Emory Baptist Church

In Difficult Times, Remember Easter!

Introduction

I want you to take your Bible and turn to John 16:16. I want to share a message with you entitled, “Remember Easter!”  Notice that is an imperative. 

 

Last week, Bro. Ronnie took you through the first half of John 16.  Let’s go back before Easter Sunday or Resurrection Sunday.

 

In our text, it is still Thursday night.  The disciples have been with Jesus in the Upper Room.  Jesus washed their feet.  Jesus served the Passover Meal to them.  Then Judas left.

 

After Judas left, they then followed Jesus to Garden of Gethsemane.  That is where they are in John 16, but it is very late, and they haven’t slept, and they haven’t eaten any more, and Jesus has told them that He is going away.

 

In John 16, Jesus tried to encourage them during difficult times.  He told them to remember He knows the future.  He also told them that He was going to send His Spirit to them.

 

When we find ourselves in difficult times, we should remember the same.  Jesus or God knows the future and is in complete control.  Our trial may not be for testing but to demonstrate how great God is.

 

Furthermore, we also have the Holy Spirit dwelling in us.  Remember that He is the third person of the Trinity, and 1 John 4:4 says He is greater than the devil in the world. 

 

He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.

 

 

Exposition 16:16-19

¹⁶ “A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me, because I go to the Father.”  ¹⁷ Then some of His disciples said among themselves, “What is this that He says to us, ‘A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me’; and, ‘because I go to the Father’?” ¹⁸ They said therefore, “What is this that He says, ‘A little while’? We do not know what He is saying.”  ¹⁹ Now Jesus knew that they desired to ask Him, and He said to them, “Are you inquiring among yourselves about what I said, ‘A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me’? 

 

In verse 16, we see the Lord giving a prediction to His disciples.  In a little while, He will be gone, but in a little while, He will return.  When was He talking about?

 

You can see from verse 17 that the disciples didn’t understand what He was saying.  However, they tried to talk it over for more understanding. 

 

In verse 19, Jesus began to explain further what He meant.  It seems that He had His death, burial, and resurrection in mind. 

 

Once He was dead and buried, they would not see Him.  However, they would see Him when He was resurrected. 

 

He pointed them to His future resurrection.  It would be the ultimate game changer. 

 

After it happened and to remember it, would bring us joy, give us confidence in prayer, and give us peace in difficult times. 

 

 

1. In difficult times, remember Easter, and rejoice, John 16:20-22.

²⁰ Most assuredly, I say to you that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; and you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy. ²¹ A woman, when she is in labor, has sorrow because her hour has come; but as soon as she has given birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. ²² Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you. 

 

In verse 20, Jesus seems to be pointing toward a specific event.  The disciples will be weep and lament, but the world will rejoice.

 

The disciples will be sorrowful, but their sorrow will be turned to joy.  What could Jesus be talking about?

 

The disciples were certainly grieved to see Him die on the cross.  However, the unbelieving world loved it.  They rejoiced. 

 

In verse 21, Jesus used an illustration to prove His point.  It was about childbirth. 

Childbirth is unbelievable pain or so I am told.  However, once that mother has birthday that baby, her anguish and pain turns to joy when she holds her newborn.

 

In verse 22, He will see them again, and they will rejoice, and no one will take that joy from them.  What was Jesus talking about? 

 

Some say that He was talking about the Holy Spirit.  However, that doesn’t seem to fit the most immediate context. 

 

Again, I would suggest to you that He was talking about His crucifixion, burial, and resurrection.  After He was crucified, He would go away for a little while.  That was three days in the tomb.  However, He would return to them after His resurrection, once they experienced the resurrected Christ, no one could take that joy away from them. 

 

Therefore, here is our first big idea.  The disciples’ grief turned to joy when they experienced the resurrected Christ.  Their grief turned to joy.  God brought pleasure from their pain. 

 

If you’re in the middle of difficult days, remember Easter that Jesus was raised, and we can rejoice because Jesus won!  He is the winner, and we are too.

 

Romans 6:8-11, 8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, 9 knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. 10 For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. 11 Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

 

1 Corinthians 15:57, 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

Colossians 2:12, 12 buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.

 

1 John 5:4-5, 4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. 5 Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

 

Remember Easter, and rejoice!

 

2. In difficult times, remember Easter, and pray with confidence, John 16:23-30.

²³ “And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you. ²⁴ Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.  ²⁵ “These things I have spoken to you in figurative language; but the time is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figurative language, but I will tell you plainly about the Father. ²⁶ In that day you will ask in My name, and I do not say to you that I shall pray the Father for you; ²⁷ for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me, and have believed that I came forth from God. ²⁸ I came forth from the Father and have come into the world. Again, I leave the world and go to the Father.”  ²⁹ His disciples said to Him, “See, now You are speaking plainly, and using no figure of speech! ³⁰ Now we are sure that You know all things, and have no need that anyone should question You. By this we believe that You came forth from God.”

 

Because of the resurrected Jesus, we can pray with confidence during difficult times.  See verses 23-24. 

 

When Jesus was resurrected and ascended, we can pray with Jesus as our go between.  He will be our intercessor.  We can come to God on His behalf. 

 

In verse 24, we can ask anything in His name or according to His will, and it will be granted.  That is not some magical formula but an attempt to help us align our desires with His desires.  Because of the resurrected Jesus, we can pray with confidence during difficult times.

 

You can pray with confidence for God to save your marriage.  You can pray with confidence for God to break your addiction with self-control that He gives.  You can pray with confidence for G

 

We also see in this section that because of the resurrection, the disciples knew for certain that Jesus was God’s Son.  Look at verse 30.  The resurrection didn’t make Jesus God’s Son but rather proved Him to be God’s Son. 

 

It was the crowning moment when we know that we could trust everything that He ever had said because He did what had never been done.  Jesus came from the Father because He is God’s Son, and He is returning to the Father because He is God’s Son. 

 

 

3. In difficult times, remember Easter, and experience peace, John 16:31-33.

31 Jesus answered them, “Do you now believe? 32 Indeed the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave Me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me. 33 These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

 

In verse 32, as the disciples acknowledged finally being able to understand Jesus, Jesus predicted their abandoning Him in the coming hours.  However, these things that He told them would ultimately turn their grief to joy when He conquered death.

 

In verse 33, He even spoke of it as an already accomplished fact.  Jesus overcame the world.  He conquered the grave. 

 

The pleasure of the resurrection was worth the pain in His dying.  His suffering was worth our salvation, and now, if we have Jesus as Lord and Savior, we have peace.

 

How so?  He has overcome the world.  Regardless of my difficult times, the greater truth is that God raised Jesus, His Son, from the grave never to die again. 

 

 

Conclusion

Are you grieving today?  Does life have you tied up in knots?  How about remembering Easter?

 

Easter won’t necessarily make your difficult times go away, but they might fade into the background.  Because of Easter, we can rejoice, we can pray with confidence, and we can experience peace that surpasses all understanding.

