Gospel of John #20

Passover and Loving One Another
(John 13 )

Fred R. Coulter—April 5, 1986

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Before we finish the last section in John 12 I just want to review some very basic things. Why is the book of John different from the other Gospels? It's different from the other Gospels for several reasons:

John was the last of the original apostles to die; the last living apostle when he wrote the book of John. Then he wrote the Epistles of John and the book of Revelation. I'm sure that Rev. 22 is not just in relationship to this book of Revelation, but it ends the whole Bible.

Revelation 22:18: "For I jointly testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book, that if anyone adds to these things, God shall add to him the plagues that are written in this book. And if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, and from the Holy city, and from the things that are written in this book. He Who testifies these things says, 'Surely, I am coming quickly.' Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen" (vs 18-21).

Could this have to do with more than just the book of Revelation? It says, "…this book." It's possible that it could. If that's a possibility then it's also possible, and I'm sure that it's true—I don't believe the Catholic Church canonized the Bible—that John complied the Bible. The descendants—Polycarp and Polycrates—did the final assemblage of the New Testament. From there it went on into the Church that later became the Greek Orthodox Church.

Not that the Greek Orthodox are right, but they preserved the New Testament written in Greek just like the Jews—and we know the Jews are not right because they don't believe in Christ—preserved the Old Testament.

Let's see something else that was written for us to help explain why the book of John is entirely different than the others. We find something very interesting written, and this is what makes the book of John so exciting. As we have seen, there is so much in the book of John that we just get more and more out of all the verses that are there. I think the reason is this:

John 21:25: "But there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I do not suppose that even the world itself could contain the books that would be written. Amen." That's quite a statement! The Holy Spirit will bring to remembrance all things that He said.

There are certain very vital things that we're going to learn today, such as the foot-washing. The foot-washing was not in Matt., Mark and Luke, but it was in John. There are some people who say that we don't need the foot-washing today. We're sanitary and we don't walk dirty, dusty paths, and we don't need the foot-washing. I heard one minister say that it takes away from the Passover. Jesus didn't seem to think so!

John 20:30: "Now then, Jesus did many other miracles in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book. But these have been written, so that you may believe…" (vs 30-31). There is the whole key to the book of John. This word believe means to faithize!

"…so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing, you may have life through His name" (v 31).

Every once in a while I get something on sacred names. Please be assured that the name Jesus—Yeshua or Joshua—was a very common name; like William or Bill today.

Josephus mentions in his writings—The History of the Jews—19 with the name Jesus. There was the one who was the sorcerer: Bar-Jesus, which means the son of Jesus.

If the name Yeshua is a sacred name and must be used, then God violated His own thing when Joshua was named Yeshua, which means Yahweh shall save. But just in passing and what I want us to realize when we're going through this is that so many things will tie in and be so clear and understandable. The thing of the book of John is to believe. He didn't use the word faith but once and that was in one of the epistles. All the rest is to believe.

John 12:46: "I have come as a light into the world so that everyone who believes… [this is prevalent, especially in the book of John] …in…" Greek: 'eis'—into; faith the way God wants it to work. This kind of belief is an interacting, inner-working faith (Rom. 1). Let's see how the Apostle Paul taught this same thing:

Romans 1:17: "For therein the righteousness of God is revealed from faith unto faith, according as it is written: 'The just shall live by faith.'" Like electromagnetism: it is constantly working and inner-acting. If Christ is in you and you are in Christ, and you are believing into Christ—constant, active belief—"…the one who is believing…"—the whole heart and core of the book of John.

I just wanted to review that and cover it from the point of view of how this is emphasized. Also, I want to bring to your attention how John emphasized it just before the Passover. That's the key thing, the Passover!

John 12:44: "Then Jesus called out and said, 'The one who believes in Me does not believe in Me, but in Him Who sent Me." That is very difficult for the Jews to believe and accept. In fact, that's the whole heart and core of why they don't believe in Christianity today, right there in this one verse. They don't believe Jesus, and they don't see how there can be a Jesus and God the Father. If you don't believe in Him, you can't believe in the Father, it works both ways.

Verse 45: "And the one who sees Me sees Him Who sent Me. I have come as a light into the world so that everyone who believes in Me may not remain in darkness. But if anyone hears My words and does not believe, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world" (vs 45-47). We're going to see where Jesus said that He came for judgment. Is this a contradiction? We'll cover that!

