We're in such wonderful sections of the Gospel of John. I wanted to continue with John here. Soon we'll have Christmas sermons outside in the heat, but we'll do that. But I want to consider John 13 with you today as we looked at last time this foot-washing event. This is really part two of that, that you're going to see how Jesus continues to train his disciples before he is lifted up from the earth in their own mission and teaching them the very gospel that they are to carry to the ends of the earth. And so we're going to look at John 13, verse 18, and we'll read to the end of the chapter. I'm going to back up and read at verse 16. Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. I'm not speaking of all of you. I know whom I've 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 may believe that I am. 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 his 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? Jesus answered, it is he to whom I give this morsel of bread when I've 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. No one at the table knew why he had 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, just as I said to the Jews. So 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. 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 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. And there will end the reading of God's word. Well, Jesus said something in the foot washing event that we studied last time. After he had washed their feet, and after he had done that marvelous act that we studied and gave a lot of attention to, you'll remember that he had washed their feet, he put on his outer garments, and he had resumed his place at the table, and then he posed a question to them, an important question. Do you understand what I have done to you? That's a really important question by Jesus. He had just done something for them. and it was obviously more than just the physical act of washing feet wasn't it there was something very symbolic there was something very important in the demonstration of what he did for them that they were to understand and of course the holy spirit would make clear later when the holy spirit would come this would always be a driving event and a driving moment for their mission as they would look back and understand this very important here that we have a good understanding of it then what did he do that's the question you understand what i've done for you what did he do i don't think jesus has ever come down from heaven i know he hasn't and physically washed your feet so what did he do for them and what does he do for you and and this is an important moment because jesus had given some indication already by saying you're already clean not all of you you're already clean but of course your feet need washed i have to wash your feet and all throughout scripture we know the importance of feet think about this this is going to come up at the end of john again jesus is going to use feet again to talk about peter's feet going certain places and where he used to go feet have to be washed because feet are symbolic of the walk of the christian feet are symbolic of our directions that we go and jesus is is is helping us to understand that continual need to be a washed uh people in in our in our place in this life and and the needs we have because of sin now why does all this matter well now what we have is this really distressing moment that comes right after this as now the hour and the time of the cross has come um this is going to be the moment of the disciples greatest failure in the worst of ways it really is it's uh it's going to be a great moment of failure for them and isn't it interesting that before the failure jesus has already washed them that jesus has already cleansed them and that jesus has already helped them before they would enter into this time of failure where the shepherd would be struck and the sheep would be scattered. So we need to know that, that there are always distressing times coming. There are always difficult days ahead in this life that has never changed from the beginning. And Jesus here is helping us to understand things about the mission and about his work for us and what it, before any of it comes in this life, before anything that happens to us in this life, this question is posed to us do you understand what i have done for you what i've done to you that's really romans 5 that i read a little bit ago so jesus desires that we live knowing the plan knowing that we are washed and knowing our purpose here on this earth i think this is one of the most important sections here for purpose which i think christians at the moment are really struggling with what is our purpose Jesus is going to talk in John 17 about the reason that he left us in this world. I think we're all sideways on that right now. There is here a foretold betrayal that Jesus begins with. And then there is a present distress that falls on them. And then Jesus explains the intended purpose. That's how we're going to look at this here, beginning with this foretold betrayal that Jesus works with here and does something very important. But I want you to hold on to this question that I posed at the beginning that really drives this for the disciples. Do you understand what I've done for you, to you, to you? Blessed are you, says Jesus, if you do, if you go do the same. Those are his words. That's what he said. So what does that mean? And how is it that we are kept through this life? And what is our purpose here? And what is our mission? And all this really converges here in John chapter 13 as Jesus is training the disciples that we get to study and understand his work and then see how it unfolded in the