Untitled Sermon (8)

Scripture

John 13:1–9 NRSV

1 Now before the festival of the Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. 2 The devil had already put it into the heart of Judas son of Simon Iscariot to betray him. And during supper 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 got up from the table, took off his outer robe, and tied a towel around himself. 5 Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was tied around him. 6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” 7 Jesus answered, “You do not know now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” 8 Peter said to him, “You will never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no share with me.” 9 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!”

John 13:36–38 NRSV

36 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus answered, “Where I am going, you cannot follow me now; but you will follow afterward.” 37 Peter said to him, “Lord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” 38 Jesus answered, “Will you lay down your life for me? Very truly, I tell you, before the cock crows, you will have denied me three times.

Two Betrayals

Judas - told that the devil had already placed it on the heart of Judas as he enters this last supper

Like when he walk in he knows what he is going to do

The betrayal of Jesus from Judas is cold, its calculated it is heartless

Judas is offered to stand with Jesus to the end, he sat through the whole sales pitch and still bluntly says no

So our story starts our with this betrayal that sets the scene at the last supper

Transitions to Peter

Peter is strong willed we know this

He was the leader of the disciples

He was someone who had a following

Peter is so different than Judas

Peter walks in with the very best intentions

He has messed up before and he has gotten things right, we have walked through a lot of Peter’s story throughout our sermon series thus far.

But one thing that appears striking in this passage is Peter’s intention

Peter says no you will not wash my feet

After some back and forth convincing Peter says “not only my feet Lord but also my hands and my head”

Peter has the best of intentions he wants to be made clean by Jesus

He wants so badly to follow Jesus

In fact we see that even more later on in the passage

Peter declares his intention as he says “I will lay down my life for you”

Us

Throughout this series we have been trying to place ourselves in Peter’s story and I don’t know about you but this part of Peter’s seems the most pertinent to me

I have the best intentions

God I want to read my Bible

God I want to be more generous for you and your kingdom

God I want to treat people with the love that you have for them

All great thing, and also all statement that start with I

If I followed through on all of the resolutions that I had made I would be a totally different person

But Peter’s best intentions were not enough

Peter had the right idea, but it was still all based on “I”

Peter says “Lord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.”

Peter is a leader he is in charge in most aspects of his life

He able to will a lot of things into existence

The problem is that Peter is relying on his willpower and his way of doing things

Jesus’ Response

The New Revised Standard Version Jesus Foretells Peter’s Denial

Will you lay down your life for me? Very truly, I tell you, before the cock crows, you will have denied me three times.

In other words Jesus’ response to both Peter and to us is that due to our human condition of sin, we might have the best of intentions and still deny Jesus.

We may set out to be the godly partners, or parents, or friends, and despite all of our best intentions fall short.

The way that we overcome that is not to continue denying Jesus

It is not to make new resolutions, it is through surrender

It through admitting honestly to God that if we were placed in Peter’s position we too would deny Jesus

It is through confessing that we come to terms with our forgiveness. And it is through surrender that we experience God’s Grace that is freely offered to us every moment.

Confession

As a part of acknowledging that we too would have betrayed Jesus in a similar way

I invite you to join me in some public words of confession. We are going to have a few other times throughout this service where we will confess publicly out loud and I hope that we will really embrace these as the opportunities that they are. For those of you that are worshiping with us at home even if you are alone in the space that you are in I invite you to speak these responses out loud.....

Will you lay down your life for me?

Lord we try so hard to follow you anywhere you call us

Will you lay down your life for me?

Lord, why can we not follow you now? We will lay down our lives for you.

Will you lay down your life for me? Before the cock crows, we will have denied you three times

How have you denied Jesus?

I direct your attention to the screen for a prompt for silent reflection. As we continue in our time of praise this evening