Verse 48: "The one who rejects Me and does not receive My words has one who judges him; the word which I have spoken, that shall judge him in the last day." We're going to have our judgment. Here in this case it could refer to the Last Great Day Feast, because that is a judgment feast.

Verse 49: "For I have not spoken from Myself; but the Father, Who sent Me, gave Me commandment Himself, what I should say and what I should speak. And I know that His commandment is eternal life. Therefore, whatever I speak, I speak exactly as the Father has told Me'" (vs 49-50).

If you can have any summary of the book of John, these verses—44-50—give a whole summary of the book of John, every bit of it. It talks about:

• the Light
• believing
• receiving
• the Father

Everything is condensed right there in those seven verses.

If Jesus came not to judge, why did He say in another place that He came to judge? Like anything else, there is a time to do something, and there's a time not to do something.

John 5:22: "For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son." Does that contradict what He said that He didn't come into the world to judge the world, but to save the world. When is the world going to be judged? At the time of Jesus' first coming? or At the end of the Millennium? At the end of the Millennium!

Remember the man who came to Him and said, 'Good Master, would you come and settle this dispute with my brother and I. We have received an inheritance.' Jesus said, 'Who made Me Judge over you?' When is this judgment going to take place? Judgment, we know, begins at the house of God (1-Pet. 4:17)! That was after Jesus' resurrection.

All judgment is committed unto the Son, v 23: "So that all may honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. The one who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father Who sent Him." Almost identical words that we have in John 12.

Verse 24: "Truly, truly I say to you, the one who hears My word, and believes Him Who sent Me, has everlasting life…" Almost identical. It's repeated many times throughout the book of John.

"…and does not come into judgment; for he has passed from death into life. Truly, truly I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear shall live. For even as the Father has life in Himself, so also has He given to the Son to have life in Himself; and has also given Him authority to execute judgment because He is the Son of man" (vs 24-27).

He didn't come to judge the world in His first coming. That's why He said, 'I didn't come into the world to judge it, but to save it. Judgment comes after God begins dealing with you! Otherwise the judgment would be the same for everyone—death!There wouldn't be a person alive who would stand a chance, because of the law of sin and death in them. They would be condemned.

John 9:39: "And Jesus said, 'For judgment I have come into this world…'" But what kind of judgment?

• Are there various kinds of judgment? Certainly, there are!
• Do you make different kinds of judgments in your life? Sure you do!
• Are some of a more serious consequence than others? Yes, they are!
• What was the judgment that Jesus did while He was here?
• Condemn people to death? No!

The Word of God would do that! The words that He spoke in the last day would take care of that. Why?

"'…so that those who do not see might see…'" (v 39). The judgment is a judgment of calling whom He is going to call, not whether a person is condemned to eternal death or given eternal life. He's given the judgment of calling to open the eyes of those who see not.

"'…and those who see might become blind'" (v 39). Now, that's quite a statement! The Pharisees, the religious leaders, said, 'We know the Word of God; we see.' But what did Jesus call them? Blind guides that lead the blind!

Verse 40: "And those of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these things; and they said to Him, 'Are we also blind?'…. [There were getting close!] …Jesus said to them, 'If you were blind, you would not have sin. But now you say, "We see." Therefore, your sin remains'" (vs 40-41). They said, 'We know the Word of God. This one is not of God.' So, any understanding that they had was taken from them.

In the Bible there are certain places where it appears that there is double-talk, but there really isn't. There are different circumstances for each instance, and the judgment that Jesus came into the world for was to remove the blinding of Satan the devil.

We'll just finish off this section, John 12. This is repeated so many times, but I want to add one verse in John 14:23, which follows right along: "Jesus answered and said to him, 'If anyone loves Me, he will keep My Word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him. The one who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word that you hear is not Mine, but the Father's, Who sent Me'" (vs 23-24).

How should we live? By every Word of God! See how all of that comes together. Everything just keeps coming together in such a beautiful way.

John 13:

There are four major sections:

• foot-washing
• betrayal by Judas
• loving each other as we are commanded
• Peter's denial of Christ

John 13:1: "Now, before the Feast of the Passover, knowing that His time had come to depart from this world to the Father, Jesus, having loved His own who were in the world, loved them to the end. And during supper (the devil having already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, that he should betray Him)" (vs 1-2). This tells us an awful lot. Satan can put into our heart and mind, if we allow it.

