Christ Troubled By His Betrayal

Transcript

GR 387
1/25/1981
Christ Troubled By His Betrayal
John 13:12-20
Gil Rugh

John chapter 13 in your Bibles. John's Gospel and the 13th chapter. We've looked through the first eleven verses of this chapter which presented the act of Jesus washing the disciples' feet. The time was in the Upper Room and was called the Last Supper. The evening before the betrayal of Jesus Christ. And as the meal was in progress, Jesus abruptly arises from the table, girds Himself as a servant and proceeds to wash the disciple’s feet. This would have been a task that normally would have been performed by a servant when you arrived for the meal. And if not by a servant, then individuals would have washed their own feet. Well on this occasion, it was not done although provisions were made. The basin was available, the water, the servant's towel. No one, though had taken it upon themselves to perform the task. And we'll see a little more why in our study in a moment.

As Jesus is proceeding to wash their feet, Peter stops Him and says "Lord, not my feet!" And He is taken back, obviously. 'You're my Lord. You can't wash my feet.' Although as we noted, there is a contradiction here. Here he acknowledges He is his Lord and at the same time tells Him what He can and cannot do. Jesus tells him that he cannot understand now but he will in the future. And further, then, in the explanation Peter is told that if Christ doesn't wash him, He'll have no part in Him. Now Peter then is ready for a bath, and Jesus tells him in verse 10 "He who has bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean..." And we noted here the spiritual truth being conveyed that would not be understood by the disciples until after the Spirit comes and enlightens their minds after the resurrection of Christ.

The picture being portrayed—you receive a bath, you are totally cleansed the moment you come to trust Jesus Christ. You recognize that you are a sinner for whom the Son of God died on a cross. You rely upon Him alone as your Savior. You are completely cleansed from the guilt and defilement of sin, but in our daily walk we do not live perfect lives. And we do sin, and we receive that defilement. And Jesus Christ provides for that consistent, daily cleansing for all those who belong to Him. You know passages like 1 John chapter 2 John wrote that when we as Christians sin, as believers, we have an Advocate, a representative with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous One and He is the one who is the satisfaction for our sins.

So it is a package, as we noted, in our salvation. Provision has been made for our total cleansing and that provision includes the cleansing that will go on throughout this life. It ties to the present ministry of Jesus Christ in heaven on our behalf. So when I sin as a child of God, Jesus Christ is there to say ’I died for that sin. The penalty has been paid, and he is cleansed.’ And that's the picture that Peter didn't understand. But everyone who has believed in Jesus Christ and received a bath receives the daily, regular cleansing from sin. And if you were without that regular, daily cleansing from sin, you don’t belong to Christ at all because it is something that He does for everyone who is part and parcel of Him.

Now Judas is here and Jesus notes that he is not clean. He hasn't received a bath, so the washing of his feet here cannot take away the cleansing that defiles him totally. Again, the beginning point is that initial cleansing through faith in Christ.

Now. Having done that, He is ready to present to them a more immediate truth in what He did, a more immediate application. What He has just done will not be understood by them until a future time, after the Spirit has come. Symbolizing His present work of intercession in providing for our cleansing, but He has carried out the role of a servant in humility, and that is something the disciples can grasp right now. And they ought to be functioning toward one another as servants, as slaves. Something that they were not prepared to do or at least were not willing to do on this occasion.

