Totally Radical!
It Happened in an Upper Room • Sermon • Submitted
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The life-changing reflection of love
The life-changing reflection of love
If you grew up in the 80’s or 90’s then you are familiar with the phrase “Totally Radical”! Perhaps you remember it being shouted by large mutated turtles with ninja skills..... or maybe you remember 2 guys named Bill and Ted echoing the phrase as they entered and exited their time traveling phone booth.
To the world, according to our English slang, something is totally radical when it is really cool… or excellent.
The word “radical” actually expresses something being very different from the traditional or very unusual. As we look at the conversations that takes place in the Upper Room… Jesus prepares to demonstrate what the definition of being “Totally Radical” really is. In Jesus’ eyes.... being totally radical… means being counter-cultural..... doing something that goes against the cultural norms.... and commit to a lifestyle of humble service and to the radical reflection of love.
When we left off last week, Jesus had just demonstrated what he considered totally radical as he washed all of the disciples feet and then gave a call to commit to a lifestyle of radical service.
Jesus closing words in verse 17 were… “blessed are you if you do them.”
This week, we are going to pick up where we left off and continue to look at Jesus’ thoughts about what is Totally radical.... the life-changing reflection of love.
Let’s stand together and read our passage to get a feel for the context of the overall event.
I am not speaking of all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But the Scripture will be fulfilled, ‘He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.’ I am telling you this now, before it takes place, that when it does take place you may believe that I am he. Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.”
After saying these things, Jesus was troubled in his spirit, and testified, “Truly, truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom he spoke. One of his disciples, whom Jesus loved, was reclining at table at Jesus’ side, so Simon Peter motioned to him to ask Jesus of whom he was speaking. So that disciple, leaning back against Jesus, said to him, “Lord, who is it?” 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. Then after he had taken the morsel, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, “What you are going to do, do quickly.” Now no one at the table knew why he said this to him. 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. So, after receiving the morsel of bread, he immediately went out. And it was night.
When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him. If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and glorify him at once. 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.’ 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. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
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.” Peter said to him, “Lord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” 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.
From what Jesus revealed back in verse 10, “not every one of you is clean… for he knew who was to betray him...”, we know that he is speaking of Judas here in this passage.
In verses 18-19, Jesus is informing the disciples about what was getting ready to happen… ‘I want you to know this is coming so that you don’t falter and loose heart when it happens.’
Once Jesus gives that warning of things to come… he also encourages his disciples in verse 20 by informing them that when they receive him… they receive the Father. Their relationship with the Father is secured… through their faith in and relationship with Jesus… the Son.
With that encouraging truth still hanging in the air.... John moves the scene along directing the reader to the next event that happened in the Upper Room.
This passage is interesting… it is like a sandwich. When we read through the passage, perhaps you noticed that the passage began and ended with betrayal. The thought of betrayal is like the the bread of our sandwich. But, then in the middle… we are given the meat… this new commandment that Christ gave.
It is almost like John, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit is intentionally framing one of the key truths of Scripture in a way that will draw our attention to it and help us understand this truth in a more focused and intentional way.
When we really understand what is taking place here.... it makes the betrayal seem even worse… and the love shown seem even greater.
As we study today, even in the midst of betrayal… the Radical Love of Christ will be elevated.
First, let’s look at the radical love of Christ expressed as he is troubled by the bread. Jesus’ shares with his disciples that there is a betrayal at hand.
I. Troubled by the Bread (21-30)
A. Betrayal at hand
Look at verse 21,
“After saying these things...” — What things? John is referring to what Jesus had just said back in verses 18.
Look back at verse 18 with me.
I am not speaking of all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But the Scripture will be fulfilled, ‘He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.’
What scripture is Jesus talking about?
Jesus is quoting Psalm 41:9,
Even my close friend in whom I trusted,
who ate my bread, has lifted his heel against me.
This Psalm records details about a time when Absolom, David’s Son was rebelling against him and when Ahithophel, David’s most trusted advisor was in the process of betraying him. (2 Sam. 15:31).
Ahithophel’s betrayal was deeply hurtful to David. Ahithophel was considered David’s friend and closest advisor..... yet he chose to betray him during one of the darkest times in David’s life.