If we have the Spirit of God, if Satan tries to make an entrance into our mind, we will know it if we're yielding to God! People in the world don't know it.

After reading what happens with low-level audio sounds and how they can control people with them, it makes you wonder what's on a lot of music, and why those who listen to certain kinds of music are the way they are. I think it goes hand-in-hand.

Satan has many entrances into people's minds. He can put things into a person's mind. Here it is right here. Satan put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray Jesus! I don't want to get into a full-blown discussion on Judas Iscariot and whether he is lost without any chance of salvation. He's called the 'son of perdition'; Jesus said He lost none, but the 'son of perdition.' I don't want to get into that now, but the main point I want to make here is that Satan can do that. He especially likes to do it for an apparent righteous cause.

Let's discuss this thing of evil and good, good appearing evil from Judas Iscariot's point of view; how Satan put it into his mind. Everyone has to justify everything that they do. The Proverb says that 'every way of a man is just in his own eyes.' Everything you do you justify. Even when you make a mistake you justify it—don't you? 'I did it because of this…' or the least amount of condemnation would be, 'it was stupid.' Whenever you do something, you justify it. If you don't believe it, the next time you're stopped for a ticket and the officer walks up, you'll justify yourself several ways: 'I had to go here, I was in a hurry.' or 'I didn't see this or that.' or 'Officer, I'm wrong.'

• How did Satan justify this in Judas Iscariot's mind?
• Who were the legal authorities of the 'religious' community? The council: Sadducees, Pharisees and the elders!
• Were those institutions that God set up? Yes, they were!
• Could they execute judgment? Yes!
• Was Jesus—from that point of view—a rebel of the religious establishment? Yes!

Whenever you have someone who is a rebel and against the establishment, then you always have someone who likes to correct that. So, Judas actually had a righteous cause in his own mind. 'I'm going to betray Him because look what He's doing to all of our 'religion' here. The Pharisees said, 'He's turning the world upside down! The whole world is going after Him!' It would have to be something like that.

Satan always tries to make it a righteous, accepted or a just-sounding cause. Judas Iscariot's purpose was for greed. But I'm also sure that it was justified in his own mind, too. Why would he do it? For greed, jealousy, to replenish the money that he stole! To look good in the eyes of the 'religious' leaders! Maybe get himself a position later on.

Who knows all those different things that were there. Did Judas know that Jesus knew who it was who would betray Him? The closest analogy is when our children do something wrong and they know they have done something that they shouldn't do, they still don't like to admit it.

So, when Jesus gave him the sop, I'm sure that he knew! Of course, at that time something else took place.

Foot-washing:

John 13:3: "Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going to God, rose from supper…" (vs 3-4). How could He rise from supper if supper were ended?

"…and laid aside His garments… [took off His cloak] …and after taking a towel, He secured it around Himself. Next, He poured water into a washing basin and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel, which He had secured" (vs 4-5).

I saw the pope doing this on television during the so-called 'holy week' in Rome. I knew it was a fake. But he got 12 old men and they were all lined up on a little stage so the pope could walk by and wash their feet. My wife made the comment that the Catholic Church is a church of old men.

It came time to show the event of the foot-washing, so they select 12 cardinals whose feet would be washed by the pope. I was surprised because I thought he would at least do something authentic—get down on his hands and knees and wash the person's feet—but it was really 'chincy'! He took a little golden basin with water from a little golden pitcher. Everyone took their own shoes and socks off, and he puts the pan under the feet and then pours a little bit of water over the feet and takes a towel and dabs it.

Then on the first one, the pope bends down and kisses his foot. I thought, gag! That whole thing just looks 'so holy' and 'so righteous' and 'so wonderful.' Jesus didn't do it the way that the pope did. It was just an ordinary event. Nowhere does it say that Jesus kissed the disciples feet. What is it that they do to the statue of Jupiter Olympus who they claim to be a statue of Peter? They kiss his foot!

Verse 6: "Then He came to Simon Peter; and he said to Him, 'Lord, are You going to wash my feet?' Jesus answered and said to him, 'What I am doing you do not understand now, but you shall know after these things.' Peter said to Him, 'You shall not wash my feet, not ever.' Jesus answered him, 'If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me'"(vs 6-8). Of course, Peter didn't want that.

