The Demonstration of the Full Extent of His Love
October 18 - Marty Caldwell - John 13
This morning I’d like to start with six words from St. Anthony. I count these as my first six words when I wake up in the morning and my last six words when I go to bed at night. I offer them to you as an encouragement this morning. But I actually offer them as a habit every morning and every night. I take these six words. They’re pretty easy to remember and it’s only six: “Behold God beholding you and smiling.”
Now there is irony in this. Because when we insert ourselves into this equation, normally here’s what we do with the formula. “Behold God.” Okay, I’m looking at God in all of his magnificence. I’m looking at God in his word. God in creation. God in the person of Jesus. God on the cross. God in the powerful resurrection. Behold God. But what is he doing? Beholding you. I’m beholding God, he’s looking at me. And this last little turn, “And smiling.”
I think, normally when we think this, when we start our morning or we go to bed at night, very often we behold God beholding you and he’s disappointed. Behold God beholding you and he’s frustrated. Behold God beholding you and he looks stern. Maybe like we should get our act together. I promise you, those are the lies of the evil one, that the best picture take as you behold God who is beholding you and really, he does behold you. And if you’re paying attention, you know what he’s doing? He’s smiling. He’s saying, “My daughter.” “My son.” “My beloved.”
So I offer this as we begin. Behold God. We get to sing together here gathered. Or maybe we’re singing straight into our iPad or our phone, in which case—and I’ve done this quite a bit lately—it’s not good when you’re by yourself—but sing anyway. Because we’re joining the family of God all the way around the world. It’s a delight to sing. And really, in a lot of ways, that’s how we’re recognizing God is smiling on us, when we’re singing to him these promises and these praises. And we’re singing in harmony and we’re singing out loud. And, really, he’s delighted. Whatever the opposite of disappointed is. He’s delighted in his beloved, as we have gathered here or we’ve gathered online. He’s not trying to figure that out. Not really important to him. Are you beholding him beholding you and smiling?
Let’s pray together:
Lord, may we receive—and it is not that easy—may we receive your delight in us. May that be reflected in the wholeness of how we see ourselves as your daughters and sons. May that delight also be reflected as we see one another as your daughters and sons. And may that be reflected in the way that we see a broken and hurting world of people yet to discover that they can be daughters and sons of the kingdom. We need to receive that, Lord, and believe that, Lord, and trust that, Lord, and surrender to that and remember that. So help us. I pray in expectation in Christ’s name. Amen.
This morning in the rhythm of going through the gospel of John together, we hit this, what I think is a crescendo. These five chapters, one of which is a whole prayer, that’s John 17. But John 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17 are the gospel writer John looking back. Remember, he’s writing as an old man. He’s remembering some things that maybe have been either un-remembered, or he’s making sure they go on in perpetuity, so that we’re reading about them and experiencing these lessons and actions and prayers of Jesus in his final days before he goes to the cross.
Really, when you read it, it’s five full chapters that John is unfolding for us. And this is the first one, which serves a little bit as an introduction to the other ones, and for sure an introduction to him going to the cross and an introduction to him rising from the dead and an introduction to him pouring out the Holy Spirit for the birth of the Church.
But this is the beginning. And when you think about these chapters, when you put them in context, remember that this is Jesus who is the light of the world. He’s the way, the truth and the life, that’ll happen in the next chapter. He’s the great I Am. He’s raised Lazarus from the dead. He’s come into Jerusalem. And, at height of popularity, there are palm fronds. There are cheers. There are Hosannas. The coming king has entered Jerusalem. This is before all of this happens. And if you will, I’d like to read a few verses out of John 13. This is truly the demonstration of the full extent of his love. And he says this right away in verse 1:
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…
He knows what’s going to happen. He has this in his mind.
…Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love.
I would propose to you that this beginning right here doesn’t really end in this action, but actually goes all the way through to Jesus’ ascension, all the way through and beyond the great commission, all the way through to Acts 2 and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. We’re going on a journey and this is the expression of the full extent of his love.
It starts with this very incredible, ironic action that John 13 unpacks for us.
2 The evening meal was being served, and the devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, to betray Jesus.
Don’t forget this. What’s going to happen right now, Judas was in the room. The betrayer. And it was known that he was already in the actions of betrayal. I hope this is a comfort to you. It is a comfort to me. For those who have betrayed Jesus with actions or attitudes, he still includes us. That’s the magnificence of our Savior. He doesn’t exclude. Even Judas is included in what’s going to happen now. This says that we are not dealing with the ordinary. We are dealing with the extraordinary Lord and Savior, King of kings, and he is going to do an action including the betrayer.
3 Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; 4 so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. 5 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.
Now, if you read this really fast, you might miss all of what’s going on here. This was the foreshadowing of all that he was about to do. But this one action stood even by itself as a magnificent irony. Think about this. The times in your life where you’re really clear on who you are and what your purpose is—where you are going.
