Weakness Produces Strength (John 13:21-38, NIV 11)

INTRO: 2014.10.11 Weakness Produces Strength (John 13:21-38, NIV 11) I ve found the following observation to be true in my life and in the lives of those closest to me. I imagine you ve found it to be true as well. The observation is simply this you can tell what s important to a person by watching how they spend their time. Would you agree? For me, I spend a good deal of time with my wife, Sarah, because she s important to me. I like going on dates with her. I like taking walks with her. We work out together and even cook dinner together, although in the kitchen she s the boss (because she s told me). My role is sous- chef. I cut the zucchini, crack the eggs, measure out the flower, that sort of thing. Because Sarah is important, I make time with her a priority. I also spend a good deal of time on specific activities. I like to read. Write. Travel. I value these things, so I find time for them on my calendar. We prioritize what matters the most. And you have your own things like your grandchildren, woodworking, bicycling, knitting or landscaping, maybe your business. And if we would all agree that you can tell what s important to a person by how they spend their time, then what should we make of John chapters 13-17? In John s Gospel, the first 12 chapters cover three years of Jesus life, but chapters 13, 14, 15, 16, and 17 cover one night. John spends five chapters detailing a period of only a few hours, which means the events of that night must have been very important to him. They held special significance. To set the context, please look at John 13:1 with me, 1 It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end (John 13:1, NIV 11). ü This is Jesus last night with his disciples. What would you say if you knew tonight was your last night with the people closest to you? o As I prepared for this message, I contemplated what I would say if I knew it was my last Sunday with you. How do you boil down years into hours? o What would you say if you knew it was your last night with your friends? Or your company? Or your family? ü Jesus used his last night with his disciples to hand over his ministry. He s passing on the baton. And in one sense we shouldn t accept the baton because we can never carry on the ministry of Jesus. Christ did for us what we could never do for ourselves. He rescued us from sin and death and brought us life that s grace. But in another sense, all Christians are called to take the baton and carry on Christ s ministry. We are to care about what he cares about and do what he asks of us that s discipleship putting your faith into action. 1

TRANSITION: Today, I want to focus on the personal challenges that come when we attempt to carry the ministry of Jesus. And the question I want us to consider together is how can we strengthen others when we ourselves are weak. How can you offer another person encouragement or hope when you know your own struggle with depression and doubt? How can you offer someone a loving rebuke when you know your own sin and failure? To begin unraveling that answer look at v. 21. TEXT: 21 After he had said this, Jesus was troubled in spirit and testified, Very truly I tell you, one of you is going to betray me. 22 His disciples stared at one another, at a loss to know which of them he meant. 23 One of them, the disciple whom Jesus loved, was reclining next to him. 24 Simon Peter motioned to this disciple and said, Ask him which one he means. 25 Leaning back against Jesus, he asked him, Lord, who is it? 26 Jesus answered, It is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish. Then, dipping the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. 27 As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him. So Jesus told him, What you are about to do, do quickly. 28 But no one at the meal understood why Jesus said this to him. 29 Since Judas had charge of the money, some thought Jesus was telling him to buy what was needed for the festival, or to give something to the poor. 30 As soon as Judas had taken the bread, he went out. And it was night (John 13:21-30, NIV 11). Here s the scene. Peter, one of Jesus twelve disciples, is sitting across the table from the Lord. Jesus is explaining that one person from among their group will soon betray him, so Peter motions from across the table to John, who is lying next to Jesus as if to say, Find out about whom he speaks? So John leans back against Jesus chest and asks quietly, Lord, who is it? And Jesus gives him sort of a cryptic symbol the one to whom I will hand a piece of bread after dipping it the dish. And then nonchalantly, Jesus dips a piece of bread and hands it to Judas. Now, bear in mind, this happens so seamlessly that only three people in that room know what s going on and I ll give you a hint, their names all start with J Jesus, John, and who else? Judas. Peter is left in the dark. 31 When he was gone, Jesus said, Now the Son of Man is glorified and God is glorified in him. 32 If God is glorified in him, God will glorify the Son in himself, and will glorify him at once. 33 My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come. 34 A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. 36 Simon Peter asked him, Lord, where are you going? Jesus replied, Where I am going, you cannot follow now, but you will follow later. 37 Peter asked, Lord, why can t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you. 38 Then Jesus answered, Will you really lay down your life for me? Very truly I tell you, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times! (John 13:31-38, NIV 11). Now if you know much about Peter, you know he has the tendency to be, how might we say it, a bit excitable. He has what you might call an aggressive personality. Do you know anyone like that? Someone who isn t afraid to speak his mind? In many ways, Peter is a hothead. And to be fair, you need a few people like that on your team, people with a little passion. 2