Verse 9: "Simon Peter said to Him, 'Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head.'…. [Let's do a thorough job of it, Lord!] …Jesus said to him, 'The one who has been washed does not need to wash anything other than the feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all.' For He knew the one who was betraying Him; this was the reason He said, 'Not all of you are clean.' Therefore, when He had washed their feet, and had taken His garments, and had sat down again, He said to them, 'Do you know what I have done to you?'" (vs 9-12). Then Jesus began to explain:

Verse 13: "You call Me the Teacher and the Lord, and you speak rightly, because I am."

• It's very important to understand this
• It's very important understanding authority in the Church.
• Did Jesus have all authority? Sure, He did!
• What did He do?

I don't think we comprehend the full humility that Jesus had in becoming a human being going through what He went through. Here is the great Creator of all heaven and earth, taking the most menial… Servants and slaves in those days, the one who washed the feet was the beginning, novice, lowest rung slave. Jesus took that lowest position and washed their feet.

Verse 14: "Therefore, if I, the Lord and the Teacher, have washed your feet, you also are duty-bound to wash one another's feet." That should end all controversy: should Christians wash feet at the Passover?

Verse 15: "For I have given you an example, to show that you also should do exactly as I have done to you." To whom should they do it? To each other, obviously! I'm sure this is why John was inspired to write this. Just as there was the movement to supplant the Passover with Easter and Sabbath with Sunday, one of the first things that always happens is doing away with foot-washing. That's happened time and again.

I know that certain of the Seventh Day Adventist do foot-washing, but they do it quarterly instead of once a year as Jesus said. Some keep Christmas, some don't. Some eat meat, some don't. Even Ellen G. White and her husband were tyrants. If she didn't like someone she would stand up and have a vision and condemn them and belittle them publicly. She even recommended that the Feast should be kept and preached against Christmas.

The first thing Satan likes to do to cut people off from Christ… because it says that if you don't wash the feet: 'If you don't eat this bread and drink this blood you have no part of Me.' What's the first thing that Satan tries to get 'religious' groups to do? Change it! How does he get them to change it?

• Change the day!
• Change the time!
• Change the symbols!
  • do away with the foot-washing
  • change the wine to grape juice
  • better yet, use water

Rather than doing what Jesus said, v 15: "For I have given you an example, to show that you also should do exactly as I have done to you." What did we just read that Jesus said would judge us? His words! Should we do what He says? Yes, indeed! It kind of gets down to a very simple thing, no big deal.

Verse 16: "Truly, truly I tell you, a servant is not greater than his lord…" Are all of those who are supposed to be Christians some kind of servant of God one way or the other? Yes, they are! Not just ministers only. Do you serve God in your life? You're a servant of God!

Then we, as the servants of God—being ministers or lay member; doesn't really make any difference—have no right to go tell God what to do, because we are not greater than the Lord and the Master.

Remember, He said, v 13: "You call Me the Teacher and the Lord, and you speak rightly, because I am."
Then He says, v 16: "…a servant is not greater than his lord, nor a messenger… ['apostolos'—apostle] …greater than he who sent him." What is Jesus telling the apostles right here? Don't go set yourselves up to proclaim yourselves greater than Me, to do things differently than I have commanded! We've seen that and heard that.

Verse 17: "If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them." The word for do is the Greek word 'poieo,' which means practice them. You do them as a practice. That becomes very key and important. You can have knowledge of something, but it doesn't do a bit of good unless you use the knowledge and act upon what you know. That's what brings happiness, acting upon that knowledge.

• Why? God is with you! Christ is with you!
• Isn't that what we want in our lives? Sure that's what we want in our lives!

(go the next track)

The word believe is that you are committed; it's a belief that you act upon. It has the same kind of intensity that you might ascribe to, but not the fanaticism or the hatred that you would ascribe to a kamikaze pilot. You believe, you are committed! That's what kind of belief we need. That's what it's talking about here. And each person has to do this between him/herself and God.

The old saying is that if someone can talk you into it—like at a rally, group or emotional thing where you're cornered in a prayer meeting and everybody is praying, 'O Lord…' and you recognize you're a sinner and tears are streaming down. 'Yes, I accept Jesus.' You are talked into it!—you can be talked out of it!