Look back at Luke chapter 22. If you would check a harmony of the Gospels, most of them would put Luke chapter 22, verses 24-30, immediately before John chapter 13 in the chronology. Luke 22, verses 24-30, tell us what was going on around this meal before Jesus gets up and carries out the slave’s role. Luke 22:24, "And there arose also a dispute among them as to which one of them was regarded to be greatest." So you see in this setting, they are discussing and debating who is most important, ’Who among us is greatest.’ And in this scene, Jesus gets up from the table, girds Himself as a slave and begins to wash their feet. You can appreciate the fact that they are dumb-struck. Here they are being concerned with who is the greatest, and the One they acknowledge as greatest of all as their Lord begins to do the most menial task. So none of them would have been willing because then the others might not have recognized that they were great, that they were important. And in this discussion in verse 25—we'll read through it because it follows through the same kind of pattern we're going to have as far as emphasis in John 13. "He said to them, ’The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who have authority over them are called 'Benefactors.' But not so with you, but let him who is the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as the servant. For who is greater, the one who reclines at table, or the one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at table? But I am among you as the one who serves. And you are those who have stood by Me in My trials; and just as My Father has granted Me a kingdom, I grant you that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom, and you will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.'" Now note. Through the first part here, Jesus emphasizes the fact that they ought not to be concerned about lording it over one another because He has functioned as a servant for them. But then He goes on to remind them of their importance. "You are destined to rule and reign in My kingdom. To sit on thrones ruling over Israel." And you have the balance—you must recognize who I am and what I have done. I have functioned like a servant and be like me, and also keep in mind who you really are. You are those destined to rule the world. So a balance—servants functioning humbly, even though they are those destined to rule in the Kingdom of the Son of God.

So come back, then, to John chapter 13. It is in this context of discussing and debating who is the greatest, who is the most important, who’s the most significant among us? Jesus washes their feet, then in verse 12 "And so when He had washed their feet, and taken His garments, and reclined at table again, He said to them, ’Do you know what I have done to you?" Remember, He had taken off His robe and put the servant’s towel around Him. Now He takes off the servant's towel and puts on His outer robe again and reclines at the table. It was the practice to lay down on a couch-like bed at the table, resting on one elbow as you ate. And He presents a question to them. "Do you know what I have done to you? You call Me Teacher, and Lord; and you are right; for so I am." Note here. They acknowledged Him as their teacher, as their Lord. The one they look to for instruction. The one they look to for leadership. They learned from Him. They obeyed Him. Jesus says, 'You’re right, I am the teacher, I am the Lord. It is right that you address Me as Teacher, as Lord*’ "if I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a salve is not greater than his master; neither one who is sent greater than the one who sent him." You acknowledge Me as Teacher; you acknowledge Me as Lord. You're right. Therefore, If I, the Lord and the Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to be willing to wash one another's feet. If it's not beneath My dignity, if it's not below Me as the Lord and Teacher to perform this humble slave's task, what excuse would you have for not doing it? You don't think that the servant is greater than his master do you? You acknowledge Me as master when you call Me Teacher and Lord. Then anything I would do certainly would not be below your dignity, would it? Obviously not. You ought to wash one another's feet. I gave you an example that you should do as I have done to you.
Some have taken from this that we ought to practice foot-washing today, and that's a possibility. But I don't think that's the thrust of the passage here. I don't think Jesus is telling them that the next time you're together for dinner you ought to be willing to wash one another's feet, although I take it there might have been a certain implication there as they were functioning as He said. The point, I take it, is the humility that is to characterize them. Rather than a concern about who is the greatest, they ought to be concerned about how they can serve one another. If He is their Lord and Master was taken up with what kind of service they could offer Him, what should they be taken up with when they come together? Who was the greatest? No. How can I serve these other disciples?

The principle of verse 16 is self-explanatory. It begins, though, with that double "Truly, truly"—verily, verily. Amen, amen. It is used to draw attention to something with special significance and importance. "A slave is not greater than his master." Obviously. It is an accepted fact by everyone. The master is greater than the slave. He is of more importance, greater prestige, etc. "Neither one who is sent greater than the one who sent him." Obviously. When a king sends a messenger, the messenger is not as great as the one who sent him. So in both ways, Jesus is the greater. He is the superior. "If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them." The emphasis on humility pervades the New Testament. It's a matter that is easy to know about but much more difficult to put into practice. It's a characteristic of the flesh, the old person, the old man, the old you apart from the renewing work of the Holy Spirit of God, to be proud and arrogant. We are all that way in one way or another. The flesh rebels against humiliation. The flesh rebels against humble. We all want to be somebody. We pride ourselves of being great in our own area. Important. Doesn't mean we have to be the president of a company or a ruler, but in one sphere or another, we want to be someone. Whether it's in my job, whether it's on the golf course, whether it's in this activity, that activity, we all want to excel or be somebody in some way in some place. The flesh is characterized by pride or arrogance. The Scripture warns it is not to characterize us as believers.

