SERMON TITLE: Receive God’s Love
SCRIPTURE: John 13:1-38 (ESV)
SPEAKER: Josh Hanson
DATE: 4-17-25
As always it’s a joy to be with all of you for this Maundy Thursday evening communion service. And there’s one thing I want you to know — and this is true if you regularly hear this from me in person or via video — I want you to know that God loves you and that I love you too.
We’re continuing our Easter series this evening — as we reflect on all that happened leading up to Jesus’ death on the cross for our sins. Tonight’s going to be a bit different — “a bit” may be an understatement. We’re going to be in the gospel of John — so if you have your Bible — go ahead and open it up to John 13. But tonight’s sermon will be different as — we’ll spend some time in John’s gospel — and then have a time of response. Then we’ll spend more time in the gospel and respond again. So on and so forth until we take communion together.
During evening communion services like this — we also take up a benevolence offering. This is a special time of giving where the money received goes towards taking care of the physical needs of those who are part of our faith family. If you’d like to give this evening — you can do so in the black boxes on your way out or digitally — there’s a benevolence offering option both on our website and app.
The act of taking communion is a time for us to remember and receive all that God’s done for us because he loves us. And — spoiler alert — that’s my goal for this evening’s sermon: For all of us — Christian or not — to receive God’s love. If you already believe in Jesus — I guarantee there’s more of God’s love for you to receive. And — if you don’t believe in Jesus — I also guarantee there’s more of God’s love for you to receive.
So we’re all in the same boat tonight — with an opportunity to receive more of God’s undeserved love towards us.
With that — let’s turn to John chapter 13. We’ll begin in verse one.
John 13:1–5 ESV
1 Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. 2 During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him, 3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, 4 rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. 5 Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
We begin with adoration. Adoration is an “act of worship, of paying honor, reverence, and obedience to God” according to one of my Bible dictionaries (Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Dictionary). And worship begins with adoration.
If you were able to join us for the Saturday seminar that Dr. Bryan Chapell taught — this will be familiar to you. Dr. Chapell showed us that — throughout church history — the worship of God begins with God. And — in beginning with God — we worship him for who he is. We give him honor because he alone is God. We revere him — lift him up in high esteem — because there is no god like our God.
Back to our text. On this night — when Jesus would be betrayed — we read that he loved his disciples to the very end. Jesus knew the hour of his death was quickly approaching — and yet — his love for his Heavenly Father and for his people was still on the forefront of his mind and affections. A love displayed so beautifully in verses three and four where we read…
John 13:3–4 ESV
3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, 4 rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist.
Jesus knew that his Father had given everything into his hands. He also knew that the plan they made — before the foundation of the world — was about to be accomplished. Jesus knew where he’d come from and where he was going — and he especially knew what was still ahead of him: the cross. And — in knowing all of this — where he came from, who he is — the Son of God, where he was going — back to his Father’s side in Heaven, and what was still ahead — the suffering and agony of the cross and all that it entailed…Jesus got up from the table. Took a towel. Tied it around his waist. Poured some water into a basin. And began to wash his disciples’ feet.
In the midst of a situation that would cause all of us to be self-focused — Jesus — in love — served. What a reason we have to adore him. To worship him. To praise him. To lift up and pay him honor. He knew what was about to happen — and yet — he so cared for his disciples that they received his loving attention — his same loving attention that we receive today.
At this time — let’s respond to who Jesus is — our attentive and loving Savior. Let’s adore him in song together.
After adoration — the church has turned to confession. For — in knowing who God is — we can’t help but tremble in fear in knowing who we are. Today it’s common for Christians to talk about fearing God as revering him — as adoring him. And — though there’s an aspect of fearing God that is adoring him — we just adored God — so the Christians who’ve come before us knew something about confession and fearing God that goes beyond just adoring him some more.
