Sacrificial Love

“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? You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.”

John 13:12-15

Our church’s vision statement is “to exalt Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. Therefore, in His power, while demonstrating His love, we will reach, teach and equip people to know, love and serve Him.” This all boils down to three words that we use to describe our church community: know, love and serve. When we say these three words, we are intending for us, our community, to be people who know God, who love Him and serve Him. But, what if we were people who recited these with the intention to go both ways? What I mean is, we are in a relationship with Jesus. So, it’s not just about what we do for Him, but it is actually more important what He will do and has done for us. Isn’t that what our salvation is all about? So yes, be people who know, love and serve God. But, let’s be people who are known by God, loved by God and served by God.

Peter, one of Jesus’ disciples, was being taught what it looks like to know, love and serve God. As a disciple, Peter was an apprentice, learning the ‘how to’ from Jesus while watching and interacting with him daily. In John 13, Jesus does something radical. He grabs a wash basin and towel, and, assuming the role and posture of a household servant, kneels down at each of his disciples’ feet and washes them clean. The disciples receive this act of love from Christ with gratitude and astonishment. Peter, however, makes a big stink, not wanting Jesus to wash his feet. Now, at face value, that seems like a noble gesture. After all, Peter isn’t worthy and he knows that! Jesus, however, rebukes him for his response. Why? Peter has learned – by watching Jesus – how to know, love and serve God, but he has failed to learn to be known by God, loved by God and served by God. He refused to let Jesus serve him and love on him in that moment. How are we supposed to love others like Jesus if we do not allow Him to love on us and experience that love in real time. This is not just a remembrance of Christ washing the feet of Peter, but a real time washing of OUR feet NOW.

We must be served by Christ, filled up by Him and His Spirit, and then we are able to go out and serve others like He did. What does it mean to let Jesus serve us like this? It looks like receiving and living into the ultimate gift of salvation given by Christ. It looks like coming before Him each day, reading His word and talking to Him with a posture to receive what He has for us that day – that moment. It means accepting the love that is shown through other people. God will use us to show His love to the world, but He will love on us through others as well. I think it’s also even more personal. God has ways to connect and serve each of us that will bless us in ways that are unique to us. Do you know how Jesus, our humble and loving God, serves you? Ask Him to reveal the ways that He serves you so that you can have a soft heart of gratitude and an understanding (beyond what Peter had!) to receive it.

When we spend time receiving goodness from Him – when we allow Him to know, love and serve us – then we can do for others just as He has done for us.

“If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just I have done to you.”

John 13:14-15

Jesus tells us to be served and loved by Him so that we can then go out and share that incredible love with the world. Jesus’ examples of loving others are this: Christ’s death on the cross (which is the greatest act of love and service) and then, the second greatest act, which is the way He served. I mean, those are no small ways of loving! This passage is one of the most powerful ways Jesus showed that service. What sets apart the love that we are often willing to give in the world from the love of our God? Sacrifice. The secret ingredient to loving like Christ is to love sacrificially. This is love that doesn’t care what it looks like to others, love that has no expectations and love that needs nothing in return but that can give freely of itself. This past week, I realized that I love . . . but not sacrificially. And love that is not sacrificial love is not God-love. You see, I have expectations, I care what I look like and I need a return. I realized while discerning about that this week that I struggle to love sacrificially because I love with expectations on people . . . not necessarily needing anything for myself (which, again, might sound noble), but I love and then I expect a change. I give my love and then, in return want Christians to take next steps in their relationship with Christ (obeying and loving Him) and for unbelievers to accept Jesus. And then, when they don’t, or they do something totally against God’s way, I step back for a time, and then try again. This has gone undetected in my heart for a while. It’s an unhealthy cycle of ‘love’ that I am asking God to help me break because God’s love isn’t cyclical like this . . . His love requires no response – no giving and taking. God loves without expectation.

Let me give this amazing example . . . Jesus knew Judas was going to betray Him (the scriptures say that!) and yet He still chose to wash his feet. I am sure that as Jesus knelt down and grabbed Judas’ feet, placing them in the basin of water, that He looked into Judas’ eyes and felt sorrow. Sorrow for the choices that he had made and that he was going to make. And at the same time, Jesus not only felt love but sacrificially acted it out towards Judas’ by cleaning him. Jesus had zero expectations for Judas. He didn’t even expect that His love would change him, in fact He knew that it wouldn’t. He just loved because that’s who He is. Incredible! I am so grateful to serve a God who loves like this.

The world will know we are Christians by our love. When we share true, “God love” with others, that should naturally draw people in. Discern if you are loving with expectations. My recent conviction was very subtle. So, if I didn’t check my heart regarding that then I wouldn’t have noticed . . . because I am loving . . . just not sacrificially. And if not sacrificially then not like Jesus. Spend some time today receiving the love and service of God in your life. Let Him in to know you. And then, you will be able to share the sacrificial love of God with those around you.

Written by: Justine Joy