The Servant
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Handout
Introduction
Introduction
Much of today’s Christianity is geared towards a subtle self-improvement.
Much of today’s Christianity is geared towards a subtle self-improvement.
For instance:
https://www.learnreligions.com/why-become-a-christian-701021
“Experience the greatest love”
“Experience freedom”
“Experience lasting Joy and Peace”
“Experience Relationship”
“Experience your true potential”
The deepest cry of our hearts is to know and worship God. As we develop our relationship with God, he transforms us through his Holy Spirit into the person we were created to be. And as we are changed through his Word, we begin to exercise and develop the gifts God has placed within us. We discover our fullest potential and true spiritual fulfillment as we walk in the purposes and plans that God not only designed for us but designed us for. No earthly accomplishment compares to this experience.
Accessed 7/18/2021
From the point of view of evangelism, this is how the Christian life is being explained to people.
The issue is subtle, sublime, and really, what could be wrong with it?
However, the comparison to Jesus’ “Final hour” leaves it behind and it is found lacking.
Desiring God ministries
“God is most glorified in us
when we are most satisfied in him.”
“God is most glorified in us
when we are most satisfied in him.”
Although it is true that I want my heart to love Him and nothing else, the “subtle” message that is being communicated for becoming a Christian is the experience of personal satisfaction.
The end result that is communicated to the unbeliever, or the immature believer is an “experience” that transcends the negative, mundane, difficult areas of life.
The result is, because of the self serving tendencies of our flesh, is to demand from Christ a life of ease, peace, and tranquility.
The pagans call this “Nirvana,” or a state of absolute calm.
Some call it “finding your center.”
Others will say it is “discovering your true self.”
But, compare this with:
But, compare this with:
3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. 5 “Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth. 6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. 7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. 8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. 9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. 10 “Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 “Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me.
Or
16 “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves. 17 “But beware of men, for they will hand you over to the courts and scourge you in their synagogues; 18 and you will even be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles. 19 “But when they hand you over, do not worry about how or what you are to say; for it will be given you in that hour what you are to say. 20 “For it is not you who speak, but it is the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you. 21 “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. 22 “You will be hated by all because of My name, but it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved.
Or
20 And turning His gaze toward His disciples, He began to say, “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. 21 “Blessed are you who hunger now, for you shall be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh. 22 “Blessed are you when men hate you, and ostracize you, and insult you, and scorn your name as evil, for the sake of the Son of Man. 23 “Be glad in that day and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven. For in the same way their fathers used to treat the prophets. 24 “But woe to you who are rich, for you are receiving your comfort in full. 25 “Woe to you who are well-fed now, for you shall be hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep. 26 “Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for their fathers used to treat the false prophets in the same way. 27 “But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. 29 “Whoever hits you on the cheek, offer him the other also; and whoever takes away your coat, do not withhold your shirt from him either. 30 “Give to everyone who asks of you, and whoever takes away what is yours, do not demand it back.
Or Peter’s Experience
18 “Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to gird yourself and walk wherever you wished; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and someone else will gird you, and bring you where you do not wish to go.” 19 Now this He said, signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, “Follow Me!”
Or Paul’s Experience
10 Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and the Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.” 11 And the Lord said to him, “Get up and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying, 12 and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him, so that he might regain his sight.” 13 But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he did to Your saints at Jerusalem; 14 and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name.” 15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel; 16 for I will show him how much he must suffer for My name’s sake.”
The ease of being a Christian is not what it means to be a Christian.
It is a teaching that is, subtly, no different than the Pagan desire for Nirvana.
It is, today, a teaching that hopes to make disciples by promising what appeals to the already natural tendency of self-preservation and personal prosperity.
What we are about to launch is a long study into the nature of the painful, excruciating, experience of Jesus Christ.
What we are about to launch is a long study into the nature of the painful, excruciating, experience of Jesus Christ.
His suffering must be shared by us.
We must, if we are to remain unashamed of the cross of Christ, live His suffering if we are to know His resurrection.
