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Jesus told his disciples that one of them would betray him. He was speaking of Judas Iscariot, although he did not name him. But Jesus did tell them that “it is he to whom I will give this morsel of bread when I have dipped it.” So then he dipped the morsel and he gave it to Judas, and then Satan entered Judas. And Jesus said to him, “What you are going to do, do quickly.” And Judas immediately went out. But no one at the table understood what Jesus was saying and that Judas was the one who was going to betray the Lord.
It was all in God’s plan that Judas would be the one to betray Christ and to hand Jesus over to the authorities. It was God’s plan all along that the authorities would then arrest Jesus, put him on trial for a crime he did not commit, that they would then beat him mercilessly, mock him, spit on him, crown him in mockery with a crown of thorns, then hang him on a cross to die as though he was a common criminal. For in Jesus’ death on that cross, he who knew no sin became sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21).
So, after Judas went out to betray Jesus, and Jesus stated, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him,” he was speaking of the death he was about to die on a cross for our sins. For Jesus died on that cross that we might die to sin and live to righteousness and so that we might now live for him and no longer for ourselves. And he shed his blood for us on that cross to buy us back for God (to redeem us) out of our lives of sin so that we would now honor God with our bodies and serve him with our lives. For Jesus died to deliver us from slavery to sin so we’d now be slaves of God.
[1 Peter 2:24; 2 Corinthians 5:15; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20; Romans 6:1-23]
Then Jesus let his disciples know that soon he was to no longer be with them, but that where he was going they could not come, at least not at that point. For in chapter 14 we read that he was going to prepare a place for them, for us, and that one day he is going to come back for us who serve him with our lives, who are his true disciples, and he is going to take us to be with him for eternity. And it is then when our salvation will be complete and our marriage to Christ will be spiritually consummated. But only for those who are walking in obedience to him, in practice, and not in sin.
Now, after Jesus told his disciples (the 11) that he was about to leave them, then he gave them a new commandment that they love one another. And that commandment is for us, too, who are followers of Jesus Christ. And this love is not human-based love, based on feelings, but this love is from God, and this love prefers what God prefers, which is what is holy, godly, morally pure, honest, upright, and faithful. So, when we love others with this love we are going to do for them what is good and godly and morally pure and honest, and we are not going to sin against them deliberately and habitually.
And other people will know that we are the Lord’s disciples by our love for one another. But we must understand what kind of love, because it is not what we may think of as love. For many people are calling it “love” when we lie to people to make them feel good about themselves, even in their sin, and when we don’t confront them in their sins, and when we don’t call them to repentance and to obedience. They think it is love just to be “nice” to people and to say only pleasant things to them which make them feel good. But we are to be those who speak the truth in love to them.
For Our Nation
An Original Work / September 11, 2012
Bombs are bursting. Night is falling.
Jesus Christ is gently calling
You to follow Him in all ways.
Trust Him with your life today.
Make Him your Lord and your Savior.
Turn from your sin. Follow Jesus.
He will forgive you of your sin;
Cleanse your heart, made new within.
Men betraying: Our trust fraying.
On our knees to God we’re praying,
Seeking God to give us answers
That are only found in Him.
God is sovereign over all things.
Nothing from His mind escaping.
He has all things under His command,
And will work all for good.
Jesus Christ is gently calling
You to follow Him in all ways.
Men deceiving: We’re believing
In our Lord, and interceding
For our nation and its people
To obey their God today.
He is our hope for our future.
For our wounds He offers suture.
He is all we need for this life.
Trust Him with your life today.
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, and 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.” John 13:31-35 ESV
It was all in God’s plan that Judas would be the one to betray Christ and to hand Jesus over to the authorities. It was God’s plan all along that the authorities would then arrest Jesus, put him on trial for a crime he did not commit, that they would then beat him mercilessly, mock him, spit on him, crown him in mockery with a crown of thorns, then hang him on a cross to die as though he was a common criminal. For in Jesus’ death on that cross, he who knew no sin became sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21).
So, after Judas went out to betray Jesus, and Jesus stated, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him,” he was speaking of the death he was about to die on a cross for our sins. For Jesus died on that cross that we might die to sin and live to righteousness and so that we might now live for him and no longer for ourselves. And he shed his blood for us on that cross to buy us back for God (to redeem us) out of our lives of sin so that we would now honor God with our bodies and serve him with our lives. For Jesus died to deliver us from slavery to sin so we’d now be slaves of God.
[1 Peter 2:24; 2 Corinthians 5:15; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20; Romans 6:1-23]
Then Jesus let his disciples know that soon he was to no longer be with them, but that where he was going they could not come, at least not at that point. For in chapter 14 we read that he was going to prepare a place for them, for us, and that one day he is going to come back for us who serve him with our lives, who are his true disciples, and he is going to take us to be with him for eternity. And it is then when our salvation will be complete and our marriage to Christ will be spiritually consummated. But only for those who are walking in obedience to him, in practice, and not in sin.
Now, after Jesus told his disciples (the 11) that he was about to leave them, then he gave them a new commandment that they love one another. And that commandment is for us, too, who are followers of Jesus Christ. And this love is not human-based love, based on feelings, but this love is from God, and this love prefers what God prefers, which is what is holy, godly, morally pure, honest, upright, and faithful. So, when we love others with this love we are going to do for them what is good and godly and morally pure and honest, and we are not going to sin against them deliberately and habitually.
And other people will know that we are the Lord’s disciples by our love for one another. But we must understand what kind of love, because it is not what we may think of as love. For many people are calling it “love” when we lie to people to make them feel good about themselves, even in their sin, and when we don’t confront them in their sins, and when we don’t call them to repentance and to obedience. They think it is love just to be “nice” to people and to say only pleasant things to them which make them feel good. But we are to be those who speak the truth in love to them.
For Our Nation
An Original Work / September 11, 2012
Bombs are bursting. Night is falling.
Jesus Christ is gently calling
You to follow Him in all ways.
Trust Him with your life today.
Make Him your Lord and your Savior.
Turn from your sin. Follow Jesus.
He will forgive you of your sin;
Cleanse your heart, made new within.
Men betraying: Our trust fraying.
On our knees to God we’re praying,
Seeking God to give us answers
That are only found in Him.
God is sovereign over all things.
Nothing from His mind escaping.
He has all things under His command,
And will work all for good.
Jesus Christ is gently calling
You to follow Him in all ways.
Men deceiving: We’re believing
In our Lord, and interceding
For our nation and its people
To obey their God today.
He is our hope for our future.
For our wounds He offers suture.
He is all we need for this life.
Trust Him with your life today.
