The gospel of John tends to look at Jesus' story a bit differently than the other gospels. John presents Jesus as God Incarnate, (tabernacling) dwelling among mankind. His purpose is best stated by him in chaper 20 verses 30 & 31 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. 31 But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.

            Matthew shows Jesus' relation to the Old Testament and acts a bridge between the testaments. It emphasizes being able to tell the difference between false prophets and believers, and faithfulness to Jesus.

            Mark has a direct and fast moving style that takes us strait to the central theme: Jesus' death and resurrection and presents Jesus as the Christ of God and as the Son of God.

            Luke is the only gospel written by a gentile to gentiles. He wants things set in a logical and orderly progression for the non-jewish reader.

            Our Gospel lesson today begins on  what seems to be a strange note. We don't see any details of the initiating of the Eucharist, the Last Supper. Instead, we see Jesus in our passage beginning with, “Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in Him. What in the world does he mean by that statement? Let's take a look at the immediate events leading up to this statement by Jesus so that we might understand what Jesus is cryptically telling his disciples and us.

            Arrangements for the passover have been miraculously provided, just as Jesus had told his disciples. It seems that it was easy for His disciples, and just as easy for us today, to forget that Jesus was God incarnate, fully God and fully Human, as stated in the Nicene Creed

“We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father,”

and therefore He knows our every thought.

            Jesus had given a couple of His disciples the job of arranging the accommodations for the passover that they would soon celebrate together. He sent them into town, that is Jerusalem, where they saw a man with a pitcher of water, just as Jesus had told them. They follow the water jug man to a house where they are introduced to the master of the house.  After being introduced they tell the man exactly what Jesus had told them to say, that the Teacher would like to eat the passover there in his house, and with His disciple. The man readily agrees, and so things are set. Jesus' emissaries  want to check out the place and are taken to a large upper room, furnished and ready for guests. Everything is in place.

            It is the first day of Unleavened Bread which is the beginning day of passover. This is when the passover lamb is slain. We find Jesus in this second floor room with his disciples on what we now call Holy or Maundy Thursday evening. Jesus has expressed His love and humility as a leader by serving his followers in the washing of their feet. Of course, and as expected, Peter gives Jesus a hard time and is put in his place. In my mind, it is interesting to note that Jesus washes everyone's feet, even the feet of the one that he knows will, in a few moments, betray Him. In the previous chapter we see Jesus saying in John 12:47  I do not judge anyone who hears my words and does not keep them, for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world.

            How often do we judge others even without knowing what their actions or thoughts may be in the next moment. Jesus continues to teach them John 13:14  So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. John 13:15  For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you. John 13:16  Very truly, I tell you, servants are not greater than their master, nor are messengers greater than the one who sent them. Jesus has certainly set a prime example for them to follow.

            As we noted earlier, we do not see Jesus initiating the last supper as in the other gospels.  Instead we see Jesus and his followers seemingly enjoying a relaxed meal, reclining, talking, and eating together. The important issue that Jesus will tell them about will come toward the conclusion of their shared meal.

            Jesus is about to reveal to the disciples that one of them is going to betray Him, just as it is written in the scriptures so that all things will be fulfilled Matthew 5:18 For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter of or stroke not one jot or tittle, these are the smallest of strokes in the written Hebrew language, tiny accent marks, shall pass from the law, or overlooked until it is all accomplished. Psalm 41:9  Even my bosom friend in whom I trusted, who ate of my bread, has lifted the heel against me.

            Jesus is asked "Lord, who is it?" John 13:26  He answers, "It is the one to whom I give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish." So when he had dipped the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas son of Simon Iscariot. John 13:27  After he received the piece of bread, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, "Do quickly what you are going to do."

            With the betrayer Judas revealed he quickly leaves the room, but none of the disciples seem to be aware of what had just been said. The disciples hadn't even paid enough attention to what Jesus had been saying to them, or doing to be aware of what was going on. They were too busy thinking about themselves, is it me? And then they were caught up in contemplating who should be considered greatest among them. They just thought, perhaps, that Judas, being the treasurer of the group, had been sent by Jesus on some errand.

            Almost as soon as the Judas leaves the room Jesus' tone seems to shift. He begins  speaking more definitively, or at least more openly and specifically, about what is going to happen to him. First, he says, “Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in Him.” Jesus knows that God the Father has turned everything over into His hands for the redemption of the world. It's as if Jesus' glorification is the code word for his Crucifixion; and this act of betrayal by Judas has started the final countdown in fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy and His fast approaching crucifixion to redeem the world.

            Jesus, knowing that His human demise is close at hand, talks to the disciples as if He were a dieing human parent, remember He is fully human and fully God. Little children, he addresses them tenderly, I am with you only a little longer. You will look for me; and as I said to the Jews so now I say to you, 'Where I am going, you cannot come.'

            He wants to give them the same sort of direction that a dieing parent might give to his children, so that they can help and support one another. He gives them a new commandment in verse 34:  that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. Didn't Jesus just give an example in His washing their feet. That no one should think of themselves more highly than they ought to. That a servant is not greater than his master, and the one that is sent is no greater than the one who did the sending. That He is not only their Lord, but their Brother also.

            In effect what he wants them to consider in loving one another: is to love each other as brothers born into the same family, children of the same Father, and fellow disciples with each other. He wants them to keep together and agree together, and to pray for each other. He wants them to help one another by sharing their burdens, forgiving one another, encouraging one another, and building up one another in faith and holiness. He is asking us to be totally and utterly devoted to one another in unconditional love. This is what He wants for his disciples and for us, His followers. This is how he wants us to act and live in His absence. This commandment is made more richly clear in the next chapter of John verse 23  Jesus answered him, "Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with or in them.

            The love that Jesus asks us to share is one that flows from the oneness that we should hope to achieve in HIM as we have just seen in the John 14:23 “and we will come to them and make our home with them.” Is the WE the Holy Spirit, the Comforter that Jesus promises; I think so. John 4:24 says, God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth." So we should worship Him with our spirit, the essence of who we are.

            It should be our hope as Christians that the abiding love of God can flow from us, and when it does, let it be the true essence of God's love, His unconditional love; one that if we are called upon we can, with God's help, express in its highest form.  As stated in John 15:13  No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends. Soldiers are called to be ready to do this every day in combat. As followers of Jesus Christ, who would we be willing to die for? John 13:35 By this,  everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.