Synoptic Gospels John 13

John 13:31–38 and the Transition to the Farewell Discourse

Thought we had gotten past 31 talked about now is the Son of Man glorified and God's glorified in him through 38. So we need to take a poll of the of the rest of the folks. Maybe the great keeper of Codex Ricotonius might remember as well.

I Have recollection of talking about Verses 31 and 32. But we have some indication that we didn't get there and some indication when all is 38, so I will I have recollection at least of there, so I'll just that's well.

Yeah, I do remember that I Do remember that? But I don't I know I didn't start talking about Peter's denials or anything like that. I Seem to recall saying in verse 34 that the love that is mentioned there is Exemplified by what Christ is doing or something along those lines, but That sounds about right to me.

Practical Banter and Returning to John 13

Yeah, I can turn on a fan for me. It's a little Wearing a jacket so a little toasty side. The ladies are going yeah, right sure. And the guys are going yeah, I'll turn down the good ladies going. No. It's one nice thing about Summer around here is everybody's like yeah, keep that easy running, but then once the once the the winner hits like oh It's just the way it always is but not as bad in the in the other room now.

It used to be love that time mr.. C. I love that time. And the shirt that the whole thing just goes it's perfect right so we're in John chapter 13 We need to finish this up because we've got 14 15 16 and 17 Get back to the synoptic study so at that rate of speed.

We're just Never ever going to get there. Oh I don't know depends on how much traveling I do. I know I've got at least one trip back to Germany and London in there somewhere, so who knows but anyway Just as a reminder if you've not been with us, I think most everybody here has been by the way if you wish to apply any type of Skin lotion and like that during the the Bible say it's fine I Wish I had some with me.

I only put some on an hour ago, and I need some more my goodness. It is like the Sahara moved in it is so stinking dry. It's just ridiculous but Maybe it's because also for me. Yeah, see we've got some volunteer volunteers back there for a veil.

Someone keeps reminding me to wash my hands before holding something. I'm not sure what that is maybe that has something to do with my why my hands are so dry all of a sudden, but You never know it is.

It is sort of fun to hear all the talk about how many diapers are going there. They're going through an Amazing speed of time, but it's like yeah, I remember that but anyhow John chapter 13 we're we're sandwiching 13 through 17 in here because in the stoppage studies, we're about to enter into the the crucifixion narratives and Basically, that's where this fits.

The Son of Man Is Glorified in His Departure

That's the section where John Expands upon Jesus final ministry to the disciples and so we've been working through chapter 13 just about to make it into 14 and Just the the section Begins at verse 31 therefore when he had gone out Jesus said now 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 will glorify him immediately.

Little children I am with you a little while longer. You will seek me and as I said to the Jews now I also say to you where I am going you cannot come a new commandment. I give to you that you love one another even as I have loved you that you also love one another.

This all men will know that you are my disciples if you have love for one another. I'm Peter said to him Lord. Where are you going? Jesus answered where I go. You cannot follow me now, but you will follow later.

You just said to him Lord. Why can I not follow you right 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 a rooster will not crow until you deny me three times.

This section in essence provides sort of the outline for what's going to be expanded upon in chapters 14 through 17 the glorification of the Sun the going away of the Sun is Announcement that he's going away and they cannot follow is what is the background to chapter 14?

The Dwelling Places in the Father’s House and the Promise of Christ’s Return

Which is probably one of the better known chapters to most of us. When Jesus starts off that let your heart be troubled believe in God believe also in me and my father's house are many. Literally, it's rooms.

It's not dwelling places, and it's not I'm sorry mansions. That's a popular translation. It's certainly one that I as a young person. Even in hymnology we had you know. Our mansion and glory type thing you know.

Actually, it never really did make much sense. In my father's house are many mansions. Every single house has many mansions in it. I mean exactly how does that work? You know and in my mind. I just I just.

You know we're all get our own mansion talk about talk about community. Yeah, no not quite. We're gonna. We're gonna be like the folks in Hollywood. That's our totally cut off from everybody with a nice big fence around our singular mansion.

