025 - Betrayal and Bravado

You pick up your Bible is more here than meets the is there something here for me. I mean it's just words printed on paper right well it may look like just print on a page, but it's more than a join us for the next half hour, as we explore God's word together as we learn how to explore it on our own.

As we ask God to meet us there in its pages welcome to more than dinner never know quite out of the night stop equating and offer them bread doing no or wash the feet, as Jews write less effort. Okay today I'm really Jim and were just delighted your back with us as we do our informal walking through the Scriptures is very informal instrument script at all surprise each other and not it always surprises and not meaning that were not prepared. It's just that we have really compared note yeah you're giving us sitting around the table talking to each other about the word and we think this is a really valuable a lot of people do this because it is the word such a soft not only just fascinating but it gives us an understanding of the hardened nature of God, especially when you look at Jesus and looking at Jesus in the Gospels you're seeing with the right Hebrews because the outshining of seeing who God is. So Jesus as a result of some very unexpected things we saw that last weekend, then in this second half of John 13 more unexpected things go down, which would tend to make you think. If you are in a possible looking for the kingdom of God that everything is falling apart but well there was at least one thought things were falling that's exactly right. I probably before we get into reading this passage we need to can remember that at the end where we stopped last week was right where Jesus had said no if you know these things your blessed if you do them blessed if you serve one another. The way I have served you sent something really interesting is that I'm not speaking you all I know Joe is in Scripture may be fulfilled. He ate my bread is lifted his heel against me. I'm telling you this now so that when it does take place.

You may believe so.

You know Jesus as I know whom I have chosen Judas was there. Judas was there for the foot washing. He was there for the dinner because the dipping of the bread and giving it would've taken place in the context of the portion so it's just very interesting to less than we think about Judas being there and Jonathan tell us exactly the point at which Judas left it's a little hard to tease out when you read all of that, the Last Supper narratives together, but there is a point at which John tells us very specifically.

This is when he left to work anywhere and have at this morning yet so let's focus on Judas a little bit okay to read. 21.

Want to read for 21 after saying these things Jesus was troubled in his spirit, and testified truly, truly, I say to you, if you will betray me. The disciples looked at one another uncertain film. He spoke of his disciples, whom Jesus loved, was reclining at the table and Jesus sighed so Simon Peter motioned him and said to ask Jesus if whom he was speaking so that disciple leaning back against Jesus said to him with it. Jesus answered its heat, whom I will give this morsel of bread when I have dipped it.

So when he dipped the morsel he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon is so then after he had taken a morsel, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him what you're going to do do quickly now, no one at the table knew why he sent this to him.

Some thought that because Judas had a money bag Jesus was telling them by 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 night. I hear a lot of wow background music. When I read this well is that imagery of darkness and night frequently starts the whole gospel saying that the light shines in the darkness and the darkness did not comprehend it. So this really is a folder, something happened so and it is so unexpected.

It is so unexpected when Jesus announces I'm different point blank in verse 21, you know, one of you will betray me.

I think all of your eyes. Just open up its when talking about cluelessly been with you for three years we talking about betray this is just nuts talk, you know, and so Peter, you know, motioned to John close to Jesus. So he's the closest one to ask, and I think the ranch sign language, but something tells him UST's who's usually talking about who is the system 25 talking to each other you got 12 people sit around the table or probably many more cost you a lot and you is going to be is not dead silent yeah and in fact if you look at da Vinci's painting of this, that moment of confusion about you know one of you may ask themselves is by looking at each other look at each other make that motion that's exactly what da Vinci captures the animal were going well. I write and so so when he actually asked Jesus who is it, Jesus says, will the one I'm dipping my bread in right now to hand it to them and he does and they all get who it is right, but it's not see real clear that John was maybe the only one who heard him say it's this one could be right.

That could very maybe later told Peter Ronstadt that's Judas well becomes very apparent in a couple of hours when they're in the garden, Judas comes in with that with the soldiers.

Yeah, so it could be the John himself understands the sign that no one else to John himself was maybe maybe no one heard the part about the bread and the dipping like that and so then out of the blue. It seems like Jesus says to address Judas as you know we need to do. You need to do quickly, which again they all misinterpreted.

They did know what that was all about. Set some of them thought you know is since he had the money bag to go buy something you need to go buy something to the portal. Even at that point that no clue the humans didn't even suspect is one reason why that might be in this just occurred to me just now so you can debunk it if I'm wrong, but is it possible that in the process of saying to them, this bread is my body broken for you this wine is the new covenant in my blood that Jesus had dipped and given bread to each one of them and it simply was the moment when that was for Judas and he revealed to John this one could be which is why they wouldn't have a clue because Judas in the peer to receive any different treatment than ink them.

