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morning everyone welcome back to free Grace Baptist Church good to see Isaac back hope you still remember English not all Spanish a few announcements before we get started and the top one on the list is that Becca Abby is expecting glorious news we Rejoice with Shane and Becca keep them in our prayers um this evening service of course at 5:00 P p.m and Wednesday night bible study takes place again at 7:30 coming up on Saturday the 24th of February is our annual general meeting here at the church happens once a year if you're a member or an adherent if you come regularly you're welcome to attend that is at 7 p.m. on the 24th of February uh the the letters and financial statements are being passed out already so if you're a member and you haven't yet received financial statements see Steve Lawson or Doug luttin afterwards that's it for announcements please turn in your Bible to Psalm 41 for our call to worship Psalm 41 to the chief musician a Psalm of David blessed is he who considers the poor the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble the Lord will preserve him and keep him alive and he will be blessed on the earth you will not deliver him to the will of his enemies the Lord will strengthen him on his bed of illness you will sustain him on his sick bed I said Lord be merciful to me heal my soul for I have sinned against you my enemies speak evil of me when will he die and his name perish and if he comes to see me he speaks lies his heart gathers iniquity to itself when he goes out he tells it all who hate me whisper together against me against me they devise my hurt an evil disease they say clings to him and now that he lies down he will rise up no more even my own familiar friend in whom I trusted who ate my bread has lifted up his heel against me but you oh Lord be merciful to me and raise me up that I may repay them by this I know that you are well pleased with me because my enemy does not triumph over me as for you you uphold me in my integrity and set before your set me before your face forever blessed be the Lord God of Israel from Everlasting to Everlasting amen and amen for our first hymn this morning we'll turn to Psalm 148 in the alter 148b as in bravo and please stand with me as we sing Hallelujah praise Jehovah [Music] praise from the heavens praise His name in the highest all his angels all Soul together PR and stars on high prise [Music] him praise for and his glor is exed and his [Music] GL the [Music] Earth forever he his shall ever from the [Music] earth let the prise for his [Music] alone and glor is and His glory is ex glor is [Music] ex the Earth trees and SE all you hills and mountains K of Earth and [Music] Alles all and [Music] children is glor is ex and his glory is exal and his GL [Music] is the earth you may be seated let us turn to the Lord in prayer gracious Heavenly Father we thank you for this day of gladness and rejoicing when we can come into your house as your people to worship you we thank you for this privilege that you have afforded us not only that we get to come here but that you have put it in our hearts to come here because we know that in ourselves and before before you moved Upon Our Hearts we had no desire to be in your presence or to meet with your people but in your gracious kindness you have drawn us you have wooed us and you have brought us into this place and we thank you for that mercy and that privilege that you have extended thank you for the Forgiveness of sins thank you for what Christ did on the cross in securing our Salvation in securing for us pardon wiping away our guilt and taking away our sins and Lord we pray for any here this morning that have not yet tasted and seen that the Lord is good may this be the day of salvation for them oh God as well Lord we pray that you would be present in our midst and that the Holy Spirit would attend the preaching of the word this morning we pray oh Lord in particular for our young people and for the children in this congregation that you would move upon their hearts Lord that they would not only hear the gospel week in and week out and and not let it just run over them but I pray oh God it would sink into their hearts and that they would taste and see that the Lord is indeed good and Lord I pray that they would see even from a young age their need of Christ and their need of a Salvation Lord we pray that you would add to our numbers not for the sake of this this congregation alone but for the sake of the kingdom of God we pray oh father that your kingdom would March forward we thank you that you are doing a good work all over the face of this Earth we thank you that you are drawing people from every language every people group Every Nation every tribe to yourself and Lord we pray that that work would continue we pray in particular for tribes and peoples that have not yet heard the gospel that have not yet had the scriptures into the uh translated into their own languages we pray oh God that they too would be reached we pray that there would be a new impetus and a new wave of of missionaries sent forth Lord as you have done in the past we pray that you would do again in the future Lord we pray for those Nations that have been reached with the gospel but many that are are slipping away into secular humanism and and various other of religious beliefs that are contrary to the gospel we pray oh God you would move once again in our own nation and in United States of America and Europe Lord we pray that we would see a new Revival in your church and an Awakening on the streets we thank you for what you are doing and we pray oh God that you would continue that good work Lord we pray for our brethren in the Far East especially in countries where there is active persecution against your people we pray for the church in Myanmar we pray for the church in China in North Korea in Muslim Indonesia Lord we pray that you would be gracious to your people wherever they are uh persecuted for your name's sake we pray that you would continue to uphold them and give them strength to continue on and even to preach the gospel under difficult circumstances Lord be merciful to your church this day the world over and Lord we pray for the Church of Jesus Christ here in this city not our own only our own congregation but for every church here where the gospel is being preached this day we pray oh God that you would bless the Ministers of the Gospel here and cause your world word to go forth and be a a light to the to the Gentiles to the Heathen Lord I pray that you would preserve this city this province and this nation we pray for other churches that are like-minded for our sister churches and for churches that we know of that are uh Reformed Baptist Lord we pray that you would bless them pray you'd work in the church in Su today and in Armstrong and deden ontera we pray for the con this congregation in Medicine Hat Lord we pray as well that this conference coming up would be a tremendous blessing in drawing us together and causing your people to be United and we pray God that you would do us good for your own name's sake be with us and continue with us this day I pray Lord that you'd cleanse us from all sin and unrighteousness and Lord I pray that our worship would be fitting in your sight because you are worthy we ask these things in Jesus name amen let's turn now in our Salter again to Psalm 84A a is in Alpha 84A and stand with me we'll be singing it to a different tune but one that is familiar to all of us [Music] youly inel my soul is longing fting to see your oh Lord my heart and flesh are sing to you SW where she may your Al of bless your myess singing Praise to you bless streng fres Rings ands streng to strength anding they all their joury till we [Music] shall to me you the of your anoint behold God our with your Exel thousand and shin the his and all to his will in of TR of [Music] host you may be seated please take your Bibles and turn to the gospel of Matthew for our morning scripture reading Matthew we're now in chapter 19 and we will read the first half of the chapter up until verse 15 Matthew 19 beginning in verse 1 and reading through verse 15 now it came to