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.
1.2 Picture Judas
Pause now and picture in your mind’s eye Judas alongside the Twelve listening to Jesus. You might even close your eyes to imagine a better picture of him. Picture his hair color and his skin tone, if you will. What facial expression does he have? Is he muscular from working in the fields or dragging fish into the boat for a living? Do you have a good picture of him in your mind’s eye?
On screen: Media Team – don’t show Judas’ image too soon, please. I put a couple of prompts into ChatGPT earlier this week, as I studied Judas, and here’s what it came up with. Does this match your image of Judas?
1.3 Jesus Predicts Judas’ Betrayal
Did you know that Judas heard Jesus predict His betrayal five times before Judas sold Him out? F I V E Times Jesus said something like this: “Jesus answered them, ‘Did I not choose you, the twelve? And yet one of you is a devil’” (John 6:70). Again, I count five times that Jesus mentions the eventual betrayal of Judas throughout the gospels – five times! So why didn’t this deter Judas from betraying Jesus?
1.3.1 Nobody Picked Out Judas
The simple fact that no one picked out Judas as the betrayer when Jesus predicted what was going to happen. “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?” (John 13:22-25).
If you and I were standing a few outside the room that night before Jesus was to be killed. And I said to you, “When we walk in the room in a minute, pick out the one who will betray Jesus for me.”
Your odds for playing “Pick out the Traitor” would have been no better than one in twelve. Doesn’t that strike you as a little strange? Don’t you think you could have picked out Judas had you been watching the Twelve for a number of years? It was NOT apparent to any of the disciples who this traitor might be. In fact, the first thing each one of the disciples did was ask, “Could it be me?” Know this: it is possible to outwardly fake a relationship with Jesus. For three years, Judas saw the same miracles, heard the same message, performed the same ministry as every other disciple, yet he did not become what they became. You can be a member of a church. You can hold down a church job. You can be a deacon. You can be a pastor, but that doesn't mean you are right with God. Now, Judas Iscariot had everyone fooled except Jesus.
1.3.2 Jesus Didn’t Treat Him Differently
Here’s the second surprising thing this tells you: Jesus didn’t treat Judas any differently than He did the other Twelve. Shakespeare cannot have Jesus say, “Et tu, Judas,” because Jesus knew what was coming. And even though Jesus knew what was coming, He didn’t treat Judas any differently than He did any other disciple over those three years. Why did Judas go through with the betrayal even though Jesus saw it coming, and Judas knew Jesus saw it coming?
1.3.3 Dazed and Confused
Here’s a second option: every single one of the Twelve was confused when Jesus spoke about His death and His betrayal. Yes, every time Jesus would talk about His death, it would have confused the Disciples. They would not even have a category for the Messiah to die. Imagine if you had all the puzzle pieces, but you had the wrong picture on the box when attempting to assemble the puzzle. You may ask, “Why didn’t everyone realize it was Judas when he left the meal as very 26 describes:
“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’” (John 13:26-28). Evidently, Judas was seated near Jesus at this U-shaped table, allowing Jesus to reach over with the bread easily. Again, why didn’t somebody stop Judas? Because the Disciples just couldn’t conceive of a Savior who would be crucified. They were attempting to fit a square Messiah in a round preconceived box.
1.3.3 Spiritually Numb
Again, why didn’t this deter Judas from betraying Jesus? Here’s a third option: Judas was spiritually numb. “Then after he had taken the morsel, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, ‘What you are going to do, do quickly’” (John 13:27). Judas’ greed placed him as a weapon in the hands of Satan. Greed is a passion of demonic strength. The Bible calls Judas a “traitor” because he was motivated by thirty pieces of silver. Throughout the Disciples’ time together, Judas would often steal from the common moneybag that the disciples used to pay for expenses (John 12:6). It was Judas’ lifelong love of money that set him up to betray Jesus. Judas was already spiritually numb for every single one of these 5 predictions.
