Sunday May 5, 2019
I've come through Easter, but I'm not quite ready to let it go. There's so much that's good about Easter and and I'm wanting us to look at for the next few Sundays here. It is series Simon titling lessons from the cross. Are there things that we can learn from? The Cross of Christ and this morning we're looking at an example of for give this Jesus is an example to us of forgiveness And if he can forgive we two ought to be able. to forgive the first part of our lesson this morning is found in John's gospel chapter 13 verses 18 through 30, but you join me there if you have your bibles. If not, I have it on the screen for us as well. And this is out of the new or the English Standard Version. So follow along with me John Writes
quoting Jesus I am not referring to all of you. I know that those I have chosen but this is to fulfill this passage of scripture. He who shared my bread has turned against me.
And I'm sure they did not understand what he was saying.
I'm telling you a truth now. So this is the time for the disciples to pause. It's a time for us to pause in this scripture to hear what Jesus is about to say. I'm telling you now before it happens so that when it happens, you will believe that I am who I am declaring his name is he not I am. Who I am, but I want you to know it. Verse 20 very truly. I tell you it when someone says barely barely or truly truly. What is about to follow is the truth?
varely varely or very truly I tell you whoever accepts anyone I send accepts me and whoever accepts me accepts the one who sent me except the father is what he is saying.
After he said these words Jesus was troubled it says in his spirit and he testified. Very truly verily verily I say unto you. One of you is about to betray me.
His disciples stared at one another in disbelief. They stared at one another at a loss to know which one of them did he mean?
one of them the disciple whom Jesus loved he's writing John referring to himself the one whom Jesus loved.
What's reclining next to Jesus and Simon Peter motioned to?
Kim ask him which one of us is he talking about? Which one of us is he meaning is going to betray him? and leaning back against Jesus John rights He John asked Jesus Lord. Who is it? Who among us is going to betray you?
and Jesus answered it is the one whom I will give this piece of bread to When I dipped it in the dish.
Been dipping the piece of bread he gave it to Judas. the son of Simon Iscariot and as soon as Judas took the bread it says here. Satan entered into him
I'm thinking to myself.
What is seen Jesus begin this passage by saying it is written in scripture to the one I give bread to he will betray me. And then Jesus says plainly. The one whom I give bread to.
When I dip it in the dish and now for some of you who came to our seder meal our Passover meal, you know that you dip. the matzo bread into the bitter herb at one point and that is to remember. Did slavery in Egypt was better? It was harsh. It was hard on the people and whenever they're doing Passover, they dip a piece of the months of bread the unleavened bread. Into the bitter herb and what we tend to use is horseradish and it is it is a bitter herb. it could have been at this time that he dipped This Bitter herb and gave it.
to Judas the second time you dip the matzo bread is when there is the Horus set and it is a mixture of the apples and cinnamon and raisins and honey, and is you dip that in it sweet? But it is to remind them of the mortar that they used to build the bricks. prepare o and it was hard labor. But it could have been that this was the sweet that he gave. Did you this but it doesn't matter whether it was the bitter herb that he dipped. The bread in or whether it was the sweet. Coruscant the mixture of the apples and cinnamon in it raisin cinnamon, honey
Because what I want to say here is that he was honoring this disciple to have Jesus give him this bread that he's dipped. He was honoring him above all of the other disciples and we miss this that Jesus was honoring him giving him an honor.
And it was Judas Iscariot Judas the money keeper Judas one of the disciples Judas a friend who was about to betray him.
dissident true that it is never your enemies that betray you. It is many times those who that are close to you. Those who are friends Those whom you trust in you love. But Jesus said the one that I get this bread to the next part of scripture says this or Jesus told him Judas. What you are about to do do quickly. But no one at the meal. None of the other disciples thought a thing about this because Jesus had trusted Judas to keep the money pouch for the disciples and it was Judas who would go out and buy things that at this holy time at the Passover season. It would be typical for Judas to go out and buy Provisions food. For the rest of the disciples for the rest of the week. And so since you just had charge of the money some thought Jesus was telling him go out and get what is needed for the festival for the Passover. Or to give him some special instruction to give some of the money to the poor.
And as soon as Judas had taken the bread he went out. Into the Night
So, I believe we need to pause here for a moment and just reflect on how did Jesus feel. to give that bread that he had just picked to Judas knowing that Judas was about to betray him giving honor to the one who is about
to turn him over to the Jewish authorities to be arrested put through a mock trial beaten. It's scourged. He knew this was coming. He knows all things. And he knew what Judas was about to do and he says to Judas what you do do quickly.
