When It Happens
Notes
Transcript
Songs:
God So Loved
Rest For Your Soul
The Way The Truth And The Life
“I do not speak of all of you. I know the ones I have chosen; but it is that the Scripture may be fulfilled, ‘He who eats My bread has lifted up his heel against Me.’ “From now on I am telling you before it comes to pass, so that when it does occur, you may believe that I am He.
When it happens...believe that I AM!
vs 1 - He loved them to the end.
vs 1 - He loved them to the end.
vs 10-11 - He who has bathed is completely clean and you are clean...
vs 10-11 - He who has bathed is completely clean and you are clean...
If you are clean you only need to wash your feet
But, not all of you are clean.
This is a reference to justification as being bathed and fully clean.
Sanctification as an ongoing need for confession and repentance.
vs 14-17 - The blessing of washing one another’s feet
vs 14-17 - The blessing of washing one another’s feet
The blessing of confession
Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.
This is how we serve one another as Jesus demonstrated through the washing of our feet.
We need to be continually cleansed of our sins.
Humility, compassion, mercy, grace, and gentleness are required.
You serve with humility knowing that you struggle with sin. Maybe not the same sin, but still sin.
You serve by listening with grace and compassion.
You serve by being merciful to the one who is being vulnerable.
You serve with grace praying for the person reminding them of the Gospel and the freedom we have through the truth we have received.
You serve with gentleness knowing from what Jesus has forgiven you.
This is one aspect of what it means to love one another.
“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.
You can only avoid this if you think you are greater than Jesus. vs. 16
Since Jesus did it, so are we to do it for one another.
vs 18 - I do not speak to all of you. Reiterating verse 10.
vs 18 - I do not speak to all of you. Reiterating verse 10.
Implied: Not all of you are entirely clean...
Maybe, just maybe, the foot washing ceremony was done primarily for the sake of Judas...
Judas, are you willing to confess your sin to us and thus become clean?
Nonetheless, these events are playing out so that Scripture may be fulfilled.
A Psalm of David is quoted - Psalm 41
Remember when a teacher quoted part of a text, the rest of it would come to mind.
In Psalm 41, David speaks of His enemies.
Subtle hint that someone from the group at this meal was going to betray Him.
To share a person’s bread was to pledge loyalty to the person.
To lift up one’s heel means to show contempt and violent opposition.
You can already sense a little confusion.
Wait, are you saying someone sitting at this table is your enemy?
vs 19 - So that when this does happen, you may believe that I AM.
vs 19 - So that when this does happen, you may believe that I AM.
“May believe” is in the aorist subjunctive and suggests a coming to full faith.
You will fully believe or your belief will be confirmed.
vs 21 - One of you will betray me.
vs 21 - One of you will betray me.
Now Jesus moves from metaphor to literal and thus straight forward.
Almost like, if you missed my metaphor, let me tell you straight up.
vs. 23-26 - there is a hint of the seating arrangement.
vs. 23-26 - there is a hint of the seating arrangement.
At that time they would eat reclining at a table propped on on their left arms and their feet going behind them.
That would put John directly in front of Jesus to his right, so he could tip his head back into Jesus’ chest, and Peter then in front of John.
This also seems to indicate that Judas was to the left of Jesus.
vs 26 - The man I dip the piece of bread and give it to is whom that warning was meant.
vs 26 - The man I dip the piece of bread and give it to is whom that warning was meant.
As if saying, “I have been trying to get Judas’ attention and give him a chance to change his course.”
But there is something else going on here.
A custom of this feast was that the most honored guest was given a token meal by the host, a bread spoon of sorts.
Unleavened bread like pita bread would be used to dip into something, like the Charoseth, and then the host would put it into the mouth of the honored guest.
This piece was known as a morsel.
So Jesus was signaling out Judas as the honored guest.
In addition, the seat to the left of the host was also the seat of honor.
