The Gospel of John 32 - Prepared for Glory - John 13:18-38,

[Music] as we come to John chapter 13 we come to this important night in the life of Jesus and His disciples for that matter the other dispels described it is something we call the Last Supper John doesn't detail how Jesus celebrated with the cup and the bread with the disciples but he does walk us through some very specific and important things that Jesus had to tell his disciples on that night so if you would draw your minds back to that place to a Upper Room somewhere in Jerusalem where Jesus has gathered around a table that's kind of you shaped with his disciples and gathered around that table there's Jesus and twelve others and they're celebrating a Passover meal it has sign of a formal feel to it like it might at one of your Thanksgiving dinners and as they're they're gathered around the table Jesus explains things that they need to know before he leaves this particular earth now he had just washed their feet he had just demonstrated humble service to them now he wants to connect with them and seek to prepare them for what's to come take a look here starting at verse 18 I do not speak concerning all of you I know whom I have chosen but that the scripture may be fulfilled he who eats bread with me has lifted up his heel against me now I tell you before it comes that when it does come to pass you may believe that I am he most assuredly I say to you he who receives whomever I send receives me and he who receives me receives him who sent me Jesus looks around the table at these twelve other men and he says I know who I'm chosen I know you men you know mystery to me I know what's going on but please listen to me tonight a scripture will be fulfilled he's quoting psalm 41 verse nine in which David the psalmist said this even my own familiar friend in whom I have trusted who ate my bread has lifted up his heel against me my own friend a man sitting at my own table with whom I shared bread with that man is gonna kick me in an unexpected and violent way Jesus is gonna declare it a little more plainly in the next few verses but they got the message right here they got the message that's someone sitting at that table was going to betray Jesus there was a traitor in the room there was someone who was playing both sides there was a double agent there was a spy amongst them that's what he meant by the reference to psalm 41 verse 9 where David described a similar situation that he went through in his own life now in verse 20 Jesus said something that I think it's just a little throwaway line not that it wasn't unimportant but it doesn't get really to his main point but he's telling them if you notice in verse 20 he says he who receives whomever I said receives me and he who receives me receives him who sent me he's saying I've still got sending to do hey mister traitor at my table mister double agent eating my bread you're not gonna win I've still got sending to do I'm gonna send you out this isn't the end it's not over by a long shot but now notice what he says at verse 21 when Jesus had said these things he was troubled in spirit and testified and said most assuredly I say to you one of you will betray me then disciples looked at one another perplexed about whom he spoke now there was leaning on Jesus bosom one of his disciples whom Jesus loved Simon Peter therefore motion to him and asked of who it was that he spoke then leaning back on Jesus's breast he said to him Lord who is it jesus answered it is he to whom I shall give a piece of bread when I have dipped it and having dipped the bread he gave it to Judas Iscariot the son of Simon Jesus is there at the dinner and at verse 21 he says in much more plain language that which he had just referred to before by quoting the scriptures he says very plainly someone at this table will betray me there is a traitor at our table and verse 22 tells us that the disciples were perplexed just what are you talking about Jesus we know each other we've lived with one another for three years we know all of our weird and disgusting habits there's nothing hidden in a group of men that lived together for 12 years we know each other we get it if there was a traitor on Mitch he would have flunked out of this group a long time ago Jesus no we are with you until the end they were perplexed by the statement of Jesus man fact they were so perplexed that they wondered Jesus do you mean betraying you by accident do you mean something in advertent the Gospel of Matthew chapter 26 tells us that every one of the disciples looked at Jesus and said Lord is it I do you mean I do mean me am I the one who's about to betray you and that tells us two very important things number one it tells us that Judas oh did I just spoil that the Judas was the trouble I hadn't told you that Judas is the guy Judas was not detected in his traitorous work at all in other words the disciples did not immediately look at Jesus Judas and point em good that's the guy I knew it sneaky Judas look he has that name Judas everybody knows Judas is the bad guy nobody said that nobody thought it they were perplexed and asked themselves is it I the other thing is this I want you to notice that there's something very good in the hearts of the disciples when they say that is it I friends I hope that some of that same goodness that the disciples showed at that moment I hope that some of it's in you I certainly hope that some of it's in me and what do I mean by that friends when we read the Bible and it describes sin that God has to deal with do you ask is it I Lord when you hear the preacher talking about something that God needs to correct in our lives do you ask God is it I Lord or is it like oh I'm so glad that my wife is here to hear this one you know you