Love One Another

Good morning.

Good morning, everyone.

It's great to see you this morning, great to be together,

to worship the Lord this morning.

I'd like to welcome everyone that's joining us still on the live stream

and, of course, everyone here this morning.

Just as a quick reminder, we're still in mask mode,

so please, if you get up and move around, go ahead and keep your masks on.

So let's turn our hearts towards the Lord together this morning

with these words from the book of Hebrews.

Therefore, brothers and sisters,

since we have confidence to enter the most holy place

by the blood of Jesus,

by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain

that is his body,

and since we have a great priest over the house of God,

let us draw near to God with a sincere heart

and with the full assurance that faith brings,

having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience

and having our bodies washed with pure water.

And from Psalms chapter 9,

Psalms 9 · chapter mention

So let's stand together and let's praise the Lord together.

Praise the Lord.

His mercy is more.

Stronger than darkness, new every morn.

Our sins, they are many.

His mercy is more.

What love could remember?

No wrongs we have done.

Omnish and all-knowing,

He counts not their sum.

Thrown into a sea without bottom or shore.

Our sins, they are many.

His mercy is more.

Praise the Lord.

His mercy is more.

Stronger than darkness, new every morn.

Our sins, they are many.

His mercy is more.

His mercy is more.

What patience would wait as we constantly roam.

What Father so tender is calling us home.

He welcomes the weak, new every morn.

He welcomes the weakest, the vilest, the poor.

Our sins, they are many.

His mercy is more.

Praise the Lord.

His mercy is more.

His mercy is more.

Stronger than darkness, new every morn.

Our sins, they are many.

His mercy is more.

What riches of kindness he lavished on us

His blood was the payment, his life was the cost

We stood neath a debt we could never afford

And our sins they are many, his mercy is more

Praise the Lord, his mercy is more

Stronger than darkness, new every morn

Our sins they are many, his mercy is more

Praise the Lord, his mercy is more

Stronger than darkness, new every morn

Our sins they are many, his mercy is more

Our sins they are many, his mercy is more

Mercy is more

You may be seated

Morning

Our scripture reading today is 1 John chapter 3 verses 11 through 18

1 John 3:11–18

Starting in verse 11

For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning

That we should love one another

We should not be like Cain, who is of the evil one and murdered his brother

And why did he murder him?

Because his own deeds were evil and his brother's righteous

Do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you

We know that we have passed out of death into life because we love the brothers

Whoever does not love abides in death

Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer

And you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him

By this we know, love, that he laid down his life for us

And we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers

But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need

Yet closes his heart against him

How does God's love abide in him?

