Christ’s Persevering Love

Rev. C. Vogelaar, Covell Avenue, Grand Rapids, MI

The days of commemoration of the Lord Jesus’ suffering, death, resurrection, and ascension, but also of the fulfillment of His promise that He would send another Comforter, are again approaching. What are the fruits of these facts of salvation in our lives? Do we see something of the marvelous love toward enemies, rebels, and also to an unfaithful, wandering people after having received grace? The Apostle John may testify of it, “... Having loved His own which were in the world, He loved them unto the end.”

Incomprehensible is such a love for such people! Who are the objects of His love? We see them sitting there at the supper. Highly privileged people are present in this upper room. The room has been prepared; the Passover lamb is there, having been roasted with fire. No bone of it was broken. Unleavened bread, wine, and a plate of bitter herbs are also there. There is a towel along with a basin of water for the washing of feet. Nothing is missing, and that is no wonder, for the Lord Jesus is the Host, and all things are ready.

There is, however, a conflict among the disciples, a dispute as to which of them is the greatest. They are sitting at the table with unwashed feet. How painful this is for the Lord Jesus. With what desire had He desired to eat this Passover with them, but nobody washed Jesus’ feet. Is this the reward for the three years of instruction and for this Passover which He as the Host offers to them?

“Peter, you have confessed Me as the Son of God. Do you allow your Master to sit here with unwashed feet? James and John, you who wanted to sit at My left and at My right hand, will you not serve me here? Thomas, you said you would die with Christ, and you refuse to wash His feet? Nathaniel, did you forget the fig tree from where the Lord called you?”

Yet, He loved them. He loved His own people. He testified in the High Priestly prayer, “Thine they were, and Thou gavest them Me” (John 17:6b). They are given Him out of the world. There is no difference to be found in them, for they also belonged to that fallen race of rebels and enemies in Adam. They are not of the world anymore even as He is not of the world; therefore, the world hates them. Yet, they are sent out into the world, and Christ prays that they should be kept and preserved from evil in this world. They are the objects of his love. They are his own: 1) by the electing love of the Father; 2) by Christ’s own redemptive rights, for He paid the price; He bought them—“Christ also loved the Church and gave Himself for it”; and 3) by the effectual call of the Holy Spirit, making them new creatures.

High and great privileges were given not only to the disciples but unto all God’s children. There was no worthiness in them; it was only the good pleasure of the Lord. Christ departed out of this world unto the Father, having loved His own which were in the world, but He loved them also unto the end. Herein we see the extent of His love. He loves them unto the end of their earthly pilgrimage. Their way leads through a valley of tears. It is a path of cross-bearing, strife, loneliness, and affliction, but he will show unto them, “I will never leave you, nor forsake you.”

He loved them unto the greatest extent of their need and of His grace. He knew how foolish and unfaithful they would be, that all would forsake Him, that Peter would deny Him, and that Thomas would doubt Him. He loves us unto the end of our miserable failures, our wanderings and back-slidings, our unworthiness, and our deep need. He loved them unto the end of His bitter suffering. He loved them while He suffered the full punishment of sin, enduring the wrath of God in Gethsemane as a worm and no man and on Golgotha where He descended into hell. He was in darkness, being forsaken of God. “He loved them unto the end,” and He could say, “It is finished.”

“He loved them unto the end” until He had reached the goal, the purpose of His coming on earth, for this is what the original word also means. The subjects of His love had become “missers” of the mark, of the goal. Instead of glorifying God, serving and worshipping Him, they became slaves of Satan and of sin. Their only desire by nature was to please and promote self and to live according to the desires of the flesh. Christ “is come to seek and to save that which is lost.” He arrived at His goal; therefore, He could testify, “It is finished”; the goal was reached.

“Missers” of the mark will again be restored into the blessed fellowship with God and will serve and glorify Him. There shall be a people that will show forth His praise. Christ loved them by laying down His life for His sheep. He loved them in spite of their unfaithfulness, in spite of their foolishness and ignorance. Oh, people of God, do we not have reason to admire His gracious, undeserved mercy? Hear what He says, “I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with loving-kindness have I drawn thee” (Jeremiah 31:3).

Christ loved them after His resurrection, also, in the state of His exaltation. How did He reveal that love? At the time of His resurrection He turned His hand upon the little ones, and He visited His scattered sheep. Christ also loved them after He had received the place at the right hand of His Father in glory. There He reveals His love in teaching and guiding His often wandering sheep. He is the heavenly Advocate for them, the Great Intercessor in the heavenly sanctuary. He delivers, reigns, protects, and preserves them. They “are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time” (1 Peter 1:5).