pass when Jesus had finished these sayings that he departed from Galilee and came to the region of Judea beyond the Jordan and great multitudes followed him and he healed them there the Pharisees also also came to him testing him and saying to him is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for just any reason and he answered and said to them have you not read that he who made them at the beginning made them male and female and said for this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife and the two shall become one flesh so then they are no longer two but one flesh therefore what God has joined together let not man separate they said to him why then did Moses command to give us certificate of divorce and put her away and he said to them Moses because of the hardness of your hearts permitted you to divorce your wives but from the beginning it was not so and I say to you whoever divorces his wife except for sexual immorality and marries another commits adultery and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery his disciples said to him if such is the case of the man with his wife it is better not to marry but he said to them all cannot accept the saying but only those to whom it has been given for there are unic who were born thus from the mother's womb and there are unic who were made Unix by men and there are unic who have made themselves Unix for the kingdom of Heaven's Sake he who is able to accept it let him accept it then little children were brought to him that he might put his hands on them and pray but the disciples rebuked them but Jesus said let the little children come to me and do not forbid them for of such is the kingdom of heaven and he laid his hands on them and departed from there amen let us pray gracious Father in heaven we thank you that Christ answered his detractors with such wisdom from the scriptures Lord they were accustomed to twisting the scriptures to fit their own designs and Lord we pray that you'd be gracious to us and help us to read your word with understanding and may the spirit of God illuminate our hearts that we might not read into it things that are not there be gracious to us as we continue in worship we pray oh God that you would anoint Pastor Butler as he comes to preach to us we pray that you would give him fluency and and the ability to preach clearly the gospel to us and we pray that we would be open to receive and we ask these things in Jesus name amen for our final hymn we will turn to 213 in the himels 213 and please stand with me as we sing again glor to God the Father glory be to God the son glory be to God the spirit God Al Mighty hallelu [Music] hallelu to glory be to him who us us from all and glory be to us to hallelu hallelu praise the L that was glor to the king of angels glory to the church glory to the K and your praises hallelu hallelu to the king of glory sing Glory blessing etal Angel glor his PR hallelu Hal hallelu praise the mighty king of [Music] King well you can turn with me in your Bibles to the Book of John as we work our way through John's gospel we're in chapter 13 specifically this morning our Focus will be verses 18 to 30 but I do want to read beginning in verse 1 to verse 30 to remind us what's going on here in what's called The Upper Room discourse so John 13 beginning in verse 1 now before the Feast of the Passover when Jesus knew that his hour had come that he should depart from this world to the father having loved his own who were in the world he loved them to the end and supper being ended the devil having already put it into the heart of judas's scariot Simon's son to to betray him 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 and laid aside his garments took a towel and girded himself after that he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples feet and to wipe them with the towel with which he was girded then he came to Simon Peter and Peter said to him Lord are you washing my feet Jesus answered and said to him what I am doing you do not understand now but you will know after this Peter said to him you shall never wash my feet Jesus answered him if I do not wash you you have no part with me Simon Peter said to him Lord not my feet only but also my hands and my head Jesus said to him he who is bathed needs only to wash his feet but is complete completely clean and you are clean but not all of you for he knew who would betray him therefore he said you are not all clean so when he had washed their feet taken his garments and sat down again he said to them do you know what I have done to you you call me teacher and Lord and you say well for so I am if I then your lord and teacher have washed your feet you also ought to wash one another's feet for I have given you an example that you should do as as I have done to you most assuredly I say to you a servant is not greater than his master nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him if you know these things blessed are you if you do them I do not speak concerning all of you I know whom I have chosen but that the scripture may be fulfilled he who eats bread with me has lifted up his heal against me now I tell you before it comes to pass that when it does come to pass you May believe that I am most assuredly I say to you he who receives whomever I send receives me and he who receives me receives him who sent me when Jesus had said these things he was troubled in spirit and testified and said most assuredly I say to you one of you will betray me then the disciples looked at one another perplexed about whom he spoke now there was leaning on jesus' bosom one of his disciples whom Jesus loved Simon Peter therefore motioned to him to ask who it was of whom he spoke then leaning back on jesus' breast he said to him Lord who is it Jesus answered it is he to whom I shall give a piece of bread when I have dipped it and having dipped the bread he gave it to Judas es scariot the son of Simon now after the piece of bread Satan entered him then Jesus said to him what you do do quickly but no one at the table knew from for what reason he had he said this to him for some thought because Judas had the money box that Jesus had said to him buy those things we need for the feast or that he should give something to the poor having received the piece of bread he then went out immediately and it was night amen well let us pray Our God and Father we thank you for this Lord's day we thank you for the house of God and for the people of God and the great privileges that is ours to gather in your name we ask now now that you would guide us by the Holy Spirit you would cause us to reflect upon this passage of scripture cause us to stand again amazed at what the Savior went through on on behalf of us we thank you for that life that death that Resurrection we praise you for his current session and we look forward to his return again in glory to judge the living and the dead forgive us now for all sin and unrighteousness may you open Dead Hearts to receive the truth as it is in Jesus May Sinners see themselves before a holy God in desperate need of forgiveness and a righteousness that avails with God and may they hear that that comes through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ and may you be glorified in this and we ask through Jesus Christ Our Lord amen well as we have come to this Upper Room discourse we notice that Jesus is speaking to his disciples he is preparing them for Ministry once he ascends or uh is raised from the dead ascends on high and goes back into Heaven There are going to be the men that are tasked with going out making disciples planting churches and extending the kingdom of God most high on Earth and we know that what motivates our lord Jesus in terms of this discourse is his love for them his authority over them and then his mission in terms of their salvation and the salvation of those who will hear and believe the gospel so in the first section in verses 4-1 17 we see we see that he washes their feet and that washing is physic he washes their feet and by doing so sets an example for them on how they're to engage in service and love and charity to others but there's also a symbolic reference what he's doing here sort