The Full Extent

The Full Extent
Words of Faith 1-12-17
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy © 2017
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
Faith Fellowship Church - Melbourne, FL
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John 13
[1] It was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love.

Chapter 13 begins John’s account of the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus. The mission of Jesus thus far had been to love His own in every aspect of His life. Now He would love His own in death.
We might ask, “Who are ‘His own’?” We can become entangled in the arguments regarding freewill and predestination but suffice it to say that Jesus’ love was not limited or incomplete. He loved all fully, even those who would not come to Him in faith. His love was not partial nor was it incomplete. The failure of some to come to Jesus is not a sign that His love was lacking. Yet, Jesus knew who was coming to Him. He knew those who were ‘His own’.
The phrase “full extent” is powerful. The words “eis telos” are translated “to the end” in the King James, but are best rendered “the full extent of his love” or “he loved them to the last”.
Whatever the rendering, we get the idea that John was struggling to even find words to describe the full expression of Jesus’ love in these nine chapters. Clearly John was overwhelmed by what he had witnessed and experienced in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. John recounts for us His humble service (13:1-17), His final teaching (13:18-17:26), and His death and resurrection (chaps. 18-21).
Here is a question: Have you experienced the full extent of His love? He has loved you fully. He has poured Himself out completely. He has loved you to the end. He did not hold back. The Lord cannot love you any more than He already has. Perhaps we can receive more of the love He has poured out but He cannot love us more. We can open ourselves more fully to the extent of His love.
Our study in the Word is an opportunity for such meditation, to ponder His service, reflect on His teaching and pause in wonder at His death and resurrection. This is what we shall do.

Lord, thank you for showing us the full extent of Your love. Thank you for revealing the depth of Your passion for us. Thank You for loving me to the end. O God, use Your love to transform my very being. In Jesus’ name.

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© Jeffrey D. Hoy 2002, 2017
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy - Faith Fellowship Church (EFCA)
2820 Business Center Blvd.
Melbourne, Florida 32940 (321)-259-7200
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
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The Words of Faith devotion is published five days a week by E-mail excluding Federal holidays. Please feel free to forward this devotion to a friend who might be blessed by this devotion. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is quoted from the New International Version (R) of The Holy Bible. Copyright (c) 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved. Words of Faith (c) 1997, 2010 Jeffrey D. Hoy. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to forward this copyrighted material or use portions of it with appropriate notation of the source for non-profit purposes.