John Chapter 13:21-27

He knew when he chose you chose the nails. The amazing thing is, do worth the sacrifice that the precious son of God would lay down his life for you because he knew there was no other way.

He knew that not our efforts not our attempts not our good works for the good things that we would do would be enough decided to lay down his life for you and a that's an incredible thing welcome to cross the bridge with David McGee.

David is the senior pastor of the bridge in Kernersville, North Carolina. Today we have a very valuable person. This is the a brown these associate pastors. The bread and DA why are you so valuable because Bob God chose us, he considered us worth dying for, so that we can live forever with them. That's exciting. We there not just you and me you and everyone died for everyone is longing for some of us to put our trust in him thousand brother. Let's listen as David McGee teaches on chosen by Jesus. Verse 20, most assuredly, I say to you, he who receives whomever I send receives me and he receives me receives him who sent me your attention please. This is the part that so important we give an invitation every Sunday here and and the thing that makes that really important is that it's not me that's really inviting is the Lord that the flipside of that is if somebody feels that tug on their heart and they don't step out in faith. It's not me there rejecting the rejecting the Lord himself. And if you continue to reject the Lord at some point you'll stand before the Lord and you'll need to explain to him why you rejected the death of his son that was provided for the forgiveness of your sins friend. I don't wish that on anybody. I do not wish that on anyone. Verse 21 when Jesus had said these things, he was troubled in spirit, and testified and said, most assuredly, I say to you one of you will betray me in the disciples looked at one another perplexed about whom he spoke. This is amazing. Part of the reason this was amazing.

They looked at one another perplexed about whom he said they didn't know they did not know who was going to protect Jesus knew three years ago who was going to betray, but they didn't know. You know, friend.

Sometimes I'm tempted to treat people differently because of what I think they might do or might not do. Jesus knew Judas was going to betray him and treated him no differently to the point that they didn't know who was going to betray him, and that so convicting because it hadn't been me if I'd been Jesus you Judas would've been like a sermon illustration. Every time I was teaching you know you could be like Judas is going to betray me in a couple years and you know he's really not good for you know you make know he who has ears, I am here suffused you Judas you don't have a spiritual ears.

We all know that you're going to try makes and I went on and on.

But Jesus never challenge convicting us how God like verse 23 now that was leaning on Jesus, but is one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved like that phrase. One of his disciples, whom Jesus loved, and we if you've been reading the Bible very long, you realize that that's John that's John.

This man spoke of their how do we know that because you know John tells us, as a matter fact it's the only gospel that John is referred to as the disciple whom Jesus loved coming is critical because he knew Jesus loved him, but the other disciples didn't refer to him as the one Jesus loved to enter things, interesting footnote. I don't know if you've ever stopped and considered some of the footnotes there in the Bible because it it points to the reality of the Bible and it points to the humanity of the disciples you see in our modern age know when we refer to Ms. St. John and St. this and so they are in an amazingly enough, so we are were considered saints. That's an amazing thing.

Once you asked the Lord to forgive you of your said I don't mean St. in the unit of stained glass window halo around your head thing, saints, and in the real deal and that your sins of been forgiven. And when Jesus looks at you when God looks at you. Your widest and sometimes we downplay the humanity of the disciples and what happens is we downplay what the Lord can do without you seek the Lord took these 12 guys and turn the world right side up right side and we tend to think what he picked them because they were special know they were best. We talked about earlier.

They were like yeshiva dropouts. They weren't like special in the in the sense we think of special they were special because Jesus chose him. Jesus chose you guess what that means your special because Jesus chose you. Jesus said, follow me, but I don't know if you've ever really understood some of the passages of Scripture will go through several quicker Matthew and this is the part where where the ear gets cut off okay. Now Matthew 2651 and it's on all four Gospels 2651.

Susan suddenly one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear. So Matthew doesn't mention the name see what Marxist Marxist 1447 and one of those who stood by, drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest and cut off as he began guys nameless right: what Luke says. Luke says in one of them struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear again.

He's not these these accounts have graciously left out the name of who it is. But John and Peter kinda had this thing going. I don't know if you've ever noticed some of the passages but graciously the other three Gospels left out who it was that took the God zero. Well John lets us know about this little detail in 1810 he says. Then Simon Peter having a sword going to throw that in there. He had a sword drew it and stuck struck the high priest servant, and cut off his right ear servant's name was Malcolm's so you know John felt the need to tell us who it was that cut the God zero will talk more about that when we get to it, but it's kind interesting that John wanted to note that little deterrent you got okay that's not really that's just filling in the detail. That's not all.

