Scriptures: John 13:18-35
A New Commandment
John 13:31-35
When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. 32 If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and he will glorify him immediately.
33 “Little children, I will be with you a little while longer. You will seek me, and as I said to the Jews, ‘Where I am going, you can’t come,’ so now I tell you.
34 “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
Jesus Foretells Peter’s Denial
John 13:36-38
Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus answered, “Where I am going, you can’t follow now, but you will follow afterwards.”
37 Peter said to him, “Lord, why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.”
38 Jesus answered him, “Will you lay down your life for me? Most certainly I tell you, the rooster won’t crow until you have denied me three times.”
(V. 31-32) – When (Judas) had gone out, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and he will glorify him immediately”
In the previous reading, we read that Judas had done the most terrible sin of betraying the Son of God, but now we read that Jesus said: “Now the Son of Man has been glorified.” Glorified through such an evil betrayal? How could this be?
Let’s look back at John 12:31-32, the previous chapter and same verse numbers:
“Now is the judgment of this world. Now the prince of this world will be cast out. And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”
Interesting to see, what Satan conspires for evil (and he believed he was destroying the Son of God and God’s plan of salvation), is the very thing that God uses to rescue and restore humankind back to himself.
SO NOW THE SON OF MAN IS GLORIFIED!!
Let’s reflect back again in John 12 about the grain of wheat falling to the ground and dying.
Jesus answered them, “The time has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Most certainly I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains by itself alone. But if it dies, it bears much fruit.
“He who loves his life will lose it. He who hates his life in this world will keep it to eternal life. If anyone serves me, let him follow me. Where I am, there will my servant also be. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.
“Now my soul is troubled. What shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this time?’ But for this cause I came to this time. Father, glorify your name!”
Then a voice came out of the sky, saying, “I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.” (vs. 23-28)
I am reminded of what Joseph in Genesis said about the evil treatment he suffered from his brothers. He said to them:
“Don’t be afraid, for am I in the place of God? As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to save many people alive, as is happening today. Now therefore don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your little ones.” (Genesis 50:19-21)
And as Paul says in Romans 8:
“We know that God is always at work for the good of everyone who loves him. They are the ones God has chosen for his purpose, and he has always known who his chosen ones would be. He had decided to let them become like his own Son, so that his Son would be the first of many children. God then accepted the people he had already decided to choose, and he has shared his glory with them.” (vs 28-30, CEV)
“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (v34-35)
This is such a familiar scripture and we can repeat it so easily, and we can also sing it without thinking about the meaning. However, let’s look at how we are to love. “Just as I loved you, you also love one another.”
That really hit me. His love for his disciples (and us) the next day took him to the cross.
As he said earlier, “Greater love has no man than he lay down his life for his friends.”
What would this type of love look like for us today? How would it be displayed among us?