“Just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew that his time had come for him to depart from this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he now loved them to the very end.” —John 13:1
Our Lord’s appointed “time” was nearing. His death and resurrection were now imminent and He was readying for His departure home. We find Him telling His disciples this a little later in John:
“I came from the Father and entered the world; but in turn, I am leaving the world and going back to the Father.” —John 16:28
In Christ’s incarnation, He came from the Father. In Christ’s humiliation, He uncloaked His glory, entered this world, and subjected Himself to the despising of those He came to save. He further humbled Himself by taking upon His sinless body the full chalice of God’s wrath against every sin committed by man—past, present, and future. By having these sins nailed to a cross and bearing the full weight of them upon His body, He lovingly provided a way for all humankind to regain access to God. Every evil deed, every act of gross vileness, every sinful word spoken, every slight, every selfish act He bore upon His perfect flesh. Therefore, in Christ’s exaltation, He was resurrected and ascended back to His Father’s side in all glory. Praise His name!
I am reminded of Paul’s words to the Philippians:
“You should have the same attitude toward one another that Christ Jesus had, who though he existed in the form of God did not regard equality with God as something to be grasped, but emptied himself by taking on the form of a slave, by looking like other men, and by sharing the human nature He humbled himself, by becoming obedient to the point of death—even death on the cross! As a result God highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow—in heaven and on earth and under the earth and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.” —Philippians 2:5–11
In our verses for today, knowing His time on earth is almost over, Jesus is about to show His disciples that true love for others is shown through selfless serving.
Biblical love is defined for us in Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians:
“Love is patient, love is kind, it is not envious. Love does not brag, it is not puffed up. It is not rude, it is not self-serving, it is not easily angered or resentful. It is not glad about injustice, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” —1 Corinthians 13:4–6
Jesus was patient with His disciples, bearing with their weaknesses and never taking away His lovingkindness from them. Though He reproved them, He never removed His love from them and they remained in His constant care and concern. He rejoiced when they “got it.” He protected them; had high hopes for them; persevered to the end with them; He served them. He perfectly demonstrated Biblical love to His closest companions. This remains true of His disciples today. Jesus has a never-ending love for those that are His own. Nothing can separate the believer from the love of Jesus.
Become More
“What then shall we say about these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? Indeed, he who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, freely give us all things? Who will bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is the one who will condemn? Christ is the one who died (and more than that, he was raised), who is at the right hand of God, and who also is interceding for us. Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will trouble, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, ‘For your sake we encounter death all day long; we were considered as sheep to be slaughtered.’ No, in all these things we have complete victory through him who loved us! For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor heavenly rulers, nor things that are present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” —Romans 8:31–39
Further Reflections
In what ways are you showing God’s love to those around you?
“Love seeks one thing only: the good of the one loved.” —Thomas Merton