2. A Life of Loyalty
Question 1:
Who’s someone you think of when it comes to loyalty?
THE POINT
Connection to Christ calls for consistent loyalty.
THE BIBLE MEETS LIFE
I’ve never met anyone named “Judas.” My wife and I have three children, so three times we’ve brainstormed names for a new human entering the world. Judas never made the list. Even in an age when the limits of baby-naming creativity have been stretched, we just don’t meet any baby Judases. That’s because Judas was the most famous betrayer in the history of broken humanity. He didn’t betray just anybody; He betrayed God Himself and nudged the Rescuer of the world closer to crucifixion.
Judas may be an uncommon name, but betrayal is a common behavior. We encounter it in nearly every area of life. We sometimes see it in ourselves. We might even see it in the people of God. In John 13 we’ll encounter Judas, but we’ll also see Jesus. We’ll see His glory on display, even on such a heartbreaking occasion. We’ll have the opportunity to rekindle our own loyalty to Jesus as we seek to live life connected to Him.
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?
John 13:21-27
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.”
John 13 begins with an account of Jesus’ last meeting with His twelve apostles before His crucifixion, and it included awkward, even painful moments. We’ve all been in meetings involving uncomfortable conversations, veiled accusations, or cringeworthy use of web cameras in virtual meetings. But this discussion between Jesus and the men He’d chosen to change the world suddenly went from feet washing and servant leadership to accusations of betrayal. Jesus said, “Very truly I tell you, one of you is going to betray me.”
Can you imagine your boss saying that in a meeting? Or maybe the leader of your kid’s sports team. The reaction of the disciples was much like what you would expect, regardless of the meeting context. They wanted to know who it could possibly be. Who’s the betrayer? How does Jesus know there’s a betrayer? What will the betrayer do? Am I the betrayer? Clearly, the disciples were confused. If this had been a modern meeting, they would have been texting each other trying to figure out what was going on. In fact, Peter signaled to John, who was sitting next to Jesus, to find out whom He was talking about.
Question 2:
How have you seen Christians be disloyal to Jesus?
John asked for the identity of the traitor, and in response, Jesus dipped a piece of bread into the bowl they shared and handed the bread to Judas. “As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him” (v. 27), and Jesus dismissed Judas to carry out his plan of betrayal. This is the only time in the Gospel of John that Satan was mentioned by name, but John wanted none of his readers to mistake who influenced the betrayal of Christ.
The influence of Satan is uncomfortably clear. What’s less clear was the degree of the disloyalty at that table. “His disciples stared at one another” (v. 22). Is it you? Do you think it is me? The sad reality is that, while Judas was the major betrayer and the one who would never turn from his disloyalty, he was not the only disciple in the room capable of turning on the One who had led them and loved them. Later in this same chapter, Jesus told Peter that he would betray Him as well by denying Him “three times” (v. 38). Judas betrayed Jesus before His arrest, and Peter denied Him three times before the rooster crowed on the morning of His arrest (Matt. 26:69-75). But it didn’t stop there. At Jesus’ arrest, “all the disciples deserted him and fled” (v. 56).
All these things should help us to understand that we don’t have to be named “Judas” to be disloyal to Jesus. We only have to be sinners—and we are. This passage should cause our hearts to break for Judas, but it should also cause us to look for the loose threads of disloyalty in our own lives.
John 13:31-33
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.”
Our lists might vary, but when we think of great turning points in history, we might think of events like the D-Day, the fall of the Berlin Wall, and 9/11. Such moments turn history, right? We must certainly add to that list the events in John 13. Consider just verse 31: “Now the Son of Man is glorified and God is glorified in him.” It is as though Jesus was saying, “It’s time.”
Engage
LOVING LOYALTY
Some people are loyal out of duty or obligation. Others do so because of benefit or reward.
Still others are loyal because of fear.