kind of get in that little rib poke you know that you do there in church or are you thinking the person who's not here oh man if only they were here man it was just this is what they need to hear and isn't it funny how we can assign that to everybody else instead of asking the question that I need to ask is it I I said it before but I don't mind saying it again because I I wonder if I I think I can't say this too much in front of you there is an automatic tendency I understand it but it's not it's not good it's not right but there's an automatic tendency for you to think that I am more holy than I am because I stand on a platform and talk to you about the Bible and I think what maybe he doesn't struggle with sin you know maybe maybe idolatry is never a problem for him maybe it may be lust is is very far from a holy man like that friends don't delude yourselves every one of us me included when it comes time to examine our lives we need to ask a question that the disciples asked Lord is it I now they went around in each ask that question but Simon Peter wanted to know more look at verse 23 Simon Peter therefore motion to him to ask of who it was that he spoke Peter couldn't discreetly ask Jesus so he asked John and who did he ask look at their verse 23 now there was leaning on John's bosom one of his disciples whom Jesus loved so which one is that there's 12 men around a table and one of them Jesus loves which one is it well you know he loved all of them did me but isn't that interesting when John and I'll just say I don't have time to get into it here but when John says the disciples whom Jesus loved he means himself he mentions it four times in his gospel he means himself he mentions it here he mentions at the cross he mentions it in when Jesus rose from the dead on the day of resurrection and he mentions it at the Sea of Galilee after Jesus rose from the dead four times in his gospel he refers to himself as the one whom Jesus loved the friends there is something so wonderful about that that when John thinks about himself and identifies himself how does he describe himself hi hi I'm the one whom Jesus loved I I introduced myself to the Apostle John I'm sure it's gonna happen like this way in heaven hi who are you I'm John well I'm David that's great you know yeah I was a preacher in Santa Barbara and then said because who are you I'm John the Apostle I'm the one who Jesus loved now part of you wants to take John hug his shoulder say dear Dear John don't you understand that he loved a lot of people yeah whatever I know he loved me that's how I identify myself look up I'm no expert on the current culture or society or anything but I'll tell you something I observe it may or may not be accurate taken for what it's worth I observe that one of the biggest issues in the broader culture today is everybody's screaming out with the question would you please tell me who I Who am I what's my identity I don't know am i hetero sex or am i homosexual am i old or am i young am i a man or a woman that didn't used to be really a very much of a relevant question did it people ask that they really want to know it's all focus and identity we identify ourselves by the things we like the places we go the products we like here in Santa Barbara at my French press person my handle bar person which is it we we have this way what's my identity ladies Jenna let me tell you something Jesus Christ has a message for this generation for this culture he has a message for today and it's this start by finding your identity in my love every one of us should be able to say we should have it deep in our heart first and foremost you want to know who I am I'm the one who Jesus loves I'm like the Apostle John and again submit what don't you understand he loves a lot of I know but he loves me that is the foundation for Who I am and I'm not saying that's the only thing about me or the only thing about me that's important but I'm saying that's where it begins I'll tell you if it doesn't begin there no wonder there's so much identity confusion no wonder there's so many people who can't figure out who they are John knew who he was he knew how to find his identity in the love of Jesus that's where it begins and I tell you God wants that for you and that's the answer for our culture today as well they're continuing on in verse 25 it says that John was leaning back on Jesus's breasts and he asked him a question he say this is the weirdest dinner party I ever heard of what are they doing here friends notices they didn't sit at tables like we sat at tables they sat around a table known as a triclinium as we've discussed before it's like a low coffee table and they would use low couches or cushions and sort of lay their body up to the table they would lean down on their right thing arm and come over and eat the the food with the right hand and again they didn't eat every meal like this was sort of like formal meals fancy meals you know sort of special occasion meals they would get together and eat in just this way now if you're all kind of laying down in this way if you wanted to talk somebody and say something personal you could just lean back and have a conversation that no one else could hear that's exactly what Jesus and John did they had their own little conversation now it's little how tough to piece it together only from the Gospel of John but when you put the all the gospels together we understand one thing we understand that most likely Jesus was in the place of the host at the dinner Judas was on one side in the place of honor and John was on the other side in the place of second honor I found a little diagram from that in a commentary that's what's up on the wall right now I have no idea how that commentator knew where everybody else