John 12:1-15 | The Enemy at the Table
Notes
Transcript
Today we are continuing in our series in the book of John
And we are moving into a few chapters where things really start to slow down
From John 13-19, only about 24 hours worth of time will be covered
In those 24 hours, Jesus would take part in the Last Supper, give his disciples many different final teachings, and then the next day he would be crucified
But before all that would happen, Jesus would provide one of the greatest expressions of humility that we have ever seen.
1 Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour had come that He should depart from this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.
Remember who is writing this.
It is inspired by the holy spirit but it is through the viewpoint of John
And as John was sitting with the scroll rolled out, ready to pen these words, nearing the end of his life, he remembers not just the story, but the person
He recalls just how much Jesus loved them, and that he loved them all the way to end
Now moving into verse 2 we would see just how much Jesus loved them
2 And supper being ended, the devil having already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray Him, 3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going to God, 4 rose from supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself.
As they are preparing for the last supper.
This is the last time Jesus would eat with his disciples, his friends, scripture tells us that Judas had already chosen to betray him
We looked a Judas a few weeks ago when criticized Mary for wasting the perfume on Jesus
And we learned that he said what he did just because he wanted to steal the money
And now, Jesus knows, that Judas has already chosen to betray him
Yet where is he, sitting next to Jesus
Imagine there is an enemy in your life
Someone who you have been kind to, you have loved
You have never done them wrong
Yet they desire to hurt you, and those you love
Their hearts is just filled with hatred for you
And even though they may act like your friend, you know they aren’t
And you know they are actively working to bring trouble into your life
Maybe you know somebody like that
Can you picture that person for a moment
Picture the person in your mind that is your enemy on this earth
Maybe you have not made them an enemy but you know they are to you
Someone who has caused you so much trouble
Could you sit down to dinner with them?
Could you walk, and talk, daily with them, knowing their heart.
Could you get past the lies.
Could you love them?
Because when John said that Jesus loved them and loved them to the end, he didn’t just mean the 11, he meant all of them, including Judas.
But Judas wouldn’t be the only one betraying Jesus in a way that night
Jump down to the end of the chapter with me
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 shall follow Me afterward.”
37 Peter said to Him, “Lord, why can I not 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? Most assuredly, I say to you, the rooster shall not crow till you have denied Me three times.
Peter, one of Jesus’s closest friends, THOUGH HE CLAIMED TO GIVE HIS LIFE FOR JESUS
WOULD DENY EVEN KNOWING HIM BEFORE THE NIGHT WAS OVER
And idk how you couldn’t be discouraged being John writing this now
John is now looking back at their last moments on earth together and what does he have to write about?
A BETRAYER
A DENIER
As he wrote about Jesus proclaiming one who deny him, he is able to remember exactly where he was, the moment it happened
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.”
John recalls that Jesus is troubled, he is upset, BECAUSE ONE OF HIS FRIENDS HAS CHOSEN TO BETRAY HIM
And the disciples don’t understand, they want to know who he is talking about
22 Then the disciples looked at one another, perplexed about whom He spoke.
NONE OF THEM EXPECTED THAT ANY OF THEM COULD BETRAY JESUS
THEY WERE SO CLOSE, THEY ALL LOVED EACH OTHER SO MUCH, THEY WERE ALL UNIFIED IN THEIR SERVICE TO CHRIST AND NOW JESUS SAYS ONE OF THEM WILL BETRAY HIM
IT DIDN’T MAKE ANY SENSE AND THEY ALL DOUBT
But John wants to know, he needs to know who this was, this horrible person who could betray Jesus
23 Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved. 24 Simon Peter therefore motioned to him to ask who it was of whom He spoke.
25 Then, leaning back on Jesus’ breast, he said to Him, “Lord, who is it?”
John is writing this gospel, and he references himself as the one who Jesus loved
This wasn’t a prideful claim
He wasn’t the only one Jesus loved
But THE LOVE OF JESUS WAS NOW HIS IDENTIFYING FACTOR
THAT IS HOW HE REFRENCES HIMSELF BECAUSE IN THIS MOMENT HE KNOWS THIS GROUP OF MEN HAVE NOTHING BUT THE LOVE OF JESUS
ALL THESE MEN, AND HIMSELF INCLUDED HAD NO RIGHT TO BE SITTING HERE WITH JESUS
AND IN SPITE OF BETRAYAL, JESUS LOVES THEM ANYWAYS
And John remembers how he leans over onto Jesus, and he asks him, who is that will betray you?
26 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. 27 Now after the piece of bread, Satan entered him. Then Jesus said to him, “What you do, do quickly.” 28 But no one at the table knew for what reason He said this to him. 29 For some thought, because Judas had the money box, that Jesus had said to him, “Buy those things we need for the feast,” or that he should give something to the poor.
