Sermon notes - John 13:21-38 - Littleby Baptist Church - August 20, 2023

 1.     As John focuses on Jesus’ teaching to His disciples, he starts with the foot washing.

a.      We see Jesus humble Himself and serve those who are following Him.

b.     We see an example of a man who served others, even knowing that one of them was going to betray Him.

c.      Jesus has told us that if we are to serve Him, we are to follow Him.

d.     Follow in His footsteps.

e.      If He saw fit to humbly serve others, we too in following Him, should humbly serve others.

f.      We need to live our faith as we serve our Lord and others.

g.     Regardless of who it is.

h.     Jesus served Judas, which should show us it is not limited to people we like.

i.       We were each created to carry out the will of God.

j.       Which in most cases is by humbly serving others.

2.     John 13:21

a.      Jesus had just shared about serving others.

b.     He mentions that someone there was going to betray Him.

c.      Then He was troubled in His spirit… we might say, it kind of hit Him.

d.     Hit Him hard that one of the men He called a friend was going to betray Him.

e.      Being God, Jesus could sense the hardness of Judas’ heart.

f.      Being human, the coming betrayal would have hurt Jesus after pouring so much of Himself into Judas.

g.     A necessary action, but one that hurt.

3.     John 13:22

a.      One of them was going to betray Jesus?

b.     How could it be?

c.      Would have been hard for the twelve to understand how any one of them could turn on Jesus.

d.     How one could betray the trust they had.

e.      How could one who had just shown a passion for the poor, love money as much as he did.

f.      Things are not as they always seem.

4.     John 13:23-25

a.      Now Jesus and the disciples were not sitting at a table like we see in most of the last supper displays.

b.     They would be partially laying on their left side, leaning on their left arm.

c.      The table would be at most as tall as what we would call a coffee table.

d.     They would be spread out around the table, maybe with various pillows or cushions to help make them comfortable.

e.      Jesus makes this shocking statement about one of them there.

f.      Peter was not close enough to discretely ask Jesus who the betrayer was.

g.     John, the one Jesus loved, was sitting next to Jesus and was able to ask.

5.     John 13:26

a.      Jesus told John it would be whoever He gave the bread to.

b.     Then Jesus handed it to Judas.

c.      To Judas and the rest of the guys, Jesus was honoring Judas.

d.     Jesus, the host of the dinner, handing someone bread was a sign of friendship.

e.      A sign of offering grace to the one who receives it.

f.      It looked like Jesus was honoring Judas by His action.

6.     John 13:27

a.      Judas had a hard heart.

b.     He was stealing from Jesus.

c.      Satan was already using Him.

d.     Judas had chosen to reject the Messiah and in turn was already following Satan.

e.      The evil one continued to lead Judas to accomplish his task.

f.      A task that Jesus encouraged Judas to do quickly.

g.     Jesus knew what it meant.

h.     He knew His time had come.

i.       He knew that Judas needed to act that night to betray Him.

7.     John 13:28-30

a.      In that moment, Jesus, John, and Judas knew who the betrayer was.

b.     The others heard Jesus tell the guy who handled their money to go take care of something.

c.      Jesus had just talked about someone betraying Him, but no one suspected it was the one who was passionate about the poor.

d.     Judas left.

e.      In service of the devil, but ultimately carrying out the Father’s will.

8.     John 13:31-32

a.      Judas left.

b.     Jesus talks about what is to come.

c.      Not in a way the disciples would have understood at that time, but they would have understood later.

d.     The actions have been put in place that will lead to the glorification of the Son of Man, Jesus, and God the Father.

e.      Judas walking out that door to make arrangements to turn Jesus over to the Pharisees was leading to the glorification of our King.

f.      His death was brutal and ugly.

g.     But, through His death His faithfulness was demonstrated.

h.     Through His resurrection and ascension to be with the Father He is glorified.

i.       The Father and Son are connected, so as one is glorified the other is also glorified.

j.       The steps as hard to understand as they may be, were needed to carry out the Father’s will.

9.     John 13:33

a.      Once again Jesus is telling the guys that they will not be able to follow Him.

b.     They likely still do not understand.

c.      They won’t follow Him in death in the coming days.

d.     They won’t ascend into heaven with Him when He leaves.

e.      Truths they will understand when the time is right.

10.  John 13:34-35

a.      Love one another just as I have love you… Jesus’ love is a sacrificial love.

b.     A love that includes teaching.

c.      A love that has driven zeal for what is holy and righteous.

d.     A love that calls for repentance.

e.      A love that is willing to serve another as a slave does.

f.      A love that does not stop when things get tough.

g.     A love that led to sacrificing one’s life.

h.     If we are to love as Jesus loves us, there is no limit.

i.       Love should drive how we live our lives.

j.       It ultimately is what should drive us to live our faith.

k.     It is how people will see that we are followers of Jesus.

l.       Through our words and our actions.

m.   They will see God’s love in us.

n.     Even if they hate what we do, they will know that we are Christ followers.

11.  John 13:36-38

a.      Peter did not want Jesus to wash his feet, then his feet were not enough.

b.     Now Peter could not understand how he was not going to be able to go with Jesus wherever He went.

c.      He even says that he is willing to die with Jesus.

d.     It must have hurt when Jesus stated that Peter was going to deny Him.

e.      Maybe some of the others thought that Peter was the disciple who was going to betray Jesus.

12.  A lot of emotions so far this night.

a.      Jesus washes their feet as a slave would.

b.     Then they hear someone is going to betray Jesus.

c.      They are told to love each other as Christ has loved them.

                                                    i.     A step beyond loving your neighbor as yourself.

d.     Then Jesus is going to go where they cannot go.

e.      It was likely a time when they were not sure what to think or feel.

13.  John 14:1

a.      Don’t let the worry get to you.

b.     Don’t stress over what is to come.

c.      Believe in God!

d.     Believe also in me!

e.      A lot of things are going to happen.

f.      But the most important thing is to have faith in God and the one He sent!

14.  Words that were critically important when they were said and I would say just as important today.

a.      Our future is unknown.

b.     Trying to figure out what will happen this week and how we will respond to it is beyond our comprehension.

c.      Re-read vs 1, with emphasis on each part.

d.     BELIVE in the Father and His son Jesus.

e.      Look to Jesus the author and perfector of our Faith.

15.  Things will happen on this earth that are hard to deal with.

16.  But our Lord Jesus will never leave us or forsake us.

17.  Look to Him.

18.  Trust in Him.

19.  Turn to Him.

a.      If He is your Savior, give your entire life to Him.

b.     If He is not, don’t delay. Repent and follow Jesus and let Him guide your life.