7 But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, 9 and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, 10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; 11 in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.
21 For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, 22 who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; 23 and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; 24 and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed. 25 For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls.
1 Therefore, since Christ has suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same purpose, because he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, 2 so as to live the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. 3 For the time already past is sufficient for you to have carried out the desire of the Gentiles, having pursued a course of sensuality, lusts, drunkenness, carousing, drinking parties and abominable idolatries. 4 In all this, they are surprised that you do not run with them into the same excesses of dissipation, and they malign you; 5 but they will give account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. 6 For the gospel has for this purpose been preached even to those who are dead, that though they are judged in the flesh as men, they may live in the spirit according to the will of God.
Transition:
Our study of the life, and death, of Jesus Christ is a study on sorrow.
The culmination of His sorrow is “the hour,” the hour which we enter now in the upper room discourse and subsequent betrayal, arrest, and crucifixion.
Overview of John.
Overview of John.
John the Apostle.
Changed from brash, thunderous disciple into firm, wise, obedient apostle.
16 And He appointed the twelve: Simon (to whom He gave the name Peter), 17 and James, the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James (to them He gave the name Boanerges, which means, “Sons of Thunder”);
Ante-Nicene Fathers 1: The Apostolic Fathers with Justin Martyr and Irenaeus Introductory Note to the Epistle of Polycarp to the Philippians
The Epistle to the Philippians is the more interesting as denoting the state of that beloved church, the firstborn of European churches, and so greatly endeared to St. Paul. It abounds in practical wisdom, and is rich in Scripture and Scriptural allusions. It reflects the spirit of St. John, alike in its lamb-like and its aquiline features: he is as loving as the beloved disciple himself when he speaks of Christ and his church, but “the son of thunder” is echoed in his rebukes of threatened corruptions in faith and morals. Nothing can be more clear than his view of the doctrines of grace; but he writes like the disciple of St. John, though in perfect harmony with St. Paul’s hymn-like eulogy of Christian love.
The essence of the book of John is that he supplements the other epistles.
Most of what is written in John is not in Matthew, Mark, Luke.
The first interaction with Peter, Philip, Nathaniel, and Andrew (John 1:35-41).
The turning of water into wine at Cana (John 2:1-12).
The cleansing of the temple early in His ministry (John 2:13-25).
Jesus’ teaching at the feast of booths (John 7:1-39).
The healing of the man born blind (John 9:1-12).
The raising of Lazarus (John 11:1-46).
THE UPPER ROOM DISCOURSE (JOHN 13-17).
Jesus is the focal point of John.
Jesus is the focal point of John.
And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.
But, the crowd is also a focal point.
Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name, observing His signs which He was doing.
But Jesus, on His part, was not entrusting Himself to them, for He knew all men,
and because He did not need anyone to testify concerning man, for He Himself knew what was in man.
Therefore when the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John
From that city many of the Samaritans believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, “He told me all the things that I have done.”
So when the Samaritans came to Jesus, they were asking Him to stay with them; and He stayed there two days.
Many more believed because of His word;
A large crowd followed Him, because they saw the signs which He was performing on those who were sick.
Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand.
The next day the crowd that stood on the other side of the sea saw that there was no other small boat there, except one, and that Jesus had not entered with His disciples into the boat, but that His disciples had gone away alone.
See
Therefore the chief priests and the Pharisees convened a council, and were saying, “What are we doing? For this man is performing many signs.
“If we let Him go on like this, all men will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.”
Overall, John is an epistle that is written to supplement the writings of Matthew, Mark, and Luke.
Consider the immediate context:
Consider the immediate context:
Supper -
John 13:2 = during supper
John 14:31 = getting up from supper
John 18:1 = leaving supper for the Brook Kidron
From the point ofJesus entering into this evening, Thursday evening, until He is betrayed, is about 10-11 hours (5-6 PM Thursday - 5-6 AM Friday by our clock).
23 And Jesus answered them, saying, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.
His “hour” had not come before this time.