But on this particular evening, Peter is upset at the thought it could be his last night with Jesus; upset that one of the inner circle is going to betray their master; upset he doesn t know who it s going to be. He s so upset about all these matters that when Jesus says, Where I m going, you re not able to follow, Peter blurts out the most extreme statement imaginable Jesus, even if you die tonight, I ll be by your side. ü Now here s where it gets interesting. Fortunately for us God saw fit to give us four Gospels not only John but also Matthew, Mark, and Luke. It s not that the four Gospels tell us four different stories about Jesus. They simply give us different perspectives of the same grand story. o Let me explain in this way imagine a traffic emergency in which a mother and her small child were trapped in a burning vehicle. Until a man came seemingly out of nowhere to rescue both of them. If afterward, the police interviewed only one witness they might get the basic facts. But by interviewing multiple witnesses, a more complete picture comes into view. That s what God has given us with the four Gospels. o John s Gospel gives us some facts about Peter s betrayal, but Luke s account provides a few additional details about Jesus and Peter s conversation 31 Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. 32 But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers. 33 But he replied, Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death. 34 Jesus answered, I tell you, Peter, before the rooster crows today, you will deny three times that you know me (Luke 22:31-34, NIV 11). Jesus explains that Satan has asked to sift you (plural) meaning all the disciples, but Jesus says specifically, I have prayed for you (singular) meaning Peter. 1 Satan attacks the whole group, but Jesus prays for an individual. Why? ü First, it might help to understand that to sift something means to separate the desirable from the undesirable or better yet the genuine from the dis- genuine. 2 When Satan asks to sift the disciples, he wants to prove to Jesus that in moments of stress even his prized pupils would bail on him. o Here s what you and I need to understand. There will be sifting in the life of every genuine follower of Christ, especially if you lead others or if you re trying to set a good example in the faith. The enemy will try to prove your faith dis- genuine. He will try to ensnare you with sin. He will try to discourage you and make you give up. Satan wants to separate you from Christ. His goal is not only to hurt you but everyone who looks up to you as well. 3 o Earlier in John s Gospel, John 10:10, Jesus told us that our enemy seeks to steal, kill, and destroy. 1 Peter 5:7 explains that the devil roams around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. It s with passages like these in mind that Wayne Cordeiro, a pastor in Hawaii, writes, A leader will 1 Most translations simply say, you, but the NIV 11 rounds it out correctly based on the 2 nd plural. 2 Craig Keener, IVP New Testament Bible Background Commentary (Downers Grove: Intervarsity Press, 1993) 250. 3 For a helpful look at this topic both biblically and pastorally, see Wayne Cordeiro, Sifted: Pursuing Growth through Trials, Challenges, and Disappointments (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2012). 3

be sifted; that s not the question. The question is will he emerge from the sifting as a successful [stronger] leader? 4 TRANSITION: Satan asks to sift all the disciples, but Jesus prays only for Peter. Please don t miss the significance. When Satan attacks the group, Jesus strategy is to pray that one person will find strength, turn around, and then strengthen the others. Might this mean that when Satan comes after your family or your friends or your community or even your church, Jesus may specifically pray for you, that you would be the one to rise up and strengthen the rest? But this brings us back to our initial, nagging question. How can we strengthen others when we know ourselves to be weak? And when others know our weaknesses too? ü Jesus words to Peter often echo into our own lives. o 31 Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. 32 But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers. 33 But he replied, Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death. 34 Jesus answered, I tell you, Peter, before the rooster crows today, you will deny three times that you know me (Luke 22:31-34, NIV 11). o Has there ever been a time when in one moment you were on fire for Christ and only months, weeks, days, or hours later you were denying him? If not denying him, at least not standing up for him or representing him the way you had hoped. If so, there s a good chance you look at the opportunities God has given you to be a man or woman of influence with your family, at work, in the community, or within your church and you wonder, How can God use me? An alcoholic. An adulterer. A cheat. A phony. A divorcee. A deadbeat parent. Bankrupt. A high school dropout. ü But remember, Jesus knew Peter would fail. He knew it. And nevertheless Jesus prayed that after Peter had been sifted he would turn back and strengthen the others. How do we strengthen others when we know ourselves to be weak? There are two good, biblical answers. We strengthen others in our weakness by (1) following Christ s example and (2) embracing Christ s grace. APPLICATION: First, in our weakness we strengthen others by following Christ s example. You realize, right, that even Jesus experienced weakness? 5 Turn with me to the book of Hebrews 14 Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break 4 Sifted, 30. 5 The Holy Spirit supplied the supernatural power that Jesus used during his ministry (Matt. 12:28; Luke 4:14; 5:17; Acts 2:22; 10:38). Luke 5:17 may even indicate there were some days when Christ s power to heal wasn t readily available. 4

