He Chose you on purpose, for a purpose! John 13:18-30

HE KNOWS YOU, DO YOU KNOW HIM? (or, “SHEEP, GOATS, [and an occasional wolf]”)

John 13:18-30 Introduction: John 13 began in the upper room, a last meal for Jesus to share with His disciples. Looking to give them an object lesson, to reinforce His teaching with a living, powerful illustration, He, their Master and teacher, washed the feet of His disciples, revealing the attitude of a servant, calling them to think of others before themselves. And now, even through the unfolding story of His betrayal, Jesus was working to reveal His glory and to show His love. The teacher was still teaching, building their faith, equipping them for life and ministry without His physical presence.

The Big Idea: We should examine our hearts to be sure we know Him, and then live in such a way that it is evident that we do!

I. Jesus knows the truth about us: He predicted His betrayal by Judas in order to strengthen the other disciples’ faith (13:18a). Jesus said in verse 17, “If you know these things, happy are you if you do them.” His disciples were to be doers of the word, and not hearers only! But He wasn’t telling that to everyone in the room. The works He was calling them to do had to spring from genuine faith. Jesus knows His sheep, and He knows the hearts of the goats! He realized that his lesson on serving one another as He had served them was not actually relevant to everyone in the room. “I do not speak concerning all of you…” His message applied to the believers in the room—even Jesus was dealing with a mixed multitude. In virtually every context where the Bible is preached or taught not every hearer is in the same place spiritually. Before we can follow Him we have to know Him. This is a warning against presumption. Judas walked with Jesus, he was surrounded by believers and in close proximity to the Master himself. But he did not know Him. Being in church is a good thing. You have a chance to hear the truth and to learn about God. Going to church is not a substitute for personally trusting Jesus as the Savior and Lord of your life.

“I know whom I have chosen…”

Elections are coming up this year in which Americans will choose the leaders who will set the course for our nation for the coming years. I hope you are all registered to vote and informed on the issues! The verb here is eklegomai transliterated into English “to elect.” John uses it in three other contexts of those He had chosen as his disciples, to carry out his mission. We read in 6:70,

Then Jesus replied, "Have I not chosen you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil!"

15:16 says "You did not choose Me, but I chose you, and appointed you, that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain…”

Finally in 15:19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.

I am 6' now, but when I was a middle school student and into high school I was kind of short and scrawny, and usually, when they were picking teams for a game I was one of the last ones chosen. You have been chosen by God himself to be a part of His team. If you have trusted Jesus as your Savior and Lord, think about this: He has chosen you out of the world and appointed you to have a part in His mission to the world! I was visiting a dear brother in the hospital this week and we spoke about this passage. He pointed me to Jeremiah 1 where God was calling the prophet in Jeremiah 1:5,

"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations."

Before you were coneived you were known by God. According to Paul before the world itself was created He knew you and chose you! You are exactly the one He wanted! He knows you, with all your flaws and weaknesses, and He will use you, if you will yield yourself to Him. We should examine our hearts to be sure we know Him, and then live in such a way that it is evident that we do!

II. Jesus is God, so He knew what was happening, he knew the truth about Judas: Ironically, His betrayal was a fulfillment of Scripture and so a vindication of Jesus’ identity: He is the great I AM (13:18b-25).

Prophecy has purpose, to reveal, to testify to God’s nature and to reveal His plan. Jesus’ betrayal by Judas was a fulfillment of Scripture and so a vindication of Jesus identity. The citation of Scripture and the prediction of His impending betrayal (v.18,19) is a further revelation that He is the great I AM. He talks about this before hand so his disciples will “believe” Think of this, not only the cross, but betrayal by a friend were prophesied centuries before!

“…but [all of this happened so…] that the Scripture might be fulfilled that says, ‘He who eats bread with me has lifted up his heel against me’…”

Prophecy was being fulfilled: this a prophetic statement in Psalm 41:9. The writing of this scripture before it happened on the pages of the Hebrew Bible is a further testimony, more evidence, vindicating the identity of Jesus.

“…that… you may believe that I AM [He]” (13:19).

