Welcome to the midweek service of Good Shepherd Church, a Baptist Reformed fellowship that meets in East Dallas, Texas, here in the United States. Our speaker tonight will be Brother Wayne Conrad, our worship pastor at our church. Brother Wayne will be leading us through a study of the Upper Room Discourse as we consider the great redemptive acts of our Lord and Savior, His death and resurrection. during this holy week. Before Wayne comes, let's pray together. Dear Heavenly Father, our gracious God, we thank you for the opportunity to open up your word and to study the great events that took place at the upper room when our Lord Jesus met with his disciples. Be with our brother and guide him, Lord, by your Holy Spirit as he speaks, that he might open up your word to us in all of His truth and power. Reveal the Lord Jesus Christ to us in all of His glory. So we commit this time with thanksgiving to your blessing. In Jesus' precious name, we pray. Amen. Thank you, Pastor Jeff. It is indeed a privilege to speak to you tonight and to read with you the word of God. Because actually what I'd like to do for us is to read a combined narrative of Jesus's actions and teachings expressed in his personal conversations with his 12 disciples in the upper room on the day before he was arrested and tried. I want us to see their crucial significance for Christian living. and their importance in Christian worship. So my approach tonight is to read the combined text from John, Matthew, Mark, and Luke, and expound of them by sections. I'm using an ingenious harmonization of the four gospels called The Life of Christ in stereo, which combines every word of the four gospels into one seamless narrative on a timeline of Jesus' ministry, along with two other narrative accounts because they don't all necessarily agree and I'm gonna choose the way that I think it should be presented. The primary text that we'll be looking at are found in Luke and in John. I know that I miss today being able to gather with our congregation and sharing in the Lord's Supper. Often on this holy week, on a Wednesday or Thursday, we would gather together around the Lord's table. And at that point, we might have a yearly foot washing ceremony along with the supper itself, a preaching and singing and the celebration of the Christian sacrament that our Lord instituted on that night. I miss that, but you know, one thing we're doing is that we're looking at the text And in looking at the text, we're going to be able to look at the words Jesus actually said to his disciples as he prepared them for the coming events. Because in a few hours he would be arrested and then he would be tried. He would be crucified and buried and they would be devastated. And he is seeking to prepare them for the great crisis that's coming ahead. And it begins actually with a reference to Passover. Now, if you remember, Passover was that meal that the Lord instituted as a memorial of the first Passover when his judgment fell upon Egypt. For the Israelites, the Hebrews, were there enslaved, and God came forth using the deliverer Moses and the plagues that came upon Egypt, and ultimately the final plague, the death of the firstborn. But his people were protected by the blood of the Passover lamb. and they killed the lamb and ate the lamb. And they were covered by the mark on their homes that protected them from the death angel. Well, here's some beginning questions to help us as we look at the narrative. I want us to probe the meaning of this narrative and we'll have some references to how it connects to the Old Testament or the First Testament and to the New Testament. But the beginning questions to help us probe the meaning of the narrative are the following. What new commandment, singular, or commandments, plural, did Jesus give to them? We often call this Monday, Thursday, which really means commandment Thursday. And I'm calling this message New Covenant Mandates. Jesus' upper room actions and words and their relation to Christian faith. Christian practice and Christian living. So the first question, what new commandment or commandments did Jesus give to his apostles and subsequently to us? How does Jesus' actions relate to the older Testament's history and ritual law? We're talking about Exodus and the Passover. Thirdly, what's the origin and meaning of the Passover and its relation to Jesus and to his church. Another question, what unique actions did Jesus do during the meal? Actions that had not been done before by him. And what topics did Jesus teach on that night? It can be surprising in looking at the words that he actually said to them, the depth of the teaching that he gave them from which much Christian doctrine is derived. And what did Jesus sing with his disciples? Because at the Passover, it was a time to sing the Psalms. Specifically, they sang the Hallel, which is Psalms 113 through 118. So this would have been the Psalms, the hymns, that Jesus and his disciples sang that night. Well, let's begin our reading. And by doing so, we're going to look at the preparation. Jesus has entered Jerusalem on what we would call Sunday, but it was the first day of the week. And he had been met with a crowd of people hailing him as the son of David. In essence, recognizing him as Messiah and expecting him to immediately set up his kingdom. And we had that context as we come to the supper because that affected the 12 apostles that he gathers around him on that day. Well, after he's entered Jerusalem, he comes back to the temple on what we would call Monday, and possibly on that Sunday too, and he taught. We have those teachings recorded for us in the Synoptic Gospels. Then it says, now after two days was the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. That is when Jesus had finished saying all these things, he told his disciples, you know that after two days, The two days from then, the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread are coming, and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified." So he's telling them up front, after two days, the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man is to be betrayed to be crucified. So Jesus begins a preparation. He wants his disciples to be prepared for what's going to come. And the first preparation he does is that he has the apostles and himself go to an upper room to have the Passover meal. So he wants two of his disciples, we're told, to go and prepare for the feast. And they're specified as being Peter and John. At the same time, in the city, they assemble together the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders of the people in the palace of the high priest Caiaphas. And they took counsel how they might seize Jesus by stealth and killing. But they said, not during the feast, lest there be an uproar among the people, for they feared the people. So there was a plot to kill Jesus. But they did not think they would do it during the Passover week itself, because the people were all enthusiastic about Jesus, who had entered the temple on the day or two before. And so they wanted to wait till after it was passed. unless an opportune time arose. Lo and behold, there's another preparation that goes on. It says, then entered Satan into Judas, surnamed Iscariot, who was counted one of the 12. And he went away and he counseled with the high priest, the chief priest and the captains, how he might betray him, how he might betray Jesus to them. And he said to them, what will you give me? I deliver him to you. At this hearing, they were jubilant and they promised to give him some money. And so they bargained and he agreed. And they allotted to him 30 pieces of silver. And from that time, he saw opportunity to betray Jesus conveniently to them in the absence of the multitudes. So the plot was that when Jesus was away from the multitudes, the authorities would seize him. and take him to be tried. This would necessitate a nighttime arrest. Then came the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. So Jesus sent Peter and John and said, go and prepare the Passover for us to eat. And they said to him, where do you want us to prepare it? He said to them, listen, go into the city, and when you've entered it, a certain man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him into the house that he enters. Tell the owner of that house, the teacher says to you, my time is near. Where is the guest room where I may eat the Passover with my disciples? Then he will show you a large furnished upstairs room. Make preparations for us there. So they left. And they went into the city, and they found things just as he had told them, and they prepared the Passover. So I know Jesus has dispatched two of his disciples in, Peter and John, leaders among the people, to go and to get the lamb, to sacrifice the lamb or have it sacrificed, to have the meal prepared, have the room prepared for the Passover meal that he would then come and celebrate with his disciples. So they went and did. as they were told. Now there has always been some discussion as to whether this was on what we would call Wednesday or what we would call Thursday. Remember that the Jewish time begins with the evening, does not begin with morning as ours does. And we must allow time for the fulfillment of Jesus's prophecies of his being crucified and being buried and then raised encapsulating three days and three nights. Well, whatever day, what we may call, whether it was Wednesday or Thursday, there came the day and when it was evening, he came with the 12. When the hour arrived and they sat down, well, they reclined at the table and his apostles with him. Now, this interesting little feature, The pictures we show of the Last Supper has Jesus sitting in chairs and the disciples sitting in chairs around him and sometimes they're leaning on each other. But in the first Passover, we have to go back to Exodus 12, the people killed the lamb and they stood and ate the Passover lamb because they didn't need to sit down because they had to get out of town in a hurry. When the time came that they were gonna be released by Pharaoh, they had to be ready to move. So they ate the meal standing. But in subsequent history, in the realization of the Passover ritual that came to pass, the people began to recline, which to them was a signal of freedom, that they could leisurely eat the meal. So we need to transition in our thoughts that Jesus is at a table that's basically on the floor, on a very low table, and the disciples are down there with him. And therefore, they could lean on the pillows and they could share in the meal. And some of it would be common dishes out of which they would eat. So when it came evening, Jesus came with the 12 and he reclined at the table and the apostles were with him. And then begins the ritual of the meal. Jesus says to them, yearning