 

If you have never been saved, putting your faith and trust in Christ is the only way to be at peace with God and experience this peace from God.  Would you be saved today?

My Story of April 2, 2985

Introduction

This morning is Palm Sunday, and we are taking a break from John’s Gospel for the next two Sundays, but we will return on April 16.  Today, please take your Bibles and turn to 1 Corinthians 15:1.  I want to tell you my story of what happened to me 38 years ago today.

 

 

Growing Up in Venus

I was born in Cleburne, Texas on March 11, 1975.  My dad was from Waldron, Arkansas but had come to Texas to work, and he so working for Vought Aerospace and Defense in Grand Prairie until he took early retirement and moved back to Arkansas.

 

My mom grew up in a small town in Johnson County called Venus.  She came from a large family with 3 brothers and 2 sisters. She went to school there and has now moved back, and she lives there today.

 

 

I am the only child of my mom and dad, and we lived in Venus until I was 7 years old, but when I was five, my mom and dad divorced.  I lived with my mom but would go and stay with my dad every other weekend and for a week or two in the summer, and we rotated Thanksgiving and Christmas Holidays.

 

My mom and I lived in Venus for two more years after the divorce until I was seven.  I attended Kindergarten and First Grade at Venus Elementary School.  While having a broken family was hard, my maternal grandparents and multiple aunts and uncles and cousins also lived in Venus, which I liked. 

 

My family attended and were members of First Baptist Church in Venus.  My mom was the church pianist, and my dad was a deacon, and like I said previously, a lot of my mom’s family also were members at First Baptist Church Venus.

 

 

 

Moving to Alvarado

After I finished the first grade, my mom remarried, and we moved to Alvarado, just seven miles west, into a house with my stepdad.  He had three sons that were all older than me but lived with their mom.

 

I started the second grade at Alvarado Elementary in 1982, and I continued in school there through the twelfth grade.  I graduate from Alvarado High School in 1993.

 

 

April 2, 1985

On Tuesday, April 2, 1985, my life was changed forever.  I was in the fourth grade at Alvarado Elementary School.

 

As I mentioned previously, my family and I attended FBC Venus.  That remained true for me and my mom even after we moved to Alvarado, but my stepdad rarely attended if ever.

 

 

I was ten years old in 1985 and began having questions about life after death.  I was somewhat familiar with the subjects of heaven and hell as my mom and I attended Sunday School every Sunday as well as Sunday morning church and Sunday evening church. 

 

I began to wonder what would happen to me if I died?  Would I go to heaven or hell?

 

As Venus was about a ten-minute drive from Alvarado, I started asking these questions of my mom during our weekly drives.  Like many parents, she thought it would be best for me to talk to our pastor so she made an appointment for Bro. Doug Riggs to come by our house.

 

Because my mom and step-dad both worked in Cleburne when I was a kid, I came home after school each day and stayed by myself.  In that day, I was what was called a latch-key kid.

 

 

 

It was Tuesday, April 2, 1985, and I got out of school about 3 PM.  Bro. Doug was coming from Venus and was supposed to be at our house about 4 PM. 

 

I came home after school that day and confess that I was nervous about talking with Bro. Doug.  My mom had made arrangements to also be there leaving work early that day. 

 

In our living room, we had a large window that you could see out of if you were sitting on the couch.  I had the curtains open that afternoon watching for Bro. Doug. 

 

Our house number was 506, but it wasn’t easy to see, especially if our bushes were over grown.  I remember seeing what I thought was Bro. Doug’s car pass by once and then again.  I didn’t know if I should go out in the front yard and flag him down, but he finally stopped and came to the front door.

 

 

My mom wasn’t home yet so Bro. Doug and I waited on her, but it was so awkward!  Do you know what I mean?  What were we supposed to talk about?  Do preachers even know about anything other than the Bible?  So I just turned on the TV, and we watched the Dukes of Hazzard. Finally, after what seemed like hours, my mom got there.

 

Bro. Doug then asked me about my questions regarding heaven and hell.  He then very plainly and clearly explained to me the gospel of 1 Corinthians 15.

 

 

The Gospel

If you look there in verse 1, you will find the actual word “gospel.”  It literally means “good news.”  The gospel is good news for you.

 

In verses three and four, Paul explained the gospel for all to understand.  There are essentially two parts to the gospel that cannot be separated.  They are like two sides of a coin. 

 

The first part is death.  Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures.  Jesus died on the cross for the sins of the world.  He died in our place.

 

However, there are several conditions implied before His death.  First, it is implied that there is a holy God.  He is holy.  He is without sin.  He is completely good. 

 

Second, it is implied that we are sinful.  We were born into sin and make choices that are sin, and it is our sin that separates us from a holy God and requires someone paying a penalty for our sin. 

 

We as humans were not capable of paying the penalty because we are sinners.  However, Jesus was sinless.  Therefore, He was capable and qualified to pay our sin debt by dying on the cross.  The sinless Savior died on the cross in the place of sinful humanity.

 

 

The second part of the gospel is life.  Jesus died on Friday.  He was placed into a garden tomb that same evening and was there through early hours of Sunday morning. 

 

Verse 4 says that Jesus was raised on that third day.  He was brought back to life by the Holy Spirit never to die again, and because of that reality, you too can have eternal life today.

 

If you believe in Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you can immediately have forgiveness of sins and a home in heaven when you die.  Bro. Doug asked me if I wanted to be saved, and I said yes.

 

Bro. Doug then invited me to pray after him.  So right then and there in my living room on the couch with the Dukes of Hazzard playing in the background, Bro. Doug prayed, and I repeated after him, and Jesus came into my life and saved me from my sins.  That was a Tuesday afternoon, 38 years ago today. 

 

 

The next Sunday was Palm Sunday, April 7, 1985.  After Bro. Doug preached that morning, he gave a public invitation just like I am going to give in just a moment.

 

As he was standing there at the front of the auditorium and we were all singing, I stepped out into the aisle and met him at the front and told him that I would like to join the church and be baptized since I asked Christ to come into my life and was saved last Tuesday.

 

He prayed with me again that morning, and then introduced me to the church.  He also shared with the church about him coming to my house on Tuesday and explaining the gospel to me, and I was saved.

 

The reason I am came forward during that Sunday morning invitation is because no one is born saved.  That is a personal decision that every individual must make on their own.  Mom and dad can’t make it for you, and church membership is also an individual decision. 

 

Like Emory Baptist Church, if you wanted to join FBC Venus, you had to request such.  You weren’t considered a member just because you attended.

 

The next Sunday was Easter Sunday, April 14, 1985.  I was baptized that Sunday morning, and I will never forget it.

 

 

Invitation

Today, I want to extend the same invitation that Bro. Doug gave to me.  Have you received Jesus into your heart and life as Lord and Savior like I did 38 years ago?  If not, would you like to receive Him today along with forgiveness of sin, a home in heaven when you die, and eternal life?