Little children, let us not love in word or talk

But in deed and in truth

Pray with me

Father God

We come to you this morning to worship you

You are good

You are perfect

How can such a perfect God

Love such imperfect people

We rebelled against you

Rejected you

Yet in your mercy and grace

You loved us

You sought us

You called us to love one another as you love us

But we do not

We find reasons to divide from one another

And to create factions that breed resentment

You've broken down the dividing wall of hostility

But we erect new ones

If a brother or sister disagrees with us on politics

Or has a different background than us

We do not seek to foster a loving relationship

But devise justifications for hating them

This is sin

This is worldliness

This is a rejection of your teaching

And a slander on your name

Have mercy on us

Oh Lord

Let's take a moment

To confess our sins to God

In our hearts

Thank you Lord

For the work of the cross

For the example of Jesus Christ

When we were his enemy

He died for us

To reconcile us to you

Thank you that through his work

We can be reconciled to each other

Fill us with the Holy Spirit

So that we can look into the face of one

Who would be our enemy in the flesh

And love them

As you love us

Help us to see their flaws

And love them all the more

As we remember the flaws and evil

You saw in us

When you died for us

Fill us with your transforming love

Help us to lean

On your mercy and grace

We love you

We pray this in Jesus' name

Amen

Would you stand with me

And receive these words of assurance

This is from the Gospel of John

For God so loved the world

So much

That he gave his one and only son

So that everyone who believes in him

Will not perish

But have eternal life

God sent his son into the world

Not to judge the world

But to save the world

Through him

There is no judgment

Against anyone who believes in him

Amen

Please be seated

Well welcome again to Trinity Baptist Church

If you're new here

We'd love to invite you to go to the website

And maybe fill out the contact form

So that we can reach out to you by email

Also the email and website

Is how we're keeping everyone in touch

With things that are going on at the church

Of which there are several

So I'm going to try to bring them all

To your attention now

So Bridges of Hope is a ministry

That we're deeply involved in

And they're going to have a

Playground cleanup day

Coming up Saturday, May 1st

So if you're interested in learning more about that

Or signing up

You can visit the Bridges of Hope website

Also we have a women's picnic

Coming up in Worcester Park

So that's May 8th

And we would ask that you would RSVP

Because there's going to be food involved

So you can go to the website

To do that

Our website

Thirdly we have a congregational meeting

Coming up on May 12th

Where we'll be considering

New officers for the church

So please

Save the date for that

And then lastly

If you're leaving town

If you're in a season

Where your time at Trinity

Is coming to an end

We'd love to know that

So if you'd let the church office know that

That would be great

So if you'll bow your heads with me

Let's go to the Lord together

In prayer

Father

Thank you for making a way

For us to draw near to you

To come into your presence

As clean, forgiven

And fully restored

Sons and daughters

We praise you

For your mighty works of salvation

And redemption

For intervening in human history

That was headed for destruction

For sending Jesus into the world

For changing our hearts

So that we may embrace Jesus as Savior

And for giving us an unshakable hope

For the future

We pray for the world that we live in

We pray that injustice

We pray that injustice

Tyranny

Slavery

Oppression

And evil

Would be suppressed

And that a respect and care

For the weak and vulnerable

Would prevail

We pray that the selfishness

Greed

And pride

That cause

Enmity and strife

And strife

And discord

Would be put off

And that peace

Would prevail

We pray that

Hunger

And poverty

Homelessness

And disease

Would come to an end

And a spirit of generosity

And mercy

Would grow

Between all people

And Father

We pray for the hearts

Of all people

Everywhere

That in the midst

Of the confusion

Of this world

You would reveal yourself

By your spirit

And bring clarity

We pray that the toxic path

Of self-orientation

Of the human heart

Would be exposed

And that you would bring

Many to repentance

And faith

In Jesus

Father

Thank you for your common grace

In restraining

This virus

We pray that you would give us

Wisdom as we navigate

Another season

Of rapidly changing

Circumstances

And we pray for

A continued spirit

Of unity in Christ

Among your people

Here at Trinity

We pray for those

Among us

Who are facing

Difficult trials

That are threatening

To overwhelm

And even

Our faith

And hope

Father

Be our refuge

And strength

And ever present

Help

In our time

Of trouble

Help us

To cast

All our anxieties

And fears

On you

Knowing that you

Care for us

So much

That you gave us

Jesus

And we pray

For Pastor Greg

As he brings us

Your word

