Characteristics of Love Part 3 Betrayal, Love and Endurence

Setting

Place - Open Word Fellowship (Community

Church of Myrtle Point)

Time - Sunday Morning

Date - December 16, 2018

Scripture -

Text - (NIV84) “A new command I

34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.

give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.”

Topic - Characteristics of Love Part 3 Betrayal, Love and Endurance

Theme - Jesus is going away and He leaves behind Him this discourse about the Betrayer, the Command to Love and Enduring through temptation and trouble. The disciples like us did not understand at this moment but they would come to understand and give their lives to this message.

Characteristics of Love Part 3 Betrayal, Love and Endurance

INTRODUCTION

There are three words that sum up these last 12 verses. they are Betrayal, Love and Endurance. This advent season also encompasses these traits. When Jesus was born the Sanhedrin betrayed the Law. While they knew where Jesus was to be born they were not looking for Him and allowed King Herod to kill many children in his quest to kill the Christ.

Possible Title

Characteristics of Love Part 3 Betrayal, Love and Endurance

There are three words that sum up these last 12 verses. they are Betrayal, Love and Endurance. This advent season also encompasses these traits. When Jesus was born the Sanhedrin betrayed the Law. While they knew where Jesus was to be born they were not looking for Him and allowed King Herod to kill many children in his quest to kill the Christ.

Those that came to the manger from the angels to the shepherds to the wise men came in love and adoration for the new born King. Joseph and Mary had endured many hardship to get to this place and would endure many more. In their incomplete understanding they knew one thing, they had been chosen by God to birth and parent this chosen one of God.

Now the Christmas story is about to end. The cross is in sight and Jesus is preparing the first generation of disciples to take the Gospel to the people around them to the Jews first but also to the Greeks. They heard the waning about Betrayal. They heard the command to Love and they through Peter were called to Endure both now and into the future for the Christ. So are we.

I. 13:26-30 Betrayal

:26 Response - Jesus answered

Pronouncement - “It is the one to whom I will give this

piece of bread when I have dipped it in

the dish.”

Time - Then,

Act - dipping the piece of bread,

he gave it

Specific - to Judas Iscariot, son of Simon.

:27 Time - As soon as Judas took the bread,

Satan entered into him.

Quote - “What you are about to do, do

quickly,”

Jesus told him,

We saw last week that Peter had asked John to inquire who Jesus was talking about as one who would betray Him. Now what was secret becomes public. It is as if Jesus resigns the actions of Judas to be completed. This is not a permission or a command but rather a recognition that Judas had given himself over to this action and Jesus is saying OK if that is what you have decided then get on with it.

:28 Contrast - but

Affect - no one at the meal understood why Jesus said

this to him.

This giving of a small piece of bread or meat to someone by the host of the meal was considered a honor and so goes unnoticed by the rest of those sitting there. The next verse gives us another reason as well. At this point they had no experience to inform them of the true nature of Judas.

:29 Reason - Since Judas had charge of the money,

Specific - some thought Jesus was telling

him to buy what was

needed for the Feast,

OR

to give something to the

poor.

When you trust someone you do not jump to the conclusion that they are capable of doing a completely wrong thing. Jesus indicates that Judas was first under the influence of the devil () now it seems as Jesus gives Judas the sop he is so given to carry out the plan of the evil one that he is taken over by Satan. Even still Jesus does not openly embarrass him or out him to the others and they think Judas is on an errand for the Lord.

:30 Time - As soon as

Act - Judas had taken the bread,

he went out.

And it was night.

The words are both actual and symbolic. It certainly was the time for night. Some have speculated however that at the passover time there was a bright moon so not as dark as it could have been. On the other hand the implication that John writes about when he says that Satan enter into Judas suggest a much darker idea that of the dark night of sin. What we know from scripture is that Judas did not recover from his act of betrayal but ended by taking or attempting to take his own life.

II. V. 31-35 Love

(NIV84)

:31 Time - When he was gone,

Pronouncement - Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man

glorified and God is glorified in him.