Take Noah as an example. The people of his day were wicked — leading to God’s decision to judge humanity’s wickedness with a flood. Yet God provided Noah with a way of salvation: an ark. The author of Hebrews tells us that…
Hebrews 11:7 ESV
7 By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.
A pastor from centuries ago said this about Noah. “If he had not been moved with fear of God’s judgments God would never have provided an ark.” He goes on to write, “It is a real complaint against us that we are not moved enough by the fear of God’s judgments.” (John Owen, Searching Our Hearts in Difficult Times, 61)
The people of God have always been moved to confess their sins, rebellion, and disobedience when — in holy reverent fear — they recognize who God is, who he’s commanded us to be, and how we’ve fallen short of his glorious standard.
Continuing in John’s gospel — on the night Jesus would be betrayed — we see confession when…
John 13:6–11 ESV
6 He (Jesus) came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, do you wash my feet?” 7 Jesus answered him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.” 8 Peter said to him, “You shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.” 9 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” 10 Jesus said to him, “The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean, but not every one of you.” 11 For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, “Not all of you are clean.”
Where do we find our need to confess in this moment? When…
John 13:8 ESV
8 Peter said to him, “You shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.”
We — meaning every single one of us — must be washed by Jesus if we want to no longer fear God’s eternal judgment. We must be washed in order to be clean. But how are we washed? With his blood.
In the Old Testament, all of the bloody sacrifices point ahead to the blood Jesus would shed on the cross. In the Old Testament — items used for worship would be sprinkled with water or blood — a sign indicating they’d been cleansed. Priests would wash themselves before entering the presence of God — for God is holy — without sin — separate from sin — and God cannot be in the presence of sin. Which is our great dilemma — for we are all sinners.
Do you see your need to be washed? How your sins have stained you? Made you unpresentable and unholy to God? How — on your own — you have no hope of being right with God?
Let’s respond to this sobering truth of who we are with a time of confession.
Continuing in John’s gospel we read…
John 13:12–17 ESV
12 When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? 13 You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. 16 Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.
Historically — after confessing our sins — the church then offers assurance. For — through faith in Christ’s sacrifice on the cross — we are washed, cleansed of our sins, made pure, spotless, and holy. And — though we don’t deserve it — we now have a relationship with God that is restored — because — Christ makes us right with God.
And — again — our hope in these truths — the reason for our assurance — is because of who Christ is and what he accomplished on our behalf. We see this in verse 16 when Jesus says…
John 13:16 ESV
16 Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.
A servant is not greater than his master. None of us are greater than Jesus. Thus the hope and confidence in our assurance of being forgiven, redeemed, and made right with God is because of who Jesus is — and he’s really, really great. He’s the greatest! And — he who is the greatest — is the One who said…
John 6:37 ESV
37 All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.
Or as Paul tells us…
Romans 8:28–39 NLT
28 And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. 29 For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30 And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory. 31 What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? 32 Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else? 33 Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one—for God himself has given us right standing with himself. 34 Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us. 35 Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? 36 (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”) 37 No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. 38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. 39 No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Let’s respond to this wonderful assurance that we have in Christ.
What assurance we have in knowing that — through faith in Christ — all of our sins have been forgiven. An assurance — to be clear — for those who believe in Jesus. We see this as we continue on in John’s gospel where Jesus says…
John 13:18–30 ESV
18 I am not speaking of all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But the Scripture will be fulfilled, ‘He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.’ 19 I am telling you this now, before it takes place, that when it does take place you may believe that I am he. 20 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.” 21 After saying these things, Jesus was troubled in his spirit, and testified, “Truly, truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” 22 The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom he spoke. 23 One of his disciples, whom Jesus loved, was reclining at table at Jesus’ side, 24 so Simon Peter motioned to him to ask Jesus of whom he was speaking. 25 So that disciple, leaning back against Jesus, said to him, “Lord, who is it?” 26 Jesus answered, “It is he to whom I will give this morsel of bread when I have dipped it.” So when he had dipped the morsel, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. 27 Then after he had taken the morsel, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, “What you are going to do, do quickly.” 28 Now no one at the table knew why he said this to him. 29 Some thought that, because Judas had the moneybag, Jesus was telling him, “Buy what we need for the feast,” or that he should give something to the poor. 30 So, after receiving the morsel of bread, he immediately went out. And it was night.
