John Chapter 13:11-23

Can you imagine being a disciple and standing there watching Jesus go up to a tax collector and you're thinking, oh, this is going to be good. I bet you he's going to turn his table over and, you know, make a whip and do all sorts of cool stuff. Imagine their amazement when he walked over to a tax collector, which was considered a really, really bad sinner, and said, follow me.

I'm sure they were kind of like, what, what did he tell him? Did he say follow me? Isn't that an amazing thing? Don't look past this. Don't look past this guy. It's a first life lesson. Jesus has chosen us to follow Him. Welcome to Cross the Bridge with David Magee. David is the senior pastor of the Bridge in Kernersville, North Carolina. Today we have a very valuable person with us. This is D.A.

Brown, one of David Magee's associate pastors here at the Bridge. And D.A., why are you so valuable? Because, Bob, God chose us. He considered us worth dying for so that we could live forever with Him.

That's exciting. You said we in there, not just you. Well, me, you and everyone. He died for everyone, and He's longing for some of us to put our trust in Him.

That's awesome, brother. Let's listen as David Magee teaches on chosen by Jesus. John chapter 13, we'll pick it up, verse 11. For He knew who would betray Him, therefore He said, you are not all clean. And verse 12. So when He had washed their feet, taken His garments, and sat down again, He said to them, do you know what I have done to you? That's a cutting question, isn't it? So again, we're in the upper room.

Some people call it the upper room discourse. There, Jesus is modeling servanthood and servant leadership and washing their feet. And He asked the question, do you know what I've done to you? This is an awesome question.

It's an awesome question. If you have asked the Lord to forgive you of your sins, do you realize what He's done to you? He's cleansed you. He's given you a new start. As it says in Isaiah, He has washed us white as snow. Even though our sins were as scarlet, He has washed us as white as snow. What an awesome thing.

What an awesome thing to consider. Now, let me go over something dynamically that we may not understand and I need you to understand it. The disciples, Jesus is gathered in the upper room and He's talking with the disciples.

But I don't know if you understand the significance of something. You see, back in that time in Israel, they had what they called yeshivas. Yeshivas were schools where they went and they learned the Torah or the word of God. But see, not everybody got to go to the yeshivas. Only a select few got to go to what we would consider like the elementary yeshiva. But then after that time, then they chose who would go to the next couple of years. They chose who would go to, I guess, the equivalent of our junior high.

And then they would pare it down even more and get the best and the brightest to go to the high school or college level, if you will, yeshiva. And most of this happened in the south part of Israel around Jerusalem. We're up in the Galilee area when Jesus asked the disciples to follow Him. Now, we're back in Jerusalem in this chapter, but when Jesus went to get His disciples, He didn't get them from Jerusalem. He got them from Galilee.

And you know what's interesting? After they got out of the high school or the college yeshiva, they became followers of one particular rabbi. The one rabbi would go in and go, okay, that guy's really sharp. I want that guy. And I want this guy and I want that guy. And he would say, okay, you guys follow me.

I'm going to lead you and teach you. You see, by the fact that the disciples were up north and the fact they were fishermen and the fact that they did not have a rabbi, they'd been passed over. They'd been forgotten. They'd been left out. And it's in that context that Jesus goes up to them and He says, follow me.

I want you to be one of my followers. And He chose them to follow Him. And that simple thing we can gloss over without understanding the dynamics of what's going on. They'd been passed over. They'd been looked past. But Jesus didn't look past them. He went up to them, even to a tax collector. Can you imagine being a disciple and standing there watching Jesus go up to a tax collector and you're thinking, oh, this is going to be good. I bet you He's going to turn His table over and make a whip and do all sorts of cool stuff. Imagine their amazement when He walked over to a tax collector, which was considered a really, really bad sinner and said, follow me. I'm sure they were kind of like, what did He tell? Did He say follow me?

Isn't that an amazing thing? Don't look past this. Don't look past this, guys, the first life lesson. Jesus has chosen us to follow Him. Jesus has chosen us to follow Him.

Now, the cool part about that, and you need to understand this, because sometimes we can look at it and go, wow, that's overwhelming. He wants me to follow Him. I can't be like Him. Yeah, in your own strength, in your own flesh, you can't be like Him. But when Jesus asks you to do something, it becomes possible the moment He asks you to do it. Jesus was always telling people to do impossible things. He looked at the lame man and said, I want you to walk.

Well, that doesn't make any sense, does it? But Jesus said, hey, I want you to walk, and He did it. Jesus spoke to a dead person and told him to come out of the grave, and it happened.

So guess what? When Jesus says to you, follow me, it's possible. We'll read a couple more verses. You call me teacher and Lord, and you say, well, for so I am. Verse 14, if I then, your Lord and teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet.