Jesus quotes this psalm at this point to highlight the reality that Judas’ act of betrayal.... is being done by someone who was considered (at least outwardly) as a close friend of Jesus.
The weight of this heartbreaking reality led to John’s next statement:
“… Jesus was troubled in his spirit.”
Troubled in his spirit… Does that phrase sound familiar? We heard it back when Jesus was standing outside of the Lazarus’ tomb.... just before he raised him from the dead back in John 11:33 and the same word Jesus used in John 12:27 when he expressed the coming dread of the cross…
If you’ll remember… that word expresses a deep state of emotional soul aching turmoil… to the point where someone would physically tremble because of turmoil in their soul.
Jesus’ emotion is showing.... John records the emotional state of Jesus… almost as if the wind has been knocked out of him as he says…
“Truly, truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.”
Just hours before going to the cross, Jesus’ heart was troubled. Not for himself, but for someone else. Jesus’ heart was aching… was in turmoil for the one who was going to betray him.... Jesus heart was hurting for Judas.
Interestingly enough, at this point, while the disciples could see Jesus’ emotion, they didn’t know it was because of Judas.
John tells us in verse 22 that the disciples didn’t know of whom Jesus was speaking.
They were in shock… They stopped and stared at each other almost at a loss for words…
Verses 23-24 tell us a little bit more about the seating arrangement of the dinner.
Verse 23 tells us that:
One of his disciples, whom Jesus loved, was reclining at table at Jesus’ side, so Simon Peter motioned to him to ask Jesus of whom he was speaking.
When the gospel of John says, “the disciple whom Jesus loved”, it is usually referring to John. So, John was most likely sitting to Jesus’ right, and then Peter would have been to John’s right.
So, Peter asks John.... and then John asks Jesus… Lord, who is it?” We get the sense that all the disciples were asking Jesus… Is it me?? It couldn’t be me!.... could it!?!?...... Who is it????
Matthew’s gospel sheds more light on this event. Even Judas, knowing what he was going to do gets in on the action.
Judas, who would betray him, answered, “Is it I, Rabbi?” He said to him, “You have said so.”
Now that the announcement of the betrayal at hand has been given.... Jesus responds by offering love.... even to those who would reject it.
Let’s look at verse 26 as Love is offered… but rejected.
B. Love offered but rejected
Jesus answers their questions in verse 26 when he says:
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. Then after he had taken the morsel, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, “What you are going to do, do quickly.”
Now remember, as the readers... looking back 2000 years… we know the betrayer is Judas. But, verse 28 tells us that the disciples are still clueless…
Now no one at the table knew why he said this to him.
The disciples didn’t seem to have any clue that the betrayer was Judas. Why was this?
First of all, Judas was not from Galilee… he was from a place named Kerioth. So, the other disciples would not have known him as long as they had known each other… and being from a different area, he would....... (more info: _____)
Judas also must have been a perfect actor. Theologians think that Judas was also probably more educated and from a higher social status than the other disciples.
One author said, “Today Judas would wear a Brooks Brothers suit and a Madison Avenue smile. He would know all the right hymns, when to sit down, when to stand up, when to inject the most persuasive cliche, how to ingratiate himself with the power leaders of the church. No one would suspect him of being a traitor.”
More important than Judas’ ability to deceive, is Jesus’ heart for Judas… his love for him.
You would think that in a tight knit group like the disciples, if there had been any suspicion, then the disciples would have picked up on it.
I know that in our family there are the looks. You know what I mean? You’re at the dinner table and someone says or does something… and then they see look....! Without a word said… the general idea is communicated. — Sometimes a look communicates more than any amount of words could.
In this situation, Jesus must have not given any visual clue… that it was Judas... there was no look, no pause, no change in Christ’s intonation…
Jesus knew Judas’ heart.... and he wanted to reach him.
At this last supper, Jesus isn’t rejecting Judas.... He is crying out with his words and actions. As Jesus quoted from Psalm 41:9 (back in verse 18), he was saying… Judas, old friend, I know what you are getting ready to do. It’s not too late to change your mind… You are loved! Judas, even though you are rejecting me.... I am still extending my love to you.