was sitting but that's beside the point he seemed very confident about it don't you think I mean he could tell you that there's Matthew second from the right he knows right there he is but in any regard understand this Jesus is in the position of the host Judas is in the position of favor John is in the second position of favor the second position of honor and what a thing this is on the one side you have John the Divine on the other side you have Judas the devil on the one side you have John the seer of the book of Revelation on the other side you have Judas the son of perdition and Friends that's how it is all throughout the Gospel of John all throughout the Gospel of John Jesus is this man of great love that this man who brings new life but he's also the man who divides you're on one side of him or the other you either say I want to be on the side of Jesus's favor on John the Apostle side or I'm going to be on the side of Judas the one who betrayed him now because Judas was right next to Jesus it says there in verse 26 he answered John's question it is he to whom I shall give a piece of bread when I have dipped it Jesus says John here's the clue the man to whom I give a piece of bread after I've dipped it that's the one that's what you need to understand this was not just something Jesus casually did this was a sign during the meal of special love and favor you know it would be like in our culture it'd be like a toast you know it's sort of a formal meal somebody else said I'd like to toast so and so at our meal thank you for being here we love you so much and everybody toasts them it was a way during the meal to show special esteem and honor to a guest and how did he do it Jesus took a piece of bread he just tore off a little corner of bread he went into the common you know little bowl or dish where they had all the meat and gravy and all the good stuff and he just dipped in a nice healthy piece there and he gave it to Judas and when Judas took it it was Jesus's way of telling him I love you I favor you they had to make eye contact when they did that can you imagine the look in jesus's eyes as he looks at judas full of love full of compassion and can you imagine the look in Judas's eyes as he looks back upon the Savior whom he will shortly betray look at it here starting at verse 27 now after the piece of bread Satan entered him then jesus said to him what you do do quickly but no one at the table knew for what reason he said this to him for some thought because Jesus does moneybox that jesus said to him by those things that we need for the fees or that he should give something to the poor and having received a piece of bread he went out immediately and it was night Jesus gives Judas the piece of bread my friends he understand what this is this is the last chance Judas I know I know what you're about to do as a matter of fact in the Gospel of Matthew chapter 26 it says that as each one of the disciples went around and asked is it I Lord is it I that when Judas said to Jesus is it I and Jesus must have replied so quietly that nobody else could say Jesus must have said it very softly to Judas and that judas alone could hear it but jesus said to judas he said you have said it i know you're the one Judas but I love you when Jesus washed the disciples feet just before this I think that it might have been the pinnacle of Jesus showing love to his friends that anybody ever saw look at how he loves his friends friends this is the pinnacle of Jesus showing love to his enemies that anybody ever saw and those displays of love are only going to be exceeded by what Jesus is gonna show at the cross very shortly Judas here's the bread but I love you and then what does it say there in verse 27 Satan entered him friends this is frightening I'll be straight up with it's frightening do you think Judas knew that Satan entered him do you think Judas held out a big sign Satan come in know as happens almost all the time when the devil does his work he does it hidden did you know that the devil does his most dangerous work undercover he does it maybe at certain times at certain places the devil likes to make a big show he likes to frighten people actually throughout the Exorcist kind of stuff look every once in a while the devil will do that but more so he likes to work undercover in the midst of people so they don't even know what's going on I don't think math actually I don't think Judas knew at that moment that the devil entered into him but he did friends we need to be on guard always against the hidden work of the devil but at that moment Jesus knew there was no turning back he told Judas what you do do quickly because Jesus knew that the die was cast there was no going back he appealed to Judas he appealed to Judas in two ways he appealed it Judas saying listen I know you Judas I know you're very darkest things but then secondly he said I love you here is my goodness to you here's the sign of my love in favor he took it and with the bread still in his mouth he left to go betray Jesus friends do you see what's going on here don't be like Judas Jesus looks at every one of us here this morning and he says I know you I know your very darkest things Jesus knows the things about me that I would be absolutely humiliated if anybody else knew and he knows the same things about you he knows those things and yet he still loves me he still holds out his hand to me and to you and he says here is my salvation at the cross here it is I've come to rescue I've come to bring joy and goodness and happiness to your life here I am for you and for somebody say alright Jesus I'll take that bread view but forget it I don't want anything to do with you I'm gonna go betray you don't be like Judas met a pretty simple lesson to draw