I don't know of any Christian who is a real true Christian who does not have circumstances in his/her life to put that to a test: whether you really believe! The disciples were, before they were converted, on a 'sales' type of thing. 'Lord, we'll go to the death, we'll go to Jerusalem and be stoned, I'll never deny You…' Baloney! That's so much spiritual baloney, it won't work; it's got to have this belief! It is literally a part of your very being; it's not just an idea in your head. It's not something you use when you're in trouble.

It is a part of your very being whether in good times or bad times, whether rich or poor, or whether the things are that's how you live and believe! You operate that way!

This is true, absolutely true. If you are coerced into becoming a Christian because of an emotional thing or because of an altar-call or you commit publicly, all this sort of thing, remember:

John 6:44: "No one … [this is the authority of God speaking] …can come to Me unless the Father, Who sent Me, draws him…" There it is! God has got to do it. If God is the One Who is doing it, then there can't be any layer of human beings between you and God and that relationship—be it teachers, ministers, helpers, other brethren—not between you and God! Otherwise they're just kidding themselves.

That's why you can't do as a lot of these evangelists say, 'Come and give your heart to the Lord and then we'll give you a list of churches and you pick one that is close to you, which one you would like. You're not come to God, you're coming to a person! You're going to a church and playing 'religion.' Sooner or later it's going to fall apart.

There was a special one-hour program—The Rebirth of America—put out by a foundation connected with Pat Robertson. (put out some years ago). It was really very well done and pointed out all the pornography, adultery, drugs, all the things in government, the judges and then it got to the commitment to Christ. They had a follow-up in the Reader's Digest. They have in there—in a special section—how to repent and how to accept Christ into your life. Very deceiving, very dangerous! This is exactly what we're talking about, this hype thing of getting on the bandwagon.

Do you accept Jesus? Fill out this coupon and check this box and mail it to us that you have accepted Jesus. NO WAY! It won't happen. There are going to be a lot of sincere people who think it's going to be that easy, and when the crunch comes they're not going to make it.

You see how people are deceived? Then comes the kicker: now be active in the elections and get out and vote on this and that issue. So, 'religion' is only an idiomatic mask and has nothing to do with true salvation! They put this book out and it shows about the founding fathers and how the nation originally started out believing in God. It all sounded good. 'Oh yes, we need to get back to God, and go vote for this one and that one.'

That's salvation in the flesh for this world! It has nothing to do with salvation for eternity through Christ!

John 13:17: "If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them." I would say that that's not only exclusive of the Passover, I would have to say that that would be all the words of God. What did He say about the wise man and the foolish man (Matt. 7). 'They heard these words of Mine and built his house upon a rock…' all the words.

Betrayal of Jesus:

Verse 18: "I am not speaking of you all; for I know whom I have chosen, in order that the Scripture might be fulfilled…" Can you imagine Christ all during His ministry knowing? I'll have bring some time showing all the verses of Jesus and the disciples with Satan; he was around. Remember after Jesus' temptation that Satan left Him for a little season.

• Who actually betrayed Jesus and had Him crucified? Satan the devil!
• Why did that have to be? I'll answer that in another sermon!

Imagine how Jesus felt knowing that here is Judas Iscariot. Did He know the thoughts of other people? Sure! He would be sitting at dinner with the Pharisees and He could read their minds. Remember Simon the Pharisee who brought him to this dinner and the old master said, 'Come and take the best place here.' Then in comes this woman of the street and started crying and repenting and washing His feet. Simon thinking within himself, 'If He were a prophet He would know what sort of manner of woman that she was.' And it said that Jesus knowing his thoughts said, 'Simon, I have somewhat to say to you…' Then Jesus gave him a parable about the one who owed a lot and the one who owed the least, and forgave both and even Simon got that right. Then Jesus really read him the 'riot act' and made him worse than the street woman washing His feet.

I would say that whenever Jesus needed to understand someone's thoughts that He had the power, but that doesn't mean that He went around and wherever He walked that He could read everybody's mind, everything that was going on.

"…'He who eats bread with Me has lifted up his heel against Me'" (v 18). Just imagine how He felt knowing that here is Judas Iscariot and He knew when He chose him what he was going to do. Remember that Jesus did cry out to the Father, 'If You be willing, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not My will, but Your will be done.'

Verse 19: "I am telling you at this time, before it happens, so that when it does happen, you may believe that I AM. Truly, truly I tell you, the one who receives whomever I send is receiving Me; and the one who receives Me is receiving Him Who sent Me" (vs 19-20).

