John 13:18-38 God is Glorified in Him
Good morning, everyone! The last few weeks during this extended Easter Season, we studied about the many victories the Risen Jesus had in and through his ministry. Of course, through his resurrection he conquered the power of sin and death and gave us hope of eternal life. By meeting Saul on the road to Damascus, he could be changed from a murderous man to St. Paul who wrote many letters of the New Testament. Last week, we learned how Peter had power from the Holy Spirit to heal a paralyzed man and even raised a dead woman, Tabitha, from the dead. It’s been one victory after another. But in today’s passage, we are sent back to the time before Jesus’ death and resurrection. We are back in the upper room, where Jesus had the famous last supper with his disciples. In these verses, we will learn about rejection and betrayal by two of Jesus’ disciples, Judas and Simon Peter. It is because Easter is not only about food and celebration. In the story of Easter are also betrayal, sadness, confusion, deep anguish, and turmoil. In spite of all these things, Jesus saw everything from God’s point of view. He believed that God would be glorified. Let’s see why. My title is:
God is Glorified in Him
(Fifth Week of the Easter Season)
John 13:18-38
Key Verses: 31-32:
31 When he was gone, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man is glorified and God is glorified in him. 32 If God is glorified in him,[c] God will glorify the Son in himself, and will glorify him at once.
This passage is in the context of the last supper Jesus had with his disciples. He had just finished washing all their dirty feet. It was a sign of his love for all them, including Judas Iscariot. In spite of this humble expression of love, Judas was hard-heartened and still planned to carry out his betrayal. But Jesus knew everything that was going on and told his disciples this. Look at verses 18-21. “18 ‘I am not referring to all of you; I know those I have chosen. But this is to fulfill this passage of Scripture: “He who shared my bread has turned[a] against me.”[b] 19 ‘I am telling you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe that I am who I am. 20 Very truly I tell you, whoever accepts anyone I send accepts me; and whoever accepts me accepts the one who sent me.’ 21 After he had said this, Jesus was troubled in spirit and testified, ‘Very truly I tell you, one of you is going to betray me.’” Jesus quoted a messianic verse from Psalm 41, which was a Psalm of betrayal written by king David. King David was a foreshadow of the spiritual King Jesus. David was betrayed by two people, first his son Absalom, who wanted to kill him to take over the throne. Second, was Ahithophel, one of David’s friends and most able and trusted advisor who sided with Absalom. Ironically, all three betrayers died of hanging. When Ahithophel’s strategic advice was not accepted by Absalom, his feeling was hurt, so he went home and hanged himself. While in battle against David’s men, Absalom’s long hair got caught in a tree branch and he was hanging there until Joab’s men killed him. Last of all, after Judas betrayed Jesus, he felt so much remorse that he hanged himself on a tree. Jesus had told what was about happen in order to prepare his disciples for the coming dreadful events. It was the last night Jesus was going to spend with them before his crucifixion. They needed to accept who he was before they would see the horrific trials he was about to undergo. Jesus knew that his disciples would be shocked by Judas’ betrayal. So, he warned them in advance. Jesus wanted his disciples to know that he himself was not a victim of unforeseen evil. Jesus knew exactly what would happen to him. Jesus was simply following God’s will and plan. Despite his many efforts to help Judas repent and turn from his evil ways, Judas had already decided what to do. Still, Jesus was deeply troubled in his spirit that one of his beloved disciples was going to betray him. This shows the humanity of Jesus, who felt that pain of betrayal as any person would feel. His disciples were totally confused. This terrible news put a damper on an occasion which was supposed to be a joyful dinner. How did the disciples react?