That doesn't work that way. It is a community in my father's house are many Dwelling places numeric standard rooms, I think is is the best way to put it. The point is that chapter 14 then picks up on this promise that He's going away, but it's not a permanent Separation that we will go to be where he is and he is preparing that place for us and.

So this then becomes the introduction to a lot of things that are Going to be expanded upon chapters 15 and well 14 through 16 the coming of the Holy Spirit. I'm not going to leave you as orphans. All of these things are going to be expanded upon they're introduced here in this particular section so Judas leaves and Jesus immediately announces upon his leaving that the Son of Man is glorified.

This glorification takes place in The crucifixion and I would also insist in the obedience of Christ. I think that sometimes we think of glorification only in the context of big miraculous things like the resurrection or something like that, but I think we need to recognize that there is in the obedience of Christ and in the humiliation of Christ the greatest example of The glory of God that is shown there that restraining of divine power the obedience of the Son even at the point of death even death on a cross as Paul records it for us in Philippians chapter 2 and then therefore God has highly exalted him and given him the name which is above every name so on so forth and That him comes from very early in Christian history and would flow out of the same thinking that you have here.

And that is that God is glorified especially. And the Sun is glorified as well, especially in his obedience and in his humiliation. So it's the exact opposite of what the world expects the world to expect glorification be you know the vindication of the Sun or the? destruction of his enemies or things like that, but the actual glorification is seen in his obedience and in his humiliation as well and Then they are told little children.

I'm with you a little while longer. You will seek me and as I said to the Jews now I also say to you where I am going you cannot come remember back in chapter 8. This had come out as well in the assertion and the Jews said as he could commit suicide.

They recognized he wasn't well some had said is he could go to the go to the Gentiles and things like that. But others said as he commits suicide. Things like that and so now as the disciples themselves need to be fully prepared G is announces that he is going to be leaving he is not going to be with them and Where he is going they cannot come.

It is not God's purpose that they immediately follow their Lord in in death in martyrdom and It's in the midst of that then that you have the new commandment now. It's not a new commandment in the sense There'd never been a command to love before and in fact not only were you commanded to love God?

But you're commanded to love your neighbors yourself but There is something new to the commandment in the sense that By union with Christ by being indwelt by the Holy Spirit as as Jesus is going to express it in John 1423 up top my head as I recall God's actual dwelling with his people the father and the son Will dwell with the people by the presence of the Holy Spirit.

There is something very special here is not the Holy Spirit and not been active in the Old Testament. The Holy Spirit had been David said take not your spirit from me. And yet we also saw the Spirit come upon people and then just leave.

We're in that section in the Old Testament in Exodus right now where? The Spirit comes upon people to perform certain very special acts and Having skills to make things the tabernacle and for the worship of God and things like that.

But the Spirit comes upon people and then and leaves but the Spirit in John 14 23 Becomes the very pledge of the father's presence with his people. Ephesians chapter 1 what's the down payment? What's how does God?

Demonstrate. I've begun a work in this person's life, and I'm going to come continue this work. Well, it's the presence of the Holy Spirit. He's called the Arabon the down payment. And when you gave an Arabon a down payment you were.

It's not like today where you can just go up. Sorry you know I'll go file bankruptcy or something like that. It didn't didn't work that way and so God the Father himself by sending the Spirit is making a pledge.

That he will continue and finish the work that he has begun. And so with that I think the commandment becomes new in the sense that it's for this this new covenant community that is going to be marked off by.

The fact that every person in that community shares this one spirit. That's what binds all the churches together when when Paul talks about the unity that exists amongst believers. How does he define that unity he defines that unity?

Primarily on the basis that it's we have we all partake of one spirit and so you have that as the. How would I describe it? It's certainly not the least common denominator that's that's not would not be the appropriate way of expressing it, but it is the the continual commonality is that which binds all believers together.

A believer is a person who is involved by the Spirit of God and that spirit has brought about the confession of faith that Jesus Christ is Lord and this is what binds true believers together and As a result there is a New Covenant community has a new commandment from God.

That you love one another even as I have loved you and make maybe that likewise. Sheds some light on the nature of why this would be new even though in the Old Covenant. We have the command to love God and love neighbors ourselves.