Jesus speaks here as if the act of the passion is already complete. The spirit of confusion and evil is now over. The battle has been fought and won. NOW the Son in His humanity has fully accepted His sacrifice for the benefit of mankind. All things are ready for God's plan of redemption to be implemented.

:32 Condition - If God is glorified in him,

Prediction - God will glorify the Son in himself,

AND

will glorify him at once.

What God is doing is beginning the steps by which the Son will once again take up His place in the Glory of the Godhead. His birth was a miracle. His life was a testimony, His death paid our ransom, His resurrection provided our hope, His ascension put Him in a place to make intercession for us, and His coming again is our soon to be realized final salvation.

:33 Address - “My children,

Time - I will be with you only a little longer.

Prediction - You will look for me,

Cp. - and just as I told the Jews,

so I tell you now:

Where I am going, you cannot come.

This address of Jesus to the disciples is both loving and startling. Loving with the words "little children" but startling because Jesus is addressing what they have never thought of. Namely His leaving them here and going back to the Father. The one thing that is very different here is that while Jesus told the Jews they would look BUT nor find Him He does not say that to His disciples. They and us will one day go to where He is and be reunited with Him in glory.

:34 Act - “A new command I give you:

Love one another.

Cp. - As I have loved you,

so you must love one another.

While it is said here that this is a NEW commandment in many ways it is not new but seen in a new light. All of the Law was set on the primes of love toward your family and nation but others not so much. There was also the eye for an eye type of flavor in the old Law that is revised here and put in terms of "as I have Loved you" Jesus has demonstrated His love by coming into the world but He will broaden His statement of love by going to the cross and dying for everyone. As they realized this they began to see just how much Christ loved. Further they would have known from the context and the words that Jesus was saying love and keep on loving. Love does not stop loving because it is hurt, offended or ill-treated. Love never fails, never gives up, never stops loving.

:35 Instrument - By this

Experience - all men will know

Specific - that you are my disciples,

Condition - if you love one another.”

How many people are effected by the way we act toward each other. People have enough conflict in their lives hey do not need more by coming to church or being around church people. The true disciple will draw others to Christ by the simple loving actions to others in the body of Christ and to those outside the body as well. Even in the middle of different view points. Loving does not mean being a doormat. It means being very confident about what you believe but allowing for another point of view.

III. V.36-38 Endurance

(NIV84)

:36 Person - Simon Peter

Response - asked him,

Address - “Lord,

Question - where are you going?”

Jesus replied,

Denial - “Where I am going, you cannot follow now,

Contrast - but you will follow later.”

Peter is looking at the material NOT the spiritual. It is a puzzle to Peter where Jesus could go that they could not. In a little while they will all flee away and Peter will even deny knowing Jesus. We are no different. We start out the faith all fuzzy and warm and nothing will ever keeps us from Jesus. Then life hits and we find ourselves wandering around. He lives with both feet in his mouth. I like him. He gives me hope that I can grow and become more like the Master so that when my time comes I can be found faithful. (I'll be over tonight if it doesn't rain)

:37 Response - Peter asked,

Question - “Lord, why can’t I follow you now?

Promise - I will lay down my life for you.”

Peter assumes he has counted the cost and is ready to face death and prison even now at this minute. But was he? Are we? Most of us have never really suffered for anything other that our own preference or opinions or Bad personality. Suffering because of Christ and our faith in Him has never been a serious confrontation for us.

:38 Response - Then Jesus answered,

Question - “Will you really lay down your life for me?

Prediction - I tell you the truth,

Time -before the rooster crows,

you will disown me three times!

Now the truth is out. Peter made a good speech but Jesus called him on it. These disciples cannot at this time conceive of Jesus going away. Go some place ekes and start His Kingdom sure that they can see. Not death, burial resurrection and ascension. Their live are to be permanently altered. In the end they will all make the ultimate sacrifice and do so gladly. So here at advent we hope, prepare and love while we wait for the return of our King. Then we with them shall see what they only glimpsed for a little while.