The wedding that there's another passage that's really interesting to when it comes to John and Peter that I'm not sure you've ever considered or are you know if you can take off your religious classes for the moment and really see what the Bible says.

Did you know that John could run faster than Peter.

You know how we know this. John told us he could now you may be years ago. I don't remember that part may help you out.

John chapter 20 verse three Peter therefore went out, and the other disciple, and were going to the tomb so they both ran together, and the other disciple outran Peter and came to the tomb first, and he, stooping down and look and saw the linen cloths lying there, and yet he did not go in and sit Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb and he saw the linen cloths lying there in the handkerchief that had been around his head, not lying with the linen closet, folded together in a place by itself.

Then the other disciple, who came to the tomb first linen also he saw and believed in that amazing stuff you were sitting there not want, not twice but just so you won't miss it three times. Each masturbator and it's interesting because I think Jesus knew they had this thing going on the John Peter thing.

The reason I think that is in John chapter 21 is Susan Peter turning around Saul the disciple whom Jesus loved, following who also had leaned on his breast. At the supper and said, Lord, who was the one that betrayed you. Peter seeing him said to Jesus, but Lord, what about this man love verse 22 Jesus said to them, if I will that he remains taught, what is that to you.

You follow me, what is that to you. You follow me. The reason that so important is because we tend in life to worry about what the other person still in we get real concerned with what somebody else is doing wrong. We want to pointed out the other did you hear about such and such and so on.

So to hear what they said. My goodness. Why do we do that the simple answer is disgusting. Just for a little bit. It makes us feel better for just a moment but can you really do anything about this other person probably not nonbelievers.

We tend to do this and we tend to do this with the people group that doesn't even know Jesus they're not declaring that the following him there, not saying he's my Savior, he's my Lord I'm going to pursue him. So don't be shocked at what they do because people that don't know Jesus would do a lot of terrible things but remember the words of Jesus and he said you know what what is that to you. You need to follow me to worry about him. Don't worry about her, but you follow me.

What an incredible thing that Jesus would invite each and every one of us on this journey to participate, to follow him. You may have been passed over life. I had two older brothers that there big guys and they're very very athletic and they were always you know big sports guys. I was less of a sports guy was more the musician, but I don't know if you ever had this happen you know where where unit people are picking out sides and picking out teams and you used to go play like backyard football with my brothers and think they always got picked first because they were begging your and a lot of times I was like one of the last to get chosen and that always made me feel like you know I don't know is almost like people were deciding who had made it a maybe in some case you relate to that I make. Maybe from school you didn't make the cut for some class or you tried out for play and didn't get the part are you tried out for team and you got caught or whatever and so this makes this all the more powerful because Jesus had passed over. You, as matter fact he send each and every person this morning.

Follow me or you may not be the best and the brightest that Jerusalem has to offer. But I want you to follow me and the amazing thing is Jesus enables you to following Jesus empowers you to follow Jesus enables you to do the things that are impossible in your life. The following he is willing to do that for you and for me and so he doesn't just say follow me says you don't follow me and I'll help you to follow me I'll empower you to give you the knowledge and help you make the right decisions on the decisions we have to make. That is our responsibility and sometimes we have to make tough decisions knowing that's part of following Jesus and that's life lesson. You have to decide to personally follow Jesus. You have to decide that personally. You can't sit here and go away. You know my grandmother follow Jesus will praise God your grandmother follow Jesus.

It's good for my daddy follow Jesus praise God I'm glad your daddy follow Jesus, but are you following Jesus. Are you following Jesus seen that's what cuts it right down because there's a lot of people. Let's face it, there's a lot of people that go to church but there's fewer and fewer people. It seemed like they really want to follow Jesus.

They want to be doing the stuff that Jesus told us were supposed to be doing.

I don't know how we ever made the disconnect from believer to disciple, but were all supposed to be moving towards being a follower of Jesus, you have got now where I prefer the term follower of Jesus over Christian because Christian is, lost its meaning and I asked several years ago asked somebody a severe view Christian Gossett course I am American, I sure this before is one a few times in my life. I was speechless guy was 20 feet away. By the time I thought of something to say. See that's been watered down follower of Jesus.

