Sermon

The Loving King

November 1, 2019 Grace Evangelical Church Newcastle - Sermons

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I'm going to read the Bible.
If you don't have a Bible, you can grab one from the doorway.
I'm going to read from John chapter 13, verses 18 to 38.

John 13:18–38
John 13, starting from verse 18.
I'm not speaking to all of you.
I know whom I have chosen.
But the scripture will be fulfilled.
He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.
I'm telling you this now, before it takes place.
That when it does take place, you might believe that I am he.
Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives me.
And whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.
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 the disciples whom Jesus loved was reclining at 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?
And Jesus answered,
It's he to whom I'll give this morsel of bread when I've dipped it.
So when he dipped the morsel, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot.
Then, after he'd taken the morsel, Satan entered into him.
And Jesus said to him,
What you're going to do, do quickly.
Now, no one at the table knew why he'd 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'd 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'm with you.
You'll seek me,
and just as I said to the Jews,
now I also say to you,
Where I'm going, you cannot come.
A new commandment I give to you,
that you love one another.
Just as I've 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?
And Jesus answered him,
Where I'm going,
you cannot follow me now,
but you will follow afterward.
And Peter said to him,
Lord,
why can I not follow you now?
I will lay down my life for you.
Jesus answered,
Will you lay down your life for me?
Truly, truly,
I say to you,
the rooster will not crow
till you have denied me
three times.
This is the word of God.
Good morning, everyone.
Well, my name's Dave.
I'm one of the pastors here.
Welcome.
If you're a visitor,
it's lovely that you can be with us.
Please stick around for a cuppa.
We'd love to get to know you.
And how good is the rain?
It's just so refreshing, isn't it?
It's beautiful.
Let's pray as we come to God's word.
Father, we do thank you for your mercy
in giving us this rain.
Lord, it refreshes our body
and our land.
We ask for more.
Father, this morning,
we ask for even more mercy
that your word,
that you would send your word
and that you would
give each of us
ears
to hear your word,
that it might soak
deeply in us
so that it might renew us,
comfort us
and grow us.
Lord, I pray that you would
show how great your love is
this morning.
Help us to see it.
Help us to believe it.
In Jesus' name I pray.
Amen.
If someone is doing you harm,
when are you no longer
required to love that person?
I'm not asking you to think about
an ideal answer,
but what do you actually do?
What advice do you give those you love
when they feel someone is mistreating them?
What limits
do you have in place
to protect yourself?
Now, limits for stopping someone
continuing to harm you
is important.
I'm not talking about that.
I'm asking a different question.
When can you stop loving
that person?
Is it when a person
is being rude
and just
unreasonable?
When they don't give you
what you want?
When a person won't
listen to you?
When they speak badly
about you
behind your back?
When they ignore you?
When they try and
manipulate you?
When they've hurt
someone you love?
To intentionally
try and meet
that person's needs
goes against the grain,
doesn't it?
It feels like you're becoming
a doormat
to be walked all over.
You feel like you're
handing over
all your power to them.
You're letting them win.
It even feels wrong.
It feels like you're
letting evil triumph.
But as we come to the story
of the greatest
evil
ever done
in the murder
of the Son of God,
did Jesus
hand over
his power?
Was he defeated?
Was he a victim?
Did Judas and the
religious leaders
get the better of him?
This is really important
because if Judas
did get the better
of Jesus,
it raises
serious doubts.
How could the
Son of God
be betrayed
by someone
he knew so well?
This morning,
we're just going to
soak in the story.
We're going to
immerse ourselves
in what happened
that night
and then we're going
to hear how Jesus
wants us to understand it
and what that means
for us today.
So let's get into
what happened.
We're told it's
almost Passover.
that great feast
remembering
the decisive
moment
that God
saved his people.
The Jewish
crowds
have lost
interest
in Jesus.
The religious
leaders
are scheming
how to kill him.
But we're told
in verses 1 to 3
of chapter 13
that Jesus
knows his
hour
to depart
and go
to the Father
has come.
He knows
that the Father
had given
all things
into his hands.
All things.
What does he do
with that power?
He knows
the goal
for which
the Father
has sent him.
And we have
these lovely words.
Jesus loved
his own
to the end.
How does
Jesus love
his own
to the end?
how is
Jesus going
to prepare
his people
for when
he's gone?
How is
this love
displayed?
Well,
the situation
in which
Jesus'
love is
displayed
is surprising.
It's also
comforting
and it's
also
confronting.
so let's
picture the
scene.