Look at verses 22-25. “22 His disciples stared at one another, at a loss to know which of them he meant. 23 One of them, the disciple whom Jesus loved, was reclining next to him. 24 Simon Peter motioned to this disciple and said, ‘Ask him which one he means.’ 25 Leaning back against Jesus, he asked him, ‘Lord, who is it?’” They had no clue that it was Judas Iscariot. Judas must’ve been a good actor. He had all the appearance of being a faithful and true disciple of Jesus for the past three and a half years. He had been put in the position as the money-keeper for Jesus and the disciples. However, because of his greediness he would take money for himself without anyone suspecting. But Jesus knew his heart and saw right through him. Let this be a warning to us. We can fool people and appear to be good Christians. But we cannot fool Jesus if we are trying to hide in sin and deception. Jesus cannot be fooled. No one can lie to God and get away with it. In light of Judas’ betrayal, we must also be extra careful with the sin of greed. This is why Paul gave this warning to believers in 1 Timothy 6:10, “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” So, what must we do? We must confess our sins and turn from them. We must cry out to Jesus for his mercy and forgiveness for our condemnable words, actions, and motives. Interestingly, in verse 23, Apostle John identified himself “the disciple whom Jesus loved.” All the disciples were loved by Jesus, but John was assured in his heart that Jesus really loved him. It was quite a contrast to Judas’ attitude towards Jesus’ love. Jesus had loved Judas and had even showed it by washing his dirty feet. But Judas did not accept Jesus’ love. He was too selfish, egoistic, and self-centered to accept the love of God for him. So, he betrayed God’s love for him that was clearly revealed through Jesus, the Son of God. How we view God’s one-sided and unfailing love for sinners really effects our view of God and our relationship with him and with our fellow believers. We will talk more about God’s love for fellow believers later in this passage. Because John, the apostle of love asked him, Jesus showed him who the betrayer would be.
Look at verses 26-30. “26 Jesus answered, ‘It is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish.’ Then, dipping the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. 27 As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him. So Jesus told him, ‘What you are about to do, do quickly.’ 28 But no one at the meal understood why Jesus said this to him. 29 Since Judas had charge of the money, some thought Jesus was telling him to buy what was needed for the festival, or to give something to the poor. 30 As soon as Judas had taken the bread, he went out. And it was night.” It is interesting how Jesus showed to John who the betrayer was. In that culture, the one at the head of the table or host, Jesus, sharing a piece of bread dipped in the dish was a sign of honor. [Pic 1] It was like raising a champaign cup to make a toast for someone. To the end, Jesus was honoring Judas as one of his disciples, but Judas could not care less of Jesus’ gesture of love. Instead, he took the bread and Satan entered him. It is the exact opposite when we take the communion bread. When we eat the communion bread, we are taking what Jesus did on the cross into our souls. But since Judas took the bread without accepting Jesus’ love, Satan entered him. Jesus knew what he was about to do and told him to do it quickly. The other disciples heard Jesus say these words to Judas, but they had no idea what was going on. They thought Jesus wanted him to go to the store and buy more food for their feast. But Judas was going into the night to do evil and comply with the enemies of Jesus. We have this warning in the Bible that Judas fulfilled in his life, Hebrews 10:26-27, “If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, 27 but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.” Judas was only bringing God’s judgment upon himself and heading on the road to hell. One Bible scholar called this the low point of John’s gospel. Jesus’ own disciple rejected the light of the world and chose the darkness. May none of us be so foolish to turn against Jesus. Rather, may we all continually turn from sin and follow Jesus, the light of the world. After Judas left, Jesus taught his disciples about the glorious truths of what was going to happen to him.
Look at verses 31-32. “31 When he was gone, Jesus said, ‘Now the Son of Man is glorified and God is glorified in him. 32 If God is glorified in him,[c] God will glorify the Son in himself, and will glorify him at once.’” It must’ve been a most discouraging moment for Jesus when Judas went out into the night. But Jesus did not despair nor focus on the painful betrayal. Jesus fixed his eyes and thoughts on God and his glory. In these two short sentences, Jesus repeated the word “glorified” or “glorify” five times. Jesus’ mind, heart and soul were set on glorifying God. Jesus was doing everything for God’s glory. The Westminster Catechism states: “What is the chief end of man? The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy him forever.” [Pic 2] Jesus’ whole life was set on bringing glory, honor, and praise to God his Father in heaven. If Jesus had been focused on Satan’s work in Judas, he could’ve been so discouraged or even derailed from his mission. But at the critical moment Jesus looked at God and resolved to glorify God. As we know, when Jesus was talking about glorifying God, he was referring to his upcoming suffering and crucifixion. Even though the cross looked like shame, disgrace, and disaster, it was glory. At first it may seem difficult to understand how death can be glory, especially death by crucifixion. In his death our Lord experienced the deepest kind of shame, humiliation, accusation, insults, infamy, mockery, spitting, and all that men could throw at him. He died hanging between thieves, receiving the agony of sin and separation from God. Yet knowing he was facing all of that, Jesus could say, “Now is the Son of Man glorified.”