Now, several interesting things going on here. Of course, obviously, the serving is going on, but also with the washing is a picture of forgiveness, forgiveness. And even as He says you ought to wash one another's feet, you know what I'll start to think about? Yeah, and we also need to forgive one another, even as we have been forgiven. We have been forgiven of so much, you and I, and yet sometimes we're so unwilling to forgive others of little things. Is there unforgiveness in your heart this morning? Then you need to let it go. You need to let it go. Oh, but Pastor, you don't know what they said to me.

You're right, I don't know, but you know who does know? Jesus does, and Jesus is the one asking you to forgive them. Oh, you don't know what they said to me or did. And again, you're right, but Jesus knows, and Jesus is asking you, telling you to forgive them. And maybe you're sitting there going, well, I don't feel like forgiving them. Oh, well then don't worry about it. It doesn't apply to you.

No, no. Sometimes you may not feel like forgiving somebody, but that's when you step out in faith and you go, you know what? I forgive that person.

I forgive that sister and that brother. And it may take a long time for your heart to follow that statement. It may take years for restoration from the damage that's been done, but that forgiveness starts with that statement.

It's an act of will sometimes. Jesus reminds us in Matthew chapter five verse 23. He says, therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar and there, remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go your way.

First be reconciled to your brother and then come and offer your gift. Be reconciled. Ephesians 4 32 says, and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.

Now, these aren't strong enough. Remember in Matthew 18, when Jesus tells the story of this man being forgiven this huge debt, and then he goes out and he's going to shake somebody and choke them because they owe him just a little bit of money. Understand the significance of that picture. We've been forgiven of so much. We should forgive others. That passage ends with Matthew 18 32 and 35. It says, then his master, after he had called him, said to him, you wicked servant, I forgave you all the debt because you begged me. Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you and his master was angry and delivered him to the tortures until he should pay all that was due to him. Verse 35 sobering. So my heavenly father also will do to you of each of you from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.

Wow, strong, strong stuff. Now Pastor David, are you saying, are you implying from that verse that our sins won't be forgiven if we don't forgive others? Wouldn't that make salvation a works-based salvation?

That's not it at all. When you really understand salvation, when you understand truly what all you've been forgiven of, you will forgive others. It's not a problem because of what you did to Jesus is far worse than what anybody's ever done to you.

I know that because there's not scars in your hand, scars on your feet, or a crown of thorns on your head. So we need to learn to love one another and forgive one another. Verse 15, for I have given you an example that you should do as I have done to you. Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.

He's breaking it down there, isn't he? Now, look at what Jesus is saying. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. I'm reading from the New King James. The English version says, now that you know this truth, how happy you will be if you put it into practice.

I like that version. The point of this verse is, one, if you know these things, and two, if you do them. I'm reminded of what James said in James 1 22. He said, but be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror.

For he observes himself, goes away and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does. The life lesson here, we should know and do the word. We should know and do the word.

We'll be right back with more from David McGee on Cross the Bridge. Right now, here's a word from Associate Pastor DA Brown. Hey Bob, we're excited about Pastor David teaching verse by verse, and we want to pray for some listeners in these cities in our audience today.

Parsons, Tabeka, and Wichita, Kansas, Bowling Green, Covington, Glasgow, and Louisville, Kentucky. God, we thank you for the listeners tuning in today in these cities and the surrounding areas. Lord, we pray that they would be reminded that you can heal them if they've been going through some physical stuff. Lord, that they would put their trust in you, maybe even have communion today. Lord, we pray that those that are not saved would put their trust in you today for the forgiveness of their sins. And God, we pray for revival in all these churches in the surrounding areas. And Lord, that the pastors would stick to teaching your word, perhaps even verse by verse, line upon line, chapter upon chapter. And God, that you would bless it as they honor your word and your people are encouraged in their faith. In Jesus' name, amen. Amen.

Thank you, brother. And now, let's get back to David McGee as he continues teaching verse by verse. Verse 18, I do not speak concerning all of you. I know whom I have chosen, but that the Scripture may be fulfilled. He who eats bread with me has lifted up his heel against me. That's interesting because Jesus here is quoting from Psalm 41 and he omits part of the passage. It's always interesting to see what's left out when Jesus quotes the Hebrew Scriptures.

In this case, 41.9 says, even my own familiar friend in whom I trusted is the phrase he left out. Who ate my bread has lifted up his heel against me. You see, Jesus knew from the beginning that Judas was going to betray him. And we're going to talk more about that next week because there's some staggering implications, some stuff that you don't just think about usually as you read through it. And in this chapter, we see that Judas goes and very likely as Judas went to betray Jesus to the high priest is when he took the money and bought the Passover lamb.