Picture
an upstairs
lounge room
with cushions
all around
on the floor
with a little
table in the
middle with
food on it.
Here they are,
Jesus and his
12 followers.
They're in
Jerusalem.
They're relaxing
and eating
in friendship
with the
most important
person in the
world,
the Christ
who will soon
take up his
throne.
what
privilege
they would
feel being
one of the
inner circle
of the
king.
What
anticipation
that the
king is
about to
be crowned.
what joy
that their
king knows
them
personally.
What sense
of belonging
and unity
they must have
shared with
one another.
There would
have been an
atmosphere of
joyful intimacy
in the room.
Jesus,
their lord and
teacher,
had just got
up,
dressed as a
servant,
and washed
each of their
feet.
then Jesus
drops a
bombshell,
which just
overshadows the
room with
dread and
anxiety.
Being deeply
troubled in
his spirit,
Jesus says,
truly,
truly,
I say to
you,
one of
you
will betray
me.
they look
around at
each other,
uncertain who
he's talking
about.
You could
imagine their
thoughts.
We've all
been with
Jesus since
the beginning.
We've all
seen his
signs.
We've all
demonstrated that
we believe he
really is the
Christ.
We're risking
our lives
following this
guy.
No one is
suspicious.
Either this
betrayer doesn't
know what
they're about
to do,
or they're
hiding it
very well.
Verse 2
tells us that
the devil had
already put it
into the heart
of Judas Iscariot
to betray him.
He knows
he's about to
be exposed.
He's
confronted with
a final choice.
Does he
continue with
his plan to
hand Jesus
over to be
killed,
or does
he confess
and ask
for forgiveness
from the
king?
Imagine what
would happen
to the
disciples'
faith if
they had
no warning
of one of
their own
betraying
Jesus to
his death.
Imagine if
we reading
today had
no warning
that the
king would
be betrayed
by a
friend.
It would
raise serious
doubts,
wouldn't it?
Was his
life
taken from
him?
But Jesus
has a very
different
perspective
on what's
going on.
He's
just said
in verse
19,
the
scripture
will be
fulfilled.
He
who ate
my bread
has lifted
his heel
against me.
This
comes from
Psalm 41
by King
David.
Like
David,
suffered the
plots of
his enemies.
He also
suffered the
betrayal of
a close
friend,
even his
own son.
But this
was just a
taste of
what would
happen to
the greater
son of
David.
And lifted
his heel,
it's like a
horse lifting
their foot to
kick.
A close
friend wants
to cause
God's king
to fall.
But God's
word is
ruling this
situation.
Jesus
tells us
explicitly in
verse 19,
I am
telling you
this now
before it
takes place,
that when it
does take
place, you
may believe
that I
am he.
I am
the son
of David.
And in
John, these
words take on
even greater
meaning.
They are the
same as the
divine I am
statements.
I am the
bread of
life.
I am the
light of
the world.
I am the
good shepherd
who will lay
down his
life for his
sheep.
I am the
resurrection and
the life.
And now you
need to know
that when my
close friend
betrays me,
I am.
Jesus is
not a
helpless
victim.
He
anticipated it,
he predicted
it, he
went ahead
fully aware
and fully
in control.
But the
disciples, like
usual, have
no idea
what Jesus'
mission is all
about.
It's only
after the
resurrection that
they understand.
we're
introduced to
the disciple
whom Jesus
loved, John
who wrote
this gospel
and he was
lying down
next to
Jesus.
This phrase
is a great
phrase and by
using this name,
the disciple
whom Jesus
loved, he's
serving as a
model of what
discipleship really
is.
He understands
that his core
identity as a
disciple is that
he is loved
by Jesus.
And he
doesn't want
any of the
spotlight, he
wants it all
on Jesus.
So do you
see being a
disciple of
Jesus as
fundamentally
about what you
do to follow
him or that
you have been
loved by
him?
well Peter
must have
been further
away so he
motions to
this disciple
to ask who
it is and
he leans
back close to
Jesus and
asks, Lord
who is it?
It is he to
whom I will
give this
morsel of
bread when I
have dipped
it.
the host
handing his
food to
someone is
a public
sign of
friendship and
honour in
front of
everyone else.
I think this
is a genuine
expression of
Jesus' love
for Judas.
It is
incredibly
corrupt that
Pilate would
condemn an
innocent man.
It is
arrogant and
wicked for
the religious
leaders to
acknowledge the
miraculous signs
on the one
hand and
then label
Jesus as a
blasphemer and
condemn him.
