Backstabbers

Find John 13 with me, if you will.

Many of you recognize the phrase “Et Tu, Brute?” immediately. It’s Latin for “You too, Brutus?” It’s a quote from Shakespeare’s play Julius Caesar, where the Roman dictator speaks to his friend Marcus Junius Brutus. Caesar recognizes Brutus as one of his assassins. The phrase has taken a life of its own. People everywhere use this when they realize they have been unexpectedly betrayed by a friend. I want to tell you the story of four men and one betrayal today. Our story happens on Thursday evening, just before Good Friday. It’s less than twenty-four hours before Jesus dies. In fact, everything from John 13-17 takes place on Thursday.

Scholars give these chapters the title, the Farewell Discourse. This is the last day before He is crucified. This is the last full day of Jesus’ earthly life. We enter a really familiar scene known as the Last Supper.

Today’s Scripture

After saying these things, Jesus was troubled in his spirit, and testified, “Truly, truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom he spoke. One of his disciples, whom Jesus loved, was reclining at table at Jesus’ side, so Simon Peter motioned to him to ask Jesus of whom he was speaking. So that disciple, leaning back against Jesus, said to him, “Lord, who is it?” Jesus answered, “It is he to whom I will give this morsel of bread when I have dipped it.” So when he had dipped the morsel, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. Then after he had taken the morsel, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, “What you are going to do, do quickly.” Now no one at the table knew why he said this to him. Some thought that, because Judas had the moneybag, Jesus was telling him, “Buy what we need for the feast,” or that he should give something to the poor. So, after receiving the morsel of bread, he immediately went out. And it was night.

When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him. If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and glorify him at once. Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You will seek me, and just as I said to the Jews, so now I also say to you, ‘Where I am going you cannot come.’ A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people 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 will follow afterward.” Peter said to him, “Lord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” Jesus answered, “Will you lay down your life for me? Truly, truly, I say to you, the rooster will not crow till you have denied me three times” (John 13:21-38).

We’ve just read the account known as the Last Supper. Again, there are four main characters in our story today.

The Cast

Jesus, the Savior

Judas, the Betrayer

The Disciple Who Jesus Loved or the Beloved Disciple

And lastly, Simon Peter

Look for all four in the moments to come.

Sermon Preview

1. Judas – A Double Life

2. John – A Devoted Life

3. Peter – A Broken Life

4. Jesus - A Saving Life

Four Hearts Revealed

John: A Heart that was Humble

Judas: A Heart That Grew Cold

Peter: A Heart That Was Weak

Jesus: A Heart That Never Quit

1. Judas – A Double Life

“After saying these things, Jesus was troubled in his spirit, and testified, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me’” (John 13:21).

Jesus stopped everyone dead in their tracks. Every disciple's mouth was wide open. Their eyes got as big as saucers, and there was stunned silence just as verse 22 indicates. If you could convert shock to electricity, there was enough in that room to light up Dallas for a week!1

John describes this way, “Jesus was troubled in his spirit” in verse 21. Jesus’ anguish caught the eye of nearly everyone there.

1.1 Judas

Jesus doesn’t name him here, but in the moments to come, it will be clear that this is Judas. Now remember, there are two disciples named Judas of the original Twelve. But Judas is the famous one, and we know almost nothing about the other Judas. Judas’ story is central to the story of Jesus’ death and resurrection. Judas is so synonymous with betrayal that his very name is listed in the thesaurus as a synonym for betrayal. Iscariot acts like Judas’ last name in our day, and it likely suggests where his family is from. Each time the gospels list the Twelve Disciples, they always list Judas last. John Bunyan of Pilgrim’s Progress fame said, The story of Judas tells us that there is a gate to hell even from the very gates of heaven.2 I shudder when I stop to think about Judas.