Oh, blessed privileged people whose God is the Lord and who are made an object of the extent of this love! For this love is higher than the highest mountains of guilt and impossibilities. It is deeper than any depth into which they can ever fall or have fallen, for Christ stooped down so deeply to pick up His jewels from the bottom of hell. This love is as wide as the ocean: “Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:39).

This is not a love of words only but a love revealed in deeds and in actions. We can see this also in the examples which He displayed in the upper room. It was an example of the powerful testimony of what He is and what He does for His sheep. The apostle describes this in verses 4 and 5 of John 13. There we see seven actions of the Savior, actions which are testimonies and evidences of His self-denying, self-sacrificing love:

1. He riseth from supper, the place of fellowship, harmony, rest, and peace. Did not Christ also leave the place of harmony, peace, glory, and fellowship of the Father to seek those wretched runaways who had chosen the service of Satan, sin, and the world?

People of God, do not grieve this loving Servant of the Father by your careless, slothful, worldly walk. Seek to live close to Him, following Him in the way which He, in His love and wisdom, has appointed for you. Hope on Him, “For the man will not be in rest, until he have finished the thing this day” (Ruth 3:18b).

2. He laid aside His garments. Christ came upon earth, “made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant,” and concealed His divine glory behind the veil of His human nature.

3. He took a towel. He was fully equipped and qualified to do the work He had undertaken to perform that as the Servant of His Father.

4. He girded Himself. He was a willing Servant who did not hesitate to go the way of His deep humiliation. He did not yield to the enemy; neither did He flee when they came to the Garden of Gethsemane, but He said, “If therefore ye seek Me, let these go their way.” He is the willing Servant of whom we read in Psalm 40: “Mine ears hast Thou opened ...Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me.”

5. He poured water into a basin. With that water He would wash the feet of those who were unwilling to do it themselves. Christ shed His blood, which cleanseth from all sins, upon this earth. The prophet says in Isaiah 53:12, “Because He hath poured out His soul unto death.” He gave Himself for the Church “... even as Christ also loved the Church ... that He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word” (Ephesians 5:25&26).

6. He began to wash the disciples’ feet. Not only did He pour the water into the basin, but He also applied it unto the filthy feet of His followers. Christ, the Mediator, shed and also by His Spirit applies His blood unto the hearts of His people. They need to be wholly washed in that blood. They also need daily cleansing in it. We cannot wash our own feet; we are totally incompetent to save our soul or to cleanse our defiled walk.

7. He wiped them with the towel wherewith He was girded; thereby, He completed the work which He had begun. He did not leave His work unfinished or half done. As a perfect Servant He not only washed the disciples’ feet but He wiped them as well. If, by faith, the Church of God may see something of this complete work, they will sing, “He will finish perfectly what He for me has undertaken.” They are not able to finish the work which He began, but Paul by faith said in Philippians 1:6, “Being confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.”

“He loved them unto the end”; that means until His ultimate goal is accomplished when the Bridegroom is united with His bride and the Father with His children. Then there will be one flock under one Shepherd. Therefore, because He loves them unto the end, he is—also after His resurrection and ascension—still active in His place of heavenly glory to the profit of His Church. From there “He pours out heavenly graces upon His members, and by His power He defends and preserves us against all enemies.”

Do we know something of this everlasting love? Do we need such a ministering Servant? We read in this same chapter of one who had been so close to Him, who had even preached in His name, but “went immediately out: and it was night.” Oh, how terrible it will be to have neglected so great salvation! It will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah and for Tyre and Sidon than for those who heard His Word but repented not. May the Lord open our blind eyes before it is too late. May our enmity be broken by His love and mercy.

People of God, do not grieve this loving Servant of the Father by your careless, slothful, worldly walk. Seek to live close to Him, following Him in the way which He, in His love and wisdom, has appointed for you. Hope on Him, “For the man will not be in rest, until he have finished the thing this day” (Ruth 3:18b).

Therefore, at the end of your pilgrimage, He will bring you where He is. Then you will not defile your feet anymore, nor will you need to be washed daily, but then He will use the towel for another purpose—not to wipe your feet but to wipe away all tears from your eyes. Then there will be no more sin, no more death, neither sorrow nor crying; neither shall there be any pain. To be with Him is far better; then you may give unto Him who alone is worthy all the honor and praise for what He has done and given.

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