A New Motivation

Jn 13:31-35: A new motivation

Story: When Napoleon Bonaparte was exiled on St. Helena, he was asked by one of his friends,

'Who was the greatest warrior the world has ever known?"

Without hesitation, Napoleon answered, "Jesus Christ.'

"But" said his friend, "you have not always talked that way. When you were winning battles, even up to the very time of Waterloo, you left the impression that you were the world's greatest warrior."

Napoleon replied:

"Yes, I have always acted as though I was the world's greatest conqueror.

I have had lots of time to think since I have been here on this island.

The Caesars, Alexander the Great, Hannibal, Charlemagne and myself have fought with blood and tears and swords of iron, and we lost.

All of us lost.

We lost our sceptres, our crowns and our offices.

The only sword Christ had was a broken reed: His crown, some twisted thorn: His army, a band of fishermen and farmers.

His ammunition a heart of redeeming love.

He lives, and I and my kind die.

I stand here and call for the Old Guard to come, but they do not hear me.

There are no responding voices.

My old soldiers do not hear me.

I hear nothing but the waves as they bite at the rock beneath my feet.

But after 2000 years have gone into the tomb of time, Christ calls and men answer.

If needs be, they give their bodies to be burned:

If needs be, they follow Him into the heart to Africa; but better still, they live patient and triumphant lives in His name.

Yes, the other warriors and I will ride down to dust, but Christ will live forever.

So what is it that makes Christ the greatest warrior?

I would suggest as Napoleon put it “His ammunition a heart of redeeming love. “

Or put another way Jesus’ words from our Gospel reading:

35 By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."

But what does love REALLY mean?

Story: The Liberal Prime Minister, William Gladstone, in announcing the death of Princess Alice on 14th December 1878 to the House of Commons, told this touching story.

The little daughter of the Princess was seriously ill with diphtheria.

And so the doctors told the Princess not to kiss her because by kissing her she would endanger her own life by breathing in the child’s breath.

Once when the child was struggling to breathe, the mother, forgetting herself entirely, took the little one into her arms to keep her from choking to death.

Rasping and struggling for her life, the child said, "Momma, kiss me!"

Without thinking of herself, Princess Alice tenderly kissed her daughter.

And as a result she contracted diphtheria herself and died some days.

Real love forgets self.

Real love knows no danger.

Real love doesn’t count the cost.

The Bible says,

"Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it. (Song of Solomon 8:7)"

Introduction

In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus gave his followers ONE very specific instruction on how to demonstrate their Christian faith.

On the night of his betrayal, Jesus took on the role of a servant and washed his followers’ feet - something that was countercultural.

It was countercultural because that was the job traditionally of the lowliest servant in the house.

It was so countercultural that, at first Peter refused to allow Jesus to wash his feet.

Yet Jesus told him that unless he agreed to allow Jesus to wash his feet he can have no part of Christ’s kingdom.

You see the point Jesus was making is that His Kingdom is not like any other Kingdom.

It is not a “dog eats dog” Kingdom.

It is a Kingdom of Love.

That is why Jesus said that he who wishes to be the greatest in the Kingdom of God must become the servant of all.

You might say God’s Kingdom is a Kingdom of Servanthood.

We are called to serve one another

And the Jesus went on to say these words – which are our Gospel reading this morning

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this will all people know that you are my followers, if you love one another” (John 13:34-36)

In other words – Jesus is interested in our motivation – love.

And he gave us the supreme example of this at Easter in AD29.

As St. Paul so succinctly summed the matter up:

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Rom 5:8)

Of course “Loving your neighbour” was not a new command in itself.

We read in Leviticus 19:18: “Love your neighbour as yourself.”