from this when Jesus tells you that he knows you but still loves you when Jesus makes a wonderful display of his left you receive it and surrender to it but Judas didn't he went out immediately now let me say one more thing about Judas before we get into the next verse Judas shows us something very significant he shows us that we need more than an example and we need more than good teaching what do I mean by that look don't you agree that Judas had the best example anybody's ever had he lived with Jesus for three years those who Jesus is pretty much the best example anybody could ever have he saw it right up front the best example for three years he had it day and night with Jesus it wasn't enough for Judas wouldn't you also agree that Judas had the best Bible teaching that anybody ever had man to hear Jesus teach the Bible it'd be the most amazing thing ever it wasn't enough friends you can have a great example you can hear good teaching from the Bible but without a fundamental surrender of your life to Jesus Christ without him working his new life in you and in me we have nothing we have nothing continuing on verse 31 so when he had gone out jesus said now the son of man is glorified and God is glorified in him if God is glorified in him God will also glorify him in himself and glorify him immediately now that I don't think and I can't prove this but I don't think that Jesus attitude was well good we got the skunk out of the room now God can be glorified that wasn't the feeling no it's like now that Judas has gone out to collect the soldiers to come and arrest me now it's all set in motion now there's no turning back he's gonna get the troops from the temple guard they're gonna meet us in the Garden of Gethsemane I'm gonna be arrested I'm gonna be tried I'm gonna be beaten I'm gonna be condemned I'm gonna go to the cross I'm gonna be buried I'm gonna raised from the dead and the work cannot be stopped now it's all set in motion now the son of man is what let me read to you verse 31 again now Ian's gone out jesus said now the son of man is humiliated at the cross did he say that what did he say now the Son of Man is glorified what Jesus do you Jesus this is not the Mount of Transfiguration you're not going to be lifted up with Moses and Elijah and shine as radiant in the Sun geez I think you're mixing up events in your life they're gonna take you to a cross and they're gonna spit in your face and they're gonna put you on that cross with cruel railroad spikes through your you're gonna hang on that cross in agony and your worst enemies are gonna mock you and laugh at you on the cross and Jesus I know I'm gonna be glorified how could he ever call it such a thing because friends the cross perfectly made known the Heart of Jesus and the heart of G's so full of love so full of sacrifice so full of giving that that for Jesus to be known is to be glorified if it makes known my heart of love for the world that's glory and the love of Jesus is going to be revealed in a brand new way at the cross brand new therefore God will be glorified by the work that happens at the cross and then he says in verse 33 little children I shall be with you a little while longer you'll seek me and as I said to the Jews where I'm going you cannot come so I say to you I'm just with you a little while longer I'm going away I think about it and I use the illustration that Jesus set off two bombs at the dinner metaphorically speaking he rolled a couple hand grenades there in the midst of the table the first hand grenade was okay all around this table one of you is gonna be a betray me one of yous a traitor that's pretty big thing to say at dinner I've never had a Thanksgiving dinner work out just like that have you the other hand grenade that Jesus rolled in the midst of there is described right there in verse 33 Jesus tells them very plainly I'm out of here I'm gone you guys are gonna have to carry on beyond without me because I'm leaving in a sense what the disciples heard was we are abandoning you that's not what Jesus said but that's what they heard I'm abandoning you disciples I'm leaving Jesus we're not done with our discipleship yet Jesus you haven't been installed in your kingdom yet Jesus so much yet to be done Jesus what's going on hey I'm leaving and Jesus spends the rest of John chapter 14 15 16 and even in his prayer in 17 explaining to the implications of his departure and preparing them for it the first thing he wants to do is give them a new commandment look at it here verse 34 he says a new commandment I give to you that you love one another as I have loved you that you also love one another by this all will know that you are my disciples if you have love for one another men I'm leaving you I'm going away you guys will carry on the work please understand this number one on the list top of the list first and priority love one another your disciples like to fight a lot didn't they they held together because Jesus was in their midst what was gonna happen when Jesus left she say I'll tell you what's gonna happen I'm gonna give you new hearts and you guys are going to need to love one another matter of fact he says notice at verse 34 love one another as I have loved you the command to love wasn't new but the extent of love was friends the Bible tells us to love our neighbor as ourselves jesus said that in the Old Testament tells us that but you know what Jesus said said forget about loving your neighbor as yourself you should love one another as I loved you Jesus loved me more than I ever loved myself Jesus gave us a new example a new extent of love the friends I know about you but I look at that ago how can I possibly do that how can I possibly love someone else the way that Jesus loves me I'll tell you how we can