Look back in Matthew chapter 20. Jesus speaks to this subject, similar language to what we read in Luke. The context here is the mother of James and John has asked. Now what mother doesn't take pride in her sons, and she thought 'Wouldn't it be great to have one of my sons on His right hand, and one of my sons on His left hand in His kingdom. My sons! The most important men in the kingdom of the Messiah! The most prestigious position in the kingdom!' He gives some explanation, and we'll pick up with verse 24. "And hearing this, the ten became indignant at the two brothers." Isn't it amazing! On another occasion we'll find them debating among themselves which of them is the greatest, but here it is so easy for them to be spiritual and indignant at James and John. 'How could you be so unspiritual to want to have the greatest positions?' And the problem is that they all coveted it for themselves, probably. But verse 25. "Jesus called them to Himself, and said, 'You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them." You note what is the pattern of the unbeliever to function this way—to lord it over. To be the boss, to be the ruler, to be important. "It is not so among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave." Note the example: “Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many." The service of Jesus Christ is displayed most clearly in the sacrifice of Himself. His service on our behalf knew no limits. Went all the way to the humiliation of death on a cross, a criminal's death, a humiliating death. A death that made you a spectacle and an embarrassment. The Son of Man came for the purpose of serving for the point of providing salvation.

Look over in Philippians chapter 2. Paul develops this. The very fact that the New Testament speaks so much about the subject is indicative of its importance. We'll just pick out some of this section beginning with verse 3 of Philippians chapter 2. "Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind let each of you regard one another as more important than himself." Now we say, 'Look, I've got to be realistic. I've got to be honest. I'm just more important than he is/than she is.' Yet Paul says here to let each one of you—an emphasis on this being a personal thing. Every single believer, "Regard one another as more important than yourself." I came across an expression while I was in college that I wrote down in a notebook and I think it expresses what is being said here. Basically it said, "Every person I meet is my superior in some way." Everyone I meet is my superior in some way. Basically, I think that's what Paul is saying here. Now we recognize that in some areas some believers are more important than other believers. In other areas, other believers are more important. This is where the doctrine of spiritual gifts would tie in here. How we exalt ourselves often is I compare my strengths to your weakness and proceed to run you down. Paul says I ought to be concerned not with your weaknesses but with your strengths. I ought to appreciate the fact that God has given you gifts and abilities that enable you to serve Him and magnify Him in ways that I cannot, that I am not, and appreciate the strengths and importance that God has given you. We get absorbed in our short-comings, not ours personally but other believer's shortcomings. We pride ourselves in what our strength is—I do this so well, and so-and-so is just so pitiful at it. But we forget so-and-so (whoever that is) is so much better, so much more proficient, so much more effective in this area over here. And Paul says 'That’s where you ought to zero in' and appreciate how important and how essential that believer is in that area. It doesn't matter that they have shortcomings over here. You know, if you're concentrating on that, if you're absorbed in that you don't have time to run them down. You don't have time to pick them apart and show how weak they are. Why? Because I recognize how much more important they are than I am in their area.

Note the foundation for this is humility of mind. That's where it takes place. We're not talking about external displays of humility. We're talking about true humility of mind, a right attitude. Lowliness of mind. This is not just something we do externally and we all put it on at one time or another. We're saying oh how good they are, oh they're much better at it than I am and on the inside we're saying, 'Boy, I could do it so much better, just let me try.' And we're being hypocrites. We're playing a role. We're putting on another face and it's not genuine. Paul says there ought to be humility of mind here. I ought to have a biblical Christ-like attitude.

Verse 4. "Do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others." You see what happens. When I view you as more important, then it becomes crucial that I look out for your well-being. What can I do to help that person function more effectively now as a believer with the abilities that God has given them? I'm looking out for your interests. I am concerned for your well-being. No longer is it good ole #1. We see the world's philosophy—you go out and buy books on the subject now in the local book store on getting good ole #1 out front. I'm to be looking out for the interests of other believers.

