AM April 29th John 13

April 29^th           The Lord predicts Peter’s denial

31: Therefore, when he was gone out, Jesus said, Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in him. 32: If God be glorified in him, God shall also glorify him in himself, and shall straightway glorify him. 33: Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me: and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come; so now I say to you. 34: A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. 35: By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. 36: Simon Peter said unto him, Lord, whither goest thou? Jesus answered him, Whither I go, thou canst not follow me now; but thou shalt follow me afterwards. 37: Peter said unto him, Lord, why cannot I follow thee now? I will lay down my life for thy sake. 38: Jesus answered him, Wilt thou lay down thy life for my sake? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, The cock shall not crow, till thou hast denied me thrice.

Only when Judas left did Jesus reveal certain truths. First he said NOW is the Son of man glorified. God was going to reveal himself to mankind in a manner that mankind has never known before. Here is love vast as an ocean. Christ was going to be revealed to the world in a way that is unsurpassed. And God was going to be revealed in it too. The Second thing he said was that he was going away for a little while and you will seek me but you will no find me. Then the Third thing, he said, l want to give you a new commandment, that you love one another; as I have loved you. This goes way beyond the commandments of the Law. They are to love one another in the same way that Christ loves them. How was this going to be possible? The love of God was going to be shed abroad in their hearts by the Holy Spirit. This was going to be the sign of who is a disciple – if they have love one to another. The Disciples did not understand what all these things meant but later they would know the Holy Spirit would remind them and open their eyes. Then Peter replied to the second thing Christ had said, he said where are you going? I will follow you and lay down my life for you. Peter had good intensions yet he didn’t have the courage and the empowering of the Spirit of God to back it up. Jesus replied, Peter, will you? I am telling you the absolute truth before the cock crows you will deny me three times. How heart breaking.