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The Lord Jesus was attempting to get the attention of the discip1es focused, so that they would really understand the true Christian life. So that they would grasp the principles by which that life was, and is, to be lived.

They like us today, were so slow to grasp His meaning of all He sought to teach them. Like us, they were so very unwilling to give up their strongly cherished ideas of what it meant to follow Him.

The issue, then and now, comes down to a most basic question. Will we listen to the Lord Jesus? Or, insist on holding to our own preconceived ideas? This is the issue which confronted them, and still challenges us.

We see the inevitable result of such competing claims in these verses.

At least one of those present with Jesus had his agenda for the Kingdom. In that agenda he had firmly fixed his own standards and values. These were his inflexible ideas which he was unwilling to reconsider.

It soon became obvious that his agenda did not coincide with the agenda of the Lord Jesus. So he decided to do something about that "problem". To have his own way.

In this he was not unique. He is the classic illustration of a very common attitude. That attitude which is held by so many of the people who profess to be Christians today.

What made this man what he was? How can we avoid making the same tragic mistakes which he made? How can we continue to effectively live the true Christian life in the only way that life can be lived?

Lord Jesus could not include all of the disciples in the words He had just spoken. He wanted to. But He knew that He could not. As He expresses that fact, we must feel the deep hurt and anguish of His words.

"I speak not of you all.'' Not because He did not want to speak of all of them. It was neither His will nor His desire that any be excluded, then, or now.

"The Lord is ... not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance"(2 Peter 3: 9).

If any is excluded, it. is because that person has willfully excluded himself from the will of the Lord. That one has deliberately chosen to go against the Word and the will of the Lord, Thus deliberately rejecting the love and the grace of the Lord.

Whenever that happens, and it happens far too often, then the Lord cannot include that person in the glory of His promise. He cannot! He will not!

That is the reality of the Christian life. Reminding us that we must be serious in our commitment. Do not let anyone attempt to convince you that this is not the case.

“I know whom I have chosen.” The Lord Jesus had perfect knowledge of each one of the disciples. Even as He has that same perfect knowledge of each one of us who profess to be Christians today.

He knew exactly what they were thinking. Their plans and aspiriations. Whether they would prove strong and faithful to their commitment Or, whether their faith would falter and fail. Whether their convictions were rock solid. Or, were they becoming weak and unreliable.

He knew exactly what Peter would do. "The cock shall not crow this day, before that thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest Me" (Luke 22: 34).

He knew that Peter had allowed his boastful selfconfidence far too large a. place in his life. That selfsufficiency had replaced dependence on the Lord.

Jesus knew him. His character. His attitude. The way he was thinking. He knew exactly how he would act.

The Lord Jesus knew Judas. That Judas had allowed the love of money to crowd out the love for Jesus. That self-centered greed had permitted Satan to induce Judas to go further down that dangerous road.

"Chosen!" "Elect!" Notice this fact: "Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father"(1 Peter 1: 2). It is God's perfect and eternal knowledge that is the key.

God's perfect knowledge, foreknowledge does not cancel out our free will. God Himself gave us that free will.

He knows how we will choose to exercise that free will. Peter freely chose to be what he was, to do what he did, when he denied Jesus. The Lord knew he would do so. But it was totally Peter's free choice to do so.

Judas was no different. He freely chose to do all that he did. He acted in free will. The Lord Jesus knew how he would act in free will to betray his Lord.

We are no different. We act in free will. He knows what, we will do. Whether we will choose to be faithful to Him. Or whether we will allow ourselves to be diverted into unfaithfulness.

"Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?"(John 6: 70).

Chosen by Jesus. Given every opportunity and encouragement by Jesus. Yet, he turned out to be "a devil"! Because that is what he freely chose to be!

"Many are called, but few are chosen"(Matthew 22: 14). There are so many who have been given every opportunity. Yet only a few who are willing to pay the price and thus buy up that opportunity.

That is the way it is today. There are so many who hear His call. Yet so few who follow through all the way.

"But that the Scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with Me hath lifted up his heel against Me!"

This was one of the many prophecies which were fulfilled as Jesus moved to the cross. Again we are reminded that the eternal knowledge of God is the key. Through His Word He revealed before it happened the details of the suffering and death of the Savior.

In His love He freely gives us the choice. We can accept the fullness of His perfect will and plan. Or, we can reject it. Again, that is an act of our free will.

The Lord Jesus freely chose to make that total commitment to the plan and will of His Father. The Old Testament prophets had disclosed every detail of His suffering and death. Yet in every detail He freely chose to go the way of His Father's will.

"Therefore doth My father love me, because I lay down My life, that I might take it again."

"I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again" (John 10: 17, 18).

We respond to Him freely. Either negatively. Or, positively. Either saying, "Yes!" or, "No!" to God!