That's real plain is real simple, that's what were supposed to be. Don't respect me following Jesus you're listening to Pastor David McGee on cross the bridge will be right back with more just a moment, but I want to remind you of the free resources available to you on cross the bridge.com there's a team of hundreds of people that will pray for somebody to be saved. You have a loved one that needs to know Jesus as Savior. You need people to pray for them. You need someone to present God's word to them every day representing God's virtual here on cross the bridge with Pastor David McGee. We can pray for them as well. Just by simply going to cross the bridge.com and click on the pray for the lost button. All you need to do is put in the first names of the people you love, that need to know Jesus as Savior. Click on submit and immediately hundreds of people begin praying for your lost loved ones. What an awesome way to bring your love ones to Jesus. Here's a word from associate pastor DA Brown hey Bob are excited about Pastor David teaching verse by verse and we want to pray for some listeners in these cities and our audience today Parsons to be good in Wichita, Kansas, Bowling Green, Covington, Glascow in Louisville, Kentucky God, we thank you for the listeners tuning in today in the cities and the surrounding areas low.

We pray that they will be reminded that you can heal them if they been going to some physical stuff, or that they would put their trust in you, maybe even have communion today low. We pray that those that are not saved would put their trust in you today for the forgiveness of their sins and guy.

We pray for revival in all these churches in the surrounding areas and Lord of the passes would stick to teaching your word, perhaps even verse by verse, line upon line chapter upon chapter and God that you would bless it. As I honor your word and your people are encouraged in their faith in Jesus name, amen, amen. Thank you brother and now get back to David McGee as he continues teaching verse by verse, verse 24 seven. Peter therefore motioned to him to ask who it was, of whom he spoke then, leaning back on Jesus.

Bresee said to him, Lord, who is it Jesus answered, it is he to whom I shall give a piece of bread when I have dipped it. Having dipped the bread, he gave it to Judas Iscariot. Son assignment. This was something you did with a friend when you dip the bread to the stop the house. That is what it was it the an apple mixture you dipped it in their new handed it to your friend that was an act of friendship and even in this act of friendship.

There was a betrayal going on, Judas who would hurt the word, but I think it's safe to say was not a doer of the word. And Jesus, when an example, in the face of this treachery in the face of betrayal. He offers Judas's French that's are challenging you and I and understand. It wasn't just here, but in Matthew chapter 26 verse 50 Jesus when Judas comes with the troops. Jesus says to him, friend why Viacom causing friend and he said his wife you, I know that Jesus knew why he had come with the troops and whatnot. So I think the question was a little bit deeper and that Jesus was saying, you know, why have you come in the light of the mercy and the Kreis and the forgiveness that I've offered you, do you decide to reject me and betray me the cutting question for us as well. Verse 27 now after the piece of bread. Satan entered him.

Then Jesus said to him what you do do quickly what you do do quickly, and we need understand something, because I've heard some teachings that talk about how Jesus was part of this whole political conspiracy, and he certainly was, but that he was a victim of this political conspiracy.

He wasn't. This wasn't an accident.

What went on here. The crucifixion of Jesus. While it may have been tragic was not just a tragedy. While it may had something to do with the conspiracy wasn't just the conspiracy.

See because it had been planned for hundreds and even thousands of years, and what we see right here in Jesus looking at Judas as he says what you're about to do.

Go do quickly. He speeds up the timetable and understand that this described in the Pharisees were not prepared to move forward at this time with the execution of Jesus. That's part of why they were so out of sorts in the research grant were the witnesses. We got witnesses. We got fake witnesses. We know we brought some of them. Where are they and you see him scrambling around what because they were on schedule.

So who was in control of the schedule. God was Jesus was Jesus wanted to be crucified on the Passover as a picture of the Lamb. Remember what John the Baptist said the Lamb who takes away the sin of the world.

Jesus is the one that sped up the timetable. Remember Matthew 26 verse three Susan, the chief priests and scribes and the elders of the people assembled at the palace of the high priest who is called Caiaphas and plotted to take Jesus by trickery and kill them, but they said not during the feast. So is there a decision was to be an uproar among the people see their plan was, not to execute Jesus during the feast Jesus plan.

He turned up the whole timetable he was in control of the whole thing. The timing everything. This isn't something that just happened. This is something that had been planned again thousands of years ago, is an interesting scripture in Exodus chapter 6 talking about the liberation of the Israelites from Egypt. This is therefore say to the children of Israel. I am the Lord. I will bring you out from the burdens of the Egyptians, I will rescue you from their bondage, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and great judgments way back in Exodus talking about redeeming you with an outstretched arm.

