Jesus Loves Me this I Know
Matthew 26:47-50
Matthew 26:47 And while he yet spake, lo, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and elders of the people.
48 Now he that betrayed him gave them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he: hold him fast.
49 And forthwith he came to Jesus, and said, Hail, master; and kissed him.
50 And Jesus said unto him, Friend, wherefore art thou come? Then came they, and laid hands on Jesus and took him.
Introduction: I text this morning tells us about the last interaction between the Savior and Judas Iscariot but there was so much more to this story than just this final act of betrayal. I want to say a few things about Judas but my real focus is on what the Lord did in the hours leading up to Judas traitorous act.
ILL:
I. The Character 0f Judas
a. Covetous
John 12:4-6 Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, which should betray him, 5Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor? 6This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein.
b. Callous – betrayed by a kiss
c. Condemned – he committed suicide
Matthew 27: 1 When the morning was come, all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death: 2And when they had bound him, they led him away, and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the governor. 3Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, 4Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that. 5And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself. 6And the chief priests took the silver pieces, and said, It is not lawful for to put them into the treasury, because it is the price of blood.
Acts 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.”
II. The Compassion of Jesus
A Traitor Among Them!
By the time of the meal, Judas had already arranged to betray Jesus Christ for thirty pieces of silver. It was a very dastardly act to say the least. But also by the time of the meal, Jesus already knew who the traitor was.
Mike Verdicchio
a. The emblems of His death
The bread and the cup shared with Judas
Matthew 26:26 And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.
27 And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it;
28 For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
b. The seating of Judas
The Seating Arrangement
The two most honored seats at a meal were those to the right and left of the host or the master. That means that the disciple whom Jesus loved, who rested his head on Jesus’ bosom, an act of deep concern, love, and intimate friendship, was sitting in a position of honor at that meal.
Likewise, for Jesus to be able to give Judas the sop, he too was sitting very close to Jesus, possibly in the other honored position.
c. The Sop shared with Judas
John 13:21 – 30 When Jesus had thus said, he was troubled in spirit, and testified, and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me.
Then the disciples looked one on another, doubting of whom he spake.
Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved.
Simon Peter therefore beckoned to him, that he should ask who it should be of whom he spake.
He then lying on Jesus’ breast saith unto him, Lord, who is it?
Jesus answered, He it is, to whom I shall give a sop, when I have dipped it. And when he had dipped the sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon.
And after the sop Satan entered into him. Then said Jesus unto him, That thou doest, do quickly.
Now no man at the table knew for what intent he spake this unto him.
For some of them thought, because Judas had the bag, that Jesus had said unto him, Buy those things that we have need of against the feast; or, that he should give something to the poor.
He then having received the sop went immediately out: and it was night.
What is the Sop?
The word “sop” simply means a small portion, a morsel, or a fragment. That is still common today whether in a serving bowl or on your plate, although we don’t really use the word “sop.” We use words like, “a little dab,” a little piece,” “a small bite,” etc. So, “sop” is just a word for a small piece of food.
In Bible times there would have been a common dish at the meal. Their bread was flat, thin and round. It was very common to dip a piece of bread into the common dish and wrap the bread around a small piece of food, a sop. Perhaps this was a forerunner of fajitas, I don’t know!
But when the host would dip his piece of bread into the dish, and then give the sop to someone, that was very, very significant. The host or master of the house would give the sop to the person to whom he wanted to show his greatest love and esteem.
He did that by dipping into the common dish and then placing the sop in the person’s mouth. In doing that, he would show to all those present, and to the person receiving the sop, the love and honor he had for him.
Jesus knew that Judas was about to betray him. Yet, there he sat, quite possibly in a position of honor at the meal, and Jesus gave him the sop. By extending so much honor and love to Judas, Jesus gave him a chance to change his plans. But God gives all us free will to choose. Even an act of love and honor directly and personally from the Lord Jesus Christ himself does not guarantee that someone will do what is right.
d. The washing of His feet
The example of His service
If you went to your friend’s house and you were greeted at the door by something like, “Hi! I’m glad you’re here. Come on in, take off your shoes, and I’ll wash your feet,” you would probably wonder what in the world was going on!
I went to a friend’s house once, right after they got new carpet, and for awhile, they insisted that all guests take their shoes off before walking on their new carpet. However, they never once offered to wash my feet.
The Last Supper
A lot of people are familiar with a foot washing incident that occurred during what is commonly called, “the last supper.” This event took place shortly before Jesus was arrested. And, while some understand the lesson regarding service, many fail to see an even greater impact that the lesson can have.
In the lands and times of the Bible, people wore sandals and walked on dusty roads. It was, therefore, very common to have your feet washed upon entering a friend’s house.
Who’s Job Was It?
The servant that would perform this lowly task was usually the lowest servant in the household. However, an exception to that was if the guest was someone of great importance, someone with a very high rank in society. On those occasions, it was the master of the house who would wash the feet.
In the Bible culture, if the master of the house washed your feet, it was his way of recognizing that you were a very important person. It was an extremely high compliment.
What A Lesson!
When Jesus washed the feet of his disciples that night, he was not only teaching them humility and service, but he was also teaching them about love. They knew that their own social status did not deserve that kind of treatment. That is why Peter objected and refused to have Jesus wash his feet.
When you look at the Scriptures through an “eastern eye,” many details and truths become apparent. And isn’t it just something that right before he was about to suffer and die for the whole world, Jesus Christ treated his disciples like they were royalty?
John 13:4-17
He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself.
After that he poureth water into a basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded.
Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet?
Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter.
Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.
Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head.
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.
For he knew who should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all clean.
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?
Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am.
If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet.
For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.
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.
If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.
It really is quite a lesson, isn’t it?
Mike Verdicchio
Conclusion: If He can love Judas surely he can love a heart like mine…
How deep the Father's love for us?
How vast beyond all measure?
That He should give His only Son
To make a wretch His treasure
How great the pain of searing loss?
The Father turns His face away
As wounds which mar the Chosen One
Bring many sons to glory
Behold the man upon a cross
My sin upon His shoulders
Ashamed I hear my mocking voice
Call out among the scoffers
It was my sin that held Him there
Until it was accomplished
His dying breath has brought me life
I know that it is finished
I will not boast in anything
No gifts, no power, no wisdom
But I will boast in Jesus Christ
His death and resurrection
Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart
His wounds have paid my ransom
His love is unilateral for He loved us first. Even if we do not reciprocate His love, He still loves us.
His love is unconditional for we don’t do anything to receive His love.
His love is unending for He loves His own until the end.
His love is an unyielding love for He will not let us go.
O Love that will not let me go,
I rest my weary soul in thee;
I give thee back the life I owe,
That in thine ocean depths its flow
May richer, fuller be.
O Light that foll’west all my way,
I yield my flick’ring torch to thee;
My heart restores its borrowed ray,
That in thy sunshine’s blaze its day
May brighter, fairer be.
O Joy that seekest me through pain,
I cannot close my heart to thee;
I trace the rainbow through the rain,
And feel the promise is not vain,
That morn shall tearless be.
O Cross that liftest up my head,
I dare not ask to fly from thee;
I lay in dust life’s glory dead,
And from the ground there blossoms red
Life that shall endless be.