Judas honored? Confused? So were they - vs 28-29
there was a Jewish custom as well that on the eve of the meal someone would do a kind deed or give to the needy.
They thought that’s what Jesus was having Judas do and that that was the honor given to Judas.
Judas honored Jesus by betraying him and selling him for 30 pieces of silver.
Remember from the beginning Jesus said He was going to love them to the end?
Jesus gives Judas every chance possible, including special chances all the way to the end for Judas.
Because in the very next verse...
vs 27 - After this Satan entered him.
vs 27 - After this Satan entered him.
In the moment that Jesus gave Judas the morsel was Judas’ final moment in the valley of decision.
vs. 2 - The devil had already put into the heart of Judas to betray Jesus.
Will you accept the honor Satan promises you will receive from the Jewish leaders by turning Jesus over to them?
Or, will you accept the honor of being a disciple of Jesus?
The morsel was the final ultimate showing of His love for Judas.
Judas, I sat you at the seat of honor, I washed your feet, I gave you the morsel of a distinguished guest.
I want to love you, I want to cleanse you, I want to honor you, I want you to be a part of my family.
But also, knowing what I know about this moment, Psalm 41 will be fulfilled.
The Lord will protect him and keep him alive, And he shall be called blessed upon the earth; And do not give him over to the desire of his enemies.
My enemies speak evil against me, “When will he die, and his name perish?” And when he comes to see me, he speaks falsehood; His heart gathers wickedness to itself; When he goes outside, he tells it. All who hate me whisper together against me; Against me they devise my hurt, saying, “A wicked thing is poured out upon him, That when he lies down, he will not rise up again.” Even my close friend in whom I trusted, Who ate my bread, Has lifted up his heel against me.
And yet, I will practice what I preach, and when it all comes to pass you will believe that I AM!
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ “But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
Jesus was loving Judas to the end.
Judas rejects the offer and Satan enters him sealing his fate.
Therefore, Jesus says, I’m sure in great heaviness of heart and as a statement of finality, “What you are about to do, go and do quickly.”
vs 30 - Judas leaves - interesting that John mentions it was night.
vs 30 - Judas leaves - interesting that John mentions it was night.
The reader would have already known that by the context.
Darkness and light are big subjects for John in his letters.
In Chapter 12 Jesus already gave a fairly significant talk about light and darkness culminating in verse 46.
“I have come as Light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me will not remain in darkness.
So what we see John doing is highlighting the fact that Judas left the light and remained in the night, in the darkness.
Judas was not a believer.
vs 31-32 - Jesus declares: Now the Son of Man is glorified, and God is glorified in Him.
vs 31-32 - Jesus declares: Now the Son of Man is glorified, and God is glorified in Him.
He, now, inevitably was set to go through His final days on earth.
The die is cast, the game is afoot, the chain of events is finally set in motion.
Ties into Jesus’ exaltation - Glorified through His suffering and then exalted on high, that is, “Lifted up”.
“And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself.”
For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
A preview of our topic tomorrow night: If I Be Lifted Up
It is one of the great theological insights of John’s gospel that the glory of God is seen most clearly in the cross. God is love, and his glory is what most vividly displays this love. Thus the cross, the ultimate expression of God’s love, is the focus of God’s glory. It is not simply the Son of Man who is glorified, but God also is glorified—the Father is glorified in the Son. We are reminded of the truth of 1:18 that the Son, “who is at the Father’s side, has made him known.” By word and action, Jesus taught that the Father is love, and nowhere is this clearer than in Jesus’ passion.
Vs -1 - Jesus loved them to the end.
Vs -1 - Jesus loved them to the end.
The end ultimately being the cross and beyond.
For us today, Jesus loves those who believe in Him all the way to the end that has no end.
In the words of the great philosopher Buzz Lightyear: To Infinity and Beyond.
Communion
His Mercy Is More
Read through Luke 22:14-23
And take the elements as is appropriate in the reading.
Closing Song:
I Thank God
