September 17, 2023 - John 13-16

This morning’s sermon at Baxter will come from Luke 1:26-38 in which I will point out Gabriel’s gracious and loving replies to Mary and her questions. He did not berate her. He had no smirk on his face when talking to Mary. Rather, he told her of God’s favor and grace upon her. Gabriel’s disposition toward Mary simply reflected the character of the One who had sent her. Chapter 13, here, begins: “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” (13:1). The love of Christ! The Shepherd loves the sheep, and he just keeps on loving us! And he then washed their feet.

At the meal, as Jesus was eating with his disciples, Peter assured Jesus that he would stay with the Savior through thick and thin. Nope. Jesus told Peter about his upcoming denial, and yet, Jesus continued to love Peter. How certain is Jesus’ love toward his disciples, toward us, even when we do not love him as we should! Furthermore, Jesus teaches his disciples: “This is my command: Love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this, that someone would lay down his life for his friends” (15:12,13). Jesus has laid down his life for us, demonstrating his great love for us! And we are to love in the same manner.

O the deep, deep love of Jesus,

vast, unmeasured, boundless, free,

rolling as a mighty ocean

in its fullness over me.

Underneath me, all around me,

is the current of Thy love;

leading onward, leading homeward

to Thy glorious rest above. -- S. Trevor Francis (1902)