life of these men who have come before us. Jesus now is doing the very thing that he said he would do for them. What do I mean by that? I think we make a mistake in John 13, a big mistake of cutting it off too early. It dawned on me this week as I was reflecting on this passage and thinking about this passage that he does something symbolic and then in the next act he explains what that symbolism means. The foot washing event. I might say it this way. The true washing occurs right after this. So what do you mean? He had got down on his feet and he had washed them with water. What are you talking about? I hope to show you that a little bit because Jesus now presents this horrid reality. And it's a really bad moment for the disciples. You have to sort of enter into it to understand it. That one of them, among them, their intimate fellowship, their group, their family, one of them is about to betray Jesus. I mean, that's an awful thing to hear out of the mouth of Jesus. Notice verse 18. I do not speak concerning all of you. I know whom I've chosen, but that the scriptures might be fulfilled. He who eats my bread with me has lifted up his heel against me. It's really a remarkable thing that Jesus got down on his knees and washed the feet of his betrayer. Isn't it? That's enough to stop us and say, who are you hating in this life? Knock it off, right? I know not all of you were chosen to be my disciples. There's one of you, among you, that's not blessed. At this point, he cites a psalm, an important psalm, Psalm 41. Even my own familiar friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted up his heel against me. But you, O Lord, be merciful to me and raise me up, that I may repay them. By this I know that you are well pleased with me because my enemy does not triumph over me. As for me, you uphold me in my integrity and set me before your face forever. Psalms aren't about Jesus. There it is. This is hard. This has always been throughout history and that's why I don't know anyone who's named their son Judas. Do you? It's always been throughout history one of the most tragic, fearful sections in the Bible. One of his own betrays him. I've always been confused by this. Why did Jesus even tell them this? It seemed to throw them into total duress. It seemed to throw them totally into distress. Why would you do that? Why even let them know? That's a big question, isn't it? It's an important question. He didn't have to do this. He didn't have to do this. They could have learned about it later. I think this is one of those things that might have been helpful to learn about it later. Or is it? That's the question I have. Why in the world is Jesus doing what he's doing? Because it all initially seemed to do is throw everyone in a panic. You see the responses here. We'll go through that here. Look at verse 21. Most assuredly, one of you will betray me. This terrible thing is about to happen. That one of you, my intimate group, is actually going to lift up his heel against me, fulfilling Psalm 41, and you're going to betray me. The shepherd is about to be struck. Can you imagine living this, starting to answer the question of why Jesus would do this. Can you imagine living what is about to happen? everything you've studied your whole life in the Gospels, with no perspective, no answer, no help, and everything that you've ever believed, at least as they're going to experience it, is going to come crumbling down on them. Now think about that. What's certain for you in life? What is good for you in life? What have you enjoyed in life? What if everything is about in your life to come crashing down in the worst sort of way? Remember, these guys gave up after Jesus died. Peter went back to fishing. We don't know the future, do we? We really right now don't know the future. We're worried about the future, but we take a step toward the future, but nothing seems certain right now at the moment. Imagine the worst of things that could possibly happen. What might they be for you? It's a scary thought, isn't it? Tim Challies just wrote an article on the death of his son saying that I struggle a little bit now with what the fear of the Lord is not that he's not good to me but I have a different view now of what God could do it's an honest article if you want to read it I thought it was helpful we imagine the worst of things and everything is pulled out from under us and you see how how the bad situations that come could make shipwreck of people's faith, right? It's easy to confess things when the sun's up. It's easy to hold to everything when things are going well in life. You know that. You know that. Isn't it something then what Jesus does here? That Jesus is explaining for them how everything's going to go ahead of time. In his hand are all future events. I mean, think of the, you want to talk about John showing us the divinity of the son. Here is the eternal son of God predicting in, as a prophet, the future. That's a big thing to do, according to the Old Testament. It's amazing. And he's claiming scripture and he's saying all of that is about to be fulfilled with me. This is why I said the foot washing event was more significant than we realize. The truth of John 13 is really here, that before anything is about to transpire, Jesus had taken the initiative of choosing them and now washing them. And we considered last time, it's not just the literal washing of the feet. Think of what he's about to say to them in John 15. Listen to this phrase, and then I think it comes together. Already, you are clean because of the word that I've spoken to you. that's a big verse in the gospel of john um again we like the physical act of washing feet jesus applies it to the word he says