This morning

Open the eyes

Of our hearts

And give us ears

To hear

So that we may be able

To receive

What you have

For us

We thank you

For hearing our prayers

For Jesus' sake

Amen

This is the time

When we would

Normally collect

The offering

But I think

As we all know

By now

You can go to

The website

To give

And also

There are boxes

In the back

That you can

Make your offering

Please stand

As we continue

To worship God

Together in song

What gift of grace

Is Jesus

Is Jesus

My redeemer

There is no more

For heaven

Now to give

He is my joy

My righteousness

And freedom

My steadfast love

My deep and boundless peace

To this I hold

My hope is only Jesus

For my life

Is wholly bound to His

Oh how strange and divine

I can sing

All is mine

Yet not I

But through Christ in me

The night is dark

But I am not forsaken

For by my side

The Savior

He will stay

I labor on

In weakness

And rejoicing

For in my need

His power is displayed

To this I hold

My shepherd will defend me

Through the deepest valley

He will lead

He will lead

Oh the night

Has been won

And I shall overcome

Yet not I

But through Christ

In me

No fate I dread

I know I am forgiven

The future sure

The price it has been paid

For Jesus bled

And suffered

And suffered for my pardon

And He was raised

To overthrow the grave

To this I hold

My sin has been defeated

Jesus now

And never is my plea

Oh the chains are released

I can sing

I am free

Yet not I

But through Christ

In me

With every breath

I long to follow

Jesus

For He hath said

That He will bring me home

And day by day

I know He will renew me

Until I stand with joy

Before the throne

To this I hold

My hope is only Jesus

All the glory evermore to Him

When the race is complete

Still my lips shall repeat

Yet not I

But through Christ in me

When the race is complete

Still my lips shall repeat

Yet not I

But through Christ in me

Yet not I

But through Christ in me

You may be seated

Well good morning church

If you have a Bible

Turn with me to John

John 13 · chapter mention

Chapter 13

Beginning at verse 21

We will also put the words up on the screen

For those of you who are here

As you're doing that

Just a brief sort of update

About where we're going with our worship service

As you know the governor has announced

Some changes to the Connecticut COVID restrictions

That will phase in over the course of the next month

And so over the next few weeks

We'll be making a few adjustments

Throughout the pandemic

One of our guiding principles has been

To follow the requirements

And consider the recommendations

Of local and state authorities

But not to impose additional precautions

If those authorities indicate

That they are no longer needed

So here are a couple of changes

That you can expect in the coming weeks

Next Sunday, May 2nd

There will be some changes

At our outdoor service

Which happens on Sunday afternoons

So at our outdoor service

Starting next Sunday

Masks will no longer be required

And we won't paint circles on the field

You'll be free to sit wherever you like

There's still plenty of space

So there's plenty of space

To have distance from one another

If that would be helpful for you as well

But on May 19th

The guidelines for indoor gatherings will change

And we're going to

We're still discussing exactly

How that's going to work in here

But we'll explain more specifically

How that will work

How that will affect our indoor services

When the time gets closer

So in general

We want to say

As we look ahead

To enjoying more freedom

In upcoming weeks

We know that some of you are thinking

This is long overdue

And others of you are thinking

This is happening way too quickly

Regardless of your perspective

Let's be intentional to

Pursue love and unity in the church

By honoring and forbearing with one another

Now Paul says in Galatians

Use your freedom as an opportunity

To serve one another

So just, you know, practically

Maybe you are ready to give and receive hugs

That's okay

And you know what?

By this point we won't stop you

Maybe you're not ready to give and receive hugs

Maybe you don't want anyone to touch you at all

That's fine too

Okay?

And some of you

Didn't want to get a hug

Regardless of COVID

So here's a simple guideline

That we can all put into practice

If you're not sure

What someone else might be comfortable with

Just ask

And don't assume

Okay?

Don't put somebody else in an awkward position

As the guidelines change

Let's look forward to enjoying more freedom

But let's use our freedom

To serve one another in love

Amen?

All right

Let's read this passage

Which actually is about

Loving one another

John 13

Beginning at verse 21

After saying these things

Jesus was troubled in his spirit

And testified

Truly, truly

I say to you

One of you

Will betray me

The disciples looked at one another

Uncertain of whom he spoke

One of his disciples

Whom Jesus loved

Was reclining a table

At Jesus' side

So Simon Peter

Motioned to him

To ask Jesus

Of whom he was speaking

So that disciple

Leaning back against Jesus

Said to him

Lord

Who is it?

