The Submissive Sovereign

The Submissive Sovereign

John 13: 1-5

I am well aware that all Scripture was given by inspiration of God, through the Holy Spirit for our benefit; but this is one of those passages that almost seems too holy for mere mortals to impose upon. Our Lord is in his last hours upon this earth. Very soon He will make His way to the Garden of Gethsemane, where He will be betrayed, arrested, and taken before the Sanhedrin. There He will be falsely accused, condemned to death, and taken before Pilate, the Roman governor. After intense examination, Pilate will condemn Jesus to death, He will be scourged and crucified upon a Roman cross. Less than twenty four hours from this moment, Jesus will have given His life for the sin of humanity.

Prior to the events that immediately preceded the cross, Jesus took time for one last meal and time of fellowship with His disciples. Through the inspired Word, we have details of this intimate moment forever preserved. We have the privilege to look in on this very intimate moment with Jesus and His disciples just hours prior to His sacrificial death on the cross. This passage reveals the sovereign of the universe humbling Himself to serve others. They will share a meal and a time of precious fellowship before the Lord is arrested and crucified.

In a few moments we will spend some time around the Lord’s Table as we celebrate and remember the atoning sacrifice He made for our sin. Before we do I want to consider this intimate moment Jesus shared with His disciples. I pray it will challenge our hearts and give us a fresh perspective of the gracious Savior we serve. As we examine these verses, I want to consider the commitments of Jesus as we think on: The Submissive Sovereign.

I. The Sovereignty of Jesus (1-3) – Clearly there would have been a tremendous heaviness in the room that evening. The disciples could have sensed the burden Jesus carried, and yet they had no way of knowing how this evening would unfold. Even though Jesus was under an intense burden, He was well aware of what lay ahead for Him. Consider:

A. Jesus knew the Plan (1) – Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end. Jesus knew that his hour had come; He was well aware that the time for His crucifixion was approaching quickly. There had been seasons of opposition before; but during those times, His hour had not yet come. He is sitting with the disciples in the privacy of the Upper Room, looking toward the cross. He was well aware of the suffering He would endure and the great sacrifice He would make. He also was aware of the emotion felt by the disciples at this moment. They would soon be scattered, left alone with their thoughts, being afraid, confused, and uncertain of their future.

As His moment of death and suffering approached, Jesus is found in the Upper Room with the disciples, offering comfort and assurance to them. He wasn’t about to forsake them in their hour of need. Jesus knew His time was fast approaching, and yet He understood the need of the disciples.

There is comfort for each of us in these verses as well. The Lord is aware of our situation, and the difficulties we face. He has promised to never leave or forsake us. He is that friend that remains closer than a brother! In our seasons of adversity, He provides comfort!

B. Jesus knew the Plot (2) – And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him. Among the disciples was one who looked like the rest. He had been with them for years. He ate with them, shared in their jubilation and hardship, witnessed the miracles, heard Jesus proclaim the Word, and even served as treasurer for the group.

By all appearances, one would think that Judas held a position of great prominence among the disciples. Most would have considered him to be the most loyal and honest of them all. He may have kept the money, but inwardly he was filled with greed, contempt, and wickedness. Judas had walked with the Christ, Savior of the world, and yet he had never accepted Jesus as the Christ. The others may not have known the heart of Judas, but Jesus was well aware of his desires, knowing Judas would betray Him.

The Lord sees and knows more than is revealed by the outward appearance; He sees and knows the heart. John 10:14 – I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. He knows those who are His. He is aware of the condition of our hearts! Judas may have deceived men, but he had not deceived Christ.