have I desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I say to you that I will not any more eat of it till it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God. So he begins the Passover meal. Now, I don't know if they kindled lamps or candles as is often done today in the Jewish Seder celebration. but there is a signal at the beginning of the meal, and there are certain rituals that are done and would have been done then. There's the preparation of the meal, and Jesus is with great joy sitting down at this table with his disciples. He has yearned for that moment, but he tells him, I won't eat another one of these until the kingdom of God has come. So he begins the meal by taking a cup, it would be the first cup of the Passover meal, a cup of wine. He gave thanks and he said, take this and divide it among yourselves. For I say to you that I will not drink of the fruit of the vine till the coming of the kingdom of God. So they shared their first cup of wine and Jesus says, I won't eat this again. I won't drink this again. until the kingdom of God has come. So that's the beginning of the meal. It's also what happens is that they eat bread and they share bread. Now it's to be a leavened bread that they ate signifying, you know, that they're ready, that there is no leaven, no corruption. And so He shares bread, and they receive the cup, and he tells them to share it among themselves. Now Jesus, aware before the feast of the Passover that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, loved them to the utmost degree. He loves him to the full extent. And so with supper begun, though the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him, Jesus, knowing that the father had given all things into his hands and that he came from God and was going under God, rose from the table and laid aside his garments and girded a towel about himself. Then he poured water into a basin and he began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with a towel with which he was girded. Now what produced this action on the part of Jesus? Well, Luke and John tell us what it was. As the evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, that he should betray him, a dispute started among them, that is among the disciples, over which of them was to be regarded as the greatest So they're at this table and they're discussing with each other which one of us is going to be greatest in the kingdom that our master is about to establish. So Jesus said to them, the kings of the Gentiles lord it over them and those in authority over them are called benefactors. Not so with you. Instead, the one who is greatest among you must become like the youngest and the leader, like the one who serves. For who is greater, the one who is seated at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is seated at the table? But I am among you as one who serves. You are the ones who have remained with me in my trials. Thus, I grant you a kingdom, just as my father granted to me, that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and you will sit on thrones judging the 12 tribes of Israel. Because Jesus knew that the Father had handed all things over to him and that he had come from God and he was going back to God, he got up from the table. He removed his outer clothes. He took a towel and he tied it around himself. He poured water into the wash basin. He began to wash the disciples' feet and to dry them with a towel he had wrapped around himself. Now, try to picture this. This movement, the master himself gets up from the table, takes off his outer garments, and clothes himself as a servant to wash their feet. I don't know if anyone had done this before or not at that particular Passover meal. Probably not. At any rate, they were very busy discussing among themselves who was going to be greatest in the kingdom of God. They were vying for position just like those outside of the kingdom, just like the Gentiles and like those apostate rulers, looking for power and authority among themselves. But Jesus is now going to teach them. He teaches them by object lesson. He teaches them by his own action. He rose up from the supper, laid aside his garments, girded a towel about himself, poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet one after another and to wipe them with a towel with which he was girded." Now this is a hugely significant action on the part of the Lord Jesus Christ. And it's mentioned in other parts of the New Testament, that is for the washing of the saints' feet. Now it could be a ritual action, Or it just could be a reference to the real necessity of someone taking the role of a servant and washing the feet of those first century disciples who often walked long ways on bare feet or sandaled feet. But as Jesus is progressing in the washing of the disciples' feet, and there, there, with stunned silence, he comes to Simon Peter. And when he comes to Simon Peter, Peter says to him, Unbelievably, really. Lord, are you going to wash my feet? And Jesus says, you do not understand what I'm doing now, but you will understand after these things. Peter said to him, you will never wash my feet. Never may you wash my feet. And Jesus answered him, if I do not wash you, you have no part with me. Whoa. That means Peter not only wants to have a part with Jesus, he's willing for him to wash not only his feet, but everything. Simon Peter said to him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head. And Jesus said to him, he who has bathed needs not to wash except his feet, but he's clean all over. And you disciples are clean, though not all of you. For he knew who was going to betray him. For it was for this reason that he said, not all of you are clean. So when Jesus had finished washing their feet, he put on his outer garments and he took his place again at the table and said to them, do you understand what I've done for you? I don't believe they did. You call me the teacher and the Lord. That is, you call me a rabbi and master. And you speak well, for that's who I am. If then I, the Lord and the teacher, the Adoniah and the rabbi, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I gave you an example that just as I did to you, you also should do. Verily, verily, that is truly, truly, I say to you, a bondman That is, a slave, a servant, is not greater than his Lord, nor a messenger greater than he who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. I give you a new commandment. To love one another. Just as I have loved you, you are also to love one another. Everyone will know by this that you are my disciples if you have love for one another. Now, let's stop for a minute and look at the questions that I posed at the beginning. How many commandments does Jesus give to his disciples on this night? Now, we're not through with our narrative, but how many commandments has he given to them so far? Well, the first commandment is with reference to the washing of their feet. He says, I have set you an example. You should do as I have done. Now, we can certainly take that literally, and we can also take that symbolically, metaphorically. That is that we are to serve one another. We're not to lord it over one another, but we are to serve one another. We're to regard one another in that kind of esteem and honor, and to do for others what needs to be done, even as the Lord did for his disciples. But we know that many times in the early church, the disciples also continued the ritual itself, because in the ritual, there's a teaching of the necessity of humility in the Christian life. In fact, humility lies at the very center and heart of the Christian life. So should foot washing be observed as an ordinance of the church? Well, this brings up a question with reference to terminology. Some Christian groups like to use ordinance to refer to the Lord's Supper and baptism, while others like to use the term sacrament. In reality, there is a both a continuity and a discontinuity with those terms. Ordinance is a very broad term. So there are many things that are ordained in the scripture. If you go back to the old Testament, the Lord talks about his ordinances, that is the rituals and actions, uh, teachings that he's given them with reference to their worship and their lifestyle, et cetera. So in the New Testament, there are things that are mentioned that we would call ordinances, and certainly that would include the Lord's Supper and baptism. And here, that term could certainly be ascribed to the foot washing, and James in his epistle talks about the anointing of oil. All of these things would be considered ordinances. But there is a distinct position for baptism, which we're not discussing here, but of the Lord's Supper, which we are discussing. And that is, baptism and the Lord's Supper are both directly connected to the gospel proclamation itself, whereas foot washing is not. or the anointing of oil is not. In other words, there are ordinances that are not gospel ordinances, but they're just ordinances for Christian instruction, Christian teaching, and Christian worship. But baptism and the Lord's Supper hold a very special place. That is, they are a proclamation of the gospel in the ritual and in the actions that are done, the words that are said, and the subjects that are involved. I would not say that foot washing is in the same category as the Lord's Supper and baptism. Therefore, I don't think it's to be regarded as a third special ordinance or a sacrament, but it is certainly a practice that can be done in the church, and perhaps we should do it annually in reference to what our Lord has done or on other occasions when moved by the Holy Spirit himself to bless our brothers and sisters and demonstrate Christian love and Christian humility. Well, the first commandment he gives is with reference to the foot washing. I've set you an example that as I have done, you should do also. What's the next commandment? He calls it a new commandment I give you. And wait a minute, haven't I heard this commandment before in the lips, from the lips of Jesus? There was a young ruler that came to him and asked him, what was the greatest of the commandments? And what did Jesus say? Jesus said to him, the first and greatest of all the commandments is you shall love the Lord your God, Yahweh, your Adonai, Yahweh, your sovereign, your master and Lord, with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. And he's quoting from the Shema, that is from Deuteronomy chapter six, the very heart of the Hebrew faith. And the second is likened to it. "'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'" Which comes from Leviticus 19. These were not the 10 commandments, so they do summarize him. They are summaries, Jesus said, of all the law and of the prophets. So Jesus has taken these as the greatest of the commandments. And here