"Now I tell you before it come, that, when it is come to pass, ye may believe that I am He!"

The Lord Jesus was completely confident in His Word. As we study the Gospels that fact stands out so clearly.

His Word will stand up to every test. Notice, He said, "When it comes to pass!" "When!" not, "If!" He had no doubt that what He said would happen. There could be no question about that fact.

The Word which He spoke was not His, but the Father's. He spoke that Word standing securely on the eternal authority of the Father. That is unshakable assurance. It is immovable confidence!

He could claim with absolute confidence, ''Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My Words shall not pass away" (Matthew 2 4 : 35 ) .

Foolishly His disciples sometimes argued with some of the things He said. Peter even had the brazen audacity to correct Him. "Then Peter took Him, and began to rebuke Him, saying, Be it far from Thee, Lord: this shall not be unto Thee!" (Matthew 16: 22).

Many Christians have that same attitude to His Word. A selfcentered, selfserving, selfconfident attitude!

But, the disciples actually did witness: "When it came to pass!" Then, they knew! The truth gripped them!

His Word always was, is, with absolute authority. Nothing could ever, can ever, change it. Nothing could ever, can ever, hinder its fulfillment.

''That, when it is come to pass, ye may believe that I am He!”

Witnessing the absolute authority and authenticity of the Word that results in the strong confirmation of faith. In the reenforcing of the faith already expressed.

In John 4 we have the account of the nobleman who sought healing for his son. He went to Cana to personally request that the Lord Jesus intervene.

''Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth. And the man believed the Word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way"(verse 50).

He believed the Word of Jesus. He went home fully expecting to find that his son was healed. He had faith in the Lord and His Word.

"And as he was now going down, his servants met him, and told, him saying, Thy son liveth."

"Then enquired he of them the hour when he began to amend. And they said unto him, Yesterday, at the seventh hour the fever left him."

“So the father knew that it was at the same hour, in the which Jesus said unto him, Thy son liveth: and himself believed, and his whole house."(Verses 51 - 53).

"When it came to pass!" "He himself believed!" His faith was greatly strengthened and reenforced. His faith grew in vitality and dynamic expression.

The key to strengthened faith is simple. Hear the Word. Believe the Lord. Depend on witnessing His faithfulness to His commitment. Observe the evidence that the result of His promise is always in complete agreement with the promise.

Therefore, as the direct result, your faith will be strengthened. It will grow, becoming increasingly more effective.

Everything that He said about Judas happened exactly as He said it would. So it was with His words concerning Peter and the other disciples.

He knows. Trust Him! Trust His Word! Always take His Word seriously in every detail.

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth Me; and he that receiveth Me receiveth Him that sent Me."

This principle is so simple. Yet so very vital. The response of genuine faith is so absolutely essential.

Those whom He sends, He send as His messengers bearing His Word. He sends them as His ambassadors to proclaim His truth.

They do not go with their own message. Nor to proclaim their own ideas or theories.

That messenger who proclaims his own ideas and theories has not been sent by the Lord Jesus. The messenger must always be evaluated by the message which he brings. Is their message really the Word of the Lord?

When the Word which is proclaimed in the true Word of the Lord, faith embraces that message. Faith acts on it. Lives it out in daily life and experience.

Thus true faith not only receives the message. True faith actually receives the Lord Himself in His Word.

In receiving the Lord, true faith also receives the Father !

When it is the Word of the Lord, then genuine humble faith is the only acceptable response. Not doubting. Not questioning. Not attempting to evade the Word. Or explain it away. Or compromise it.

Faith receives the Word. Receives the Lord. Receives the Father. This fact is so vital for that which follows.

There are those who would claim that the mature Christian does not get "troubled". That, by faith, we claim the victory and thus live above such inner disturbances.

But is that the way it really is? If it is, why does John tell us, three times, that this was the experience of the Lord Jesus?

As we look at those references, we discover vital truth. Remember: the Christian life is identification with the Lord Jesus in all things!

"When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, He groaned in the spirit, and was troubled!"(John 11: 33).

Lazarus had died. Mary was weeping in her grief. The others were weeping and wailing, reflecting the grief that has no hope. Mary's grief was genuine. The others were doing what was expected of them.

"He groaned in spirit!" He was indignant. He was there! Personally present! Yet they still acted as though there was no hope!

How often must Jesus still groan in spirit? At all of our negative and pessimistic attitudes? We are like that even though He is with us in resurrection life and power!

“He was troubled!” Agitated! Disturbed! At their lack of faith. He would move immediately to act in power! Removing all cause for their grief! Yet we still do not see!

"Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour" (John 12: 27).

"He ... began to be sore amazed and very heavy; And saith unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death" (Mark 14: 33, 34).

His spirit within Him was troubled. Deeply stirred. Greatly disturbed.