4 And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does that have to do with us? My hour has not yet come.”
6 So Jesus said to them, “My time is not yet here, but your time is always opportune.
8 “Go up to the feast yourselves; I do not go up to this feast because My time has not yet fully come.”
30 So they were seeking to seize Him; and no man laid his hand on Him, because His hour had not yet come.
20 These words He spoke in the treasury, as He taught in the temple; and no one seized Him, because His hour had not yet come.
The Stage Is Set - John 13:1
The Devil Moves - John 13:2
The Father Gives - John 13:3
The Lord Serves - John 13:4
MAIN POINT: NOTICE THE PERFECT FAITH OF JESUS CHRIST DURING THIS TIME.
MAIN POINT: NOTICE THE PERFECT FAITH OF JESUS CHRIST DURING THIS TIME.
Jesus had taught the disciples of the reality of the upcoming “betrayal.”
Jesus had taught the disciples of the reality of the upcoming “betrayal.”
17 “But beware of men, for they will hand you over to the courts and scourge you in their synagogues; 18 and you will even be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles. 19 “But when they hand you over, do not worry about how or what you are to say; for it will be given you in that hour what you are to say. 20 “For it is not you who speak, but it is the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you. 21 “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. 22 “You will be hated by all because of My name, but it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved.
Jesus taught His disciples that betrayal will be a way of life for them.
Jesus taught His disciples that betrayal will be a way of life for them.
They need to get used to it.
Those who wish to “hand over” the disciple may even be the most intimate and closest of all relationships-family.
24 “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a slave above his master. 25 “It is enough for the disciple that he become like his teacher, and the slave like his master. If they have called the head of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign the members of his household! 26 “Therefore do not fear them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known.
34 “Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 “For I came to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; 36 and a man’s enemies will be the members of his household. 37 “He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. 38 “And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. 39 “He who has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it.
The backdrop of this dramatic scene is the intention of Judas to betray Jesus.
The backdrop of this dramatic scene is the intention of Judas to betray Jesus.
Jesus had been teaching of the normalcy of betrayal for over a year.
Now is His time to example all that He had taught them.
1 “These things I have spoken to you so that you may be kept from stumbling. 2 “They will make you outcasts from the synagogue, but an hour is coming for everyone who kills you to think that he is offering service to God. 3 “These things they will do because they have not known the Father or Me. 4 “But these things I have spoken to you, so that when their hour comes, you may remember that I told you of them. These things I did not say to you at the beginning, because I was with you.
The Stage is Set - v.1
The Stage is Set - v.1
v.1
v.1
1 Now before the Feast of the Passover, Jesus knowing that His hour had come that He would depart out of this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.
1 Πρὸ δὲ τῆς ἑορτῆς τοῦ πάσχα εἰδὼς ὁ Ἰησοῦς ὅτι ἦλθεν αὐτοῦ ἡ ὥρα ἵνα μεταβῇ ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου τούτου πρὸς τὸν πατέρα, ἀγαπήσας τοὺς ἰδίους τοὺς ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ εἰς τέλος ἠγάπησεν αὐτούς.
13 The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
4 Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was near.
John 11:55 (NASB95)
55 Now the Passfover of the Jews was near, and many went up to Jerusalem out of the country before the Passover to purify themselves.
John 12–21 John 13:1
Accordingly, in the span of three short but incisive sentence segments this verse has spelled out the defining moment in the coming of Jesus.12 The statement therefore is crucial for understanding the focus of both this chapter and this entire cycle. Thus the turning point has already come (12:23–26), Jesus has been prepared by having dealt with his agony (12:27–28), and has now begun the preparation of the disciples for the death of the Passover Lamb of God (cf. 1:29 and 19:14).
This is “before” the Feast of the Jews, the Passover.
The Passover (sacrifice) = Nisan 14, Friday around 3-6 PM
14 Now it was the day of preparation for the Passover; it was about the sixth hour. And he said to the Jews, “Behold, your King!” 15 So they cried out, “Away with Him, away with Him, crucify Him!” Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your King?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar.”