Without the fuller understanding of what Jesus has revealed about himself, this statement would almost be incomprehensible: “Now I tell you, before it happens, so that when it does happen, you will know, that I AM…” I AM what? The NKJV fills in “I am He,” that is the promised One, the One that spoke to Moses in the wilderness, I AM that I AM.” The fulfillment of prophesy written in Scripture and spoken by Jesus would be one more means that He used to build the faith of the disciples, and to confirm His identity as God the Son—the Great I AM. V.20 hints at the mission that faces the church. “He who accepts anyone I send accepts me; whoever accepts me accepts the One who sent me…” It anticipates the words of Christ after the resurrection, “As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” (John 20:21). God had a mission for the Son to complete—to provide salvation through his death on our behalf. Now he has a mission for us to carry out: proclaiming the gospel of salvation by grace through faith to the world. We are sent! You are sent! You have a mission field that you touch on a daily basis. And if they reject you, don’t take it personally, it’s Jesus that they are rejecting. Though Jesus knew the heart of Judas, He was nevertheless “deeply troubled” by his treachery. Judas was with Him for three years. Walking, talking, living, their relationship was as disciple and teacher. Jesus took no pleasure in the reprobate heart of Judas. It hurt Him, it troubled Him that Judas would turn his back on Him. We see the heart of Jesus, his compassion, his full humanity alongside His absolute divinity. We saw the same word in 12:27, there his “soul” was troubled over the impending passion, here his imminent betrayal left Him “troubled. We need to watch for wandering sheep. We need to be diligent in teaching the truth so that goats among the sheep will be convicted of their need. The question of John, instigated by Peter, may have been motivated by lingering doubt, “could it be me?” That might be better than presumption (22-25)! It may be that Judas was deceiving himself up to the last minute. Covering up his sin, hiding his treacherous intentions from the others (all but Jesus that is!). Some think Judas may have even justified his actions thinking that he was forcing Jesus to show his hand and to reveal his power. I can’t count the number of times I have counseled with people who were engaging in sin, and justifying their behavior – God wants me to be happy, this is different from other cases we love each other (but are you married), we are really committed (but, are you married), you don’t know my heart (no, but God does!). Sometimes, “I believe the Lord has led me to do this…” (Well, if it is in direct contradiction to His Word, its not the Lord that is leading you!). We should examine our hearts to be sure we know Him, and then live in such a way that it is evident that we do!

III. Jesus is God, and He was in control, over-ruling even The Darkness and the Devil to accomplish His purpose (26-30).

13.26-In response to John’s question Jesus gave an answer, that apparently wasn’t understood by John (or Peter), until perhaps after the cross. Based on vv.28-29 it seems like still no one got what Jesus said, they suspected nothing about Judas. Even as Jesus handed the bread to Judas it seems that Peter and John were blinded to what Jesus had just said: “Ok, you’re giving us bread, and it’s one of us?” Back in v.2 we read that the devil had put treachery in Judas’ heart – now it goes further in v.27, “Now after the piece of bread, Satan entered him…” The word is striking here, the bread entered Judas, then Satan entered him. It’s clear that the enemy was working, seeking to destroy Jesus, seeking to defeat this intrusion of Good into this world of evil. Of course He was just as oblivious it seems to God’s plan as were the disciples. Remember the scene in the “Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe” where Aslan had delivered himself up to ransom Peter from the clutches of the witch? He he surrenders himself to be bound, and laid on the stone table, and the witch plunges a knife through his heart. Celebration—for a moment. She thought her enemy was beaten. That seems to have been Satan’s thinking—oblivious to what God was doing in allowing Jesus to go to the cross. But apparent defeat would be turning into overwhelming victory! In 27b, was Jesus talking to Satan or to Judas (or to both)? He said what you do, do quickly. He had no plans to interfere, no intention of exposing him to the other disciples so that they would intervene, in fact it may be He is sending Judas out before it dawns on John and Peter what Jesus had just said, “It’s to the one I give the morsel of bread…” “Get out of here (while you can!) and get it done!” It’s clear that Jesus is in control, He is directing the unfolding of this story. The leaves are starting to change. Fall is still a week away officially, by have you noticed it’s getting dark earlier?... That little phrase at the end of v.30, “And it was night.” That was the time of day, but by now “light and darkness” conveys a deeper meaning to the reader of John. The light shined in the darkness, but the darkness did not comprehend it. The prince of darkness sought to snuff out the Light of the World. Dawn will come.

What is God saying to me in this passage?

It’s not God’s purpose in giving us this story—nor is it mine in preaching from it—to cause you to doubt your salvation. It is a good thing however to allow the Word, from time to time, to push us to take an honest look in the mirror, and first of all to make certain that we have trusted in Jesus as our Savior and Lord. We should examine our hearts to be sure we know Him, and then live in such a way that it is evident that we do!

What would God have me to do in response to this passage?

First of all, we should be cautioned against the danger of presumption. There was an old chorus that sang, “If you think this business of serving the Lord is just singing in the choir or serving on the board, you’ve just been kidding yourself…” Going to church won’t save you. Giving money won’t save you. Just as the blood had to be applied over the door of the Jews in Egypt for the firstborn to be spared, the blood of the Lamb must be applied to our heart through faith in Jesus. Nothing in my hands I bring, simply to His cross I cling. For those who have done that, think about this, He knew you and chose you before you were ever conceived, before the world was created. He chose you on purpose, for a purpose. Are you willing to allow Him to use you however He would chose? In light of what He was done for us, it’s the least we can do! Amen.