John 13:1-38

Key Verse: 13:34

     “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.”

Good morning! Did you like Msy David Yun’s message this morning? When Peter went out into deep water, Jesus
gave him vision to be fisher of men. That was the beginning of Peter’s relationship with Jesus. In this passage we will
learn more about Jesus’ relationship with Peter and the other disciples. But now we will fast forward three years back to
the future, to near the end of Jesus’ ministry.

Chapter 12 marked the end of Jesus’ public ministry to the crowds. Chapters 13-17 are known as the Upper Room
Discourse. It was the time where Jesus was celebrating the Passover with his disciples- the Last Supper. In these
chapters, Jesus privately taught his disciples. He prayed with God’s vision for them to be used for advancing the gospel
following his upcoming crucifixion, resurrection and ascension. In this chapter, Jesus shows his disciples his deep love
for them by washing their feet.

This is a leaders’ conference, and John 13 is a passage for leaders. It is not an easy passage for beginners. But it
is crucial in order for us to meet our prayer goal to come to know Christ. We are made up of our different chapters and
fellowship groups: Lehigh, Baltimore, George Mason, Cross fellowship and so on. If we are honest, we can point to
some difficulties we have encountered serving God together in the past. Jesus wants to show us why we sometimes fail
in our co-working efforts, and how we can be more successful and fruitful. I pray we may know Jesus deeper and come
to obey his command to love one another.

I. Jesus Washes His Disciples’ Feet (1-17)

Read verse 1. "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."
As the passage begins, we are told Jesus knew that the time of his suffering and death on the cross was approaching.
Jesus must have been in great distress at the thought of his upcoming suffering. What do we do at the time of our
suffering or trouble? How about when we have our big exam coming up, or a big project at our work? We can think,
“Maybe my sheep will forget our Bible study appointment and I can have more time.” Usually when I have to write a Bible
message, it’s like the end of the world- “Leave me alone. Don’t you know I’m dying!” Last night I had to work on my
message. But Msy Jacob kept bothering me, “Shepherd Paul, you have to practice Columbian dancing. Shepherdess
Faith is all alone.” Even when we have these types of relatively low pressure issues, it is hard for us to think of anyone
but ourselves.

But how much more did Jesus do in his time of great trouble. When all men would run and hide and try to save
themselves, Jesus did not. To the contrary, what he did was the opposite of saving himself- it says he now showed his
disciples the full extent of his love. In verse 1 the phrase, "the full extent" can also be translated, “he loved them to the
last,” according to the footnote, or "he loved them to the end." Jesus loved his disciples from the beginning to the end.
Jesus loved his disciples from the beginning by calling them from their lives of sin to learn from him and live for the
kingdom of God. So Peter, James and John left their fishing nets as we heard this morning. Levi left his tax collector’s
booth. Morning, day and night they experienced Jesus’ love. Jesus shared common life with them- sleeping and eating
together. He fed their souls with the word of God and taught them to pray to their Heavenly Father. When they were slow
to learn, he did not lose patience, but gently taught them again, by word and example. He really loved each of them like
a mother loves her firstborn child.

Now Jesus’ time had come to return to the Father. But he was still showing his disciples the full extent of his love.
Why did Jesus have to show his disciples the full extent of his love? Because they had little or no love in their hearts. In
the other gospel’s, we find examples of the disciples having frequent arguments about which one of them would be the
greatest (Mk 9:33-34). Jesus was serving them for a long time. He had God’s vision to raise them to serve the life giving
work of the kingdom of God. But they mainly viewed their following Jesus as a springboard to a life of honor and
prestige in the public eye. “Hey look! Isn’t that Philip, the disciple of Jesus? Let’s get his autograph!”