the actual actual accomplishing of washing you is done by the word that's spoken to you i remember in in ephesians 5 christ sanctifies his church having cleansed her by what the washing of water by the word do you know that the word has a purifying effect in the lives of those who receive it by faith you know right now you're actually getting a bath yeah I get to give you a bath today I never thought of the ministry that way some of you need it you're getting a big washing right now did you know that that's why i always say it's so sad when people stay away from church because this is the washing they need this is the washing you need every week to get through the week this is the washing god has put in place to to wash your feet from the defilement of everywhere you walk this week and i think the point is is that now we have some indication of what the actual washing is in the following section of john 13 that he washed them with the prophetic word it's going to be a big issue for peter he addresses in first peter so watch them get a big bath right now he quotes psalm 41 and then he says now i tell you before it comes that when it does come to pass you may believe that i am don't take off you need to take off the heat we've been looking at this in john the whole way now you're going to know that i am how so he says most assured i say to you he who receives whomever i send receives me he receives me receives him who sent me notice what the word was when these when these terrible events begin to happen in life and they begin to be fulfilled according to plan as you study the scriptures, my word that has cleansed you will be your guide. You will be tempted in this life to give up. You will be tempted to fall, that everything's spiraling out of control. You will be tempted to think, but the word that I'm speaking to you as a prophet before it happens will have the effect on that intended day when the spirit comes to remember who it was that came among you and who prophesied all this i am nothing of what is happening will change the fact that i've sent you and that the mission i've given you is coming to pass now if you if you let that set in for a minute that's a remarkable moment that what he has just accomplished by his word it's amazing beloved so much is happening you know you study the scriptures and this is this has always been the repeated truth in Scripture. Remember when God was about to destroy Sodom? You know, He takes down nations. Read Job 12, where He says this. He raises up nations and then destroys them. He makes their wise people stagger like drunken people. When God was about to destroy Sodom, remember what happened? He came to Abraham and there was a little dialogue ahead of time. Should we tell him about what we are about to do? And God told Abraham what he was about to do because Abraham was a friend of God. Wait till we get to John 15. This is going to be beautiful when Jesus does the same thing again. And the point is, do you see what his word does for us? The living and active and abiding word is the continual washing that gives us the certainty to get through life. I think this is what the heart of what jesus was saying to peter at the end of the book when he said your feet are gonna your feet used to take you where you wanted to go now your feet are gonna go where i take you you don't realize the value of this but your minds and lives are um are constantly washed with the washing of water by the word have you ever stopped and thought about how that's preserved you through this life to this day you always wonder where's the power of the christian life and why do I feel so powerless and why do I feel, you don't even realize how much you've been kept by the power of this word. You're here right now when in your own strength you wouldn't have been able to make it. I was thinking of Lord's Day 10 in the Heidelberg on Providence. What does it benefit us to know that God has created all things and still upholds them? How does that benefit you to know that God is upholding everything and that God created everything and upholds things and in providence directs all things according to plan how does that benefit you and it says we can be patient in adversity thankful in prosperity but it was this that that struck me and with a view to the future we can have a firm confidence in our faithful god and father that no creature shall separate us from his love for all creatures are so completely in his hand that without his will this is judas they cannot move such cannot so much as move isn't that interesting jesus is giving permission to satan and judas to go accomplish this now you can do it but you do it quickly that's how in control he is of everything it's chilling so you start to think about this and what he's done the what is the washing of the the water by the word done they're already clean, anticipated by the death on the cross and the forgiveness and justification and being right with God, but he's constantly washing them with the water of the word to keep them through all of the twists and turns of this. In the hour of trial, in the hour of difficulty, there's only one thing that's going to keep you, and it is the word that's been spoken to you. That's it. That's it. It is the word that's been spoken to you by the power of the Spirit who upholds that word in you that keeps you through the messes that come. They are going to watch him beaten. They're going to watch him punched in the face. They are going to watch him flawed, humiliated. The king that they loved, they believed, is the son of God. They will see him nailed to a cross, all of which was foretold by the word and by the betrayal of one of them. He is going to die. See what