Jesus says, a new commandment I give unto you, that you love one another. Well, he's given the commandment before, hasn't he? That you shall love your neighbor as yourself. So what's new about this commandment? Well, it's the words that follow. A new commandment I give you to love one another just as I have loved you. You also are to love one another. So it's the way, the manner, the depth, and the intensity to which we must love one another. That makes it the new commandment. In addition, it's a new commandment because as he promises, they will receive the Holy Spirit in accordance with God's promise about the new covenant and that indwelling spirit will enable them to fulfill these commandments, this law of God. You shall love one another just as I have loved you. Now that's a very particular commandment. He's talking about the circle of believers when he says, you shall love one another just as I have loved you. Now we must love all in the world as our neighbor. You shall love our neighbor as ourselves. But within the community of faith, there is a degree, a higher degree and intensity. We must love one another as fellow believers, as members of the family of Christ, just as Christ has loved us. In what way has Christ so loved us? Well, he explains later, as they're eating, that you must love one another as a friend would lay down his life for another. And that's how Jesus loves us. He loves us to such a degree of love that as our friend, he's laid down his life for us. He's taken to himself our punishment and our death. in our place to spare us from the judgment of Almighty God. So this is a unique action that Jesus did during the meal, is it not? The washing of the disciples' feet. And here is a related but in a sense new teaching that is the love one another as Christ himself loves his own. Jesus has done these actions and he has given this teaching. He has demonstrated for them the role of a servant. Now, this inevitably brings to mind a Christian hymn, early Christian hymn, that was probably written even before the gospel narratives itself had been written down, and that Paul himself quotes in one of his letters to the Philippians. It's found in Philippians chapter 2 and as we go along I'll refer to this again and read it to you because Jesus is going to prophesy about what's going to happen to him. But here he is at the servant who's come from the Father and as a servant he serves his disciples. Now Everyone will know by the love that you share from one another, as you love one another as I have loved you, that you are my disciples. This is the mark of a true Christian and a true Christian fellowship. Now, what I'm saying, Jesus goes on to say, does not apply to all of you. What I'm saying does not refer to all of you. I know the ones I have chosen. But this is to fulfill the scripture. The one who eats my bread has turned against me. I'm telling you this now, before it happens, so that when it happens, you may believe that I am he. I tell you the solemn truth. Whoever accepts the one I send accepts me, and whoever accepts me accepts the one who sent me. When he has said these things while they were eating, Jesus was greatly distressed in his spirit and testified, I tell you the solemn truth, the hand of the one who betrays me is with me on the table eating with me. Now there's a shift. Remember that as the meal began, Jesus said, with great yearning and longing, I've desired to eat this Passover meal with you. But now after he has said these things and after he's washed their feet and after he's taught them the lesson about humility and that that is true greatness in the kingdom of God he then says what i've said to you does not apply to all of you because i know that one of you will betray me one of you will turn against me so just became troubled in spirit as he testified these things to them. I say to you that one of you will betray me, one who is eating with me, one who is sharing the Passover meal with me. And when he said these things, while they were at the table eating, Jesus was greatly distressed in spirit. Now, the Gospel of John does not record for us the great agonizing prayers of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane that follows this meal when he retreats with his disciples to the Mount of Olives. But here is the beginning of that distress which is played out for us in full by Matthew, Mark, and Luke in the Synoptic Gospels. Jesus was greatly distressed in spirit and testified, I tell you the solemn truth. The hand of the one who betrays me is with me on this table, eating with me. And when he said this, seeing their, their master's great distress, the disciples become greatly distressed too. And they began to look at one another. They're all worried and perplexed to, to which of them was he talking about? So they begin to question one another. As to which of them it could possibly do, who would do such a thing, which one of them would dare to do such a thing? And each one of them began to say to him, surely not I, Lord, surely not I. So one of the disciples whom Jesus loved was at the table at his right hand in a place of honor, leaning on the breast of Jesus. And Peter, Simon Peter, gestured to him. So he's in a position where John can see his gesture. And he asked him to ask Jesus who it was he was referring to. Then this disciple, whom we believe to be John himself, who's writing this account, the disciple whom Jesus loved, that loved in a special way, leaned against Jesus' chest and asked him, Lord, Who is it? Lord, who is it? And Jesus replied, it's one of the 12 who dips his hand with me into the bowl. The one to whom I give this piece of bread after I've dipped it into the dish will betray me. Now he's not speaking this real loud. The other he had said before that someone who's eating with me at the table will betray me. Someone whose hand is on the table sharing the bread with us will betray me. But here to John, to this disciple, he says, it's the one to whom I give this piece of bread after I've dipped it in a dish. That is the one that will betray me. For the Son of Man will go as it's written about him. But woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed. It would be better for him if he had never been born than Judas. The one who would betray him said, surely not I, Rabbi. Jesus replied, you have said it yourself. Then he dipped the piece of bread in the dish. He gave it to Judas Iscariot, Simon's son. And after Judas took the piece of bread, Satan entered into him. Now, John makes this comment, and it was night. So Jesus says to Judas, what you're about to do, do quickly. Now, none of those present at the table understood why Jesus said this to Judas. Some thought that because Judas had the money box, the money purse, Jesus was telling him to buy whatever they needed for the feast or to give something to the poor. But Judas took the piece of bread. He went out into the night immediately. John says, now it was night. It was night in more than one way. It was physically night, yes. It was also night because the forces of evil were congregating together against the Lord, against his anointing. It's night because the judgment is about to come. And when Jesus had gone out, when Judas had gone out, Jesus said, now the son of man is glorified. It's God is glorified in him. If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and he would glorify him right away. Now, I want you to notice something here. What does Jesus say is about to occur? Yes, he's going to be betrayed. Yes, he's going to be crucified, and that is entailing tremendous suffering, the passion of our Lord and Savior. the most intense of all suffering, not just physical suffering, it was great, but spiritual, mental, and emotional suffering that He underwent on our behalf. That was coming. But Jesus says, He will be glorified. Do you ever think about the fact that Jesus was glorified in the crucifixion? We know He's glorified in the resurrection, yes. He's glorified in His ascension back to the right hand of the Father, yes. But Jesus says He was being glorified in the cross itself. That is, the glorification of the Lord Jesus Christ began right then as all these events were taking place. And He was going to be delivered into the hands of the Jewish rulers and then of the Gentiles to be crucified. Now, at this portion of the meal, I want us to look back again at the ritual of the Passover, and I want to draw from you in the text something that I see. Now, it's not precise, so I want us to go back for a moment and look at the connection about what's taking place with the Lord's Supper, what we call the Lord's Supper, to the Passover that occurred in history thousands of years before this particular incident. We find that narrative given to us in Exodus chapter 12. Now, later I would urge you to read all of chapter 12, but I'm going to begin with the part where Moses tells them how they are to observe the Passover that night and then in subsequent days. Let me read from you from Exodus chapter 12, beginning at verse 21 and going through verse 51. Then Moses called all the elders of Israel and said to them, this is after the Lord has given him instructions about what should be done. He says to them, go and select lambs. for yourselves according to your clans and kill the Passover lamb. Or pick out and take lambs for yourself according to your families and kill the Passover lamb. Take a bunch of hyssop, that's some leaves, some bushes that you can make into sort of a brush, a bunch of hyssops and dip it in the blood that is the blood where the blood of the lamb has been kept, that's in the basin, touch the lentil and the two doorposts with the blood that's in the basin. In other words, at the door of your dwelling, you're to put the blood at the top and on the two sides. None of you shall go out of the door of his house until the morning. So you kill the lamb, you prepare it for it to be eaten, Then you put the blood on the doorpost of your house when you go in and you shut the door and you do not go out that night. You're locked in. You are to stay in the house, stay at home. Why? Before the Lord will pass through to strike the Egyptians. That is, he's going to send a pestilence. There's going to be a judgment to fall and the pestilence Is it the death of the firstborn of all that are in Egypt, both man and beast, and only those who have the blood applied to their doorposts to their house and have entered into their house and are there eating on the Passover lamb, only they will be spared. It says, for the Lord, that is Yahweh, will pass through to strike the Egyptians. And when he sees the blood on the lintel and on the two doorposts, the Lord will pass over the door and will not allow the destroyer to enter your house to strike you. In other words, he'll be protected from the