Good afternoon! This past Sunday Pastor Alan taught from John 13:18-38, sharing a message about love, betrayal, and denial. To listen to this message, simply click play on the audio player below. I’ve also included Pastor’s notes with links to the verses he references in his message. Enjoy!
The Upper Room Part II
Love, Betrayal, and Denial
The Last Supper: In Leonardo Da Vinci’s painting, the apostles are grouped in three. One grouping is John, Simon Peter and Judas. These three are referenced in John 13:18-38. All are in conversation. John records part of that, as does Luke in his gospel. In Luke we find out that part of the conversation was an argument among friends. Luke 22:15, 24-30. So that’s the setting.
Now let’s go back to the 3 principle characters in John. John, Judas and Peter and the three main things we know about each of them.
- John is closet to Jesus. The one Jesus loved is a self-description. The theme of walking in love is major in his writings. He in fact records Jesus’s words, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you love one another. By this everyone will know you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John was the only male disciple that was present with Jesus at the cross and Jesus entrusts the care of his mother to John when he says, “Behold your mother.” So John is a reminder to us of the positive which is to love and remain close.
- The other one mentioned is Judas. He reminds us of the potential there is to betray and how Satan can take over. It says when he ate the morsel Satan entered in and he left out into the dark. A contrast here is that the supper was, and is, all about signifying taking Jesus, the bread of life, into us and walking in the light. Judas allowed himself to go the opposite direction. We are capable as well. The end for Judas was a sorrow that led to his taking of his own life. He got to a point beyond repentance and forgiveness. Interesting that his betrayal started with denial. He says, surely not I, recorded in Matthew 26:25. Both Peter and Judas deny Jesus but only one let himself forever be defined by betrayal. Both wept but one’s sorrow would lead to repentance, the other’s to death. As it says in 2 Corinthians 7:10, “Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow leads to death.” In 2nd Peter 3, it seems some were beginning to think the Lord wasn’t going to come back. Peter clears that up and in essence says don’t think his delay, in human understanding of the time, means he isn’t coming again. He is delaying to give you the opportunity to repent. 2 Peter 3:9-13.
- Simon Peter reminds us of the possibility of denial due to fear. What was Peter’s first mistake? Denial was the results of a 2-fold mistake. He didn’t realize his limitation and he didn’t ask for strength. Even though Jesus still prays for him, even though he doesn’t ask. Mark 14:27-31, 66-72.
So, 3 apostles
– One calls us to love
– One stands as a warning against betrayal and non repentance
– One stands as a warning against denial but the promise that turning back to Jesus brings forgiveness and restoration.
They call us to self-examination as we take the Lord’s Supper today. Matthew 26:26-29
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