1.3.3.1 The Titanic
Cyril Furmstone Evans was the wireless operator on the ship, The Californian. On April 14, 1912, at 6:30 local time, Cyril signaled that there were 3 large icebergs in the area.3 Later that evening, the on-duty wireless operator, Jack Phillips, heard that The Californian had stopped and was surrounded by icebergs. But the Titanic’s junior wireless operator was too busy sending out the personal messages of the passengers to pay attention to the ship’s message about icebergs. Because no one paid attention to the messages, around 1,500 people died aboard The Titanic on April 15, 1912.
Are you so spiritually desensitized that you don’t hear the voice of God anymore? Is your heart so hardened that you’ve silenced the voice of God?
1.3.3.2 Challenger Space Shuttle Disaster
Here’s one more from my childhood. Many of you will recognize this image immediately. When I think of the space shuttle Challenger, I see this one image in my mind. The night before the fatal launch of the space shuttle Challenger on January 12, 1986, engineers begged NASA officials not to go ahead with the launch the next day. The unusually cold weather at the launch site in Florida would stiffen troublesome O-rings. They were afraid that the stiff rings might not seal, letting hot gases break through the boosters' thin walls. But NASA officials insisted on launching anyway. The Space Shuttle Challenger broke apart just seventy-three seconds into its flight, where all seven on board died before a watching world’s eyes.4 Are you ignoring God’s voice because you are spiritually numb like Judas?
1.4 Jesus Offers Judas a Morsel
It’s interesting to note that Jesus’ last act toward Judas was to recognize what Judas’ plans in advance of what Judas had planned. And how did Jesus do this? Did Jesus slap Judas on the cheek to identify him? Did Jesus point him out with a wagging finger and angrily say, “Get out!” Instead, “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” (John 13:26).
Why would Jesus be so kind to Judas, knowing what Judas was planning? Because he’s not trying to shatter Judas; instead, He’s trying to shelter his heart. He’s not trying to condemn Judas; instead, He’s trying to convert Judas. Note how John sees the finality of Judas’ actions here.
In verse 27, John says Satan entered Judas. Jesus said to him at the end of verse 27, “What you are going to do, do quickly” (John 13:27b). Later that evening, after Judas had sold Jesus for the 30 pieces of silver, Jesus called Judas the “Son of Destruction” (John 17:12). And in verse 30, John shows that night isn’t the only thing dark when Judas exits the room. The die has turned, and the shoe has dropped for Judas. Judas’ descent is complete.
1. Judas – A Double Life
2. John – A Devoted Life
“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?’” (John 13:23-25).
It’s really odd for Americans to read about one man placing his head at the side of another. What’s going on here?
2.1 Da Vinci’s Last Supper
I don’t want to make you experts in Roman dining, but Leonardo da Vinci’s conception of the Last Supper isn’t accurate. Da Vinci’s painting is one of the most famous in the world, and it’s thought that he painted the very scene we are reading in John 13. As the scene unfolds, Da Vinci’s painting depicts the next few seconds in this story after Christ dropped the bombshell that one disciple would betray him before sunrise. You can see the painting in Milan, Italy, and it’s 15 feet high and almost thirty feet across. If you were to visit the painting, you would be allowed only 15 minutes to see it, and groups are limited to twenty-five people. As great and as famous as it is, the challenge is that Jesus and the Disciples would have sat behind a typical Roman table, known as a triclinium. Again, Da Vinci seeks to grab the moment when Jesus drops this bombshell. Only you can sense that the world-famous painter didn’t get the scene right from verse 25: “So that disciple, leaning back against Jesus, said to him, ‘Lord, who is it?’” (John 13:25). That’s an unnatural position if you are at a traditional table. But if you are at a U-shaped table that was common to Romans at the time, it fits nicely.
2.2 The Roman Triclinium
You see, the Jews adopted this Roman-style dining room or space. John starts verse 23 with these words: “One of his disciples, whom Jesus loved…” (John 13:23a). We are not absolutely certain, but we are fairly certain by the process of elimination that it is John who wrote the gospel of John. Why wouldn’t John simply say it was me?
First, because John didn’t want to say, “I was more loved than others.” The way John writes it, you get the sense that he’s aware of how much grace that’s been given to him. Second, his silence regarding the identity of this individual gives the impression that he is quietly refusing to share the platform with Jesus. Much like John did with John the Baptist earlier, he’s saying, “I’m just a voice. My identity doesn’t matter, but my witness does.”5 John refuses to share the spotlight with Jesus.