Now we have post cross post redemptive history. In redemptive act in Christ we have the self-sacrificing nature of that love. Illustrated in a way that could could only be in a very shadowy way foretold in The Old Testament Scriptures the even as I have loved you.

That you also love one another and by this all men will know that you're my disciples if you have love for one another and so the nature of this love As was in some of the notes is not a ishy-squishy love.

It is a self-sacrificing love. It is an act of love it is. It is. It is a commitment love it is a true Christian love is Unfortunately very frequently Misrepresented in our society in the sense of emotionalism in the sense of and I'm not saying there's no emotion with love.

But let me just put this way especially to young folks who are Just all a Twitter in in love. You know once want to get married and so on so forth. There needs to be real love survives the diminishment of the Fervor of feeling shall we say in other words feelings can come and go they can wax and wane.

They can be impacted by all sorts of external circumstances. They can be impacted by the the passing of the years the aging of the body. One's financial situation one's health situation all sorts of other things can impact feelings, but the commitment aspect of love is What gives ground to?

Everything else and That's I think the same way we need to understand. You know the world doesn't understand how God could say the greatest commandment love me. My I'm not gonna use the term my atheist friends.

I'll talk about my Muslim friends. But I can't even talk about my atheist friends my that the people I know who are atheists put that way Love to mock and deride God because he's an egomaniac. I Mean what what what?

How could you ever respect someone that says that the greatest commandment is not love for one another the greatest commandment is love for me and We all know men like Richard Dawkins who you know just Doug Wilson has rightly described it wasn't Richard Dawkins it was Hitchens, but it's the same thing Describing Hitchens atheism.

He says there are two things absolutely certain about Christopher Hitchens. He knows God doesn't exist and he hates him and It's a it's a it's a well-expressed way of putting it and He's exactly right and and you look at these men who are actually convinced God doesn't exist, but their their entire life is wrapped up in trying to erase all evidence That would contradict their conclusions.

Some of you know that I've debated a man by the name of Dan Barker a few times. Some of you are actually old enough to remember when I first encountered Dan Barker on the Tom like a show on KFYI back when I was skinny and had hair and And was in my 20s early 20s actually and We've debated since then he's the head of the freedom from religion foundation.

And oh, he just he gets a year's worth of notoriety and fame. Around Christmas time I just discovered he was up in Prescott recently here that or his lawyers were he has lots of them and they were. They forced the courthouse There in downtown Prescott, which if you've ever been up there.

They have this you know beautiful Christmas display and stuff. His his group forced them to take any religious elements of the display down because that's a violation of Church's statement you and I both know that there isn't a single person to sign the Declaration of Independence of the Constitution United States that would have agreed with that, but That was a long time ago things change the living document.

And so it's just his life. You know It's so obvious from the outside that he lives his life Just Desperately suppressing that knowledge that is and he's a very bright man. He's not nearly as bright as he thinks he is, but he's a very bright man, and he is just it's just so sad to see the desperation of Suppression of the knowledge of God and and It just drives these folks nuts when anybody Doesn't join them in their fight because everyone who doesn't join them in their fight is Evidence that they're wrong, and they they know that but they just it's just it's amazing.

It's an amazing thing to watch but anyways This this commitment kind of going back to the Texas commitment kind of love. By this all men will know that you're my disciples if you have love for one another it's You can find All sorts.

You can find elements because we all create an image of God therefore We know what true love is. You can find parts of What love is supposed to be all over the world in false religion and no religion at all.

People who Refuse to bow the knee to God and remain rebellion against God can be very faithful friends on the battlefield for example. Because they're made in the image of God. They're made to be that way and so you have to be careful because what some people they fall into the way of thinking is well it Here's what the Bible says is is true love and I see elements of that over here in Buddhism and I see elements of that over here amongst the Mormons.

And I know atheists that have elements of that all that proves. All that demonstrates is that what the Bible says is true. We are created in the image of God and Though we work very hard and especially in in Secularism you you spend billions of dollars and and Hours and hours and hours trying to efface that image and trying to get people to not think about their their origins and about their destiny and about their nature and About God and about the sense they have of his existence and and the fact that you do not have to teach a Little child to have a conscience.