How was there glory in the cross? At that time, the cross, a torture devised by the Romans, was the most shameful and painful way to die. But on the cross, Jesus performed the greatest work in the history of the universe. In his death he brought to pass the salvation of condemned sinners, destroyed sin, and defeated Satan. He paid the price of God’s justice and purchased for himself all the elect of God. In dying for sin, he rendered his life as a holy sacrifice to God, a sacrifice purer and more blessed than any sacrifice ever offered. And when the offended justice of God and the broken law were fully satisfied, Jesus concluded his work by saying, “It is finished.” He had accomplished the redemption of all who believe, satisfied the justice of God, repaired the broken law, and set believers free. In all heaven and earth, no act is so worthy of praise and honor and full glory. We learn from Jesus that when our hearts are troubled and things look dark, that is the critical moment to turn to the Lord to find strength to glorify his name. At the same time, Jesus said “God would be glorified in him.” How would this happen? God is glorified through the details of the gospel. When Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him,” he was speaking of his death, burial, resurrection, exaltation, and coming again. All the glory he was speaking of came through those things. And those things are the elements of the gospel message.
God’s glory is wrapped up in his attributes. His love, mercy, grace, wisdom, omniscience, omnipotence, omnipresence—all the attributes of God—reflect and declare his glory. We glorify God when we in any way praise or acknowledge or experience or display his attributes. We glorify God through our extended Easter Season. We glorify God through our testimonies. We glorify God when we share here what we learned about God today. When we are examples of his love, for instance, we glorify him. When we acknowledge and yield to his sovereignty, we glorify him. That is what it means to glorify God. At the cross every attribute of God was manifest in a way that had never been manifest before. The power of God, for example, was made visible on the cross. The kings of the earth, the rulers of the earth took counsel together against God and against his Christ. The terrible enmity of the carnal mind and the desperate wickedness of the human heart nailed Jesus to a cross. The fiendish hatred of Satan put forth its best effort. The world and Satan and every demon in the universe threw all the power they had at Christ, and he had the power to overcome it all. In death he broke every shackle, every dominance of sin, and every power of Satan forever. His graphic display of God’s power thus glorified God. In light of his self-sacrifice, Jesus gave his disciples a new command, which would also be visualized on the cross. And through this command Jesus hoped that they too would glorify God with their lives.
Look at verses 33-35. 33 “My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come. 34 A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” It is interesting here that Jesus called his disciples “my children” even though there were a few who were probably older than him. But it was a sign of endearment like a teacher calling her pupils his children even though they are not his own. It was because he loved them and he wanted to teach them the way to show his love to one another in his absence. So, he gave them a going away command and he repeated it three times. What was it? Three words. “Love one another.” Jesus called it “a new command.” Why was it new? We know that Jesus taught that the greatest commandment is to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. And the second greatest commandment is like it: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Jesus said that all the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments. Jesus had quoted this from Leviticus 19:18. You see, in the Old Testament times, people considered that the highest love a person could show was the love a person had for himself or herself. For example, they knew how to take care of themselves, feed themselves, and comfort themselves. So, they could do these things for others. But Jesus said in the new commandment, they needed to love others on a higher love. They were to love others as Jesus loved them. Jesus sacrificed his life for them. It was spoken to Jesus’ committed, faithful disciples. “Love one another.” Jesus wanted them to love one another not just superficially. Jesus wanted them to love one another even more than just brothers or our family members. This is not easy or natural. American culture is very individualistic, focused on our own careers, and our own families. Beyond our own families, we are not so culturally obligated. Instead of saying God bless you, many say instead, “Take care of yourself.” Sometimes, even family members don’t look after each other very well. So, Jesus’ words challenge us and our culture today. Actually, Jesus’ words challenge every culture on earth. Why? Because we are inherently selfish and self-centered. But love is selfless. Love is more mindful, thoughtful, and focused on the one you love, rather than yourself. It is doing for the betterment and true good for that person we are loving. In the Bible, it is called agape love. Isn’t that what true love really should be like?
