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IN THE UPPER ROOM WITH JESUS (2)

 

Preliminary Thoughts

John 13:1-3

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.     Last month, we introduced a new series of lessons entitled:  “In the Upper Room with Jesus.”

 

B.      In this series, we will be studying chapters 13-17 of John’s gospel.

 

C.     We have entitled this series, “In the Upper Room with Jesus,” because in the text Jesus has assembled His apostles together in an upper room in order to celebrate The Passover.

 

D.     This is the night before the crucifixion of Jesus.

1.       This will be the last time Jesus can teach them before His death.

2.       He wants to do two things:

a.       He wants to instruct them.

b.      He wants to comfort them.

 

E.      This is our first lesson that delves into the actual text of study. 

1.       We will examine John 13:1-3.

2.       We have entitled this section:  “Preliminary Thoughts.” 

a.       In these three verses, some basic facts are set before John’s readers.

b.      We have divided these three verses into four sections for this lesson.

 

I.                    TIME TO DEPART (John 13:1a)

 

Now before the feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father…

 

A.     In our last lesson, we talked about Jesus knowing the time of His death.

1.       There were times when He said:  “Mine hour is not yet come” (John 2:4).

2.       There were times when He also said:  “It is enough.  The hour is come” (Mark 14:41).

 

B.      Here, we are told that Jesus knew that a certain time was come.  Listen to the time as it is described:  “…his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father.”

 

C.     Jesus was sent by the Father from heaven to die for the sins of the world and to be raised from the dead.

1.       It was an absolutely essential mission.

2.       It was a mission of love and grace.

3.       It was a sober and painful mission.

 

D.     However, once the mission was accomplished, Jesus could return to the Father. 

1.       Within the heart of Jesus was a deep anticipation of returning to the right hand of God.

2.       He unselfishly left heaven to come to earth.  He did not think that equality with God was something to be held onto.  He willingly took upon Him the form of a servant and was made in the likeness of man (Phil. 2:5-7).

3.       This was not an easy thing for deity to do.  It was natural for our Lord to

a.       Long for His former glory.

b.      Long for fellowship with the Father.

c.       Long for the beautiful abode of Heaven.

d.      Long for release from the is evil world.

e.       Long for absolute victory over Satan.

 

E.      Now, the time had arrived for Him to depart.

1.       Listen to the words again:  “…when Jesus knew that his hour was come…”

2.       Surely that thought assisted Jesus through His arrest, trials, and crucifixion.

 

II.                 TEMPERAMENT TOWARD HIS DISCIPLES (John 13:1b)

 

A.     His temperament displayed the quality of love for his disciples.

 

…having loved his own which were in the world…

 

1.       Jesus was as much a man as any of us.

2.       He had the ability to love His apostles, and He did.

3.       The word “love” comes from the Greek word “agape.” 

a.       Jesus loved His disciples with the highest form of love.

b.      Jesus loved His disciples by putting their best interests before His own.

4.       In his commentary on this verse, Barnes sets forth five proofs of Jesus’ love for these twelve men (e-sword, Barnes, John 13:1).

a.       He called them to follow Him.

b.      He patiently taught them.

c.       He bore with their errors and weaknesses.

d.      He made them heralds of His truth.

e.       He made them heirs of eternal life.

 

B.      His temperament diminished not.

 

…he loved them unto the end.

 

1.       He loved those men until he drew His final breath on Calvary.

2.       In fact, that was His ultimate act of love for them and for all men (Eph. 5:2).

 

And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.

 

III.              TEMPTER ACTS ON A DISCIPLE (John 13:2)

 

And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him.

 

A.     The tempter declared:  the devil

1.       The devil was constantly working behind the scenes trying to destroy the Christ.

2.       He is the archenemy of deity.

3.       When he saw Jesus come to earth, he may not have understood His purpose, but he knew Jesus was on a mission.

4.       He devised his own scheme in an attempt to bring that mission to an end.

 

B.      The tempter’s device:  having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot…

1.       When the tempter could not overcome Jesus in a one-on-one battle in the wilderness (Matt. 4:1-11), he used frail men to accomplish his purposes.

2.       In some manner, Satan put into the heart of Judas to betray the Christ.

a.       Satan is a powerful being who has ways of trying to influence men to do evil.

b.      Two points:

1)      There is no doubt that Judas had to open the door of his heart to Satan for this to happen (Jam. 4:7).

 

…Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

 

2)      When another influences a person to commit sin, he is partly responsible for the sin if it is committed.  

a)      The devil does not make us sin, but he definitely influences us to commit sin.

b)      It is for this reason that we are warned about the evil one in 1 Peter 5:8-9.

 

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.  Whom resist stedfast in the faith…

 

3.       When Judas is described here, he is called “the son of Simon.”

a.       When heinous acts are committed in society today, I often feel for the family of the one who commits the atrocities.  They are forever labelled.

b.      Can you imagine being Simon, the father of Judas? 

1)      Did he provide Judas a good home?

2)      Was he a faithful Jew?

3)      Was he a believer in the Christ?

4)      How did he handle his son’s betrayal and suicide?

 

C.     The transgression defined:  “…to betray him.”

1.       The Greek word is:  “paradidomi.”

a.       Para:  up

b.      Didomi:  to give

c.       Thus, to give up

2.       In the case of Judas, the term means “to give up or surrender up treacherously.”

3.       Judas give up Jesus for almost nothing.

a.       Thirty pieces of silver (Matt. 26:15). 

b.      $675.00 to $1,410.00

4.       The Jews got everything they wanted, an innocent man to put to death.

5.       LESSON:  Is there anything that you are willing to surrender Jesus for? 

 

IV.              TRANSCENDENCE OF THE DELIVERER (John 13:3)

 

Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that was come from God, and went to God.

 

A.     This verse reveals the magnificence of Jesus Christ.

1.       The Father had given all things into his hands.

a.       All power and authority (Matt. 28:18)

b.      Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion (Eph. 1:21)

c.       A name that is above all names (Phil. 2:9-10)

d.      The head of the church (Col. 1:18)

e.       In all things he has the preeminence (Col. 1:18)

f.        Sat down on the right hand of God (Heb. 1:3)

2.       He was come from God.

3.       He was returning back to God.

 

B.      These thoughts do two things:

1.       Remind us of who is speaking in the upcoming chapters we will be studying.  We are hearing from the transcendent one.

2.       Set us up for the actions of Jesus that are about to transpire.

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.     Jesus knows that things are about to get intense.  His hour had come.

 

B.      Therefore, He assembled with His disciples whom he deeply loved in order to teach and comfort them.

 

C.     Sadly, one of them, Judas, would soon betray Him.

 

D.     Before these events happened, the One who is supreme, surpassing all limits, had a message that He needed to communicate to His chosen ambassadors.