Here's the issue—"Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ
Jesus." That’s what it is. Think like Christ thought is basically what he is saying. Have His attitude. Was He concerned about exalting Himself? No. "He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant," a slave. Here is the One who ruled and reigned in eternity. The creator and sustainer of the universe, and did He say ’Boy, I've got to hold on to this position so those created earthlings know who’s boss, who’s in charge?’ No. He set it aside. He became a man, not born in a castle some place but born in a stable. He lived on this earth and as an adult male, teaching He could say to those who would follow Him, ’I don’t have a place to call My own. I don’t have a place to call My own home.’ He had nothing. He went all the way to the cross. This section concludes, "Therefore also God highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow and every name will confess" but it’s in God’s time. First there was the humiliation followed by exaltation. That’s God’s pattern for you and I.

Colossians chapter 3, verse 12. "So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience." You note. You realize you're one of the elect, chosen of God. Does that cause arrogance and pride? No. It ought to cause humility.

One more passage on this. First Peter chapter 5, verse 5. Instruction here for the elders who are the leaders not to be concerned about lording it over the flock but to serve the flock in their leadership. Then verse 5, "You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another..." That ought to characterize us in our dealings with one another. "...for God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble." You know something that ought to happen when we're together as believers? We ought to make one another feel important. Have you ever been with a group of believers and you went away feeling like you were nothing? Boy, I'm just nothing. Really, it ought to be the opposite thing happening when we all come together. If we're all concentrating on building one another up, on emphasizing the importance of the other person, what happens when we go away from being with other believers, we ought to go away thinking 'Wow, it's wonderful to be important.' Now you blew it as soon as you think that, I realize. But you know the idea. There ought to be an encouragement there that we ought to be building one another up. And we ought to be recognizing 'Yes, I am important to this body.' And so-and-so is important to this body. You know what happens? People who have built me up in this way and made me feel important, if I can use that expression, has given me a greater appreciation for them and their ministry. People in this body who have a ministry in a unique way in making you feel important and building you up, and that's encouraging for you in your ministry. And that makes you want to do the same thing to someone else. Boy, I'd like to have the same kind of ministry in helping someone else that I'm with feel important—using feeling in a good sense here. Recognize who they are in Christ, and the key part they play in the body of believers here. "God is opposed to the proud, He gives grace to the humble.”Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time." You know what the problem is? I'm afraid God isn't going fast enough. He plans to exalt me but maybe not today. So I'd like to lift myself up a little bit today. Why? Because I don't like to be humble. Yet, you know the problem that I think Peter gets to here. I don't have a problem humbling myself under the hand of God, it's a problem humbling myself to you. I'm comfortable humbling myself before God. It's a little more difficult to humble myself before you, but you know where the basic problem is? If I have a hard time humbling myself before you, my real problem is humbling myself before God. Because God is God, He is Lord, He has said ’Humble yourself’ and I say I can’t do it. Who is my problem with? My problem really isn’t with you it's with Him! I can’t humble myself to Him. I’m not willing to submit to what He told me to do. So the real problem in humility comes in our relationship with God. The real problem in our relationship with one another in manifesting humility is the pride and arrogance we have in our relationship with God. And if that’s not a problem, then no problem. He's told me to humble myself to every other believer. To view every other believer as more important than myself. Therefore, no problem, if I’m submitting myself to God? Right? If I’m doing what He says? But we can see there is a problem sometimes in the spiritual realm. I resist what God wants me to do, and thus a battle with the pride.