But that all
this was set in
motion by the
scheming of
his close
friend and
apostle.
That must
have been pure
agony for
Jesus.
And after
Judas had
taken the
morsel of
bread, Satan
entered into
him.
Jesus had
warned at
the end of
chapter 12,
walk while you
have the
light, lest
darkness
overtake you,
master you.
Instead of
being broken
by his
sin, Judas
is hardened
in his
resolve.
This is
the only
time John
mentions Satan
by name.
It shows
the magnitude
of what is
happening this
night.
It's not
just Judas
trying to
bring Jesus
down,
but Satan.
But here's
the important
point.
Neither
Judas nor
Satan is
taking Jesus'
life from
him.
God has
done it.
There's so
much comfort
for us in
this.
They could do
nothing until
the hour that
God had
chosen.
In handing
Judas the
bread, it is
Jesus who
decides the
time.
God has
done it.
And then
Jesus commands
Judas, what
you're going to
do, do
quickly.
He'd already
planned it, but
Jesus says, get
on with it.
Go and do it
right now.
Which is why
John emphasizes
in verse 30,
after receiving
the morsel of
bread, Judas
immediately went
out.
He could do
nothing until
Jesus gave
the word.
And when
Jesus gave
the word, he
went and did
it.
No one
takes his
life from
him.
Jesus is
choosing to
lay it
down.
He is the
good shepherd
of his
sheep.
But to
highlight how
evil this
act was, and
also to
highlight that
Jesus was
alone in
going to
the cross,
his other
disciples were
of no help
to him.
We're told
that no one
at the table
understood what
was going
on.
So
intimate was
Judas as a
friend of
Jesus, they
all assumed
he was doing
something that
pleased God.
Either buying
the supplies they
needed for the
feast, or
maybe giving
money to the
poor, because
it was
customary at
Passover to
give money to
the poor at
the temple.
Perhaps even
the act of
giving bread,
because it was
a sign of
honour, maybe
the other
disciples thought
it can't be
him then.
Amazingly,
Jesus, knowing
that the
Father had
given all
things into
his hands,
didn't use
his power to
stop Judas.
He didn't
use it to
expose him,
to rally
support from
the other
disciples, but
he was
obedient to
the Father's
mission to
the very
end.
He loved
his own.
Judas
had chosen
to cut
himself off
from the
light of
the world.
Jesus'
own
arrest,
the
world's
public
rejection of
him and
his crucifixion
are now set
in motion.
The time for
Satan and
the world to
extinguish the
light of the
world has
come.
It was
night.
it must
have been
really
distressing
for the
disciples
because Jesus
then tells
him, I'm
about to
leave you.
Peter
doesn't like
this plan
and he
senses that
Jesus is
talking about
his own
death and
so he
objects.
Lord, why
can I not
follow you
now?
I will
lay down
my life
for you.
it sounds
courageous,
doesn't it?
It sounds
like he's
full of
faith.
But these
are the
words Jesus
used about
the good
shepherd who
lays down
his life
for his
sheep.
Peter is
refusing to
trust that
Jesus is
doing what
the father
sent him
to do.
He's not
listening.
Peter is
arrogant to
think that
Jesus needs
him in
any way.
And he's
ignorant of
his sinfulness
if he thinks
he has the
resources in
himself to
be faithful
to his
king.
Listen to
both the
sting as
well as
the comfort
in Jesus'
ironic reply
to Peter.
Will you
lay down
your life
for me?
Let me
show you,
Peter,
why I need
to go the
way of
the cross.
Truly,
truly,
I say to
you,
the rooster
will not
crow till
you have
denied me
three times.
This very
night,
you won't
die for
me.
You will
betray me.
If we
were there
that night,
we would
probably
suspect
that Peter
is the
one
Jesus said
would betray
him.
And if
Peter can't
remain faithful
to Jesus,
can any
of his
disciples?
Can you
remain
faithful?
But
unlike
Judas,
who embraced
the darkness,
Peter has
one reason
for hope.
And you
and I
have this
same reason
to have
hope.
Jesus
is fully
aware
of
Peter's
failure
to
follow
him.
He's
fully
aware.
Jesus
is fully
aware
of my
failure
and of
your
failure.
But
he is a
good shepherd.
He is
determined
to love
his own
to the
end.
I
will
lay
my
life
down
for
you.
isn't
that
good
news?
No
one
takes
my
life
from
me.
Neither
Judas
nor
Satan.
