John Chapters 13-17 are known as the Upper Room Discourse. What is surprising is that in the first twelve chapters of John’s Gospel, Agape, God’s love is mentioned 8x. But in chapters 13-17, it is mentioned 31x. I want us to see the connection between love and service.
1. What Jesus Knew: The Extent of Loving Service
“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. The evening meal was being served, and the devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, to betray Jesus. Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God & was returning to God.” (John 13:1-3)
Three things we are told Jesus ‘knew’. First, “Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father.” (John 13:1) He knew he was rapidly approaching the most important moments of his life. His destiny from eternity past. He knew that the pain, the shame and the agony of the cross was before him. Here is the question: If you knew that you would die tomorrow, what would you do today? I would spend the time with my family,
I’d write some short letters to family members too far to visit and I’d make sure my will is in order. Not Jesus. John wants us to see something significant about Jesus. Fully God and fully man, Jesus is facing something we cannot imagine. He doesn’t say to the disciples, “Don’t you care about what I’m facing?” His focus is not on himself. He is concerned that they be prepared for what’s about to happen. Jesus is focused on them.
Jesus knew the time. Do you? Second, “Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God;” (John 13:2).