[2026. 6. 28.] He Loved Them to the End (John 13:1–17)
Sermon by Rev. Jinkook (Danny) Sohn (Hope of Heaven Baptist Chuch)
2026. 6. 28. 주일예배 설교- 요한복음 강해 37
본문: 요한복음 13:1-17
제목: 끝까지 사랑하시니라
설교자: 손진국 목사 (하늘소망교회)
John 13 describes the night before Jesus carried the cross—the final evening He spent with His disciples. In that urgent moment, Jesus did not perform miracles, preach long sermons, or issue many commands. Instead, Jesus did something astonishing: He washed His disciples’ feet. This act reveals the nature of Jesus’ love.
Verse 1 says: [Verse 1] It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. Jesus loved His own “to the end.” Today, through this passage, may we once again understand the love Jesus has for us.
1. The love of Jesus does not change with circumstances or people
Jesus knew exactly what time it was. [Verse 1] It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. Jesus knew the cross was before Him. He knew the time of His death was near.
Jesus also knew who was sitting around Him. [Verse 2] The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. Before Him sat Judas, who would betray Him. Also present was Peter, who would deny Him three times. And the rest of the disciples would soon abandon Him and flee. Jesus knew all of this.
Yet even in the face of His impending death, and even before those who would betray, deny, and abandon Him, Jesus’ love did not change.
The phrase “to the end” means a love that does not change even when circumstances change, even when people change, even when betrayal comes, even when suffering arrives. It is a love that continues without stopping.
We often say we love someone, but when circumstances change or when someone’s words or actions change, our love also changes. When situations become difficult, our attitude toward others shifts. We become irritated, angry, or even harsh. When things do not go our way, anger rises within us and spills onto others.
When someone ignores us, betrays us, insults us, or frustrates us, we stop responding with love and instead fight with words or strength.
When asked why, people often say, “I want to love, but because of this situation, because of what they did, how can I not be angry? They made me this way.”
In other words: “It’s because of you.” “It’s because of the situation.”
But Jesus, even as He faced death, even as He sat before those who would betray, deny, and abandon Him, loved them without change.
This is the “to the end” love of Jesus.
And who are these disciples? They are us. When life is good, we follow Jesus. But when things go wrong, when our plans fail, we stop acknowledging Jesus’ lordship. We act according to our emotions, thoughts, knowledge, and experience—just like the disciples sitting at the table.
Yet remember: even in our faithlessness, even in our self-centeredness, God loves us. And how does He love us? “To the end.”
We are people who receive the “to the end” love of Jesus. May we remember this and rise again today.
Turn to the person next to you and say: “Even so, Jesus loves you to the very end.”
[Application] Is there someone I feel I cannot love right now? When my situation becomes difficult or unfair, do I continue loving, or do I stop?
2. The love of Jesus is a serving love from the lowest place
[Verses 4–5] so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
Jesus stood up during the final meal, removed His outer garment, wrapped a towel around His waist, poured water into a basin, and washed the disciples’ feet. Removing the outer garment and tying a towel around the waist was the clothing of a servant. Among servants, the lowest servant washed the feet of the master when he entered the house.
Jesus took the lowest position and washed His disciples’ feet as though serving them like a master.
The disciples were shocked. Peter refused at first: [Verse 8] “No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.”Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”This shows that Jesus’ act of washing was not mere kindness—it symbolized relationship, salvation, and the identity of a disciple. Unless Jesus washes us, we have no part with Him. What washes us? Our sins must be washed by the blood of Jesus. Only then are we forgiven, saved, made children of God, and become disciples.
Hearing this, Peter said: [Verse 9] “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!”
Jesus replied: [Verse 10] Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.”
He says that a person who has already bathed only needs to wash his feet. When you go out and then return home each day, you only need to wash the feet that have become dirty; there is no need to wash the whole body. Then did the Jews actually take full-body baths? Today, water is plentiful and we have good shower facilities, so after exercising we can immediately wash our bodies. But what about the Jews in Jesus’ time? In the region of Palestine, water was scarce, so bathing was not easy. However, because of religious purification rituals, the Jews had to wash their bodies regularly. Especially before going up to the temple to offer sacrifices during the festivals, after a woman’s menstrual period ended, after marital relations, after contact with a corpse or something unclean, after being healed of leprosy, and for devout Jews or priests, on the day before the Sabbath began, they would perform a full-body immersion in water.