Apostle John wrote this in 1 John 4:7-12, “7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.” Here we learn that we cannot obey Jesus’ command to love others as he loved them by our own strength. We first need to accept Jesus’ love for us deeply and personally. We need conviction like Apostle John that he was the one loved by Jesus. Then the love of Jesus in us gives us the power to love our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ as Jesus loves. The agape love God requires much sacrifice and can even be painful as Jesus showed on the cross. But this sacrificial love is the love of God that Jesus wants his disciples to show others. While preparing this message I heard a story of a 36-year-old mother, who has 3 young children, was diagnosed with terminal cancer. One doctor said she should spend her last remaining days enjoying a vacation somewhere. Another doctor gave her an option to live a few more years with the grueling and painful effects of chemotherapy and radiation treatment. She wrote a letter saying to her children that she will fight through the pain and difficult treatments for them. She wanted to live as long as possible to love them and be with them with the help of God. With every ounce of her life and grit to bear all the pain, she wanted to show her love to her children to the end. In Bishop Barron’s lectionary yesterday, he mentioned about Maximilian Kolbe who was a Polish Catholic priest. [Pic 3] While in the concentration camp in Auschwitz during WWII he gave his life in place of another man who had a family. This man was about to be executed and Maximilian volunteered to die in his place. He sacrificed his life for another. CS Lewis wrote that in order to show God’s love we must become vulnerable. He wrote, “To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact you must give it to no one, not even an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements. Lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket, safe, dark motionless, airless, it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. To love is to be vulnerable.” [Pic 4] After hearing about the new command, Peter didn’t ask Jesus how he could practice this kind of love. It went in one ear and out of the other. We call this selective hearing. Instead, he asked Jesus where he was going.
Look at verses 36-38. ““36 Simon Peter asked him, ‘Lord, where are you going?’ Jesus replied, ‘Where I am going, you cannot follow now, but you will follow later.’ 37 Peter asked, ‘Lord, why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.’38 Then Jesus answered, ‘Will you really lay down your life for me? Very truly I tell you, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times!’” Peter’s heart was right. He loved Jesus. He was not a traitor like Judas. But he didn’t know his own weaknesses, like Jesus knew him. In a moment of weakness Peter would cave in to fear. We learn from Peter that depending on our own strength, determination or courage has great limitations. If we depend on ourselves, we will eventually fail. Where does our help come from? Our help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. Only when we know the deep love of God in Jesus personally in our hearts can we really follow him to the end.
In conclusion, this passage showed us how Jesus glorified God through his obedience to the cross. We see how God was glorified even through Judas’ betrayal and Jesus’ crucifixion. Even when Peter would betray Jesus three times, God would be glorified through his forgiveness and restoration as the successor to Jesus’ earthly ministry. We also see in the lives of Judas and Peter the power of God’s love. They both followed Jesus as his disciples over three years. They both betrayed Jesus and suffered with shame and regrets for doing so. But in the end, one hanged himself and the other repented. Judas rejected Jesus’ love, but Peter had accepted the love of God through his Son, Jesus, in his heart. This amazing love gave him the strength to go back to his Father God with tears. It reminds me of the parable of the Prodigal Son. He could go back because he knew his father’s love for him. Most of all, Peter saw the agape love on the cross, that Jesus died to forgive his sins—even the terrible sin of betrayal. He could say with confidence to the Risen Jesus in John 21:15b, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” I thank God for this passage that reminds me of my purpose of life, which is to glorify God. As a teenager I really wanted to glorify myself through sports accomplishments. But when my knee was hurt due to a sports injury my hopes and dreams were shattered. I could no longer glorify myself and became miserable and my life became meaningless. I thank God in 1983, as a freshmen UIC student, I was invited to Bible study. In Genesis Bible study, I learned that man was created for the glory of God. Those words hit me like a brick. I was unhappy because I had been living for my own glory. I repented and decided to live for God’s glory. My joy and purpose of life was restored. May God give us a great burning desire to glorify God in whatever we do as Jesus wanted to glorify God even through his crucifixion on the cross. May God help us to obey Jesus’ command to love one another as he loved us. Amen.