30 Having received the piece of bread, he then went out immediately. And it was night.
Just imagine the emotions John is having, now as an old man remembering back to this night
He is probably angry - WHY DID JUDAS HAVE TO DO THIS? IF WE WOULDN’T HAVE BETRAYED JESUS MAYBE THERE COULD HAVE BEEN ANOTHER WAY
I SHOULD HAVE STOPPED HIM - WHY DIDN’T I GET UP AND GRAB JUDAS THEN JESUS NEVER WOULD HAVE BEEN BETRAYED
But you see I don’t think that is what was consuming John as he wrote those words
Because there is a theme throughout John 13, and the following chapters
And theme is not anger
Its not regret
It’s not sadness
After Judas leaves, Jesus shares this thought with the men
Again understand in light of what had just happened, you would expect Jesus to be angry, and vengeful
He knows JUDAS IS ON HIS WAY RIGHT NOW TO GO ARRANGE THE BETRAYAL
And instead of telling the disciples to go capture him, or chastising them for their lack of faith
He says this...
31 So, when he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man is glorified, and God is glorified in Him. 32 If God is glorified in Him, God will also glorify Him in Himself, and glorify Him immediately. 33 Little children, I shall be with you a little while longer. You will seek Me; and as I said to the Jews, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come,’ so now I say to you. 34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
THIS ISN’T THE TYPE OF LANGUAGE YOU WOULD EXPECT OF JESUS TO BE PLACED RIGHT IN BETWEEN THE ACCOUNT OF JUDAS BETRAYING HIM, AND PETER DENYING HIM
What you have in this account, is the sinfulness of man, to its greatest extents, being pushed up right beside the ultimate holiness and love of Jesus
IT IS AT THIS VERY TABLE THAT WE SEE THE ULTIMATE CONDITION OF MANKIND
WE ARE IN SIN
WE ARE DEAD IN OUR TRESPASSES
WE HAVE NO HOLINESS
WE HAVE NO RIGHTEOUSNESS
WE ARE NOTHING BUT MAN MADE FROM DIRT WHO CHOSE DEATH INSTEAD OF LIFE
AND HERE MANKIND SITS AT THE DINNER TABLE WITH THE GOD OF THE UNIVERSE
AND IF WE WERE JESUS WE WOULD HAVE PROBABLY AT THIS POINT CHOSEN TO HAVE OUR MEALS IN HEAVEN WITH THE ANGELS
BUT HERE WE HAVE THE SAVIOR OF THE WORLD IN AN UPPER ROOM, SITTING AT A TABLE WITH LIERS, AND CHEATERS, BETRAYERS, AND SINNERS
And I can’t help but think, based on the language that John uses when writing this book, THAT HE LOOKS BACK AT THIS SCENE NOT IN REGRET....
BUT IN THE GLORIOUS PRESENCE OF THE LOVE OF JESUS
JOHN SEES LOVE WHEN HE LOOKS AT THIS TABLE
Because it is only love that would allow a group of sinful men, to sit and eat with the God of creation
Jesus has now progressed through part of this meal, and he has spent his time announcing his betrayal, and the denial of one of his closest friends.
And he tells them first that they need to love one another, and their love for one another is how others will know that they are followers of Jesus
You want to know the easiest way to share the gospel with others
LOVE THEM
Jesus says that others will know you are my disciples, if you have love for one another
And unfortunately believers often like to skip the love and get straight to the recognition
If you have a friend or a family member who you want to see be saved by the blood of Christ, but you don’t know to bring up the topic of Christ in the first place
SCRIPTURE SAYS THE ANSWER IS TO LOVE THEM FIRST
15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear;
As believers our life itself should naturally share the message of the gospel
Yes we may need to fill in the details and point them specifically to Christ
But if you are a believer today you have hope, and that hope, when expressed, is what tells those without hope, that there is hope available for them too.
But when believers appear to have no hope in their life, and then they approach someone about how to have hope in theirs, WHY WOULD THEY BELIEVE
Love is a result of hope
4 since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of your love for all the saints; 5 because of the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, of which you heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel,
If you have hope in Christ, you will naturally love others
And the reason is because the hope of the believer is eternity, and glorifying God forever
And if you have that true nature of hope within you, it will show to others, and you will have a desire to love others enough to share that same hope with them
And thats easy to do for the close friend, or maybe the loving family member
But its hard to do for the enemy
You see as believers we are called to love our enemies, and a part of loving them is having a desire for them to have the same hope we do
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? 48 Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.
I asked the question earlier
Could you sit at the table with your enemy?