 

If you would, during this morning’s public invitation, I invite you to walk down one of these aisles and meet me or Bro. Ronnie like I did at FBC Venus.  I will pray with you and celebrate with when you come.

Relationships, Part 3: The Truth I’d Rather Forget

This morning, I invite you to take your Bibles and turn to John 15:18.  We are going to finish John 15 in our verse by verse and chapter by chapter study of John’s gospel.  I want to share a message with you entitled, “The Truth We Would Like to Forget.”

 

Today’s message is not going to be popular.  It is not going to be one that gets the most likes on YouTube.  It is not going to be one that results in many sermon CD’s requested.  It is not going to be one that you say at lunch, “You should have heard my pastor this morning.”  It is not going to be one that leaves you feeling like you can conquer the world.  Instead, it will be one that we wish we could forget. 

 

To be completely honest, I have bad news.  Follow along as I read John 15:18-27 and see if you can figure out what this bad news is.

 

Here it is.  If you are a follower of Christ, the world is going to hate you.  That’s it. 

 

In John 15, Jesus has been giving us instructions about relationships.  Two weeks ago, we saw how believers are to relate to Christ.  They should abide in Him. 

 

Last week, we saw how believers are to relate to one another.  We should love one another. 

 

Today, this text is about how believers relate to the world.  In short, the world will hate us.  That is what this text is about. 

 

In John 15:18-27, the word world (kosmos) is used some 6 times.  The word hate is used 8 times.  The word you is used 12 times.  The world is going to hate you.

 

Look at verse 18.  Jesus said that if (assumed to be true) the world hates you, it hated Me before it hated you. 

 

The one command in this text is to remember fond in verse 20.  Now, let’s look at the text and remember 3 reasons why the world will hate us.

 

 

1. If you are believer, remember that the world will hate us because we are identified with Christ, John 15:19-20.

19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 20 Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also.

 

Again, the world that Jesus is speaking of is the lost world or unbelieving world.  If we were like them, they would like us because birds of a feather flock together. 

 

However, we are not like them, but Jesus has chosen us out of the world.  Consequently, we are now identified with Him. 

 

The title of “Christian” means little Christ.  That is who we are supposed to be…little Christs. 

 

We identify with Christ by receiving Jesus as Lord and Savior, by being baptized as a believer, by taking the Lord’s Supper, and by living a life with Him in control.  Have you identified with Him?

 

In verse 20, Jesus reminded us that we, as slaves to Christ, are not greater than our master.  Therefore, we will be hated because we as believers are identified with Christ.

 

 

2. If you are a believer, remember that the world will hate us because they are ignorant of God, John 15:21.

21 But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me.

 

In verse 21, Jesus said that all of the hateful things done to believers because of Jesus’ name will be done out of ignorance about the Father.  An unbelieving or lost world does not know God because they don’t accept His Son. 

 

If they really and truly knew God, they would understand that Jesus is God’s only begotten Son and would receive Him as such.  The world hates believers because they are ignorant of God.

 

 

3. If you are a believer, remember that the world will hate us because Jesus was impeccable on earth, John 15:22-25.

22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 He who hates Me hates My Father also. 24 If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would have no sin; but now they have seen and also hated both Me and My Father. 25 But this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law, ‘They hated Me without a cause.’

 

There is a third reason why the world will hate us.  It is because of who Jesus was on earth.  He was impeccable or perfect or sinless. 

 

Because Jesus lived a sinless life, everyone who fails to do so is now living in their sin and responsible for their sin.  In other words, Jesus exposed sin as falling short of the glory of God. 

 

If He had never come, the world could not have been guilty of rejecting Him.  However, He did come and proved Himself as God’s Son with His miracles and signs and wonders. 

 

We have seen that again and again in John’s gospel alone with His 7 miracles signs.  Do you remember them?  He turned water to wine, healed the nobleman’s son, healed the paralytic, fed the multitudes, walked on water and calmed the storm, healed the man born blind, and raised Lazarus from the dead.

 

Jesus should have been welcomed and worshipped.  However, instead, the world hated Him for no reason and fulfilled the prophecy of Psalm 69:4 that is mentioned in verse 25.

 

 

Illustration

Brothers and sisters, this is bad news.  The world is going to hate you.  Jesus said it, and even Paul knew it.  See 2 Timothy 3:12.

 

12 Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.

 

So let me give you some examples of what to believe to ensure the world will hate you.

 

1. The Bible is the authoritative word of God.
2. God was the Creator, and Darwinian evolution is a myth.

• Jesus is the only way to heaven.

1. People who reject Jesus go to hell.
2. Marriage was designed for a lifetime.
3. Marriage is between a man and a woman.

• The husband should be the leader of the home.
• Any sex outside of marriage, hetero or homo, is immoral.

1. God only assigned two genders.
2. Life begins at conception.

 

If you believe these historic and fundamental Christian truths, the world will hate you.

 

We have seen this with football coaches that simply pray on the field after a game by themselves.  We have seen this photographers and bakers and florists who won’t use their talents and gifts to compromise their convictions.  We have seen this with professional athletes who choose not to wear certain uniform or participate in public campaigns.

 

Application and Conclusion

So what should we do?  Should we just go underground?  Should we just shut up?  Should we just retire? 

 

No, find encouragement in today’s text knowing that the Holy Spirit was sent for the very purpose of witnessing about Jesus through us. 

 

26 “But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me. 27 And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from the beginning.

 

CS Lewis, “As Christians, we are tempted to make the unnecessary concessions to those outside the Faith.  We give in too much.  Now, I don’t mean that we should run the risk of making a nuisance of ourselves by witnessing at improper times, but there comes a time when we must show that we disagree.  We must show our Christian colours, if we are to be true to Jesus Christ.  We cannot remain silent or we’ll concede everything away.”

Relationships, Part 2: With Others

Last week, we started John 15, and I reminded you that this is still Thursday night.  However, it seems that Jesus and His eleven disciples were making their way to the Garden of Gethsemane.

 

In verses 1-8, Jesus began His instructions on relationships.  Last week, we looked at our relationship with Him.  Today, we are going to talk about relationship with others.  Next week, we will look our relationship with the world, and when I say our, I’m talking about followers of Christ.

 

There was one key word from last week as it pertains to the believers’ relationship with Christ, and that key word is abide or remain.  It John 15, it means to believe in Jesus, continue in Jesus, and obey Jesus. 

 

After Jesus is gone, we will have the Holy Spirit.  However, we are also to abide in Christ.  That is the command regarding our relationship to Christ.

 

 

Exposition

If abide is the key word regarding our relationship with Christ, love is the key word regarding our relationship with others.

 

In the same way that abide was commanded by Christ last week, love is commanded by Christ this week.  See verses 12 and 17.