Let’s pray: Dear heavenly Father, thank you through Jesus’ life and even in his death we can learn how we ought to glorify God. Thank you that Jesus wanted to glorify God by carrying to the end the salvation plan of God. Thank you that Jesus also gave us a new command to love one as he loved us. Help us live as disciples of Jesus in our generation instead of being caught up in the culture of self-love and self-preservation. Help us to love as Jesus loved so that people may know that we are disciples of Jesus. Thank you for being with us and blessing our worship service today. I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Footnotes
- John 13:18Greek has lifted up his heel
- John 13:18Psalm 41:9
- John 13:32Many early manuscripts do not have If God is glorified in him.
Bible Study Questions:
John 13:18-38
Key Verse: 31-32
1. Where were Jesus and his disciples and what had Jesus just done and said? What did Jesus tell his disciples and why (18-20)? How did Jesus feel and what did he say (21)?
2. How did Jesus’ disciples respond (22-25)? What did Jesus say and do (26)? What happened to Judas and how could this happen (27-30)?
3. At this troubling moment, how did Jesus view these events (31-32)? What can we learn here about Jesus? What did Jesus call his disciples and tell them about his leaving (33)?
4. What “new command” did Jesus give his disciples (34)? How was it “new”? What does “as I have loved you” mean? What identifies Jesus’ disciples (35)? Why is this so important in our community (1Jn 4:7-12)? Why is this necessary to effectively tell the world about Jesus?
5. What did Peter ask and boast (36-37)? What did Jesus know about Peter (38)? According to this passage, what does Jesus want us to do?
Jesus Predicts His Betrayal
18 “I am not referring to all of you; I know those I have chosen. But this is to fulfill this passage of Scripture: ‘He who shared my bread has turned[a] against me.’[b]
19 “I am telling you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe that I am who I am. 20 Very truly I tell you, whoever accepts anyone I send accepts me; and whoever accepts me accepts the one who sent me.”
21 After he had said this, Jesus was troubled in spirit and testified, “Very truly I tell you, one of you is going to betray me.”
22 His disciples stared at one another, at a loss to know which of them he meant. 23 One of them, the disciple whom Jesus loved, was reclining next to him. 24 Simon Peter motioned to this disciple and said, “Ask him which one he means.”
25 Leaning back against Jesus, he asked him, “Lord, who is it?”
26 Jesus answered, “It is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish.” Then, dipping the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. 27 As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him.
So Jesus told him, “What you are about to do, do quickly.” 28 But no one at the meal understood why Jesus said this to him. 29 Since Judas had charge of the money, some thought Jesus was telling him to buy what was needed for the festival, or to give something to the poor. 30 As soon as Judas had taken the bread, he went out. And it was night.
Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial
31 When he was gone, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man is glorified and God is glorified in him. 32 If God is glorified in him,[c] God will glorify the Son in himself, and will glorify him at once.
33 “My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come.
34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
36 Simon Peter asked him, “Lord, where are you going?”
Jesus replied, “Where I am going, you cannot follow now, but you will follow later.”
37 Peter asked, “Lord, why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.”
38 Then Jesus answered, “Will you really lay down your life for me? Very truly I tell you, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times!
