Introduction
A Christian deportee during World War II prays every evening, openly, with his wife, in an old convent where they are waiting to be transferred. One morning, two fellow prisoners come to him with a tone of reproach: "Do you know what prayer you prayed last night? You prayed for the SS, for the camp commander. You asked God to bless them and to bring about their conversion. These people have done us so much harm, we shouldn't even give them a drop of water. And you're praying for them…" "God could never ask that of us. Not in the face of such evil."
The question burns: in the face of pain, injustice, and persecution, at what point are you allowed to stop loving? Few of us have lived through deportation, but we all know situations where we would rather refuse to love and take revenge instead. What does the Bible say? What does Jesus say?
This sermon from the series From the Table to the Mission takes us into John 13, to Jesus's last meal with his disciples, to receive his answer. An answer that begins with a shocking act: the Son of God kneels down and washes his disciples' feet.
Article outline
- Jesus loves to the very end (John 13:1)
- A love that purifies (John 13:6-11)
- A love that serves (John 13:12-17)
- A love that obeys (John 13:17)
- So, when should you stop loving?
1. Jesus loves to the very end (John 13:1)
"Now before the feast of the Passover, Jesus, knowing that his time had come that he would depart from this world to the Father." (John 13:1)
Jesus knows everything: he knows where he comes from (he is God the Son), why he came (to save humanity), and what awaits him (the cross). The Father has placed everything in his hands. And it is precisely at this moment that he chooses an intimate time with his twelve disciples. No one else. Just them.
The Greek expression in verse 1 (eis telos) carries a weight that English translations often miss. It means "to the uttermost," "to completion," "to the very end." A love that does not stop, that nothing can interrupt, that goes all the way to its goal: the cross. Jesus never stops loving. Never.
And he already knows that Judas will betray him: "The devil having already put into the heart of Judas... to betray him." (John 13:2) Even so, he takes the time to serve and love his own. Including Judas.
2. A love that purifies (John 13:6-11)
Jesus gets up from the table, sets aside his outer garment, takes a linen towel and wraps it around his waist, pours water into a basin, and begins to wash his disciples' feet (v.4-5).
In Jewish tradition, people washed their own feet. The only exceptions: a wife washing her husband's feet, children washing their parents' feet. Among the wealthy, this task was reserved for slaves and servants. And here, it is Jesus (the Son of God, God himself) who kneels down. Humbling. Shocking.
Peter protests: "Lord, do you wash my feet?" (v.6) The Greek is even more forceful: "You? Wash my feet? No, you shall never wash my feet, forever."
Jesus answers: "If I don't wash you, you have no part with me." (v.8) In other words: without this washing, there is no access to the inheritance, no adoption, no eternal life. It is a concrete picture of a far deeper spiritual reality: only the blood of Jesus cleanses from sin.
"The blood of Jesus Christ, his Son, cleanses us from all sin." (cf. 1 John 1:7)
Peter swings the other way and pleads: "Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!" (v.9) Jesus replies: "Someone who has bathed only needs to have his feet washed." (v.10) Whoever has placed their faith in Christ is already completely cleansed. All that remains, when they get dirtied along the way, is to come back, confess, and receive forgiveness.
And there is that sobering statement at the end of verse 10: "You are clean, but not all of you." Even Judas received Jesus's service, though Jesus knew full well he would reject him.
3. A love that serves (John 13:12-17)
"You call me, 'Teacher' and 'Lord.' You say so correctly, for so I am. If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet." (v.13-14)
Jesus, "existing in the form of God, didn't consider equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant" (cf. Philippians 2:6-7). He gives up his position. He could have been worshiped; he chooses to serve.
In the Bible, love is not first and foremost a feeling. It is a concrete action. Serving. Making yourself available. Helping. Listening. Lending a hand. Offering hospitality. Being a Christian is never an excuse to stop caring for your neighbor.
To serve in practical ways, three simple categories help:
- Talent: your abilities, your gifts, your profession, your compassion, your listening ear, your handiness, your car.