We are assembled here at our leaders’ conference. We may aspire to do great things for God and become
spiritual giants, like the Apostle Paul. We may be satisfied with our past spiritual resume. But we need to be careful not
to forget a heart of love. In 1 Corinthians 13:1-3 the Apostle Paul himself confessed, saying, "If I speak in the tongues of
men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of
prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have
not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain
nothing." Without love, the disciples were very noisy, like resounding gongs and clanging symbols. John and Peter were
rivals in order to get Jesus’ attention. Maybe John would say to Peter, “Peter, I was a better fisherman than you; and now
I’m a better than you as a fisher of men as well!” GONG! Peter would retaliate, “Oh yeah? Then how come my 1:1 Bible
studies last week were twice as many as yours?” CLANG! Without love, Jesus knew the 12 disciples were still
self-centered with competitive spirits and independent attitudes. They were not only noisy but they were smelly. We are
not attracted to these kinds of people but avoid such people. But Jesus did not give up on them because of their smelly
weaknesses. Instead he wanted to help them to know the full extent of his love. Let’s see what Jesus did to teach us the
full extent of his love. Read verses 4 and 5.

“…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.” What Jesus did to show his love was an amazing and beautiful thing. Though Jesus was their Lord and master, he
took on the image of a servant for his disciples. It was the custom for a servant to wash the feet of those who came to
his master's house before they ate dinner. In America, we think we are so nice if we take our guests coat and hang it up
in the closet. But Jesus became the same as a lowliest servants who washed the dirty sandaled feet of visitors without a
thank you. He wanted to remove their smelliness and replace it with his love.

How shocking a scene it must have been! Maybe he started with Levi. He got down on his knees before this one
time selfish tax collector who had been despised by all. Jesus was so close to these dirty feet, rubbing them and wiping
them. Probably Levi was embarrassed, but Jesus relieved his discomfort and uneasiness. As Jesus finished drying the
remaining drops of water, Levi’s feet suddenly became very fresh. They were almost baby soft because of Jesus’ loving
care. Then Jesus moved on from one to the other, giving individual attention to each. It was a symbol of his self-giving
heart for them, which would ultimately reach its fulfillment through his death on the cross.

Verse 3 says that Jesus knew that he had come from God and was returning to God. This reminds us of John 1:1-3
says about Jesus, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God. He was with
God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made." And also,
“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” (Jn 1:14) Jesus is the Creator God. So he deserves to be
worshiped and served by his creatures. But instead he loved and served his disciples to the very end in this unusual
way.

Jesus wanted to show his disciples that love does not demand respect and attention from others. He did not
demand their respect. But instead he sacrificed himself and loved them unconditionally. Human love is conditional. Even
as a parent’s love can often be conditional. But Jesus love is perfect love. It is unconditional. It is humble. It is serving. It
is giving. It is sacrificial. Jesus washed his disciples feet so that they would always have an image of his love to the end
for them.

Read verses 6-7. "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.'" Peter was surprised at what Jesus was doing.
Jesus' humility—washing the disciples' feet—stirred up Peter’s emotions. Peter was happy to follow Jesus, as long as
at some point, he would gain some position and be served by others. But Jesus was setting a strange precedent now. If
Jesus washed Peter’s feet, then it meant that sometime Peter would have to do the same to others. “Wait a minute! I’m
not doing that. That’s nasty!” It was almost too much for Peter to bear. So he said in verse 8, “No, you shall never wash
my feet.” But Jesus answered, 'Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.'"

Here, Jesus was teaching Peter that he needed to learn the humble servantship of Jesus. He needed to know
Jesus personally. Peter was sure he was the number one disciple after following Jesus so closely for several years. But
he didn’t know Jesus. Our length of time in service is not the issue- senior Msy, sr. shepd- my long spiritual resume-
don’t count on it. The number one criteria to be a Bible teacher is whether we know Jesus’ love for us personally. Peter
was following Jesus for a long time, but he was still clinging to his own ideas. He witnessed Jesus’ power and had
visions of glory. When Jesus’ cursed the fig tree and the tree withered, he was so excited, “Wow! One day I can so that!
Maybe I can shrivel up my competition as well.” Whether Jesus fed the crowd of 5000 or raised the dead to life, Peter
just wanted to get some glory. He didn’t catch Jesus’ love and shepherd’s heart for others. So now he was very
emotional- “you shall never wash my feet.” He didn’t understand Jesus. How could he do Jesus’ work if he didn’t know
what Jesus was doing? Jesus was humbly loving Peter and the others, but Peter was fixed in his pride- his love of
himself.

So after hearing Jesus, now he said in verse 9, “Then, Lord, not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!”
Still Peter was ordering Jesus around. He really didn’t know what he was talking about. “Don’t wash my feet! Okay, then
wash everything.” Either way, he sure enjoyed ordering Jesus around. But Jesus patiently endured Peter in his
weakness and impulsive nature. Look at verse 10.

