Letters to the Prison - Week 156

Hello!  We’re so glad you’ve joined our study of John.  Last week, we saw Jesus’ 20th “truly, truly” statement recorded by John:
  • 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

What follows in John 13:22-30 is an eyewitness account narrated by John himself --the one “whom Jesus loved” (John 13:23).  It’s also important to remember that this document was written by John some 60 years after the event occurred.  He’s had plenty of time to think about and reflect on it.  Far from forgetting anything, though, this moment must be indelibly seared into John’s memory.  To say that this moment is decisive or definitive would be a massive understatement.  Rather, this moment is history-making… world-changing.  John recognizes this 6 decades later.  But, at the time, he was just as befuddled as the rest of the disciples when Jesus makes this claim.  Sure, after asking Jesus to identify the one who would betray him, Jesus agrees to do so (John 13:25-26).  But then the disciples still had no idea how or when or to what result Judas’ betrayal would manifest.  Even when Judas immediately got up and left dinner to “quickly do” what he was supposed to do, they had no idea what was about to happen (John 13:28-29).

We’re studying the Gospel of John with a focus on what Jesus says about himself or what others say about him so that people can answer the main question of their lives (is Jesus who he says he is?) with some clarity about who Jesus claims to be.  Still, along the way, we’ve noticed that there are moments when there’s an awful lot to learn about ourselves, too.  This moment is one of them.  What are we to learn from John’s observations about Jesus’ interactions with Judas?
  • Jesus knows the hearts and intentions of all men.  We don’t.
  • Jesus perfectly knows the future.  We don’t.
  • Jesus knows the true significance of a man’s actions while he is doing them –even before he does them.  We don’t.
  • We can walk and work and serve side-by-side with another person for years and still not know their true intentions.
  • We will soon see an example (in Peter) of how we can walk with and serve Christ for years and still not fully know ourselves.

What do we do with this?  How do we walk with one another while recognizing these things?

Friends, we must trust Jesus.  We must trust him with our salvation and sanctification.  We must trust him with our lives –our time, energy, and resources.  We must trust Jesus with the future.  We must trust him with the people around us.  We must trust his plan –even (especially!) when we don’t know it.  Or, knowing even a part of it, we must trust Jesus with the rest of it.

What does it look like to do this?  Given what we know and where we are, we must obey Jesus.  With everything we think, say, and do, we must honor Jesus.  How do we do this?  By obeying his word.  And we find and understand Jesus’ word by studying the Bible.  We’ll continue to do this next week!  Until then, what does obediently trusting Jesus look like for you right now where you are?  Pray, friends, that we would consider this question carefully… and respond!

Dean A.

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