Jesus answered

It is he to whom

I will give this morsel of bread

When I have dipped it

So when he had dipped the morsel

He gave it to Judas

The son of Simon Iscariot

Then after he had taken the morsel

Satan entered into him

Jesus said to him

What you are going to do

Do quickly

Now no one at the table knew

Why he said this to him

Some thought that

Because Judas had the money bag

Jesus was telling him

Buy 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

When he had gone out

Jesus said

Now is the son of man glorified

And God is glorified in him

If God is glorified in him

God will also glorify him in himself

And glorify him at once

Little children

Yet a little while

I am with you

You will seek me

And just as I said to the Jews

Now also I say to you

Where I am going

You cannot come

A new commandment

I give to you

That you love one another

Just as I have loved you

You also are to love one another

By this all people will know

That you are my disciples

If you have love

For one another

Simon Peter said to him

Lord where are you going

Jesus answered him

Where I am going

You cannot follow me now

But you will follow afterward

Peter said to him

Lord

Why can't I follow you now

I will lay down my life for you

Jesus answered

Will you lay down your life for me

Truly

Truly

I say to you

The rooster will not crow

Till you have denied me

Three

Times

One of the distinguishing marks

Of true followers of Jesus

Is

Love

At the heart of the section

We just read

We heard those words of Jesus

To his disciples

Love

One

Another

By this all people will know

That you are my disciples

If you have love

For one another

Now on the surface

That command

To love one another

May sound nice

And pleasant

Relatively uncontroversial

Universally appealing

It sounds like something

That a kindergarten teacher

Would say

To a group of young children

Or perhaps even

The carefree topic

Of a Beatles song

All you need is love

And love is all you need

Some people say

That as long as you have love

Rather vaguely defined

It's okay to ignore

More specific biblical commands

But when we look carefully

At what Jesus says here

None of that is actually true

A new commandment

I give you

Jesus says

Just as I have loved you

You also are

To love one another

Now you might ask

How is that command new?

Isn't the command

To love your neighbor

As yourself

Found throughout the Old Testament

And even in other religions?

Yes it is

But what is new

Is this phrase

Just as I have loved you

Jesus' followers

Are to embody

And express

The kind of deep

Patient

And enduring

Love

That we have received

From Jesus himself

You see in this passage

Jesus doesn't just tell us

To love one another

He shows us

How to love one another

In this passage

We see Jesus' love

Is deep

Patient

And enduring

We see first

Jesus' deep love

For a loyal disciple

Second

We'll see Jesus'

Patient love

For a treacherous disciple

And third

We'll see Jesus'

Enduring love

For a hot-headed disciple

So first

In verse 23 to 25

We see Jesus' deep love

For a loyal disciple

Verse 23 says

One of his disciples

Whom Jesus loved

Was reclining

At table

At Jesus' side

And verse 25 says

So that disciple

Leaning back

Against Jesus

Said to him

Lord who is it?

Now you might wonder

Who is this unnamed

Disciple whom Jesus loved?