 

12 This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.

 

17 These things I command you, that you love one another.

 

The word for love here is not the sexual eros love or the brotherly philo love.  This is the unconditional and sacrificial agape love, and again, it is commanded by Christ to be demonstrated to our brothers and sisters in Christ. 

 

 

1. When we love others, we must love like Jesus loved us.

 

See verses 9 and 16.

 

In verse 9, Jesus said that His Father loved Him, and in turn, He loved us.  In verse 16, He said He chose us rather than us choosing Him.

 

And in this command in verse 12, our love for others should be based on Jesus’ love for us.  How did Jesus love us unconditionally?  What does that mean?

 

To love unconditionally means that you love without condition.  You don’t love based on someone loving you.  You love first, and this hard because we make ourselves vulnerable, and yet this exactly what Jesus did for us.

 

Jesus didn’t love you and choose you because He knew you would be a faithful Christian.  He loved you and choose you unconditionally because that is the nature of agape love.

 

Jesus even said that we ought to love our enemies with this unconditional agape love.  See Matthew 5:43-48.

 

43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? 48 Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.

 

So think about someone that is hard for you to love here at EBC.  Jesus said it wasn’t an option, and we need to remember to love them as He first loved us.

 

 

2. When we love others, we are abiding in His love, and our love is demonstrated in our obedience and our answered prayers.

 

Here is a word that first saw last week.  It is the word abide or remain. 

 

Jesus told us in verse 9 to abide in His love.  Remain in His love.  Continue in His love.  Obey His love.

 

How will our abiding be proven?  It will be proven with our obedience. 

 

Our love for Christ and our love for others will be proven by our obedience to Christ. 

 

Jesus said these words in the previous chapter in John 14:15 and 14:23.

 

15 “If you love Me, keep My commandments.

 

23 Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word.

 

We touched on this last week too, but look at the end of verse 16.  Our obedience can be demonstrated in answered prayer. 

 

Verse 16 says that Jesus choose us to bear fruit, and our fruit should be lasting, and whatever we ask in Jesus’ name, the Father will give to us.

 

I don’t mean to sound like prayer is easy and answered prayer is easy.  I am simply trying to preach what the word says, and the word says that our answered prayers can be a sign of our obedience and our abiding in Christ’s love.

 

 

3. When we love others, it is a great joy for us and a sacrifice to them.

 

After the instruction to abide in Jesus’ love, we find verse 11.  Jesus said these things which He said to us lead to our fullest joy.

 

In other words, our fullest joy in live will come when we love others as Christ has loved us, and this is very ironic.  You would think our fullest joy would come when we are loved, but Jesus said it comes when we love.

 

However, not only will loving others be our greatest joy, but it will be a great sacrifice to them.  Verse 13 speaks of the greatest love, and that is to lay down your life for a friend. 

 

Verse 14 says that we are Jesus’ friends, and this is what He has done for us.  See Romans 5:6-8.

 

6 For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

 

Christ’s death for us is a perfect picture of unconditional and sacrificial agape love.

 

 

Conclusion

This morning, my invitation is twofold.  I have an invitation for the non-Christian and for my brothers and sisters in Christ.

 

First, if you have never put your faith and trust in Christ, I invite you to be saved this morning.  Admit that you are a sinner.  Believe that Jesus did the most loving thing imaginable in dying for you.  Call on Jesus to save you by confessing Him as Lord and Savior. 

 

Second, if you are saved, who is has God brought to your mind this morning that you need to love unconditionally and sacrificially as Christ has loved you? Is it a coworker or a neighbor or classmate or a family member or church member? 

 

Today’s message and invitation can be summarized in 1 John 3:16.

 

16 By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

Relationships, Part 1: To Christ

It is still Thursday night, and it seems that Jesus and the 11 have left the upper room and are on their way to the Garden of Gethsemane according to 14:31.  If so, they would have left the upper room in Jerusalem, gone down into the Kidron Valley, and across to the Mount of Olives. 

 

As they walked, they would have seen the great golden vine on the front of the temple as they passed.  As a result, it would have been very appropriate for Jesus to tell them a parable or analogy of the vine and its branches.  That is John 15.

 

Remember, in John 14, Jesus told His disciples that He was leaving them for a while.  Of course, they were troubled, but He foreshadowed the coming of the Holy Spirit for them, and we will come back to the Holy Spirit in chapter 16.

 

However, in John 15, Jesus spoke to His disciples about relationships.  In verse 1-8, He spoke about our relationship with Him.  In verses 9-17, He spoke about our relationships with others.  In verses 18-27, He spoke about our relationship with the world.  Therefore, that will be our pattern for the next three Sundays beginning today.

 

 

Exposition

Beginning in verse 1, Jesus made His 7^th I AM statement.  He has already said that He is the bread of life, the light of the world, the door or gate for His sheep, the good shepherd, the resurrection and life, and the way, the truth, and the life.

 

Also, in verses 1 and 2, I need to identify some parts of this analogy for us.  In verse 1, Jesus is the true vine.  God the Father is the vinedresser or gardener or the husbandman.

 

In verse 2, the branches are both authentic believers and apparent believers.  God the Father takes away the apparent believers such as Judas, and He prunes the authentic believers such as Peter. 

 

BTW, brothers and sisters, don’t waste your trial.  When God prunes you, it is for your good and His glory.  His desire is for you is to produce more fruit.  His desire is for you to look and act more like Jesus.

 

In verse 3, those present are authentic believers.  Again, Judas had already left, and these brothers were clean or saved or authentic in their following of Christ.

 

 

Abide

Now here in verse 4, we have the only imperative for today.  The only command that Jesus gives to His disciples and to us is to abide or remain. 

 

The command is in verse 4, but you will see this word 7 times in today’s text and 3 more times in verses 9-10.

 

What does it mean to abide?  It means to believe in Jesus.  It means to continue in Jesus.  It means to obey Jesus, and we will see all of those meanings as we talk the next three weeks about relationships. 

 

 

What happens when a believer abides in Christ?

First, abiding in Christ means that you will bear fruit.  Remember, the command is not to bear fruit.  The command is to abide.  Look at verses 4-5.

 

However, when you abide, you will bear fruit.  That word is used some 8 times in verses 1-17. 

 

What is fruit?  In the OT, we see fruit mentioned in Isaiah 5:1-7.

 

1 Now let me sing to my Well-beloved

A song of my Beloved regarding His vineyard:

My Well-beloved has a vineyard

On a very fruitful hill.

2 He dug it up and cleared out its stones,

And planted it with the choicest vine.

He built a tower in its midst,

And also made a winepress in it;

So He expected it to bring forth good grapes,

But it brought forth wild grapes.

3 “And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah,

Judge, please, between Me and My vineyard.

4 What more could have been done to My vineyard

That I have not done in it?

Why then, when I expected it to bring forth good grapes,

Did it bring forth wild grapes?

5 And now, please let Me tell you what I will do to My vineyard:

I will take away its hedge, and it shall be burned;

And break down its wall, and it shall be trampled down.

