← Back to sermon library

e e e e e e e e e e e e good morning everyone welcome back to free Grace Baptist Church warm welcome to the visitor amongst us and for announcements this morning we do have a fellowship meal today after the morning service so if you're visiting with us and you didn't come prepared that's perfectly fine there's always lots of extra food we make extra for the for the visitors so join us it's a good time to get to know each other our evening service this evening again at 5:00 p.m. and the usual Wednesday night bible study at 7:30 this coming Saturday is our annual General meeting which takes place here at the church also in the fellowship hall that'll be at 700 p.m. for members and adherance if you come regularly you're welcome to attend and to review What the Lord Has Done in the past year and what we look forward to in the year ahead for our call to worship please turn to Psalm 8 Psalm 8 for our call to worship to the chief musician on the instrument of gath a Psalm of David oh Lord our Lord how excellent is your name in all the Earth who have set your glory above the heavens out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants you have ordained strength because of your enemies that you may silence the enemy and the Avenger when I consider your Heavens the work of your fingers the moon and the stars which you have ordained what is man that you are mindful of him and the son of man that you visit him for you have made him a little lower than the angels and you have crowned him with Glory and Honor you have made him to have dominion over the works of your hands you have put all things under his feet all sheep and oxen even the beasts of the field the birds of the air and the fish of the sea that pass through the paths of the seas oh Lord our Lord how excellent is your name in all the Earth amen to begin with we're going to sing Psalm 85 from the sulter Himel Psalm 85 to a familiar tune please stand with me as we sing together the we of you restor his your you turn us your us we re in you show us for your and mercy for Sal the to his and to to those his salv is his glory May s and TR together rightous Heaven from the earth fa is the Lord will give us his right will for his let's turn to the Lord in prayer our gracious heavenly father as we were just reminded in the psalm that we sang we are privileged to know you and in your mercy and in your kindness You' have shown favor toward us we know Lord that when we turn back to our foolish ways when we go after things that are not proper and not righteous you bring us back you chastise us you set us back on the right path and we thank you for your kindness in doing so we pray oh God that you would continue to bless this congre conation we thank you that you've been with us throughout this past week you've protected us and watched over us and and been merciful to us we thank you for the blessings that are are frequently ours every day you shower us with with what we need we often take for granted the things that we have at our disposal here food shelter clothing and many many other blessings we know this is not the case for all of your people all over the face of the Earth but we thank you for the kindness that you have poured out upon us and Lord we pray for this day of blessing thank you that you've given us the opportunity to gather as a church and we pray oh God that you would be pleased with our worship we pray that you would cleanse us this day that you would bring to our our hearts and our conscience those things that we need to repent of and I pray oh God you would encourage us along the way I pray that you would bless our time of Fellowship after the service this morning Lord I pray that your people would dwell together in unity here in this place we pray likewise for our sister Church churches and church plants bless the congregation in Suri this morning bless the brethren in the north Okanogan in Armstrong bless our dear friends out in Ontario dren I pray Lord that you would encourage them do them good this day Lord we pray that you would be gracious and merciful to your people all over the face of the Earth we know that there are many that are suffering this day we think in particular of those in the country of Myanmar where this horrible Civil War continues to rage Lord I pray that you'd be gracious to those of your people that are in a state of suffering there be gracious and merciful to them this day I pray that you'd bring this conflict to an end and that peace would once again come to that country we know that permanent peace will only come when Christ returns and sets up uh an everlasting Kingdom and we know oh God that is even now through the preaching of the Gospel you redeem societies to yourself and that the kingdom of God is established in righteousness and peace Reigns wherever that gospel prospers so we pray that the Holy Spirit would do that work this day wherever the gospel is preached Lord from other pulpits in this city we pray where the gospel is preached there would be the attending spirit of God to apply it to the hearts of individuals that are listening we pray this day you would call a great many people into the kingdom of God out of Darkness this very day in this city of chilak and across this nation of Canada Lord be gracious to your people we pray that you'd continue with us this day we pray in particular for our young people and our children that you would work in their hearts as the gospel Goes Forth Lord we pray even for the the babes in the womb this day that they would know something of your presence the way uh you have blessed in the past we know that John the Baptist leapt for joy in the womb of his mother when he was exposed to the living Christ and we pray oh God that even in the womb the children this day in this congregation would be blessed go with us as we worship and continue your blessing upon us I pray in Jesus name amen for our next hymn we'll turn to 429 in the Himel 429 Come Thou F of Every Blessing 429 please stand with me again bless to my heart to sing PR of mercy evering of PR changing here I and to Jesus a strer the to Res from danger his [Music] precious my heart to to my heart seeing for [Music] you may be seated for our morning scripture reading we're continuing in Matthew chapter 19 where we left off last Sunday Matthew chapter 19 and beginning in verse 16 to the end of the chapter Matthew 19:16 Now Behold one came and said to him good teacher what shall I do that I may have eternal life so he said to him why do you call me good no one is good but one that is God but if you want to enter into life keep the Commandments he said to him which ones Jesus said You shall not murder you shall not commit adultery you shall not steal you shall not bear false witness honor your father and mother and you shall love your neighbor as yourself the young man said to him all these things I've kept from my youth what do I still lack Jesus said to him if you want to be perfect perf go sell what you have and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven and come follow me but when the young man heard that saying he went away sorrowful for he had great possessions then Jesus said to his disciples assuredly I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven and again I say to you it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God when his disciples heard it they were greatly astonished saying who then can be saved but Jesus looked at them and said to them with men this is impossible but With God all things are possible then Peter answered and said to him see we have left all and followed you therefore what shall we have so Jesus said to them assuredly I say to you that in the Regeneration when the