of typifies what he's going to do on the cross his passion his service for men his giving up himself ultimately for the Salvation of Sinners so in four to 17 he cleanses their feet now in our passage from verses 18 to 30 he he cleanses the disciple group itself in other words he removes the betrayer he removes the traitor he removes the one that is not like the others he is not saved he is not a True Believer and so Jesus before he gets down to intimate truth with his disciples gets rid of Judas es scariot so I want to look at first of all the announcement of the Betrayal in verses 18 to 20 and then secondly the identification of the betrayer in verses 21-30 and as we look at the announcement of the Betrayal there's actually three things here that does deserve our attention first the Fulfillment of scripture secondly the Divinity of Christ and then thirdly the nature of discipleship but notice first the Fulfillment of scripture in verse 18 he says I do not speak concerning all of you I know whom I have chosen but that the scripture may be fulfilled and then he invokes Psalm 41 specifically at verse 9 but notice he says I do not speak concerning all of you I know whom I have chosen there's this two types of choosing that we find with reference to the apostles there's a choosing unto Apostolic Ministry Judas certainly had that we see in Matthew chapter 10 for instance when the 12 are selected Jesus was over that he says this and refers to this often times but here specifically he's talking about a a choosing unto salvation the the the elect according to the sovereignty of God most high Jesus understands the regenerate nature of the true disciples go back to verse 10 he who is bathed needs only to wash his feet but is completely clean and you are clean but not all of you he knows that 11 of them are regenerate but he also knows that this one Judas is a reprobate he is not heaven bound he is not the genuine article and again I think Judas stands in the pages of scripture to cause us to reflect upon this just having office in the church does not secure Grace in the heart it doesn't demonstrate necessarily that there is Grace in the heart the time of the 18th century for instance what was very much important and needed was a converted Ministry people would go into the gospel Ministry just like you'd go into being a lawyer or just as you'd go into being a teacher or just as you'd go into being a doctor it was just another profession that that offered a comfortable s uh sustenance and it was a another job like all the others well what would happen if you had a thoroughly unconverted Ministry there's no emphasis or exhortation on the truth of the Gospel I mean they may go through the motions they may go through the the actual charade they're not pressing the consciences of men with the the glory of Christ most high and so when it comes to that reality just because a man preaches every week doesn't necessarily mean he's having bound and Judas No Doubt understood something of the success of gospel Ministry you have that occasion in Luke's gospel Luke chap 10 the disciples are sent out to minister they're sent to cast out demons they're sent to preach and in the name of the Lord Jesus and to heal people and of course they come back and they they Marvel at the fact that that the Lord God had blessed that Ministry well Judas was one of them so Judas stands in the pages of Holy scripture to testify that they were not all of us for if they had been of us they would not have gone out from us Judas was an apostate Judas was a reprobate Jesus understood that and now Jesus is going to disclose that particular truth he affirms the disciples regeneration he affirms as well judas's reprobation and then notice specifically the prophecy of his betrayal in Psalm 41 he says I know whom I have chosen but that the scripture may be fulfilled we need need to understand Judas doesn't betray Jesus so that the scripture can be fulfilled rather the scripture predictively prophesied that these things would in fact occur in the life of the Messiah so it's not that Judas is raised up only to fulfill scripture it is rather that scripture in the old Covenant points forward to what is going to happen in the plan and purpose of God most high in fact in a parallel passage in Luke's gospel it says je Jesus says and truly the son of man goes as has been determined so this stuff that we see the passion of our Lord Jesus isn't sort of an afterthought it's not a plan B it's not you know well let's try to make the best thing out of this that we can make no this was all purposed and planned by God most high on that day of Pentecost Peter says that Jesus was crucified according to the predetermined plan and purpose of God there's nothing that takes God by surprise the Lord Jesus Christ was a man with a particular Mission he understood that mission and he's going to execute that mission and according to his Humanity he would have read psalms like Psalm 41 to see what was in fact going to happen in terms of his suffering in terms of his death there would be an external threat the devil enters into Judas but there's this internal threat as well Judas is scar perod when you look back in the Old Testament Israel had to contend not only with the Philistines but with a manasse not only with the Canaanites but they had to deal with apostasy in their midst in their ranks and files and so John is showing us that with reference to the enemies of Our Lord they are one cosmological the Devil Himself but then two historical the person of Judas es scariot he would eat with Christ he would maintain that intimacy with Christ and all all the while as we read here he who eats bread with me has lifted up his heel against me and that's a a symbolic statement that you find in Scripture that shows not only domination but it shows Victory and Triumph it shows a an attempt on the part of the one raising the heel to smash the face of the other it's interesting though because when Judas does this it provides the occasion for Jesus to do it likewise but to do it to the devil specifically in accordance with Genesis 3:15 I will put enmity between you and the woman and between your seed and her seed he shall bruise your head and you shall bruise his heel so the occasion of the betrayer lifting his heel against our lord Jesus provided the that the context or Arena such that our lord Jesus would smash the Devil Himself through his crosswork and through his resurrection so with reference to this prophecy Jesus knows that it's written Jesus understands that what's happening has been determined but then notice as well his divinity on the heels of this invocation of Psalm 41 look at what he says in verse 19 now I tell you before it comes that when it does come to pass you may believe that I am predictive Prophecy in the Old Testament functioned in a couple of ways first it confirmed or validated a prophet in Deuteronomy 18 God says to the children of Israel You're not like the Heathen you're not like the pagans you're not supposed to have witches you're not supposed to have soothsayers you're not supposed to have necromancers you're not supposed to engage in those dark black occultic Arts rather what you have in Israel is the priest who on behalf of the people goes to God and then you have the prophet who from God comes to the people people and speaks the truth well with reference to that how do we identify who a true Prophet is well if he speaks the word and it doesn't come to pass then he's not a true prophet he is not to be afraid you're not to be afraid of him in other context you're supposed to execute the false prophet I think that would go a long way to sort of mitigating the prophecies that we've seen in our own generation about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ you need to very much be quiet when it comes to certain Mysteries relative to the things of God but in terms of predictive prophecy it affirmed the authority of the Prophet but then as well it affirmed the authority of Yahweh of Israel turn back to the book of Isaiah the book of Isaiah specifically chapter 48 a context where God is through the prophet condemning idolatry one of the problems that Israel often