For Christ's Love Compels Us

We will quickly move through verses 20-30 for today, but will have time to circle back once we are in chapter 18. For now, we will simply walk through the text until we get to our central text, verse 30-38.

(5 Minutes) Walking through the betrayal:

John 13:21 “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.””

Jesus is again “troubled”. This is so significant that the disciples notice it. This is an awkward, embarrassing moment. They didn’t see it coming. One moment Jesus is speaking about His hour coming, then washing their feet, and then betrayal.

John 13:22 “22 The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom he spoke.”

Reference Matthew 26:22 “22 And they were very sorrowful and began to say to him one after another, “Is it I, Lord?””

Matthew 26:25 “25 Judas, who would betray him, answered, “Is it I, Rabbi?” He said to him, “You have said so.””

John 13:23–25 “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?””

Explain the “beloved disciple” is likely John the Gospel writer. John is so close that he is leaning on his friend, Jesus. Peter asks Jesus, through John who is closer. The favored side is likely

Davinci’s Last Supper actually portrays the group of them- Peter, John and Judas all grouped together.

John 13:26 “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.”

This morsel was sometimes a communal bowl. In a Passover seder, a bitter herb was sometimes dipped into the haroset - a puree of dates, raisins and wine.

John 13:27 “27 Then after he had taken the morsel, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, “What you are going to do, do quickly.””

Tachion is used elsewhere- where this may mean “do more quickly than you planned”. That is- if you are going to betray me, just get it over with.

John 13:28–30 “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.”

1. The Measure of our Love

John 13:31 ESV

31 When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him.

Transition-

Why does Jesus send out Judas so quickly? Because this next part is just for His true disciples.

Augustine: “When the traitor departed, the Lord began to speak to those who were His own.” (Tractates on John 63.1)

This part of scripture- John 13:31-14:31 is traditionally called the farewell discourse. The idea is that these are the last things Jesus says to His disciples before they begin heading toward the garden of gethsemane where Jesus is ultimately betrayed.

John 14:31 “31 but I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father. Rise, let us go from here.”

There is no indication in the text whether they actually go up to leave in when Jesus says “Rise, let us go from here”. After all, in chapters 15-17, Jesus is still talking to them. For most of Christian history, scholars supposed that those talks happened while they were walking from the upper room to the garden. We can just imagine them, walking down the stairs from the upper room. They pass the crawling vines and Jesus tells them He is the true vine. Then they look up the road toward the garden where He would be betrayed, and as they walk, He is warning them of how the world will hate them, too. Perhaps they pass a synagogue as He tells them they will be pulled out of said synagogues.

We are not sure, but these next four chapters are Jesus’ talk with just his own closest, now 11 apostles.

F.F. Bruce: “Now that Judas has gone out, Jesus can unburden His heart to the men who truly love Him.” (The Gospel of John, p. 291)

John 13:31–35 ESV

31 When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him. 32 If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and glorify him at once. 33 Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You will seek me, and just as I said to the Jews, so now I also say to you, ‘Where I am going you cannot come.’

Sharing Glory: As we read verse 32- we notice this mutual glorification theme. Never before in scripture does anyone say, if you glorify me, you are glorifying God. Isaiah 42:8 “8 I am the Lord; that is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to carved idols.” Abraham never says- glorify me. Neither does Moses, or Samuel, or David or Elijah. But for Jesus- it is the same thing.

Little children: this is the only time in all four gospels. Jesus uses this phrase. Now that Judas is gone- it’s not friends or servants- its little children. This is fatherly, and pitiable. This phrase is used little children, especially small or helpless ones. It’s tender. I look at my daughter Vivian who is almost three and our family calls her our “baby”. She’s super tall for a two year old, but compared to us, she is the baby. This is the kind of fatherly and dependent tone. Jesus isn’t saying to them “you’re the man of the house now”. He is telling the little ones, “I’ll be back soon”.

Where I am going you cannot come: When Jesus says this to the Jewish leadership (the Jews in John’s Gospel), He says so as a warning. Now though- He turns the phrase. Jesus is going to the Cross to die and resurrect. They can’t do this with Him, He will go alone. If you could imagine- the disciples will soon see Judas come up and mark Jesus for betrayal and the guards will take Him away. Maybe as they talk that night amongst themselves about rescuing Him, they remembered this phrase.

John 13:31–35 ESV

34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Deuteronomy 6:4–5 — the Shema:

“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.”

Leviticus 19:18 — from the holiness code:

“You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.”

Those two verses form the basis of Jesus’ statement:

“On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 22:40, ESV)

BLANK “The church is the company of those who love one another, not because they find one another naturally lovable, but because they have been loved by Christ.” — J. I. Packer, Knowing God, ch. 20

2 Corinthians 5:14–16

[14] For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; [15] and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised. [16] From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. (ESV)

We live in a very equitable society with respect for all persons, at least on a surface level. But in the ancient world that was anything but true!

Tertullian, an early church writer, a regular layperson lived in Carthage, in North Africa close to modern day Tunisia. He lived in a time, around 200 A.D. when Christianity was spreading to his region and amazing everyone. See, every religion has stories of miracles and gods. Christianity, in that broad sense, was just like the other religions.

What was so different was the social aspect. What made Christianity so appealing to those in false religion wasn’t at first their apologetics. No- like Jesus says John 13:35 “35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.””

“The assembly that met around the table of Jesus was the world’s first multiethnic, socially diverse, gender-inclusive movement, united by a single confession — that Jesus was Lord.” (Paul: A Biography, ch. 12)

Tertullian’s city, Carthage was a center of roman law, education and trade. There were pagan temples to Greek Gods like Saturn, old semitic gods like Baal Hammon, and new gods like the Roman Jupiter and Mars. Worse than idolatry- these romans worked off hierarchy. Everyone had their place in society and had to stay there. Rich, poor, slave, free, citizen or barbarian. But, down the street at tertullians church, there was what was called a table fellowship.