6 I will lay it waste;

It shall not be pruned or dug,

But there shall come up briers and thorns.

I will also command the clouds

That they rain no rain on it.”

7 For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel,

And the men of Judah are His pleasant plant.

He looked for justice, but behold, oppression;

For righteousness, but behold, a cry for help.

 

Therefore, fruit from Isaiah 5 was justice and righteousness.

 

In the NT, we see fruit in Galatians 5:22-23.

 

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

 

Are you bearing fruit?  Ask your spouse.  Ask a friend.

 

Second, abiding in Christ demonstrates that you are saved.  Jesus said it negatively in verse 6.  If you aren’t abiding, you aren’t saved.

 

Third, abiding in Christ accomplishes answered prayer.  Do you want God to answer your prayers?  Abide in Christ.  Continue in Christ.  Obey Christ.  Look at verse 7.

 

 

What happens if I don’t abide in Christ?

You are an apparent believer not an authentic believer.  You look like a believer but you aren’t producing any fruit.

 

Listen to this warning in verse 2.  If you don’t bear fruit, the vinedresser or God the Father takes you away.  In verse 6, the fruitless branches are gathered, throne into the fire, and burned.

 

Make no mistake.  This is an allusion to hell, and eternal judgement. 

 

 

Conclusion

So what about you?  Are you abiding in Christ?  If not, what about today?

 

If you think you are abiding in Christ, where is your fruit?  If you aren’t sure, ask a friend. 

 

Peace Out

Navigating the Grey Areas

This morning, we find ourselves still on Thursday night of Passion Week.  It is the last week of Jesus’ life on earth. 

 

The gospel of John is unique in that it is the only gospel to contain this material that is found in John 14-17, all of which is with the twelve disciples, except Judas, on Thursday night in the upper room. 

 

A significant portion of these chapters deals with the role of the Holy Spirit.  That material will be introduced this morning and will be addressed again in chapter 16.

 

In today’s text, I to help us understand from God’s Word how to navigate the grey areas of the Christian life.  What do I mean by grey areas?  These are parts of life that are not specifically addressed in God’s Word.

 

For example, God’s Word is crystal clear or black and white in that Christians should not marry non-Christians.  However, which specific person to marry would be a grey area. 

 

Another example would be related to your job.  God’s Word is crystal clear in that if you are able, Christians should have a job, a paying job.  However, which job or which vocation would a grey area. 

 

Therefore, how do we as followers of Christ, who are committed to God’s Word, navigate the grey areas?  How do we know which choice to make if God’s Word doesn’t specifically address our situation?

 

 

1. Obedience to Christ is a sign of love for a Christian to Jesus.

 

This abundantly clear throughout our text for this morning.  Jesus said it 14:15. 

 

However, He said it again in 14:21.  He said it again in 14:23. 

 

This idea of “keeping” Jesus’ commandments means being obedient to them or obeying them.  Does this mean the Ten Commandments?  It certainly does.

 

However, it also means so much more.  It means loving God and loving your neighbor that are commanded in Matthew 22.  It means carrying out the Great Commission from Matthew 28.  It means serving others like we saw Jesus do when He washed His disciples’ feet in John 13.

 

Conversely, if you don’t keep Jesus’ commandments, that is a sign that you don’t love Jesus.  Is that being too harsh?  It is what Jesus Himself said in 14:24.

 

Therefore, if you love Jesus, don’t just talk about it.  Prove it by being obedient to Him.  If and when you are obedient, that is a sign of your love for Christ.

 

 

2. The Holy Spirit is real and essential for every Christian.

 

Verse 16 speaks to the character of the Holy Spirit.  Jesus called Him another Helper. 

 

In the language of the NT, there are two words that mean “another.”  One meaning is another of a different kind.  The meaning here is another of the same kind. 

 

Jesus is saying that He will ask the Father for another Helper just like Him.  In other words, the Holy Spirit is divine or deity.  We are mistaken when we see or understand the Holy Spirit to be anything less than God.

 

Also related to the character of the Holy Spirit, He is the Spirit of truth.  This means that He is truth and guides us into all truth. 

 

Conversely, He doesn’t ever guide us into error or lead us astray.  Therefore, He will never lead us to do that which contradicts the nature of Christ or the Scriptures.

 

Jesus also speaks of the role of the Holy Spirit.  The various English words in your translations include Helper, Comforter, Advocate, and Counselor. 

 

In the language of the NT, it is the word Paraclete.  It literally means one who comes along side of us to assist and encourage. 

 

Imagine an athlete who is injured during a game.  Then you might see a trainer or a coach come to his aid or her aid and help him or her off of the field or court, and that athlete might have his or her arm draped over the coach’s shoulder. 

 

Perhaps that is a good illustration of what the Holy Spirit does in our lives.  He is our helper.

 

However, He is also that advocate.  Another illustration would a defense attorney who defends his client.

 

Remember, Satan is the Accuser accusing us 24 hours a day.  If you are saved, the Holy Spirit is your advocate, your defense attorney defends you who are in Christ against every accusation that Satan says about you.

 

Thirdly, the people of the Holy Spirit is addressed in verse 16.  For the Christian, the Holy Spirit indwells you permanently starting at conversion. 

 

In the OT, He came upon people and then left.  He only rested on individuals temporarily as can be seen in the life of Samson in Judges and David in the Psalms. However, Jesus promised the Holy Spirit would be with His disciples forever, and this is still true today.

 

 

 

And the Holy Spirit is only for the Church.  In other words, He only resides in those who have been born-again.  The world cannot receive Him according to verse 17 because it does not see Him or know Him. 

 

 

3. If we love Jesus, we will then obey Him, and when we obey Him, the Holy Spirit leads into more obedience and greater intimacy.

 

Go back to this nugget of truth at the end of verse 21.  Jesus said that whoever loves Him, keeps His commandments and is loved by the Father and Him, and He will disclose Himself to him. 

 

Many Christians get this sequence out of order.  We want God to disclose His plans for us so that we can decide whether or not we want to obey.  Instead, Jesus said obey Me, and then I will disclose Myself and plans to you.

 

First, consider this scenario.  Your family is trying to decide on whether or not to make a specific big purchase.  It might be a car or boat or vacation home or whatever, and you ask God to show you His will.  However, you aren’t tithing currently.  Don’t expect God to disclose Himself and His plans to you before you have been obedient to what He is already telling you to do.  Furthermore, He isn’t going to tell you to buy whatever toy if that toy is going to keep you from being obedient in your giving. 

 

Second, here is another one.  You have received a new job offer, and you pray and ask God to show you what to do.  However, in your present job, you have not been honest with your boss and have even stolen some petty cash and supplies.  Don’t expect God to disclose Himself and His plans for you until you have been obedient in what you already know to do.

 

Third, this is for students, it often plays out like this.  Students want desperately to know where to go to college so you pray and ask God.  However, you’ve been cheating your way through high school and lying to your parents about where you’ve been and what you’ve been doing.  Don’t expect God to disclose Himself before you have been obedient.