If you were Jesus, could you sit down to eat your last meal, sitting with the ones who you knew would betray you?
You see we aren’t just encouraged to do so, we are commanded
Jesus tells us in Matthew 5 that real love isn’t just loving those who love you, thats just natural response, recognition
YEAH WHO WOULDN’T LOVE THOSE WHO LOVE THEM BACK
But real love is shown when it is given to those who hate you
Jesus last meal with his disciples was filled, not with hatred over those who would betray him, but love in spite of their sin
And as John is recording these stories, no doubt it would have been tough to record what happened at the beginning of the dinner
Knowing what he was about to have to record about Judas and Peter, and eventually how all of them INCLUDING HIMSLEF would leave Jesus as he was being led to the cross
He records this
3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going to God, 4 rose from supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself. 5 After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded.
What makes the God of all creation wrap himself in a towel and carry a bowl of water
What makes the God of all creation stoop down and sit on the ground at the feet of his servants
What makes the God of all creation hold the feet of his own creation, and wash their feet
And what makes the God of all creation wash the feet of those who betray him?
This obviously shocked the disciples, Peter especially has an issue with this
And in light of what John would soon be writing regarding him denying Jesus 3 times, this was probably a difficult section of scripture to write
6 Then He came to Simon Peter. And Peter said to Him, “Lord, are You washing my feet?”
7 Jesus answered and said to him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will know after this.”
8 Peter said to Him, “You shall never wash my feet!”
Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.”
9 Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!”
Peter is pushing back against Jesus, SAYING YOU WILL NOT WASH MY Feet, I SHOULD BE WASHING YOUR FEET, AND JESUS JUST SAYS
You don’t know what I am doing
Jesus was not washing the feet of the disciples only to show humility
But to show ultimate humility, in what he was about to do
You see What Jesus was doing, was picturing the cleansing of sin, made through the humble sacrifice on the cross
YOU SAY JUDAS DIDN’T DESERVE TO SIT AT THAT TABLE
YOU SAY PETER DIDN’T DESERVE TO SIT AT THE TABLE
YOU SAY HOW COULD ALL OF JESUS’S DISCIPLES BETRAY HIM RIGHT AFTER HE DID THIS
THEN I WOULD REMIND YOU THAT YOU SIT AT THAT SAME TABLE WITH HIM TOO
You commune with him spiritually now
But even one day you will sit at an actual table, with Jesus, right by his side, just like these men did
You see John would have a second chance
He go to sit with Jesus and commune with him on earth, and in this supper he was proven in his sin, by soon abandoning him
And he would have remembered the promise Jesus gave before he left that he would not drink of the wine again until he drank it with them together in heaven
And many years later toward the end of John’s life, he would recieve a vision from Jesus of events that would come far in the future
And this is what he saw....
5 Then a voice came from the throne, saying, “Praise our God, all you His servants and those who fear Him, both small and great!”
6 And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, “Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns! 7 Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.”
John sees this wedding reception being organized
And all the people are praising
The voices of all the saints before, as the sound of many waters thunders the saying ALLELUIA THE LORD GOD OMNIPOTENT REIGNS
And it is announced that the marriage supper of the lamb is ready
it is the union of the the bride of Christ the church
The final union where the church of Christ, the unified body of believers is now ready to join together with him