Here we see belief and betrayal. The assurance — we just reminded ourselves of — is for those who believe in Jesus — that’s the good news. But judgment is coming for those who betray Jesus — that’s the bad news. And though the bad news of God’s judgment often gets downplayed or — due to us being offended by a God who judges — it’s dismissed entirely — the same book which tells us the good news also tells us the bad news. In fact — without the bad news of God’s judgment towards those who betray Jesus — by not receiving his sacrifice — there is no good news — that God welcomes into his eternal family those who do receive Jesus’ sacrifice.
For Jesus tells us this is why he came to earth when — after telling the disciples that one of them will betray him — he says…
John 13:19 ESV
19 I am telling you this now, before it takes place, that when it does take place you may believe that I am he.
Jesus often spoke of his upcoming sacrifice to his disciples. Yet they — like many of us — heard what Jesus was saying without hearing him. They couldn’t fathom the idea of Jesus being killed and this being the will of God. Who wants to believe in a defeated Savior? The irony is that Jesus told him about this death ahead of time so that — when it happened — they’d know that death was not the victor. For he also told them about his resurrection. They heard him say, “Destroy this temple and in three days it will be raised again.” (John 2:19) But it wasn’t until after his resurrection that John and the other disciples connected the dots.
Yet what Jesus offered them is what he offers all of us: an invitation to believe. To believe that he’s the One whom the prophets foretold. The promised Savior of the world. The One who though…
2 Corinthians 5:21 NLT
21 never sinned, [was] the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.
There’s an invitation before all of us: to believe in Jesus Christ — to receive him as our Savior.
{Let’s respond to this invitation to believe.}
Continuing in the gospel of John, we read…
John 13:31–35 ESV
31 When he (Judas) had gone out, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him. 32 If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and glorify him at once. 33 Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You will seek me, and just as I said to the Jews, so now I also say to you, ‘Where I am going you cannot come.’ 34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
Even Judas’ betrayal brought glory to Jesus. For God the Father made God the Son look glorious in his sacrifice on the cross. And — in response to his loving sacrifice for us — we make Jesus look glorious by paying attention to his words…
John 13:34–35 ESV
34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
An expectation for those who believe. A commandment — one of many — that we’re to obey. Just as we’ve been loved by Christ — we’re to love each other. For — by our love for one another — all people will know that we’re disciples of Jesus Christ.
You see, believing in Jesus’ loving sacrifice on the cross changes the one who believes. Often I’m asked, “How do I know if I’m really a Christian? How do I know if I’m really saved? How do I know if I believe?” Are you changed? For belief in Jesus — and his immeasurable love for you — changes you.
Examples of change — in Scripture — include someone — who was once a thief — who now — because they believe in Jesus — hasn’t just stopped stealing — most non-Christians agree that stealing is wrong. But — belief in Jesus results in a former thief now working so they not only provide for themselves — but also are generous to others. The thief doesn’t just stop stealing — he works hard, provides for his own needs, and is generous in helping meet the needs of others. That’s a changed life.
And — for all of us — even those who aren't former thieves — there’s a “once I was blind, but now I see” kind of change from who we were to who we are now — and who we will be by God’s grace — tomorrow. For believing in Christ’s love for you changes you.
And — as you’ve heard me allude to already — the pinnacle of Christ’s love for us is him giving his life for us on the cross. Continuing in John’s gospel we read…
John 13:36–38 ESV
36 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus answered him, “Where I am going you cannot follow me now, but you will follow afterward.” 37 Peter said to him, “Lord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” 38 Jesus answered, “Will you lay down your life for me? Truly, truly, I say to you, the rooster will not crow till you have denied me three times.
