Love in Betrayal

We will continue in the Gospel of John and specifically in chapter 13.

Before we begin I have some questions I want you to consider

Think about the meanest thing someone has every done to you. I don’t want you to say it, just think about it.

Without telling us what it was or who it was:

How did that make you feel?

How did you feel towards that person moving forward?

Were things the same between you and them?

As we move back into our story which is taking place in the upper room, I want you to keep thinking about those questions as we work through our text tonight.

What did Paul talk about the last time we met?

What was Jesus doing in the upper room? He was washing their feet.

Who would want to wash peoples feet? Especially during that time, it was gross and nobody chose to do that for fun. It was typically reserved for servants and the lowest of the lows.

As we were reminded Jesus humbled himself to that of a servant and washed each of the disciples feet—each and every one of them which was very significant.

Look at verse 18

John 13:18–19 ESV

18 I am not speaking of all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But the Scripture will be fulfilled, ‘He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.’ 19 I am telling you this now, before it takes place, that when it does take place you may believe that I am he.

Remember in the Gospel of John, Jesus has been constantly fighting against this idea that the Messiah is still to come.

He is trying to get them to understand that everything the Old Testament had prophesied about is coming true. He also is trying to get them to understand that He is the Messiah.

In verse 18 Jesus reminds them yet again of another truth that was told of many years ago.

Psalm 41:9 ESV

9 Even my close friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted his heel against me.

Here we see David, who in so many ways is a parallel to the live of Jesus, was betrayed by a very close friend. Someone he let his guard down with, someone whom he loved, and they betrayed him.

Jesus too would be betrayed by a close friend, by one he put so much trust in.

But before we get to that look at verse 19

John 13:19 ESV

19 I am telling you this now, before it takes place, that when it does take place you may believe that I am he.

Like I said Jesus was trying to get them to understand He is the messiah. He sits down with his closest friends, he looks them in the eyes and says listen, things are about to happen. I need you to understand the whole point of everything we have gone through together is so that you know that I am the one you have been waiting for—I AM HE.

John 13:21–22 ESV

21 After saying these things, Jesus was troubled in his spirit, and testified, “Truly, truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” 22 The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom he spoke.

This term troubled implies horror or agitation—this great weight is on Jesus shoulders as He knows what is coming.

This is the same language used in John 11 when it came to Lazarus’ grave

John 11:33 ESV

33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled.

John 12:27 ESV

27 “Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour.

This is great emotion—a mix of sadness, unrest, a burden of grief.

Jesus undoubtedly was overwhelmed emotionally with what was coming. But I think he was also troubled because up to the very last point he is trying to save Judas. Jesus lifts up his voice and tells the disciples one of them is going to betray him. This isnt the first time he has said things like this but they don’t believe him or they don’t understand.

What is fasnicating is that Jesus is hours away from his arrest, mock trial and death, and his focus is not on himself but for Judas.

John 13:23–25 ESV

23 One of his disciples, whom Jesus loved, was reclining at table at Jesus’ side, 24 so Simon Peter motioned to him to ask Jesus of whom he was speaking. 25 So that disciple, leaning back against Jesus, said to him, “Lord, who is it?”

The disciples all go into defense mode—its not me, it can’t be me, is it him?

They are seated around this table and to Jesus left was Judas, seated at the place of honor, and John was to his right. Simon Peter motions to John to ask him who it was and so John leans in and asks, “Who is it?”

John 13:26–30 ESV

26 Jesus answered, “It is he to whom I will give this morsel of bread when I have dipped it.” So when he had dipped the morsel, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. 27 Then after he had taken the morsel, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, “What you are going to do, do quickly.” 28 Now no one at the table knew why he said this to him. 29 Some thought that, because Judas had the moneybag, Jesus was telling him, “Buy what we need for the feast,” or that he should give something to the poor. 30 So, after receiving the morsel of bread, he immediately went out. And it was night.

We have all met a Judas. Not the Judas, only one person ever betrayed Jesus like Judas did this night. But we have met someone like Judas. Perhaps it is even one of us. He certainly dressed the part, acted the part, lived the part. He was the most prestigous of the disciples. They trusted him so much they gave him the money. There clearly was not even a hint of suspicion among the group, for as Jesus said this they didn’t turn and look at any one. Sometimes when a leader says something is holding us back or someone isn’t pulling their weight, everyone looks around and knows who they are talking about.

But they have no idea to the point they are all questioning who it could be.

Judas was the pastor, the deacon, the usher, counter, youth leader, worship leader, door greeter. He had all the right lines, he knew the right answers, he knew the words to say, the things to do. He was trusted and like by many. He was respected, maybe even followed.

And here Jesus answers—the one who betrays me is the one I give the bread to.

This seems pretty simple, watch this, whoever I give this too is the one. He gives it to Judas and they still don’t understand! Maybe they didn’t hear him, maybe they didn’t believe it.

Matthew records another angle of the story.

Matthew 26:25 ESV

25 Judas, who would betray him, answered, “Is it I, Rabbi?” He said to him, “You have said so.”

Wait, its me? Jesus, come on, you don’t mean that? Jesus says, you said it!

Jesus then says, what you need to do, go do it quickly.

The disciples were still confused—they thought Jesus was asking him to go buy things. No! He is the one that will betray.

Judas leaves.

I want us to consider a big part of this story.

You may hear, or you already have heard, don’t be a Judas. Good life advice—don’t be a Judas. At some point you are going to find a Judas, someone who you trust deeply and they hurt you greatly. Don’t be that person.

But I believe that, that application doesn’t do this passage justice. Taking that away from this story is good, but not actually the point of this story.

Consider Jesus’ response. Jesus clearly knows what is coming—he clearly knows who is going to do what.

But notice what he does. Jesus could have very easily not washed his feet—he has been dropping hints all night that someone was going to betray him, he could have just skipped over, symbolically showing that Judas wasn’t of the same tribe as the rest of them.

Moving on, Jesus could have put Judas in the corner—sit away from me, your going to do this anyway, don’t waste my precious time.

Jesus could have told the disciples what Judas was going to do—had him restrained, locked up, even outcast.

But Jesus didn’t do any of that. Jesus knew the great pain and hurt Judas was going to bring him—and he washed his feet, he sat him in the place of honor, he kept it to himself as much as he could. Jesus showed Judas this great and unwavering, unconditional love all the way until the end.

Even after he outs him, he still doesn’t try and stop him, he doesn’t explain what Judas is going to do.

Jesus shows his heart and passion is to love him, for him to be saved, all the way until the end.

I close with what I started with.

Remember that person that hurt you so much. How you felt about them? How your attitude changed to them? How your relationship changed?

Is it worth it? Is that the right response? I didn’t say the easiest response or the response we want to do or others tell us to do. Is it the biblical response?