do it because Jesus lives in us do you understand that we can only love as Jesus loved as Jesus lives within us if he lives within us then we can love as he loved I've got good news for you ready for this the best Christian who ever lived now wouldn't you agree that Jesus Christ is the best Christian who ever lived the best Christian who ever lived lives inside of you if you're born again by God's Spirit that's true if Jesus has given you new life that new life is patterned after the Son of God Jesus lives within you and he can love in and through you so you really can love other people with the same heart of sacrifice and devotion that Jesus loved us and the price for doing that is pretty high because look at verse 35 he said by this all will know that you are disciples do you understand what Jesus meant by that Jesus gave a measuring stick to the whole world hey everybody you can see whether or not they are really my disciples by whether or not they love one another gulp really Jesus Jesus you measure me by that the world can measure me like that we should measure one another like that the display for whether or not we really love one another excuse me whether or not we are really his disciples is found in whether or not we love one another as I say that I wonder if in a few of you across this room instantly has come to mind somebody a brother or sister and gods family and you really do not like them you uh you don't love them it's just as soon as I said it flash you might them I don't know them you know who that them the picture is very securing about them what about them listen I I'm just gonna get right to the point and tell you what to do with them ready start praying for them start praying for them if you pray for someone especially another brother or sister in Jesus Christ God will turn your heart to truly love them I believe it I've experienced it I've had times in my life where I've had a very difficult time loving somebody maybe I felt I was justified it's funny as the year goes on I feel less and less justified but that's always strange how that is but I felt entirely justified at the time in not loving them and being against them and I don't remember if this is something I read somewhere I remember something somebody said to me but I just came upon it you know what I need to do I need to start praying for them and I'll tell you how I started praying for them I've started praying for them Lord get them well I'm praying for him aren't I but at least I was bringing that person before God and if I brought that person before God God starts working on my heart and before long I'm actually praying nice prayers for them and before long after that my heart is changing after that friends we need to love one another that's not the only way to do it but that's a way that's extremely important now let's just finish up here starting at verse 36 Simon Peter said him Lord where are you going jesus answered him where I am going you cannot follow me now but you shall follow me afterward Peter said Oh Lord why can I not follow you now I will lay down my life for your sake jesus answered him will you lay down your life for my sake most assuredly I say to you the rooster shall not crow till you have denied me three times oh there's Peter can't stand the idea that Jesus going somewhere and he can't follow Jesus I'll follow you anywhere I'll follow you no Peter you can't really follow me anywhere you will later what Jesus meant by that you'll follow me to death later but not now no no cheese you don't know how much I love you you don't know how devoted I am to Jesus I'll follow you anywhere what does Jesus said Jesus said I'm Peter before daylight the next day you're gonna deny me three times you're gonna deny me you know it's funny about Peter when Peter said no way I'll never deny you don't you think Peter meant it I do here's a problem he meant it at the moment but he didn't appreciate his own weakness this is how it works Peter could never die for Jesus until Jesus first died for him and that's how it is for you and I isn't it friends we can never lay down our lives for anyone else Jesus or his people until we receive the life that Jesus laid down for us I make no apology for it God has called every one of us to live lives of sacrificial service to his people into a needy world in Jesus name do you believe that I believe it I believe that God wants to use you and I to make a difference among his people and in this world there is thing there is there are things for us to do let me tell you where it all begins it begins with receiving the life that he laid down for us we need it every day we need to come back to it again and again and then we go out and say okay Lord use us to make a great big difference in this world father that's my prayer Lord we we believe it that Peter meant it when he said that he would lay down his life for you the Lord it just couldn't happen until you did it first so Jesus we look to you we look to your great work on the cross for us and we simply say Jesus thank you for loving us this way Jesus we surrender our lives to you and we ask you to fill us with your spirit we needed Jesus we must have it we must have the Spirit of the Living God ruling and reigning within us so do [Music] and a father I just pray especially for anybody here to this morning they're having a lot of trouble loving as they should show your mercy and guide them Lord fill them with the spirit of Jesus and love through them do it Lord we pray in Jesus precious amen [Music] you

Channel: David Guzik

Views: 1,742

Rating: 5 out of 5

Keywords: gospel of john, john 13, new covenant, jesus, jesus christ, glory, glory of the cross

Id: wzZ5-8G39K8

Length: 36min 11sec (2171 seconds)

Published: Wed May 06 2020