He appears at key moments

In the gospel of John

This is actually

The first time

He appears explicitly

Then he appears

In chapter 19

At the cross

Along with a small group

Of women

Who followed Jesus

To the end

He's also a witness

To the empty tomb

In chapter 20

Along with Peter

And then in chapter 21

He appears

Again along with Peter

On the shore

Of the Sea of Galilee

When Jesus cooks breakfast

For the disciples

And in the next

To last verse

Of the gospel

Chapter 21

Verse 24 of John

This disciple

Who Jesus loved

Identifies himself

He says

This is the disciple

Who is bearing witness

About these things

And who has written

These things

You see

He's identifying himself

As the author

Of the book

He's sort of saying

You've seen me

In the story

Now I want you to know

I'm the one

Who wrote these things down

So even though

This disciple

Is never named

Ever since the early church

He's been identified

With John

The gospel writer

Now John was a common name

In the early church

So a few scholars

Have suggested

That John was a close

Associate of Jesus

Though not one of the twelve

And there's some evidence

That could support that theory

But most traditional

Biblical scholars

Have concluded

That the gospel writer

Was one of the twelve

None other than

John the son of Zebedee

Who's mentioned

By name

In all the other gospels

But is not mentioned

By name

In John's gospel

So the other gospels

Identify Peter

James and John

As sort of the inner core

Of Jesus' twelve disciples

Now some people

Have wondered

Why does John

Identify himself

As the disciple

Whom Jesus loved

Rather than referring

To himself by name

Or in some other way

D.A. Carson

Made a helpful statement

About this

He says

This is not a statement

Of arrogance

Or superiority

As if he was boasting

I'm loved more

Than the others

But rather of wonder

And humility

How amazing it is

That I have been loved

By the Savior himself

And so here

In this passage

We see a picture

Of Jesus' deep love

His brotherly affection

For his loyal friend

John was reclining

At table

At Jesus' side

Literally

That

It says

In the bosom

Of Jesus

Leaning on Jesus' chest

It's the same phrase

That was used

Back in chapter 1

Verse 18

To talk about

Jesus' relationship

With God the Father

Chapter 1

Verse 18

Says

Jesus was

At the Father's side

Or in the bosom

Of the Father

From all eternity

It's an image

Of God the Father

And God the Son

In deep fellowship

And joyful communion

With one another

From all eternity

And John

Has found himself

Being drawn

Into that same

Deep fellowship

And joyful communion

With Jesus

Now at special meals

Like the Passover

People back then

Would recline

On couches

Around a low table

And so here we see

John reclining

Next to Jesus

Sort of comfortably

Leaning on him

Quietly asking him

A question

He's completely

At peace

In the presence

Of Jesus

Now to some of us

The image of John

Who was by the way

A fisherman

Right

Think muscular

Blue collar worker

With calloused hands

Leaning on Jesus

At the dinner table

Might seem

A little strange

So let me put this

In context

In the Jewish culture

Of Jesus' time

Romantic or sexual intimacy

Between two people

Of the same sex

Was absolutely forbidden

It was clearly understood

By everyone

As being completely

Out of bounds

But because of that

Very clear boundary

There was lots of space

In that culture

For demonstrations

Of physical affection

Or emotional closeness

Between men

Or between women

So in both

The Old and New Testaments

You can find

Grown men

Soldiers

Warriors

Embracing each other

Crying on each other's

Shoulders

Sitting close

To one another

Poetically recounting

Their friendship

And even here

Leaning back

On another's chest

While reclining

On a couch

None of that

Had any romantic

Overtones

None of it

Would have felt

Awkward

Or weird

None of it

Would have been judged

As unmanly

It was all genuine

And sincere

Brotherly love

Now by contrast

Our modern secular culture

Celebrates all kinds

Of romantic

And sexual relationships

Regardless of the genders

Of people involved

But one of the sad

And rarely acknowledged

Consequences of this

Is that it has become

Much less safe

For people of the same gender

And especially for men

To express deep affection

Or deep emotion

To one another

Without fear

Of being misunderstood

I can think of

Multiple occasions

Where men have told me

That for years

Or even decades

They have greatly feared

Expressing affection

And emotion

And vulnerability

In front of other men

Because their intentions

Were severely misunderstood

At some point

In the past

Fifty years ago

The sexual revolution

Promised free love

It has never delivered

On that promise

It has only made us

As a society

More emotionally withdrawn

More relationally isolated