That is what we see in this verse we are now looking at . "Troubled in spirit!"

If that was true of the Lord Jesus, then we can be quite sure that it will be true of the believer. Of the one who is: "conformed to His image and likeness". Those things which trouble Him must also trouble us!

Such as: unbelief, on the one hand. Also, the challenge of deep and sacrificial suffering on the other. We will surely face both!

"He . . . testified and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray Me!"

"One of you!" One of those whom He had called to be His disciples! Who had shared His life and ministry for those three years. One of that inner circle who had participated in rich times of fellowship, prayer, teaching, and power!

One of those whom He had sent our preaching, teaching, healing. One of them! No wonder He was deeply troubled!

There are two things which we need to note. First, it does not matter how long we have known him. Nor how effectively we have served. Nor how strong our cries of protest. Everyone of us is capable of betraying Him!

That one who is loudest in protesting, "I would never do that!'' That person is the one most likely to fail.

The only protection is to apply a daily discipline of humble commitment and genuine submission to the Lord. "Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall"(1 Corinthians 10: 12). Take the most diligent and earnest heed!

“Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip" (Hebrews 2: 1).

The other aspect of this is most "troubling" for us! In our strong commitment that we will prove to be true, we will find ourselves betrayed by others! Many times by people in whom we had strong confidence. We really trusted them!

It will happen. When it happens, keep your eyes on The Lord Jesus. Keep your faith in Him. He never fails.

"Then the disciples looked one on another, doubting of whom He spake."

They took His startling revelation seriously. That is the only way to explain the depth of their concern. "And they were exceeding sorrowful, and began every one of them to say unto Him, Lord, is it I?"(Matthew 26: 22).

They looked from one to another. They were unable to imaglne which one would do such a thing. They had no idea who it was. They felt compelled to ask, "Is it I?" Not , "Is it him?”

This is not the arrogant selfconfidence which is so common today. We could do with some of their sensitive humility. That humility which pleads, "Lord, the last thing I want to do is betray you! Yet I know myself. By your grace, keep me true!"

John was reclining close to Jesus. "Peter therefore beckoned to him, that he should ask who it should be of whom He spake."

Peter was urgently inquisitive. He wanted John to ask. Did Peter just want to know for himself? Or did he hope that Jesus would announce to everyone who the guilty party was?

Peter was selfconfident. Selfassured. He was bold enough to claim that he would prove to be more loyal than the others. He may have desired to see the culprit publicly identified.

Jesus had said, "All ye shall be offended because of Me this night" (Matthew 26: 31). Peter retorted, "Though all men shall be offended because of Thee, yet will I never be offended'' (Verse 33). He was so full of himself!

If we had asked, would it have been with a self-centered motive? Revealing our selfconfidence? Such selfcentered motives are a sure sign of spiritual immaturity.

The faithful Christian always seeks to speak and act from motives that are Christcentered and Christ honoring.

"Jesus answered, He it is, to whom I shall give a sop, when I have dipped it."

The Lord Jesus answered John's question. But He did so in such a way that only John knew the significance of the event which followed. It is vital that we see that fact.

The Lord did not make "an example" of Judas. He did not point him out for all to see and despise.

Today many think that it is "spiritual" to make "an example'' of a brother who may have slipped. To hold them up for all to see. Exposing them to public scorn and contempt.

Rather He used a practice which was common among friends as they ate at the table. A piece of bread was taken, dipped in the bowl of food, then passed to another as an act of friendship.

Jesus acted in love toward Judas. As a true friend. Even as He let Judas know that He knew of Judas' willing part in the plot. He knew the part which Judas had agreed to play in that conspiracy with the Jewish leaders.

That is love. Revealing His love to us. Even when He knows all about our failures. Our foolish compromises.

Seeing that love so clearly expressed, let us live it out in our lives.

As He handed it to Judas, no words were spoken. Their eyes would meet. In that look Jesus revealed the depth of His love for Judas. He extended grace to Judas!

Would Judas let that love speak to his heart? It was not too late? Would he renounce the path which he had taken? Would he permit the unfailing love of Jesus win him?

He repulsed the love of Jesus. His mind was made up. He was the "thief"! He refused the invitation of grace.

That was a most crucial moment. It was not unique to Judas. Every Christian will face the same test. Too many will choose to go the way which Judas went.

The Lord Jesus, in love, reaches out as a true friend. His love for us is so totally genuine. Will we permit such love to keep our hearts and minds true to Him?

Or, will we go the way of compromise? "For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world!"(2 Timothy 4: 10). Could it be the world, with us? Pleasure? Greed?

Surely, we will love Jesus enough to prove to be true to Him.

Judas chose to receive that piece of bread, even as he deliberately chose to follow the path which took him out of fellowship with Jesus.

"After the sop: Satan entered into him!" Took possession of him. Claimed the right to assert total control of his life.

