SEARCH THE SCRIPTURE by Pastor Kumuyi of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry for today is here. Digest the word of the lord and pray believing.
LESSON 156_
JESUS PREDICTS HIS BETRAYAL
TEXT: John
13:18-38 MEMORY VERSE: “Jesus
answered, He it is, to whom I shall give a sop, when I have dipped it. And when
he had dipped the sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon” (John
13:26).
Preceding His death at
Calvary, Christ predicted His betrayal by Judas Iscariot and eventual denial by
Peter. The events of this passage teach us of the omniscient nature of God and
from it, we learn that: (1) Jesus knows all things. We must therefore rely on
Him and live our lives with consciousness that He sees what we do, where we go
and even knows the thoughts of our hearts (Job 34:21; Psalm 11:4; Proverbs
5:21; 15:3; Jeremiah 16:17). (2) Jesus predicted what was to happen to Him with
confidence, therefore, every Christian youth is expected to face their future
and pilgrimage with courage and confidence in the Lord, knowing fully well that
He promised that “lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world”
(Matthew 28: 20). Apostle Paul said, “But none of these things move me, neither
count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy,
and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the
gospel of the grace of God” (Acts 20:24). (3) There is need for every Christian
youth to be watchful and prayerful lest they fall into self confidence and
yield to temptations (Matthew 26:41; 1 Timothy 6:9).
CHRIST PREDICTS HIS
BETRAYAL (John 13:18-33; 6:64; Psalms
41:9; Matthew 26:20-25; Mark 14:17-21).
Jesus Christ again proved
His divinity by His foreknowledge of not only His betrayal, but the human agent
through whom the task will be accomplished. He spoke of the ingratitude and
betrayal of Judas, which brought trouble to His spirit (verse 21). This passage
reveals that the fall of Christian youths often bring great trouble to Christ.
The sins of those who went back from following the Lord, grieves Him (Psalm
95:8-11; Isaiah 63:10). Judas was warned, but he never took heed. Backsliding
does not take place all of a sudden, but it is through a gradual, pre-meditated
affairs, actions, events and activities. Judas neglected the warnings of Christ
until he reached a point of no return to be used by the devil where he could
not retrace his steps from the slippery road chosen. Every Christian youth must
take heed and beware not to deviate from the way of Christ, nor harden their
hearts from any of Christ’s warnings. Judas saw the sorrow in Christ, yet, that
did not move him. Is it nothing to you, that you hear the powerful preaching
and teaching of God’s word (including the judgment to come) yet, you are not
moved? “…Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me”. You
may be so clever to hide things from your leaders and fellow believers but not
from Christ Jesus who knows the heart of all men including their intentions.
Question 1: What lesson
do we learn from the omniscient nature of God?
The omniscient attribute
of God should make the sinning churchgoers and hypocrites consider their ways.
Those who get involved in examination malpractices, and watch pornographic
pictures and videos on the internet secretly cannot escape the judgment of God
if they refuse to repent. The psalmist stated it clearly, “Thou knowest my
downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off” (Psalm
139:2).
CHRIST’S PASSIONATE
COMMANDMENT TO LOVE (John 13:34, 35;
1 Corinthians 13:1-8,13; John 15:9-14; Romans 12:10; 13:8; Galatians 5:13;
Ephesians 4:2; 1 Thessalonians 3:12; 4:9; 1 Peter 1:22; 1 John 3:23,24; 4:11,12,16-21)
Love is seeking the
highest good of others without motive for personal gain. It is an attribute of
God. It was love that made God to give His only begotten Son. Same love made
the Son to lay down His life for sinful mankind. His word not only came as
counsel but as a command, and makes it one of the fundamental laws of the
Kingdom. It is also connected with our faith in Christ (1 John 3:23). Jesus
described it as a new commandment because: (1) it is a renewed commandment
which was from the beginning (1 John 2:7,8). The commandment to love had been
so corrupted by the tradition of the Jewish religion that promoted laws of
revenge and retaliation, self-love to the extent of forgetting brotherly love.
Therefore, Christ pronounced it new, redirecting their focus from Jewish
practices to God’s standard (Hebrews 8:13). (2) Because He demands that we
should love others not just as ourselves but “as I have loved you” (John
15:12-14).