I don't want this to drag on.
I just want us to stop for a moment to think. Have you ever been betrayed by someone? has someone ever violated the trust
I don't want you to raise your hand. I just want you to think how did Jesus feel to be betrayed? By someone he trusted and loved.
Been a faithful disciple in the friends for three years in his ministry and now he's turned against him and there are many people who speculate why he did what he did. But is it not true that had Jesus not been turned over to the Jews who were seeking his life, especially since he raised Lazarus from the dead now they were seeking to put Lazarus to death because he was an example of the Miracles that Jesus could do. He brought a dead man back to life after 4 days.
Jesus himself was only in the Tomb for three.
When he did raise the Widow named son, you'd only been dead a day.
And she's escaped this young son back to his mother because he knew she needed him to provide for her a widow needed her son. Jesus had compassion on Peter and and raised Peter's mother from the Deathbed
and Beast order to health and what did she do when she got raised she got up from her bed and she cook them a meal.
and then I I remember the gyrus the Elder of the community. came to Jesus when he just got back from decapolis just casting out a demon Legion
from the bath fan and when he comes back across the Sea of Galilee and gets out jairus's there and says my daughter is sick, would you come? And heal her. I know you are a Healer. I know you can do this Rabbi come teacher come and heal my daughter, but another woman who had had an issue of blood she had heavy. bleeding cancerous tumor for 12 years Bleeding and couldn't stop and because she was defiled by her bleeding. She could not participate in going to church or to the synagogue. She was from the She couldn't associate with her family if she had one so she was shunned from them and she could not go out into the community because of her bleeding. She was considered unclean. But she was desperate after 12 years and exhausting every cent that she had on doctors and getting no healing she comes in. She touches the him. Of his robe Jesus and he felt the power of healing toe out from him and he says who touched me. The disciple said Jesus there's a crowd Milling about as you're going to jairus's home. And and there's these people all around. You anybody could have touched you and he said no someone touch me specifically to have healing and the power is gone out from me to heal them and the woman realizing she'd been discovered set it aside and he said go your way your faith has made you whole.
About that time one of the servants from jairus's home comes it says don't don't bother the master anymore. Don't bothering your daughters gift. and he goes in says she's not dead. She's just sleeping and they laughed at him but he goes into the house and he lays his hand on her and says Tabitha awake and she sits up.
And he says to the family feed her. She's going to be okay.
And for this the Jewish people the leaders want to put Jesus to death. For doing good things.
But they needed opportunity. Where was he going to be? we need to have someone tell us where he spends his nights in where we can go and arrest him and Judas betrayed his savior his friend his Lord the teacher
How do you feel when you betrayed? And what can what can heal that kind of Brokenness in our lives? So I I broached this with us just to say when you have been hurt in life. You need healing.
Until I want to give you in reference this passage of scripture.
And when they came to the place called the skull or gargatha. But they were about to put Jesus to death.
He and these two other thieves have brought the cross beams to be placed on the pole.
to make the cross And it says and they crucified him there at the place called the skull the hill called Golgotha.
And they had a criminal on one side and the other side of Jesus.
and as they put those spikes into his hands, they weren't just nails they were large spikes to hold a man's hands to the bars and Put that Spike through his feed and they raised him up on that cross. As he looked down upon these who crucified him.
Summon that very crowd who would earlier said hail him King of the Jews on Palm Sunday were in that crowd saying crucify him. Blasphemy, he says he's the son of God. And what does Jesus say verse 34 in Jesus said father? Forgive them for they know not what they do. And they cast lots that they divided his garments between them. Even if they were doing that, he said father forgive them those who have betrayed me those who have denied me as Peter did. Denied him not once not twice, but Thrice three times. And I'm I even knew him I do not know the man. But Jesus offers forgiveness.
from the cross
And it's a company up on me and you that when we are.
When we are hurt by those who we love the most in and those others who should know better but have betrayed us and hurt us and said all manner of evil things against us as they hurled incense. as they hurled
insults About Jesus to Jesus on the cross. He offered forgiveness to them forgive them for they know not what they do.
You and I need to be the bearers of forgiveness to others.
I need for you to know. Even as I preach to myself that unforgiveness only destroys the person who has unforgiveness.