It was a slippery downward path which he followed. His heart was focused on the things of the world. In greed he stole! Ever from Jesus! Satan took that attitude and used it. He "put into the heart of Judas ... to betray Him!"(John 13: 2). Yet, it was not too late to turn back, even then!

Judas would not turn back. By personal choice he gave Satan the opportunity to enter into him!

Many who once walked with the Lord have gone that same way. Distracted by the things of the world. Caught in compromise. Refusing to be won back by the love of Jesus.

This danger threatens all of us. There is only one way to avoid it. Keep Jesus totally central. Love Him with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength. Always!

When we slip up, enticed by temptation, we need to, and we can, immediately come back to the Lord in humble confession and repentance. Then renew out commitment to walk in close fellowship with the Lord.

"Be not conformed to this world; but be ye transformed by the renewing of your minds, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God"(Romans 12: 2). Daily live that spiritual reality and relationship.

“Then said Jesus unto him, That thou doest, do quickly.”

Judas had permitted the devil to take control of his life. Yet he was still subject to the authority of Jesus.

No one can ever escape that ultimate and eternal authority. Even if they willfully yield themselves to all of the forces, of hell! "All authority" belongs to Jesus, and only to Him.

The last act of Judas was to take his own life. Was he hoping that death would end it all? That was a vain hope.

His self-inflicted death inevitable took him to: "The Judgement!" He had turned away from Jesus, only to have to immediately face the Lord Jesus sitting as the eternal Judge! There to find himself rejected by the One whom he had rejected!

That is the eternal reality. The truth which all of us must take seriously.

“Now no man at the table knew for what intent He spake this unto him.”

They watched The Lord give the bread to Judas. They would see and interpret that as an act of friendship, the Lord showing His love for His disciple. That, and no more!

They heard Him say, "That thou doest, do quickly!" Yet they had no idea what He meant by those words. The Lord Jesus knew. Judas knew. No one else did.

The attitude of Jesus is so different from the common attitude today, even among most Christians. Most would not have been able to control themselves, feeling that they must expose the traitor. Expose and condemn him.

Yes, there are times when we must take a stand. To publicly oppose that which is wrong. Yet far too often we do so, at the wrong time, in the wrong attitude, and with the wrong motives.

Jesus did not publicly expose Judas. We would be wise to ensure that our attitude to others reflects the attitude of Jesus.

Peter deliberately attracted the public rebuke of Jesus. He dared to publicly speak against the Word of the Lord. Pretending that he knew better. He had to be publicly corrected.

We continually need true spiritual discernment. To be guided by the Holy Spirit so that we will know when to speak. And, when not to.

One other note. No one has any right to expose a brother on sister who has repented, confessed their sin, and sought the Lord's forgiveness. No one!

Grace demands, leave it all under the blood. Restore that one in a spirit of meekness and love (see Galatians 6: 1).

"For some of them thought, because Judas had the bag, that Jesus had said unto him, Buy those things which we have need of against the feast; or, that he should give something to the poor."

Speculation. That is what we see here. That is so human, When we do not know, then we want to speculate, pandering to curiosity.

Jesus did not satisfy their curiosity! They had no right to expect Him to do so.

We must follow that example. Curiosity leads to gossip. That violates the principles of love.

So, if someone is curious, encourage them to be mature in the Lord. Refuse the grieve the Holy Spirit by gossiping

He had every opportunity to know Jesus. To love and serve Him. To walk in continuing personal fellowship with Him. To grow in the fullness of the true Christian life.

But the things of this world meant more to him than Jesus did. Like far too many other people today. Even many who claim Jesus as their Saviour.

Too many love this world, and its pleasures. Too many embrace compromise, opening their lives to the influence of the devil.

They go out. Out from the fellowship of Jesus. Out from the experience of His personal presence. Out of His will and pIan. That is their decision. Their choice.

Night! Darkness ruled! Judas deliberately renounced He who was, is, the Light to embrace the darkness. Total darkness.

Jesus said, "He that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life"(John 8: 12).

He chose the darkness. "Men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil" (John 3: 19).

Still today there are so many who have renounced the light, embracing the darkness. They willfully choose to do so.

Judas never escaped the darkness of the night. He chose to go out into the terribly dark night of eternity without Christ and without hope.

Still others choose that same path. That is not what Jesus wants. He pleads with us to come into the light. To walk in the light with Him. To live in the light.

The true Christian life is constantly lived in the fullness of the light of Jesus. Always one with Him. Always honoring Him in devoted obedience. Everything focused on all that He is. Wanting to do His will.

The challenge today is clear. It is either The Lord Jesus. Or, it is the world, with its compromise and sin. It is light or darkness. It is life or death.

Choose to walk in the light with Jesus. Choose life in Him. Life in all its fullness and glorious abundance.