engaged in was idolatry having other gods before or besides Yahweh the true and living God well what was one of the ways that Yahweh distinguished himself from the idols well he had the ability to speak they didn't he had the ability to hear they didn't he had the ability to predict what was going to happen and they certainly did not so notice in 48 at verse3 I have declared the former things from the beginning they went forth from my mouth and I caused them to hear it suddenly I did them and they came to pass because I knew that you were obstinate and your neck was an iron sinue and your brow uh bronze even from the beginning I have declared it to you before it came to pass I proclaimed it to you lest you should say my idol is done them and my carved image and my molded image have commanded them you see what he says I have told you what I'm going to do so that when it comes to fruition you don't give the credit to Baal you don't give the credit to ashra you don't give the credit to the government rather you understand that the Yahweh who spoke it is the god who is able to execute it in fact turn back to chapter 46 not the same emphasis but a very s uh a similar sort of a thing notice in 468 remember this and show yourselves men recall to mind oh you transgressors remember the former things of old for I am God and there is no other I am God and there is none like me well what distinguishes him from the others what differentiates the true and living God from the fake from the dungill deity what distinguishes Yahweh from Baal from ashra from from molok well here it is verse 10 declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things that are not yet done saying my counsel shall stand and I will do all my pleasure so going back to John's gospel in Chapter 13 at verse 19 do you hear whates Jesus is saying Jesus says very specifically now I tell you before it comes you're not going to be caught off guard you're not going to slap your forehead and say wow I can't believe somebody actually sold the Savior out for 30 pieces of silver you're not going to be able to do that because I've told you what's going to happen in fact he's going to disclose it further in the remainder of our passage this morning but he says now I tell you before it comes that when it does come to pass you may believe and not just some sort of vague undefined belief just want you to believe but that you may believe that I am now what's behind this statement is Exodus 3 and verse 14 The Great I Am passage when Moses asks God who shall I say is sending me to them God said to Moses I am who I am and he said thus you shall say to the children of Israel I am has sent me to you it's the the the the the name of God that reflects something of the Perfection of God Visa his eternality God is there's never a time when he wasn't and there never will be a time when he will not be he's always been he's pure act there's no movement in God there's no potential in God you say that to your children sometimes you've you've got great potential son perhaps someday you'll be the president nobody can say that to God there's no potential in God he's pure act and this word or this phrase I am points to that it underscores the glory the Majesty the distinctiveness of the true and living God versus the idols around Israel versus the idols around the church versus the idols of our own Hearts versus the idols that constantly stand in competition with the true and living God what distinguishes him he is notice in gen Genesis 1 it doesn't argue for the existence of God it simply assumes it in the beginning God that's how the Bible begins not I am Moses I'm the prophet of God and I'm going to give you 15 good reasons why you ought to believe in God I'm not decl decrying proofs for the existence of God I'm not suggesting that's a bad exercise not at all Paul does that in Romans chapter 1 he says that the creature leads us to the Creator the the effect of the Creator causes us to Marvel and to understand specifically his his eternal power and his his godhead and His glory but the beginning of Genesis 1 just starts with God and that's what I think Exodus 3:14 is pointing to eternality Pure act Glory Majesty distinction from all others he is Creator Creator we are creature it's not like God is just a better version of man it's not like you've got man and and then Angel and then God sort of at the top of that no God is Creator everything else is creature we have far more in common with the worm at the level of essence than we do with God Almighty there is a Creator creature distinction and uh Exodus 3:14 points to that so back to our text now I tell you predictive prophecy before it comes that when it does come to pass you may believe that I am you'll remember that in John's gospel we have several places where Jesus uses this phrase I am with a predicate predicate simply means something you say about a subject and there are seven of them in John's gospel Jesus is the bread of life Jesus is the light of the world Jesus is the door of the sheep Jesus is the Good Shepherd Jesus is the resurrection and the life Jesus is the way the truth and the life and Jesus is the true vine so seven times in John's gospel he gives us this I am with a predicate I am the bread of life but there are several times in John's gospel where he uses this language I am with no predicate again I think we need to hear Exodus 3:14 in the background there such that when Jesus says I am what's he doing he's asserting his equality with the father he is of one being with the father he is of the same nature as the father remember in the prologue we learn he's not the son by creation he's not the son by adoption but he's the son by Eternal generation he is God from God light from light true God from true God begotten not made being in one substance with the father through whom all things were made so that's his point here I give you this predictive prophecy concerning the betrayer so that when you see the Betrayal happen yeah you're going to be sad obviously you don't want to see your your your friend and your master and your lord and the one that you love betrayed into the hands of filthy wretched Sinners that they're going to cruci who are going to crucify him but you'll also remember that I told you this and as it was supposed to function in the days of the prophet Isaiah to affirm and confirm the validity of the one speaking it so it is true here let's look at some of those other I am statements in John's gospel just to see how Jesus does in fact assert his equality with the father look at John 4 specifically at verse 25 John 4 at verse 25 Jesus has been discussing things with the the woman at the well the Samaritan woman at the well she has come to the point where she realizes he ain't like other men he ain't like anyone else I've ever heard when she goes back to her Village she says come and meet a man that told me all things that I ever did I mean we don't meet those kind of people do we hey I met a guy at Walmart and he told me all the things that I ever did that that just doesn't happen I I met a guy at you know brucees and he was sitting at the table next to us and he told me all things that I ever did that doesn't happen who could tell her all things that she ever did God from God light from light true God from true God begotten not made be uh one and being with the father notice in 4:25 the woman said to him I know that Messiah is coming who is called Christ when he comes he will tell us all things Jesus said to her I who speak to you am now the he there is supplied and it's not bad because we don't usually stop a sentence with I am so the uh he supplied there is legit it's not bad it's not Wicked but again what's behind there is God's declaration to Moses at the burning bush look at chapter six chapter six specifically uh uh chapter 6 specifically at verse 15 well we'll we'll drop down Jesus is walking on the sea pick up at verse 19 so when they had rode out uh rode about three rode about 3 or four miles they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near the boat and they were afraid again that's common if I was chilling at cultist Lake and I saw somebody just walking along the