he's doing. He's preparing them with the word. He's keeping them with the word ahead of time. I love this. I think it's absolutely powerful because what if things got immensely disturbing and what if things became upsetting and overwhelming to us? Can you imagine not having any prep for this? You've had prep your whole life for whatever is to come. You've had prep your whole life. God has trained you and taught you on his knee, if you will, for whatever is to come. And I think you saw that with Mary, that when the hour of distress came, she's pouring alabaster flask over him, knowing exactly what has to happen. It's beautiful in the Gospel of John, and that's why I say it's so sad that so many stay away and have no perspective through this life, isn't it? Can you imagine heading to Palomar if you're going to die today and not have had any of this? Sad. Sad. So here we are. Leads to the present distress. When they heard this, read in verse 22, that they looked at one another and were absolutely perplexed. Ever feel perplexed listening to sermons? Especially if they're not very good at the moment to you, right? They're perplexed. It doesn't make a lot of sense at the moment. The word means they're at a total loss. What in the world? Inwardly, they're in dismay. They've come to the point of being overwhelmed. There's another emotion that they're experiencing at this moment. You remember from the other Gospels, Jesus said, one of you will betray me. And they do it here. All of them begin to go around and say, Lord, is it I? Is it I? They directly asked him. And the text says they looked at each other. could it be that i've made a profession and could it be that i've been here my whole life with jesus and i've walked with him and served him and find out that i'm going to do that to him no way it couldn't be it's not me is it lord you're the fear in that you're the fear in that in fact peter in verse 24 is leaning um you'll notice there was leaning on jesus's bosom one of his disciples whom Jesus loved. I still hold the traditional view that that's John himself. Some have challenged that. I believe it's John. Simon Peter therefore mentioned to him to ask who it was of whom he spoke then leaning back on Jesus' breast he said to him, Lord, who is it? Who's going to do that? What does Jesus do? Jesus calms them as a prophet. Fulfilling the prophetic word he takes their restless hearts and he says he to whom i shall give the piece of bread when i've dipped it is the one having dipped the bread he hands it right in front of them to judas iscariot john heard that sure john told them they seem confused still and then jesus says what you do do quickly and right then and there satan who was in the room enters judas demon possessed satan enters Judas to go do this. Perfectly at the volition and will of Judas who wanted to do it. One of you, says Jesus, will do this. How is he doing that? Scaring them? I think this raises that one of them, the issue that one of them would betray him, but notice what Jesus was doing. He was putting them through a time before all of it would come to pass of self-examination. If it was declared today here that one of our brothers would apostatize and in fact, you know, 12 of us go in a room after service and the Lord declares to the 12 that one of us is going to do this and that it would have been better if you were never born. If you're at all a sensitive person, If you're at all a sensitive person, there's only two responses that are going to come from that. What are the responses that are going to come? One's going to be complete indifference if you're not a believer. Whatever, I don't care. What's the believer going to do? I hope that's not me. Is it me? It's exposed something, hasn't it? And all of the disciples and all of the accounts when this is recorded, all of them were concerned except Judas. I think this is the very moment and the test the disciples needed to face. Dependency on what? You see, this whole time Peter's been fighting. You're not going to wash me. You're not washing my feet. How about this? Get off your knees, Jesus. I'll wash you. Look at verse 36 of this section. Jesus said, he's going away. Simon Peter said, and Lord, where are you going? Jesus said, where I'm going, you cannot follow me now, but you shall follow me afterward. You're going to be there. Peter said to him, Lord, why can't I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you. What? You're going to die for me, says Jesus, really? You think that's what this is about? See, it's all about my serving. It's all about me giving something to you. Really? You think that's what this is? Do you think that's what Christianity is? You know what you're going to do tonight? You're going to go deny me three times when the rooster crows. Even if one denies you, everyone, I won't. I won't do it. A shocking statement. Even if all your disciples abandon you, I'll never do that. And I think the pressing moment here is, do you understand how weak you are? Do you understand what you need? Do you understand that without his mercy and grace, your life will spiral down into a crash incident? I think later that's why Peter says we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you would do really well to pay attention, as a lamp shining in a dark place until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts. The entire situation is so dark that they're in right now, And don't you feel that way now? That's what we feel like. The betrayal is happening. There's no strength in themselves to uphold them. They can't uphold themselves. They don't understand like they should. And Jesus has washed them and is washing them with the word. Telling you that I want you to