son of man sits on the throne of his glory you who have followed me will also sit on 12 Thrones judging the 12 tribes of isra Israel and everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands for my name's sake shall receive a h hundredfold and inherit eternal life but many who are first will be last and the last first amen let us pray gracious Father in heaven we thank you that Christ knew in his wisdom and in his omnipotence and om omniscience he knew exactly what the issue was in the heart of this man and you know exactly what is the issue in the in our hearts and Lord sometimes it's not outward and remarkable sins but we all break the Commandments every day and we tend to break that tenth commandment over and over and over again uh with envy and wanting things for ourselves and not looking out for the the needs of others Lord I pray you'd be gracious to us I pray that you would forgive us of the sins as well cause us Lord to have a heart like Christ and Lord we pray that you'd be merciful to your people that suffer persecution as Christ reminds us here they will inherit great things in the Kingdom to come we pray for those that even in our midst have suffered persecution perhaps have been cut off from family have have suff suffered ostracism from former friends and acquaintances Lord be merciful to us but we pray for those that are Act being hounded this day being sought out being thrown into prison this carries on ever since the day of the early church to this very day and we pray oh God you be merciful to your people those who are languishing in prison for the sake of the gospel and for the name of Christ we pray that you'd be gracious to them this day and may your presence may your spirit encourage and comfort them and we pray these things in Jesus name amen for our final himym we're going to sing Psalm 99a 99a in the sulter and stand with me again as we sing [Music] aome mighty in his and all the god and the holy all the glor well you can turn with me in your Bibles to John's gospel as we work our way through this fourth gospel we're in John Chapter 13 our Focus this morning will be verses 31 to 38 but I'll pick up reading at verse 18 John Chapter 13 beginning in verse 18 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 heel against me now I tell you before it comes 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 rece 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 motion 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 dip uh dipped it and having dipped the bread he gave it to judas's 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 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 so then or so when he had gone out Jesus said now the son of man is glorified and God is glorified in him if God is glorified in him God will also glorify him in himself and glorify him immediately little children I shall be with you a little while longer you will seek me and as I said to the Jews where I am going you cannot come so now I say to you a new commandment I give to you that you love one another as I have loved you that you also love one another by this all will know that you are my disciples if you have love for one another Simon Peter said to him Lord where are you going Jesus answered him where I am going you cannot follow me now but you shall follow me afterward Peter said to him Lord why can I not follow you now I will lay down my life for your sake Jesus answered him will you lay down your life for my sake most assuredly I say to you the rooster shall not Crow till you have denied me three times amen well let us pray Our God and our father we thank you for your word we thank you that all scripture is given by inspiration of God we know it's profitable for do for reproof for correction and for instruction in righteousness and we pray that even now you'd cause us to reflect upon this passage to see the glory of the son to see our need as disciples to express love for one another and may we take heed to what is Spoken Here concerning the denial by Simon Peter help us to be a watchful and a prayerful people as we saying we are prone to wander prone to leave the god that we love so we pray that by the presence and the power of the Holy Spirit you would keep us you would cause us to press onward by your grace and For Your Glory and as well God we pray for any and all who've come here this morning dead in their trespasses and sins we pray that today would be the day of of Salvation that you'd open their hearts to receive the truth we know that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God so may this be a day of rejoicing in heaven over Sinners who repent forgive us now for all sin and uncleanness and unrighteousness wash Us in that precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ and send forth the spirit to guide us as we consider your word and we pray in jesus' name amen well as I mentioned last time we are in what's called The Upper Room discourse so just prior to his death this is taking place on the Thursday and of course Friday he will go to the Cross we refer to that in history at least as Good Friday so Jesus wants to encourage the disciples he wants to impart wisdom to the disciples they have the task after his Ascension on high to go therefore and to make disciples of all the nations to baptize those that are made and then to teach them we see that in the book of Acts in terms of proclamation discipl making and then church planting so the Lord wants to encourage his disciples so I've read the section where he gets rid of the betrayer he identifies judas's scariot there's a bit of a puzzle there why didn't they hear that I think that Jesus spoke specifically to John John was very close in terms of proximity he said what he said in terms of Dipping the bread and so there was a bit of confusion when Judas got up they didn't really know why it was but in verse 30 we read that the traitor or the betrayer is now gone and then if you notice the language used by our Lord in verse 33 he says little children so he speaks intimately now to the disciple group The traitor's gone the betrayer is gone the unclean one is gone so he wants to address his disciples and he does so in three ways first he speaks of his own Glory so we see the glory glory of the son in verses 31 and 32 secondly the love of the disciples in verses 33 to35 and then finally the denial by Peter in verses 36- 38 so notice first with reference to the glory of the son in verses 31 and 32 so when he had gone out Jesus said now the son of man is glorified and God is glorified in him if God is glorified in him God will also glorify him in himself and glorify him immediately so again the context the departure of Judas now sets the uh the context for jesus' disciples and them alone and this declaration now the son of man is glorified we know as we've studied through John's gospel there's been this emphasis on the hour and the hour is the time of Christ's death and Resurrection in fact if you go back to chapter 12 specifically at verse 23 Jesus answered them saying the hour has come that the son of man should be glorified drop down to verse 27 now my soul is troubled and what shall I say father save me from this hour and then again in the immediate context in John 13:1 now before the Feast of the Passover when Jesus knew that his hour had come that he should depart so the now points to the hour and the hour is that time of his death on the cross and his resurrection again and it's at that point that that Jesus speaks of his glory and he speaks of it as already having been completed he's not going to reneg he's not going to turn back he has set his face like a flint according to the prophecy of Isaiah and he is steadfast in Jerusalem he is going to die he is going to be raised again the third day so he can speak of it as a present reality when he says there in verse 31 now the son of man is glorified sirel says but the perfection and fullness of Glory was surely in the fact that he suffered for the life of the world and that by his own Resurrection he opened up way for the resurrection of all so what Jesus is saying here is that this event the hour is going to mean glory for himself it is going to mean glory for his father and the father is going to glorify him and that's precisely what he says notice in verse 32 if God is glorified in him God will also glorify him in self and glorify him immediately again the proximity to the time it's Thursday it's going to be Friday when he goes to that cross he speaks of it as having been accomplished and he realizes that that glory is predicated upon the crosswork uh prior to this notice in John 12 again veres 27 and 28 just read verse 27 now my soul is troubled and what shall I say father saved me from this hour but for this purpose I came to this hour Jesus didn't come first first and foremost to set an example he certainly is that but that's not the primary emphasis that we find in the New Covenant or in the old Covenant prophesied concerning the Messiah that would come to save his people from their sins not by just setting a good example on how to love one another how to be kind to one another we're not that we're not loving we're not kind we are sinful people the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked Christ came in order that we might be saved the Apostle Paul says that the Jews they request signs and the Greeks want wisdom but Paul says we preach Christ and him crucified so the primary purpose for which our Lord came was not simply to set an example of how man is to love one another other words it's not simply exemplary but he says for this purpose I came to this hour he says this all throughout his ministry to zachus he says the son of man has come to seek and to save that which was lost he says that in in Matthew 9 after the salvation of Matthew himself and then the Pharisees start to complain and Grumble because Jesus along with Matthew is with a bunch of other Sinners Jesus says it's not the the the the the the healthy that need the physician but rather it's the sick he came to save his people from their sins and that's what he highlights here but for this purpose I came to this hour and then notice in verse 28 father glorify your name so at the cross our God most high would be glorified as well God most high would glorify his son who is God most high when we ask the question how is Jesus glorified it's not according to his divinity in John 1:1 we read in the beginning was the word and the Word was with God and the Word was God there's no increase in his glory as God there's no diminishment of his glory as God it is essential to him what is unique here is that he now has in the language of 114 assumed our flesh the son or rather the word of God became flesh and dwelt Among Us so the glory comes as a result of the Assumption of our Humanity by the Son of God in other words the father is well pleased with the son and then confers upon him this Glory again it's not because of godness he is God he never ceases to be God and you cannot strip him or add to him any degree of Glory it's according to his Humanity it's according to his God Maness Ness that he assumed our Humanity he lays down our uh his life for us you see something similar in Matthew 28 Matthew 28 at the Great Commission our Lord says all authority in heaven and on Earth has been given to me not as he's God he never stopped being God he never ceased being Divine he didn't substitute Humanity for Divinity the glory of the Incarnation is that though he was rich yet for your sakes he became poor that you through his poverty might be rich in him so the glory of the Incarnation is in the Assumption of our Humanity it's not in the laying aside of his divinity it's not in the laying aside of his glory so with the father and the spirit they are glorified so according to is Humanity when he assumes our our flesh when he lives for us when he dies for us when he's raised again for us the father is pleased with that you see that in Philippians chapter 2 therefore God has also highly exalted him and given him the name which is above every name again not true as word he always had that but as the the the word became flesh he has this Authority this Majesty this Glory conferred upon him as a result of his mediatorial work on our behalf so when the priest goes to the Cross to lay down his life for the Sheep the father is glorified in the work that the son has done and then the Father reciprocally glorifies the Son for the work that has been accomplished so in all this we ought to see practically that our Salvation brings glory to God in other words it is a blessed thing it is a wonderful thing in the last hour we went through the the confession in chapter 10 on effectual calling and our brother cam LED that study and he pointed us to Ezekiel 36 and it's interesting in Ezekiel 36 you have sort of the background to what we call regeneration of the new birth in fact Jesus chides Nicodemus in John 3 says are you the teacher in Israel and you don't understand these things what's the point you should have understood these things where God says I will take out your old Stony heart I will put in a new fleshly heart I will give my spirit I will give you my law I will write those things on your heart all the benefits promised by God in the old Covenant are Y and amen in the New Covenant through our Lord Jesus Christ but what is intriguing there in Ezekiel 36 is that a couple of times God says I don't do this for you now he does because we benefit and we are then enabled to go to heaven but he does it for his name's sake in other words we proclaim the gospel such that Sinners are saved so that God is glorified so that God is magnified so that God is exalted Even in our soul wining Even in our missions it is God who is uppermost it is God who is foremost it's for his honor and praise isn't this how Jesus taught us to pray in the Lord's prayer before we get to our food before we get to our protection before we get to uh our forgiveness what is God God or what does Jesus teach us Hallowed be thy name there's a priority in the Lord's Prayer and we're secondary it's God's name it's God's kingdom and God's will that comes F first so when you look at verses 31 and 32 and if you're ever having a a sort of a bad day and you're wondering oh I I don't always live as I ought well you don't I I need more of the Holy Spirit yeah you do but you are a conquered blood-bought trophy of our Lord Jesus Christ that redounds to the the praise and glory and honor of the most high Brethren that is a good thing to contemplate and I think that then serves as the impetus for us to engage in a life that is well pleasing to God in fact turn to the book of Ephesians for something parallel in this connection Ephesians chapter 3 Ephesians chapter 3 it's a beautiful statement that confirms what I'm trying to get across here in a way that's much better because it's Paul but notice in Ephesians 3 specific spefically at verse 8 to me who am less than the least of all the saints this Grace was given he's basically transition between the doctrinal section and chapters 1 and two in the Practical section in chapters 4 to 6 he's placing himself or locating himself in Redemptive history how he has the unique privilege to be the Apostle to the Gentiles such that the mystery of God is now made known F uh specifically being that Gentiles are included in the promises uh the Covenant promises made to Israel so notice in verse 8 to me who am less than the least of all the saints this Grace was given that I should preach among the Gentiles The unsearchable Riches of Christ and to make all see what is the Fellowship of the mystery which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ now notice this language in verse 10 to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in The Heavenly places according to the Eternal purpose Pur which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our lord in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in him get that verse 10 to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to these principalities so I think what Paul is saying is that if angels have an occasion to look down upon a church Gathering like ours and you know you hope they do there's also a reference to this in 1 Corinthians chap 11 the Angels aren't just sort of you know often some distant place in eternity strumming Harps and floating on clouds they they're God's ministers and as well God's Witnesses well when the angels look down upon upon a group like this do you think they say boy I'm so glad that guy exercised his free will to come to Jesus I am so glad that that girl who who was having these difficult problems in terms of her own life has has overcome them and has now sealed her fate with Jesus Christ that's not what they're doing they're looking looking at us and praising God they're looking at us and glorifying God they're looking at us and and praising the Redemptive reality which is Jesus Christ Our Lord in other words the glory of God is Manifest at the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ and that's what he speaks to here in the upper room he wants the disciples to know that whatever the hour brings in terms of Shame ignominy pain suffering blood and ultimately death he wants them to know that this is the hour of Glory the glory of the son as the word became flesh the glory of the father as he is pleased with the work of the son your salvation means a lot to you but it better mean as well the glory of God most high isn't this the prophet Isaiah as well he shall see the travail of his soul and be what be satisfied in other words Jesus endured the shame of the Cross why for the joy that was set before him what was the joy set before him the rescue of a miserable lot like you and I from every tribe tongue people and Nation so the glory of God is calculated here to encourage the disciples that whatever the hour brings it isn't a diminishment of his glory but rather in terms of his role as mediator it is the Pinnacle of his glory this is an encouragement to them and I hope it is to us your Sal salvation is not owing to your good choices it's not owing to your good behavior it's not owing to your law lawfulness it is owing to the glory of Jesus Christ and his death and resurrection and then notice secondly he speaks specifically to the disciples with reference to love he mentions his departure in verse 33 again that term of endearment little children I shall be with you a little while longer you will seek me and as I said to the Jews where I am going and you cannot come so now I say to you the near uh the nature of the following discourse he is encouraging them building them up and certainly when he gets to verses 34 and 35 this is something they're going to need to demonstrate now if you've been coming to this church at you know for any time at all you'll know that we really love Doctrine we really love scripture and we make a lot of emphasis on that you know Paul says if we have all that we have the gifts of tongues of angels and we don't have love then we're we're useless we're worthless and so that's what Jesus commends to the disciples the men that are armed with the truth armed with the spirit must be clothed with love when they go out on that missionary Endeavor to call Sinners unto faith in Jesus Christ but before he gets there specifically in verses 34 and 35 listen to what he says little children I shall be with you a little while longer again the cross is coming the hour has arrived he knows its imminence he knows his death is is on the on on tomorrow and then as well he says uh I shall be with you a little while longer you will seek me and as I said to the Jews where I am going you cannot come so now I say to you he had said this to the Jews on two occasions in John's gospel look at chapter 7 specifically at verses 32-36 chapter 7:32 the Pharisees heard the murmuring these things concerning him and the Pharisees and the chief priests sent officers to take him then Jesus said to them I shall be with you a little while longer and then I go to him who sent me you will seek me and not find me and where I am you cannot come then the Jews said among themselves where does he intend to go that we shall not find him does he intend to go to the dispersion among the Greeks and teach the Greeks what is this thing that he said you will seek me and not find me and where I am you cannot come so there's a lot of confusion about this statement but in the disciple group there's confusion as well because when we get to verse 36 Peter doesn't hear anything about the new commandment Peter hears the little while Peter hears that I'm going away from you we'll get to Peter in a moment but on this occasion Jesus says I I'm I'm leaving I'm going away notice in chapter 8 as well chapter 8 specifically at verse 21 then Jesus said to them again I am going away and you will seek me and will will die in your sin where I go you cannot come so back to John 13 He makes this statement to the disciples little children I shall be with you a little while longer you will seek me and as I said to the Jews where I am going you cannot come so now I say to you so the words that he speaks here are the same on the one hand as he spoke to the unbelieving Jews but on the other hand notice what he does say to Peter in verse 36 six where I am going you cannot follow me now but you shall follow me afterward so to the Jews there's a closed door the reprobate there is no access but to the elect of God to the disciple of Jesus Christ you're not going to go with him to the Cross because that's not your purpose you can't atone for the sins of your people but you will eventually go to where he is you won't undergo the hour but you'll receive the glory and the crown in that age to come so the unbelieving Jews he condemns them basically he says to them you're going off to Everlasting punishment you're going off to hell but for the disciples you're going to seek me but you can't come because you can't endure the cross this is not your hour but rather it is mine but because of that hour I'm going to receive you to myself and that's precisely what he addresses says in John 14 I go to prepare a place for you not for those reprobate Jews not for the Heathen that don't believe not for the false religionist that that choose a chooses an alternate way Jesus is the way the truth and the life no one comes to the father except through him he prepares Mansions he prepares an abode he prepares through his own crosswork for us blessedness and wonderfulness and and goodness and Glory if we're Justified freely by his grace we will be Sanctified by the power and the presence of the Holy Spirit and we will one day be glorified and enter in to Emmanuel's land so he lays that down for them to consider and then on the heels of that he gives them this new commandment notice in verse 34 a new commandment I give to you that you love one another as I have loved you that you also love one another there's three contexts I think we need to appreciate here first the immediate notice in John 13:1 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 so because Jesus loves his own I know this is going to sound revolutionary his own must love each other I know it's a tough one but that's what he says because he loves us because he lays down his life for us because he cleanses Us in his blood and clothes Us in his righteousness it's not because we love one another that we're saved that's the consequence of us having been saved so the immediate context is his love for the disciples therefore encourages disciples to love one another but as well secondly the old Covenant context didn't the Old Testament tell people to love each other yeah it it sure did in fact in our studies in The Book of Leviticus on Wednesday night I think I pointed out Leviticus 19 is the old Covenant equivalent to 1 Corinthians 13 it's the great love chapter how should love be manifest within the Covenant Community of Israel and specifically in Leviticus 19: 18 at the second part it says but you shall love your neighbor as yourself I am the Lord so when we look at verse 34 we say a a new commandment that that's not new necessarily we've never been told to hate each other we're to love each other as as ourselves I think the newness of the Commandment is seen in the standard that is given so notice what we see in verse 34 a new commandment I give to you that you love one another as I have loved you that's the standard the newness of the new commandment here is the standard by which we're to love one another so so love your neighbor as yourself what's Jesus saying here love your neighbor the way that I have loved you brethren we don't love him as we ought we don't love each other as we ought even on the best of days when we're trying to be Leviticus 1918 be sorts of guys and girls and we love our neighbor as ourselves we still fall woefully short the standard in this new covenant arena is love as Christ loved the church and gave himself for her John Gil says as brethren in the same family children of the same father and fellow disciples with each other by keeping and agreeing together praying for one another or praying one for another bearing one another's burdens forbearing and forgiving one another admonishing each other and building up one another in faith and Holiness and this he calls a new commandment that is a very excellent one as a new name and a new song denote excellent ones or it is so called because it is set forth by Christ in a new addition of it and newly and more clearly explained than before and being enforced with a new argument and pattern never used before so yeah love your neighbor as yourself to be sure but love one another just as I have loved you now when we reflect upon the love of Jesus we know first and foremost most that it is constant it's constant look at verse one again in Chapter 13 He says having loved his own who were in the world he loved them to the end so that means our love for one another must be constant we can be fair weather fans can't we we can be those sorts of people that's well as long as you're lovely then I'll love you back you see that's not what you find in the EXP Exposition in the New Covenant what does Paul say in Ephesians chapter 5 husbands love your wives just as Christ loved the church and gave himself for her and you're going to raise your hand and you say well she's not really lovely today that doesn't matter that's not the predicate our obedience is never conditioned upon the object loved our obedience is conditioned upon the fact that God commands us to love wouldn't it be nice well she's not lovely today so I'm not going to love her as I ought or conversy you know he's being kind of an ogre today or a tyrant so I'm not going to submit to him as I ought there's no if then conditional nness in terms of our obedience to God's holy word as the Blood Bought children of God we will learn later in this discourse that if you love me you'll keep my Commandments again not unto salvation but because we have been saved and this is the consequent the fruit or the effect of God's justifying Grace so Jesus love in the first place is constant as well I've already alluded to this jesus' love is self-sacrificial love your neighbor as yourself Jesus is saying no not that that's bad again I'm not suggesting that you shouldn't love your neighbor as yourself but this love as I have loved you suggests self- sacrifice again we appreciate it in the husband wife relationship I mean that's one flesh with you right that's Paul's argument in Ephesians chapter 5 of course a husband is going to take a bullet for his wife of course a I mean you better of course a husband's going to jump on the grenade for his wife of course the husband's going to stand up against the thugs for his wife because he's supposed to love her as Christ loved the church and gave himself for her do you see what Jesus is saying it's not just your wives I mean if anybody ever lobs a grenade into this building it'll be curious to see what happens everybody fle and runs ah I got to get out of here and I'm not asting that's the worst response but is there going to be the one that jumps on it is there going to be the one that loves self sacrificially what does Jesus say in Matthew 20 the son of man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life a ransom for many so the love of Jesus is constant the love of Jesus is self-sacrificing and as well the love of Jesus in this context and elsewhere is towards Sinners I've already mentioned this bre brethen your love for fellow Sinners is not predicated on their behavior in so far as you do good today then I love you in so far as you do what I think you should do I'm going to love you it's kind of like the golden rule in Matthew 7:12 do un to others as you would have them do unto you it doesn't say do unto others in so far as they do unto you do unto others what you would like for them to do so you can't argue well they don't treat me that way so I'm not that's not the nature of the command the nature of the command is to treat them the way that you want to be treated it's a bit of a different spin isn't it we like conditional love we like to you know filter everything through what we approve of and in so far as you're performing then I will love you the love for Jesus in this context that is constant that is self-sacrificial is directed to Sinners it's not directed to them as you know they ought to be it is directed to them as they are now through the sanctifying power of His holy spirit they they get better they grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ but but just listen to what he says you love one another as I have loved you that's the calling that we have as God's people relative to this love but then notice what he says this is what identifies you as jesus' disciples notice in verse 35 he says by this all all will know that you are my disciples if you subscribe to the second London Confession of Faith by this all will know that you are my disciples if you've read buroff cover to cover all by this all will know that you are my disciples if you've got turte and you have even read them that's not what he says Brethren and I don't want to negate truth because it's not an either or sometimes you get this in Christianity well we we just need to be about loving Jesus it doesn't really matter what we believe yes it does but as well we we only need to believe yes we do we need theological accuracy we need doctrinal content we need confessions like our confession but we need to Bath it in love or our our response to others in love that's what he's saying here by this all men will know that you are my disciples if you have love for one another that is an intriguing thing for us to consider the love of the Brethren you can turn to 1 John chap 3 the love of the Brethren is self-confirming to the brethren in other words we know that we have passed from Death to life because we love people we didn't formerly love have you ever looked around on a Sunday morning and said you know all things being equal if I wasn't saved I wouldn't ever be with these people and I don't mean like these people I'm not saying it's probably sounded like that but that's not what I meant but but seriously would you have hung out with me if you weren't a Believer I wouldn't want to hang out with me and I am a believer so so so so what brings us to this place where the principalities look down and they give glory to God most high what is it it's God's grace notice in first John chapter 3 specifically at verse for uh verse 13 do not Marvel my brethren if the world hates you we know that we have passed from Death to life because we love the Brethren he who does not love his brother abides in death now John's not saying everybody in the church is your best friend forever everybody in the church is as possibly close to you as anybody could ever be no but there is this litness test in terms of understanding whether or not we're in a state of grace and one of those tests is we we love each other sure we need to grow in our love sure we need to be more constant we need to be more s self-sacrificial we need to understand that they're Sinners and even as redeemed Sinners they still got blemishes they still got spots they still got wrinkles but we love each other right yes that that that's true well why is that because we've passed from Death to life there's that internal testimony of the Holy Spirit working by and word uh with the word of God to convince us say yeah this is a good sign heathens and pagans don't love Christians Heathen and pagans like to burn Christians Heathen and pagans like to extracise or or or ostric Christians Heathen and pagans when they rule they rule with an iron hand over the Christians but we love the Christians why is that because by God's grace you passed from Death to life and it is unique to the people of God that they love one another based on God's grace but as we learn here in John 13 at verse 35 this as well is others confirming of Grace in the heart in other words by this all men will know that you are my disciples if you have love for one another Thomas made the observation one who is in the army of a king should wear his emblem right you've probably seen that in battle scenes youve got somebody carrying the flag in a battle I'd rather carry a gun but I know that somebody has to carry the flag because the Flag represents whose side you're on right even worse than the flag is the drummer I yeah that's a Target on your all over you there is this representation involved there is an emblem of the king stamped upon us he says one who is in the army of a king should wear this emblem the emblem of Christ is the emblem of Charity so anyone who wants to be in the army of Christ should be stamped with the emblem of Charity and again Brethren it's not an either or proposition well all they do at their church is study the Bible as if that's bad but we ought to do it with love love for God love for one another or those churches well you know we don't really put a premum on premium on Doctrine here we just we just you know gush love all over each other it's not an either or it must be both and 1 Corinthians 13:6 tells us that love re rejoices in truth as well there's this this bit in in a in an early Christian epistle to dianus probably dated around somewhere between AD 150 to 225 and I think this is very instructive in a whole lot of sort of applications but specifically for this one in this epistle to dianus we read for Christians are not distinguished from the the rest of humanity by country language or custom they don't you know just build houses on the top of Mount sham and have their Enclave there and nobody gets up and nobody comes out no we live amongst the Heathen we live amongst the pagans we live amongst the god haters we live amongst the the the rabble right the ho pooy we're we're in it we're in the world we're not of it but we're in it we don't try to escape it I mean sometimes flying to the moon or going to northern Idaho seems pretty pretty tempting especially here here in Canada but but we're not different that way see Brethren when you look at history and the Christian Movement you didn't say well those ones are Christians cuz look at their uniform those ones are Christians cuz look at what they do this particular way now certainly if they see going to church that's something you know particular in terms of Sabbath and all that sort of thing but back to dianas for Christians are not distinguished from the rest of humanity by country language or custom for nowhere do they live in cities of Their Own nor do they speak some unusual dialect nor do they practice an eccentric way of life in other words they look like everybody else but when you start to boil them down and I hope this doesn't happen what will you find love to God and love to one another the kind of love that's constant the kind of love that's self-sacrificing the kind of love that sees persons as Sinners who nevertheless are to be loved because God commands it so what differentiates the people of God isn't custom language dialect or any sort of a thing like that some eccentricity but what distinguishes Christ's people according to Christ himself in 13:35 is that you love one another by this all men will know it has a self confirming influence according to First John but it has an others confirming influence as well from John 13:35 and we ask the question I I already mentioned Peter just skips over this he gets get right to the little time a little while we'll get to that in just a moment in verse in just a little while in verse 36 but but but did they did they internalize this was this something Paramount in the minds of the men that were present with our Lord in this Upper Room well Paul wasn't present in the upper room I'm just going to call out a couple of texts in Paul Romans 13 and 1 Corinthians 13 did Paul think it was necessary for the people of God to love one another yes absolutely positively he thought that but what about Peter turn to First Peter chap 1 1 Peter chapter 1 another passage we looked at in our study this morning but a bit of a different connection there but in First Peter chapter 1 notice specifically what Peter says in verse 22 since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the spirit in in sincere love of the brethren love one another fervently with a pure heart not just love each other kind of love each other once in a while love each other when they present as lovely but love one another uh fervently with a pure heart look at First Peter chapter 3 at verse 8 finally all of you be of one mind having compassion for one another love as brothers be tenderhearted be courteous not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling but on the contrary blessing knowing that you were called to this that you may inherit a blessing so he kind of fleshes out what it looks like to engage in brotherly love and then notice in 48 well verse 7 but the end of all things is at hand therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers and above all things have fervent love for one another and I love the rationale given here in the middle for love will cover a multitude of sins how do we facilitate remaining corruption and this demand to love love that's how we facilitate it other words when we love each other the way we're supposed to God enables us to overlook some things that really bug us I mean I'm I don't want to say husbands and wives I know my beloved has to look over look past a few things that bug her she's probably in her mind saying a few what happens when we love each other love covers a multitude of sins we're not fault finding we're not checklist keep keeping we're not always right there to pounce love facilitates the dwelling together in families in churches amongst the people of God and Peter says above all things have this what about John turn back to First John first John specifically at verses uh I'm sorry 1 John 3: 10-1 15 in this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God nor is he who does not love his brother for this is the message that you heard from the beginning that we should love one another not as Cain who was of the wicked one and murdered his brother and why did he murder him because his Works were evil and his and his brothers righteous do not Marvel my brethren if the world hates you and we've already read that we know that we have passed from Death to life because we love the Brethren notice in verses 16 to 18 by this we know love because he laid down his life for us there's that self-sacrificial element and we also ought to lay down our lives for the Brethren this is the new commandment of John 13:35 he he's expounding it for us in this passage but whoever has this world's goods and sees his brother in need and shuts up his heart from him how does the love of God abide in him my little children let us not love in word or in tongue but indeed in in truth and by this we know that we are of the truth and shall assure our hearts before him notice in chapter 4 specifically at verses 20 and 21 if someone says I love God and hates his brother he is a liar for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen how can he love God whom he has not seen and this commandment we have from him that he who loves God must love his brother also now breth and I should try and condition or qualify that must there it's not I'm going to love you because I have to no you're loving them because it flows out of a heart Justified freely by God's grace you've been cleansed in his blood and clothed in his his righteousness and what's the reflex well it's to love him and to love one another of course we need to grow we need to get better we need to be more mindful more self-sacrificial all that to be sure but for those in Christ loving Brethren is not the chore that it is for the world and then that brings us finally to the denial by Peter in verses 36 to 38 there's parallels in each of the synoptics here each of the synoptics has this incident where Peter denies the Savior notice the question in verse 36 Simon Peter said to him Lord where are you going again he doesn't say what do you mean by this love thing we we got it in the old Covenant we're hearing it again in the New Covenant no his mind is fixated and not wrongly so he loves Jesus doesn't want Jesus to go if you were there you wouldn't want Jesus to go either he's Jesus right being with him having a part in him is everything being close in proximity to Jesus is the best thing ever but Peter asks the question Lord where are you going Jesus answers verse 36B where I am going you cannot follow me now but you shall follow me afterward you're not going to go to the hour you're not going to go to the Cross but you're going to eventually go to the fruit of the hour and the fruit of the Cross as Edward clink says for as Jesus will shortly explain in chapter 14 Peter and the disciples will go where Jesus is going but not at the same time the hour or in the same manner the cross many are the children of God but there is only one unique son so he says to them and that that that doesn't diminish the suffering of a Peter the suffering of a James and a John if you've read any of the early church history how did Peter die according to history he was crucified upside down Jesus is not saying oh you're going to just have this easy passageway into life eternal but when he says you're not going to follow me he means in the hour on the cross to make satisfaction to Divine Justice for the sins of All Those whom the father had given him you're you're not participating in that that's not your purview that's not your responsibility but as a result of that hour you will follow me afterward you will enter into emanuel's land if you are Justified freely by his grace if you're being Sanctified by the presence and the power of the Holy Spirit you can count as sure as anything one day living in eternity with our blessed God and savior that's the reality for Christ's people that's the blessedness that we have we may in indeed engage in a veil of Tears in this present evil age we get persecuted just like others we get cancer just like others we have hardship just like others we have bankruptcy just like others we have uh oppression from the state just like others do you know what we have that isn't just like others we have the promise of glory and Eternity with Jesus Christ Our Lord that's where we're heading and that's what he says to these disciples you're not going to not have problems but you're going to have a Crown of Glory when you exit from this present evil age now notice on the heels of this Peter's assertion Peter says in verse 37 Lord why can I not follow you now again Brethren you understand it we're not mocking Peter at this point oh Peter how dare you but do remember that on three occasion Jesus has announced that he must go to Jerusalem he must be tried at the hands of wicked men he must die and he must be raised again Peter's not getting it Peter's not following Peter's not tracking here and so Peter asks the simple question Lord why can I not follow you now but then he makes this declaration that reveals something about his own heart that's not altogether good I will lay down my life for your sake Thomas says the same sort of thing in John 11 as well Peter does this and what does it express it expresses what we all have self-confidence it expresses a determination and a Zeal that we don't necessarily have on Wednesday night we finished the Book of Leviticus and in chapter 27 after the chapter 26 you'd kind of think that's where it would end blessings and curses for life in the land chapter 27 comes along I think the connection is chapter 26 God vows or God promises or God makes Oaths as to what he's going to do for the people if they're faithful in the land they'll be blessed if they're Unfaithful in the land they'll be cursed so chapter 27 Now deals with our vows before God and there are improper vows that people make now I know that Peter's not saying I solemnly affirm here by way of a vow that I'm going to do that but it has the nature of vowing something it has the nature of a resolution with something behind it and I think it reveals to us his Zeal which is good and commendable but Zeal must always be according to knowledge as well it shows something of his self-confidence I I'm ready to die for you I'm ready to go to the end with you I'm ready to be there for you at the 11th Hour onto the the the close of your eyelids and death the tendency toward Pride the tendency toward self-confidence the tendency toward a lofty self assessment and this hastiness listen pink he says outwardly Judas don't forget we just got rid of the betrayer just got rid of the apostate or reprobate what does this little sort of short section tell us you may not be an apostate you may not be a reprobate and in that rejoice and thank God but that doesn't mean you don't have a proness to wander and a proness to leave the god that you love you better take heed you better watch watch and pray you better seek the spirit's presence and power you better understand that the best of men are men at best so pink says outwardly Judas posed as a disciple of Christ inwardly Simon was a believer in him the one exhibits the sin of Madness uh and Madness of hypocrisy the other the danger and sad results of selfconfidence look it again I will lay laid down my life for your sake that provokes from our Lord the question of verse 38a will you lay down your life for my sake John Gil I think gets at this well he says Christ speaks these words not as questioning or as questioning rather not Peter's sincerity but his strength it's not the sincerity that he expresses here it's his strength and his AB his ability to execute and carry through with it see we can all be filled with Zeal and earnestness and I'm going to go out and die for the Lord Jesus what's Peter do when he's pressed by a servant girl no I don't know him but your dialect betrays you you're from the same no I don't know him I I don't know him and you know what the irony is and this is bring it to a close Peter thinks that he's going to give his life for the Savior but what's the the point of the hour the point of the hour is that the Savior gives his life for Peter the savior is the one in whom the covenant blessings of God are yay and amen it's not Peter's Fidelity it's not Peter's perseverance it's not Peter's enduring Faith it's Christ's blood and righteousness Peter can't give his life for the Savior but the Savior most certainly will give his life for Peter and he'll give his life for all that the father has given him and the one who comes to him he will certainly not cast out from every tribe every tongue every people every nation we have the Blessed promise of our savior that he has come to give his life as a ransom for many with reference to this denial I want to end here two points first Peter's denial second the the the glory of Our Lord the nature of this denial demonstrates the remaining Corruption of God's people Peter's not a non-believer here Jesus doesn't say I can't believe you ask that question obviously a reprobate get out follow Judas wherever he's at you go with him you betray me with Judas maybe share the 30 pieces of silver it doesn't do that what does it show us it shows us there is a proness to wander and a proness to leave the god that we love it shows us what Paul will say in Romans chapter 7 for uh 14-2 is true the good we wish to do we don't do the evil that we don't want to do we find ourselves doing or what Paul says in Galatians 5:17 the spirit lust against the flesh the flesh against the spirit these two are are contrary to one another so that you don't do the things you want Brethren remaining corruption is a reality I'm not saying therefore go out and sin but understand your state before a holy God and your absolute dependence upon that God and the resources purchased for you by Our Savior King as well the nature of the denial highlights the graciousness of God in his dealing with his people because Jesus doesn't say get out follow Judas be gone with you what does it show us it shows us what we see in the Garden of Gethsemane remember Peter again James and John what do they do when they're called to watch and pray they they fall asleep and Jesus says the the the the the flesh or the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak now I don't know what was in the mind of Jesus specifically there but I can suggest that that the psalmist reflects that kind of thinking in Psalm 103: 13 and 14 as a father pies his children so the Lord pies those who fear Him for he knows our frame he remembers that we are dust Brethren that should be a world of comfort for all of us again not so that we'll be emboldened to go out in sin but that when we do sin we have an advocate with the father even Jesus Christ the righteous and it underscores as well the carefulness that should be adopted by God's people we're probably not as strong as we think we are we're probably not as mighty as we think we are well you know it's been it's like those you know those signs at work in a factory floor it says you know 138 days with no incident do we live our lives like that 138 days with no incident 139 is going to be a breeze walk in the park take heed lest you fall Brethren that's what Paul says not Brethren us all of us together take heed lest you fall presumption Pride arrogance self- dependence uh self- dependence those are not commendable traits in scripture those are not you know God saying good yeah be independent live without the spirit yeah be bold and proud and arrogant read the Proverbs of Solomon what happens to the pride or to the proud man he falls he stumbles he he ends up in in Dire Straits Matthew Henry says that those often fall soonest and fou that are most confident of themselves those are least safe that are most secure may God give us that may God instill in each of our hearts a careful walking before him dependent upon the spirit with increased faith in the Son of God who loved us and gave himself for us and we end on that high note it's not Peter that gives his life for the Savior it's the Savior who gives his life for Peter and for us have you ever mused on the fact that our religion is completely different than everybody else's in our religion it's him that seeks and saves it's him who sacrifices and dies it's him who performs obedience to the father in every other religion it's the other way around I've got to do this I've got to do that I've got to be good I've got to engage in that and and then I get the reward the beauty of the New Covenant is that was heaped upon the savior his life of perfect obedience his death as a sacrifice and a substitute on the cross his resurrection again the third day so that Paul could say he was delivered up because of our offenses and he was raised for our justification our religion ain't like anybody else's it's a Redemptive religion wherein the Forgiveness of Christ cleanses or the blood of Christ cleanses us and brings us forgiveness and then that righteousness of Christ clothes us and fits us to be accepted in that age to come so if you have not believed the gospel may I encourage you to come to the one who laid down his life for the Sheep nobody constrained him there was no gun to his head he laid it down willingly as he says in John 10 and in that he is glorified in that the father is glorified in that the Father glorifies the Son so may you by Grace Look to Him in faith and have everlasting life well let us pray Our Father in heaven we thank you for your word we thank you for the the clarity of this Upper Room discourse and the emphases that our Lord puts forth we thank you for the glory of the Son of God we thank you for this encouragement to love as we ought one another and as well may we take heed with reference to this denial by Peter we know in the latter pages of this this gospel that that these this prediction of Our Lord certainly does come true but even in that you didn't cut him off and we rejoice in your grace we rejoice in your loving kindness we rejoice in your protection of us bless and strengthen each one here and we pray in jesus' name amen well let us stand and close our service this morning by singing 572 572 unto the praise and glory of our Triune [Music] God glory to father and to the to the holy and ever shall be [Music] the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all amen our blessed father we thank you for this time to gather for corporate worship we ask that you would uh bless this coming hour when we eat together when we drink together and we just thank you and praise you for the good gifts that you have imparted to us may you be glorified and may you be honored and may you be praised and we ask through Jes Jesus Christ Our Lord amen well please be seated for a brief time of meditation after the music ceases you're welcome to please go upstairs and help yourself to the food e e e