 

Fourth, here’s another example with students.  College students and young adults want God to show them His will regarding who they are to marry.  Therefore, they pray and ask God for guidance.  However, they are sexually involved with their current boyfriend or girlfriend.  Don’t expect God to disclose Himself before you have been obedient.

 

Obedience comes first.  Revelation comes second.  Don’t switch the order, and this order is the key to navigating the grey areas.

 

 

Invitation

This morning’s invitation is very simple.  There are plenty of us here today who need to confess our sin and repent of our disobedience.  If you love Jesus, you will obey His commandments.  We need to repent of our disobedience, and we need to recommit and rededicate our lives and our church to being obedient to what God has given us to do today!

Encouraging Words for Troubling Times

If I went around the room this morning and asked who all has been discouraged this week, maybe one or two or handful would raise their hands.  However, we have all seen and heard the news this past week in some form. 

 

We are approaching a year with the war in Ukraine.  Multiple surveillance balloons have been shot down in our country, and how many more are there?  The causality number in from the earthquake in Turkey and Syria is now in excess of 35,000.  Mass shootings seem to be becoming more prevalent, and inflation is running wild. 

 

This morning we come to John 14.  It is one of my favorite passages in the entire Bible and one that I have used so many times to encourage families at funeral services. 

 

Remember that it is Thursday night before Friday’s crucifixion.  Jesus and His disciples had gathered in the upper room to celebrate the Passover, and He had washed the disciples’ feet.  He had dipped the morsel and gave it to Judas, and Judas left.  That left Jesus in the upper room with 11 disciples and leads us to John 14:1.

 

In John 14:1, Jesus encouraged His disciples not to let their hearts be troubled or stirred or agitated.  Why would He say that? 

 

They had recently heard some very hard truths.  See 13:18, 21, 33, and 38.

 

18 “I do not speak concerning all of you. I know whom I have chosen; but that the Scripture may be fulfilled, ‘He who eats bread with Me has lifted up his heel against Me.’

 

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.”

 

33 Little children, I shall be with you a little while longer. You will seek Me; and as I said to the Jews, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come,’ so now I say to you.

 

38 Jesus answered him, “Will you lay down your life for My sake? Most assuredly, I say to you, the rooster shall not crow till you have denied Me three times.

 

In today’s troubling times or tomorrow’s or next year’s or 15 years from now, I want to show you 5 timeless truths for your encouragement.

 

 

1. Jesus is God, 14:1, 6, 7, 9-11.

 

In verse 1, Jesus challenged His disciples to believe in Him personally.  That is a challenge for us today as well because Jesus isn’t just a good person or a good moral teacher or a good prophet.  Jesus is God.

 

In verse 6, He said that He was the only way to the Father.  This is the sixth I AM statement.  He is the bread of life, the light of the world, the door of the sheep, the good shepherd, the resurrection and life, the way, the truth, and the life, and the true vine.

 

Again, Jesus isn’t just one way among many to the Father.  He is in the only way, and no one comes to the Father except through the son. 

 

In theological terms, this is called the exclusivity of Christ.  Going through Jesus to get to God is exclusively the way. 

 

In other words, unless you go through Jesus, you cannot and will not be saved.  That applies to any other religion or belief system including Judaism and Islam and Hinduism and Buddhism. 

 

In verse 7-9, Jesus said He and the Father are the same.  If they had known the Father, they would have known Him.  He and the Father are the same. 

 

It is a common misconception in our world today that you can know God and have nothing to do with God’s Son.  I would submit to you the impossibility of that experience.  If you reject Jesus, then you are rejecting God because they ARE the same.

 

Jesus and the Father also SPEAK the same.  Look at verse 10.  Jesus did not speak on His own initiative but the words of His Father.  So again, if you don’t agree with that which Jesus said, you are disagreeing with God the Father because Jesus and the Father SPEAK the same. 

 

Finally, Jesus and the Father ARE the same and SPEAK the same and DO the same.  In verse 11, Jesus said He was in the Father and the Father in Him, and that reality is affirmed by their works.  What Jesus did was what the Father did.  Jesus and the Father DO the same.

 

Therefore, if Jesus and the Father are the same and speak the same and do the same, guess what?  Jesus is God.

 

 

2. Heaven is real, 14:2.

 

Secondly, heaven is real.  In verse 2, Jesus called heaven His Father’s house, and this house has many dwelling places or rooms, and Jesus is preparing them for His disciples. 

 

The KJV uses the word “mansions.”  However, that word does not mean lavish and expensive but abundant in number.  The Father’s house has MANY dwelling places for all of His children. 

 

When the disciples heard this, they immediately thought of the custom of the day for a son to marry and then add on a room for his new family to his father’s home.  Therefore, if a family had 4 sons, then there would be four additional rooms or dwelling places added on to the original family dwelling.

 

I would submit to you this morning that heaven is real.  It is the Father’s house, and it is the place where Jesus currently dwells, and John described the Father’s house in Revelation 21 as a place of no tears, no death, no mourning, no crying, and no pain.  I love to think of heaven and being there one day.  Heaven is real.

 

 

3. The Bible is true, 14:3-4.

 

The Bible is true because it is the word of God, and therefore, whatever it says, we can believe.  For example, Jesus is coming back for us, and because Jesus is God, and because the Bible is God’s word, I can trust this promise.

 

Look at verse 3.  Jesus said He was going to prepare heaven, but He would return for His disciples.  That is a promise, and a promise that will not be broken. 

 

I have broken promises in my life.  I have been on the other end of broken promises, but Jesus has never broken a promise, and He won’t begin with this one. 

 

The question arises if His statement here is talking about the Rapture or the Second Coming.  I have no problem in saying both.  He will return for His Church before a 7- year tribulation period, and He will return to this earth after the 7-year tribulation period for those who became Christians during that time. 

 

Therefore, even though the context is vague, we can say both this morning.  We can trust or believe in the promise of Christ’s return.  We trust the Bible is true.

 

 

4. The Holy Spirit is powerful, 14:12.

 

In verse 12, I believe Jesus is pointing to the power of the Holy Spirit in this lives of His followers.  Allow me to explain what I believe Jesus meant when He said greater works.

 

He told His disciples and us that they and we will do greater works than Him.  I believe He certainly was talking about quantity of works as Jesus lived on earth only 33 years, and His disciples have been doing works for approximately 2000 years. 

 

However, in another regard, He may even have been talking about quality of works as well.  Here is one example.  As odd as it may sound, when Jesus preached, we don’t have any record of mass conversions.  However, when Peter preached in the book of Acts, thousands were converted.  Therefore, “greater works” could have multiple meanings. 

 

Regardless, if you are follower of Christ, the Holy Spirit is the seal on your heart, and when you surrender completely to Him, His power is unbelievable!