Come back to John chapter 13, verse 17. A verse you ought to have underlined or circled in your Bible, however you mark your Bible. "If you know these things, you are blessed." Period. Great blessing is poured out upon on those who know these things—that’s not what Jesus said. He says, "If you know these things, you are blessed IF YOU DO THEM." Two kinds of conditions here. Greek can be very specific when it makes conditional sentences. The first condition—If you know these things—implies the certainty of their knowledge. It is a first class condition or a condition of fact. To get the idea in English, we might say ’Since you know these things.’ Jesus is saying, You do know them. If you know these things, and you do, I've just told you. And I’ve repeated it through My earthly ministry. This is not new material regarding who I am, regarding my functioning as a servant, regarding your need to serve one another. You know these things; you are blessed. A word used many times in the New Testament. We're familiar with it probably from the Beatitudes—Blessed are the poor in spirit; blessed are the meek, etc. Macarios It means spiritual blessing or fulfillment. The word can mean happiness. It goes beyond what we think of as happiness, though. It denotes the spiritual blessing and fulfillment that God brings to a life that is arranged according to His will. That’s a person who is blessed. Who sees the blessing of God, the fulfillment, the completion in his life that entails joy and happiness, fulfillment throughout? You are blessed IF you do them. That's a third class condition. It implies uncertainty. Where Jesus says "You know these things, you will be blessed if you do them." And that is up in the air. You have the knowledge but there is the possibility that you will not act upon that knowledge and do according to what you know. If you do them, you will be blessed. You know, we have two groups in Christendom today, among believers today. I want to limit it to believers. We have those who know it all and seem to do nothing; and we have those dear Christians who know so pitifully little about the Word but they’re going a hundred miles an hour in their doing! They are so busy in being zealous for the Lord that they haven't taken time to learn what God told them to do. And note here, knowledge is important. You need to know these things so that you can do them. There is no particular blessing pronounced on activities done in ignorance. But it is activity that flows out of a knowledge of the will of God that we have. But note the other side. We acquire so much knowledge about the Word of God, yet our lives are not changed and conformed to it. We charge through Christians with a machete, hacking them up, cutting their arms off, Why? Because they're not theologically accurate, let me at them! And again, the attitude of Christ isn’t portrayed. What do we need? We need those who know the Word and are putting the Word into practice in their lives.

How can I build these believers up to maturity? How can I aid this believer in functioning more effectively in light of God's will for him? "If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them." We have many frustrated Christians. We have many Christians whose lives are not satisfying. They do not have the contentment, the joy, the fulfillment in their Christian life that they know they ought to have, and I take it much of the break down is found right here.
We do not have the knowledge of God and His will as revealed in His Word put into practice in our lives. And apart from that, we do not realize the fullness of the blessing that God intends for us in our lives. We must know what He says in His Word, then we must put it to practice in our lives. The result is the blessing of God, the fulfillment, the happiness, the joy, the completion, the contentment that He brings to a life that is arranged according to His Word.

Look over in James chapter 1. We usually think of the Book of James when we think of doing. It's a book on works—doing these things. John picks up on this theme in his First Epistle, continually emphasizing that we must do these things. And if you say and don’t do, you’re a liar, because your actions demonstrate whether you really know and believe.

James chapter 1, verse 21, ’’Therefore putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted which is able to save your souls.” We know what a barrier this is. Why it is so difficult to reach men with the gospel. To come to believe in Jesus Christ as Savior is a humbling process. That's why I don’t like to witness to men with their wives present because men do not like to be humbled before their wives. And for a man to come and acknowledge ’I am a sinner, unworthy, deserving of condemnation, and all I can do is cast myself on the mercy of God and believe the provision He made for me in His Son, Jesus Christ' is a humbling process. We must with humility receive the implanted Word which is able to save our souls. "But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.” Note the contrast. There are those who hear the Word and there are those who do the Word. "If anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty and abides by it (and that’s an expression relating to the Scripture here, that’s the law of liberty, the Word of God), not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man shall be blessed in what he does."
If I want the blessing of God on my life, what does he say? "DO what the word of God says." It's not the hearers of the word that are blessed, it's the doers. This can get misunderstood. We say 'Oh, it's great to come and study the Word of God together this morning. That's wonderful.' But you know, God's blessing isn't guaranteed on your life because you come and hear this message this morning. God's blessing is guaranteed if we will act upon the message of His Word.