Therefore, you have to make sure that whoever is preaching that is someone whom God has really sent. There are a lot of people out there crucifying to do a 'good work for the Lord'—which is a good courageous work—but maybe God didn't send them.

Verse 21: "As He was saying these things, Jesus was troubled in spirit…" Have you ever had a situation where all of a sudden you just become really depressed mentally, just like something just came down on you. That's generally when you have had a very traumatic circumstance going on. And He did!

"…and testified, saying, 'Truly, truly I tell you, one of you shall betray Me.' Then the disciples looked at one another, wondering of whom He was speaking" (vs 21-22). That was something. Here are these disciples and they didn't know very much at this time. They couldn't even suspect that it was Judas clear down to the last Passover.

Verse 23: "Now one of His disciples, the one whom Jesus loved was leaning on Jesus' chest." John is referring to himself. If you understand what was going on, when they ate they were actually reclining. They were on a lounge reclining. I'm sure that Jesus was on one lounge and John reached back with his head and leaned back when he asked, 'Who is it, Lord.' I'm sure he was lying there like a little kitten, like some people would imagine.

Verse 24: And so, Simon Peter motioned to him to ask who was the one of whom He was speaking." A little sign language. 'John, you're right there, ask Him' (in a whisper).

Verse 25: "Then he leaned back on Jesus' chest and asked Him, 'Lord, who is it?' Jesus answered, 'It is the one to whom I shall give a sop after I have dipped it.'…." (vs 25-26).

I had someone tell me that this proved that the bread that they were eating was leavened bread, because it was a sop. How can you have a sop with unleavened bread? All you have to do is just watch a Mexican eat at any time! He takes his tortilla, which is unleavened, and uses it as a scoop and eats. Simple! This is not as we think of as a sop, taking some French bread and dip it in the gravy. That's what we think of. What they had, and that kind of bread was very common, just like tortillas are for the Mexican.

"…And when He had dipped the sop, He gave it to Judas Iscariot, Simon's son. And after the sop, Satan entered into him…." (vs 26-27). Here becomes the real spiritual battle from then on. There was a spiritual battle going on all the time up until then, but here it got 'down to cases.' This shows that Satan can put thoughts into the minds of people and prepare them for later possession. Just looking down in the course of modern history I would think that Hitler fulfilled that more than anyone else we could think of. That Satan put a lot of things into his heart over a long period of time and then toward the end just possessed him unto destruction! There was no reason for a lot of things that Hitler did when you see the history of the last part of his life. We're going to see that happen again, right at the end (Rev. 16)

"…Then Jesus said to him, 'What you do, do quickly.' But not one of those sitting at the table knew why He said this to him; for some thought, since Judas had the bag, that Jesus was telling him, 'Buy the things that we need for the feast'; or that he should give something to the poor" (vs 27-29)—which was a common thing to do. They'd go around and find someone who wasn't able to keep the Passover, invite them in and have them keep the Passover with them. Give them some food and whatever.

Verse 30: "So then, after receiving the sop, he immediately went out; and it was night." See how all this is worked at night. Who is the 'lord of night'? Satan! The lord of darkness!

I think that it's very significant that when we get down to the time of the arrest of Jesus—John 18—that it was probably about midnight on the Passover that He was arrested. That coincides exactly when the 'death angel' passed over the houses of the children of Israel when they had the Passover in the land of Egypt, before they came out of slavery.

God did not pass over His firstborn Son on the midnight of the Passover, but allowed the 'death angel' to take Him, arrest Him.

Verse 31: "When he was gone, Jesus said, 'Now has the Son of man been glorified, and God has been glorified in Him.'" How is that God can be glorified in such a gory event, because it was gory. It was messy. After the Passover He went out and when He got done praying, everything from then on was nothing but a mad mess! How could God be glorified in that? I will answer that later!

Verse 32: "If God has been glorified in Him, God shall also glorify Him in Himself, and shall immediately glorify Him. Little children, I am with you yet a little while. You shall seek Me; but as I told the Jews, 'Where I am going, you cannot come,' I am now telling you also" (vs 32-33). A very simple statement!

• Where is that Jesus was going to go? He was going to go to heaven!
• Why is that people believe that they go to heaven when Jesus said that where He goes they cannot come?