lake not the shoreline but on the water and they didn't have a visible paddle board they didn't have some sort of mechanism by which to fake it I'd be afraid too you know when Jesus does things in the gospel records like stopping the wind and the waves and it says the disciples are afraid you shouldn't go I wonder why they are afraid well because they're standing with a man who can talk to the wind and waves and make them stop blowing I would suggest that would be a fearful encounter for us if we happen to confront such a such a fellow in our daily goings goings on so when they had wrot Ro about 3 or four miles they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near the boat and they were afraid but he said to them it is I literally he says I am now when you look at the backdrop in terms of the old Covenant and the Salter for instance the Book of Job you see that Yahweh Treads the waves you see that Yahweh walks on the water so that these men when they see this and they're filled with fear and Jesus says I am again again Brethren he is making a very specific declaration concerning his nature concerning the reality that would be later confessed by the nyine Creed God from God light from light true God from true God look at chapter 8 specifically at Verse 18 chapter 8 verse 18 I am one who Bears witness of myself actually that's not it uh oh yeah I am one that same same thing it's ego a me I am one who bears witness of myself and the father who sent me Bears witness of me and then look at 24 specifically there in chapter 8 well look at verse 23 you are from beneath I am from above you are of this world I am not of this world therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins for if you do not believe that I am you will die in your sins see there's a bit of triage or hierarchy when it comes to Christian doctrine Brethren it's good that people understand the last things it's good that people understand the Lord's Supper it's good that people understand baptism it's good that people understand Baptist ecclesiology Presbyterian ecclesiology Dutch reformed ecclesiology all those are good things but all those things can be disagreed upon and one can still find themselves in the marriage supper of the Lamb you know what you can't get wrong you can't get wrong God you can't get wrong the Triune god father Son and Holy Spirit you can't get wrong christology unless you believe that I am what will happen you will die in your sins so with that in mind what ought to be the focus in gospel preaching gospel preaching what ought to be the focus in terms of our evangelism are we out there to make more Baptists I mean if God happens to make them Baptist we'll take it but the primary emphasis is to call them to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ to see him as all together are lovely to see him as Chief among 10,000 to see him as one in whom you too can have a part remember he says that to Simon Peter if I don't wash you you don't have any part with me and then we have this scene that we're examining this morning where's John John the Beloved disciple they would recline when they were at table they wouldn't have some sort of a chair like we had and and a table set up the way we did it was more of a declining situation where there was some intimacy and closeness the right hand would be available to take the food but there would be a an intimacy involved where do we see John he's right close to the Savior King where do we see Judas he's right close to the Savior King the fact that Jesus dips the bread and is able to hand it to Judas indicates that he's got some close degree of pro proximity Jesus didn't have to throw it across the room there you see this Jesus Is God from God light from light true God from true God the one in whom there is forgiveness the one in whom there is a righteousness the one in whom there is salvation this is why the apostles in the book of Acts go everywhere proclaiming him they're not out there to make Baptists and Presbyterians and Dutch reform they're out there to call Sinners needy desperate Hellbound sinners to closeth with Christ to believe on Christ to be saved by Christ to be washed in his Precious Blood and clothed in his impeccable righteousness such that they can one day stand before a thce holy God see Jesus is The Great I Am and he indicates this over and over and over again look at verse 28 when you lift up the son of man then you will know that I am see on the one hand when he's lifted up on that cross there's going to be a a whole host of emotion the disciples are going to be hurt the women attending him at the cross they're going to be hurt watching your friend crucified is probably no fun thing but as well just like the invocation of Psalm 41 just like his emphasis I've told you this so that when it happens you may come to believe that I am guess what else would transpire at the cross persons would say like the centurion does truly this is the Son of God notice as well chapter 8 at verse 58 and believe you me the Jews knew precisely what he was doing verse 57 then the Jews said to him you are not yet 50 years old and have you seen Abraham Jesus said to them most assuredly I say to you before Abraham was I am then they took up stones to throw at him but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple going through the midst of them and so passed by why did they pick up stones to throw at him because he being a man made himself equal with God because he being a man made himself equal with the I am they couldn't handle that Brethren as far as their law was concerned this man was a blasphemer and this man deserved to die 1319 same sort of an emphasis that we're looking at but then one other I am passage that we should look at inap chapter 18 it's in the Garden of Gethsemane it's a beautiful scene not in terms of the rest and the wretchedness and the wickedness and the lawlessness but the revelation of the IM amess of the Son of God notice specifically at chapter 18 verse 5 they answered him well verse four whom are you seeking they answered him Jesus of Nazareth Jesus said to them I am and Judas who betrayed him also stood with them now when he said to them I am they drew back and fell to the ground huh that's an interesting statement they drew back and fell to the ground were these all converted Christians that had gone to Sunday school that had learned the nyine Creed that had understood Caledon that knew that he was God from God like no but when he reveals to them his his identity as The Great I Am they draw back and they fall down why cuz they're they're in Terror this is what happens when you come into the presence of God most high remember those men of Beth sheemish that that just wanted appear into the Ark of the Covenant how'd that go man how how did that work out for you there is a Holiness and a majesty and a glory about our God and at times throughout the gospel narratives we see it in the person of our Lord Jesus Christ and these Roman soldiers saw it in the revelation of the fact that he was indeed I am and they draw back and they fall to the ground so back to John 13 Jesus wants them to understand who he is now I tell you before it comes that when it does come to pass you may believe that I am and then notice the nature of discipleship I think he speaks verse 20 one to encourage the disciples and two to highlight condemnation for Judas so notice the encouragement for the disciples in verse 20 I mean how would you think you're you're you're the 11 and Jesus says okay one of you or no you're the 12 and one of you in the midst of the 12 is going to betray me honestly Brethren I would think that's not good he's collected this band of marry men to to go out with his message to take it to the uttermost parts of the earth to to Canvas the world to call every tribe and tongue and people and Nation to Israel's God through the Messiah and and in our midst one out of 12 there there's a traitor there's a betrayer how are we going to do this this is going to be tough I mean we're not talking about teams we're not talking about thousands and and millions this is a real Gideon moment Remember When gide Ian is facing the midianites and what does God say