So were there bathhouses? Yes. There were purification baths called “mikvah” (photo). There were also Roman-style public bathhouses (photo), and wealthy households built and used luxurious private baths (photo). In particular, for pilgrims coming to offer sacrifices at the temple, there were large public mikvahs (photo) around the Jerusalem temple.
Here, being clean through bathing means believing in Jesus and receiving forgiveness of sins, and washing the feet means repenting and receiving forgiveness for the sins we commit daily even after having received forgiveness.
But Jesus tells the disciples that although they are people who have bathed and are clean, not all of them are. What does this mean? It means that among them there is someone who does not believe in Jesus. Jesus is referring to Judas Iscariot. This appears in verse 11.
[Verse 11] For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.
Jesus intentionally lowered Himself to the lowest position to show His love. Though He appeared as a servant washing feet, the true reality was that He was giving His life as the sacrificial Lamb for His disciples, for me, and for all humanity.
True love goes down to the lowest place to serve. But often when we serve, we think, “They should appreciate what I’ve done.” This is not serving from a low place—it is serving from a high place while wanting recognition.
Beloved saints, may we remember that the love of Jesus is a love that goes to the lowest place to serve.
[Application] Do I try to serve while still sitting in a “high place”? What is the lowest place of service Jesus is calling me to today?
3. Jesus commands us to follow His love and service exactly
The disciples were confused when Jesus washed their feet. Jesus was their Teacher and Lord—why would He do this? Jesus explained: [Verse 13] You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am.
Jesus affirms His identity. Then He says: [Verse 14] Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet.
Jesus shows that He is not like earthly teachers or masters. In the world, teachers and masters are served. But the true Teacher and true Lord serve others.
[Verse 15] I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.
Jesus demonstrated what the position of Teacher and Lord truly is—not to be served, but to serve. Any high position or role God gives is not for ruling or receiving service but for loving, serving, and sacrificing.
[Verse 16] Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.
Who is the servant? The disciples. Who is the master? Jesus. If the Master served from the lowest place, the servants must do the same.
Who, then, are the one who is sent and the one who sends? Jesus is the One who was sent by God the Father, and therefore He goes to the lowest place—the cross—according to the will of the One who sent Him. And the disciples are those who have been sent into the world by Jesus. Therefore, because the One who sends—the Lord Jesus—goes to the lowest place to serve, this is the word teaching that those who are sent, the disciples, must do the same.
Jesus is teaching that serving is not optional—it is the identity of a disciple. The identity of a believer is to serve: to serve one another in the community, to serve neighbors, to serve the world.
[Matthew 20:28] just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.
We are disciples of such a Jesus. Our identity is to serve.
We are preparing for a garage sale in August. What is the purpose? Not to make profit for the church, though that is not wrong. The purpose is to serve one another and serve our neighbors—to show this community that the church, the body of Christ, is here as an ark of salvation and to lead them to the way of salvation.
Finally, Jesus says: [Verse 17] Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.
Blessing comes not from knowing but from doing. Serving is not words—it is action. And when we act, Jesus promises blessing.
What is the greatest blessing in life? Meeting Jesus. Do you want to meet Jesus daily?
Francis of Assisi (photo), one of the most respected figures in church history, left a wealthy life and went down to the lowest places to serve the poor. He lived among lepers, washed their feet, kissed their wounds, and cared for them. He said: “When I went down to the lowest place, I met Christ there.” — The Little Flowers of St. Francis, 14th century
He met Christ when he obeyed Jesus’ words and served in the lowest place. This is the blessing of serving.
May every believer here follow the Lord’s will, serve from the lowest place, and receive the blessing Jesus promised.
[Application] Is serving visible in my daily actions? When I examine my life, am I one who serves or one who expects to be served? Whose “feet” must I wash today?
하늘소망교회(담임 손진국 목사)는 뉴질랜드 오클랜드 북부 실버데일에 세워진 한인교회로 '하나님의 마음으로 사람을 살리는 교회'입니다.
Hope of Heaven Baptist Church (Senior Pastor: Rev. Jinkook Sohn) is a Korean church established in Silverdale, Auckland, New Zealand. It is a church that saves people with the heart of God.