In this verse carries extra significance because when you're studying the Bible. There's what's called the law of first mention what that means is the first time you see a word occur in the Bible you give it more weight about what it's communicate is the first place.

The word arm occurs in the Bible with an outstretched arm sounds like a very accurate description of the cross, God was in charge. The Hebrew Scriptures into Smith talking many places about how Jesus was cross hung up with outstretched arms. I don't know if you stop to consider this. You realize in the history of mankind. There is a brief 50 year window where a Jewish person would have died. A Roman death, a brief window because the Jewish people. Human how Jewish people executed other Jewish people. I picked up Roxie Stone.

Well, there was a brief season where the Romans were in charge of the execution of the Jewish people. The Romans executed by crucifixion. If you're not a Roman Jesus knew Jesus was in charge, and when I some even more amazing.

Jesus knew what was about to happen, but he knew there was no other way.

Cease all you and I lost struggle and in our sense, with no access to God. He knew that we couldn't have a relationship with him because sin are sin was in the way and Jesus knew Jesus knew when he wanted to choose you when he wanted to say to you, follow me. He knew what that entailed. He knew you was one authors but he knew what and when he chose you. He chose the nails. The amazing thing is, he counted you worthy of that sacrifice that the precious son of God would lay down his life for you because he knew there was no other way. He knew that not our efforts not our attempts not our good works are the good things that we would do would be enough, and he decided to lay down his life for you and that's an incredible thing in her final life lesson is that Jesus considered you worth what he went through on the cross, Jesus considered you worth what he went through on the cross. I hear a lot of people talking about self-esteem. I'm not going to get off on that rabbit trail but God counted you worthy your worth something precious to God because you can tell what something is worth the somebody by the price they are willing to pay for it. Think about the price that Jesus Christ was willing to pay for you, and in light of that, in light of knowing that. Can you really look at him this morning say no thanks, I really don't want to, as the Lord stands here this morning offered to you complete forgiveness.

A clean slate. Turning from your ways and your sin to his ways.

You really reject hope not. Obviously, there was one of the 12 that did Judas did, but I don't wish that hard on any you friends that I'm sure it's more complicated than that pastor know it's not Jesus and believe in you would be forgiven and when you believe you confess with your mouth book of Romans 1013 says whosoever calls on the name of Lord will be saved so all you have to do is ask the Lord to forgive you and be willing to turn from your ways to his with a lot of times we try to turn from our ways to his ways before we've asked him to forgive you of your sense.

I know people that try to get cleaned up and get their act together before they come to church that's backwards. You don't get cleaned up to take a shower to you. Don't get cleaned up to come to church you come to the Lord and the Lord begins to change as we seen time and time again so it boils down to this, knowing that Jesus wanted to give his life for you. Can you really this morning say no thanks friend.

You know for sure that your sins have been forgiven. You can know right now own Legion. A short simple prayer simply telling God you're sorry and asking him to help you to live for him. God wants you to pray this prayer so much that he died to give you the opportunity and the ability to ask him to forgive you. Please pray this prayer with me out loud right now. Dear Jesus, I believe you died for me that I could be forgiven and I believe you were raised from the dead that I can have a new life not done wrong things I have sent and I'm sorry.

Please forgive me of all those things.

Please give me the power to live for you. All of my days in Jesus name, amen it friend of you prayed that prayer according to the Bible you've been forgiven you've been born again. Jesus said he would not turn anybody away who comes to him and he came for those people who knew they needed forgiveness. Those who were sick, not the righteous. So congratulations Springer just made the greatest decision that you will ever make. God bless you, if you pray that prayer with David for the first time we'd love to hear from you. You can visit cross the bridge.com to receive our first steps package with helpful resources to help you begin your walk with Christ. Or you can write to cross the bridge at PO Box 12, 515 Winston-Salem, NC 27117 and share how God is working in your life you're the Bible tells us that the free gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord.

But it does cost for us to come and bring that message to you and to others in your neighborhood through radio through the Internet and through the mobile technologies that God has gifted us to be able to use so if you like to support this ministry. Please go to cross the bridge.com.

Click on the donate button and ask God how much you would have you give either on a one-time basis or continuing basis each month to help ensure that the teaching of God's word continues to go out also. Thank you so much for DA before we go. What are some ways that bless our listeners days you can wake up with encouragement from Pastor David with his email devotional life lessons to consider a daily reading plan and a thought to meditate on throughout your day in the heart of David McGee. Thanks again for listening and join us next time. As David McGee continued teaching verse by verse in the gospel of God