The OPPORTUNITY to Love
The OPPORTUNITY to LOVE
John 13:1-17
The Love of POWER or POWER of Love
We are studying the Biblical Model of LOVE this month.
Judas is the epitome of what is wrong in every human heart; including yours and including mine. Judas is the clearest expression of sin in each of us. Christ is altogether pure. In the gospels, it was said of Jesus that when He came He was full of GRACE and TRUTH. What a dynamic duo! I have known people and so have you who are full of themselves and they think they have all the truth. In spite of being intelligent, they have lost the ability it would seem to LOVE. I have known people who were full of GRACE but didn’t seem to be searching for truth. Like a benevolent old granddad they just let you do anything you wanted to do or say anything you wanted to say – without respect for anyone else’s feelings or opinions. I heard the other day about two Granddads totally intent on spoiling their Grandchildren – with no loving discipline or encouragement to do right. One Granddad said to the other, “Do you think your grandson is spoiled?’ The Granddad said, “I don’t know – I’ve never told him ‘No’.”
Judas was a man intent on having things his way. Judas has moved from a loving disciple to a lover of POWER. The original sin back in the Garden of Eden was in answer to the question: “Who’s in charge?” This sin affects how we do business and how we treat our families. We are seeing it played out daily in our National Politics.
The degree to which we WANT power will determine how much sin we will commit to attain it.
Judas wanted to be in charge of his own life. Maybe he was disappointed in the kind of leader Jesus was becoming. Remember, most of these early followers dreamed of a National Hero who would overthrow the dominance of Rome. Jesus did not come to overthrow Rome, or anyone else for that matter. Jesus came to bring LOVE to a loveless world.
Let me say again, in case you missed it earlier. Judas is a picture for all of us that the love of power carried to its full potential for evil. While our own hearts conscience would never allow us to go to the lengths of Judas to attain and protect power there are some common denominators, some results of the love of power that can show up in any one of us.
1. The LOVE of POWER…
When Power is your GREAT love, you may not be above using religion to accomplish YOUR goals.
This happened to Judas – it could happen to any one of us here today…
· The LOVE of POWER destroys peace in our hearts.
Judas moves from a loving follower of Jesus to a man in search of, loving the power that is his. But in his desperate search for power he loses. Judas lost the PEACE that comes from following Jesus Christ.
· The LOVE of POWER can distort people and events in our minds.
We usually JUDGE people by OUR standards! It’s a terrible inaccurate way to of judging people because most make the mistake of thinking that every one else is like me or should be. Judas loved power and he lost the ability to believe that anyone could LOVE anything else. Judas completely misread Jesus and His Kingdom. Judas, like the other disciples had walked with Jesus and talked with Jesus but they weren’t listening! Jesus was trying to prepare them for His death, His cross, His crucifixion…they heard what they wanted to hear. Let me ask, “Does that ever happen to you?” Possible joke here…
APPLICATION…
Let’s think about the ways of this world. Judas is exactly what the scripture declares a one-world person will be.
In the Word of God, the world is pictured as darkness and Christ is the LIGHT. John called worldly or lost people, ‘the children of darkness’ and followers of Jesus ‘children of LIGHT.’ John 3:19 says, “This is the verdict: LIGHT has come into the world, but men LOVED darkness rather than LIGHT because their deeds were evil."
This world is presently under the control of Satan. In John 14:30 Jesus called Satan, “The Prince of the earth.” In the Temptation experience, Satan offered Jesus kingship over this world if He would worship him.
The love of Satan’s heart is POWER. He offered Christ POWER. The way of this world is POWER. The LOVE of this world is POWER.
But this is not the way of Christ, our SAVIOR! One day, the power of Satan will be taken away, says the Bible. In the meantime, God is calling people through Christ to DENOUNCE the LOVE of power and turn to the POWER of LOVE.
2. The POWER of LOVE…
Are you ready to listen to Jesus?
Jesus said to Pilate: “My Kingdom is NOT of this world!”
But even more POWERFUL than what we say, is what we do – and in our text (JOHN 13:4-12; 15-17)
Jesus demonstrates to His followers what real LOVE is and what real LOVE does.
Verse 4: “So he got up from the meal, took off His outer garment, and wrapped a towel around His waist.” Next:
“He poured water into a basin and began to WASH His disciple’s feet, drying them with the towel…”
Through His WALK and through His TALK, our Lord taught us that His Way is not the way of this world.
· The POWER OF LOVE removes our FEAR.
Of course, Simon Peter objected to Jesus washing His feet. Someone said the reason Peter needed his feet washed was because he always was putting it in his mouth.
Jesus lovingly takes the time to explain to Peter that unless Jesus washes his feet – Peter would not have fellowship with the Lord.
· The POWER of LOVE RECLAIMS our HEART.
Peter then says, Lord, give me a bath!” Jesus once again tells Peter, “You are not listening; you’ve had a bath, what you need is to be cleansed from your sins.”
Peter must have remembered this when he wrote his first letter and urged his readers to “be clothed with humility” (1 Peter 5:5).
Finally they listened. All of them. And Jesus gave them an example they would never forget. Jesus tells us today that the POWER of LOVE is far greater than the LOVE of POWER. But as always, Jesus does not force us to accept Him.
Later, all the way to the last pages of the Bible Jesus stands forever before us and says, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock – if anyone answers I will come in; and together we can have fellowship in the greatest power to ever claim a persons life – The POWER of LOVE.