John 13 = Nisan 13, Thursday around 5-6 PM
Also note:
28 Then they led Jesus from Caiaphas into the Praetorium, and it was early; and they themselves did not enter into the Praetorium so that they would not be defiled, but might eat the Passover.
31 Then the Jews, because it was the day of preparation, so that the bodies would not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), asked Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away.
READ THIS:
The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah Chapter 15: ‘Crucified, Dead, and Buried.’
The brief spring-day was verging towards the ‘evening of the Sabbath.’ In general, the Law ordered that the body of a criminal should not be left hanging unburied over night. Perhaps in ordinary circumstances the Jews might not have appealed so confidently to Pilate as actually to ask3 him to shorten the sufferings of those on the Cross, since the punishment of crucifixion often lasted not only for hours but days, ere death ensued. But here was a special occasion. The Sabbath about to open was a ‘high-day’—it was both a Sabbath and the second Paschal Day, which was regarded as in every respect equally sacred with the first—nay, more so, since the so-called Wavesheaf was then offered to the Lord
The stage is set:
The Passover, without the lamb, is memorialized.
The Passover, with the lamb, is about to happen.
The Passover, coupled with the Sabbath, made the Sabbath a “high day.”
The unique circumstances all draw attention to the Lord and His sacrifice.
The Devil Moves - v.2
The Devil Moves - v.2
v.2
v.2
2 During supper, the devil having already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, to betray Him,
2 καὶ δείπνου γινομένου, τοῦ διαβόλου ἤδη βεβληκότος εἰς τὴν καρδίαν ἵνα παραδοῖ αὐτὸν Ἰούδας Σίμωνος Ἰσκαριώτου,
“While eating supper...”
“While eating supper...”
= during the “supper” meal.
This is the time factor, it indicates that the three events happening simultaneously are all during the meal.
1.The devil already entered the heart of Judas to betray Jesus.
2. The Father is about to follow through on His eternal decree.
3. The initiates His lowest physical act as a pattern to the disciples/apostles.
“…the devil having already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot…to betray Him...”
“…the devil having already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot…to betray Him...”
When did he do this?
Immediately before the Supper.
1 Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which is called the Passover, was approaching. 2 The chief priests and the scribes were seeking how they might put Him to death; for they were afraid of the people. 3 And Satan entered into Judas who was called Iscariot, belonging to the number of the twelve. 4 And he went away and discussed with the chief priests and officers how he might betray Him to them. 5 They were glad and agreed to give him money.
But, he was plotting all along from the start of ministry.
70 Jesus answered them, “Did I Myself not choose you, the twelve, and yet one of you is a devil?” 71 Now He meant Judas the son of Simon Iscariot, for he, one of the twelve, was going to betray Him.
The Father Gives - v.3
The Father Gives - v.3
v.3
v.3
3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come forth from God and was going back to God,
3 εἰδὼς ὅτι πάντα ἔδωκεν αὐτῷ ὁ πατὴρ εἰς τὰς χεῖρας καὶ ὅτι ἀπὸ θεοῦ ἐξῆλθεν καὶ πρὸς τὸν θεὸν ὑπάγει,
“knowing” = Jesus knew the plan of God and operated in obedience of that plan.
“knowing” = Jesus knew the plan of God and operated in obedience of that plan.
35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst. 36 “But I said to you that you have seen Me, and yet do not believe. 37 “All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out. 38 “For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. 39 “This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day. 40 “For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.”
The Lord Serves - v.4
The Lord Serves - v.4
v.4
v.4
4 got up from supper, and laid aside His garments; and taking a towel, He girded Himself.
4 ἐγείρεται ἐκ τοῦ δείπνου καὶ τίθησιν τὰ ἱμάτια καὶ λαβὼν λέντιον διέζωσεν ἑαυτόν
“garments” = outer cloak, leaving underlinen on.
“He girded himself” =
5 Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. 8 Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.