destroying angel. You shall observe this right as a statute for you and for your sons forever. That is, it is an ordinance of the Lord to be continually observed. For when you come to the land that the Lord will give you, as he has promised, you shall keep this service. And when your children say to you, what do you mean by this service? You shall say, it is the sacrifice of the Lord's Passover. For he passed over the houses of the people of Israel and Egypt when he struck the Egyptians, but he spared our houses. And the people bowed their heads and worshiped." I wanna read from the, from the new King James, those same words. It will come to pass when you come to the land which Yahweh will give you, just as he promised that you shall keep this service. And it shall be when your children say to you, what do you mean by this service? That you shall say, it is the Lord's, it is the Passover sacrifice of the Lord. The Passover sacrifice of Yahweh who passed over the houses of the children of Israel and Egypt when he struck the Egyptians and delivered our households. So people bowed their heads in worship. Then the children of Israel went and did so. In other words, they went and did exactly what the Lord had commanded Moses and Aaron for them to do. Here's the story. It came to pass at midnight that the Lord struck down all the firstborn of the land of Egypt. from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on his throne, to the firstborn of the captives who was in the dungeon, and all the firstborn of the livestock. And Pharaoh rose up in the night, and he and all of his servants, and all of the Egyptians. And there was a great cry in Egypt, for there was not a house where someone was not dead. And then he summoned Moses and Aaron by night, and he said, up, go out from among my people, both you and the people of Israel. Go and serve Yahweh, as you said. Take your flocks and your herds, as you said. Be gone and bless me also. And the Egyptians were urgent with the people to send them out of the land in haste, for they said, we shall all be dead. So the people took their dough before it was leavened. They're needing bows, being bound up in their cloaks on their shoulders. The people of Israel had also done as Moses told them, for they had asked the Egyptians for silver and gold jewelry and for clothing. And the Lord had given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians so that they let them have what they asked. Thus they plundered the Egyptians. And the people of Israel journeyed from Ramses to Succoth. "'about 600,000 men on feet besides women and children. "'A mixed multitude also went up with them "'and very much live-spot both flocks and herbs. "'And they baked unleavened cakes of the dough "'they had bought out of Egypt where it was not leavened "'because they were thrust out of Egypt "'and could not wait, "'nor had they prepared any provisions for themselves.'" The time that the people of Israel lived in Egypt was 430 years. And at the end of the 430 years on that very day, all the hosts of the Lord went out from the land of Egypt. It was a night of watching by the Lord to bring them out of the land of Egypt. So this same night is a night of watching over, of watching kept to the Lord by all the people of Israel throughout their generation. So this is the night of Yahweh, a solemn observance for all the children of Israel throughout their generations. And then there's given the institution of the Passover and instructions about the observance of the Passover that is to occur year by year. And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, this is the statute of the Passover. No foreigner shall eat of it, but every slave that's bought for money may eat of it after you've circumcised him. No foreigner or hired worker may eat of it. It shall be eaten in one house. You shall not take any of the flesh outside the house. and you shall not break any of its bones. All the congregation of Israel should keep it. And if a stranger should sojourn with you and would keep the Passover to the Lord, let all of his males be circumcised. Then he may come near and keep it. He shall be as a native of the land, but no uncircumcised person shall eat of it. There shall be one law for the native and for the stranger who sojourns among you. And all the people of Israel did just as the Lord commanded Moses and Aaron. And on that very day, the Lord brought the people of Israel out of the land of Egypt by their host. Now, I want us to relate this Passover celebration and observance to what's going to happen in Jesus as he continues the meal with his disciples and also what subsequently happens with reference to the Lord's supper that he will institute during this meal. Notice that the lamb is to be killed, roasted, and then eaten. All of it is to be eaten that night. None of it is to be left over. If there is any left over, it must be burned by fire. The people leave with the bread, but it doesn't have time to rise. So it's unleavened bread subsequently in the celebrations that occurs. Now the apostle Paul in first Corinthians relates the Passover directly to the Christian observance of the Lord's Supper, or the Thanksgiving meal, the Eucharist, or what we call the Lord's Supper. And he says that Christ, our Passover, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. Therefore, let us keep the feast. And he also says that we must keep it with an unleavened bread. Now he's not just talking about the ritual observance itself, but he's talking about the fact that we must be unleavened in our lives That is, we keep it in purity as earnest disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ. And that's found first in 1 Corinthians 5. Now, let's go back at the beginning of the meal. Moses says that in subsequent generations, when you have the meal, your children will ask you, what is the meaning of this meal? What's the meaning of this service? So in the Passover ritual, that has developed over the centuries. These are the questions that's asked. There's one particular question that any individual may ask, though in the Hebrew families, it's usually the youngest child. Why is this night different from all other nights? That's the lead question. But underneath will be subsequent questions that relate to the different foods and actions that are done that night. And those questions are as follows. On all other nights, we bread. or matzo. On this night, why only matzo? That is unleavened bread. On all other nights, we eat herbs or vegetables of any kind. On this night, why bitter herbs? On all other nights, we do not dip even once. But on this night, why do we dip twice? And on all other nights, we eat our meals in any manner. But on this night, why do we? They now sit around the table together in a reclining position. But in the original, it would have been, why do we stand? And then why do we recline? around the tables. And the rest of the participants of the seder shall answer in these words of the Jewish ritual. This is found in the Jewish federations. We were slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt, and God brought us out with a strong hand and an outstretched arm. And if God had not brought our ancestors out of Egypt, we and our children and our children's children would still be subjected to Pharaoh in Egypt, even if we were All old and wise and learned in the Torah, we will still be commanded to tell the story of the Exodus from Egypt. And the more we talk about the Exodus from Egypt, the more praiseworthy we are. In other words, every year, annually, the people of Israel will celebrate the Passover and bring to mind the great act of deliverance, which God took them as slaves out of the land of Egypt and constituted them his special people, at the foot of Mount Sinai. And he did so by the blood of the Passover lamb. Now, they're having this meal. Now, the Passover meal, or Seder meal, lasts many hours. It's a leisurely meal that has ritual, has questions, has ritual food, and it has conversation. A lot of conversation, and this conversation often centers around questions, specifically the question, what's the meaning of this night? Now, Lord Jesus Christ answers that in his actions on this particular first Lord's Supper observance of the concluding, shall we say the concluding Passover of the old covenant and the new institution of the Lord's Supper remembrance of the Passover in the new covenant that he's instituting that night. But as Jesus is celebrating with disciples, they have conversation. And during this conversation, there are a series of questions that are asked. And so I want us to pay attention to those as we go along. As we do so, it's in the context of them being distressed. And the conversation is subsequent to Peter's telling Jesus, you will not wash my feet. And then Jesus says, if I don't wash it, then you have no part of me. And so Jesus says, Peter says to him, then wash not only my feet, but everything about me. And so here are some words that Jesus gives that night. He says, you know, little children, I'm still with you for a little while. You will look for me. And just as I've said to the Jewish religious leaders where I'm going, you cannot come. Now I tell you the same. Simon, Simon, pay attention. Satan has demanded to have you all, to sift you like wheat. But I prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. When you have turned back, strengthen your brothers. And now begin a series of questions that come out of this conversation. Now the conversation is centered around the meal and the meaning of that meal. and the contention or the rebuke that Jesus gives to his disciples for their jockeying for positions. But let's look at the patterns, that is the questions by people and the elements of the meal itself. So in reference to Peter's prophecy, he's prophesied that Peter will deny him. I'm sure that Peter became distressed. He protested. and says, Lord, this is not true, I'll never betray you. But listen to these words. Simon Peter says to him, Lord, where are you going? So this is the first question, the first question that is asked. Lord, where are you going? And Jesus says to him in answer, where I'm going, you cannot follow me now, but you'll follow later. So Peter says to him, Lord, why can't I follow you now? I'm ready to go with you both to prison and to death. I'll lay down my life for you. And Jesus answered, will you lay down your life for me? I tell you the solemn truth, Peter, the rooster will not crow today until you've denied three times that you know me. In other words, before the dawn, you will deny me three times. Do not let your hearts be distressed. You believe in God, believe also in me. Now, I want you to notice that Jesus' statement about them not letting their heart distress is in the context of the fact that they will forsake