know you'll be there. And that nothing is happening outside of this marvelous plan that I have put in place. When we feel that darkness caves in all around us, you should stop and you should say, you know what God's done for me my whole life? He's given me a beautiful message. And he's encouraged me all along the way with a word that's living and powerful. And he's preached to me his son. The father's done that for me. And the promise that he's made is I'll never leave you nor forsake you. You too can have firm confidence looking to the future. that I'm coming again. Hasn't he told you that? Imagine on that day when he finally comes, all this mockery, all this hatred, all of this laughing at him, all of this scoffing, and then we are vindicated right then and there, which is a purpose of his righteous judgment as we are laughed and ridiculed at in the earth. Now this leads to this final brief point here. There's one last thing that we shouldn't miss. Do you find it beautiful here that what is raised here is the reality of Christ's love for his sheep at this point? It's really beautiful, isn't it? Verse 31. So when he had gone out, Jesus said, that's Judas. Judas has left. He's taken the cue from Satan. He's gone to do this. Jesus said, Now the Son of Man is glorified and God is glorified. If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself and glorify him immediately. It's here. Little children, I shall be with you a little while longer. You will seek me. You will seek me. And as I said to the Jews, where I'm going, you cannot come. And then this. Isn't this a big moment? A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another as I have loved you, that you also should love one another. It's a precept on his own example, isn't it? Everything that they have received was never dependent on their love for him. Everything that they received was a sovereign choice of God to love them, proven in the speaking of the word their whole life already. All what drove Christ to do this was a love that God had for you when you were never born, when you had never given one breath. He knew everything about you, everything you'd ever say, every stupid sin you'd ever do. He had loved you before any of it. And before you were even born, and before you ever spoke one word to God, Jesus is on the cross, impaled on the cross, Paying for your sins specifically, thinking of you by name. What is new is not the commandment to love. What is new is that they've been taught love now by God himself. Who's come down to him. He's the I am. What they are about to witness is love. He's endured everything. He's suffered for us. He was betrayed for us. He's boldly bleeding for us. He's going to die for us because we're going to study. And I love to tie the foot-washing event here together. Jesus wants this to drive their purpose in this life. If that were so easy to get, we wouldn't have to say it all the time. Do you know what I've done to you? What I've done to you? See the question? Do you know? Blessed are you if you do it. See how he's always taking his sacrificial love and training the disciples through it for their mission. That's why love has to be among us. I'm teaching you what love is. It's a love that will hold on to you to the end. It's a love that washes you. It's a love that cleanses you with the washing of water by the word that's spoken and preached to you. It's a love that washed you and cleansed you and went to the depth for you and went down to the sewer and pulled you out. You were in the sewer and I got you. Just as I've loved you, that's why I'm leaving you here. That you would love people who need my help too. By this, everyone's going to know you belong to me. By this, when you love one another, that way that's not macho enough for our times you know that right today i almost feel like when you tell people to love one another it's it has so much baggage and they roll their eyes and and act like it hey you know we've got to be about engaging the culture i'm so sick of that i am so sick of that stop it you want to engage the culture love one another it's not rocket science you'll engage the culture when you love is this too soft for us today then look at the cross tell me if that was soft when jesus loving you to the end died for you this way he cleansed you with a washing of water by his word told you everything you need to know died for you, loving you to the end that you would believe that He is your God and He came to you. I think it's appropriate to end with Jesus' word, isn't it? If you know these things, you know what I've done to you. Blessed are you if you do them. That's enough. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, thank you. What a glorious word, a prophetic word confirmed. Everything that's ever been spoken has come to pass. We would do well to hear it, for it has a washing effect on our lives. And for those, Lord, who don't want to receive it or who make excuses not to, we pity them. We have compassion on them. They need to be fed. They need to be washed. Thank you for loving us. We're such a mess. Where haven't we sinned? What haven't we done? Where haven't we fallen? We can't uphold ourselves for a minute and we think we would come here and it's all about us. First, we have to be washed. First, we have to be cleansed to know at all what's been done to us that we might even know what love looks like. And if that hasn't entered our hearts and that hasn't been embraced, then all our Christianity is for nothing. help us where we thank you for your steadfast love that endures forever you are faithful thank you for the promise that where you are lord jesus we will be too and that's certain what a future in jesus name we pray