the power of him who holds the power of death that is, the devil 15 and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. 16 For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham s descendants. 17 For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. 18 Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted 4:14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are yet he did not sin. 16 Let us then approach God s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need (Hebrews 2:14-18; 4:14-16, NIV 11). ü I want to teach you a word tarassw (say that once with me). 6 Tarassw generally means to be agitated, troubled, or distressed. It describes inner feelings of commotion and uneasiness and is typically used in the Gospels to refer to people being afraid of something, like in Matthew 14:26 when Jesus walks on the water towards his disciples at night and they think they re seeing a ghost. The Bible says they were tarassw, i.e. afraid. You think? ü But what s interesting is that sometimes this word is used to describe Jesus. I want to look at three instances where this word describes Jesus. All three examples that happen in or around John 13. These examples give us an idea of how we can strengthen others even in our own weakness. o John 11:32-33 (NIV 11) the death of Lazarus. Do you remember when Jesus friend Lazarus passed away. Jesus was very close with the whole family, Lazarus and his sisters. One sister was named Mary and v. 32 says, 32 When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. 7 At the death of his friend, Jesus was anxious, even a little distressed. o John 12:23-27 (NIV 11) 23 Jesus replied, The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Jesus hour means it s time for the cross. To be glorified means crucifixion. So Jesus says in v. 27, 27 Now my soul is troubled, 8 and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. o John 13:21 (NIV 11) today s passage 21 After he had said this, Jesus was troubled 9 in spirit and testified, Very truly I tell you, one of you is going to betray me. Over the past few weeks we ve been talking about God s Inverted Kingdom. The idea is that God's Kingdom runs by a different set of values than we re accustomed to. We, as a people, tend to cower before death, but in God s Kingdom death brings life. We balk at humility, but Jesus taught that humility leads to true greatness. We don t like to admit we re weak, but in God s Kingdom weakness can become strength. What I mean is that weakness can be a good thing when it s funneled appropriately. 6 Johnny Pressley, Humanity of Christ, Christology: Class Notes (Cincinnati: Cincinnati Christian University, Spring 2009). 7 evta,raxen Aorist Active Indicative, 3ms, tarassw. 8 teta,raktai Perfect Middle Indicative, 3ms, tarassw. 9 evtara,cqh Aorist Passive Indicative, 3ms, tarassw. 5

ü Let s look back at our three examples of Jesus experiencing tarassw, i.e. some form of weakness. o The death of Lazarus in John 11 wasn t easy for Jesus to stomach, but it drove home for him of the necessity of defeating death. o When Jesus talked about the hour of the cross drawing near, it was enough to make him consider other alternatives. Remember John 12:27, 27 Now my soul is troubled, 10 and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour? But it was also what he needed to steel his resolve and thus the second half of that verse, No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. o When Jesus spoke of one of his own disciples betraying him, he grew a little emotional. He invested in those guys for three years. And now Judas is going to sell him out for a few pieces of silver. But the hurt he felt in the Upper Room prepared him for the fateful moment in the Garden a few hours later. Jesus sets an example for us to follow even in our weakness we can serve in God s strength. Dare I say that only in our weakness can we serve in God s strength! ü But your experience is probably like mine. When you feel the weakest you also tend to feel the furthest from God. Am I right? But what we learn from the life of Christ is that weakness carries with it the potential to draw you closer to God than ever before. ü New Testament scholar NT Wright puts it this way, Do not imagine that because you find yourself in turmoil, struggling with turbulent fear and uncertainty, this means you have come the wrong way or arrived at the wrong place. The idea that Christians should always have nothing but inner peace and tranquility is at best a half- truth, at worst a romantic or existentialist betrayal of the Jesus of Gethsemane. This is the way our Master trod, and he has invited us to follow him, to watch with him, to wait and to pray with him. 11 The first way you can strengthen others in spite of your own weakness is by following Christ s example. The second way is by embracing Christ s grace. After he denied Jesus, we read about Peter s moment of grace in John 21. ü 1 Afterward Jesus appeared again to his disciples, by the Sea of Galilee. It happened this way: 2 Simon Peter, Thomas (also known as Didymus), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. 3 I m going out to fish, Simon Peter told them, and they said, We ll go with you. So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing (John 21:1-3, NIV 11). 10 teta,raktai Perfect Middle Indicative, 3ms, tarassw. 11 N.T. Wright, The Way of the Lord: Christian Pilgrimage Today (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1999) 89-90. 6