you got too many troops you got you got to get rid of those soldiers again brethren we read that we know the outcome but if you're one of those troops aren't you kind of wondering hey wait a minute shouldn't we have more people to meet the enemy shouldn't we take more guns shouldn't we have more ammunition now God saying you know get rid of it Whittle it down get get to the Bare Bones in fact just grab 300 300 we we've got scads of men here we we could certainly clean house what does Yahweh demonstrate he doesn't need the numbers he doesn't need our agency he doesn't need our mediation he is God most high and so in this disciple group as you're looking about you and you're wondering which one is it you you might be a little bit shaken so what does Jesus do he wants to comfort them he wants to encourage them he wants to let them know that once he whittel away this dead Branch the the same parameters are in play the same truths obtained the same reality is theirs and he uses something he uses in the missionary discourse in Matthew's gospel in chapter 10 at verse 40 notice what he says here in verse 20 most assuredly I say to you he who receives whomever I send receives me just like in Matthew's gospel it's a beautiful statement in other words disciples you're not going on your own you're not going in your own power and in your own strength you're not going in your own authority you're rather delegates you're ambassadors you're you're the kuks the preacher you're the one sent by the king for the particular task at hand and when you go and when you function appropriately and accordingly you've got the authority of the king behind you you have the authority of Christ himself if they receive you they receive me he says what do you think that does to the 11 again they're probably still you know I'm not too sure about everything here but but I like that I like that concept I I like that reality I like that his authority backs us this is how he ends the the gospel narrative in Matthew Matthew 28 go therefore Make Disciples of all the nations baptize those disciples that you made in all the nations and then in the name of the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit teach them to observe all things that I have commanded you and what lo I am with you even to the End of the Age you're not going about this on your own isn't this what God does with Joshua go into the land Joshua Vanquish the Canaanites Joshua dispossess the land but you're not going alone you're not going to be by yourself you're not going at solo God promises his presence to Joshua in that campaign against the Canaanites well so does Jesus in our present campaign against the spiritual Canaanites that need to be vanquished from the land we do that through the proclamation of the gospel and the hope that they'll be transferred from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom the son of his love Joshua went in and broke heads Joshua went in and cut throats Joshua went in and did things that is not our prerogative to do in this new covenant era we follow Jesus our Joshua and he calls us to make disciples to baptize those disciples to trust in his presence and power as church now there might be that for some other agency but as church we don't wield the sword we rather preach the word and we pray for the Salvation of Sinners and for the advancement of the cause of Jesus so he encourages them most assuredly I say to you truly truly I say to you amen amen I say to you he who receives whomever I send receives me and then notice the condemnation for Judas Judas is still present Judas is here not here but there what do you think this is going to do and he who receives me receives him who sent me what's the flip side he who rejects me rejects the one who sent me we see that in John five you honor the son just as you honor the father you see it in John 8 as well that if there's love for adoration to and and and ownership of the father then you have the son but to deny the son is a rejection of the father so perhaps here he's speaking specifically again to encourage them you've got me you've got the father but to condemn the betrayer in their midst you really need to think about what you're doing here pal you really need to think about selling your soul for 30 pieces of silver you need to think about the fact that you are rejecting the god of Heaven and Earth for 30 pieces of silver you know we look at that and we say what jump change why would he do that I mean here he is right in the disciple group wh why is that well really is that a question that you have because people are doing it all the time around us you might be doing it may not be 30 pieces of silver but it may be a particular sin may not be 30 pieces of silver but it may be you know several hundred million dollars might be some drugs it might be some you know relationship or illicit relationships why would we go away from our blessed God to chase that which is not God that's the perennial issue isn't it that's what the son of man came to address we're Sinners we're messed up we're as bad as you can possibly get we are defiled we are Unholy you set before us the glory of Heaven and the Pains of hell guess where we default every single time unless God intervenes always help we'll always choose that which is contrary to our blessed God and savior so when we look at Judas here we ought to take a little bit of look at ourselves what what am I foregoing or what am I taking or pursuing instead of Jesus what what is that fruit what is that benefit what is that piece of joy that I'm cleaving to or clinging to instead of coming to the Savior and instead of believing on the Lord Jesus Christ we already know that Judas is a traitor we he's been announced in 670 and 71 we see that that that in John chap 12 at at the supper couple days before the Passover he's already you know niggling about money he's like well well you know what are we going to do with that money we we we we should make sure we have all that money we should we should want to make sure that we don't waste it on lavishes lavish expenses like like the Savior and His glory I mean again who does that right could you imagine being that guy in the group you're with the master somebody lavishes Glory upon him and you're the one who complains not because you're fastidiously committed to making sure the accounting is upright and every pendy is accounted for no because you're a thief and you want to steal what has been given to the service of the master the guy's a wretch he's a bad guy when it says that Satan entered him I don't think we interpret that like the demon possessions we see elsewhere in scripture you remember the the one who the boy was thrown on the ground and he went into violent convulsions or you've got the demoniac Legion by the tombs I don't think that's what's going on we' already got de uh the devil plying him setting before him this this Allure of money this Allure of stuff he's already on this path he's already got a predil to a to a traitorous spirit so when the devil enters him it simply confirms where he had already been heading and that brings us to consider that the identification of the Brethren of the betrayer specifically in verses 21 to 30 we'll keep this short so that we don't keep you long notice first the Declaration in verse 21 when Jesus had said these things he was troubled in spirit why cuz he had just said these things we see a troubled Spirit at the gravide of Lazarus in John 11 do you know what this shows us true Humanity just as he is God from God light from light true God from true God so he is man from Man true man from True man what is true of humanity accepting sin is true of our blessed savior in fact siriel makes the observation after eating his bread he lifted his heel against him he esteemed not honor not Glory not the law of love not the reverence owed to Christ as God nor anything else having to do with him instead he was focused only on the defiled daeni of the Jews he sold his own soul for just a few pieces of silver and he handed over innocent and righteous blood to the hands of polluted murderers the reason for Jesus being troubl then makes perfect sense Jesus announces this