- Time: precious and fleeting. Be generous with it, and make up for lost time.
- Treasure: your money, your possessions. Giving to the church is good (the church redistributes 10 percent of its budget for solidarity), but God calls us well beyond the tithe: is your money, your home, at the service of your neighbor?
Here's a simple example: a Christian business owner comes in at 7:30 a.m. to do the dishes and clean the office before his teams arrive. This example touches a coworker. That same coworker, during a training session with a manager who stays seated at the table while his subordinate clears it away, spontaneously ends up serving others dessert. A chain of love that glorifies God: "A servant is not greater than his lord." (v.16)
4. A love that obeys (John 13:17)
"If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them." (v.17)
Obeying Jesus's commands is how we love him, and it is our joy. This is exactly what Judas failed to do. Drawn in by the money in the common purse, he disobeyed and went astray, even though he had the best of masters. Let us never stop obeying God: when we stop obeying, we inevitably end up ceasing to love.
5. So, when should you stop loving?
Never. Jesus never stopped loving, and he still loves us today. We, his disciples, are called to love without ever stopping, whatever it costs.
Loving with a love that purifies means proclaiming Jesus's death and sharing his word: we are instruments of purification through our testimony. Loving also means forgiving. Radically. Just as Jesus did on the cross. Forgiving does not mean tolerating or minimizing evil: it means naming it, bringing it into the light, praying for God to destroy it, and loving the sinner who is a prisoner of their sin.
We leave justice to God, who is holy, who hates evil, and who will not leave it unpunished. Our calling is to love.
Key takeaways
- Jesus never stops loving. Christ's love goes "to the uttermost," all the way to the cross. Nothing interrupts it.
- Only the blood of Jesus purifies. Baptism is a sign, but it is faith in Christ that washes us and makes us the Father's adopted children.
- Love is an action, not just a feeling. Serving in concrete ways (talent, time, treasure) is the direct extension of Jesus's love for us.
- Forgiving is not minimizing. It means naming the evil, leaving justice to God, and loving the sinner.
- Obeying is loving. Giving up on obedience sooner or later leads to a stop in loving.
Personal application
- Is there someone today whom you have decided, consciously or not, to stop forgiving? What is holding you back from bringing that person to Jesus?
- Are you still moved by the gospel, or has it become a habit? Take a moment to let the love of the cross shock you again.
- In which concrete area (talent, time, treasure) is God inviting you to serve more this week?
- Is there a sin you keep "dragging your feet" on instead of quickly confessing it to Jesus to be purified?
- Which difficult person could you bless this week instead of taking revenge or staying silent?
Verses cited
- John 13:1-30 - Jesus washes his disciples' feet
- Mark 10:45 - The Son of Man came to serve
- Philippians 2:6-7 - Jesus emptied himself
- 1 John 1:7-9 - The blood of Jesus cleanses us
- Acts 22:16 - Arise, be baptized, and wash away your sins
- Matthew 5:43-45 - Love your enemies, pray for those who persecute you
FAQ
Do you really have to forgive someone who hasn't asked for forgiveness?
Yes, Jesus calls us to forgive just as he did on the cross, even before his executioners repented. Forgiving does not mean tolerating evil, minimizing it, or putting yourself back in danger: it means refusing to let hatred have the last word in you, and leaving justice to God, who is holy and just.
Is foot washing a sacrament to be practiced today?
The physical act itself is not a sacrament instituted like baptism or communion. What Jesus clearly establishes is a principle: we must serve one another with humility, with the same practical availability as the Master who knelt down.
Why doesn't John recount the institution of communion in this chapter?
While the other Gospels recount the sharing of bread and wine, John chooses to tell of the foot washing instead. This is a way of reminding us that the new covenant, celebrated at communion, produces a community in which everyone serves one another, following the example of Christ, who humbled himself first.
Sermon given by Yann as part of the series "From the Table to the Mission" (Momentum Church).
to take notes and ask questions.