Henry T was one of the guys.

Okay so that's just totally off the top of my head moment, but I can that seems plausible to me.

Yeah, but the idea idea.

The idea that someone as powerful as Jesus they've seen him raise people from the healed people.

I like that the whole idea that someone would betray him in the in the midst of the highest ranks of his followers, and that if Jesus is the King of Kings that he wouldn't put a stop to it.

This is just this is just seems nuts because Kings put down revolution put them revolutionary if they find out about them and so so when Peter asked through John who it is. And Jesus seems to know who it is.

Isn't it amazing he does not put a stop to it. That's just that's just crazy, which again when you look at John's between the lines. He tells us this is stuff that we didn't know at the time, but it tells us that this was all according to plan. This is this is nothing here that's really out of out of context.

According to God's timeline. This is the way it was supposed to be.

But at the moment betrayal.

I don't think so. That's just nuts talk that know there is going to be any failures at the top your known to do that. But this departure when Judas goes out starts this light the fuse yeah that is going to explode in the garden in just a few hours. So Jesus knows this is the moment he's gone we are now in the dark that the power of darkness is yours as he had said Luke had recorded that in chapter 22 this hour and a paradoxically yours, exactly. So here we are at the end of 30 nights were in the night, both literally and spiritually speaking more and night, so it's funny that Jesus then in the next words in John's Gospel talk about what he's talking about isn't what you think you would talk about the enveloping darkness in you all need to wear because it befalls Christ say doesn't think he does not go there. He had gone out. Jesus said now is the Son of Man glorified God is glorified in him. If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and glorify him. Once this is Dr. when you define what glorious because it's a religious were the most was that for timing since lifetimes five times Son of Man is glorified God is glorified goes before NM got also go for him and himself glorified his close association of God and the son and the father the son glorifying one another. This very when betrayal is unfolding Jesus, Judas just left the door. Judas just left the building that we don't understand glorifying okay so we know what we what is glorify my semi-simplistic way of looking at glorify you just to make publicly known something that's not quite obvious at the moment to make it big to make it recognizable right.

I called Bill boarding what you take something you stick on a billboard make it very very known. You know you couldn't before so so we talk about here is the nature of God, the nature Jesus is going to be made is going be billboard based on what's going to happen next. And it's good to be different than what you think right because we know we think of glory as this Splenda for a slight shining, and indeed that's part of it. There is this outshining is 300 nature of something of what it really is shines out and so you know if they been looking for a glorious kingdom where you know people are going to bow and scrape and sing and celebrate well. The kingdom is coming in a completely different way.

It was coming in through the death of the king that that is an outshining of a reality that they haven't yet understood right so when I colloquial licensing translation. I think this'll, right here and I basically see Jesus look at the apostles and say you want to a godlike you watch this and so that's what's going to happen he's going glorify who is God sacrifices himself for you. Watch this and then he goes on in verse 33 little children, yet a little while. I'm with you. You will seek me and just as I said to the Jews.

So now I'll save you where I am going, you can come and there was okay select that there there was an awkward silence where I'm where I am going, you cannot come these guys these guys left their homes and phone for three years and now sing up, and that I'm going some place you can follow anymore right talk about talk about creating a huge angst in the apostles yeah and and you know if you remember this verse. This verse right here in verse 33. The response to what Jesus says here the apostles response with Jesus going to dress from now through chapter 7 right right well why can't we with you why can't we where going on. I don't understand. I thought… We are going to the big kingdom here. I mean, what happened when you can follow anymore so that that's I mean that's just room for again very unexpected and they don't what's going on. They got it later, but we know that in the very immediate future. He was going to the cross and they couldn't go there.

That's true yeah that's true. But beyond that he was going to the father and they couldn't go there either except by way of the cross yet. So in retrospect we all know this is they don't get it, but we always connect those dots.

That way, exactly. Yeah, exactly. So again it surprises me.

What Jesus addresses next because what should happen if you're writing a fictional story, you should have all the guys go one weekend they would protest and they would talk about their sacrifice at that point in their sale we talked about the plans to I mean there would be would be a lot of a lot of awkward and in high voiced debate on those questions are coming there, so while he has their attention after sing such a blockbuster thing that he drops and 33 then he goes on and says something again unexpected buddies got their attention. A new commandment I give to you that you love one another, just as I have loved you also love one another and by this.