He knows that all authority has been given to him. He knows who he is. He knows he’s going to the Father. He actually knows this great sacrifice that is about to be lived out. And in that way, he shows he’s like no other. Surely not like me or like you. It seems like to me, when you know who you are and you have the full confidence of your authority and the full confidence of your mission, what you are to do, and you are made for this, this is the time that you should pick up the pen and write a book. This is the time that you should blog.
Oh, my gosh. Ramp up your Instagram game, Jesus, because this is a time to go viral here. Show everybody exactly who you are, where you’re going, your full authority. You’re the Savior. You’re the Lord. You’re the King. Show it. Demonstrate it. Something big. Something spectacular. Something to rev up the popularity that we have experienced a little bit of when you raised Lazarus from the dead in 11. And in 12, the whole of Jerusalem comes out, either to cheer or oppose and, mostly there’s a lot more cheering than opposing. This is a time to do something as a demonstration of your power.
And, by the way, this is exactly what he does. But it’s just not the way we would do it. He’s so magnificent. He’s so stunning. He’s so not like us. He picks up a towel and a wash basin. And with the one who had betrayed him, and with the ones who were going to run away in fear, with the one who would soon deny him, even deny knowing him—all of us included—he picks up a towel and a wash basin, and he washes the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel.
All I can say is this is the full extent of his love. This is the God of the universe, the Creator of all in a demonstration of his love. What does he do? He gets down on one knee with this towel and this wash basin and he’s putting water onto Judas’ feet like this and he’s rubbing his feet and he’s putting water onto Judas’ other foot. And, really, this is Palestine. Dirt roads, only sandals. We’ve got dirty feet.
By the way, the culture of the day, whoever was the lowliest servant of all, what job did they get? Foot washing. So if you’re new in the household, or you’re new in the village, and you’re lowest on the totem pole—foot wash. Because the dirtiest, grimiest, lowliest job, the Savior and King of the universe took the dirtiest, grimiest, lowliest job, to wash the feet of the people who would betray, run away, doubt him. Stunning. And really, this demonstration, it does not matter what you have done, the King of the universe not only beholding you and smiling, here’s how he smiles. Like this. He’s washing your grimy feet. He’s taking the lowliest position because this is how much he loves you. This is how valuable you are to him.
And Peter is going to have this little argument. It’s like a proud argument. “No, Lord. Not my feet! Wash the whole thing.” I kind of get that. Peter’s taking charge with what he thinks ought to happen. He doesn’t think any of this should happen. But he’s going to take charge of the “We’re not going to do the feet. The whole body, as well.” And Jesus is not going to have any of it. This is the servant King on his knees, washing the disciples’ feet and really, he’s washing our feet. This is part of how you know this is not a regular religious teacher. He is doing opposite of what we would do. Opposite of what any leadership would tell you. He is on a knee and he’s washing our feet. And remember, this is not the nice feet with socks and shoes. This is the real feet with mud and bunions and dirty nails. Stunning, really. At the height of his clarity and popularity and his reputation, he’s washing their feet. This is just the magnificent Savior that he is.
And then he goes on after this little dialogue with Simon Peter, we’ll start in verse 12:
12 When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. "Do you understand what I have done for you?" he asked them.
I actually think this is a very full question and probably a very quiet moment. Because again, they had just had watched this little argument where Simon Peter was rebuked a little bit. So, “Shh.”
“Maybe we understand. Maybe we don’t. Why don’t you tell us?”
13 "You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and rightly so, for that is what I am.
He’s also the Resurrection and the Life, the Light of the World, the Bread of Life, the Great I Am. It is rightly so. He has his position over all of creation, over all of time. And yet, this is the action that he takes.
14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet.
15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.
16 I tell you the truth, 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.
So not only is he telling us who he is and in this moment of clarity and mission, fraught with what is about to happen, which will be deep suffering and rejection, genuine pain, all because he loves us. He’s offering this to us as an admonition or as marching orders. As, if you will, a way to live. The way to live is as a servant. The way to live is as one who washes feet. And you could say literally, but I don’t think in this culture that’s going to be that common. But what if we became, and Peter says this, “a peculiar people.” His whole point is to make us peculiar people, a peculiar tribe.
What if the main characteristic of this peculiar tribe called Living Streams was that they were known for their serving? They were known for taking the lowliest position? They actually became secret agents of service looking for the smallest and the largest and noticing every place where they could take a place of serving?
And, oh, by the way—this has never been more true—some of the service in this current world that is so divided and dismembered and so vitriolic and so spiteful and name-calling, all of this chaos around—one of the best ways we could demonstrate this servanthood is to be kind, and noticeably kind. I’m just putting you on alert. CIA agent of kindness. It was a CIA agent of the King who took the towel and the wash basin as a demonstration of the full extent of his love.