No
one
takes
it.
And
no
one
has
ever
offered
anything
that
would
mean
that
they
deserve
my
love.
But
I
choose
to lay
it
down,
to
bring
you
to
God,
that
you
might
fully
and
forever
know
the
Father's
love
for
you.
This
was
the
darkest
night.
But
like
lightning
on a
pitch
black
night,
the
darkness
shows
the
brightness
of
Jesus'
love.
Verse
31,
now
is the
Son of
Man
glorified.
God
is
glorified
in
him.
How
are the
Son and
the
Father
glorified?
They're
glorified
together
in this
one
great
moment.
Because
in this
moment,
we see
how
determined
God
is to
save
his
sinful
people
by the
Father
sending
and the
Son
choosing
to lay
down
his
life.
God
says
in 1
John
4
10,
in
this
is
love,
not
that we
have
loved
God,
but
that
he
loved
us
and
sent
his
Son
as
an
atoning
sacrifice
for
our
sins.
The
light
shines
in the
darkness
and the
darkness
has
not
overcome
it.
So do
you
believe
that
Jesus
was
Lord
over
his
betrayal?
He
was
Lord
over
Satan
and
still
is.
That
he
freely
chose
to
lay
down
his
life
so
that
you
might
know
God
as
your
father.
Are
you
a
disciple
whom
Jesus
has
loved?
He
calls
his
own
disciples
little
children.
This
is the
only
time
it's
used
in
the
gospels.
It's
full
of
affection
and
it
picks
up
the
promise
to
all
who
did
receive
him
who
believed
in
his
name
he
gave
the
right
to
become
children
of
God.
And
he
leaves
his
children
with
a
command
to
carry
out
until
he
returns.
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.
Incredibly
Jesus
has
tied
his
reputation
to
his
people
in
his
church.
And
Jesus
is
specific
about
who
we
are
to
love
in
this
special
way.
It's
one
another.
It's
our
brothers
and
sisters
whom
Jesus
has
loved.
If
only
this
command
wasn't
situated
in
between
two
betrayals
this
command
would
be
way
more
comfortable.
This
is
more
than
just
kindness
and a
smile
to one
another.
This
is
much
more.
It
implies
that you
and I
will
harm
one
another
and
intentionally
sometimes.
And
worse
than
that
you
and I
will
at
points
be
faithless
in
following
Christ.
But
what
does
our
brother
or
sister
need
in
that
moment?
What
will
bring
glory
to
the
God
who
sent
his
son
to
a
hostile
world?
Being
injured
by a
brother
or
sister
in
Christ
or
seeing
them
falter
in
their
faithfulness
that
is the
very
opportunity
for
God's
love
to be
displayed.
If you
lay down
your
life
to help
remind
them
that
Jesus
has
laid
down
his
life
for
them,
it is
in the
darkness
that God's
love
shines
brightest.
love
this is
a kind
of love
the world
knows
nothing
about
but
when they
see it
they will
see God
through us.
That is
an incredible
privilege.
So who
are you
struggling
to love?
love
love
love
love
love
Schwar growth
enough
to
obey
with
our
own
resources
but
the more
we see
our inability
to love
one
another
like
Christ
did
the
more
we
cherish
that
our
器
chose
to
lay
down
his
life
for
us
but then the more we cherish
that our saviour loved us in this way
the higher his standard of loving one another becomes
or we realise anyway
and then the higher we realise this calling is
we realise how unable we are to love one another in this way
which makes us cherish the fact that Jesus loves us
and chose to die for us
I wanted to share an example of a time that I've wronged someone
and have helped me show Jesus' love
but I'll be too ashamed with all the examples I came up with
but it's been throughout my whole Christian walk
from my parents through to all of you
but that's the context where we get to show God's love
to one another
and to the world
we're about to sing these words
who else could rescue me from my failing
who else would offer his only son
who else invites me to call him father
only a holy God
only my holy God
only our holy God
no one took Jesus' life from him
he freely chose to lay it down
it is in the darkness that God's love shines the brightest
would you pray with me
Father I pray that
for the rest of our days
that you would teach us
and show us more and more
just how much
you have loved us
Lord I pray that
as we look to our great shepherd
who died
to wash us of our failing
I pray that as we do that
that we would all overflow
in thankfulness
and in a desire to honour you
by laying down our life for one another
Lord I pray that
you would help each one of us
give us the power
to carry out
this great love
Lord help us
as a church
to honour your name
we thank you
for your great love for us
in Jesus name we pray
Amen