We all have times of preparation. Some are important enough that close attention to details is needed. As Jesus is moving closer to His arrest, He takes time to prepare His disciples. Now in John chapter 13, Judas has left the group. Jesus exposed him, and Judas realized that Jesus knew what was about to happen. Once the betrayer was gone Jesus gives valuable instructions to the others.
The group had been cleansed and now Jesus and the Father could be glorified. They could be honored and magnified to the world. Judas was a cancer among the group because he had become the devil’s child. The wheels were set in motion for Jesus and God to be glorified through the crucifixion. From this point on Judas would no longer be a disciple but one who would sell Jesus out. God’s justice would be satisfied through Jesus’ death. All who believe and obey could be redeemed and escape the torments of hell.
John 13:31-32 “Therefore, when he was gone out, Jesus said, Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in him. If God be glorified in him, God shall also glorify him in himself, and shall straightway glorify him.”
Jesus now speaks to the 11 with tenderness and compassion. He gives them instructions about what to do when He is no longer with them. He gives them a “new commandment” to love one another. However, this was part of the Old Testament law stated in Leviticus 19:18, with which they were familiar. Yet, it was new as being the distinguishing mark of a Christ follower. They were to love one another as He had loved them. This is how the world would know they were His disciples.
John 13:33-35 “Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me: and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come; so now I say to you. A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples if ye have love one to another.”
Leviticus 19:18 “Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself: I am the LORD.”
These disciples loved Jesus but the thought of Him leaving them by means of crucifixion was impossible for them to grasp. Peter speaks up and wants to know where He is going and why they can’t go with Him. Peter makes his declaration of allegiance to Jesus in verse 37. He is willing to lay down his life for Jesus. I believe at this time, Peter truly believed he could give his life for Christ. If someone were to try to harm Jesus in his presence, he would defend him. This Peter proved in the garden when he took the sword and sliced off the soldier’s ear. The mere thought of denying Christ was foreign to him.
John 13:36-38 “Simon Peter said unto him, Lord, whither goest thou? Jesus answered him, Whither I go, thou canst not follow me now; but thou shalt follow me afterward. Peter said unto him, Lord, why cannot I follow thee now? I will lay down my life for thy sake. Jesus answered him, Wilt thou lay down thy life for my sake? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, The cock shall not crow, till thou hast denied me thrice.”
The words Jesus used to prepare them for His imminent death were words that apply to us today. We are to love just like Jesus loves. We are to love with a servant’s heart. We are to love sacrificially, willing to go to any length to help others escape hell. We are to love in truth. We are to love in purity, making sure our concern and love for others are not from selfish motives. We are to love glorifying the Father. His words, in these last few verses of John 13, also teach us that we also are capable of doing things we never thought possible. Peter loved God, he loved Jesus and had been with Him day and night, but things were about to get real. When Peter made his statement of allegiance he was relying only on his own strength. He thought far more of himself than he should. His pride was guiding his love, not his humility and dependence on God. Each of us needs to recognize we have no strength on our own. Any one of us can be in any given situation that we never thought possible. In I Corinthians 15:10, Paul says this about himself, and it applies to us today. It is only by God’s grace that we are who we are and where we are, I’m reminded of the paraphrase of this verse, but for the grace of God, there go I.
I Corinthians 15:10 “But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.”
There are so many times in life when things come at us and we don’t feel prepared to handle them, but there is one thing for sure, God knows all. He is surprised by nothing we face and He is capable of helping us to deal with it. When we don’t understand we must strengthen our trust in God. We must give Him full reign of our lives and allow Him to work on our behalf. He is God and He is in control. He knows the beginning, the end, and everything in between. To be prepared we must have this kind of resolve now before the trials come.