And I’m telling you, there is nowhere where this is not operative, especially again in this world. And actually a little bit more so in COVID world. So you’re driving up to the Taco Bell, you get a burrito supreme and three crunchy tacos. No I’m not getting a soda, that’s too expensive. And you pull up to the window and you just tell the gal, “I really appreciate the work that you do. Thank you. Be safe.”
I actually don’t think she falls down on her knees and meets the Lord. But I actually believe her spirit is lifted up, because all of us want to be noticed. And if we’re noticed by another human being when it’s unexpected, that’s the glimmer of being noticed by God. The glimmer of beholding God as smiling. And maybe she gets to know him. Or maybe she already knows and she’s kindness right back at you and there’s this connection of the peculiar people, a peculiar tribe that’s known for their service.
I always put love and service together. I really don’t know how you can demonstrate love without service. And I don’t know that you can demonstrate service without loving, at least not consistently. They’re two sides of one coin. This is the demonstration of the full extent of his love. He gives it to us as a way to live. We are to live as servants. This is demonstrated in thousands of tiny, little ways.
So, when we break out of here, or even before we break out of here, we recognize, “I know who I am.” If you’re not sure who you are, this is a great place, a group of people to help you discover that. Because here’s what you’ll learn. You’re a son of the King. You’re a daughter of the King. And he loves you. This is how he loves you. And we love you, too. “You’re welcome. Glad you’re here. Stick with us. You know what? We are servants.”
“You don’t have any better jobs than that?”
“No, we do not. We don’t have any better jobs than that.”
There isn’t a better job than that. And when you think about it, he says it right here:
17 Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.
It’s not just a theory. This is a practice. The practice of being a servant. You know what? There are really hundreds, if not thousands, of opportunities every single day in your life—the real one that you live—to demonstrate the heart of a servant. Generally, the heart of a servant is just Jesus’ kind: “I’m serving. I don’t need a thank-you. I don’t actually need to be noticed.”
Because he didn’t get one here. Mostly, instead of a thank-you, he got resistance from Simon Peter. I’m not sure they understood again until much later. But we have a chance to see it in retrospect and understand it again today. What does it mean for me—in my actual, real life today—to be a servant?
This would be a good time for me to get a white board and for people to start shouting out, “This is what that would mean for me today.” And I’d write them down. That would be incredible. Because, if you’re listening, the Lord may be prompting you right now. “I’m supposed to call my mom and tell her I love her.” I don’t really have to tell her, “Hey, Mom, I’m picking up a towel and a wash basin. Did you notice?” Just do and then he says, “You will be blessed.”
This is part of how you listen to the Lord. It’s also part of how you view the world. We’re out there. We’re looking. We’re the secret agents of service. We’re trying to find every place we can. “There’s a chair that’s out of place. I’m going to help move it.”
“Somebody had a flat tire. I’m going to help them.”
“I’m driving down the road and I can see this guy wants to cut in. He zoomed by me a minute ago, so I’m not letting him in.”
Grab a towel. Grab the wash basin. Let him in.
I’m really not saying he will fall down on his knees and pray to receive Jesus. I don’t think that’s true. But think about this. In this world that right now is so divided and so spiteful and so quick to point out flaws—what if we were the ones who were quick to serve? And quick to point out “job well done.” The guy at Safeway stocking the salsa. You walk down, “Man, you’re doing a fantastic job. I really appreciate you. Thanks for the work that you do.”
If we just became CIA agents of encouragement and service to the world. Now, maybe you grab a box and you start to put salsa on the shelf next to him. I dare someone to try that. I’d like to hear the report what would happen. But I do think that’d be very cool. Because that’s what I mean. We’re thinking of some grand thing, and maybe the Lord says, “I want you to move to Ecuador and be a missionary there.” In that case, go and be a servant. But equally, in every dynamic and element of life, are we watching? Are we looking for places to serve?
And then this crazy promise: “You will be blessed if you do this.” I don’t think you’ll be blessed if you think about it. I don’t think you’ll be blessed if you hear a sermon about it. I think you will be 100% blessed if you do it. It’s what happens within your soul. Maybe it’s not noticed by anyone else. But in your own soul there’s a rising up of joy. A rising up of, “I get to be part of the CIA agent team of foot washers and towel dryers for the King of kings and Lord of lords.” Everything that you do might be done as an action or a service unto him. And in this, you will be blessed.
It’s interesting. I want to skip ahead to John 16 because I think this is important, especially as it applies to right now, today. Jesus says at the end of John 16, “In this world you will have trouble.”