him and Peter will deny him and he will be delivered up to be crucified and killed and buried. Now this causes distress. Jesus himself is under distress. His disciples are under distress. And now added to that distress is his prophecy that Peter himself will deny him and that all of them will forsake him. And Jesus in this context tells them, do not let your hearts be distressed. You believe in God, believe also in me. Isn't that amazing? There are many dwelling places in my Father's house. Otherwise, I would have told you because I'm going away to make ready a place for you. And if I go and make ready a place for you, I will come again and take you to be with me so that where I am, you may be also, and you know the way where I'm going." So Jesus, in answer to Peter's question, tells him, I don't want you to be distressed. Believe in God, believe also in me. I'm going to leave. I'm going to my father's house and I'm gonna prepare it for you to come there also. And I will come back and take you to be with me so that where I am, you may be also. So this is a prophecy of his second coming. And you know, the way where I'm going. And now when he says this, Philip, I mean, Thomas asks a question. So the second question is asked by Thomas. The first was by Peter, says, Lord, where are you going? And Jesus says, well, where I'm going, you can't follow me right now. He says, why not? Well, obviously, because there are things that must occur. And those are involving your own denial of me and my being put to death. But don't be distressed. Don't let your heart be distressed. Keep believing in God. Believe also in me because there are many dwelling places. I'm going to my father and I will come again and we'll take you to be with me so that where I am, you may be also. And you know the way where I'm going. You know the road. Thomas said, Lord, we don't know where you're going. How can we know the way? So Thomas is already speaking, I don't know where you're going, and I don't know the way. They couldn't actually visualize what he means by the Father's house. So if I can't actually visualize where I'm going, how can I know the way? How can I know the pathway? And Jesus replied, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you have known me, you will know my father too. And from now on, you do know him and have seen him." So that's the second question. Philip asked him, the way, what's the answer? Jesus says, I am the way. So the way to the father is the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. The person of the Lord Jesus Christ in the work that he fulfilled on our behalf to glorify the father. Philip then says to him, Lord, show us the Father and we will be content. Now that's a statement, but it's a statement that has a question implied in it. Because when Jesus answers it, he's answering the question. Jesus says, Jesus replied, have I been with you for so long and you have not known me, Philip? The person who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, show us the father? Do you not believe that I am in the father and the father is in me? The words that I say to you, I do not speak on my own initiative, but the father residing in me performs his miraculous deeds. Believe me that I am in the father and the father is in me. Or if you do not believe me, believe because of the miraculous deeds themselves. So, Philip's implied question is that we haven't seen the Father. Show us to him. And Jesus says, Philip, look at me. The Father resides in me, and the Father does the miracles in and through me. In other words, Jesus is talking about the Father, but he says there is an identity of essence between the Father and himself. though a difference in person, we would say. We grasp for words here. But you see, what's being implied here is the beginning of what we call the doctrine of the triune nature of God. We're going to come to that more in a little bit later, because some of the great truths that Jesus unfolds in his preparation of the disciples for his death His crucifixion and subsequent resurrection and glorification is the doctrine of the triune nature of God, that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit all share the essence of the one being of God. So if you've seen Jesus, you have seen the Father. If you hear the words of Jesus, you're hearing the words of the Father. If you see the deeds of Jesus, you are seeing the action That's the third question, isn't it? So we have Peter, Lord, where are you going? We have Thomas, Lord, we don't know the way, so how can we know the way? And Philip, Father, we don't, show us the Father. We haven't seen the Father. And Jesus' answer to the three questions are tremendously important. He is the way to the Father. He is the way, the truth, and the life. And when Jesus has finished his work of redemption on the cross and his resurrection, he will return to the father who sent him. He goes on. I tell you the solemn truth. The person who believes in me will perform miraculous deeds that I'm doing and will perform greater deeds than these because I'm going to the father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in my name, I will do it. Now, in connection to Jesus's answer to the disciples' question, he introduces the concept of Christian prayer. Prayer, in the full Christian sense, as he's also taught earlier, is addressed to the Father. through and in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. And we do this because Jesus is the mediator between the Father and us. He's the one mediator between God and humanity. So Jesus says, verily I say to you, he who believes in me, the works that I do shall he do also, and greater works in these shall he do, because I'm going to my Father. And whatever you ask in my name, I will do it that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in my name, I will do it. Part of the purpose of prayer is to glorify God and glorify God and the Lord Jesus Christ. And the greater things is a, not individually, each one of us will do greater things than Jesus ever did, but it is the collective kind of expression. The body of Christ that remains on earth and that multiplies on earth and that grows on earth while Jesus has ascended into heaven will continue the works of Jesus. And because it is a work that goes beyond Israel and goes to all parts of the world, out of which God is bringing a people from every nation and tribe and tongue. These are the greater works which you may be referring. So we've had three questioners, three questions. and three answers, and there is one more to come. But let me get to there in a moment. Jesus now continues to talk to them. If you love me, you will obey my commandments. Then I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to be with you forever, the Spirit of truth whom the world cannot accept because it does not see him or know him, but you know him. because he resides with you and will be in you." Now, notice he's talking in here about the Holy Spirit. Again, we're being introduced to the doctrine of the triune nature of God. He speaks about the Father. He speaks about another advocate being the Spirit of Truth, that is, a paraclete, one who comes alongside of him that Jesus himself had done for the four years of his ministry, and the Spirit of Truth, whom the world cannot accept because it does not see him and know him. But you know him because he resides with you and will be with you. So we have the Son, we have the Father, and we hold the Holy Spirit. I will not abandon you as orphans. I will come to you. Notice, Jesus is trying to comfort his disciples in their distress. I'm not going to forsake you. You may forsake me, but I will not abandon you. I will not abandon you as orphans. I will come to you. In a little while, the world will not see me any longer, but you will see me, because I live, you will live too. You will know at that time that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I in you. The person who has my commandments and obeys them is the one who loves me. And the one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and will reveal myself to him. These are tremendous words to the disciples when Jesus speaks to them. They are a mystery. In a little while, the world will not see me any longer, but you will see me. Because I live, you will live also. What on earth is he talking about? They don't yet ask the question, but it is simmering in their minds. And so one of them dares to ask the question. It's Judas, not Iscariot. Maybe you did not know, but there's more than one disciple of the 12 named Judas. So this is the other Judas, not Iscariot, who said to him, Lord, how is it that you'll manifest yourself to us and not to the world? That's the fourth question. You know, this would make a great sermon of its own, the four questions asked at the first Lord's Supper, at the Last Supper. Jesus answered and said to him, if anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my father will love him, and we will come to him and make our abode with him. He who loves me not does not keep my words, and the word which you are hearing is not mine, but is that of the father who sent me. Here we have Jesus saying, the Father and I, using the plural pronoun, we will come to him and make our abode with him. Brothers, here we have the doctrine of the Trinity. The Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. But the Father and the Son make their residence in us via the Holy Spirit, who comes in Jesus' name from the Father, who is the advocate who is the paraclete, who is the true vicar of Christ on earth. The one who is here in place of Christ is the Holy Spirit himself. So Lord, Judah's not as scary. It says, what has happened that you're going to reveal yourself to us and not to the world? He's gonna be answering that question in just a moment. Jesus replies, He says this probably more than once during the night. If anyone loves me, he will obey my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and take up our residence with him. The person who does not love me does not obey my words, and the word you hear is not mine, but the Father's who sent me. What is the mark of love for Jesus? What is the mark of love for the Father? And what is the mark of love for Christians for one another? It's obedience to the commands of Christ. specifically the commandment to love him, and the commandment to love one another, even as Christ has loved us. We are to pattern our life after the example and the teachings of Christ, which are a true personification of the law of God. So I spoke of these things while staying with you, but the advocate whom the Father will send in my name will teach you everything and will cause you to remember everything I said to you." Now, this is a very important scripture. Jesus is telling them that they are