A New Command Series

A Study of the Book of John

“That You May Believe”

Sermon # 36

“A New Commandment”

John 13:31-38

From time to time we are asked to do some self-examination of our spiritual lives and assess how we think we are doing but

I’m afraid that we tend to be like the fellow in the story I heard about who showed up for a court hearing concerning an accident in which he had been involved. His arm was in a cast, there were bandages all over him, and the exposed parts of his body were clearly bruised, scratched and cut. He was a real mess.

Looking rather surprised, the judge asked about his injuries. He replied, "Judge, I’m in a terrible condition. I have cuts and , scratches all over me, and I’m feeling awful." The judge said, "I don’t understand this. The accident report filed by the Officer says that at the time of the accident you told him you were just fine."

"Well Judge," the man replied, "Let me try to explain. I was driving my pickup and pulling a trailer. In the back of the pickup was my old dog Shep, & my mule was in the trailer. All of a sudden an 18-wheeler sideswiped me, knocking me off the road."

"My pickup & trailer rolled over & over, and we ended up at the bottom of a big embank-ment. The next thing I remember, a police officer was picking his way through the wreckage. I saw him stop and examine my mule, then he pulled out his pistol and shot the mule between the eyes."

"Next, he got to where Shep was lying, and after examining him, he shot old Shep, too. Then he walked over to me and asked, "How are you?" And I said, "I’m just fine."

But sometimes even when say, “just fine” in reality, when it comes right down to it things may not be going really all that well.

Things are not really going all that well with the disciples, so let me recap; the disciples have gathered for what will be their last meal with Jesus. They had entered into what He had no doubt intended to be a time of intimate sharing, arguing over who was to be considered the greatest (Lk 22:24). They had not only refused to wash the feet of one another, Peter had even attempted to prevent Jesus from washing his feet (Jn 13). If the past is any clue to the present they probably completely failed to grasp most of what Jesus was telling them. On top of all this, Judas would betray Him, Peter would deny Him, and all the rest would forsake Him. Yet in spite of all this, Jesus tenderly spoke to His disciples as to little children. This is one of the warmest, most intimate moments our Lord ever shared with His disciples. Let’s listen to the words and to the heart of the Lord!

First, The Fourfold Glory (vv. 31-32)

“So, when he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man is glorified, and God is glorified in Him. (32) If God is glorified in Him, God will also glorify Him in Himself, and glorify Him immediately.

John introduces verse thirty-one with the notation that what Jesus says here is spoke “after” the departure of Judas. Jesus is now alone with the His true disciples and He is free to speak more candidly about those things which are to come.

The first thing that Jesus mentions is his ultimate “glorification.” I will remind you that when Jesus says He will be “glorified” He means He will be crucified – for it is in the cross that his glory is revealed. But it should not be forgotten that this glorification which is the ultimate goal of his coming to earth – He welcomes willingly, joyfully and triumphantly.

William Barclay maintains that there is a fourfold glory of God in these verses.

First, As I have already said, the glory of Jesus has come and that glory is the cross. The greatest glory in life is that which comes through sacrifice and there can be no greater sacrifice that which was made by Christ, when he who knew no sin, bore the sins of all mankind.

Secondly, in Jesus, God the Father has been glorified. It was the obedience of Jesus which brought glory to God the Father. There is one way for people to show they love and admire and trust a leader and that is by there obedience. Jesus gave supreme honor and supreme glory to God, by supreme obedience, even to the cross.

Third, In Jesus, God the Father, glorifies himself. Through the incarnation and cross God displayed his own love for mankind. It is His willingness to send his own son that God put his own supreme love own display.