All people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another when what a funny place to stick this. He's got their attention, but it does connect what will happen soon, but they don't know that well just a little while ago John told us, knowing who he was and where he was going. He loved them. You love to have them complete break that down on his hands and knees and washed their feet since I've given you. This example well. Keep that in mind. Love one another you going to need this love right want to head this is him and we see it again retrospectively know what's coming. So this makes a lot of sense to us. But in a real sense he's answering there. There, the roof questions in your mind what you mean we can't follow. You have been following you and we want to follow you and Jesus steps two steps forward and says you want to follow.

This is how you fall in love you love. This is how you follow by loving and just like Thomas later on who demands that he sees the risen Christ you know and and he says you know what you need to do this but you need to follow and think about all those people don't have a chance to touch, but they're going to follow so he really is answering their immediate question about how do we follow items and what we can't follow. We can follow the next step in your and you are following is to love one another.

That's how you fall oh okay yeah Jeff for now let's just go on okay because this is where the conversation Goes where we would go well. Simon Peter said to where you going right. He dismisses the whole loving thing yeah and goes right back to where you going Jesus answered him, where I'm going. You cannot follow me now but you will follow me later.

Finally, afterward finding can I file you now I 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. Yeah, and the other Gospels point this out as well. I mean this is that this is gigantic fail and so that's why say this section of John 13 seems to be all about unexpected failure got betrayal.

Jesus announces going to happen. They don't and they failed understand this Jews is doing the can't even conceive that Jesus talks about loving but they can't follow. That seemed like a big fail in the plan. Now here's here's Peter saying but I won't fail. They might feel. But I fail but actually if you read Luke's account this at this point Lou concludes. Jesus says to Peter, but I have prayed for you when you return to strengthen your brothers. So if we read all the narratives together. We realize that Jesus even in the midst of telling him looks like things are going bad, but they're not. This is all according to plan, but he's giving them comfort and information all the way along, says so when it happens, you'll know so you will know I told you had a time I prepared you. Yeah, he said that in the first half of 13 so that when these things happen you know when I'm right and he understood at the moment that it was probably just confusing them, but he knew that he was laying these little tidbits so they could come back later to remember. He said single all what he must be the guy can unite.

You have always wondered if they sat around the campfire.

Can you believe it.

They say we were. We were up there that upper room Jesus action revealed to us is going to betray him. And can you believe that as the King of Kings and Lord of Lord he did not stop Judas even though he fully knew what was going on. Can you believe that and it happened right in our very eyes it seems as though he is so sovereign that even when he knows that he will be betrayed and who will betray him, you cannot stop the sovereignty of this king, so there's a lot of things there witnessing that the going to have to post processes we say you're not going to get it here but what but again we come back to Peter. Peter does this this this wonderful statement. I mean it's just you gotta you gotta love Peter I mean you really gotta love Peter because he steps out there and he says look I'm going I'm going to say right here in front of all the guys that I'm committed enough that I will actually do my life I mean I am willing to do that. Applies like it's getting really clear that's not in again. Jesus, Jesus, I love it here. He doesn't rate him and say oh yeah Peter you don't like me doesn't doesn't berate them, but just tell him affect and when that fact happens later on. It just crushes.

Peter says he goes on he weeps bitterly part of that weeping is because he realizes at that point the weakness of visited his intentions and to act in the flesh, to love Jesus and support them to follow him to be his disciple. He realizes he just he just can't do it and I don't think it's very interesting to compare pre-meditated up profitable betrayal of Judas with the totally self knowing stepped in it without recognizing it self unawareness Peter. They both denied the Lord and so what's the difference that's a very interesting course of thought.

If you take some time to think about that because Jesus prepares Peter and says oh Peter, you're going to do this, but I've prayed for you last. Again, John doesn't include Napa looked as I prayed for you and you will turn both spirit is willing and the flesh is weak. Jesus already warned him about this and you might have great intentions you love me might be profound and deep.

You may be fully in your fully in the program but I tell you when when you serve me and follow me in the flesh of your fail.

He can actually that phrase comes from the prayer in the garden bingo. Actually, John does not does not include that I think is the one I tells us about that you have a collection of really well-intentioned, very committed. I mean, overcommitted guy. I mean they've left homes and family stuff like that.

Another passage they say look, we all left our home to know what oh what are we getting in return but but you know that such sacrificial such great honest and authentic following and yet still they will fail.