ONLY BY HIS BLOOD THEY ARE NOW CLEAN AND PREPARED TO JOIN WITH HIM
And a celebration dinner is planned as a result
And you ask WHO IS WORTHY TO SIT AT THIS TABLE WITH HIM
AFTER ALL HE DID, AND AFTER ALL WE DID, WHO IS WORTHY
THE CHURCH DEFINTELY ISN’T WORTHY
THE CHURCH HAS JUST BEEN A BUNCH OF SINNERS WITH NO RIGHTEOUSNESS FOUND IN THEM
BUT NOTICE THEY DO NOT COME TO THIS TABLE DIRTY, JUST AS THE DISCIPLES DIDN’T COME TO THEIR SUPPER DIRTY
BECAUSE JESUS CLEANED THEM UP
8 And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.
THE CHURCH DIDN’T EARN IT
THEY HAD NO RIGHT TO WEAR ANYTHING CLEAN, BUT BECAUSE OF THE BLOOD OF JESUS THAT CLEANSED THEM, THEY ARE WEARING WHITE TO THIS DINNER PARTY
BUT NOT JUST WHITE - CLEAN AND BRIGHT
PERFECTLY SPOTLESS - ONLY BECAUSE OF JESUS
And imagine as John stands here at this moment, seeing this with his own eyes
I would imagine he is thinking back to that night, that last time he sat down with Jesus
THERE JESUS IS, SITTING AT THE FRONT OF THE TABLE, AND ALL THESE SINNERS ONCE AGAIN CLEAN ENOUGH TO BE WITH HIM ONLY BECAUSE OF HE DID FOR THEM
This whole picture was prophesied over 500 years before Jesus ever stepped foot on earth, and it clears up the whole picture of what is going on here
10 I will greatly rejoice in the Lord,
My soul shall be joyful in my God;
For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation,
He has covered me with the robe of righteousness,
As a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments,
And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
YOU SEE JESUS MAY NOT HAVE WASHED YOUR FEET, BUT HE DID SOMETHING SO MUCH GREATER
HE WENT TO THE CROSS FOR YOU
HE HUMBLED HIMSELF TO THE POINT OF DEATH
HE LOWERED HIMSELF FROM HIS POSITION OF GLORY IN HEAVEN
TO COME TO A DIRTY SINFUL WORLD WHERE YOU ARE
AND HE HUMBLES HIMSELF TO TAKE ON YOUR SIN AND CLEANSES YOU OF THE FILTH WITHIN YOU, TAKING IT ON HIMSELF
AND ONE DAY YOU WILL SAT AT THAT SAME TABLE WITH JOHN, AND PETER, AND MOSES, AND ABRAHAM, AND DAVID, AND PAUL, AND EVERY BELEIVER TO EVERY LIVE AND EVERY ONE OF THEM WILL BE WEARING THE SAME THING AS YOU CLEAN, WHITE GARMENTS
AND ALL OF THEM WILL ONLY BE WORTHY TO SIT AT THE TABLE WITH JESUS FOR THE SAME REASON YOU WILL BE
BECAUSE HE CLEANSED YOU
OH WE CAN CRITICIZE JUDAS AND WE CAN CRITICIZE PETER, AND WE CAN CRITICIZE THE DISCIPLES FOR THEIR RESPONSE TO JESUS AFTER THE DINNER
AND JOHN COULD HAVE TOO
BUT I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE THE SAME MINDSET, THAT I BELIEVE JOHN HAD WHEN WRITING THIS
NOT THAT WE SHOULD BE IN ANGER AT OTHERS IN THEIR LACK OF FAITH OR THEIR DISOBEDIENCE, BUT INSTEAD BE GRATEFUL FOR THE LOVE OF CHRIST THAT IS GIVEN IN SPITE OF OUR SIN AND THEIRS
REALIZING THE ONLY RIGHTEOUSNESS WE HAVE IS BECAUSE OF THE BLOOD OF CHRIST
______________
But even in the middle of this act, Jesus had to clarify that one of those who he had just washed their feet, wasn’t clean
Maybe their feet were clean, but their soul wasn't
10 Jesus said to him, “He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you.” 11 For He knew who would betray Him; therefore He said, “You are not all clean.”
Remember what Jesus said is needed to show that we are his disciples, to love as he loved
To show the same love that he showed to us, to others
And this sounds simple until we picture this scene in our minds, as John was probably doing too writing this, of Jesus stooping down the feet of his betrayer, and his denier, and washing their feet
12 So when He had washed their feet, taken His garments, and sat down again, He said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? 13 You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. 16 Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. 17 If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.
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.’ 19 Now I tell you before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe that I am He. 20 Most assuredly, I say to you, he who receives whomever I send receives Me; and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me.”
The basis of the gospel, what everything is founded on, is love.
It all boils down to love
And it was during this final supper for Jesus, that he expressed his love in such an incredible way
but he didn’t just express it and leave us with the visual
he gave us a command
TO GO OUT AND DO THE SAME
That person who has made you an enemy
Jesus died for them, just as he died for you
And they need to see the hope that is in you, and they need to know that you love them
As JESUS HAS SHOWED US NO AMOUNT OF SIN OR PERSONAL GRIEVANCE IS TOO MUCH THAT WE SHOULD REJECT THE LOVE OF GOD TO ANOTHER
AS THE VERY ONE WHO WOULD SOON HAND HIM OVER TO BE KILLED, JESUS DIDN’T JUST INVITE HIM TO THE TABLE....
HE WASHED HIS FEET
AND HE DIDN’T JUST WASH HIS FEET
HE DIED FOR HIM
KNOWING HE WOULD STILL BETRAY HIM, HE LOVED HIM
And knowing every sin you would ever commit, Jesus went to the cross, and humbled himself to the point of death
5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.
Jesus humbled himself for those who betrayed him
and he calls us to the same
Today as you strive to live for Christ -remember the great love he has shown for you
And follow his command today, that we would love others, even those who betray us too, with the same love that Jesus has given to us