You’ve got to love Peter. His enthusiasm is commendable — even though we know his actions won’t match his words. Indeed — before the rooster crows — Peter will deny knowing Jesus three times.
But isn’t this true of all of us? We make promises to Jesus — only to so easily break them. We make all kinds of promises — but do we hear him asking…
John 13:38 ESV
38“Will you lay down your life for me?”
What’s your response to his question? An honest answer is, “Jesus, I want to. But I know I’ll fail time and time again.”
Thank God our hope isn’t in us — but is in the One who laid down his life for us.
Yet — even though we know we’ll fail — the question is still before us all: Will you lay down your life for Jesus? In love — he laid down his life for you. Peter was obviously full of himself — proud — arrogant — ignorant of what he was really saying — and especially of the denial he was about to do. But the question still remains a valid one for all of us. Will you lay down your life — will you lay down having to be in control — or having to have things your way — or will you give your life and control and your way — over to the One who so loved you that he gave his life for you?
All that we’ve read — as you’ve heard me say a few times this evening — happened on the night on which Jesus was betrayed. It was a night when he and his disciples dined at a table as they ate the Passover Meal. You heard about the Passover earlier from the passage in Exodus. The celebration of the Passover Meal was a night where the Jewish people remembered God rescuing them out from under the hand of the Egyptians. The tenth and final plague had been announced — the death of all firstborns in the land. The Israelites were not exempt from this plague of God’s judgment — though they were provided a way of escape.
They were to sacrifice a lamb and put some of its blood on the doorposts of their homes. A sign that their home was covered by the blood of the lamb who was slain as a sacrifice for their sins. A way that — through faith — for they had to believe God in order to obey him — that they’d be saved from God’s wrath and judgment. And — having put the blood on their doorposts — the families were to eat a meal that was called the Passover. For on that night — God’s judgment passed over all whose homes were covered by the blood of the lamb.
It’s this meal that the disciples were eating with Jesus. And…
Matthew 26:26–28 ESV
26 as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” 27 And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, 28 for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.
In this supper God declares to us that our sins have been completely forgiven through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, which he finished on the cross once for all. Come, therefore, all of you who are truly sorry for your sins, who believe in the Lord Jesus as your Savior, have confessed his name, and desire to live in obedience to him. Come eagerly and joyfully, with the assurance of faith. For Christ — our risen Lord — invites you as guests to fellowship with him — and each other — at his table.
At this time — if you're serving communion — please make your way forward. In just a moment, ushers will begin dismissing you by rows, so you can come forward to receive the bread and the cup. Take both before returning to your seats. There are baskets — up front — for you to put your empty cups in. We also have a gluten free wafer option for those who need it. If you’re unable to come forward — raise your hand and let the usher know as they dismiss your row — and someone will come and serve you in your seat.
Come and receive and feast on the love of God as displayed in the sacrifice of his Son. Come with hope, come with assurance, come in awe of your God, come repentant, come in faith. Come all who are truly sorry for your sins and whose hope is in Jesus Christ.
Holy Father, Son, and Spirit, what marvelous truths we’ve beheld this evening. Who you are. Who we are. Assurance you’ve guaranteed. Promises to those who believe and warnings to those who don’t. We’ve seen your love for us and what you require of all who’ve received your love. And we’ve gazed on the horrific beauty that is the death of Jesus Christ. Horrific because the Son of God was killed — beautiful because resurrection day is just around the corner.
Gracious God, may you open all of our eyes to see Jesus for who he is so we all leave here believing in him for our hope and salvation. And it’s in Jesus’ name that we pray. Amen.
Please stand for the benediction.
May you go knowing that you are loved by God — and may you receive his love. Amen.
God loves you. I love you. You are sent.
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