 

 

5. Prayer works, 14:13-14.

 

In verses 13 and 14, Jesus gave His disciples the formula for success in prayer as He instructed them to pray in His name.  He said that they could ask whatever, and He would do it if they ask in His name. 

 

He even said it twice, once in 13 and again in 14.  It applies to anything and everything: marriage, work, school, finances, future, houses, cars, guidance, health, whatever. 

 

However, here is the question, what does it mean to pray in Jesus’ name?  Is it some ritualistic formula?  Jesus will repeat it two more times in John 15:16 and 16:23. 

 

16 You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.

 

23 “And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you.

 

For maybe the best explanation, let’s turn to another NT book written by the same author of this gospel.  Turn to 1 John 5:14-15.

 

14 Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15 And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.

 

I would say that to pray in Jesus’ name is to pray according to God’s will or wanting the will of God to be accomplished in our prayers. 

 

It means His purposes not ours.  It means what He has done and what we cannot do.  It means His glory and fame not anyone else’s. 

 

 

Conclusion and Invitation

For some of us today, our hearts are being attacked this very minute.  We are being attacked by distress and doubt and depression.  My invitation for you this morning is to believe and remember the truths of God as revealed in the Bible. 

 

Do you believe that Jesus is God, heaven is real, the Bible is true, the Holy Spirit is powerful, and prayer works?  If not, would you believe this morning for the first time and be saved?  If you already believe, my invitation for you is to remember and be encouraged in these troubling times.

One Single Mark

In 1970, Christian author Frances Schaffer wrote a book entitled, “The Mark of a Christian.”  What do you think that book was about?

 

Do you think he wrote about baptism or taking the Lord’s Supper?  Do you think he wrote about wearing a Christian t-shirt or a cross necklace or having a Christian bumper sticker or fish symbol on our cars?

 

No, I don’t think he mentioned any of those things.  Instead, he pointed to John 13 and the words of Christ. 

 

Jesus and His disciples were in Jerusalem to celebrate the Feast of the Passover.  That is the celebration of the angel of the Lord passing over the Israelites in Egypt while killing the first born of Egyptian males and animals. 

 

It was Thursday night, and Jesus was with the entire twelve (12) disciples in the upper room.  This was the Thursday night before the Jesus’ Friday crucifixion and Sunday resurrection.

 

Earlier in chapter 13, Jesus has washed the disciples’ feet, and He prophesied about Judas’ betrayal.  As a result, Judas then left them in the room and put into action his plan to sell out Jesus for thirty (30) pieces of silver. 

 

Now, we pick up the story in John 13:31.  I want to share a message with you entitled, “One Single Mark.”

 

 

Exposition

In verse 31, again, we see that Judas had left, and this now got the ball rolling or started the dominoes falling in Jesus’ betrayal, murder, and resurrection.  The end of verse 31 and 32 speak to Jesus’ ultimate mission in coming to earth. 

 

Jesus was glorified because He would be perfectly obedient to the Father’s will.  Consequently, God would be glorified because Jesus is God’s Son and was the incarnation of God on earth.  Glorified is simply another way of saying praised or exalted. 

 

Jesus would be praised and then God would be praised and then Jesus and then God.  Jesus would be glorified immediately as He was obedient to the point of death and then resurrected on the 3^rd day.

 

In verse 33, Jesus spoke tenderly and affectionately to His disciples in calling them “little children.”  He again told them that He would not be with them much longer. 

 

Consequently, they would not be able to go with Him yet.  He would need to die first, and then they would eventually die and join Him in heaven, but His mission must be completed first. 

 

What was that mission?  See Mark 10:45.

 

45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”

 

Verses 34 and 35 are our focus verses for today.  By the way, I wish I was smart enough to plan this stuff on my own.  However, you know better.

 

Today is the Sunday before Valentine’s Day.  Our entire culture is thinking about love, but they are thinking about eros.  In verses 34 and 35, Jesus spoke of agape.

Jesus told His disciples of a new commandment, but was it really new?  It wasn’t new in the sense of never having been taught previously.  See Leviticus 19:18. 

 

18 You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.

 

However, it was new in relation to the New Testament.  Whereas Leviticus 19:18 was given under the Old Covenant, John 13:34 was given under the New Covenant. 

 

His disciples were to love one another as He had loved them, and that would be the Church’s defining characteristic for centuries to come. It is and should be the one single defining mark of every Christian.

 

 

Big Idea

1. We are to love, 13:34a!

You and I as followers of Christ are given a commandment from the mouth of the Lord Jesus, and it is to love one another.  It is not an option or a suggestion, but a commandment coming from our highest authority. 

 

In Matthew 22:36-40, Jesus called loving our neighbors one of the two greatest commandments. 

 

36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?”  37 Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”

 

Paul repeated it in Romans 13:8-9 and Galatians 5:14. 

 

8 Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. 9 For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not bear false witness,” “You shall not covet,” and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

 

14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

 

James quoted it in James 2:8, and lest you wonder about who is your neighbor, remember that your neighbors are those who are close by and those that God brings across your path on a daily basis.  We are to love our neighbors!

 

8 If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you do well;

 

 

2. We are to love like Jesus, 13:34b!

The love that we are commanded to love our neighbor with is the love that Jesus loves us with.  Here are three characteristics of His love for us. 

 

First, He loves us unconditionally, and we are to do the same.  He loves us and all of our weaknesses and shortcomings and warts and deficiencies. 

 

That is the way that we are to love one another.  We don’t have to love everything about one another, but we can love unconditionally.

 

Second, we can love sacrificially.  Jesus gave his life on the cross for our sins.  He sacrificed for us, and we can sacrifice for others. 

 

Don’t let it be about you.  Consider your spouse.  Consider your children.  Consider your parents or your friend.  Consider your fellow church member and what they like and what they want and what they need. 

 

Sacrifice your time and your money and your energy and your desires for someone else.  Love sacrificially as Jesus sacrificed for you.

 

Third, we can love righteously.  Jesus died to save us from our sins.  He died because sin would kill us if there wasn’t another option. 

 

Our love for one another ought to be righteous in wanting God’s best for that person.  Sometimes that means holding one another accountable. 

 

It may mean calling into question certain behaviors or lifestyle choices.  If you see that a friend is making some bad choices, out of love be willing to ask them about it and encourage them to do God’s will.  Love righteously.

 

 

3. Our love should be visible, 13:35.

Notice verse 35.  Our love for one another will be how the entire world knows that you are a follow of Christ. 

 

Therefore, it is not enough to simply say you love your neighbor.  We must show we love our neighbor.  We must demonstrate we love our neighbor.  We must prove we love our neighbor. 

 

It should be evident to the world, and it should be evident to the church.  See 1 John 3:14.

 

14 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death.

 

 

Conclusion

36 Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, where are You going?”  Jesus answered him, “Where I am going you cannot follow Me now, but you shall follow Me afterward.”  37 Peter said to Him, “Lord, why can I not follow You now? I will lay down my life for Your sake.”  38 Jesus answered him, “Will you lay down your life for My sake? Most assuredly, I say to you, the rooster shall not crow till you have denied Me three times.