“Jesus answered, ‘A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet; his whole body is clean. And you are
clean, though not every one of you.’”

Jesus said that not every one was clean because Judas was going to betray him. But Peter was saved years earlier,
when he accepted Jesus as his Lord after the great catch of fish, as we learned this morning. Still he needed daily
cleansing from Jesus for the sins he committed each day- especially his annoying pride. We are still in the flesh with a
sinful body. We have so many sins and weaknesses that cling to us like dirt on sandaled feet. Jesus wants us to know
he loves us through washing our feet. So we must repent of our sins daily for the forgiveness of sins (1Jn 1:9). And we
must be ready to wash the feet of others as well. Thank God for Jesus who loves us to the extent of washing our smelly
feet.

II. Jesus Loved Judas to the End (18-30)

In the first part, we learned the beautiful love of Jesus, who washed his disciples’ feet, one by one. It displayed with
deep imagery the deep extent of his love. Among those whose feet he washed, was Judas. Jesus is so full of love, he
even washed the feet of the one who would betray him. He didn’t even stop there but kept loving Judas to the end.

Read verse 18. Jesus quoted from Psalm 41:9 in reference to the betrayer, who was Judas. Jesus had to tell his
disciples about the betrayal of Judas beforehand, so that after his betrayal, trial and crucifixion, they would not stumble
but have faith in God.

In verses 21-24, Jesus clearly tells his disciples that one of them will betray him. It was his offer to Judas to repent
and come back to the love of Jesus. But Judas did not respond positively to Jesus. Then the disciples became very
anxious wondering who it was. Peter asked John to find out from Jesus.

Look at verses 26-27. Jesus gave Judas the bread as the statement of his love. He dipped the bread in wine. The
bread represented Jesus’ body and the wine his blood. Though Judas was his enemy, Jesus was giving him his own
body and blood for the forgiveness of his sins. He gave Judas the bread to move his heart to repentance. But Judas had
a severe commitment problem. He loved the world and money as the way to power in the world. His love of the world
became a channel for Satan to enter into him. In Israel’s history, people abandoned God and worshipped the idols of the
surrounding nations. Especially, they would worship the idols of Baal for agriculture. They needed food to fill their
stomachs and have extra left over. In America the temptation is great to worship money and gain worldly power. So
people pour their lives into their work, forgetting about God and securing their position in an insecure world. Some
worship the NYSE and spend all day with e-trade on their computer to make quick millions. We must guard our hearts
so we don’t become like Judas. We should not love the world, but love Jesus who loves us to the end.

Through Jesus’ love for Judas, Jesus teaches us- Don’t just love your family members and those who do good to
you. Love your coworker who misunderstands you and gossips against you. Love those who betray you and are
considered your enemies. Jesus has vision for us to stop living as vengeance machines, and to help others with the love
of Jesus. Jesus shows us how we have no excuse but should grow through knowing him. Then we can love even the
worst of sinners to the end.

III. Love One Another (31-38)

After giving the disciples the examples of his love for them, and even to his worst enemy, Jesus gave them the
practical application for their lives.

Read verse 34. “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.”
In the world there is so much division and competition. But Jesus’ life showed the disciples a new way. It was the way of
love through his washing their feet. So he gives them a new command: Love one another. Jesus does not give us an
option. It means disciples of Jesus must love one another. It was technically not a new command, for what do the Ten
commandments teach us? Love God and love your neighbor. But to the disciples and to us, it is a new command,
because we easily forget it in our hard struggle to survive and compete. If we truly know Jesus and how much he saved
us from our sins, then we must in turn love our coworker.

Who ever said to their followers, “As I have loved you, so you must love one another?” Did Buddha say this? Did
Muhammad say this? Did President Clinton say this during his farewell address? How could Jesus say to his disciples,
“As I have loved you, so you must love one another”? Because Jesus gave the best example. He washed his disciples
feet. Especially, he paid the ultimate price of his life for the sake of his beloved disciples. In John 15:13 he says,
“Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” Jesus had full credibility. He shed his blood
on the cross for our sake. It was his sacrificial, life giving love for each of us. If we don’t have the love of Jesus, we can’t
sacrifice and wash others feet. But if we know Jesus’ and have his love personally, we can love one another with his
sacrificial love.