If somebody's hurt you they go on with their lives. There are unencumbered by any guilt or shame. And you're saying that they should pay they should pay for what they did.
Guess what? They'll never think another thing about it, but you need to be released. By giving forgiveness it when you forgive all the peace that flows.
Because you are released from the bondage the chains that have held you in unforgiveness. Jesus had every right to be angry at Judas in those who betrayed him Peter. Why didn't the disciples fight for me?
They still fully moved away and ran into the The dark of night as they arrested Jesus.
Only Peter followed the distance and then when he had an opportunity to speak out for the Lord, even if it cost him his life, did he speak out? He denied him once twice and three times.
The Jesus meets him again on the shore as they after his death. Peter says what am I going to do? What am I going to do? Now? The Lord's the Lord is gone the Ministries falling apart. I'm going to go fishing with some of the other disciples cuz they went with him and they all went fishing. early in the morning before the sun was out and then it's the sun began to creep out. They see a figure on the shore and it's Jesus, but they didn't know that. He says as he calls out to them. Did you catch any fish?
The answer came from the boat. No. We fished all night. And in the morning the time that this should be biting. How many for your fisherman where is Rodger Hughes?
He goes out every day fishing and he catches his limit every time I asking you catch any fish. I caught my limit which is 25 Fish Out of Water Lake in other places. He fishes got my limit. He shares his fish with other people who need fish some of you receive some of Rodger Hughes fish, but he knows the right time to fish. He knows how to fish and he always always catches fish these he's been at fished all night, but I think the Lord prevented them. Prevented those species from coming into their Nets and we fished all night and caught nothing. Jesus said something very familiar to them. It happened before. He said cast your nets on the other side and you will find them. they did so and they caught so many fish they had to
to call for others to help them and they stay as they were bringing the fish or dragging the net through the water. Peter realized it was the Lord. And he put on his coat and jumped into the water and swam ashore. Jesus asks him as they were having breakfast pulls him aside and says Peter do you love me?
Peter said Lord, you know. I love you. Yes. I love you. They talked to some more and then the Lord says the second time Peter. Do you love me?
Peter said Lord, you know all things, you know, I love you. Why did he ask him a second time? That wasn't enough a third time. Jesus looks into the eyes of Peter directly and says Peter do you love me?
Says Peter was hurt the third time that the Lord asked him.
And he said Lord. Yes. I love you. And the Lord said then feed my sheep. And my Lambs care for my flock be the leader. I've called you to be. He was extending forgiveness. I wonder 2 times if Judas. Had not gone and hung himself, but it come.
South face of Jesus
But he has given up. Hope he thought it was completely over. I'd betrayed the Lord that he's he's been crucified he's died. And I need to give up my life.
No, hope for Judas.
No place in heaven for Judas.
But the Apostle John this one who writes these words to us says. That the Lord is faithful and just to forgive us our sin. if we ask
if you confess your sins, he is faithful and just to forgive you your sins and to cleanse you from all unrighteousness.
Romans 8:1 says therefore there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus and called according to his purpose. If you confess your sins. He is faithful and just to forgive you forget it. I told you he doesn't write your sins into a book. He writes your name when you ask him to come into your life. And he prepares a place for you. That where he is you may be also.
That's forgiveness. He's my example of forgiveness. So if he has forgiven me so many sins that I have done can't I forgive somebody else's sin against me? I think so. I can forgive others because I've been forgiven such a great debt.
And we're going to take communion and just a few moments.
And Paul the Apostle says on the night in which Jesus was betrayed. He took bread and he broke it. They gave it to them likewise. He took the cup after supper and he blessed it and he gave it to them and said drink do this in remembrance of me until I come again and then Paul ads these words but letting a band letter woman examine themselves.
That's see that forgiveness before they come to the table.
So we are going to have a time to reflect.
And I've been offered this prayers be closed this portion of the service are gracious and loving Heavenly Father.
When people betrayus betray our trust when they heard us when they say all manner of evil against us. Lee.
In a precious and breaks us to the point of hurt and tears and loss of sleep. You have given us an example that we should forgive those who offend us. That there might be peace in our hearts in our lives before we take communion. We we need to reflect on are we at peace with God have we forgiven a brother or sister?
Are we at peace with God? That we can jointly say I am the Lord's I know.
Lord forgive me
and help me to forgive others. That I might stay and clean and whole before. You healed a new in you in Jesus name. Amen.