Among the Christians in Carthage, all those divisions were gone! Slaves were administering the Lord’s Supper. Wealthy houses were caring for poor orphans. Tertullian wrote each month they would take up a voluntary offering. He says “they are not.… spent on feasts and drinking-bouts, but to support and bury poor people, to supply the wants of boys and girls destitute of means and parents and of old persons confined now to the house.”

Tertullian is famous for having written a letter in an attempt to convince the Roman government that Christians were no threat. Here is what the reports of his neighbors said “see how they love one another, and how they are ready to die for each other!”.

What won so many romans to Christianity wasn’t our good debate strategy or church growth strategies- it was their love toward one another.

To be clear- you don’t need to compare loving neighbor and loving the church. If anyone looks at this and thinks “see, Christians only like each other”. No. The command is to love your neighbor “as yourself”. That’s natural love. Think about how you baby your own self. If you’re hungry, you feed yourself. If you’re tired, you lay yourself down. If you’re stressed out, you give yourself the day off. Everyone is already fantastic at loving themselves. That is the kind of love neighbors need.

But- Christian love is even more extreme than that. So much so that it is the sign that we are His disciples. That’s our mark! What tells the world you’re a Christian is not a fish on your car or a cross on your neck. It’s not either our self control or our religious fervor that mark us. It’s not even miracles since false disciples can apparently cast out demons and do miracles in Jesus’ name and not be known by Him. No. Strangely, our Lord says John 13:35 “35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.””

2. The Means of our Love

John 13:36–38 ESV

36 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus answered him, “Where I am going you cannot follow me now, but you will follow afterward.” 37 Peter said to him, “Lord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” 38 Jesus answered, “Will you lay down your life for me? Truly, truly, I say to you, the rooster will not crow till you have denied me three times.

In light of Jesus, ancient of days, calling these men “little children”, this statement from Peter should pitiable. Haven’t you figured it out Peter?

Love for children and love for friends is a different thing. I have three best friends- Herbert, Spenser and Stewart. I love them with all my heart and would die for them. But, I would die for my children sooner. There is no competition, and I know they would do the same. I’ve known them for longer- but there is still no contest. So it is with neighbors and the chu

I play with them a lot. We like to wrestling, or play video games, or ride scooters. In the middle of this fun, I look at my watch and tell them I have to go. I could tell them in the morning I have to leave tonight, then with them for 12 hours a day, but when I say “dad has to go” they look up and say “why”? And yeah, it breaks your heart.

So, Peter, an apostles likely in his early 20s, looks over to his friend, the God who existed before time began- before we had numbers to count those years- and says “Lord, where are you going”? It is pitiful.

Jesus, like any Father or Father figure, turns to Peter and says “I won’t be gone for long. In fact, soon you’ll come with me.”

Peter’s response is heartening. He says “why not? I would die for you, Lord.”

Now Jesus’ response is not a condemnation. But, He tells Peter that Peter will end up denying Him three times.

The question is: why?

Why not give a platitude here? With children we usually do, don’t we? My son tells me he never wants to move out. But yeah, one day he will be a man and he will. But my promise stands “you are always welcome in my home”.

See, regarding love and devotion Peter could have said anything. He could have said “I’ll sell everything” or “I’ll devote my whole life to you”. But, his mistake is to say “I’ll lay down my life for you”.

Because no, Peter won’t. And neither will you. Peter’s heart is right- but he goes too far without knowing it.

Peter doesn’t lay down his life for Jesus. No as nice as it sounds, in the Kingdom of Heaven, that is treason. No, Jesus lays down His life for us.

Say you’ll serve Jesus however you like, but Peter has in his politeness offended Jesus. No, Peter- you aren’t here to save Jesus. He is here to save you.

When Peter says, “I will lay down my life for You” (v. 37), the Greek phrase mirrors what Jesus has just said in 10:11 — “The good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.” Peter might not realize, but he’s borrowing the Jesus’ line.

But, no Jesus’ words aren’t just a rebuke of Peter. Instead, they are a useful way to teach and correct all the apostles present.

Here is Jesus’ teaching- you must love one another like I have loved you. Then, Peter says- I love you so much I will die for you.

BLANK: [Peter’s Failures] were his gateway to his need for grace; and his need for grace was his gateway to Jesus. - J.D. Greear

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2 Corinthians 5:14–15 “14 For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; 15 and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.”

We might have missed this earlier. It isn’t that Christ is such a good example that we might as well do as He does.

Verse 14 is SUPERNATURAL! The Love of Christ CONTROLS or COMPELS us. That is- Jesus who DWELLS in me loves others.

Love one another as I have loved you is IMPOSSIBLE without who? Jesus.

Jesus doesn’t die on the cross as a challenge to Christians to perform. No. Remember Jesus is ALIVE and IN YOU. His are not the lessons of a dead teacher or dead philosopher. Why? Because He isn’t dead.

One of the worst biblical mistakes you can make is to think of Him in the past tense. He is living, and in you.

John 17:23

[23] I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me. (ESV)

Peter, no you can’t die for Jesus because He dies for you. Peter, no you can’t hype yourself up to love the world like Jesus. No, because He has to do that through you.

The love we (the church) ought to share isn’t like that in your book club. Your love for those stems from your closeness and affinity for them.

IF you love the church, that love is a symptom of Jesus living in you. It is unnatural for your flesh to love people from every tribe, nation, tongue, class, race and gender.

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