Consider those implications. That while Judas was going to the high priest to betray the Passover lamb, he picked up the Passover lamb they were using that night. Again, a lot of symbolism, but we'll get more into that next week. Verse 19, now I'll tell you before it comes that when it does come to pass, you may believe that I am he. You notice time and time again, Jesus is telling these guys what's about to happen, what's coming, and there's a special significance of that. Because if you stop and consider, these guys are following Jesus.

A lot of them thought that Jesus was going to be the political ruler, if you will. And they're really getting ready to have their world shattered. And so Jesus is telling them over and over, look guys, I'm going to be crucified. I mean, even if you think of the core group of those 12 guys, one of them, the guy who's been the treasurer, is going to betray him to the high priest.

Another one of the strong leaders is going to deny him publicly. And they're getting ready to be rattled. And Jesus wants to prepare them by going, look guys, I know what's coming. I know what's about to happen.

Why? To reassure them. Well, the personal practical application here is reassuring as well. You understand Jesus knows what's about to happen in your life. And even as he was working with the disciples trying to prepare them for what was going to happen next, Jesus is doing that in your life now. You may not know what's around the corner, and I may not know what's around the corner, but we can know the Lord who does know what's around the corner.

That's the next life lesson. If we allow him, Jesus will prepare us for what happens next in our life. If we allow him, Jesus will prepare us for what happens next in our life. And again, we can see him doing this with the disciples at this point.

He's preparing them for what's next. And you probably, you know, the saying hindsight's 20-20. You can probably look back at the last year or last three years or last five years and see how God was preparing you for where you are this morning. Now, did you know what was going to be happening today, this morning? No. Did God? You betcha. Was God at work?

Oh, yeah. He was preparing you for what's next. And if we will allow him, he'll continue to do that in our lives. Verse 20, most assuredly, I say to you, he who receives whomever I send receives me, and he who receives me receives him who sent me. Your attention, please. This is the part that's so important.

We give an invitation every Sunday here. And the thing that makes that really important is that it's not me that's really inviting. It's the Lord. Now, the flip side of that is if somebody fills that tug on their heart and they don't step out in faith, it's not me they're rejecting. They're rejecting the Lord himself. And if you continue to reject the Lord, at some point, you'll stand before the Lord and you'll need to explain to him why you rejected the death of his son that was provided for the forgiveness of your sins. Friend, I don't wish that on anybody.

I do not wish that on anyone. Let's read on verse 21. When Jesus had said these things, he was troubled in spirit and testified and said, most assuredly, I say to you, one of you will betray me. Then the disciples looked at one another, perplexed about whom he spoke.

This is amazing. Part of the reason this was amazing, they looked at one another, perplexed about whom he spoke. They didn't know. They did not know who was going to betray. Jesus knew three years ago who was going to betray him, but they didn't know.

What's the significance of this? You know, friend, sometimes I'm tempted to treat people differently because of what I think they might do or might not do. Jesus knew Judas was going to betray him and treated him no differently to the point that they didn't know who was going to betray him. And that's so convicting because had it been me, if I'd have been Jesus, you know, Judas would have been like a sermon illustration every time I was teaching. Well, you know, you could be like Judas who's going to betray me in a couple of years and, you know, he's really not getting it. Or, you know, you may, you know, he who has ears, let him hear. Except you, Judas, you don't have any spiritual ears. We all know that. You're going to betray me.

And, you know, and on and on. But Jesus never does that. How challenging, how convicting that is, how God-like. Verse 23, now there was leaning on Jesus' bosom one of his disciples whom Jesus loved.

I like that phrase. One of his disciples whom Jesus loved. And we, if you've been reading the Bible very long, you realize that that's John. That's John that's being spoke of there.

Well, how do we know that? Because, you know, John tells us. As a matter of fact, it's the only gospel that John is referred to as the disciple whom Jesus loved. I mean, that's kind of cool because he knew Jesus loved him.

But the other disciples didn't refer to him as the one Jesus loved. So it's kind of interesting. It's kind of an interesting footnote.

And I don't know if you've ever stopped and considered some of the footnotes that are in the Bible because it points to the reality of the Bible. And it points to the humanity of the disciples. You see, in our modern age, you know, and we refer to them as Saint John and Saint This.

And so they are. And amazingly enough, so we are. We're considered saints. That's an amazing thing once you ask the Lord to forgive you of your sins. I don't mean saint in the, you know, stained glass window halo around your head thing. But I'm not talking about saints in the real deal in that your sins have been forgiven. And when Jesus looks at you, when God looks at you, you're white as snow. And sometimes we downplay the humanity of the disciples.

And what happens is we downplay what the Lord can do with us. You see, the Lord took these 12 guys and turned the world right side up. And we tend to think, well, he picked them because they were special.

No, they were, as we talked about earlier, they were like yeshiva dropouts. They weren't like special in the sense we think of special. They were special because Jesus chose them. Oh, Jesus chose you.

Guess what that means? You're special because Jesus chose you. And Jesus said, follow me. But I don't know if you've ever really understood some of the passages of scripture.