I like the way Ezekiel chapter 33 puts it. Ezekiel chapter 33, verse 32, God tells Ezekiel the prophet, "And behold, you are to them like a sensual song by one who has a beautiful voice and plays well on an instrument; for they hear your words, but they do not practice them." That's an interesting description. I don't know what kind of singer Ezekiel was, I tend to think he was like me! But at any rate, God says, as you go and preach the message I've given you, you're going to be just like a singer who has a sensual voice. It is only pleasing to listen to. Beautiful voice. You play the instrument to accompany the singing just superbly. They love to listen to it. The only problem is, they don't do it. Ever sit back and listen to a song and say 'Oh, that's so beautiful.' But you don't do it. Maybe they're talking about flying to the moon. I have no intention of doing it, but you say that's beautiful. You know what God says to Ezekiel? People that listen to your preaching are going to be like that. They say they like to hear it but the only problem is, they don't do it. The thing that strikes me on this...these are people are not saying 'I will stick my fingers in my ears. I won't listen. They are people who are saying, 'Boy, I love the preaching of the Word. I love to hear Ezekiel proclaim the truth of God. I believe in Bible-preaching!' The only problem is, they don't do it. God says that's the break down. He says it's not good enough to sit back and say you like good solid Bible-teaching. Praise God for the sound teaching of the Word! We’re like those listening to a beautiful song, saying I love to listen to it, the problem is we don’t do it. Now it's great to love the Word of God. It's great to enjoy the good teaching of the Word of God. We just need to be careful that we’re not like those listening to a beautiful song. That we're careful to be applying these truths to our lives so that the blessing of God can be upon us as we do what we know.

Come back to John chapter 13. Jesus has to clarify that Judas is a glaring exception in all that Jesus is saying. He is present here and yet he is not part of the group. So in verse 18, Judas is not one that can receive the blessings of God. He doesn't even know what Jesus is talking about in true knowledge because he hasn't believed. He has not spiritual insight and perception. "I do not speak of all of you. I know the ones I have chosen." I think the thing he is talking about here are the twelve. "I know the twelve that I have chosen." He's not talking about election, about salvation, particularly. John chapter 6:70 uses this expression regarding choosing the twelve and that seems to be what is in view here. "I know the ones I have chosen (to be My disciples. I know what you're all like and I know Judas.) but it is that the Scripture may be fulfilled. 'He who eats My bread has lifted up his heel against Me.'" Psalm 41:9, A thousand years before Jesus Christ, has said that the one who was intimately involved with the Messiah, who would even recline at dinner with Him would violently react against Him. "Lifting up the heel," a picture of violence against someone. And in eastern times, in the Middle East, to have dinner with someone, to be invited to this intimate communion and relationship and then to turn against them were viewed as unforgiveable. Even today I understand that in that part of the world that to have eaten with someone and then turn against them would be viewed as unforgiveable. Yet, Judas would do this. Now Jesus tells them ahead of time all that He has been saying, but 'Let
Me tell you, there is one here who is going to betray Me.' Now note verse 19, "From now on I am telling you before it comes to pass, so that when it does occur, you may believe that I am." Now you have the word 'He' added on the end there in italics and you ought to cross it out. Put a period after "I AM." I take it what we have here is a parallel to John chapter 8. Jesus, in effect, is saying "I am telling you ahead of time what is going to happen so that when it transpires, you may believe in My deity. You may recognize that I am indeed God. I am—that title coming out of the Book of Exodus as we discussed in John chapter 8. It ties to the Old Testament, that Jehovah declared that His telling the future marked Him off from all other gods, the gods of wood and stone because He told the future and the future came to pass. That was a revelation of His deity. Jesus says, 'I'm telling you about Judas now, so that when it comes to pass your faith won't be shaken. You won't be sitting there wondering what happened. Jesus didn't know about Judas—how could He choose Judas—if He had really known his character, He wouldn't have selected him. Jesus says, 'I know whom I have chosen; and I've chosen Judas for a specific purpose—to fulfill Psalm 41:9. And I'm telling you this now so that when it comes to pass, your faith in Me as the Son of God may be confirmed.' It's an important verse because it tells you one of the key purposes in prophecy and fulfilled prophecy is to demonstrate that the Scripture is indeed the Word of God. Only God can precisely tell the future, and have it come to pass as He has said. One of the things that will confirm your faith in the Word of God is to do a study of fulfilled prophecy in the Scripture. You see how precisely and minutely—here is an example. Who else but God a thousand years earlier could say that it would be the man sitting with Jesus at dinner, the last supper, who would turn and betray Him to be crucified? Jesus is telling them now that Psalm 41:9 will be fulfilled in Judas, a demonstration of His deity. Then He concludes this section with a statement, "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who receives whomever I send receives Me; and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me." Now we've come full cycle here. It seems strange where He's gone. He is talking about humility. He talked about His example of humility. He talked about the fact that the disciples, the followers of Christ, ought to be willing to humble themselves. He talks about the fact that He is Deity, so even though He has humbled Himself, it is clear that He is the eternal Son of God. Then He talks about those who receive the ones I send receive Me. What is He doing? We are to function humbly, in humility, but don't lose sight of who you are. You are a representative of God Himself. A representative of the Messiah of Israel, the Son of God, the Savior of the world, representative of the Father Himself. Because the one who receives you receives the Son of God; the one who receives the Son of God receives the One who sent Him, His Father.