1. Judas – A Double Life
2. John – A Devoted Life
3. Peter – A Broken Life
“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 13:37-38).
3.1 The Personality of Peter
What can you say about a guy like Peter? If Peter were your child, you would want a leash for him. Only they don’t make leashes for the mouth, do they? Peter asks the question on everyone’s mind as he so often does, “Where are you going? And why can’t I come with you?” All four gospels tell the same story: Peter says, “I’m willing to do for you, Jesus.”
3.2 Peter’s Weakness
Peter’s words reveal something true about all of us – we underestimate how weak we are. Peter reminds us about the weak side of even the strongest of believers.6
3.3 Two Men, Two Different Destinies
I cannot help but stop to think about two men who were so close in their failures on this one night, but ended up so differently in eternity – Judas and Peter. These two men spent equal time with Jesus, but came away from their encounter walking in completely two different directions for eternity. Six weeks after the resurrection, Judas is rotting in a field while Peter is leading a movement to change the world. It wasn’t because Peter was smarter or more resilient; it was simply because Peter repented.
Every single believer has been a Peter at some moment. We all need to repent. Repent means to do a U-turn in life. To repent is not to excuse your sin or to blame anyone for your actions. To repent means to agree with God’s opinion about what you’ve done. This leaves you with only one option: beg for mercy from God. Turn to the cross for mercy.
1. Judas – A Double Life
2. John – A Devoted Life
3. Peter – A Broken Life
4. Jesus - A Saving Life
“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. (John 13:31-32).
All the way back in the earliest chapters, John’s gospel has been telling about the glory of God that was coming. Now it is here.
4.1 The Machinery Was in Motion
Notice verse 31 says Judas had left. Now that Judas had left, it seemed that the last obstacle had been removed. The machinery of Jesus’ arrest, trial, and execution was in motion.7
4.2 The Spotlight
Now the spotlight is on Jesus. If the word “glorified” is too foreign for you, think spotlight. Jesus says, “Now is the Son of Man glorified …” and we know Jesus is “the Son of Man.” “Now the spotlight is on Jesus, and Jesus, in turn, will put eternity’s spotlight on God, the Father.”
This is eternity’s red carpet moment. The betrayal, the arrest, the trial, and the crucifixion are the spotlight. This shows the amazing lengths God will go to rescue you. This shows the extraordinary lengths God will go to rescue sinners. When the spotlight hit Jesus, He turned it toward the Father. Jesus says, “This is the character of my Father.” Jesus’ red carpet was a crown of thorns. Jesus’ red carpet was stained with His own blood, and it ended on the cross.
4.3 Closing Prayer
Lord, when we see the testing of Peter and the betrayal of Judas, it shakes us. How these two men who be around you for so long and then find themselves capable of this, scares us. Vanquish evil in our hearts and rid us of the awful thoughts of overconfidence. You will use a molecule from China to remind us how fragile we are. Cause us to see your face of love, and may our hearts melt. Thaw the pride inside us and make us supple to your will. Cause us to see our shakiness, but even more importantly, make us feel your love for us. In Jesus Name, Amen.
EndNotes
1 This is adapted from Pastor James Merritt. https://www.sermonsearch.com/sermon-outlines/59680/the-kiss-of-death/; accessed August 5, 2025.
2 This quote is adapted from John Bunyan.
3 https://titanic-itv-2012-miniseries.fandom.com/wiki/Harold_Bride_(from_1997_Film); accessed August 5, 2025.
4 https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1986/05/13/truth-in-space/822d2343-3d0b-4e50-ba16-5cfb5700890c/; accessed August 5, 2025.
5 D. A. Carson, The Gospel according to John, The Pillar New Testament Commentary. (Leicester, England; Grand Rapids, MI: Inter-Varsity Press; W.B. Eerdmans, 1991), 473.
6 Frederick Dale Bruner, The Gospel of John: A Commentary. (Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.: Eerdmans, 2012), 800.
7 Carson, 482.
