Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit · Sermon No. 2377
“When Jesus knew that His hour was come that He should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved His own which were in the world, He loved them unto the end.” John 13:1.
THIS is a kind of preface to the story of the foot-washing, and a very wonderful preface it is, when coupled with the third and fourth verses, upon which I commented. “Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God, and was going to God, rose from supper and laid aside His garments; and took a towel, and girded Himself.” This is the frame of the picture that is here presented to us. To what shall I compare it? It is like unto a gate of the Golden City—each gate is one huge pearl and surely this verse is a jewel of inestimable price! The foot-washing picture is set within this precious frame.
This memorable and symbolical act took place at the end of our Lord’s sojourn here below. The Passion was the end of His life and we may consider that the Passion was about to begin. That same night He would go to Gethsemane and, in less than 24 hours, the dear hands that washed the disciples’ feet would be nailed to the accursed wood and He who spoke so tenderly to His little band of followers would be in His death agonies.
It is an important thing to know how a man feels when he comes to the real crisis of his life. He has cultivated a great variety of feelings during his career, but what has been his ruling passion? You will see it now. It has passed into a proverb that, “The ruling passion is strong in death,” and there is great truth in the saying. In the light of the man’s departure, we shall see what power really ruled him. It was precisely so with our Divine Master. He had almost reached the end of His earthly life. He had come to a season of awful agony. He was about to endure the great and terrible death of the Cross, by which He was to purchase eternal redemption for all His people. What will be uppermost in His mind, now? What will He think of His disciples, now that He has so many other things to think of—now that the thought of His approaching death comes over Him—now that the agony and bloody sweat of Gethsemane are so near?
What will Jesus think of His disciples at such a time as this and under such circumstances as these? Our text is the answer to that question—“Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God, and was going to God, rose from supper and laid aside His garments; and took a towel, and girded Himself.” His love was burning as brightly at the Paschal Supper as ever it burned before! Yes, and it seemed as if, in that wondrous prayer that is recorded in the 17th Chapter of John, and in the wonderful discourse which accompanied it, the love of Jesus had never before flamed out so clearly! Then were the great beacon fires lit and the fierce winds that blew around the Savior fanned them to their full force of flame. Now can you say of Jesus, “Behold how He loved His disciples!” for even at the end of His life He still loved those whom He had loved before!
With that thought in your minds, will you follow me while I take the text to pieces and dwell upon almost every word of it?
I. First, then, concerning our blessed Master, let us consider WITH WHOM HE ASSOCIATED and of whom this verse now speaks. They are called, “His own.” It is a brief description, but it is wonderfully full—“Having loved His own which were in the world, He loved them unto the end.”
“His own.” There was a circle—sometimes a wide circle—round the Savior. It was made up of publicans and sinners and He had a measure of love to all of them, a benevolent desire to bless them, but there was an inner circle, containing the 12 Apostles and some godly women who had joined themselves unto Him. These were, “His own.” To them He often
expounded the hidden meaning of a parable which He left unexplained to the crowd. To them He often brought many a dainty dish which was especially reserved for their table and not intended for the multitude. Bread and fish would do for the crowd, but Jesus had choicer fare for “His own.” They were a special people—many knew them, many despised them—but Jesus loved them, and this was the main thing which made them “His own.”
You know how they came to be “His own.” He chose them before the earth was. A man may surely choose his own wife and Christ chose His own spouse. He chose His own Church and, while the Scripture stands, that doctrine can never be eradicated from it. Before the day-star knew its place, or planets ran their rounds, Christ had made His choice and, having made it, He stood to it! He chose them for His love and He loved them for His choice.
Having loved them and chosen them, He espoused them unto Himself. “They shall be Mine,” He said. “I will be married to them, I will be bone of their bone and flesh of their flesh.” Consequently, in the fullness of time, He came here, made one with our humanity, that He might be seen to be a true Husband to “His own”—“His own” by choice—“His own” by espousal.