Isn’t that beautiful..... While we were yet sinners..... Christ extended his love towards us… and died for us.
Let’s go back to the seating arrangement for a moment.... even the way that the seats were laid out was no mistake… It was a further visual illustration of Christ’s attempt to extend his radical love to Judas. Based on the various texts in the NT about the last supper, it seems that the seating arrangement was this: From left to right —> Judas, Jesus, John and Peter. So, according to the custom of the day, as they reclined at the table, Jesus’ head would have been close to Judas’ chest. John’s head would have been at Jesus’ chest, and Peter’s head would have been near John’s chest.
Jesus had given Judas the left-hand side… the place of honor.
Jesus’ expression of love for Judas doesn’t stop with his patient kindness, not giving any clues that the betrayer was Judas.... Jesus’ love doesn’t end with Judas being given the seat of honor.... even the offer of bread… was an expression of Jesus’ love and concern for Judas.
Look at verse 26 again,
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.
In Jesus and Judas’ culture, to take a morsel of bread from the table, dip it in a common dish, and offer it to someone else was a gesture of special friendship. You see this happen in the OT. (Boaz/Ruth - Ruth 2:14).
While indicating who the betrayer was.... Jesus was also reaching out to Judas one last time. As Jesus handed the dipped bread to Judas, He was saying, “here is my friendship. Here is restoration. Here is my heart. All you have to do is take it, by faith. My friend… will you receive it?”
But, sadly in Matthew 26:25, Matthew records Judas’ heart response when confronted with the opportunity to be restored by saying.... “Surely not I, Rabbi?”… then Jesus sadly says… “Yes, it is you.”
One author profoundly stated… “At that moment… that moment of rejection… Judas’ immortal soul committed suicide.” (Hughes)
The text goes on to tell us in verse 30,
So, after receiving the morsel of bread, he immediately went out. And it was night.
In that moment, Love had been offered.... but Judas had chosen to reject it. Judas had chosen his place of darkness… and as he walked away from that Upper Room… He knew that he was alone. His rejection of Christ had led to his separation from Christ. Judas would not see the face of Christ again until the final day of judgement.
By rejecting Christ.... Judas had become a victim of his own dark heart. Judas was responsible for his actions, thoughts and deeds. He had rejected Jesus’ radical love.
Jesus’ radical love for Judas… even in the moments when Judas was betraying Christ, makes the rest of our text more understandable.
Now that Judas, the betrayer… the unbeliever… the one who had rejected Christ had left the room Jesus turns to his disciples and the conversation of future things flows.
Now, even though Jesus will speak of the cross… it will be in a brighter tone… as he addresses his purified flock and shares with them the Priority of Love.
II. Priority of Love (31-35)
Love’s highest expression is self-sacrifice… putting others before yourself....
As Judas leaves, Jesus begins to share openly about his soon departure and comforts his disciples confused hearts with a new look at an old commandment.
Jesus says in verse 31:
When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him. If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and glorify him at once.
Calling himself the Son of Man brings the image of the glorious throne room of heaven pictured in Daniel 7:13-14. Jesus is the Ancient of Days… Jesus is God… Jesus is the One who has dominion… He is the One who rules the Kingdom.... He is the One who will last forever.... he is the One who can never be destroyed…
That One… the Son of Man will be glorified....through his death on the cross the very next day.
The cross was designed to be an implement of shame and defeat… yet through that cross, Jesus became the redemption of our sins… and on that cross his glory was displayed more clearly than it had ever been previously communicated.
After the bold announcement of his soon coming death, Jesus speaks with tenderness and love to his disciples as he uses a term of affection that is translated in our bibles as “little children”.
Jesus says… ‘guys… I know this is hard to hear… but I am getting ready to leave and I know it is hard to hear… but I am going somewhere where you can’t immediately follow me right now.’
Sometimes it is helpful to reflect on what the disciples could have been thinking at this moment. Not long ago back in chapter 10, Jesus had taught them that He is the good shepherd… the good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. While that was hard to hear… I wonder if they connected the dots as Jesus told them that he would soon leave… and be glorified.
