Christ's Death Brings Fundamental Change

Introduction

in 1996 Right before my sr year of High school my parents sat me and my siblings down at the kitchen table to have a family talk.

And as we sat there we all knew that something must have happened that is about to rock our world.

My dad who has been the pastor of the same church on the south side of Des Moines my entire life began to explain to us 4 kids that a church in Nevada Iowa had asked him to come up and consider being their pastor. And as we sat there He continued to explain to us why he was going to pursue it.

Understand for me this was a big deal. Everything I knew was about to change, I had lived in the same house my entire life, I had gone to the same school with the same friends for the past 12 years.

To me this news rocked my world. Everything that I found comfort in was about to change. Everything that I thought I loved in this life was about to change.

Have you ever been in a situation when a major life event changed your world completely?

Maybe it was the loss of a parent or a spouse or a child,

Maybe it was your boss coming to you to inform you that you are being let go from a job that you loved and depended upon.

Maybe it was fire or a tornado that destroyed your home instantly and left you with nothing.

Whatever it may be, it hurts when we lose the things we have grown to love and depend upon in this world.

and when these life changing moments happen unexpectedly without any warning they can throw our world into chaos.

and the shock that comes with the chaos many times magnifies the fear, the anxiety and the pain of our loss.

As we continue on through our study through the gospel of John the discipels are about to have their world rocked.

Everything they have known and believed for the past 3 years is about to be tested.

Let’s jump into our story this morning.

Jesus and His disciples are in the upper room and Jesus has just washed finished washing the feet of his followers in order to give them an example of humble service for each of them to follow.

And in verses 21-30 of chapter 13 - Jesus reveals to the group that Judas Iscariot, one of their fellow Disciples was about to betray Him.

and After Jesus identified Judas as the one who would betray him, the Bible tells us that Satan entered and he was filled with the devil, Meaning Satan was using him to try and defeat Jesus one last time.

and verse 30 tells us that immediately after Satan entered Judas, He got up from the table and left the room.

Can you imagine what was going through the minds of the 11 disciples who were still sititing at the table with jesus in that upper room?

I think if I would have been their my jaw would have been on the floor.

Judas was their brother and their friend. He was one of them. He saw Jesus do the same miracles that they saw, and now He is marked as the enemy of Jesus.

And this brings us to our text for this morning..Look with me at

John 13:31-38 “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.”

These 11 men have have left their families, and their jobs to follow Jesus. They have been mocked and laughed at every where they have gone with jesus over these past 3 years. They have become outcast in their own communities. Even to the point that some of their own family and friends have turned their backs on them.

These men have committed their entire lives to following Jesus. and Now Jesus tells them that He is about to leave them and they are not able to follow Him where he is going.

Can you put yourself in their shoes for a minute this morning? Ever since that day when Jesus saw these fishermen by the sea of Galilee and Said to them “follow Me”. they dropped their nets and have been at the side of Jesus listening and following him.

Jesus called them to leave their fathers and mothers and follow him, he called them to leave their jobs and occupations and follow him, He called them to leave the comforts of their own homes and communities and follow him.

and for three years a that is exactly what they have been doing. They have followed jesus faithfully through every difficult, hurtful situation He led them through.

Every dream they had of what they could accomplish with Jesus was shattered, Their entire concept of following Jesus is about to be rocked .

But Jesus doesn’t leave them in this confused and hurting state of mind.

Jesus doesn’t just say “ its been real fun hanging with you guys , Good luck with whatever you do next in your life”

NO- that’s not what Jesus does,

for the next 5 chapters in John Jesus prepares these 11 men for his departure. .

Beginning in verse 31 of chapter 13 and going to the end of chapter 17mJesus gives his disciples a final discourse of instruction, encouragement and a challenge for them to be fully equipped and ready for the lives of ministry they are about to embark upon after He departs from them.

