Characteristics of Love

Text - (NIV84) “Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love.

Topic - Characteristics of Love

13 It was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love.

Theme - Love is a powerful emotion and motive in all our lives but the love Jesus has for us is so strong and pervasive we often misunderstand it. Therefore Jesus in this chapter illustrates His love through this example of foot washing.

Intro

Possible Title

Characteristics of Love

Intro

If we had to sum up everything Jesus is and does in one word that word would be LOVE. So, what is love? Is it the sentimental expression of a valentine heart candy or the goofy look on a young lovers face when he or she discovers their one true love? Is it shown in parental love to and for their children or any human display of affection that we can thinks of right at this minute.

In a movie called "Clear and Present Danger" Harrison Ford is asked is their anything in his life he can count on 100%. Without hesitation he answers "my daughters love." Beautiful words and for most young children probably true. So when it comes to God what is LOVE.

Of course we think of the cross. But, Jesus talks in terms of demonstrated service. In these first 20 verse Jesus first washes His disciples feet then He tells them why. What Jesus lays before them is the importance of service to each other. Don't, Jesus says, be caught up in your title, position, status or knowledge but by action let others see they are just as important as you. This first characteristic then is TRUST that leads to serving others in humble, gracious ways as we minister, forgive, teach and warn.

I. V. 1-20 The Practicality of Love

A. V.1-11 Humbly Forgiving and Ministering

To begin with I want to give you a definition of HUMILITY- Knowing who I really am and being able to truly serve others.

(NIV84)

13:1 Time - "It was just before the Passover Feast.

Act - Jesus knew

Specific - that the time had come for him

to leave this world and go to the Father.

Having loved his own

who were in the world,

he now showed them the full extent of his love.

This is an introduction to all of the teaching in this chapter through 17:26. Jesus knew = an absolute knowledge and was inspired by the the LOVE He had for them and further because He knew He would soon be leaving them alone in this world. This then becomes the lesson He wants to leave with them. The time is now come. All things are in the Fathers hand in His "time" each thing comes into being. He LOVED His own to uttermost, to the end.

:2 Time - The evening meal was being served,

AND

the devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot,

son of Simon,

to betray Jesus.

Even at this point the betrayal of Jesus is set. This is a new beginning for this particular chapter.

:3 Act - Jesus knew

Specific - that the Father had put all things

under his power,

AND

that he had come from God

AND

was returning to God;

This foreknowledge was a property of the divine nature and was grounds to put Jesus in the right place to accomplish this act of service. That does not make our service less it means we must be more open to the Spirit to lead us in meaningful acts of service to others. In full understanding of who He is both human and divine Jesus prepares to wash the disciples feet. This is part of His final message of love and instruction. We will see this foreknowledge again in verse 11.

:4 Act - so he got up from the meal,

took off his outer clothing,

AND

wrapped a towel around his waist.

Now starts the actual ministry of love toward the disciples. We have a difficult time with what Jesus is about to do because it is not part of our normal life. For them it was an everyday occurence. When yo got to a house a servant washed the dust off your feet. There is no suggestion in this story that any of hem offered to be the one to wash everyone else feet.

(NIV84) "Also a dispute arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest."

(NIV84) 6" Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 7 but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness."

:5 Time - After that,

Act - he poured water into a basin

AND

began to wash his disciples’ feet,

drying them with the towel that was wrapped around

him.

Now comes the actual act of the foot washing, even the feet of Judas. Notice the specific details of verses 4 and 5. It is expressive of an eyewitness account. It also shows the exact same steps a servant would take it preparation and in actual washing of the feet.

:6 Act - He came to Simon Peter,

Response -who said to him,

Question - “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”

This is not a surprising question. Foot washing was thought of as a demeaning job left for the lowliest slave, women or children. The Master never washed a servant's feet or anyone subordinate to him. yet here is Jesus asking to wash Peter's feet. Would you let Jesus wash your feet? Why didn't others protest. This is beyond protocol or accepted behavior.

:7 Response - Jesus replied,

Pronouncement - “You do not realize now what I am

doing,

Contrast - but later you will understand.”

This is confusing for the present BUT later you will come to know what it means. There is here the distinction made between the two different ways we learn. The first is as absolute and complete. The second is learning by experience. Jesus is saying now you only have partial knowledge of Me and My ways but as you walk with me you gain experience and you understand more fully what I did am doing and want to do. It is not mystery that cannot be know but mystery that is revealed through growth, experience, trust and obedience.

:8 Response - “No,” said Peter,

Denial - “you shall never wash my feet.”

Response - Jesus answered,

Condition - “Unless I wash you, you have no part with

me.”

Peter is determined to not dishonor the Lord. Jesus answer is to declare that self- surrender is necessary which means obedience even when we do not know or understand what is being asked. We never instruct the Lord He instructs us. Peter makes his statement with such conviction that he adds you will not wash my feet forever. There is nothing about this scripture to suggest that Jesus was saying do foot washing to be spiritually minded. He is directing us to servanthood and humility. No part refers to discipleship and as we follow the teaching it starts with being washed in Jesus blood. There is no act of service that can merit salvation only the blood can bring us to salvation. Salvation must also lead to Love, humility and servanthood.

:9 Response - “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied,

Request - “not just my feet but my hands and my head as

well!”

Peter now sees part of the picture and wants to be completely all given to Jesus. His whole body and soul. Part of the problem for Peter and us is an impulsive nature or a reluctant nature that seek not to be obedient but to be in control. Jesus knows what He is doing and someday Peter will understand at lest better but for now Peter needs to obey and let the Master do the directing. This is what we need to do in our lives as well.

:10 Response - Jesus answered,

Pronouncement - “A person who has had a bath needs Concession - only to wash his feet;

Contrast - his whole body is clean.

AND

you are clean, though not every one of you.”

Jesus starts by informing Peter and the rest that they are clean. There is a contrast here between "wash" and "bath" The one that has taken a bath need only wash off the dirt pick up from walking to the house where the meal was to be held. Then he was clean all over once again. So they had been with Jesus and they were clean BUT not all of them. Even though Jesus wash Judas' feet Judas still was not whole, which he will prove shortly. Then Jesus moves on to let them know that one is out of line even though at this point they did not catch what he was saying. Jesus humbles Himself even before Juda and by His act of kindness forgives Judas for what he is about to do.

:11 Reason - For he knew who was going to betray him,

AND

that was why he said not every one was

clean."

Jesus had complete knowledge about what Judas was going to do. He had known for more that a year that Judas would betray Him. In fact in the write says that Jesus knew from the beginning. Yet there is no suggestion that Jesus ever treaded Judas any differently than any of the other disciples.

All this teaching takes us back to 1 (NIV84) it says, "It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres." it is speaking of LOVE. As we progress through this chapter you might want to keep very close.

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