Gospel of John - Cock-a-doodle-do!!!

        

Cock-a-doodle Do!!!

John 13:31-38

How many times have we said something in pride and bravado, only to find ourselves on the wrong side of a rebuke from God. Hebrews said “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” 4:12 and Paul’s words to Timothy, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.” 2 Tim. 3:16 God’s Word to the disciples, especially Peter, will dig deep to the heart, and it will cut deep to remove the sin that so easily besets.

Let’s look at the first portion of the lesson’s text, “When he was gone, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man is glorified and God is glorified in him.  If God is glorified in him, God will glorify the Son in himself, and will glorify him at once. “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.” 

Jesus had to wait for Satan’s possession to leave before he opened up the will of the Father, God's desire is to reveal his glory, his manifest beauty in his Son. For Jesus was to fulfill the prophecy in Daniel, “In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed. 7:13-14

Jesus claimed the title Son of Man, the Messianic title. Jesus was to fulfill God’s sacrificial timetable in giving of himself as the sacrificial lamb (Isa. 53) for the sins of all mankind. In doing this, God’s will and purpose are fulfilled, and the Son is glorified in Heaven and on Earth. Jesus knew this was the time, though the disciples were still oblivious and not comprehending Jesus’ actions and the Father’s will. 

Jesus had to fulfill all the Messianic prophecies. Jesus gave his disciples this word of exhortation, “My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as he told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come.” 

Jesus had told the Jews that they would look for him but wouldn’t find him (Jn. 7:33-36), because of their unbelief. Jesus wanted the disciples to know they would see him again, but they couldn’t follow him to where he would be taken to fulfill the will of the Father.

Application - Today, we sit in churches or homes and sing of the glories of God. Yet have we come to the place where the glory of God is shining through us. “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. (Matt. 5:14-16) 

Jesus knew the time of God’s purpose and will was near, and we as his disciples should know the time of God’s purpose and will is near as well. We need to let the glory of God shine in us and through us, “Let there be light in the darkness,” He has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ.” 2 Cor. 4:6  

Jesus gave us His Spirit, the shekinah glory of God, to light up the darkness not just in our lives but in the world around us. And like the disciples, we do not know the day or the hour of our Lord’s return for his church, but we know that he has baptized us in the fire of the Holy Spirit, to in due us with power to shine as the stars in the heavens, “Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever.” Dan.12:3

Now, Jesus gives the disciples a new reassuring command which is really an old command, let’s look to the next portion of text, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” 

At the Passover table, the disciples had shown contempt for each other on who was the greatest among themselves, and Jesus’ new command was aimed at quailing their descension. They were to “love one another.” Not just friendship (Phileo- brotherly love) type of love, but an agape (a pure, willful, sacrificial love that is intentional) type of love, just as Jesus had shown them. They were still trying to grasp all that Jesus was saying, and had shown them during the three years of their following him. Jesus was stating this new command will be the hallmark of their 

identity in Him and with one another. They weren’t just to love their friends and fellow believers when they were around them, but to love one another sacrificially, giving of themselves as Jesus did and would do in his act of love on the cross for all mankind. Peter later wrote to the church, 

“Above all, love one another deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.” 1 Pet. 4:7-8

Application - The Hallmark of Christianity, “Love one another!” Has the church really grasped the agape love of our Lord Jesus Christ? Are we known to the world as “Christ’s Love?’’ I think if we look deep into our hearts, we will see our deficit of love for one another, and for the lost humanity of the world. Peter came to know just how deeply he needed to love others later along the shores of the Sea of Galilee. In his growth as one of the leaders of the church, he knew the depth of love because he himself experienced it first hand from Jesus. Paul as well expressed the importance of Christ’s love as a believer, “so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. Then you, being rooted and grounded in love, will have power, together with all the saints, to comprehend the length and width and height and depth of the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.…” Eph. 3:17-19

I pray with the scriptures that we will be a hallmark of Christ’s love, deeply rooted and grounded, and to know how deeply God loves us and all that he has created, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” Amen!

Last, we see Peter again speaking in his hubris. Let’s look at the last portion of text, “Simon Peter asked him, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus replied, “Where I am going, you cannot follow now, but you will follow later.” Peter asked, “Lord, why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” 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 believes that he is taking the lead in asking Jesus this first question, “Lord, where are you going?” All the disciples were dumbfounded at the words of Jesus, but the one that truly troubled them was his leaving them. Peter had already stated earlier to Jesus, “We have left everything to follow you! ” Matt. 19:27 and now Jesus is saying to them I’m leaving and you can’t follow me. It was still incomprehensible to the disciples, why was Jesus leaving and Peter jumped in with both feet like a little child wanting to go wherever the parent is going. “Lord, why can’t I follow you now? Peter even one ups the others, “I will lay down my life for you.” even though Thomas and the others had said something similar earlier as they headed towards Jerusalem, “Then Thomas (also known as Didymus) said to the rest of the disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.” (Jn. 11:16) Jesus gently gives Peter a rebuke, “Will you really lay down your life for me? Very truly I tell you, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times!” 