 

This visible nature of Jesus’ unconditional and sacrificial and righteous love was already demonstrated with Judas and is illustrated again with Peter in verses 36-38. 

 

Even though Peter pledged his love to Jesus, Jesus told Peter that talking about it wasn’t enough.  He must demonstrate it when given the opportunity, and Jesus knew that Peter wasn’t ready for that. 

 

Consequently, He prophesied about Peter’s failure that would occur soon enough.  However, even though Judas would betray Him and Peter would deny Him, the Lord Jesus loved them and us unconditionally and sacrificially and righteously as He went forward with God’s plan of Him dying on the cross in our place and for our sin.

 

Brothers and Sisters, are you loving this morning?  If yes, are you loving like Jesus?  If yes, does it show?  If no to any of these questions, then start today by loving and the loving like Jesus and then loving like Jesus in a way that is obvious to all of those around you.

 

If you’ve never accepted Jesus’ love for you, would you do that this morning?

Almost Saved

This morning we return to John 13, and I want to set the stage for you.  Last Sunday morning, we looked at John 13:1-20.  It was Thursday of Passion Week, Jesus’ last week on earth before His crucifixion, and it was evening time as Jesus and His disciples had gathered in an upper room in Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover Feast. 

 

Remember that Jesus taught a very powerful lesson on humility and service as His disciples were arguing about who was the greatest.  In an act of humility, the Son of Man washed the feet of His disciples including Judas, and He told us to do the same.

 

In going one step further, let’s talk about the set up of this room.  It was not as you might think and as it has been depicted in famous paintings. 

 

It actually was probably more like this.  The room and setting probably included what is called a triclinium.  That was a low, rectangular dining table around which seats or couches were arranged on three of the four sides. 

 

The opening allowed for food to be served.  Those in attendance would be lying on their stomachs and leaning on their left arms with their heads toward the table and their feet away from the table.  The right arm was then available to reach and get food. 

 

More than likely, John was to Jesus’ right, the place of special honor.  To His left was Judas, the next highest place of honor.

 

This morning, I want to examine Judas in more detail and see what he did and how it affected the Lord.  Did you know that Judas Iscariot is mentioned by name 10 times in the NT?

 

Of those 10 times, his act of betrayal is connected with his name 10 out of 10 times.  In other words, that was who Judas was.  Judas is known the world over for his betrayal of the Lord Jesus. 

 

 

21. Judas’ betrayal hurt Jesus deeply, 13:21.

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.”

 

The “these” in verse 21 was Jesus announcing that fact Judas would be the one to betray Him as a fulfillment of OT prophecy, specifically Psalm 41:9.  As a result, He was troubled in His spirit. 

 

The NLT says, “deeply troubled.”  It must have broken Jesus’ heart to have invested His life into Judas for three years, and yet, He knew full well that Judas was going to sell Him out for thirty pieces of silver. 

 

By the way, if you have ever had a close friend turn on you, betray you, hurt you, you’re in good company.  Jesus knows exactly how you feel, and it’s ok for you to feel hurt when friends betray you.

 

In verse 22, the disciples didn’t understand who Jesus was talking about.  The other Gospel accounts record them each asking if it was him.  See Matthew 26:22.

 

22 And they were exceedingly sorrowful, and each of them began to say to Him, “Lord, is it I?”

 

In verse 23, John was the closest to Jesus.  He was probably to His right. 

 

In verse 24, Peter may have been a few persons away.  Regardless, Peter wanted to know who was going to betray his Lord and so he asked John to ask Jesus.  Peter was mad, and he was ready to act. 

 

Judas’ betrayal hurt Jesus deeply. 

 

 

27. Judas’ betrayal was orchestrated by the devil, 13:26-27.

26 Jesus answered, “It is he to whom I shall give a piece of bread when I have dipped it.” And having dipped the bread, He gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon. 27 Now after the piece of bread, Satan entered him. Then Jesus said to him, “What you do, do quickly.”

 

Verse 26 contains Jesus’ answer.  Jesus said it would be the one to whom He gave the piece of bread after having dipped it.

 

What do you think happened? He took and gave to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. 

 

Verse 27 is one of the worst in the entire Bible.  After taking the bread, Satan then entered into Judas, and Jesus said to him, “What you do, do quickly.” 

 

This is not the first time that we have seen this language.  See John 6:70, 13:2.

 

6:70, Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you, the twelve, and one of you is a devil?”

 

13:2, And supper being ended, the devil having already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray Him.

 

Judas’ betrayal was orchestrated by the devil.

 

 

• Judas’ betrayal was mysteriously part of God’s plan, 13:28-30.

28 But no one at the table knew for what reason He said this to him. 29 For some thought, because Judas had the money box, that Jesus had said to him, “Buy those things we need for the feast,” or that he should give something to the poor. 30 Having received the piece of bread, he then went out immediately. And it was night.

 

After Jesus said this to Judas, he had so fooled those around him that the other disciples didn’t even know what Jesus meant even though He had told them explicitly.  Then Judas left.

 

How was Judas’ betrayal part of God’s plan?  Back in John 6:70, Jesus said He had chosen Judas, but he was a devil.

 

6:70, Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you, the twelve, and one of you is a devil?”

 

In John 13:18, Jesus said Judas’ betrayal was a fulfillment of prophecy.  He quoted Psalm 41:9 when Ahithophel betrayed King David and hung himself just like Judas.

 

18 “I do not speak concerning all of you. I know whom I have chosen; but that the Scripture may be fulfilled, ‘He who eats bread with Me has lifted up his heel against Me.’

 

Why do I say Judas’ betrayal was mysteriously part of God’s plan?  Even though Judas’ betrayal was part of God’s plan, Judas was completely responsibly for his actions and would spend an eternity in hell because he rejected Christ.

 

In the past two Sundays, we have seen Jesus reach out to Judas continuing to give him a chance to repent.  He sat him in a position of honor. He washed Judas’ feet.  He fed Judas the supper.

 

All of these actions were acts of friendship.  All of these were opportunities for Judas to repent.

 

Judas had fooled most everyone. He most assuredly had been baptized.  He had done ministry with the others.  He held a position of leadership as treasurer.

 

However, he hadn’t fooled God.  What about you?

 

 

Conclusion

Today, are you just like Judas…almost saved?  Jesus has invited you over and over again to be completely His, and you have fooled your family and your friends. 

 

You might even be a church member like Judas was a disciples’ member.  You might have even engaged in ministry like Judas.  You might even hold or have held a position of leadership like Judas.  

 

However, it doesn’t matter what others think or say.  It matters what God says.

 

My appeal for you today is not to be almost saved, but to be saved certainly and completely from hell and to heaven beyond a shadow of doubt.  Today, our invitation is for you.