Sometimes you get down to these very simple statements and very simple questions and it cuts a swath right across what people believe. You cannot go! Why? Because it's impossible for a human being in the flesh to go to heaven!

Loving each other:

Here begins the new commandment. Notice that Satan was removed from their midst, when Jesus gave this commandment:

Verse 34: "A new commandment I give to you…" Here's the whole heart and core of the real struggle of what Christians and Christian groups need to attain. That's why whenever there is some great hassle, the best thing to do is just get away from it, just walk away and leave it alone. That's the opposite of what happens here.

When those things occur, how righteous do people get? I mean, you compare the Inquisition to what it says here and then compare it to what Jesus said; 'You've heard it in past time that you shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy, I say to you, love your enemies!' How can they justify an Inquisition and the killing of millions of people in the name of Christ to purify their soul? If they purify their soul through torture and death, it doesn't make any sense!

With the real situation with any Church of God, this is what we need to strive for, right here; this is the heart and core of it. You can have a lot of doctrines, you can have the right days, you can have a lot of things right, but what if you do not have love (1-Cor. 13)? You're nothing! All your knowledge, all your doctrine doesn't count!

"…that you love one another in the same way that I have loved you, that is how you are to love one another" (v 34). That is a command!

I know that the next time that anything like that comes up, I'm going to stand up and shout that so loud, and say, 'Hey, folks, is that what we're doing here?'

Verse 35: "By this shall everyone know that you are My disciples—if you love one another." Here Jesus brought that all done to this one focus.

• What is that love going to do?
• That love for God and each other?
• How can we love each other unless we love God first?
• How can we love each other as Christ loved the disciples unless we love God first?
• Can't do it!

We can emphasize the whole of 1-Cor. 13 in relationship to what Jesus just commanded. Isn't it interesting that He gave that command on the Passover evening; to love each other that way!

1-Corinthians 13:1: "If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love ['agape'], I have become a sounding brass or a clanging cymbal." You can pick up on all those things when someone is dissimulating. When something is hollow and doesn't ring true you can pick it up.

Verse 2: "If I have the gift of prophecy…" Isn't everyone all excited about prophecy? I have never seen such a thing. Almost everything I read of the Church of God is got some kind of prophecy thing in it. I just sit back and watch it. I've done it! I'm interested in prophecy, and I've done it and said outlandish things.

• What if you understood all the prophecies there were?
• What if you could lay them all out and have all kinds of charts and graphs and make it exactly fit and be perfect?

"…and understand all mysteries…" (v 2). Just the best imputed combination in the world.

"…and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing" (v 2). That really takes away a lot of things—doesn't it? Sure does!

• "…the gift of prophecy…"—you could really get a following with that
• "…understand all mysteries…"—you could get another following
• "…all knowledge…" and "…all faith…"—have big 'faith healing' campaigns

"…so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing." In other words, it doesn't count; what good are those things without love?

Verse 3: "And if I give away all my goods, and if I deliver up my body that I may be burned…" The first time I ever saw a burning body was during the Vietnam War. They had these Buddhist monks over there resisting the war and they'd sit down, cross their legs and sit in their position and douse themselves with gasoline and stoically light themselves and burn.

They did it for God—right? NO! They didn't do it for God!

"…but do not have love, I have gained nothing" (v 3). At the resurrection God is going to say, 'What you did really didn't amount to anything.'

Verse 4: "Love is patient and is kind…" Here is the way to end the hassles in the Church and in our lives and families. On the other hand, do not let the kindness be taken advantage of to where the kindness becomes foolishness, especially in relationship to correcting children.

You can be kind to crooks all day long, but you're not going to change them. This is talking about within our relationship to loving each other and getting along with each other.

Sure, you can be kind to people in the world, you can even be kind to criminals, but if you're overly kind to them—like the penal system has been—then they take advantage of you. That's balanced out with the Scripture that says, 'Because a sentence is not carried out against an evil work, the hearts of the sons of men are set in them to do evil' (Ecc. 8).

"…love envies not, does not brag about itself, is not puffed up" (v 4)—how great 'I am.' Did Jesus puff Himself up? Think about the Passover and the foot-washing in relationship to Jesus' behavior during the crucifixion. He didn't say, 'Don't you know who I am?'

