"just as I have loved you"

getting ready for sunday school tomorrow. we're going to talk about Christ washing the disciples feet, and the fact that as He was washing He already knew that they would all flee, Peter would deny Him and Judas would betray Him. Yet...He washed their feet anyway. He truly loved them "to the highest degree." (John 13:1)

I love Everybodyduck's lyrics. Here's one of their songs:

Hindsight
I remember when You kneeled to wash our feet that night
though I resisted, You explained it had to be
as an example of how we should serve each other
but as You gently cleansed my feet what did You see?

it seems like yesterday we all sat there together
and each word You said stirred fire in my soul
vowing i'd be Your most faithful man, come sun or stormy weather
but as You smiled at me then You must have known

chorus:
as You gently poured the water
You heard me say i never knew You
as You wiped away the dust
You saw me hide beneath the lie
as You anointed me with oil
you must have know i wouldn't stay
You washed my feet, so i could walk away

looking back i can't imagine how You did it
i could not have show such love if i had known
that this man whose feet i washed
would soon deny that he had known me
still You humbly served Your servant,
now that love cuts to the bone

because i promised that i never would deny You
i said that i would rather die than curse Your name
and all along You loved me though You knew
they were shallow empty words
and now each time my feet are washed,
it just reminds me of my shame

(chorus)

how could You love me?
why did You love me?

now for the first time
i can finally see things clearly
You gave love and asked for nothing in return
so now I pledge my life to loving others
just like You loved me
oh how the memories of that night
You washed my feet have set me free

(chorus)
--

Jesus had told Peter that he wouldn't understand what He was doing until later (John 13:7). And in John 13:34-35 Jesus said "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. By this all people will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."

Wow. That's tough. To love "just as [Christ] loved [us]"?! ...Jesus showed love to all the disciples even though He knew they would all scatter (Matthew 26:31). Jesus showed love to Peter when He knew Peter would deny Him (Matt. 26:33-35). He showed love to Judas even when He knew he would betray Him for the price of a slave! (cf. Matt 26:14-16 and Exodus 21:32)

It's hard to love that way. But that's what Christ has called us to. (But, take heart! He also gives us the strength we need: Phil. 2:12-13 and Eph. 3:20-21.)