Jesus again true God from true God but true man when Jesus Is In The Garden of Gethsemane and he's sweating great drops of blood and he prays to the father if it is possible let this let this cup pass from me nevertheless not my will but thine be done that's true Humanity Brethren this is true Humanity to see a a troubled spirit in the context of betrayal and a traitor right if you knew that somebody was gossiping about you behind your back you knew that a friend somebody that you ate bread with was was running running you down how would you feel Ah that's great no you'd be troubled in spirit you've got intimacy with this person as Jesus and Judas had you've got intimacy to the point where you're eating together intimacy such that you can dip a a piece of bread and hand it to him and he's going to lift up the heel against you of course it's going to promote a troubled spirit in the heart of true humanity and that is precisely what we see here so notice what he says after this statement that he's troubled verse 21 most assuredly I say to you one of you will betray me one of you will betray me now on the heels of this there's a degree of confusion on the part of the disciples we see that in verses 22 to 2 Note their confusion first of all in verse 22 I think this speaks to three things notice in verse 22 then the disciples looked at one another perplexed about whom he spoke what does that indicate I think it indicates that Judas was pretty good at hiding his wickedness right I think it also indicates that they were pretty charitable well we knew it was Judas we knew it was that guy we always suspected him in the parallel in Matthew's gospel what does it say when Jesus says one of you will betray me you know what they say is it Judas no they say is it I is it is it me Lord they understood what the hyw writer would later capture we're prone to wander prone to leave the god that we love there's always that suspiciousness we maintain about our own Hearts isn't there we're not too sure about all the Going's on in there I mean for the most part we're happy we have Jesus we have his blood we have his righteousness but man once in a while you pull back a little bit of that heart and you go I I kind of wish that wasn't still there it's gross and disgusting so in that context when he says one of you will betray me is it I so so Judas could fake it pretty well they were pretty charitable but Jesus didn't treat him any differently Jesus didn't say you're the parah you you sit out there with the coats you you make sure nobody you know comes in with guns you you just ex you know secure the perimeter I think that's kind of owing to their confusion that really some someone's going to betray you like who who's going to do that like what manner of man does some something like that where's the suspiciousness on the part of him notice as well their question so this sort of statement between 23 to 25 uh s uh John is right there and and later John will identify John John is the Beloved disciple who wrote the Gospel of John he wrote the Epistles of John and he wrote the Book of Revelation and on several occasions he describes himself as being the Beloved disciple the one whom Jesus loved now according to his divinity Jesus doesn't love one more than the other that that would be impossible every object of God's love is most loved there's no increase there's no diminishment that's what we celebrate in the doctrine of divine impassibility but according to his Humanity he had an affinity for John he really loved him that that's okay that's all right you you don't and I don't have to be everybody's BFF there's a doctrine of friendship when when Jesus went into key situations he took Peter James and John I hope the other guys weren't say that's not fair he never takes us that's our kind of inclination isn't it isn't that sad pathetic oh I don't want to not be the bestest friend why not aren't you happy that that people have found somebody that they want to share their life with that that's okay there's a doctrine of friendship in the Bible and and that John is able to refer to himself as the one whom Jesus loved I don't think it's arrogance on his part he's not saying I'm you know I'm the mighty disciple that he loved more than anybody else no there was this Affinity there was this this this intimacy this closeness that they shared and that's okay Brethren that that's perfectly acceptable that's not sin I mean Jesus is Holy Harmon undefiled he he doesn't sin so there is this sort of question so Peter basically nods to John and says find out who it is and then the question is posed by John in verse 25 then leaning back on jesus' breast he said to him Lord Lord who is it and then there's a verbal response to John now based on the rest of the context I think it was a verbal response to John it wasn't for all of them because it wouldn't make sense well well they knew he dips the bread he hands the bread it's obviously the guy there's a very specific emphasis on the intimacy involved here John is leaning on the breast of Jesus and as one commentator pointed out we read that in the west and we kind of think that's kind of weird but in the Middle East there's a show of friendship that isn't weird between men it doesn't underscore or doesn't reveal any sort of hidden things about them no it's just a different culture and so there's this intimacy that has obtained with John the Beloved disciple with Jesus so when he answers him it is he to whom I shall give a piece of bread when I have dipped it the rest of the context would indicate that they didn't all hear this there's still some degree of confusion but then he actually engages in the action and notice in verse 26 and having dipped the bread he gave it to Judas scariot the son of Simon now after the piece of bread Satan entered him then Jesus said to him what you do do quickly that's interesting so what we see in verse to is the plan what we see here is the execution of the plan and as I said I don't think this is your garden variety demon possession where he's going to cast him down on the on the ground he's going to enter into convulsions and Jesus is going to you know whack the the demons right out of him he's confirmed in his godlessness he's confirmed in his wickedness as pul says so though the devil had formerly been moving Judas to this vile act and had his consent to it yet after he had taken this mouthful the devil plied him with stronger motions impulses and suggestions and now he had mastered his conscience and hardened his heart so as he was more prepared for the villainy about which he had some thoughts before so it's just showing the deal is sealed at this point and then when Jesus says what he does in verse 27 what you do do quickly that's interesting too isn't it serel of Alexandria suspects that Jesus is talking to the devil here Satan entered him so seriel says he's not talking to Judas at this point he's talking to the devil I don't know not saying that's wrong saying it's an interesting take I think Thomas has an interesting take that I think is a bit closer to it he's giving permission remember John 10:18 Jesus makes it very specific that no one takes his life from him what's Jesus saying when he says what you do do quickly he's showing his sovereignty he's showing his control he's showing his absoluteness he's showing that he is in fact the I am these are not Affairs or events that are out of his control these are not things that have sort of gotten away from him and and if we back up to chapter 12 and we even in chapter 13 we we read that the hour had arrived well what happens during the hour what happens during the hour is that the devil is cast out of this world what happens at the hour is that if I be lifted up I will draw all men to myself so Jesus knows what's happening Jesus understands that the arrival has come Jesus tells him in terms of permission go and do it let's do this because Jesus knows the outcome and what's going to happen consequent to his death and Resurrection I think the Apostle captures something of this in Hebrews 12:2 looking unto Jesus the author and finish of our of our faith listen to what it says who for the joy that was set before him the