More confused

And anxious

More broken

And addicted

Now our secular culture

Is continuing

Along that road

But the Christian church

Has an opportunity

To be beautifully

Countercultural

Not only in our

Increasingly distinctive teaching

About Christian marriage

But also in our practice

Of Christian friendship

See as a church

It's important for us

To hold fast

To what the Bible

Has always taught

That God's design

Is that followers

Of Jesus

Must only pursue

Sexual intimacy

Within the context

Of male-female marriage

Because only that relationship

Reflects the steadfast

Covenant love of Christ

For one who is

Fundamentally different

Than himself

Namely us

The church

But as we hold fast

To that biblical view

Of marriage

We as the church

Also have the opportunity

To cultivate a community

Where friendships

Among brothers

And among sisters

Characterized by openness

And honesty

Affection

And vulnerability

Respect

And care

Can flourish

Now that won't happen

Automatically

But it will happen

As we experience

And receive

That deep fellowship

And joyful communion

That Jesus

Has enjoyed

With the Father

From all eternity

And that he now

Invites us into

Through his Holy Spirit

Living in us

When we experience that

We can build

That same deep fellowship

And joyful communion

And brotherly

And sisterly affection

With one another

In Christ

Now the specific ways

That people express emotion

Or communicate affection

Will vary from one culture

To another

My Italian relatives

Tend to communicate emotion

And express affection

In a different way

Than my Swedish

And German relatives

We won't all do this

Exactly the same way

That's fine

But earlier this week

I experienced

This brotherly affection

As I met with the other pastors

In Bridges of Hope

After our business meeting

We spent an hour and a half

Eating, sharing,

And praying with each other

Now because of COVID

Most of us hadn't seen

Each other in person

Since the fall

But immediately

There was openness

And vulnerability

And lamenting

And joy

The fruit of seven years

Of serving together

As brothers

Crying, laughing, sharing, praying

Almost yelling

Not angrily

But just excitedly

Hugging or

In some cases

Fist bumping

It was a beautiful thing

You see as we receive

Jesus' love for us

We're free to pursue

Deep and affectionate

And Christ-honoring friendships

With one another

In the body of Christ

And that can be

An attractive picture

For a world

That longs

For relational connection

So that's the first picture

Of Jesus' love

That we see

Jesus' deep love

For a loyal friend

But we not only see that

We also see Jesus' patient love

For a treacherous disciple

For a traitor

Judas

We see this in verses

21 through 30

Last week

Pastor Nick pointed out

That Judas was there

All along

At the last supper

And when Jesus was washing

His disciples' feet

He appears in verse 2

Verse 11

Verse 18

And now here

Jesus says

Truly, truly

I say to you

One of you

Will betray me

The other disciples

Didn't know who it was

But Jesus did

From the very beginning

Jesus was aware

That Judas

Would hand him over

To his enemies

In the end

But what we see here

Is that Jesus

Demonstrated kindness

And offered friendship

To Judas

All the way to the end

He washed all the disciples' feet

Including Judas

The other Gospels

Tell us that Judas

Was present

When Jesus

Broke the bread

And said

This is my body

And shared the cup

And said

This is my blood

Of the new covenant

Now Judas even

Would have received that

And in fact

It seems from John's account

That Judas was sitting

Right next to Jesus

Because otherwise

It would have been hard

For Jesus

To hand him that piece

Of bread directly

After he had dipped it

Into the dish

In the ancient world

It was a sign of honor

And friendship

For the host of a meal

In this case Jesus

To take a piece of bread

And dip it into the dish

Which would have been

Some kind of a dip

And hand it to a guest

At a meal

So Jesus is offering

His friendship to Judas

All the way to the end

Even though he knew

That Judas would

Ultimately reject it

And in the end

We see that Judas

Walks out into the night

He walks out

Into literal

And spiritual darkness

Never again to return

To the table

With Jesus' disciples

Now it's also important

For us to notice

What Jesus did not do

Towards Judas

Jesus did not negotiate

A compromise

Between his mission

Which he had received

From the Father

And Judas' idea

Of how things should be done

Now the Bible

Never explicitly tells us

What Judas objected to

About Jesus

That motivated him

To betray Jesus

Probably the best guess

Out there

Is that Judas

Was sympathetic

To the zealot movement

That wanted to start

An uprising

And drive out

The hated Roman government

And Judas was disappointed

When it became clear

That Jesus was refusing