Jesus knew what the scripture had said of this time, how it would be fulfilled, “Then Jesus told them, “This very night you will all fall away on account of me, for it is written: “’I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.” Zech. 13:7, Matt. 26:31

Peter still had another lesson to learn from God. For just as the rooster had been around mankind 8000 years or more, the rooster is the world’s symbol of pride and confidence. And it will be the rooster’s crowing that will shatter the pride of Peter. 

Application - How many times as a child had you wanted to go wherever your parents were going? You didn’t want to be left behind, or with a sitter? In our pride we still tell Jesus we will do this or do that for him, only to forget or mess it up. We all have questions for God about his timing, and the troubles around us, and the why’s of life. God gave us his Word, the Holy Spirit inspired Word of God. In the scriptures are the answers to many of the questions we want answered. 

Just as Jesus came to fulfill the prophecies of the Messiah, we too have the prophecies about the end times that will be fulfilled in our days. These prophecies of the end times are there to reassure us of God’s promises. And one of those prophetic promises is sending of the Comforter, Chancellor, the Paraclete, and Power of God who is given to all who have believed. He lives in us, to lead us in all truth, to empower us with fiery boldness to go tell the world about Jesus, and the Spirit of God gifts us and equips us to do the works of God until he returns. 

But like Peter and the others, we let the unknowns of life, the what’s and why’s keep us from fulfilling God’s will and purpose to love one another as Christ loves us. The enemy of God has a way of being like the rooster, he likes to crow about our sins, letting the world know we failed again, but it is the voice of Christ that speaks our names, and reassures us that he still loves us. Let that be our prayer this week, Jesus loves us and we are commanded to love one another. Even though we aren’t with Jesus yet, He has given us the promise of His Holy Spirit to be in us, to never leave us. 

I’m again including the ABC’s of salvation (JD Farag). Please, Jesus, God the Son, came to this world to save all who would believe and trust in him. He desires to reveal himself to you, He is the Light that overcomes the darkness of this lawless world. He hears your prayers, and all authority in heaven and earth have been given to him. He will answer you if you will truly believe. If you haven’t asked him to be your Lord and Savior, today could be that day.

 First, A - Admit that you are a sinner. This is where that godly sorrow leads to genuine repentance for sinning against a righteous God and there is a change of heart, we change our mind and God changes our hearts and regenerates us from the inside out. Romans 3:10 - As it is written: "There is none righteous, no, not one." Romans 3:23 - For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (We are all born sinners which is why we must be born spiritually in order to enter the Kingdom of Heaven). Romans 6:23 - For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. The bad news is that the wages of sin is death, in other words our sin means that we have been given a death sentence, we have the death penalty hanging over our heads, that's the bad news. But here's the good news: The good news is that the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Ephesians 2:8-9 - For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith —and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. Second,

 B - Believe in your heart that Jesus Christ died for your sins, was buried, and that God raised Jesus from the dead. This is trusting with all of your heart that Jesus Christ is who he said he was. Romans 10:9-10 - That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. Third, 

C - Call upon the name of the Lord. Every single person who ever lived since Adam will bend their knee and confess with their mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord, the Lord of lords and the King of kings. Romans 14:11 - For it is written: "As I live, says the Lord, Every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall confess to God." Don't wait until later — do this now. Romans 10:13 - For "whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved." "O God, I am a sinner. I'm sorry for my sin. I want to turn from my sin. I believe Jesus Christ is Your Son; I believe that He died on the cross for my sin and that He was buried and You raised Him to life. I have decided to place my faith in Jesus Christ as my Savior, trusting only in His shed blood as sufficient to save my soul and to take me to heaven. Thank You, Lord Jesus, for saving me. Amen."

Please share this with someone this week, the Lord knows that we and they need it.

If you would like other lessons, please go to http://pmdinhisservice.blogspot.com 

Until next week, In His Service Mike Davis

I am developing a new webpage on Spiritual warfare. Please give it a look. I’m adding answers each week to questions that pertain to our time today.  Thank you

http://uss-warfare3.webnode.com