You know that little child even before they can speak when they do something. They know they're not supposed to do. There's that furtive look or The sudden realization they've been caught they didn't know somebody was there and you don't have to teach him that you didn't have to you Didn't have to force that on them.

It's it's part and parcel of their nature. We because that is true It should not surprise us at all to see elements of that all across the spectrum of human behavior activity religion government experience.

Everything you should expect to see that and we do so. How is this? Commandment then how is this? How are all men to know that you're my disciples if you have love for one another what? What's special here?

We see? Loving acts what we would describe as even biblically loving acts self-sacrificial acts. Amongst people that worship different gods have no God at all. What then is to be the difference and my suggestion?

Would be that it is not the. It is the bringing together of all of those elements parts of which can be seen everywhere. But there are certain parts of true Christian. Love that are very very very counter counter the fallen nature Might be one way of putting it.

It's sort of like how I've explained many times. People say how do I how do I know? That I've been born again. How do I know you know get over these doubts? I have things like that and One of the one of the suggestions of one of the great men of God the past that I think that I personally have found to be extremely useful and helpful was Jonathan Edwards observation that there are certain elements of God's revelation of his own existence that the rebel man will Be willing to accept for his own purposes God's the provider of all things why I want provision therefore that part of God's nature.

Okay, I'll I'll I'll create an idol of a God that can provide for me or something along those lines that doesn't necessarily offend The fallen man there are certain aspects though of God's character That are absolutely offensive to the natural man, especially his sovereignty and his holiness and Edwards statement basically was that if you love those aspects of God's nature that are the most Reprehensible to the natural man that is a positive sign and only you can know that only you can look into your heart and Again, even at this point.

I would connect this and I would say I would say if you love long-term. Because I've met people I remember a guy years and years ago Who now in hindsight I would identify as flash in the pan. You know what a flash what a flash in the pan is.

Flash in the pan is you know Brilliant explosion, but short-lived brilliant explosion, but short-lived and here was somebody who really Seemed to show tremendous spiritual insights and Just bright as as could be but here's a flash in the pan it didn't last long.

And so when I say love those aspects of God's Character. She would have for a period of time shown great zeal for these things and Pastor Frye and I have had conversations over the years. About the people we see who come in and I've been over here over over two decades now and We would see folks that would come in and man, they're just They're they're zealous for Calvinism man, they're more Calvinistic than Calvin ever thought of being.

I mean, they've got pictures of Calvin on their bedroom wall and you know, they've got multiple editions of the Institute's marked up each one with leather covers on them and you know, they they've got a backpack full of Arthur W Pink's the sovereignty of God and they leave them on bus seats and and on airplanes and every every flight attendant that's ever met them has a copy and you know, there's this kind of thing, you know, and I Call it a cage stage personally where you should be put in a cage.

You don't do damage to yourself or anybody else in the process, but but they'll come in and man, they're and You know from from my perspective give it some time. You know give it some time. When you're younger give it some time.

This doesn't sound like a really good thing. It doesn't sound like wise advice, but as Brother brick reminded me first thing that I walked in this morning. I have entered into my sixth decade which I had thought about and was actually looking forward to that and I am a grandfather now, too.

The amount of wisdom that I gained this one week is just shocking. It's just just amazing my someone subscribes double ARP for me in the whole nine yards. I mean, it's just Wow. It's great but seriously Our conclusion is given some time.

First of all, normally there needs to be some moderation and growth and wisdom along those lines anyways, but beyond that. Of very often you find those folks just they're looking for the most. They're like the people that look for the big shows.

They're just looking for the Calvinistic show and there can be all sorts of different shows. You can be excited about the truth about God. But the question is after you've gone through difficulties in life after your heart has been hurt after you've been disappointed.

Do you still love those aspects of God's character? And the only way you can find that out is go through those things. I mean, Jesus here is that Peter says I'll die for you. I'll follow you to death, you know, and actually Peter you're gonna have you're gonna have some interesting experiences and Don't you think the Peter post denials is a far better servant than the Peter pre denials, you know, and so I Followed this to just suggest to you that that The real Christian love that speaks to the world is not the sentimentality that the world has plenty of the world does sentimentality easily.