I wonder if they began to put all the pieces together so that they could understand that while Jesus is going away… He was going away for them.... He was laying down his life for them… as He was glorified through a gruesome death..... they would be the benefactors… they would inherit the reward from Christ’s labor of love.
Jesus had come to die.... and all who would believe in him would receive the reward from His work.
Jesus had already illustrated his humble, sacrificial love by washing the feet of the disciples. Now, He was pointing them towards a far greater demonstration of His radical, sacrificial love..... the cross.
Christ’s radical demonstration of sacrificial love provides the foundation for the “new” commandment that He gives to the disciples here in verse 34.
Jesus has been preparing them for this.... ‘Friends, you watched me humbly wash your feet.... you will watch me sacrificially lay down my life..... Now I charge you to do the same… love… and when you do… it will be totally radical!’
Look at verse 34.
“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another:”
Is that new information? It doesn’t sound new. Wasn’t there a commandment given through Moses to love?
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.
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.
Jesus even quotes these two verses when he is asked about the greatest commandment in Matthew 22:34-40.
So, if a command to love is not new… then why does Jesus call what he is saying now a new command?
If you’ll notice Jesus’ words are different than in Matthew 22 or than the words recorded in Deuteronomy or in Leviticus.
Look at verse 34 again:
“A new commandment I give you to, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.”
The radical love that Jesus is commanding and calling all believers to has a new commanded focus…
A. Commanded Focus
The Focus (or object) that Jesus is commanding our love to be on is towards “one another”.
Notice that Christ changes the focus (or object) of God’s command to love (Deut. 6, Lev. 19) from neighbor to one another. This was a pretty radical change.
In Jesus’ day, the understanding of this command had become so weak that a “neighbor” could mean anyone you wanted it to mean.
We also have to keep in mind how divided by prejudice the world was at this time. As divided as our world is today, the extreme prejudicial divides of Jesus’ day would shock people today.
There were masters and slaves, Jews and Gentiles. The Greeks saw the Jews as barbarians. The Jews had the reputation of pretty much just being haters of the world. There was a huge canyon of prejudice betwen men and women. Every difference was an opportunity to divide..... every offense was a reason to alienate.
Even among the Jews, while there was plenty of Mosaic teaching on love… over the generations the that teaching had been so watered down, that people had concluded that they could just love whomever they wanted… and hate whomever they wanted.
It was a lot like today… when there is no standard of truth that society must conform to.... anything no matter how perverted it is, becomes possible and permissible.
That is what makes Christ “new commandment” so different, so totally radical.
If left to themselves… most people tend to seek their own. Celebrities seek out celebrities. Nurses seek our nurses, police seek out police, firemen seek our firemen, fishermen seek our fishermen, Bikers seek bikers, marathon runner seek marathon runners, … you get the picture.
But, in the church.... in the body of Christ, we find that people love and fellowship with people who are different than themselves. And you know what?
The more of the love of Christ that is in us..... lived out by loving one another… the greater the diversity will be in our church… and in the church… the body of Christ.
That is what we need..... that is what our city needs..... the love of Christ… lived out through the body of Christ.... seeing people from every walk of life added to the family of God..... all because of the radical love of Christ.
Alexander Maclaren gives a good description of what happened in the world because of Christ’s new command:
Preaching the Word: John—That You May Believe Love’s Demand (vv. 34–35)
Barbarian, Scythian, bond and free, male and female, Jew and Greek, learned and ignorant … sat down at one table, and felt themselves all one in Christ Jesus. They were ready to break all other bonds, and to yield to the uniting forces that streamed out from his Cross. There never had been anything like it. No wonder that the world began to babble about sorcery, and conspiracies, and complicity in unnamable vices. It was only that the disciples were obeying the new commandment, and a new thing had come into the world—a community held together by love and not by geographical accidents or linguistic affinities, or the iron fetters of the conqueror .… The new commandment made a new thing, and the world wondered.5
Christ gives us a commanded focus.... to radically love… not just the people who are just like us… but to extend love to everyone!