Many times, we fail because we try to do Jesus work without really knowing Jesus through accepting his love
personally. So instead of loving one another, we compete and argue. We struggle with coworkers instead of struggling
with God. Instead of love in the fellowship, there is fear and anxiety and insecurity. But we need to learn Jesus’ love like
Peter. Later, Peter failed, but Peter restored him to be a leader for the disciples. How? He reminded Peter of Jesus’
love. “Do you love me? Feed my sheep.” When Peter finally knew the love of Jesus’ personally, he could stop
competing. Jesus used him to preach at the feast of Pentecost and 3000 people became believers. Through knowing
Jesus’ love, he coworked well with the other disciples following Jesus’ resurrection and ascension. He became a
brother to his one time rival John. In the book of Acts, they coworked to heal a crippled man in the temple courtyards.
When they were arrested and stood before the Sanhedrin, they said, “Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God’s
sight to obey you rather than God.” (Acts 3-4) They could have turned on each other in the midst of persecution. But
because of the love of Jesus they received, they now loved each other and strengthened each other. Now they could do
the work of Jesus because they finally knew Jesus.

Read verse 35. “By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” When we obey Jesus’
command, then, all people will know that we are different, that we have a true savior. Sheep will feel safe in our
fellowship and want to know how to be free from an angry world and have the peace of God in their hearts. The emblem
of Christianity is sacrificial love. Peter went on to suffer a lot as a leader for the church, as we learn through his writings
in 1 and 2 Peter. He endured sufferings to serve the first century church which endured fiery persecution. But the church
flourished under his leadership which was marked by his sacrificial love for them. In east coast campus mission, there is
the good example of Washington UBF pioneering. Three missionary families coworked together for the sake of Jesus’
campus mission work. Every now and then you can hear stories about their early days of disputes of different kinds. But
they learned to wash each others feet according to Jesus’ example. Then they became a good example for American
shepherds and younger missionaries. Their example is well known because they know Jesus’ love and love each other.

When we follow Jesus’ command to love one another, we can begin a new history like the first century Christian
church. When we follow Jesus’ command to love one another, we can begin a new history for our chapter, our
fellowships and our families. This is Jesus’ vision for us.

In verses 36-38, Peter wanted to follow Jesus wherever he went, even though he didn’t know where Jesus was
going. “I don’t know where you’re going, but I’ll go there even if I have to lay down my life for you!” Peter was still trying to
be the first and greatest- look Jesus, I’m the most loyal of all. He was still going his own way. But Jesus bore with Peter
and helped him, foretelling Peter’s disowning Jesus three times. Once again it was Jesus’ deep love for Peter. Later
when he failed, Peter could know Jesus understood him and forgave him. In this way, Jesus showed his love for Peter to
the end.

From this passage I learn how much Jesus loves me through washing my feet and saving me from my sins. In
Baltimore, I am like Peter. I thought I knew Christ, but when I tried to do the work of God, I become frustrated. I was not
really following Jesus, but I was still just following myself. I did not know Christ through loving my coworkers. I did not
wash the feet of my coworker Shep Faith. She is busy working and taking care of two toddlers and our newborn son. I
often picked out every strange thing she did, and never complimented her on all her struggle to serve our family and
Baltimore ministry. I repent and will practice washing her feet and be a responsible shepherd for our family. Next
leaders’ conference you can check to see how well I washed her feet during the year. Baltimore ministry also suffers due
to my lack of love. I tried to lead by example but I ended up just caring about outside appearance. I did not struggle
inwardly to know Jesus. So I did not have a genuine concern for other families. I was so selfish I did not catch onto their
deep practical and spiritual struggles, but just let them go their way while I went my way. At one point I thought I should try
to pioneer a different campus. But I repented of trying to run away from my own love problem. I want to struggle and grow
through washing the feet of the Anderson’s, Chang’s, and Park families; and Al Orentas and Abraham Lee. I believe
God will give us many sheep to take care of when we love each other.

Thank God for the love of Jesus who washed our feet and died for our sins. May we know Jesus personal love for
us. May God teach us how to love each other according to Jesus’ command.

Read key verse 34