And Peter just the only one who put to words proclaimed the rest of him and is sort of embarrassed by the fact that he's got a fail but that's that's actually a truism about our following of Christ. You know, we don't follow little offer to follow him with the strength of our will and that somehow impresses him because you know what they're just not much do that. However, ironically, Peter will give his life.

At the end.

Much later, much, much either so what's the difference here.

He proclaimed it is going to do it, but he fails, but there he doesn't fail he actually gives his life. So what happened in the interim. What happened in the interim.

When you read acts. The Holy Spirit is change is a changed man. But here at the outset is he's following Jesus's love for Jesus is less than was intention is in any less authentic, but he's just week just weak and something about a lifetime of walking with Jesus.

Jesus himself, the Holy Spirit will change you. And if you read and it would be an interesting thing to do going read just quickly through first and second Peter and you will see these very things coming out and I just did that this morning I was honest and how often Peter talks about the glory of Christ and loving one another. Reichhold will both come from right here in this moment right before the Lord said to him you're going to deny me yeah yeah and interestingly enough, you know, in the face of our own personal failures. I mean, Peter's personal failures you think to yourself, I've let down the King. I've let down, the one whom I've come to love and now and will my relationship with this special one. Change is a result of my failures. That's what we would all do.

He change toward me exactly yeah yeah and yes, I fear, yet in the face of all of that in the face of all that failure which Jesus knows is going to happen.

Ahead of time.

It does not seem to affect Jesus's love for us. That's what's really profound about this why we love Peter so much because Peter Peter is a guy who just do you know has a high profile failures. But Jesus still, if indeed it's sad that we have the chapter break. At this point because yeah Jesus said to him, you will deny me three times. Then the text goes right. Don't let your heart go on being troubled but not believing me right that's getting ahead of myself because we'll talk about that next week or what great hope we have a chapter 13 on a downer you know you will deny me three times and all my say you have to press through the whole conversation the whole evening important things that Jesus said in the face of these bombshells bursting right. I suspect I'm going to prepare a place for you where I am, you will be receiving to myself.

You'll never be part for me. If you see me you seen the father all those things come on the heels this, but you denying me yeah yeah statement so you'll read the whole notion because they are deeply troubled about the fact that Jesus said in verse 33, there were I'm going to can't come in at just that.

Just wrecks their world. I mean it just wrecks there were like they come and why couldn't they come in and on top of wrecking their world. Someone's going to betray him, which usually means the Kings left them thinking and then on top of that all of our great and all of our great claims of being able to follow when run, follow you to the death of those are going to fail Jesus and even with all of that shadowing over what looks like it should crumble this entire plan just Jesus goes in the chapter 14 says door guys, this is this is where were going to get. Don't go on being troubled.

Don't live in a state of troubles in this belief ready to leave God. There's a plan here right and again it turns out like the guys walking to Emmaus. What changes our perspective on what looks like the world is falling apart is the very word of God which must happen, it will have and he stated his attention what can happen so that's what changed in the reason you can't come now because I have to go to the cross. You have to pay the penalty for sin to open the way I am the way the truth and the life which is what is in the same minute, but I have to die in order to accomplish your salvation, and open the way for you to be with me where I am ever get that that either they don't get it yet but that well and I've always thought that Jesus kept the identity of the betrayer from them because someone like Peter probably said bullets. Judas, let's kill them and they were killed last bite and wrapped it in in self blaming one another and actually another account they do actually that the conversation immediately turns to will lose the greatest writer that's in Luke's account. Yeah right.

Exactly right after the lot, the Last Supper, so it's a conversation that John records so anyway so Jesus being very careful to make sure they don't get in the way the plan but the plan will happen and Jesus says there's lots of places where I'm going and I'm making a boy place for you and I want you to be where I am. That's my heart, but now you can't fall well so he'll address that the next chapter.

So anyway were glad you will send over and started chapter 14 exit will we do half of chapter 14 you think probably you probably have a slip team is so great, but just keep remembering this is Jesus's response to there being really concerned about the fact that Jesus is where I'm going, you can't fall in. This is not your typical Passover dinner conversation no no no night classes at a celebration of deliverance. Wellness is suddenly taken a turn toward the dark turn toward the dark. There's betrayers there's failure. There is real weakness in power for on how we watch and follow.

So anyway, it's it seemed like a dark time, but using a turn and no brightness is believing me so anyway thanks for being with us and we hope that you're enjoying walking to the Scriptures with us and be back next week on John 14, so I'm Jim and we just trust that God is speaking to and glorifying making known bill morning who is so thanks for being with us. Thanks