Crucial Things To See About Christ Series

Crucial Things to See about Christ

The Gospel of John

John 13:18-32

Sermon by Rick Crandall

Grayson Baptist Church - July 5, 2017

(Revised December 31, 2019)

BACKGROUND:

*Please open your Bibles to John 13. Remember that in this chapter, God's Word has moved forward to the night before the cross. This night was so significant that God gives it almost 6 whole chapters of the 21 chapters in John.

*In this passage, the Lord was preparing His disciples for the cross. And there are some crucial things for us to see about Jesus. Please think about that as we read vs. 18-32.

MESSAGE:

*Many people don’t have to start wearing glasses until they are around 40. On the other hand, I was born with bad eyes, but I didn’t know it until the first grade. I had no idea how bad my eyes were, so I must have failed a vision test in school. And I can still remember riding home with my dad after I got my first pair of glasses. It was unbelievable! I had no idea what I had been missing. I could actually see the words on the signs. I could even see the leaves on the trees!

*I could see! And it’s a wonderful thing to see with our physical eyes. But it is infinitely better to see with our spiritual eyes. It's infinitely better to be able to see with the eyes of faith.

*That is the kind of seeing Hebrews 2:8-9 is talking about when it says, "Now we do not yet see all things put under him. But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone."

*God wants us to see in a spiritual way, and tonight's Scripture shows us some crucial things to see about Jesus.

1. FIRST: SEE HOW THE LORD PREPARES HIS PEOPLE.

*Again, Jesus was preparing His disciples for His death on the cross. The Lord was preparing them because He had important things for them to do and new places for them to go. Jesus was also getting them ready because there were more hard times to go through. The Lord still wants to prepare His people today. Jesus wants to get us ready because He also has important things for us to do and new places for us to go. Jesus wants to prepare us for godly life in this world and godly service in His church.

*That’s what the Lord was doing in vs. 1-17 when He washed the disciples’ feet. And in tonight's Scripture, Jesus continued this process of preparation. Here the Lord spoke to the 11 true disciples, plus the traitor with them at the table. And there are some important lessons for us from this time of preparation.

[1] THE FIRST IS THAT JESUS KNOWS US.

*In vs. 18, Jesus said, "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.'"

*Jesus always knew that Judas was going to betray Him, so in vs.18 He quoted a thousand-year-old prophecy from Psalm 41:9. There King David wrote, "Even my own familiar friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted up his heel against me."

*William Barclay explained that "to invite someone to eat bread with you was a great sign of loyal friendship. . . And for someone to turn against the friend who fed him was a bitter betrayal." What makes vs. 18 especially bitter was the cruelty of the traitor lifting up his heel against the Lord. Barclay said that phrase "described brutal violence." To me, it's the picture of viciously kicking someone when they are down. (1)

*Jesus fully knew the traitor at the table, but the Lord also knew His followers. As He said in vs. 18, "I KNOW whom I have chosen." Praise the Lord! Jesus knows His followers.

*He knows everything about us. He knows us inside out. He knows our past, our present and our future. He knows faults and our failures. He knows our tears and our fears. He knows our problems and our pains. He knows our dreams and desires. He knows our works and our worries. Jesus knows every need we will ever have. And He has promised to meet every one.

[1] CHRISTIANS: HE KNOWS US, AND HE CHOSE US!

*Again in vs. 18, Jesus said, "I know whom I have CHOSEN." That ought to bless our hearts! Jesus not only knows us, He chose us, so in Ephesians 1:3-4, Paul said:

3. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,