so much that Jesus’ love is different, but the dynamic of the love relationship is different. The love of Jesus for His own is greater because it has a response, and love answers to love…He loved them to the end: Jesus had loved His own. But He hadn’t finished loving them. He would love them to the end. The idea behind the phrase to the end is “to the fullest extent, to the uttermost.”…For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you: Jesus was far more than an example to the disciples and they needed more than an example. Yet Jesus certainly was an example to those disciples and all who would follow Him. They must take Him as an example for both attitude and action…A servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him: If Jesus – who is our master and who sends us – if this Jesus humbly served in this way, it is even more appropriate for His servants and sent ones to do so…If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them: The theory of being humble and being a servant isn’t worth very much. But the practice of being a servant pleases God, fulfills our calling, bringing blessing and happiness.https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/john-13/ Understanding:So, let’s drill it down…

• Jesus LOVED His disciples…even those he knew would ultimately betray and deny him.
• The example He gave was one we must follow in both attitude and action.
• “The theoryof being humble and being a servant isn’t worth very much. But the practice of being a servant pleases God, fulfills our calling, bringing blessing and happiness.”

Jesus loved and served. Jesus said the example he gave was one His disciples [and we] should follow.We are called to respond both in attitude (love towards others) and action (love and serve others). Life Application: It may seem oversimplified to sum things up week after week with the phrase “Go love on somebody,” yet it also seems quite biblical.Galatians 5:14For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: "Love your neighbor as yourself." Mark 12:28-31²⁸ One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”²⁹ “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.^[a] 30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’^[b] 31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’^[c] There is no commandment greater than these.”So, as we go throughout our day, let’s LOVE – love God, love others, showing this love in ways big and small, through our actions and attitudes towards those we know and those we don’t.  Let’s go! <3Rei