To use violence

John 12 also tells us

That Judas was a greedy thief

In John 12 verse 6

John 12:6

Too easily motivated

By the prospect

Of financial gain

But whatever the differences

Were

They were significant enough

And Judas

And Jesus

Did not

Do

Jesus did not seek

To keep Judas

On his team

At all costs

He did not

Compromise

Who he was

And what he stood for

Also

After Judas

Left

Jesus doesn't

Run out into the night

Chasing after Judas

And saying

Please please please

Come back

And don't leave

No actually

In verse 27

Jesus basically says

Okay

Get it over with now

Do what you're gonna do

Don't delay

When it was time

For Judas to go

Jesus let him go

Even though

He had patiently

Loved him

And showed kindness

And extended friendship

To him

For a long

Long time

Now what does it look like

In this case

To follow Jesus' command

Love one another

As I have loved you

What is perhaps

You can think of people

Whom you considered

Brothers or sisters

In Christ

Who have walked out

Of the fellowship

Of believers

Into spiritual darkness

And have not returned

Or maybe you've been

On a personal level

Backstabbed

Or slandered

Or attacked

Or abandoned

By someone who you

Thought was on your side

What does it look like

To love patiently

And wisely

In the face of betrayal

Well four practical things

That the scriptures

Teach us

First

Don't be surprised

By betrayal

Matthew 24 verse 10

Matthew 24:10

Jesus told his disciples

Many will fall away

And betray one another

And hate one another

Many false prophets

Will arise

And lead many astray

The love of many

Will grow cold

The book of 1 John

Which we read from earlier

Was written to a church

That had just seen

Some of their own members

Walk out

And embrace a false teaching

And then begin slandering

Those who remained

In the church

It was a very confusing

And disorienting experience

Betrayal is always

Feels very confusing

And disorienting

Now unlike Jesus

We cannot know

In advance

For certain

Who will betray us

But when it does happen

Jesus says

We shouldn't be surprised

Second

When we have been betrayed

The scriptures invite us

To bring our pain

To Jesus

Because Jesus knows

That pain

Very well

Verse 18

Jesus quoted

From Psalm 41 9

Which says

Even my close friend

In whom I trusted

Who ate my bread

Has lifted up his heel

Against me

It's a cry of

Shock and pain

And anguish

My friend

Has walked out on me

He's taken advantage

Of me

Most of us

Expect opposition

From

Sort of the world

Out there

People who don't know

Us very well

May not be sympathetic

To us

But it's far more painful

When a close friend

Or a spouse

Or a fellow church member

Turns on us

Or takes advantage

Of us

Or leaves us in the dust

Or simply walks away

And never comes back

But in the face

Of betrayal

Jesus invites us

To bring our pain

And anguish

Before him

Read Psalm 41

Or Psalm 55

Both of those psalms

Written by people

Who had experienced

Betrayal

And both of these psalms

Express the anguish

Of betrayal

And the longing

For justice

To be done

But they ultimately

Lead us to cast

Our burdens

On the Lord

And to trust him

Step by step

So don't be surprised

By betrayal

Bring your pain

To Jesus

Third

Love with

Patience

Jesus patiently

Extended

Kindness

And offered

Friendship to Judas

And sometimes

In order to follow

Jesus

We must do

The same thing

For an extended

Period of time

To people

Who will ultimately

Turn on us

And desert us

Romans 12 says

If your enemy

Is hungry

Feed him

If he is thirsty

Give him something

To drink

For by so doing

You will heap

Burning coals

On his head

Do not be overcome

By evil

But overcome evil

With good

You see we can't

Calculate in advance

Whether or not

Somebody

Will ever appreciate

Our efforts

Or be reconciled

With us

Or be reconciled

Or turned back

To Jesus

Long ago

Augustine put it

This way

He wrote

Do not think

That the wicked

Are in the world

For no purpose

Or that God

Makes no good use

Of them

Every wicked

Person lives

Either that he

May be corrected

Or that through him

The righteous

May be tried

And tested

Would that those

Who now test us

Were converted

And tried with us

Yet though they

Continue to try us

Let us not hate them

For we do not know

Whether any of them

Will persist

To the end

Of their evil ways

See the Lord

Calls us to love

With patience

But finally

He also calls us

To love with wisdom

There are times

When like Judas

Someone persists

In rejecting

Every last token

Of kindness

Every last offer

Of friendship

Every last call

To repentance

Judas walked out

Into the night

And Jesus let him go

Jesus had done

All that God

Had given him

To do for Judas

And Judas

Had only become

More hardened

In his unbelief

There was nothing

More that needed

To be done

And there are times