Next, Jesus describes a new way to measure love when he gives the disciples a new commanded volume.
B. A commanded volume ...a new way to measure how much we are to love.
Look at verse 34 again:
“… love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
As we love one another.... as we show love to everyone..... how much are we to love?
Christ says that we are to love.... “just as I have loved you”.
First the Scriptures told the believer to love your neighbor as yourself. … which is difficult enough....
Now Jesus has upped the bar and now says.... don’t just love other people the way you want to be loved.... you are commanded to love others..... in the same exact way that I love!
While we could make a long list of the ways Jesus loves.... the main truth being brought out in this passage.... as Jesus prepares to go to the cross, is a sacrificial love.
That sacrificial love is currently being lived out through Jesus’ dealings with Judas. This is why God sovereignly chose to put this command to love right next to Judas’ betrayal.
When Jesus said, friends.... love one another as I have loved you… the disciples probably thought of all the ways that Jesus loved.... his consistency and his humility as he washed their feet.
Little did they know that Jesus was even loving his enemies… Jesus loved Judas… even though Judas was in the process of betraying him.
Jesus reached out to Judas, even though Judas was rejecting him...
Friends, if we are to love one another like Jesus loves us, then we must continue to reach out in reconciliation.... in love.... with forgiveness.... to anyone and everyone who has wronged us.
And… as we do that… as we live that..... our lives, our words, and our actions will become one of the most convincing arguments for the gospel imaginable.
As believers, the greatest gift we can give the world… as the body of Christ… is to love each other.
If we commit to radically love one another… as we radically live out and highlight the beauty of the gospel to one another.... then those who are outside of the church will notice… and they will desire to learn more about Christ.
Jesus radically reached out and extended his love to an enemy who had committed to his death.
Will we do the same? Will you commit today to commit radically love.... in the same way that Christ loved? —> Sacrificially, without partiality, all the time, covering all offenses, without the need of that love being reciprocated....
Conclusion/ Application:
Last week we were given the example of Christ and called to humbly serve like Christ served.
This week, through the inspired Word of God, God is calling us to radically and sacrificially love one another just like Christ loves....
Christ has called us to radically and sacrificially love. Are you doing that?
Are you sacrificially loving the unlovely? Are you radically loving those people who have rejected you? Are you humbly loving those people that God brings into your path… so that they can accept Christ and have a restored relationship with Him?
You might say… well.. that is easy enough to say… but can be pretty hard to do.
- What if someone won’t let me love them? —> We are commanded to love anyway
What if someone rejects my attempts to love? —> Love them anyway....
What if I just can’t! What if I just don’t have that much faith? .....
Peter couldn’t either.
Remember, just hours after Christ has given this new commandment to love like he loves .... Peter stands in a courtyard denying Christ.
It wasn’t that Peter didn’t believe.... He did!
Christ said so!
Just like us, Peter had a lot of growing to do… and Jesus knew that. Jesus lovingly and sacrificially laid down his life, so that Peter could grow… so that Peter could later receive the Holy Spirit and in confident faith… boldly love others the way that Christ loved.
Jesus knows that our will is weak… and our faith is at times faulty.... and still he commands us to love.... radically and sacrificially like He loves.
None of us can follow Christ’s command.... without Christ working in us and through us.
As we embrace Christ… grow in maturity.... grow in our relationship with Him.. and grow in our dependance on Him.... we will grow in our ability to love like he loves.
Each and every one of us needs to constantly ask ourselves… ‘ am I loving with the same focus and measure that Christ loves?’ That is our goal… that is our pattern to follow…
Remember that Jesus said in verse 35, “By this all men will know that you are my disciples… if you love one another.”
Here is something for you to act on this week:
Does everyone you come into contact on a regular basis know without a shadow of a doubt that you are a disciple of Christ… that you belong to Christ?
Is that true for you? If not.... then what do you need to do to make it true? What small steps can you take today.... to apply Christ’s command to radically and sacrificially love others?
Christ said that all men would know who belongs to him… by the reflection of Christ’s radical, sacrificial, life-changing love shining in and through us.
It’s time to be totally radical… and shine!
Let’s pray: