Jesus Prepared For His Own Death

Jesus Prepared for His Death

Book of John 13:31-14:6

Maybe the most important theme of this lesson is that the Lord Jesus Christ will show us His relationship to God the Father.

We will see that after Judas had left to betray the Lord Jesus and He then gets deeper in His message with those 11 who remained, who still had not realized that Judas would betray the Lord Jesus.

We see the Lord as He begins to enter into His "passion" which means the sufferings of the Lord as He begins His last few days on this earth before His resurrection and next His return.

In reality as the Son of Man, Jesus is preparing Himself to be the only sacrifice that can save all humanity!

It is through His death that He is glorified, and God the Father is glorified in Him!

By His own death the Lord has replaced our own death with His life.

Col 3:3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.

*****Joh 13:31 Therefore, when he was gone out, Jesus said, Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in him.

Joh 13:32 If God be glorified in him, God shall also glorify him in himself, and shall straightway glorify him.

The other disciples may not have known who the Lord had been talking about, but Judas knew, and He left but we must understand that the Lord had sent Judas away, all he needed was to repent and these sitting with Jesus would have been the 12 Apostles and we would have never met the Apostle Paul.

As Judas set in motion the things he did, Christ set in motion His Passion, the sufferings and the death of the Lord Jesus Christ.

This day would be Thursday late in the evening.

Doctor Luke wrote of this: Luk 12:50 But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished!

Again we will see that there is a true unity of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit!

Jesus would now begin His final steps as the Son of Man!

Even in His dying, Jesus was perfect in His obedience to His Father.

In His death Jesus would transfer His own righteousness to every believer because we had no righteousness at all to use to gain peace with God the Father.

Isa_64:6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

With the righteousness of the Lord we are at peace with God:

Rom_5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

Some would say that Jesus was having second thoughts, but He would not be God if He was happy to see the death of anyone.

The thing that was most important was that by His death, He would triumph over Satan and break Satan's power over death he held over the souls of mankind!

1Jn 3:8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.

This is why the Lord had come down from Heaven and had to die on the cross!

*****Joh 13:33 Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me: and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come; so now I say to you.

Joh 13:34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

Joh 13:35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

After this meal with His disciples and Judas already gone to do His evil deed, Jesus said He only had a short time to finish the work God had given Him to do.

It would require His death. At this time these men could not grasp the resurrection of the Lord after His death.

They would not understand these things until they were filled with the Holy Spirit at Pentecost which now was only about 53 days away.

The thing that they had to understand was that Jesus demanded a new commandment and that was for them to love one another but not as they had been doing but they were to show the love Jesus had for them to each other.

All of us can say we love one another but do we have that unconditional love that our Savior had.

These disciples had just been arguing over who should receive the highest positions of authority when Jesus returned to set up His Kingdom.

To love like Jesus, is to not to be a judge but to be a witness of the love of Jesus.

Once we know the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior, the Holy Spirit moves in to live within us but as human beings we also need each other which is the purpose of the Church for like-minded humans to gather together in the name of Christ and comfort and edify each other.

Mat_18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

These two or three would be the beginnings of a church!

Jesus had already given us one new commandment that extended from the Old Testament.

Mat 22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

Mat 22:38 This is the first and great commandment.

Mat 22:39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

Mat 22:40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

The new commandment that Jesus was talking about this day extends these two commandments.

We are not only to love one another, we are to love like Jesus loved and like God loves.

Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Joh 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

Joh 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

If we cannot do this one thing, then we are not disciples of God.

This means we have stopped the learning process if we cannot love as Jesus loved and still loves each of us today.

A true disciple follows his Master!

We do not just go where He goes, we do as He does! "God; and everyone that loveth is born of God, and knows God".

1Jn 4:8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

1Jn 4:9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.

1Jn 4:10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

1Jn 4:11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.

Simon Peter always ask the questions the others were afraid to ask and most every time he would stick his foot in his own mouth.

*****Joh 13:36 Simon Peter said unto him, Lord, whither goest thou? Jesus answered him, Whither I go, thou canst not follow me now; but thou shalt follow me afterwards.

Joh 13:37 Peter said unto him, Lord, why cannot I follow thee now? I will lay down my life for thy sake.

Joh 13:38 Jesus answered him, Wilt thou lay down thy life for my sake? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, The cock shall not crow, till thou hast denied me thrice.

We all want to be where Jesus is, but not many want to carry their own cross!

The Cross is a sign of death!

It is sure that Simon Peter was not ready for Jesus to leave them, because he had not yet accepted everything that Jesus had said.

This is where we all get in trouble. We all get over confident in our Christian strength.

It would have been great for the disciples if they went with Jesus back to Heaven just as it would be for us if Jesus took us back to Heaven when He first saves us.

If this had happened, then there would be no church today.

The Lord assures us we are going to Heaven and that we are a Temple of God, but we have work to do after we are saved.

Note after we are saved and not before we are saved!

The Lord Jesus would cause Peter to humble himself before he was ready for Pentecost!

Peter had not yet taken a good look at himself in the mirror of Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ is to be our mirror to see if we are getting more like Him!

Peter would not show the proper strength of a Christian, until that cock crew and he realized he was denying the Lord whom He dearly loved!

The one sin that we as believers must not commit is to deny Jesus Christ!

Gal 6:3 For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.

Gal 6:4 But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.

Gal 6:5 For every man shall bear his own burden.

We should know that there are some questions we might have, we have no business asking.

For instance are there just a few who will be saved? This question does not help our ability to share the Gospel with those in need of knowing the Lord as their Savior.

Go back and check the covenants to Abraham and King David.

Jesus would pray that all who loved Him would one day be with Him in Heaven and God the Father always answers the prayers of His Son.

This would be a much better thought when we share the Gospel with anyone.

Then the Lord tells His disciples, all of us what we love to hear.

*****Joh 14:1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.

This is one of the most overlooked Scriptures in the Gospel.

Jesus says why do we worry over such trivial matters!

Even when we are in the midst of a very bad day, Jesus says don't let it worry you.

Even when we are traveling in the valley of death, don't worry about trivial things.

Even when politicians have gone slap crazy, don't worry about trivial things.

Even when the world is falling apart, don't worry about trivial things.

Why? This place we call the planet earth is not our home!

One day soon we are going to God's House!

*****Joh 14:2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

Joh 14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

Joh 14:4 And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.

The Lord Jesus Christ had to die upon this earth and then resurrect from that grave before He went back home, and He would do all these things by Himself so all we would have to do is believe on these things and our Carpenter would go back to Heaven and start building mansions in His Father's House for us to live in!

In reality this body that we call flesh, will also die and be resurrected to fulfill God's plans for us!

There is nothing on this earth that can stop these things from taking place!

Now to those who say God does not exist, I say, I will pray for you that maybe you will change your mind and accept the truth, before it is too late.

The Lord said, if these things were not true, He would tell us because it is impossible for the Lord to Lie!

You see Jesus is never far from us because when God leaves Heaven, God is still in Heaven and Jesus is God!

No matter how many are saved before the Lord returns, there will be enough mansions that we all can have one for ourselves.

That word "many" is a very large quantity!

**The Lord's first step was to be lifted up upon the cross and it is all downhill from that point.

1Ti 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;

1Ti 2:6 Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.

**The Lords next step was to arise from the death of the cross. This showed the world that He had the power of God.

Rom 6:3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?

Rom 6:4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

Rom 6:5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:

Rom 6:6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

Rom 6:7 For he that is dead is freed from sin.

**The Lords next step was to ascend into Heaven and be exalted by His Father.

Eph 2:6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

Eph 2:7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.

"Jesus said if you believe in God then believe in Me"

Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Jesus had to return to Heaven to put these things in place and now He is waiting until that last soul is saved and he will return to take us home.

2Pe_3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

In other words Jesus will return when His patience runs out and this could be any day now!

The one most important thing that the Lord did before He left, He told us how to make it to Heaven.

At the end when the Lord has brought all His children home there will not be a single empty mansion. The Lord knows exactly how many mansions to prepare.

What did the Lord tell these disciples?

1) You know where I am going.

2) You know how to get there.

These are the same things we all should know!

The Lord Jesus Christ went back to where His Father resides.

Joh 16:5 But now I go my way to him that sent me; and none of you asketh me, Whither goest thou?

The way to get to Heaven is well known there are just many who reject what the Lord has said.

Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Joh 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

Joh 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

Now we can believe all these things said by the Lord and get to Heaven or we can reject these things and go to Hell.

For those who choose this when they get to Hell, they will find that everyone in Hell are now believers, but it was too late for them to decide.

Another thing we should never do is call the Lord a liar!

*****Joh 14:5 Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?

Joh 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

All these disciples had been thinking that Jesus was about to lead them to the Kingdom of God on this earth.

They had been discussing who would have the greatest honor in that place.

It was now sinking in that Jesus was talking about His death.

Jesus was also talking about His resurrection but neither of these things were understood.

Jesus was also talking about going some-place that they could not go.

These things were hard for them to grasp at this time.

It is hard to forget physical things and react to Spiritual things until "faith" and the Holy Spirit can do their work.

And the Holy Spirit could not do His work until Jesus went back to Heaven.

Eph 4:17 This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,

Eph 4:18 Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:

Those who think in worldly terms and live for the things of this earth will never understand where Jesus Christ has gone, and they will never be interested in the fact that He will return.

The world of religion refuses to accept that the only way to Heaven is by Jesus Christ but that does not make them right.

I would always want to believe the truth and my "faith" lies in the truth of God!

**The Lord Jesus Christ not only points out how to walk in this life and how to reach our Heavenly Father, but He will take us by the hand and lead us there.

Heb 10:19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,

Heb 10:20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;

Heb 10:21 And having an high priest over the house of God;

**Our Heavenly Father has shown us what He is like in the "Person" of Jesus Christ

Joh 14:10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.

**Jesus Christ reveals the truth of our beginning. Jesus Christ also reveals the truth of our ending and because He loves us, He gives us the choice to choose the truth or to choose a lie.

Joh 5:28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,

Joh 5:29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.

**True freedom comes only by Jesus Christ.

Joh 8:31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;

Joh 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

Jesus Christ is the embodiment of life:

2Ti 1:9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,

2Ti 1:10 But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:

The only way to this life is the Lord Jesus Christ!

Jesus did not only go to His Father's house, He went to the Father again giving us an example of what we are to do.

Yes, we have a mansion in Heaven but the greatest thing in Heaven is our Heavenly Father who we will finally see face to face!

Then our love ones who are already there.

And then last of all, our Mansion which will not seem more important than the family of God!

Amen

Let's Pray!

Jesus Teaches Us How to Serve

Jesus Taught Us How To Serve

Book of John Chapter 13

If you are keeping up, then these things take place on Wednesday, where Thursday would begin at 6PM in the week that Jesus would be crucified.

The Disciples had been arguing about who should be the highest rank in the government that Jesus would set up and they did not even realize that this was far into the future in the time of the Millennial Kingdom.

We can just imagine how Jesus felt for He had just a few days left to teach them, and they were bickering about things they did not yet understand.

Just like most all of us, these men were still yearning for ambition, power, and authority and they were to begin the Church by first laying all these things aside as meaningless.

We should be able to see just how important it was when Jesus washed the feet of these men.

They still had to be humbled so they could serve the Lord!

This is a great lesson for us all.

Mar_9:35 And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all.

2Ti_2:24 And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient,

Then Jesus, King of Kings and Lord of Lords, taught these disciples a very valuable lesson.

*****Joh 13:1 Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.

These things could have taken place in the "Upper Room" where many important events took place even though some say these things took place in the house of Simon the Leper.

These things took place just before the last Passover that Jesus would take part in, because the Lord Jesus Christ is our Passover!

The most important thing on the mind of Christ was that He was going home and 11 of these men would continue in the ministry of the church, once they were filled with the God the Holy Spirit.

Jesus was departing but these men would continue to be exposed to this evil world.

The last great lesson they needed to know was a lesson in humility.

Jesus had chosen these men with a purpose that only He knew, even Judas who would betray Him, had a purpose and the Lord knew this even when He chose him.

The Lord did not even set Judas apart at this time but loved him till the end.

When Judas betrayed the Lord, he could never lay the blame on the Master.

Jesus would depart out of this world because there is the world where He lives, a far better world.

Jesus loved His own. His own are not just those disciples but all those who believed upon Him in all generations.

Remember God is self-existing in a place of no time but in eternity.

We should also understand that until the exact hour, the enemies of the Lord could only plan, for they could not lay hands upon Him until it was His time!

Jesus knew these 11 men would not realize the importance to their ministry until the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit would come upon them.

Even as these things were going on, the Devil was working on Judas.

Judas wanted a King and not some man who was going to die and he could never grasp what Jesus was saying until after he had betrayed Him, and he still could not find it in his heart to repent.

*****Joh 13:2 And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him;

Joh 13:3 Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God;

We should understand that Satan did everything possible to keep Jesus off the cross.

When Satan was defeated, he then began to try to destroy the Church, and now Satan is trying his best to cause harm to every believer!

We should not be deceived, this was not the time of the "Lord's Supper" nor the Passover meal, this was just Jesus gathering the 12 for some last-minute teaching.

Jesus knew His hour had come. What had Jesus been doing?

Joh 4:34 Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.

This is the same thing these disciples were trained to do, and it is the same things that that every Christian is to do. We are to do God's Will every day.

Jesus had loved His own.

Joh 15:9 As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.

Jesus gave all disciples the command to continue in His love as He had the Father's love.

Knowing the enemy.

Mat 13:19 When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.

We must realize that as soon as we give the Word of God to some stranger or even some family member, Satan is ready to discredit the Word of God.

Knowing all these things should increase our faith and it should show in what things God has given us to do.

1Co 15:57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

1Co 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

It would be many days before these men, who would shake-up this world, would realize the purpose behind what the God of Heaven had done when He washed their feet.

*****Joh 13:4 He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself.

Joh 13:5 After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded.

If we think we are being the greatest of all God's servants, then we need to understand what Jesus has done in this passage!

Php 2:6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:

Php 2:7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

Php 2:8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

Luk 22:27 For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth.

The Lord our God promises to do this again to certain believers. Are you one?

Luk 12:37 Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them.

There was always a large basin made available for this service and it was the job of the lowest slave in the house or the lowest servant.

It was the Lord of Lords and King of Kings who washed the feet of these 12 disciples. Judas had not yet gone his way to betray the Lord so even his feet were washed.

The Lord knew this, but He still washed the feet of Judas.

Even while Jesus did these things, He knew God the Father had given Him all power to do as He so chose to do and the first thing He chose to do, was to wash the feet of 11 disciples and 1 traitor.

Allow that to sink in for a moment!

For a few moments in our time the Lord and Master of all things chose to become a slave!

There is a real dignity in humbling ourselves to meet the need of others!

But then comes Peter.

*****Joh 13:6 Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet?

Joh 13:7 Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter.

Joh 13:8 Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.

We should understand that until we are cleansed by Jesus, we are still a dirty rotten sinner.

Once we are washed by Jesus then we need only to be cleansed from our daily walk in this evil world.

Jesus has no sin Himself but as long as we are in this world, we are still in the flesh of a sinner who needs to repent every day!

If we are not a part of Christ, then we can never serve Him!

Peter loved the Lord, but he did not understand what He was doing.

Peter felt it was just too humiliating a task for Jesus to wash his feet, but it was also a very humiliating thing for the Lord to humble Himself and go to the cross for our sin not His, He had no sin!

We should understand that if Jesus could wash the feet of Judas, we should see the love the Lord has for the believer but also His enemies!

When Peter spoke up, he was telling Jesus that He did not know what He was doing and of course Peter was wrong again.

We can be sure the other disciples were just as astonished as Peter but were not about to speak up for they were not as bold and would allow Peter to speak for them all at times.

The boldness of Peter was a trait that the Lord would take advantage of after Pentecost but for now Peter just needed to watch and learn.

The lesson for us all is that we may have to humble ourselves to the work of Jesus, but with all our heart we are to submit to the will of our Father in Heaven.

We must submit to the will of Lord, to be Christian!

Heb 10:22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.

A study of the Words of Jesus is a great study, but we will not understand everything that Jesus did until our "faith" leads us to the truth and we are filled with the Holy Spirit who does know all the things of Jesus Christ and He will explain these things as it becomes necessary!

We should see that everything that Jesus did was an example of the things that we must do, to be disciples.

Joh_8:31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;

*****Joh 13:9 Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head.

Joh 13:10 Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all.

Joh 13:11 For he knew who should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all clean.

To be saved is to be washed completely by the Blood of Jesus.

To be regenerated is to be washed by the Holy Spirit.

To be a servant is to be washed completely in the Word of God.

We cannot hold back any part of our body in this process but once this has taken place, then we need only wash away the filth of this world as we travel in it, day to day!

Psa 51:7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Psa 51:8 Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.

Psa 51:9 Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.

Psa 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

The reason Jesus said that not all were clean was because Judas was still in the room and as we know Judas had sin in His heart!

The other disciples did not know this at this time, but the Lord certainly knew.

The Lord knew, and He had always known from the day He had chosen Him to show us whosoever will can be saved.

Joh 6:64 But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him.

Joh 6:65 And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.

Our life is about choices and it was Judas who chose not to believe.

Act 1:18 Now this man purchased a field with the reward of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out.

Act 1:19 And it was known unto all the dwellers at Jerusalem; insomuch as that field is called in their proper tongue, Aceldama, that is to say, The field of blood.

John wrote in another place.

1Jn 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

1Jn 1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

1Jn 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

1Jn 1:10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

So now Jesus says to them all, including Judas:

*****Joh 13:12 So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you?

Joh 13:13 Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am.

Joh 13:14 If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet.

Joh 13:15 For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.

Notice Jesus asked them, but Jesus did not wait on an answer, Jesus gave the answer that He was expecting!

If we recognize Jesus as Master,(Rabbi) which means the Master teacher then we are to believe what He says.

It seems that many a church of today has forgotten this.

If this is not enough then we know that Jesus is our Lord which means we must obey the things He tells us or commands us.

Again many of the churches of today have rejected this for their own laws.

We must learn the lessons taught by the Lord who is our ALL!

Again when Jesus says, "I Am", He is saying that He is Jehovah, YAHWEY or YHWH!

We must never doubt that Jesus is the Messiah, Emmanuel, God come down from Heaven in the flesh!

We are never to address the Lord Jesus without showing respect. The Lord Jesus Christ is our Savior, but He is still the Almighty God!

Act 10:37 That word, I say, ye know, which was published throughout all Judaea, and began from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached;

Act 10:38 How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.

Act 10:39 And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree:

Act 10:40 Him God raised up the third day, and shewed him openly;

Act 10:41 Not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before of God, even to us, who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead.

Act 10:42 And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead.

Act 10:43 To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.

Above all it is the Lord Jesus Christ who is our true example! To be like Christ is to be Christian.

How much do we all fail in being like the Lord!

*****Joh 13:16 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.

Joh 13:17 If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.

Over and over the Lord Jesus has taught us this lesson:

Mat 10:24 The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord.

Luk 6:40 The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect shall be as his master.

Joh 15:20 Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.

Heb 12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

Heb 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

We know that God does not like to repeat Himself and He should not have to but to be Christian is to do the things that the Lord Jesus did!

We are foolish to rebel against the Word of God.

We are foolish to put our man-made words above the Word of God, like the Pharisee and these Hard-Line Jews.

This also is a lesson we are to learn!

We exist to serve the Lord Jesus Christ!

We are to administer to the Spiritual needs of others but also to their physical needs when we are able.

And as Jesus says, when we know all these things, we should be happy to do them.

We should feel the joy of knowing we are following the example of Jesus Christ our Lord.

Nothing makes our Father in Heaven happier than following in the ways of His Son with the fruit of the Holy Spirit!

Just knowing the truth is not nearly enough, we must also walk the talk!

What did the Prophet Jeremiah say?

Jer 15:15 O LORD, thou knowest: remember me, and visit me, and revenge me of my persecutors; take me not away in thy longsuffering: know that for thy sake I have suffered rebuke.

Jer 15:16 Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts.

We are not serving the Lord until we do as He did!

When we do not do the things of Jesus, then we have become a Judas!

Let that sink in!

*****Joh 13:18 I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me.

The Lord Jesus Christ is the Rock that is the foundation of the Church, so in reality Judas would soon commit treason against the Church.

TREACHERY is a violation of allegiance or of faith and confidence.

This why the Holy Spirit causes us to remember another Psalm.

Psa 41:9 Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.

We have talk about God placing someone into the future as the woman at the well and the blind man that was blind since birth who had recently become 30 years old.

We see now that Judas was also someone that God had placed into the future to be as an unruly horse who would try to kick the one who fed him.

The betraying of Christ was not accidental, or a thing that happened by chance it was Satan confusing the mind of someone close to Jesus Christ.

It was the Father who ordained the cause of our salvation, to reconcile us unto himself in his Son, and the Son willingly and voluntarily obeyed the Father.

If we have not seen by now, every step that Jesus took from the day of His birth had been planned by Him before we hear those words "In the beginning God".

The Lord washed the feet of Judas, but Judas could not be cleansed by the washing because he had on him the filth of Satan the deceiver and had no faith.

Satan cannot be cleansed but all those under his influence still can if they will call upon the Lord with a true heart!

The title of our lesson is "Jesus Taught Us How to Serve" and He did, but He also taught us that some of our enemies could be those that we trust the most!

Amen

Let's Pray!

King of the Jews

The King of the Jews

Book of John Chapter 12

How do we know Christ will be King of the Jews and King of this world?

Psa 2:6 Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.

Psa 2:7 I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.

Psa 2:8 Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.

Because God said so!

Psa 24:7 Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.

Psa 24:8 Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle.

Psa 24:9 Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.

Psa 24:10 Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory. Selah.

Over and over again the Bible says so.

Isa 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

Isa 9:7 Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.

This day comes after the Rapture and the Rapture of the Church is the next thing on God's agenda!

Zec 14:9 And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one.

Let's begin:

*****Joh 12:12 On the next day much people that were come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem,

Our story begins with Jesus returning to Jerusalem for the last time.

He had fellowship with Martha, Mary, and Lazarus who the Lord had raised from the dead.

Mary had anointed the head of Jesus as preparing Him for His death.

Judas had shown his true colors over the money.

And we know the poor will always be with us, so we will always have someone to help.

The Chief Priest had decided that not only would they kill Jesus, but they would also kill Lazarus because he drew a large crowd of onlookers.

Many of those that had been at Mary's and Martha's house decided to go to Jerusalem with the Lord.

Of course this would be the last Feast of the Passover that Jesus would observe, and the Lord began this trip on Sunday.

Many had come to Jerusalem for this feast and many more had come because they had heard Jesus would be there.

The Jewish historian Josephus estimated that over 2 million people came to this Passover. it is known that at least 256,000 lambs were sacrificed at this Passover and each lamb represented at least 10 people who were cleansed of their sin for one more year.

Many Gentiles were there also.

We should understand that all these things were known of the prophets and were told to the Jews throughout their many generations.

Mat 21:4 All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying,

Mat 21:5 Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass.

*****Joh 12:13 Took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried, Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord.

These palm branches were a symbol of victory and we certainly have victory in Jesus but for the Jews it was not time. We should also understand that this was a command of the Lord for this particular feast.

Lev 23:40 And ye shall take you on the first day the boughs of goodly trees, branches of palm trees, and the boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook; and ye shall rejoice before the LORD your God seven days.

That word Hosanna means "save now Lord, save me now".

Even through all these things, Jesus was not considered to be the Messiah, but it was OK if Jesus would come as the King if He could take away the tyranny of Rome.

We must understand that Jesus would never come to be the Conqueror nor to straighten out the problems on this earth!

Jesus did not come to be the Provider, to feed, to house, and to give good health!

Jesus did not come to accept all mankind, no matter what each man does!

Jesus did not come so men could continue to do as they please!

Jesus came to save a world that was lost in its own sin!

Jesus came to reconcile all sinners back to God!

Jesus came to teach us that God is Holy, God is righteous, and God is pure, and this is the only way God will accept us into His household. Only by Jesus the Christ!

The truth is most of mankind are not interested in being set free from their sin.

We all hold on to our sin like it is the most important thing we can do even when it is destroying us and our families!

*****Joh 12:14 And Jesus, when he had found a young ass, sat thereon; as it is written,

Joh 12:15 Fear not, daughter of Sion: behold, thy King cometh, sitting on an ass's colt.

There is a great story about this young colt:

Luk 19:29 And it came to pass, when he was come nigh to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount called the mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples,

Luk 19:30 Saying, Go ye into the village over against you; in the which at your entering ye shall find a colt tied, whereon yet never man sat: loose him, and bring him hither.

Luk 19:31 And if any man ask you, Why do ye loose him? thus shall ye say unto him, Because the Lord hath need of him.

Luk 19:32 And they that were sent went their way, and found even as he had said unto them.

Luk 19:33 And as they were loosing the colt, the owners thereof said unto them, Why loose ye the colt?

Luk 19:34 And they said, The Lord hath need of him.

Luk 19:35 And they brought him to Jesus: and they cast their garments upon the colt, and they set Jesus thereon.

Luk 19:36 And as he went, they spread their clothes in the way.

Riding this young colt that had never been ridden tells us a lot about Jesus.

1) He surely had control of all animals.

2) The colt is a noble animal and it was used by Kings and their emissaries, to symbolize that they came not to conquer but they came in peace.

They were showing that they had peaceful intentions.

Jesus is certainly the promised King but first He as the Messiah was coming as the Savior and truly peaceful intentions.

We see that God is a God of love and reconciliation.

These people should have seen this also, but they were too blind to see!

Col 1:19 For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;

Col 1:20 And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.

3) Just as a colt is used to serve and carry the burdens of mankind, Jesus came to serve His Father and carry the burdens of all who will believe upon Him.

Mat 20:28 Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

4) This colt, that had never been ridden, was also a symbol of sacredness.

Animals and other things that were used in the Jewish system of worship, had to be animals that had never been used in any sort of labor before.

Num 19:2 This is the ordinance of the law which the LORD hath commanded, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring thee a red heifer without spot, wherein is no blemish, and upon which never came yoke:

Jesus Christ is that Sacred Hope for all people, the Messiah promised of God!

Joh 11:25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:

Joh 11:26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?

Joh 11:27 She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.

Even the chosen 12 could not grasp the meaning of these things at this time.

*****Joh 12:16 These things understood not his disciples at the first: but when Jesus was glorified, then remembered they that these things were written of him, and that they had done these things unto him.

Not until the Lord had resurrected from that grave did the chosen 12, well maybe just the 11, because Judas had taken his own life, begin to understand these things that Jesus had taught them.

It is a wonderful thing to wake up to the fact that God has used you to help someone else to realize the truth of God!

This is what the Holy Spirit will do once He enters into the "Born Again" believer!

As we read and study the Scriptures the Holy Spirit will show us the meaning of those Scriptures and bring them to our attention in that hour of need.

Joh 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

In fact since the recorded death of Christ Jesus and the known resurrection of Christ Jesus, no one can have an excuse for not understanding the mission of Jesus Christ and yes, He will return to this earth to complete His mission!

If the Holy Spirit abides in you, you will understand these things!

If we remember these same disciples who became the Apostles were of no use to the Church until they became filled with the Holy Spirit at that Pentecost that followed the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.

So what is the truth of the death of our Lord?

*****Joh 12:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.

One seed properly planted will yield a great quantity of that same seed. That seed had to die in order to do this thing.

It is the same with the death of our Savior. Christ Jesus had to die before He could produce the many followers who are called Christ or like Christ Jesus.

It’s important that we understand that Jesus had to die but He also had to resurrect!

Col 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

There are some things we must overcome before we can know the Lord and the main one being, we must die to ourselves.

This flesh that houses our soul will certainly die but while we are living, we must die to our flesh. This is the purpose of being "born again"!

The Bible even says to mortify our flesh, be done with it!

It is the cross that Jesus bore that leads us to take up our own cross and follow Him!

Rom 6:10 For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.

Rom 6:11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

*****Joh 12:25 He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.

If you love your life more than you love obeying the will of God, you will certainly lose that life that you cherish so much for an eternity.

Most people do not understand that our life is in our "soul" and not in the flesh!

Our flesh is no more than jacket covering our true self!

Our soul was given to us by our Father in Heaven and our soul is hungry to return to Heaven caring not for this place we call earth.

Rom 8:13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

Rom 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

God will soon call all His Sons and daughters back home!

*****Joh 12:26 If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.

The Lord gave His life for all those who live in this world. It has been more than 2000 years since this took place because our Father in Heaven has prepared for a crowd.

The sad fact is that the death of Jesus Christ will not give new live to everyone because in the salvation plan of the Lord, He chose to add "Faith". and many will not believe.

The Lord has more than enough "Grace" to save all those in entire world but only those who believe will know God's "Mercy" and God's "Grace"!

We must accept the Lord for "Who He Is"!

We must accept the Lord for "What He Says"!

We must accept the Lord for "What He Has Done"!

When we do these things, our Glorious Father in Heaven will honor us, and we will be allowed to join Him in Heaven!

Then the Lord Jesus knew His time had come!

*****Joh 12:27 Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour.

Jesus had already said "Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die it bringeth forth much fruit".

The one thing we know for sure is that Jesus was not having second thoughts on what He had come to do!

Jesus had never known sin and the hour had come that He was to take on to Himself, all the sin of this world, past, present, and future.

This thing was staring Him in the face, the time had come to do this thing.

Jesus had come to die, and it was now time to do this thing.

There will never come a time that the Trinity of God will show any disagreement because these three are One.

God is absolutely perfect, so there is no room for change.

The Lion had to become the sacrificial Lamb in order for the truth of the Gospel to be real.

Our God has the absolute power to make us all believers but in order for "faith" to emerge then His death must be real, and it would then be our own choice to believe or not believe, which are the two groups of people that will remain.

Right now there is a third group and that group has not yet heard the "Gospel" this the job of the Church to tell the world that there is a Savior and His name is Christ Jesus!

Jesus willfully obeyed His Father to show the world that we to are to be obedient to our Heavenly Father!

Joh 10:17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.

Joh 10:18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.

Jesus knew that only in complete obedience could He be glorified because this would glorify His Father and He would then also be glorified because they are One God!

Heb 10:5 Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me:

Heb 10:6 In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure.

Heb 10:7 Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.

Heb 10:8 Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law;

Heb 10:9 Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.

God came to this world and took on a body of flesh that He might establish a New Covenant with every believer, a Covenant of Peace and then Life, not a life like we have now that is fading away, but eternal life that will last forever!

*****Joh 12:28 Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.

Joh 12:29 The people therefore, that stood by, and heard it, said that it thundered: others said, An angel spake to him.

God will answer every prayer that is in His will! Notice God answered in an audible voice but only those who believe can understand what God says.

Jesus prayed according to God's will and this is another example that God will do as He says!

1Jn 5:14 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:

1Jn 5:15 And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

God accepted the prayer of Jesus on behalf of all mankind but not all would believe.

You see when the Lord prayed out loud then our Heavenly Father had to obey His Son or the Scriptures would not be true!

You know there is coming a day where all believers will hear that sound of a trumpet and leave this world behind. I do not know what the unbeliever will hear, all I know is they will have missed a great opportunity for being so stubborn, clinging to their sin!

*****Joh 12:30 Jesus answered and said, This voice came not because of me, but for your sakes.

Joh 12:31 Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.

Why is this world so confused about the Lord Jesus Christ when everything He did, He did for us all!

These people heard a response from Heaven when Jesus ask for a response. These people were confused about the Lord, so they were confused about the Father in Heaven and nothing Jesus would do would change this but one thing we know is that Jesus put every effort into reaching these Jewish people, but they would not listen.

One thing we must consider is that the Our Father speaks from Heaven then something changed. God does not use empty words!

God accepted that Jesus would die for all our sins and all our sins would be blotted out in the books He keeps on each one of us but only if we believe in the things that Jesus did for our salvation.

We already know that these same people had recognized Jesus as the King of the Jews that the Prophets had written about, but they were not sure that Jesus was the Messiah that was also told of by these same prophets.

Gen 3:15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

Verse 31 says Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.

We must understand this world we live in is not what it should be because it is under the influence of that old serpent who is Satan!

This world we live in will be destroyed and the Lord will make a new world and we need to understand this truth.

It is true because God says so and God cannot lie!

We must understand that when Jesus was lifted up upon that cross, it set all these things in motion.

The beginning of the ending of this world that will lead to the beginning of eternity in a brand-new world!

Jesus Christ has judged this world to be imperfect.

Jesus Christ has judged that this world is short of God's glory and God's will.

In other words, because of God's holiness we could never live in this world with Him for eternity.

God will create a perfect world.

Because Satan rebelled in Heaven then Heaven would also have to made new, a perfect Heaven!

Because Satan spent time in the heavenly bodies then they too would be made new and perfect.

Rom 8:19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.

Rom 8:20 For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,

Rom 8:21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.

Rom 8:22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.

Rom 8:23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.

It was the cross that set all these things in motion!

*****Joh 12:32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.

Joh 12:33 This he said, signifying what death he should die.

If we follow Jesus with our own cross, then Satan has been defeated in our lives as well!

It was on the cross where Jesus destroyed the power of Satan.

1Jn 3:8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.

It was at the cross where we can claim victory because Jesus Christ is our victory!

*****Joh 12:34 The people answered him, We have heard out of the law that Christ abideth for ever: and how sayest thou, The Son of man must be lifted up? who is this Son of man?

Joh 12:35 Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth.

Joh 12:36 While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light. These things spake Jesus, and departed, and did hide himself from them.

The people misunderstood the coming of the Messiah.

It is certain that God cannot die because He is self-existing.

God had to take on the form of man in order to defeat Satan because Satan had defeated mankind by deception.

The man that had been blind since His birth was the example Jesus chose for us to understand.

Just like that blind man we are all spiritually blind from our birth.

This man would only live a short time before his death.

It is the same for each of us. Once we know the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior our flesh can still only live a few years before our death.

Without the everlasting Light of the Lord, we would again walk in darkness.

When we are children of the Light, no darkness can come upon us and if we burn brightly our light may shine so some others can also become children of the Light!

Only truth can defeat a lie!

Even though Jesus had done so many miracles and had spoken all these words of truth, He could not be accepted as the Messiah.

The truth is if you can be satisfied with the things of this life then nothing the Lord says will change your mind.

It takes faith in something much better, and hope in the promises of God that sets the Christian apart from this world.

*****Joh 12:37 But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him:

Joh 12:38 That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed?

Jesus could have been accepted as King, but it was not time for that to happen.

In reality, to be an unbeliever makes no sense at all.

God has done everything He can do to cause us to believe!

His miracles were not enough for these people.

His compassion was not enough for these people.

His help was not enough for these people.

His signs were not enough for these people.

His healings were not enough for these people.

His truth was not enough for these people.

These are the same things that we have to decide upon.

Is God's "truth" enough for us to place our "faith" in Jesus Christ.

What say ye?

Amen

Let's Pray