The Full Extent of His Love

“Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love.” John 13:1 Passover was fast approaching. Jesus knew that ‘the time had come.’ He was near the end of his mission on earth and John captures what was important to him as he approached his impending death on the cross. John chapters 13-17 are Jesus’ parting thoughts and instructions to his disciples. If his followers did not get anything else, he really wanted them to get these things. For me, this takes the information here up to an 11 or 12 on a relevancy scale of 1-10.

“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.” John 13:3-5

He did what? He knew he had all the power in the world and he did what? Because he knew he had all the power in the world, he was able to humble himself and bend down at the feet of his disciples – his followers – and do the job of a servant: wash their feet. That is not a normal response to power. Yet this is what he is doing to show them the “full extent of his love.”

When Peter argued with him, Jesus’ response was, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.” John 13:8 I wonder why this was so important to Jesus. How is this showing the “full extent of his love”? Why did he choose the feet?

Peter makes me laugh. First he says no, then when Jesus says how important it is for him to do this, Peter goes all the way to the other side and says, “In that case, wash all of me, not just my feet!” (Paraphrased from John 13:9) Jesus assures him that won’t be necessary – just the feet.

After he is done washing their feet, Jesus explains to the disciples why he did this. “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. I tell you the truth, 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.” John 13:13-17

Jesus just showed his disciples that there is nothing he won’t do for them. There is nothing below him – even though he is their ‘Lord’. In a way, this seems to be a commissioning service for the disciples. They are being commissioned to go and serve others just as they have been served. As leaders in the new church that is just around the corner, they will need to be willing to work hard and serve just as Jesus served them.

I think that Jesus is also aware that they can’t comprehend his loving them enough to die for them – his serving them by going to the cross, but they might be able to grasp washing each other’s feet. That is something they can do. They can take on the role of a servant as they interact with others and just maybe the others will get a glimpse of Christ in that interaction.

If Jesus’ act of washing his disciples’ feet was the full extent of his love, then our serving others would be showing the full extent of our love and Christ’s love towards others. I am very attracted to someone who is willing to spend some of their precious time being helpful to me and/or others. People who are willing to sacrifice their personal goals in order to help others must be very near to the heart of Christ.

Contrary to our ‘departmentalized’ lives, this isn’t a one-time thing. I served, now I’m done. Rather, it is a lifestyle. “You will be blessed if you do them.” John 13:17. The word ‘do’ is present tense. Jesus did not say, “You will be blessed once you did this,” but rather, “if you do them.” It seems that it would be important for this to be a mindset for me – to be a serving person. It is un-American, I know. But self-focus and self-gratification have no room in this journey with Christ. He was all about serving others and if I am truly following him, I need to be all about serving others as well.

Lord, help me to love as you love and to serve as you serve.