When we have all

Done all that

The Lord has

Commanded us to do

For someone else

And still they show

No remorse

No repentance

No openness

To change

Perhaps they keep

On hurling accusations

At us

Or perhaps they demand

That we abandon

Our Christian principles

In order to stay

With them

And in those circumstances

The wise and righteous

Thing to do

Is to simply

Let that person go

And hold on

To Jesus

Not to take vengeance

Into our own hands

God reminds us

Vengeance is mine

Says the Lord

But simply to release

That person

Into God's hands

And recognize

That there is

There seems to be

Nothing more

At this point

That we can do

So we've seen

Jesus deep love

For a loyal disciple

We've seen

Jesus patient love

For a traitor

And finally

We see Jesus

Enduring love

For a hot headed

Disciple

Verse 36 to 38

We see Jesus

This conversation

With Peter

Simon Peter

Said to him

Lord where are you going

Jesus answered him

Where I'm going

You can't follow me now

But you will follow afterward

Peter said to him

Lord

Why can't I follow you now

I will lay down

My life for you

Jesus answered

Will you

Lay down your life

For me

Truly truly

I say to you

The rooster will not crow

Till you have denied me

Three times

Peter had good intentions here

He had just finished

A good meal

He was sitting

In a comfortable room

With people he knew

He was zealous

For Jesus

He was also

Naturally confident

In himself

And in his own capabilities

And unafraid

To speak his mind

And so he promised

Unwavering loyalty

To Jesus

Even to the point

Of giving his own life

For Jesus

He told Jesus

I'm ready now

But Jesus knew Peter

Far better than

Peter knew himself

Jesus knew that

He was about to

Lay down his life

For Peter

And not the other

Way around

Jesus knew that

Peter had to be

Humbled

By his upcoming

Failure

Before he could

Be raised up

To be a shepherd

Of Jesus' flock

Consider Jesus

Enduring love

For hot-headed

Peter

Notice

Jesus didn't

Dismiss

Peter's

Misguided

Overzealous

Enthusiasm

Jesus didn't

Write Peter

Off

He didn't

Say you're

Never

You're someone

Who will

Never learn

You're someone

Who I can

Never trust

No he said

You're not

Ready now

But you will

Follow later

And when Peter

Said why

Not now

Jesus said

Truly truly

I say to you

The rooster

Will not crow

Until you deny

Me three times

Do you notice

That same

Solemn phrase

Truly truly

I say to you

Appears at the

Beginning of this

Passage

In verse 21

When Jesus is

Talking about

Judas who will

Betray him

And at the end

When he's talking

About Peter

Who will deny

Him

Truly truly

I say to you

You see

What's the

Difference between

Peter

And Judas

It's not

That Peter

Was a good

Guy

And Judas

Was a bad

Guy

It's not

That Peter

Had a

Squeaky clean

Straight A

Record of

Following Jesus

And therefore

Got promoted

To leadership

In the church

And Judas

Was an F

On the same

Night

Both of them

Shamefully

Abandoned

Their savior

The difference

Is that Peter

Eventually

Repented

And was

Restored

But Judas

Never did

You see

Jesus doesn't

Choose people

Who have

Squeaky clean

Straight A

Spiritual records

And who will

Never have

Any shameful

Failures

Jesus takes

People who

Have shamefully

Failed

And

Who are

Willing to

Face up

To that

Failure

And he

Calls them

To repentance

And he

Gives them

A meaningful

Future

Now

If you

Read John

21

There's also

An uncomfortable

Conversation

That Jesus

Has with

Peter

On the

Shore of

The sea

Of galilee

Jesus

Doesn't

Just sweep

It all

Under the

Rug

And pretend

It never

Happened

No

What Jesus

Does there

Is he

Actually

Brings

Peter

Face

To face

With

His

Moment

Of

Greatest

Failure

And yet

In that

Place

He

Calls

Him

To follow

Him

And to

Be

Restored

It was

Painful

But it

Was

Restorative

If you

Read that

Conversation

Brothers

Brothers and

Sisters

Consider

Jesus

Enduring

Love

For

People

Like

Us

Jesus

Loves

Us

In

Full

Knowledge

Of

Who

We

Are

And you

Know

As we

Continue

To walk

With

Jesus

Jesus

Shares

Some

Of

That

Knowledge

With

Us

Sometimes

Jesus

Encourages

Us

And

Challenges

Us

And

Shows

Us

That

By

His

Grace

We

Can

Do

Something

That

We

Never

Expected

To

Be

Able

To

Do

He

Gives

Us

New

Confidence

And

Hope

That

By

The

Holy

Spirit

Working

In

Us

That

He

Can

Work

Through

Us

But

Sometimes

He

Also

Shows

Us

Our

Own

Dark

Side

That

We

Don't

Want

To

Face

Up

To

When

Was

The

Last

Time

That

Jesus

Shown

His

Spotlight

Into

A

Corner

Of

Your

Life

That

You

Previously

Thought

Was

A-OK

When

Was

The

Last

Time

That

You

Thought

You

Were

Ready

To

Handle

A

Spiritual

Test

And

If

You're

Honest

You

Sort

Of

Flopped

Jesus

Is

Not

Afraid

Of

Wounding

Our

Pride

But

Remember

He