chosen witnesses to his person and his work. He's explaining to them a lot of the meaning of it, but they can't grasp it all right now. He has many things to say to them, but they can't receive it. They can't bear it. Even what he's saying to them, in some sense, is a mystery to them. But he tells them, but the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will cause you to remember everything I've said to you. And because of this, their own experience with Christ, walking with him, their own experience and remembrance of the deeds he did and the words he said, and the coming of the Holy Spirit upon them that quickens their understanding and brings to their understanding also even the words himself that Christ has spoken. Collectively, these things become the scriptures of the New Testament. So the Holy Spirit is the true inspirer. of the Scriptures, both Old and New Testament. The Holy Spirit, His coming to the disciples after Jesus' resurrection and ascension, is the one who makes for sure that the words recorded by them in what we call these gospel narratives are the true word of the Father and true to the history of the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus says, peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you. I do not give it to you as the world does. It's a different kind of peace. The world calls peace that which just means the end of hostilities. It doesn't necessarily mean reconciliation. But when Jesus speaks about peace, he's talking about reconciliation. He's talking about a harmonious life restoration between the believers and God and between the believers with one another. Do not let your hearts be distressed or lacking in courage. You've heard me say to you, I'm going away and I'm coming back to you. He said that before. Now he's repeating it. I'm going away and I'm coming back to you. If you love me, you would be glad that I'm going to my father because the father is greater than I. I've told you now before it happens so that when it happens, you may believe. I will not speak with you much longer, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no power over me, but I'm going, but I'm doing just what the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father. Jesus, Jesus, his words keep talking about the fact that I'm going away, and yet I'm coming again unto you. So let's watch the narrative here for a moment. These things I'm speaking to you while I'm with you, I'm here. The Holy Spirit will come. The Father will send him in my name. He's gonna teach you things, all things, and bring to your remembrance everything I told you. Peace I leave with you. I'm giving you a peace, a peace different from what the world has. Don't let your hearts be troubled and don't be afraid. You've heard me say I'm going away and I'm coming to you. If you love me now, you would rejoice because I'm going to my Father. For my Father is greater than I, and now that I have told you before it comes to pass, so that when it comes to pass, you may believe." Now, this whole question and answer thing brings to pass another series of questions and queries on the part of the disciples, because they don't understand what he means when he says, I'm going away, or you won't see me anymore. And then again, he says, you will see me in a little while, and you will rejoice with me. This brings up a whole bunch of questions that we will turn to in a moment. Now, Jesus then gives a second prediction of their falling away and of the denial. And he may have said this when they went to the Mount of Olives, but I'm going to place it here at the supper itself. Jesus said to them, this night you will all fall away because of me. For it is written, I will strike the shepherd and the sheep of the flock will be scattered. But after I am raised, I will go ahead of you into Galilee. Peter again says to him, if they all fall away because of you, I will never fall away. And Jesus says to him, I tell you the solemn truth today, this very night, before a rooster crows twice, you will deny that you know me three times. But Peter insisted emphatically, even if I must die with you, I'll never deny you. And all the disciples said the same thing. Now some would regard Jesus's lesson about the vine and the branches in John 15 and 16 as something he said to them on the road. But I believe he sits still at the supper and that they are at the supper with this conversation that ensues after the eating of the meal. Now, it's during the course of this meal, you know, that our Lord Jesus Christ, toward the end of the Passover meal itself, takes from the bread and the wine of the meal that's ongoing, a piece of the bread, unleavened, and a cup of the wine poured out. and he institutes a brand new ceremony, a brand new ritual. Now this must have absolutely startled and caught the disciples by surprise. For as they were going through the ritual, Jesus takes a piece of the bread and he institutes a brand new ritual. We call it the Lord's Supper, the Eucharist, the Thanksgiving meal. It's the sign of the New Covenant. While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after giving thanks, he broke it, gave it to the disciples, and said, take, eat, this is my body, which is forgiven for you. Do this in remembrance of me. In the same way, after supper, that is at the end of the supper, he took the cup after they had eaten, and after giving thanks, he gave it to them, saying, Drink from it, all of you, for this cup is my blood, the blood of the new covenant that is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this as often as you drink it in remembrance of me. And they all drank from it. So let's go back to the first question that I asked. How many commandments did the Lord give to them on this commandment of the evening. This is a commandment. In fact, it is, I think, the principal commandment that he gives to them. It is tied in, certainly, to the other one, that you shall love one another, even as I have loved you, because it is the great symbol and ritual of his love for us. And it is the sign of the new covenant The New Covenant is instituted by His own sacrifice, the shedding of His blood for the forgiveness of our sins. Now here we have, in their essence, the celebration of the Lord's Supper. These things must be done in a true communion service. That is, there must be participants It's not an individual action. There must be someone who takes the bread and blesses it and gives thanks for it, breaks it, and shares it with the disciples. Say the words Jesus said, take and eat, this is my body, which is given for you, this do in remembrance of me. So you take the bread, the unleavened bread, You bless the bread. You offer up a prayer of thanksgiving for the bread. You break the bread. You give it out to the people. And you say the words of the meaning that Christ himself gives us. Take and eat, this is my body, which is given for you, this do in remembrance of me. In a second movement, in like manner after the supper, he took a cup. And he gives thanks. That's a prayer of thanks. He gives it to them, saying, drink from it, all of you. And they all drink from it. Now, they had a common cup. There were 12 men with Jesus. There'd be 13. Judas is scared. He's long gone. He gives them this cup. and they drink from it, all of you, and they all drink from it. And Jesus said to them, this cup, the cup they're sharing, that they are drinking from, this cup which is poured out for you is my blood of the new covenant which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. So, the cup, thanks, giving the words of thanks, and they drink it with the words of institutions which are the interpretation of the meaning of the ritual. This is the sign of the New Covenant in my blood. Now they didn't dip bread in wine. They took the bread that had been broken and each ate a piece. They each drank from a cup. This was the Lord's Supper. These are the essential elements of a true biblical celebration of the Lord's Supper, the sign of the new covenant. And even as the pastor of old, they were to do it at every generation. So in the new covenant, we are to do perpetually this ritual, this special sacred meal. And we read in the Acts that they did this on a very frequent basis. At first, it might have been even daily, but it certainly became pretty standard. They did it every Lord's day. So we have the institution of the Lord's supper. We have the questions and answers that have been given by our Lord Jesus Christ. And now Jesus continues to instruct them so that they can be prepared for the days ahead. And here he gives them instruction concerning their life in him, what we would call the Christian life. This is found in John chapter 15 specifically. It began in verses one through eight. Jesus said, I am the true vine and my father is the gardener. He takes away every branch that does not bear fruit in me. He prunes every branch that bears fruit so that it will bear more fruit. You are clean already because of the word that I've spoken to you. Remain in me and I will remain in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it remains in the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. The one who remains in me and I in him bears much fruit because apart from me you can accomplish nothing. So, here is the heart of the Christian life, abiding in Christ. And to abide in Christ, then what must occur is there's union with Christ. And that comes from belief in the Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit's coming to indwell in the life of he who believes upon Christ. This is the essence, the heart of Christian living. It's abiding in Christ himself, which enables us to keep his teachings. through the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. There's union with Christ in heaven above and us on earth by means of the blessed Holy Spirit. Jesus goes on, just as the fathers loved me and I have also loved you, remain in my love. So to remain in Christ is to remain in love, in his love. If you obey my commandments, you will remain in my love just as I have obeyed my Father's commandments and remain in His love. You know, the New Testament refrain concerning love is that love, yes, it is a feeling that we have. It is a commitment that we have. It's an obedience that we pursue. All of these things are involved in love for Christ. I've told you these things so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete. My commandment is this. to love one another just as I loved you. No one has greater love than this, that one lays down his life for his friends." You see this? He repeats this commandment again. This is the new commandment. So we have these commandments. The commandment to love one another as Christ has loved us. The commandment to demonstrate such a love with humility in such an action as