BIG IDEA: THE CROSS OF CHRIST FUNDAMENTALLY CHANGE OUR LIVES

today what I want us to consider from our text the 3 fundamental changes that the cross brought into the disciple's life and then I want us to consider how the cross Fundamentally changes our lives today

The first fundamental change that cross will bring into the discipels lives is that...

the discipels can not go where Jesus is going

John 13:33 “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.’”

Jesus begins by saying “ little children”

A phrase Jesus uses to show these men that he has great compassion and tremendous care for their well being.

He knows that His departure is going to be very hard for them to endure.

They are no longer going to be able to walk side by side with him down the road to Jerusalem. They are no longer going to be able to sit with him at the table and learn from his words.

They are no longer going to be with him as he heals the sick and does miraculous signs so that people would believe in him.

Jesus wants his followers to know that He loves them like his own children and this is why He begins by saying “Little Children”

In verse 33 Jesus says “little children where I am going you can not go”

Understand that Jesus in chapter 13, is not saying to these disciples “I am going to heaven and you cannot come there with me” He is speaking of the cross, He is saying “I am going to the cross, I must go there alone.”

Jesus’s final destiny to complete his mission on earth was the cross.

Jesus came to this earth to die as the perfect substitute for mankind, and only he was qualified as the perfect Son of God for this destination.

Jesus was saying these men who have devoted their life to following him that where He must now go they are not qualified to Go they are not qualified to go with him.

Only the perfect righteous son of God is qualified to hang on that tree in the place of sinners.

Only Jesus could go to the cross and pay the penalty that satisfies the demands of Justice for mankind’s sins.

Transition: the 2nd fundamental change that cross will bring into the discipels lives is that...

the disciples are part of a new community

Their relationship with jesus is changing, They will still follow his teachings and commands but they will no longer walk with him physically on this earth.

Their relationship with Jesus is not the only relationship that is radically changing in their lives because of the cross.

With Jesus departure, Their relationship with one another is about to grow even more dependent upon one another than ever before. They are being brought into a new community that will be defined by the way that they love one another.

Their relationship with one another

Look at what jesus says about this NEW COMMUNITY that they are about to be part of.

John 13:34 -35 “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.””

The command to love others is not a new teaching to these Jewish followers of Jesus

In fact in Leviticus 19:18 says to “love your neighbor as yourself”

Since the the beginning God has told mankind to love others the same way that they love themselves

but now He gives these men a new standard by which they are to love one another in this new community

its found in the second phrase of the command- “just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.By this [love that exemplifies the love Jesus has for us] all people will know that you are my disciples,”

Jesus gives his disciples a new standard of Love that will identify them as his followers.

This community has a new standard of love and that is the that Christ’s them.

Christ’s love was sacrificial -He gave up the glorious riches of Heaven to humbly serve his own creation, ,

Christ love was selfless, He just knelt down and washed their feet as a servant.

Jesus did not leave these disciples alone, He left them together.

, and its because of their relationship that they had with Jesus where they experienced the Love of Christ in their own lives, that they can now have a new community that is centered on their own love for one another. And this new selfless sacrificial love for each other is what will make them stand out from the world as the followers of Jesus.

Understand that this new community that jesus is speaking of is the foundation of the church of Christ that these men will established in just a few months from this time..

And this church that is known by their love for one another is the same church that we are part of today.

If we are in Christ we are part of this New Community and if we are part of this new community - Jesus should be able to say the same thing about us as the church today.

'Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”

The disciples world seemed to be crashing around them their Messiah was going to leave them, but understand Jesus wasn’t leaving them alone, He was equipping them to build His church which would take his gospel to the world!

transition: Moving on in our text:

Peter Interrupts Jesus as He is speaking of this New community look at what he says in verse 36

John 13:36-38 “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.”

the third fundamental change that cross will bring into the discipels lives is that..

The disciples will be empowered to follow Jesus

Look at this text again,

Peter brushes off what Jesus has just said about this new community that they are going to be part of. A community that will be known by the way that they love one another,

He is still stuck trying to think through the idea that Jesus is about to go somewhere without him and he is not able to follow him there.

