April 8, 2018
Evening Service

In the first part of chapter 13, we saw Jesus exemplify to us the attitude we are to have about each other.  He has commanded us to serve one another as He has served us.  This goes right along with the two commands that Jesus said fulfilled the whole Law and all the prophets.  We need to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, and mind and love our neighbor as ourselves.  There is no better way to love someone than to serve them.  I love as I study the scriptures the harmony that they have with one another.  As we study scriptures, sometimes as we read one passage it explains or affirms what another is saying.  That is how the Holy Spirit works through our Bible study.  After Jesus washed the disciples’ feet, He also hinted at that one among their group would betray Him.  He now reveals who that betrayer will be.

John 13:21-30  When Jesus had said this, He was troubled in spirit, and testified and said, “Truly, truly, I say to you that one of you shall betray Me.”  (22)  Then the disciples looked upon one another, wondering of whom He spoke.  (23)  But there was one of His disciples leaning upon Jesus' bosom, the one whom Jesus loved.  (24)  Simon Peter therefore signaled to him to ask whom it might be of whom He spoke.  (25)  And lying on Jesus' breast, he said to him, “Lord, who is it?”  (26)  Jesus answered, “It is he to whom I shall give the morsel when I have dipped it.” And dipping the morsel, He gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon.  (27)  And after the morsel, then Satan entered into him. Then Jesus said to him, “What you do, do quickly.”  (28)  But no one reclining knew for what reason He spoke this to him.  (29)  For some thought, because Judas had the moneybag, that Jesus had said to him, Buy what we have need of for the feast; or that he should give something to the poor.  (30)  He then, having received the morsel, went out immediately. And it was night.

·        Again we see John mention that Jesus “was troubled in the spirit.”  Though He is fully God, He is also fully man.  He is not free from the same anxiety that we struggle with as we face an overwhelming task.  He experienced all the emotions we have, thus making Him understanding of all the emotions we experience.

·        Judas, at this point, was not the obvious betrayer because he was trusted with the holding the moneybag.  This statement of a betrayer truly shocked the twelve.  Here at the table, Judas was on one side of Jesus and John on the other.  Peter prompted John to find out who it would be and Jesus revealed it by dipping a morsel and feeding it to Judas.  This act was a sign of friendship and honor.  At that point the devil fully entered Judas and he left quickly into the night (darkness).

·        Satan’s part in Judas’ betrayal does not remove him from the responsibility of his actions.  We can only speculate at what motivated him to betray His Teacher.  Perhaps he was disillusioned by all the talk of dying rather than conquering, or perhaps he hoped to force Jesus to use His power by placing Him in a tight situation, or even perhaps he just lacked the faith to believe that Jesus was the Messiah.  We will never really know.  Moody had a radio program that told the story of the Passion Week through Judas’ eyes that was very thought provoking.  Jesus now tries to explain what is about to happen after Judas leaves.

 

 

 

John 13:31-35  Then when he had left, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man is glorified, and God is glorified in him.  (32)  If God is glorified in Him, God shall also glorify Him in Himself, and shall immediately glorify Him.  (33)  Little children, I am with you yet a little while. You shall seek Me; and as I said to the Jews, Where I go, you cannot come, so I now say to you.  (34)  I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. As I have loved you, you should also love one another.  (35) By this all shall know that you are My disciples, if you have love toward one another.”

·        To be glorified means to build someone’s status or enhance one’s reputation.  This is referring to the future and His death, burial, resurrection, and ascension which establishes Jesus as the only Name by which anyone can be saved.  He is glorified to the status that He proclaims in the next chapter that “I am the way, the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through Me.”  (John 14:6)

·        As time draws short, Jesus again brings the main point He wants to make with them.  When something is repeated over and over we should quickly realize that it is important.  To love one another is not really a new commandment, because it is mentioned in the OT but, this is new because we are called not only to love but to love sacrificially as Jesus loved us.  Love others as Jesus love us; sounds simple but as you know it can get complicated.  This love becomes the primary mark of discipleship.  Our love for one another will identify us to the world.  Love is what should separate the church from the world.  “They shall know we are Christians by our love by our love; they shall know we are Christians by our love.”

·        How are you doing with that one?  Do you find it difficult to love others?  Read I Corinthians chapter 13 and evaluate how you are doing.  In John’s first letter, he made it very simple for us to understand.

1 John 4:19-21 We love Him because He first loved us.  (20)  If anyone says, I love God, and hates his brother, he is a liar. For if he does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?  (21)  And we have this commandment from Him, that he who loves God should love his brother also.

·          It is not an option to love one another, it is a command and a marker that proves we are a Jesus follower.  Think of how Jesus treated Judas and also asked God to forgive those who brutally beat and crucified Him.  We are to follow that example.

 

John 13:36-38 Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, where do You go?” Jesus answered him, “Where I go you cannot now follow Me, but you shall follow Me afterward.”  (37)  Peter said to Him, “Lord, why cannot I follow You now? I will lay down my life for Your sake.”  (38)  Jesus answered him, “Will you lay down your life for My sake? Truly, truly, I say to you, the cock shall not crow until you have denied Me three times.”

·        Peter honestly but also full of pride proclaims that he would follow Jesus anywhere even unto death.  Jesus famously prophesies that Peter will deny Him three times before morning comes.  We too must learn from the example of Peter, that we need not think ourselves above failure.  “Others may fall away, but not me,” is not a good attitude to have.  Paul told the Roman church this:

Romans 12:3  For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think. But set your mind to be right-minded, even as God has dealt to every man the measure of faith.

·        He also told the Corinthian church this warning:

 

 

 

1 Corinthians 10:12 So let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.

·        If Peter fell, how can we think we would be exempt form it?  On our journey with Christ, we must always be on guard against the extremes of over confidence and complacency.  Both areas give the devil an avenue to work with to cause us to fall away. 

·        Next week is one of the greatest promises Jesus gives us.  It gives us a hope for what the future holds for those who follow Jesus.

 

Heavenly Father, thank You for Your Word that warns us to continue to place You first in our lives.