o It shouldn t surprise us that after betraying Jesus, Peter returns to his original job. Most of us would have done the same. When doubt arises or weakness comes, our natural inclination is to go back to what we know. Maybe we abandon our calling and go back to a more familiar, safer career. Often we return to old temptations, bad habits, or sins. o But Jesus refuses to give up on us. ü 4 Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus. 5 He called out to them, Friends, haven t you any fish? No, they answered. 6 He said, Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some. When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish. 7 Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, It is the Lord! As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, It is the Lord, he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water. 8 The other disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full of fish, for they were not far from shore, about a hundred yards. 9 When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread. 10 Jesus said to them, Bring some of the fish you have just caught. 11 So Simon Peter climbed back into the boat and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn. 12 Jesus said to them, Come and have breakfast. None of the disciples dared ask him, Who are you? They knew it was the Lord. 13 Jesus came, took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. 14 This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead. 15 When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, Simon son of John, do you love me more than these? Yes, Lord, he said, you know that I love you. Jesus said, Feed my lambs. 16 Again Jesus said, Simon son of John, do you love me? He answered, Yes, Lord, you know that I love you. Jesus said, Take care of my sheep. 17 The third time he said to him, Simon son of John, do you love me? Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, Do you love me? He said, Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you. Jesus said, Feed my sheep. 18 Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go. 19 Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, Follow me! (John 21:4-19, NIV 11). o In this passage, Jesus recreates the scene of Peter s betrayal. The text says that Jesus makes a charcoal fire. 12 It sounds rather insignificant at first, just a place for the boys to warm themselves and cook their breakfast, until you understand that the only other time the New Testament uses this word is three chapters prior, John 18:18, where it describes the fire by which Peter denied Jesus three times. 13 Did you also notice how many time Jesus questioned? Three times. Do you love me? Do you love me? Do you love me? One question for each betrayal. o In this moment, Jesus is symbolically reinstating Peter. They have this incredibly difficult, even awkward, moment of grace and truth where Jesus lets Peter know, Yes, you have let me down, but I forgive you. And I still have plans for you. 12 avnqrakia.n 13 Indebted to Steve Bolin for this insight, who may have gotten it from D.A. Carson. 7

TRANSITION: And perhaps that s what you need to hear this morning, those same words of forgiveness. You need some salve for the soul. You have weaknesses, yes, real weaknesses. You may even have let Christ down, possibly even this past week. But he offers you grace. He has not given up on you. And He still has big plans for you. Everyone who wants to be an influencer for Christ will experience sifting. And though the enemy intends the sifting for evil, God can use it for good. God uses the hard times in life and ministry to grow us into the people and leaders He wants us to be. In God s Inverted Kingdom, our weakness can become strength. Remember how the early church leader, Paul, said it God s grace is sufficient for you for His power is made perfect in weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9). CONCLUSION: You ll be much better off if you come to grips with the fact that when you begin to serve Christ you won t have the strength to finish. You won t have the knowledge to finish or the fortitude either. But through testing and trials, sifting and weakness, failure and doubt, God will grow you and is growing you into the person He needs you to be in order to accomplish all that He has planned. When you face weakness and fear: First, take courage in the fact that Christ prays for you. ü He told Peter that in Luke 22:32 I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers (NIV 11). ü We also read that same promise for us in Romans 8:34 34 Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died more than that, who was raised to life is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us (NIV 11). 14 Second, follow Christ s example he experienced weakness, but he drove that weakness to his Father and became stronger for it. And third, embrace Christ s grace you may fall, but Christ will be there to pick you back up. That s the Gospel. You are saved by grace into relationship with God and you are kept in that relationship by the same grace that put you there in the first place to the glory of God. Prayer à Communion 14 Cf. Romans 8:26-27, 26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God s people in accordance with the will of God (NIV 11). 8

Resources Cordeiro, Wayne, Sifted: Pursuing Growth through Trials, Challenges, and Disappointments (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2012). Keener, Craig S., IVP New Testament Bible Background Commentary (Downers Grove: Intervarsity Press, 1993). Kenworthy, Scott, #00254 2013.02.19 Strengthening Others Despite Our Own Weakness (John 13.31-38; 21.1-22; Luke 22.31-34). Kenworthy, Scott, Incarnational Anger: Experiencing Anger without Committing Sin (Cincinnati: Cincinnati Christian University, 2009). Liefeld, Walter L., Luke, Expositor s Bible Commentary (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1984) Vol. 8. Pressley, Johnny, Christology: Class Notes (Cincinnati: Cincinnati Christian University, Spring 2009). Wright, N.T., The Way of the Lord: Christian Pilgrimage Today (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1999). 9