In his mind He is thinking “ there is no place jesus could go that I’m not willing to follow him”

and so he asks Jesus “ where are you going that I can’t follow?

and Jesus turns to Peter and says where I am going Now you cannot follow me, but later on you will follow in my footsteps.

and Peter again quickly responds- Lord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.”

Peter is saying Jesus why wouldn’t you want me your most faithful follower to come with you. Jesus I am even willing to die to protect you.

Jesus turns again to Peter and says Really Peter, No you wouldn’t !, in fact Peter you aren’t even going to follow me for the rest of today- you are going to deny me 3 times before the rooster even crows tomorrow morning.

Jesus has just told Peter and the other disciples that when it comes down to it -When the time comes- not one of them will follow him.

But look at what Jesus said to Peter “ You cannot follow Me”

jesus didn't say that they chose not to follow him He said they would not have the ability to go on as His disicple’s without Jesus walking with them by their side.

The disciples could not follow jesus because they did not have the power within themselves to continue on as His disciples.

If verse 36 ended Where I am going you cannot follow me,” it would leave these men in a helpless hopeless state.

Ok men thanks for giving up everything to follow me for the past 3 years, thanks for putting all of your eggs in my one basket, But Hey I just wanted to let you know that Im going to keep on going but you guys cant come with me

This is not where the verse ends look at what jesus says next “but you will follow afterward.”

After Jesus goes to the cross the place the disciples could not follow him.

and after He completes His divine mission of hanging on that tree as the perfect substitute for sinners., These men will be able to follow Him as his disciples once again.

You see after Christ rose from the grave defeating death and sin forever, He ascended back up to heaven with God the Father, but he left his disciples with the Holy Spirit, God Himself who would indwell then and empower them to be His faithful disciples.

This was a fundamental change for these disciples up to this point they walked physically with Jesus, but now Jesus is gone physically and in His place they are given the Holy Spirit. who indwells and empowers them to be Jesus disciples for the rest of their lives.

Wrap up

Our text has given us 3 fundamental changes that the cross was going to bring into the disciples lives

The disciples could no longer go where Jesus was going

The disciples would now become part of a New Community

The disciples would be empowered by the Holy Spirit to Follow after Jesus.

Jesus loves these men and for 3 years has been training them to take His gospel message to the word. And Now they are ready to Go. and for the next 4 chapters in John Jesus will continue to give these men some final instructions on how they will continue to be His followers.

Bring it Home

So what does this mean for us today

I believe that we can experience three fundamental changes in our lives today because of the cross.

The disciples could not go to the cross with Jesus because Only Jesus in His perfection was qualified to go there.

But notice what Jesus tells his followers in chapter 14:1-5

John 14:1-5 ““Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.”

Because of the cross Jesus has given us a way to be with him for all eternity.

The cross fundamentally changes mans destiny

without the cross all mankind are condemned to eternal seperation from God in Hell

But because of the cross we now can experience eternal life with Jesus Christ our Lord.

Because of the Cross We a now part of a New community The Church.

We are part of a community that should be known by the way we love one another.

Because of the cross We have been given the gift of the Holy Spirit in our lives as well.

He leads to Christ

He opens our eyes to see our need for Salvation

He convicts us of Sin

He sustains our eternal destiny

and He compels us to follow jesus and Love others in a way that points the world to Jesus

FINAL

because of the cross our lives have fundamentally changed

We are no longer separated from God but are now Saved redeemed children of God who are part of a New Community that Is empowered by the Holy Spirit which compels us to love one another like Christ loved us.

We as the church have so much to be thankful for because of the cross.

Pray

BRING IT HOME

Fundamental change the cross brings into our lives

The Beleiver will go where Jesus hasd Gone

In verse 33 Jesus says little children where I am going you can not go and then in just a few sentences later in chapter 14 He says I am going away from you to prepare a place for them so that they could come and be with him.