I mean after 9-eleven Oh Man, there were people saluting the flag right left and center and God bless. So Mary, you know, I was great and then did you watch it just like I did big fervor and then then there's other things.

You know, and then there's and all that unity. Isn't so much unity fairly quickly. It's just Tapers off over time as we get distracted with other things. I My suggestion is that what sets Christian love apart is not because we're somehow Better than somebody else or anything like that.

It's it's tied back to that one statement that a lot of people in our circles don't like what Jesus said. But I think it's wonderful. What did you say he who endures the end shall be saved? He was the other said what was that mean?

Well for a lot of people mean you you better work up some space within you and just keep doing it. And no, that's not what he's talking about. Why is any one of us still here? It's because the Spirit of God is active within us and that faith that is ours and that love that is ours.

There works to the Spirit of God and that means they're not just flashing a pan things. There's a long term and that's what that's what blew the Romans away. One that one this is one place where church history can shed some light I think on How something works out in reality?

Is it wasn't that the Romans hadn't seen people who were Zealous for various causes they had I Mean the Romans had experienced all across of what we would call Modern day Europe North Africa into what we would call the Middle East.

They saw all sorts of different kinds of people spoke all different languages helping cultures. They were really cosmopolitan. They had seen a lot of this stuff. But what was it about the Christians? Oh, they loved one another and they they took care of one another and.

But they did it long term. I Mean it is what what caused them to think it was insane was look. It's one thing that you love one another. It's one thing that you'd be willing to take care of one another, but don't you you just keep doing this.

Don't isn't doesn't it come a point where you recognize this becomes foolishness. See there is a commitment part, and that's what they didn't get. It was one thing to be zealous and to have the emotions they saw that all over the place but these folks just.

Even when it we're about to throw you in with the lions hello don't you think it's time to become more rational about this to sort of you know aren't you going a little bit too far with this and Even when they would make it much more difficult.

For Christians to be Christians it was that long-term commitment. It was that. This is who I am this defines who I am. I love This God who has revealed himself in Jesus Christ and no matter what you do to me even short-term.

Yeah, there's a lot of folks and people put a gun to you did I Christ oh? But people learn a long time ago the way to make apostate Christians is not to say I'm gonna kill you if you don't. It's gonna say I'm gonna make sure that the best job you can get is taking trash out if you don't.

50 years later there's almost nothing left. I Mean, that's that's how it's been done under Islam. I Mean remember that remember the story. What about seven eight years ago? Suicide bomber was about to go into a girls school.

And was stopped by the janitor. Who died by stopping him remember who the janitor was this is in Pakistan the janitor was a Christian. All the girls inside were Muslims, but he gave his life. To stop that man.

He knew who he was he knew what he was gonna do he knew what he was up to and he stopped him and he gave his life for all those Muslim girls and The world goes that's that's weird. Why would you do that?

But why was why was what was the significance there? That's about the best job a Christian can get there I? Mean you just aren't allowed to have any just not that's how you bring persecution against the Christians as you say Oh, you you can live here.

That's fine. That's fine. However No matter you know I could get education you're not gonna be able to do this. I could be able to do that and I could be able repair your churches blah blah blah blah.

That's the kind of constant grinding. Discrimination and persecution that is far more effective. I mean we've all heard to tell you in a statement the blood of martyrs the sea of the church. The overt kill them all thing the Romans learned.

Took them a couple hundred years to figure it out. Romans learned doesn't work. It's the compromise over time grind them down focus upon our love of things the world persecution that works and That's why I said looking at what's coming in our own society.

Maybe I'm just talking to myself. But the only power the world has to damage our joy and Happiness is the power we give them by loving the things of the world. That's the only that's the only the only weapons the world has That can be effective against Christians are the ones we give them.