We'll go through several real quick here. Matthew, and this is the part where the ear gets cut off, okay? Now Matthew 26, 51, and it's in all four gospels, 26, 51 says, and suddenly one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword, struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear. So Matthew doesn't mention the name.

Let's see what Mark says. Mark says, 1447, and one of those who stood by drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear. Again, God's nameless, right?

Oh, I wonder what Luke says. Luke says, and one of them struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear. Again, these accounts have graciously left out the name of who it was. But John and Peter kind of had this thing going.

I don't know if you've ever noticed some of the passages. But graciously, the other three gospels left out who it was that took the guy's ear off. Well, John lets us know about this little detail in 1810. He says, then Simon Peter, having a sword, wanted to throw that in there. He had a sword. Drew it and struck the high priest's servant and cut off his right ear.

The servant's name was Malchus. So, you know, John felt the need to tell us who it was that cut the guy's ear off. And we'll talk more about that when we get to it. But it's kind of interesting that John wanted to note that little detail. And you're going, okay, that's not really, that's just filling in the detail. That's not, oh, but wait a minute. There's another passage that's really interesting too when it comes to John and Peter that I'm not sure you've ever considered.

Or, you know, if you can take off your religious glasses for the moment and really see what the Bible says. Did you know that John could run faster than Peter? You know how we know this? John told us he could. Now, maybe you're sitting there going, I don't remember that part.

Let me help you out. John chapter 20 verse 3. Peter therefore went out and the other disciple, and we're going to the tomb. So they both ran together and the other disciple outran Peter and came to the tomb first. And he stooping down and looking, saw the linen cloths lying there and yet he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came following him and went into the tomb and he saw the linen cloths lying there. And the handkerchief that had been around his head, not lying with the linen cloths, but folded together in a place by itself. Then the other disciple who came to the tomb first went in also and he saw and believed.

Isn't that amazing stuff? He works in there not once, not twice, but just so you won't miss it, three times. He's faster than Peter. And it's interesting because I think Jesus knew they had this thing going on, the John Peter thing. And the reason I think that is in John chapter 21, it says, Then Peter turning around saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following, who also had leaned on his breast at the supper and said, Lord, who is the one that betrays you? Verse 21, Peter seeing him said to Jesus, but Lord, what about this man?

And I love verse 22. Jesus said to him, if I will that he remains till I come, what is that to you? You follow me. What is that to you?

You follow me. The reason that's so important is because we tend in life to worry about what the other person's doing. We want to point it out to other, oh, did you hear about such and such and so and so?

Did you hear what they said? My goodness. Why do we do that? Well, the simple answer is it makes us feel better for just a moment. But can you really do anything about this other person? Probably not. We tend to do this and we tend to do this with the people group that doesn't even know Jesus. They're not declaring that they're following him. They're not saying he's my savior, he's my Lord, I'm going to pursue him. So don't be shocked at what they do because people that don't know Jesus will do a lot of terrible things. But remember the words of Jesus and he said, you know what?

What is that to you? You need to follow me. Don't worry about him. Don't worry about her, but you follow me. Friend, do you know for sure that your sins have been forgiven?

You can know right now. I want to lead you in a short, simple prayer, simply telling God you're sorry and asking him to help you to live for him. Please pray this prayer with me out loud right now. Dear Jesus, I believe you died for me that I could be forgiven and I believe you were raised from the dead that I could have a new life and I've done wrong things. I have sinned and I'm sorry. Please forgive me of all those things.

Please give me the power to live for you all of my days. In Jesus' name, amen. Friend, if you prayed that prayer according to the Bible, you've been forgiven, you've been born again.

So congratulations, friend, you just made the greatest decision that you will ever make. God bless you. If you prayed that prayer with David for the first time, we'd love to hear from you. You can visit CrossTheBridge.com to receive our First Steps package with helpful resources to help you begin your walk with Christ.

Or you can write to Cross The Bridge at P. O. Box 12515, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, 27117, and share how God is working in your life. You know, the Bible tells us that the free gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord. But it does cost for us to come and bring that message to you and to others in your neighborhood through radio, through the internet, and through the mobile technologies that God has gifted us to be able to use. So if you'd like to support this ministry, please go to CrossTheBridge.com, click on the donate button, and ask God how much he would have you give, either on a one-time basis or a continuing basis each month to help ensure that the teaching of God's word continues to go out through Cross The Bridge.

Thank you so much. Well, DA, before we go, what are some ways that we can bless our listeners? Each day you can wake up with encouragement from Pastor David through the Word of God with his email devotional, life lessons to consider, a daily reading plan, and a thought to meditate on throughout your day from the heart of David McGee. Thanks again for listening, and join us next time as David McGee continues teaching verse by verse in the Gospel of John.