• Did He wash the disciples' feet? Yes!
• Did He answer back a word? No!
• Did He willingly go like a lamb to the slaughter? Yes!
• What did Jesus do when He was up on the cross? He said, 'Father, forgive them, they don't know what they are doing'!
• Is that kind?
• Is that longsuffering?
• Yes, indeed!

Verse 5: "Love does not behave disgracefully, does not seek its own things…" Just take this as an outline and see everything that Jesus did. God is love! Love is this, and that's what God is.

"…is not easily provoked, thinks no evil, does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the Truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things. endures all things" (vs 5-7). That's a real positive and dynamic thing.

Verse 8: "Love never fails. But whether there be prophecies…"—of men, not the prophecies of God, because it says that 'the Scripture cannot be broken'; so the prophesies of God are not going to fail, I guarantee you that.

"…they shall cease; whether there be languages, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part; but when that which is Perfect has come, then that which is in part shall be set aside. When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I reasoned as a child; but when I became a man, I set aside the things of a child. For now we see through a glass darkly…" (vs 8-12)—shadowy.

We understand certain things. I know from experiential knowledge, the more that you understand the grace of God and just literally, every day, in your prayers, put your life under the grace of God, the more that you feel secure and safe, and can overcome! It protects you from Satan. Who is making you righteous? God! Not your own works!

"…but then… [at the resurrection] …we shall see face-to-face…" (v 12). That's going to be an exhilarating thing. Remember that John says, 'It doesn't yet appear what we shall be, but we know that when we're resurrected we shall see Him as He is, face-to-face. That's going to be exciting. You talk about a day of excitement, exhilaration, happiness and love. That's going to be something else—isn't it?

"…now I know in part, but then I shall know exactly as I have been known. And now, these three remain: faith, hope and love; but the greatest of these is love" (vs 12-13).

That's why Jesus gave this new commandment (John 13). He gave it on the Passover evening. Let's just make that a keynote of the things that we want to do; to grow in this.

I've heard a lot of sermons that said, 'Brethren, we have to overcome.' That's true! 'Brethren, we need to grow.' That is true! But how do you do it? Through grace and love, and the other things come!

How many people have wanted, are wanting and desiring—many even planning to escape—the Tribulation? Through whatever means! They want to go to a place of safety or be protected—right? That's the basis of a lot of prophecies, to try and figure out when it's going to be.

I'll just give you a truism, and I think it is right: If you love God with all your heart, mind, soul and being, and if you love the brethren like it says here, do you think that God is going to send you through it? I don't think so! If He does, then you're going to demonstrate the love that you have for God. But no one is going to go to a place of safety by figuring it out where it is; or how to get there; or to have a box to take with them; whatever. There are those who have had their 'Petra box' right by their door just in case they got the word to go.

• If you love God and the brethren, will God take care of you? Yes!
• Where then should the emphasis be?

Not to become muddled and softheaded to where everything is to become soft mushy-gussies. That's not what it's talking about.

John 13:34: "A new commandment I give to you: that you love one another in the same way that I have loved you, that is how you are to love one another. By this shall everyone know that you are My disciples—if you love one another" (vs 34-35).

That's the only way to get rid of hassles and have things stay together. Let's make sure that we have the glue of love to hold things together. That's what will do it!

Peter's denial

Verse 36: "Simon Peter said to Him, 'Lord, where are You going?' Jesus answered him, 'Where I am going, you cannot follow Me now, but you shall follow Me afterwards.' Peter said to Him, 'Why can't I follow You now? I will lay down my life for You.' Jesus answered him, 'You will lay down your life for Me? Truly, truly I tell you, the cock shall not crow until you have denied Me three times'" (vs 36-38).

All Scriptures from The Holy Bible in Its Original Order, A Faithful Version by Fred R. Coulter

Scriptural References:

• Revelation 22:18-21
• John 21:25
• John 20:30-31
• John 12:46
• Romans 1:17
• John 12:44-50
• John 5:22-27
• John 9:39-41
• John 14:23
• John 13:1-16, 13, 16-17
• John 6:44
• John 13:17-35
• 1 Corinthians 13:1-13
• John 13:34-38

Scriptures referenced, not quoted:

• 1 Peter 4:17
• Matthew 7
• Revelation 16
• John 18
• Ecclesiastes 8

Also referenced: Book: Josephus—History of the Jews

FRC:bo
Transcribed: 12-8-14
Corrected: 12-29-14