I'm convinced of that. If our love is not of the things of this world The world has absolutely no power over us at all. If our love is settled elsewhere if we really get a hold of and I don't know that any of us have ever really fully Gotten a hold of but if we really get a hold of What Paul says in Colossians 3 you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

Then we recognize this world has absolutely nothing it can do to us and that's what those early Christians realized too and that's a That's a revelation that well reveals. The Christians truly are the disciples of Christ.

They truly are his followers. Simon Peter didn't quite get that yet and So he says Lord, where are you going? Do you sense where I go? You cannot follow me now, but you will follow later clearly talking about his death and Peter's response is Lord.

Why can I not follow you right now? I will lay down my life for you. Now, I don't I don't doubt. You know, we know the Peter, you know impetuous Peter. This is the same dude who? Speaks out of turn in the presence of God the Father God the Son Moses in life.

Okay, I mean if if you can if you can run your mouth off in that situation. Obviously you can run it off and any situation whatsoever, you know. But I really I don't think Peter was being a hypocrite here.

I Don't think Peter was going was actually in his own heart knowing. Oh, man, I would never do this. But I I want to make myself look good. No, I'm sure that that Peter had a deep love for Jesus and Really thought I mean When he pulls his sword in the garden, that's.

That's pretty that's pretty big stuff. I mean He's he's got soldiers there and and you know, he he tried to be brave. It's it's one thing. Isn't it amazing? It's the bravery that Peter shows in the face of armed guards.

And then what does he do a matter of hours later? Servant girl. Hey, aren't you with him? See the toad totally complete it's context you know, it's one thing in you know, when the adrenaline's flowing and ah.

It's another thing when you're standing there and you're cold and things aren't going well and someone says aren't you one of them? Totally Peter Jesus response to him is will you lay down your life for me truly truly?

I say to you a rooster will not crow until you deny me three times now once we get into We get back to the synoptic study. Then we will then we'll put all this together and we will deal with the infamous famous.

However, you want to put it issue of the denials of Peter and Was it? Cock crows three times cock crows ones. What's the order the night denials blah blah blah blah blah because You have different stories told by Matthew Mark Luke and John at this point and can they be harmonized?

Can we put them together? I think you can but a lot of folks like to put a point at that and say see there's there's a problem and we will. We will get him that when we get into the synoptic study again so.

Again, even though we have a chapter division here there is no chapter division in the originals and so we can understand why if the Seemingly Peter was the oldest of disciples. He certainly has a leadership role amongst the disciples.

It is interesting to me that when a foot race is held at the resurrection remember John and Peter. Peter loses badly. In fact Peter loses so badly. John has time to be doing various and sundry things at the tomb before Peter ever gets there so Peter's probably the oldest guy and John's probably the youngest guy and everybody else is probably somewhere in between and yet the leader.

One of the three that was up on the Mount. The the leader. Jesus has just said You'll deny me. Now what's that going to do to the the thinking of everybody else. Obviously something major is about to happen and That then becomes the background of Jesus's discussion starting in chapter 14 and Really, it goes all the way through 16 and becomes the foundation for the high priestly prayer of chapter 17.

So it there's really no breaks here. But his discussion of the coming of the Spirit the role the Father Son and Spirit. Their role in regards to Sustaining the disciples all these things come together in this section of Scripture, and it is truly.

There's no there's no there's no question that this section of the Gospel of John is one of the most Beloved Sections of all the Bible, but once again hopefully by following the context We may be able to see that some of the texts that we have memorized I bet you we have a bunch of us have texts from this section memorized.

Even though we haven't memorized. We always need to remember what it meant in its original context and hopefully see some new things as we as we work through it. Alright, so it's real easy this time. We're starting with John chapter 14.

We've made sure. Well that'll that'll make it much easier next time all right. Let's close word of prayer. Father we thank you for your word We thank you for the provision of the Spirit the promise of the Lord that our hearts were not to be troubled Lord the promise that you have gone to repair a place for us all these things we we look forward to reading again.

Considering again, but even now we thank you for them. And we thank you for the commandment that we're to love one another may that love. That we have for one another be reflected in love that we have for you.

It may be a commitment that is lifelong because your spirit sustains it and makes it real within our hearts. You pray in Christ's name. Amen.