Put a check by one of these qualities from the session passage that motivates believers to live loyally for Jesus:
| ___ Desire to glorify God | ___ Sacrificial love for Jesus |
| ___ Gratitude for Jesus’ ministry | ___ Close communion with Jesus |
Write a sentence describing how this quality could serve as motivation in your life:
“Many Christians estimate difficulty in the light of their own resources, and thus they attempt very little and they always fail. All giants have been weak men who did great things for God because they reckoned on His power and presence to be with them.”
Judas had left and the actions of his betrayal were in motion. Things were definitely moving toward the events that would culminate at the cross of Calvary. Redemption was barreling its way forward, and although the coming hours would seem like the darkest the disciples had ever known, God would be glorified through it all.
The apostle John began his Gospel with this profound truth: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.” God’s awesome power led to all that exists. God created for the sake of His glory being known and on display. Unfortunately, humanity introduced sin into God’s perfect creation. Humanity sinned and keeps right on sinning.
In John 13, Jesus knew He was sprinting toward His death and resurrection that would lead to the restoration of all things. Jesus knew that between John 13 and John 20 (when He would rise from the dead) He would experience a tremendous amount of pain, grief, and sin. But Jesus would do it because He knew what it was all about. “God will glorify the Son in himself, and will glorify him at once.”
Jesus did what He did out of love for us and for God’s greater glory. We are to make God’s glory the “why” behind all we do in our own lives. The all-powerful, all-knowing God who created us for His glory sent His Son to fix, save, and restore us to what He created us to be. Jesus’ work on our behalf is also for His glory. When we follow Christ and live for His glory, we find the greatest fulfillment, purpose, and pleasure. His great glory is our greatest joy.
Question 3:
What are some ways we can glorify God in our lives?
John 13:34-35
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.”
Social media may have some benefits, but it can also be a dark place. If I’m looking for encouragement, neither Facebook, Twitter, nor Instagram is my first choice. We live in a socially fractured world. Society demands love much more often than we display it. The world can be pretty mean.
By contrast, Jesus gave His followers a command to love. His mandate certainly matters for all cultures and all times, but in these days of division and conflict, there’s no denying the compelling nature of Christ’s command to love. “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.”
Question 4:
How does our love for one another point others to Christ?
This is the only time in John’s Gospel that Jesus used the word “new.” It highlights the significance of His desire for His disciples to demonstrate love. It’s as though He is saying He has a unique new goal for the world. A goal that is, in fact, a call for His followers to be unique in the way they love. To love as Jesus calls us to love points right back to Him. “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
Love, of course, was not a new idea in Scripture. The Old Testament commanded God’s people to love as well. “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Lev. 19:18). “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength” (Deut. 6:5). The newness is not the love itself, but the depth of the love and the motivation behind it. Jesus changes everything, even love.
Jesus has bought our loyalty in a most breathtaking way. God, in human form, was tortured, killed, and raised for us—the ones He loves. As His children and followers now, we are to be a channel of His love, letting His love flow through us into the lives of our brothers and sisters in Christ. When we love as He loves, the world stands up and takes notice. Loving as Christ loves points the world to the One we follow.
Question 5:
What are some tangible ways our group can show Jesus’ love to our community?
LIVE IT OUT
Connection to Christ calls for consistent loyalty. Choose one of the following applications:
- Ask. Ask God to show you the places in your heart that are still disloyal to Him. Repent. He will forgive you.
- Memorize. Choose a verse about God’s glory and memorize it this week. Verses to consider are: John 1:14; 2 Corinthians 4:6; Psalm 19:1; Philippians 2:10-11.
- Encourage. If you share on social media, consider posting about a brother or sister in Christ. Share how they have loved you, encouraged you, or helped you be more loyal to Christ. Or you can write them a note.
We don’t have to be named “Judas” to be disloyal to Jesus. Let’s pray that we can live consistently devoted to Him because He’s been consistently devoted to us. We can be loyal to Jesus as we stay closely connected to Him.