the washing of the saints' feet. And the commandment to observe The communion of the bread and wine, the communion of the body and blood of Christ as a fellowship of believers. You are my friends. If you do what I command you, I no longer call you slaves because the slave does not understand what his master's doing, but I've called you friends because I've revealed to you everything I heard from my father. You do not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that remains. So that whatever you ask the father in my name, he will give you this. I command you to love one another. No wonder we call this Monday, Thursday, commandment day. Jesus goes on. What can I expect as followers? of the Lord Jesus Christ in this world, as I seek to abide in him and love him as he has loved me and to love one another as he has loved us. Well, this is what you can expect. Hatred, persecution from those who are the enemies of Christ and those who do not know the Father. Jesus says, if the world hates you, be aware that it hated me first. If you belong to the world, the world would love you as its own. However, because you do not belong to the world, but I chose you out of the world, for this reason the world hates you. Remember what I told you, a slave is not greater than his master. If they persecute me, they will also persecute you. If they obeyed my word, they will obey yours too. But they will do all these things to you on account of my name, because they do not know the one who sent me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin. But they no longer have any excuse for their sin. The one who hates me hates my father too. If I had not performed among them the miraculous deeds that no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin. But now they've seen the deeds, and they've hated both me and my father. This happened to fulfill the word that is written in their law, they hated me without reason." Now, Jesus is specifically referring to what's going on. behind the scenes over in Jerusalem among the chief priests and the elders of the people who've taken counsel against him. They did so because they hate him. And Jesus says they are without excuse. They're without excuse because he has shown them who he is by the deeds that he did and the teachings that he gave in connection with those deeds. That's specifically showed for us in the gospel of John and how it is organized. But Jesus goes on. to say that the Spirit, the Helper, will testify of me. When the Advocate comes, that is, when the Helper has come, whom I will send you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who goes forth from the Father, He will testify concerning me, and you too are bearing witness, because from the first you have been with me." Now notice, it's witnesses. Jesus is a witness to the Father. The Holy Spirit is a witness to Jesus. And the Holy Spirit witnesses to the disciples. And the disciples are witnesses to what Jesus has done. And the disciples and the Holy Spirit become witnesses to others, to those outside of Christ. This is the mandate of the church. We are to be witnesses for Christ. We're to testify concerning him, to bear witness with him. The things he did and said, the things he accomplished in fulfillment of the prophecies of old. Now I've told you these things so that you will not fall away. When the spirit, when the Abbot comes home, who I send you from the Father, spirit of truth that goes out from the Father, he will testify about me. And you also will testify because you've been with me from the beginning. Again, we have the apostles, the word, the scriptures. Again, we have reference to the throne nature of God, the spirit, the Father, and the Son. I have told you these things so that you will not fall away. That is, that you will not fall away permanently, especially after I have gone back to the Father. They will put you out of the synagogue, yet his time is coming when the one who kills you will think he's offering service to God. Think about Saul a few years later. Think about him. They will do these things because they've not known the Father or me, but I've told you these things so that when their time comes, you'll remember that I told you about them. I did not tell you these things from the beginning because I was with you. But now I'm going to the one who sent me, and not one of you is asking me, where are you going? Instead, your hearts are filled with sadness because I've said these things to you. But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I'm going away. For if I do not go away, the Advocate will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you." Now, in a way, they have had to ask him, what is the way to where you're going? But he says, you do not ask me specifically, where are you going? Instead, your hearts are filled with sadness. He could be speaking maybe the way in which they ask the question. Their hearts are filled with sadness. But he says, I'm telling you these things for your joy to be complete. And I'm telling you these things to your advantage because you should understand that I'm going away so that the Holy Spirit, the Advocate, will come to you because I will send him to you. Now, here's the work of the Holy Spirit. When he comes, he will prove the world wrong concerning sin and righteousness and judgment. Concerning sin, because they do not believe in me. Concerning righteousness, because I'm going to the Father and you will see me no longer. And concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been condemned. So the Holy Spirit is going to convict the world of sin and righteousness and judgment. He testifies about Christ. He's the one that makes us aware of our sin. He's the one that makes us aware that Christ is our righteousness and that he is the right hand of the father. He is the one that makes us aware that the judge of this world has been, the ruler of this world has been judged by Christ himself at the cross. When he comes, he will prove the world concerning sin, righteousness, and judgment. Concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been condemned. Now, with all these things that Jesus is saying, he keeps talking about his going away in a little while. He makes this statement, in a little while, in a little while, in a little while. And this brings up a whole series of interchange between Jesus and the disciples. He says, I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. But when he, the spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. For he will not speak on his own authority, but will speak whatever he hears and will tell you what is to come. He will glorify me because he will receive from me what is mine and will tell it to you. Everything that the father has is mine. And that's why I say the spirit will receive from me what is mine and will tell it to you. Now, if you want to know the mark of the Holy Spirit's work, it's to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ and to testify to the person and work of Christ. Any alleged work of the Holy Spirit that is not centered on the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ is not in accordance with the words of Jesus. Now, Jesus has some words. In a little while, you will see me no longer. Again, after a little while, you will see me. Now, he's mentioned this earlier in this conversation, and now he comes back to it. He zeroes in on it. You see me right now, but a little while from now, you're not going to see me any longer. Again, after a little while, you'll see me. So I'm here. I'm going to be gone. You can't see me. I'm back, and you can see me. What does he mean? So some of the disciples said to one another, what's the meaning of what he's saying? In a little while, you will not see me. Again, in a little while, you will see me. and because I'm going to the Father. So they kept on repeating. They're saying this among themselves. What is the meaning of what he's saying in a little while? We do not understand what he's talking about. Remember, this is a big room. There's all these men around. They're having conversations among themselves as well as to him. Jesus could see that they wanted to ask him about these things. So he said to them, are you asking each other about this? Yes. that I said in a little while you'll not see me again after a little while you will see me. I tell you the solemn truth you'll weep and wail but the world will rejoice. Now why would they do that? Because they can't see him any longer. Why? Because he's going to be dead. Because he's going to be crucified. You will be sad but your sadness will turn to joy. They're not going to see him because he's going to be dead and buried Out of sight, but in three days he will rise from the dead and they will see him again. This is a prophecy of the resurrection. Your sadness will be turned into joy. When a woman gives birth, she has distress because her time has come. But when her child is born, she no longer remembers the suffering because of her joy that a human being has been born into the world. So you also have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice. No one will take your joy away from you. At that time, you will ask me nothing. I tell you the solemn truth. Whatever you ask the Father in my name, He will give you. Until now, you've not asked anything in my name. Ask, and it will be given to you. so that your joy may be complete. I told you all these things in obscure figures of speech. A time is coming when I will no longer speak to you in obscure figures, but will plainly tell you about the Father. At that time you will ask in my name, and I did not say that I would ask the Father on your behalf, for the Father himself loves you, because you love me. and it believed that I came from God. I came from the Father, I entered into the world, but in turn, I'm leaving the world and going back to the Father. Jesus' descent, His incarnation, His crucifixion, His resurrection, His ascension. I came from the Father, I entered into the world, but in turn, I'm leaving the world and going back to the Father. His disciples said, look, now you're speaking plainly and not in obscure figures of speech. Now we know that you know everything and do not need anyone to ask you anything. Because of this, we believe that you've come from God. Jesus replied, do you now believe? Look, a time is coming. It has come when you will be scattered, each to his own home, and I will be left alone. Yet I'm not alone because my father is with me. I've told you these things so that in me you may have peace. In the world you have trouble and suffering, but take courage. I have conquered the world. Now, when we read these words of Jesus about a little while and about his prophecy, about his death, his subsequent resurrection, his ascension into heaven, we cannot help but think of that great hymn of the church, a great creedal hymn. that the early church sang that Paul repeats for us in this letter to the Philippians. It's found in Philippians chapter 2, verses 5 through 11. And it's connected to humility, the action of Jesus when he washed the disciples' feet and demonstrated his own humility. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who though he was in the form of God, He did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself by taking the form of a servant, being born as a servant, and coming into the world. He humbled himself and took the form of a servant, came into the world, and being found in human form, he humbled himself, became obedient to the point of death, even death on the cross. Therefore God is highly exalted in him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name so that the name of Jesus every knee should bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. Can you see that? This hymn reflects Jesus' teaching. It reflects His incarnation and His going back to the Father. Now when Jesus had finished these things, He looked up toward heaven and He prays. He prays for His disciples. Let's listen to His prayer. When Jesus had spoken these things, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and he said, Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you. Since you have given him authority over all flesh, you give eternal life to all those whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. I have glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed. In the first phase of the prayer, Jesus is actually praying for himself to be glorified, for the Father to glorify him. And he tells us what true eternal life is. Eternal life is the knowledge of God in the face of Jesus Christ, the Lord. I finished the work. He can say that because in a few hours, he will die, be buried, raised from the dead in a few days, ascended into heaven. And now, oh father, glorify me together with yourself. It calls you back to the words of John chapter one. Then the beginning was the word. The word was with God and the word was God. And that in the face of Jesus Christ, grace and truth from God has been made known. Now he prays for his disciples. The second phase of the prayer, he's praying for the 12 disciples, the apostles, the 11 apostles, and there will be one to replace it. And the other apostles, Paul, that will come in. I manifested your name to the men whom you've given me out of the world. So he's talking about those who went with him during his three, three and a half, four years of ministry. They were yours. You gave them to me and they have kept your word. I've manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were. You gave them to me. They kept your word. Now they know that everything you have given to me is from you. Everything you've given me is from you. For I've given them the words that you gave me, and they receive them. And they come to know in truth that I came from you, and they have believed that you sent me. I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those whom you've given me for they are yours. Notice that Jesus prays for his chosen. He prays for his elect. He's not praying for the world. There's a distinction. All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them. And I'm no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you, Holy Father. So I'm coming back to you, Father. I'm coming back to you from where I came. But they're going to remain. Holy Father, keep them in your name. which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one. While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost, except the son of destruction, that the scripture might be fulfilled. But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves. I have given them your word, and the world has hated them, even as it hated you. So he's given us his word, he's given his word to his disciples. And yet the world hates them and they hate his followers even as they hate Jesus himself. So these are the ones he's praying for. He says, I'm no longer with the world. It would be like an accomplished fact in a few days. But they're in the world and I'm coming to you on their behalf. So what's his request? His request to keep them safe in your name, the ones you've given me, so that they may be one just as we are one. When I was with them, I kept them safe. I watched over them in your name that you've given me. Now I want you to keep them. I'm coming to you, but they're going to remain behind, and I want you to keep them so that they may experience my joy completed in themselves. I've given them your word. He's speaking specifically now to these apostles. The world has hated them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. I'm asking you to, I'm not asking you to take them out of the world, but that you keep them safe from the evil one. Remember the part of the Lord's Prayer? Deliver us from the evil one. They do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. Set them apart. Set them apart in the truth. Sanctify them in the truth. Your word is true. Just as you sent me into the world, so I send them into the world. And I set myself apart on their behalf. I sanctify myself on their behalf so that they too may be truly set apart. So his request, there are two specific requests he's making. First of all, for his 12 apostles, for their witness. Now he prays for all of us. for everyone who will believe the gospel based on the testimony of the apostles, based on the testimony of the gospel that comes forth. I'm not praying only on their behalf, but also on behalf of those who believe in me through their testimony. Can you take this? Jesus prayed for you. And for me, if you believe upon Him, He prayed for us in that last supper. He prayed for us at that last supper before He went to the cross. He prayed for us. He knows us by name. He calls us by name. I'm praying that they will be one just as you, Father, are in me and I am you. I'm praying that they will be in us so that the world may believe that you sent me. He's speaking about a spiritual oneness, the union with himself and our union with one another as believers in his name. He's not talking about organizations. He's talking about life in the body of Christ. The glory you gave to me, I've given to them that they may be one just as we are one, I and them and you and me, that they may be completely one so that the world will know that you sent me and you love them just as you've loved me. Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am so that they may see my glory that you gave me because you loved me before the creation of the world. Jesus is praying that we will see him in glory. Now, Jesus's prayers are the most powerful in all the universe. And the father always hears what his son asks. And his son asked that he would be with him where he is and that we will see his glory. And brother and sister who believe in Christ Jesus says exactly what will happen. Because Jesus has prayed for us. Because Jesus has shed his blood for us. Because Jesus was raised for us. Because Jesus ascended for us. Because he's coming back for us. We will see his glory. The glory that you gave him before the creation of the world. Righteous father, even if the world does not know you, I know you. These men know that you sent me. I've made known your name to them and I will make it known. I'll continue to make it known so that the love you've loved me with may be in them and I in them. Now, when Jesus had said these things, he gave some instruction to his disciples. Luke tells us, when I sent you out with No money bag. You remember that when I sent you out with no money bag or traveler's bag or sandals, you didn't like anything, did you? And they replied, nothing. He said to them, but now the one who has a money bag must take it. And likewise, a traveler's bag too. And the one who has no sword must sell his cloak and buy one. For I tell you that this scripture must be fulfilled in me. And he was counted with the transgressors. For it is written about me, for what is written about me is being fulfilled. So they said, look, look, Lord, here are two swords. Then he told them it is enough. Now we're introduced to a word that Matthew and Mark can tell us. When they had finished the meal and they had finished all these instructions and Jesus was ready to depart, they concluded the meal in the traditional way. They sang a hymn. Now, it wasn't probably your favorite hymn about the cross. We know specifically what they sang. They sang the Hallel. That is the Psalms of the Passover. And those Psalms are found in Psalm 113 through 118. They would have sang the first of these Psalms, Psalm 113 through 116 at the beginning. in their first courses of the meal, the Great Hallel. And they would sing the last two, Psalm 117 and 118, at the conclusion of the Seder. Here's some of the words they sang. That night, Psalm 116, the snares of death encompassed me, the pangs of Sheol laid hold on me. I suffered distress and anguish, and then I called on the name of the Lord. O Lord, I pray, deliver my soul. Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints. O Lord, I am your servant. I am your servant, the son of your maidservant. You have loosed my bonds." There's a prayer. Jesus is praying that. They sing this psalm as a prayer. It's certainly a psalm in reference to the resurrection, the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ himself. At the end, they would have come, stood together and sang 117, which is only two verses, a psalm of universal praise about passing through death to life and service. And they would conclude it with Psalm 118 that says, his steadfast love endures forever. And they were repeated that several times. Now, I want you to think about these words that the Lord Jesus sang at the end of this meal from Psalm 118. Listen to these words. Give thanks to the Lord for his good. His faithful love endures forever. The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone. This is the Lord's doing. It's wonderful to see. This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it. Please, Lord, please save us. Please, Lord, please give us success. Bless the one who comes in the name of the Lord. We bless you from the house. These are some of the words that Jesus would sing to his disciples before they departed for the garden in prayer. G. Campbell Morgan observes, The king came to the darkness of the cross, singing of the enduring, loving kindness of God. Jesus leaves the upper room with his disciples. They retreat to the garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus will then agonize in prayer before he goes to the cross. So when they had sung a hymn, he came out, and as his custom was, to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him.