Anybody know trouble today? Got it. It’s all of us. For some it might be personal, right in your family. We prayed for some families that are in trouble. Jesus doesn’t say you’re not going to have trouble. In fact he said you will have trouble. That’s not new news. That’s old news. From Genesis 3 on, we’re in trouble. So count on it.
But then he says this great little word that I think is a real good word for right now, especially in the United States, but also around the world. “Take heart.” Take courage. Stand your ground. Remain steadfast. Hold on to hope. Really implied in there. Be a blessing by being a servant is how you take heart. Take action. Take the actions of a servant. But all of those things are peripheral because it says, “Take heart for I have overcome the world.” “You’re gong to have trouble, but I know how the story ends.”
Then one more part of this chapter that I’d like to tie in here. This is John 13:34&35. The glue which puts all of these chapters together:
34 A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
As we’re heading into this season of evangelism, the thing that I would like you most to relax about is, this is the first word in evangelism: love one another. When I hear your words and I watch your love, the words and the love align. And I want to be in that group. I’ve never known another human being that didn’t want to be in a group that loves each other. Especially one that says, “Come on in and we’ll love you, too. In fact, if you don’t come in, we’ll love you.”
That’s the new people that God is creating. This is the admonition for all of us. Love and service all go together as demonstrations of his love. But the demonstration of his love is to make us into a people that love one another and serve in a broken and hurting world.
Whatever you do, family, neighborhood, university, high school, work, all of these things are operating. Look for places to serve. Look for demonstrations of love. Then, when we do get to gather, or if we’re just viewing online, we’re in this position of loving one another. And this is how the whole world will know that, “You are my disciples. You are this peculiar people that love each other and serve. And you’re secret agents of this service.”
I want to quote Prudentius as I close. Prudentius is a writer that wrote fourth century. He writes about the battle in the human soul. And there’s these two opposing sides within the human soul. He’s talking about the battle every day. He’s brilliant. But he’s a poet, so I always need my wife to translate, “Can you tell me what that says?” So this is a little bit of a paraphrase:
Every day pride and humility meet on the battlefield of the human soul. When humility begins to win, pride turns to shame in order to win the battle.
You can unpack that for the rest of your life. When you feel shame, what is happening? I’m looking at myself again. It looks like the opposite of pride, but it’s actually looking at myself, and this is how pride continues to win the battle. But my proposition—Prudentius didn’t write this. This is a Marty paraphrase. So pride and humility meet on the battlefield of the human soul. And when pride starts to win he goes to shame in order to win. When humility picks up a towel in order to win the battle.
Humility: “No, I can’t fight the regular way. He’s fighting a different way. You know what I’m going to do? I’m getting on one knee. I’m grabbing a towel and a wash basin.” Humility wins the day. And by the way, this battle is going on every single day in our hearts and our souls.
Our souls are being battled for. It’s never been more clear in my mind. The enemy is not the other political party or even the other nation or the other language group or the other “not like me.” The enemy is the enemy. He’s a liar and a deceiver and he’s out to kill and destroy. And he’s out to make us selfish and small, safe and stingy, not servant—opposite. And the King of kings says, “Come with me. And I’m going to make you a servant of all. And by the way, in this you will find joy, and you will find blessing, and you will find hope.”
We’re going to take communion together. Abraham Heschel wrote late 1800’s early 1900’s. He said, “The opposite of remember is not to forget, but it’s to dismember.” So when we remember, we remember what God has done, but we re-member to become a whole fellowship and re-member to become a whole soul. We reconnect. Re-member. First by recognizing what God has done and remembering that, because we’re forgetters. But we’re also “dismemberers.” The thing that most likely happens when we forget is that we dismember. We disconnect from God, we disconnect from others. We hide. We run away. So he offers communion as a reminder and a place to remember.
If you’re online, I hope you’ve been able to find a cracker or some bread; you’ve been able to find some juice or whatever element you can, as we celebrate communion together.
On the night that he was betrayed he took the bread. He broke it. He gave thanks and he said, “This is my body broken for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” Let’s take communion.
And likewise, he took the cup. It was very much in the dynamic of this same place that we’re reading in John 13, 14, 15, 16, 17. He said, “This cup is my shed blood.” I think the disciples, like many people are going, “I am not sure what he’s talking about.” Well, we know. This is Christ on the cross. The magnificent Servant King dying for our sins, that we might be forgiven and free. So that we might become forgivers and those who set others free. This is the blood of the New Covenant, for the forgiveness of sins. We drink this and remember Christ on the cross.
Lord, take this offering. Help us to re-member. Help us to be those who joyfully, quickly wear a towel and grab a water basin. Help us to be those who love one another so that all men and women might know that we are your disciples and that this is what you do to a community, to a people. And we send this out into the world. Here we are, Lord. Send us. We go as your servants. We go as your towel-and-wash-basin children. In Christ’s name. Amen.
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