KNOWING GOD – THE GOD OF LOVE || Lesson 4 

KNOWING GOD – THE GOD OF LOVE

[With Reference to the Events Concerning Jesus’ “Passion,” note how Jesus’ love is amazingly displayed throughout and therefore ‘stand in awe of God, the Most High.’]

Lesson Four

AT THE COENACULUM, name of traditional place of the Last Supper.

Text:  (NIV) Matthew 26:17-35 (Mark 14:12-31; Luke 22:7-38; John 13 & 14)

Events Relating to the Coenaculum (Cont’d):

Institution of Washing of Feet – John 13:1-17.  Part Two:

John 13:3-4 – ³Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; ⁴so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist.

Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power – Previous declaration:  Matthew 11:27 – “All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.

On that basis, He had extended the glorious offer of Matthew 11:28-30 – ²⁸“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  ²⁹Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  ³⁰For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

John the Baptist had been aware of that truth – John 3:35 – The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands.

Application (Re the power of believers):  John 14:12-14 – ¹²I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.  ¹³And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father.  ¹⁴You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.

And that he had come from God and was returning to God – Jesus was confident that He had fulfilled His mission: Hebrews 10:5-7 – ⁵Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said: “Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; ⁶with burnt offerings and sin offerings you were not pleased.  ⁷Then I said, `Here I am–it is written about me in the scroll–I have come to do your will, O God.'”

John verified the fulfillment of Jesus’ mission – John 1:14 – The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.  We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Application (Re being confident): 1 John 2:28–3:3 – ²⁸And now, dear children, continue in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming.

²⁹If you know that he is righteous, you know that everyone who does what is right has been born of him.

^3:1How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.  ²Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.  ³Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure.

John 13:5-8 – ⁵After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

⁶He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”

⁷Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”

⁸“No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.”

Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”

Compare: Matthew 3:13-15 (AMP) – 13Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John to be baptized by him.

14 But John protested strenuously, having in mind to prevent Him, saying, It is I who have need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?

15 But Jesus replied to him, Permit it just now; for this is the fitting way for [both of] us to fulfill all righteousness [that is, to perform completely whatever is right]. Then he permitted Him.

Matthew 16:22-23 – ²²Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!”

²³Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.”

Note how Jesus triumphed over these instances of subtle temptation to go against the will of His Father.

Application:  A part of our daily prayer should be Psalm 25:4-5 – ⁴Show me your ways, O LORD, teach me your paths; ⁵guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.

Let us also ask the Lord to help us to be sensitive to suggestions which are against His will and to reject such, thus obeying Ephesians 5:17 – Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.

In the case of Peter, note how he was prone to repeat his mistakes; and let us ask the Lord to help us to “throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles.” (Hebrews 12:1)