And here again you have it put in the balance as we eluded to in the Gospel of Luke. That you are to function in humility, humbly toward one another, in service toward of one another but don't lose sight of who you are. There is no room for this false, pious, ignorance—Oh, I'm nobody, I don't have any abilities, I can't do anything. What do you mean? As one who represents the Creator and Sovereign of the universe, God Himself, I have the audacity to say I'm no one, I'm a nobody. That's not humility. That's terrible arrogance and ignorance. I am somebody. I represent the King of Kings. Those who receive Me receive Him. Those who reject Me reject Him, because I am sent by Him. I represent Him. This is a theme developed by Paul in 2 Corinthians 5. We are ambassadors for Jesus Christ. We beseech you in Christ's place, in Christ's stead, be reconciled to God. We stand in the place of Jesus Christ, as His representative. I am somebody. You are as a believer. Tremendous importance and so you see the balance. Those who represent the eternal God, who are sent by Him personally, are also to function in humility in serving one another. Seeming contrast. I read that and I think, Wow, I need some special robes! I ought to have a little higher platform. I represent the King of Kings. There ought to be a pride in that, but the right kind of pride. That ought to cause me to want to manifest the character of the One that I serve. What was His character? That of a slave, that of a servant. He was willing to do whatever needed to be done to build those that He loved and those of us who represent the Lord of lords and the King of kings ought to be those who are manifesting His character in our relationship with one another.

Now one important point here as we close. You must belong to Him. You must have come and received that bath He talks about earlier. You must come to recognize that He is the Son of God who died on the cross to pay the penalty for your sins. He was raised from the dead because that penalty had been paid. That's a humbling thing. Some of you are here this morning have a hard time coming to accept that because it is too humbling. We are proud; we are arrogant. We are unwilling to say we are worthless sinners under condemnation, without hope, and to cast ourselves on the mercy of God. And say, ’God, I’m a sinner unworthy, undeserving, but I thank you that Jesus Christ died for me. I’m placing my faith in Him.’ At that moment in time, we receive that cleansing, that forgiveness, that goes on continually. We are privileged to manifest His character, to be His representatives in all that we do. Let’s pray together.

Father, we thank you for the greatness of the Savior that is ours, that He is the Teacher, that He is the Lord. Father, our desire is that we might follow the example that He has given to us. That our lives might be patterned after His, not in our own strength or our own power, but in the power and enablement of the Spirit of God who resides within us as believers.

Thank you for the privilege of representing You on earth, of standing in Christ's stead teaching men and women to be reconciled to Yourself. Pray, Lord, that our character might manifest His character so that you are able to work in and through us in drawing others to Yourself, for we pray in Jesus’ name