casting out of the devil the drawing all men to himself who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross despising the shame and has sat down at the right hand of the Throne of God I think that kind of gets at it whether he's talking to the devil or not I don't know not again not saying that's bad but I think it's closer to the fact that Jesus is displaying in the midst of this his hardship his Affliction his turmoil his trouble his difficulty he's in charge he's in control all these events are are are his to accomplish and the cross is there and the shame is there and the ignominy is there on the other side the salvation of the likes of you and I are there so he endures that he endures those things for the Salvation of his people again we've got misunderstanding verse 28 no one at the table knew for what reason he said this to him but they speculated some thought because Judas had the money box that Jesus had said to them buy those things we need for the feast or that he should give something to the poor so there's still this confusion but now notice according to verse 30 having received the bread he then went out immediately and it was night see Judas has now been cleansed from the disciple group their feet are clean their their group is clean so the upper room discourse now is the master to the servant with great intimacy with great love with great encouragement and with a great help to promote them in the task at hand to go to make disciples to baptize those disciples and then to teach those disciples but just before we close look at that it was night that's a historical detail to be sure but doesn't John and his gospel give us a lot of parallel between light and dark a lot of parallel between day and night with an ethical sort of a refence reference yeah it's night when when Judas goes out that you know you could see that it's it's a historical fact but there's some symbolism going on there in fact if you back up just a little bit in chapter 12 notice in verses 35 and 36 a little while longer the light is with you walk while you have the light lest Darkness overtake you He Who Walks in darkness does not know where he is going while you have the light believe in the light that you may become sons of Light verse 44 he who believes in me believes not in me but in him him who sent me and he who sees me sees him who sent me I have come as a light into the world that whoever believes in me should not abide in darkness and 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 he who rejects me and does not receive my words has that which judges him the word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day so there there is this Motif light good dark bad day good night bad and so that he goes out at night underscores the power of Darkness behind him and this mission that he has ACH assumed from the devil having entered him to accomplish this wicked deed Carson says doubtless this is a historical reminiscence but it is profound theology even though the Pascal moon was shining at the Judas was swallowed up by the most awful Darkness Judas was heading to his own place but in another way it was also the nighttime for Jesus it was the power or the hour rather of the power of Darkness well in conclusion we learn a couple of things with reference to Judas and with reference to Jesus always better to focus on Jesus than a Judas but Judas can be important and helpful for us in some other ways as well because being a fake being a hypocrite making a a profession and then living like the devil again it's in US Brethren is it I it's certainly in us to be prone to wander and prone to leave the god that we love it's certainly in us to stumble it's certainly in us to fall it's certainly in us to have to get up again have to go back to our Savior have to confess our sin and and plead the advocacy of Jesus Christ the righteous it's there I I know it's there not because I see you guys but I see this guy and it's unfortunate and it's perplexing there's a big difference between remaining corruption those those those struggles of the heart the good that I want to do I don't do and the evil I don't want to do I I find myself doing such that it brings you to that place with the Apostle in Romans 7 Wretched Man that I am who will deliver me from this body of death praise God for our lord Jesus see when we have that remaining corruption it brings us back to the cross it doesn't God through his grace and spirit does that that's remaining sin that's a reality that wasn't judas's problem he didn't just need his feet cleansed each and every day he needed to be born again he needed to be regenerated he needed to be saved he needed the spirit of God he needed faith in the Lord Jesus Christ he didn't have that he had the office of apostle but he didn't have the grace of a disciple and that man stands on these pages is wagging his dead sinful reprobate finger at all of us causing us to reflect why am I here am I only here because mom or dad makes me come am I only here because my husband or wife makes me come am I here in terms of a profession of Faith because that's what everybody around me does or am I here because he's altogether lovely and chief among 10,000 am I here because I I want a part in him I'm here because I want to lay my head on his breast and eat bread with with it am I here for the right reasons I don't just mean church I mean profession of Faith confessing our our great and glorious doctrines again Judas had that Judas had success Judas came back having seen the power of God at work and yet Judas did not have the Lord Jesus Christ it's just a simple question today where are you is it remaining corruption that you're struggling with join the club I you know how do I fix it Pastor I don't know when you do come and teach me cuz it's this ongoing situation that you see spelled out in Romans 7 and Galatians 5 it's the reality it's the fact that Simon Peter is going to deny his blessed savior not to the emperor of Rome but to a servant girl it's the the the The Wretched reality that David when when kings go out to battle stayed behind sent out joab and then ended up committing adultery and murder that that's the reality of the Christian Life and I'm not I'm not minimizing that but I'm suggesting if anyone does sin we have an advocate with the father even Jesus Christ the righteous but if you've got reigning sin you have no desire for Jesus no faith in Jesus no love for Jesus what's the answer the answer is to come to Jesus Lord to whom shall we go you you have the words of eternal life he's able to heal the heart even of the I don't necessarily want you sort of a sin he's that glorious and that wondrous and that good all who come to me I will in no wise cast out so learn from Judas hypocrisy bad learn from Jesus there is forgiveness with him that he may be feared he is The Great I Am he is the Divine being he is the one in whom there is forgiveness and a fullon righteousness that avails with his father and in heaven come to him in faith and you'll have everlasting life well let us pray our gracious God and our Holy Father we thank you though a very difficult passage on the one hand as it represents our our race our Humanity our our our personhood in a very negative light but on the other hand it shows the supremacy the glory and even the goodness of our Lord Jesus once he gets rid of the traitor he deals very intimately and kindly with his with his disciples I pray father that all over this Earth today as the gospel Goes Forth you would be pleased to draw many out of Darkness into Marvelous Light confessing faith in Jesus our lord and we pray in his Most Blessed name amen well we'll stand and close our worship this morning by singing number 572 572 again we'll stand as we sing your [Music] heart shall Grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all amen thank you Father for such a wonderful savior thank you for the son of your love your only begotten son we thank you for his life death resurrection and pray God that you would cause us to reflect on this each and every day and stand in light of calvary's cross we ask this through Jesus Christ Our Lord amen we may be seated for a brief time of meditation