Question 2: In what
ways are Christian youths expected to love?
Christian youths are
expected to love one another. Our love for one another must be selfless,
sacrificial, sincere, sound, safeguarding, sanctified, satisfying, seasoned
with grace, stable and sure (Romans 15:1,3; Ephesians 5:2,25; Philippians
2:1-5; Romans 13:8-10; Mark 12:31; Luke 10:29-31; 2 Corinthians 8:7,8;
Galatians 5:13-15; 1 Peter 1:22). “By this shall all men know that ye are my
disciples, if ye have love one to another” (verse 35). Every other thing we do
without brotherly love is useless in the sight of Christ. Also, if we are to
experience growth in the church and fellowship, it must be by this true
brotherly love (Acts 2:46,47). Our love must not be with schism (division),
dissimulation (hypocrisy), carnality, secret sin, immorality etc., for on these
the judgment of God comes on the children of disobedience (1 Corinthians 12:25;
Romans 12:9; Galatians 2:10-13; 1 Corinthians 3:3-8; Romans 8:5-8; 1
Corinthians 5: 9-13; Habakkuk 1:13). As He drew closer to Calvary, our Lord
reminded the disciples of the centrality of love in the fulfilment of the great
commission. “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have
love one to another” (John 13:35).
CHRIST PREDICTS PETER’S
DENIAL (John 13:36-38; Matthew 26:33-35; Mark 14:29-31; Luke 22:31-34)
“Simon Peter said unto
him, Lord, whither goest thou? Jesus answered him, Whither I go, thou canst not
follow me now; but thou shalt follow me afterwards. Peter said unto him, Lord,
why cannot I follow thee now? I will lay down my life for thy sake” (verse
36,37). Curiosity’ is good but we should know that “The secret things belong
unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and
to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law”
(Deuteronomy 29:29). It is a common mistake among youths to be more inquisitive
concerning secret things that belong to God only. We should rather be concerned
about things revealed which are meant for our learning. For Peter, instead of
asking questions on the subject of brotherly love which concerned them, he was
focusing on an issue that concerns Christ which eventually led to his
overconfidence. The answer Jesus gave was very instructive, to let Peter know
that he cannot follow Him at that time but later. His strength and that of others
could not bear it at that time. Also, they were to continue the work from where
Christ stopped. That was the reason Christ said “Let these go their way” (John
18:8) when He was taken by the band that came to arrest Him.
Question 3: What
lessons do we learn from Peter’s eventual denial of Christ?
In response to Peter’s
question in John 13:36,37, our Lord told him that His ministry was not yet over
but Peter insisted that he was ready to die for Christ. Peter was sincere but
was obviously ignorant of the limitation of his own strength. He was willing to
die but was not able when the time came. We learn some basic lessons from
Peter’s eventual denial. Firstly, we should not only express our will, but look
to God for the power to carry out our desires (Zechariah 4:6). Secondly,
Christian youths need to trust more in the keeping power of God than in their
strength or talents (Proverbs 3:5- 8). Thirdly, the race is not to the swift
but to those with the sustaining grace of God (Ecclesiastes 9:11). Fourthly, there
is need for watchfulness, lest we become overconfident after several years of
victory over the tempter (Mark 14:38). Peter thought Jesus doubted his
sincerity. He still went further to affirm it by saying “I will lay down my
life for thy sake” (verse 37). But he later denied Christ. Christian youths
should rely more on Christ for sustaining grace and strength, not on our past
experiences or victory. “Now all these things happened unto them for examples:
and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are
come. Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall” (1
Corinthians 10:11, 12).
Question 4: Is there
any hope for those who unknowingly fall into sin?
“Return, ye backsliding
children, and I will heal your backsliding. Behold, we come unto thee; for thou
art the LORD our God” (Jeremiah 3:22). The Scriptures promise restoration for
those who accidentally fall from the path of righteousness. “My little
children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin,
we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous” (1 John 2:1).
Examples of other saints who were restored after an initial fall from the faith
include Samson and David. It is important to note that God expects His children
to live a victorious Christian life daily. Genuinely converted youth: do not
sin deliberately (1 John 3: 8-9).
