Let me first of all share the Text for our Bible Study. It occurred to me that someone may be reading here who does not have immediate access to your New Testament …

John 13:31-38 …

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.

Someone said this, describing us Christians in 2022 … “WE LIVE BETWEEN JESUS’ RESURRECTION AND HIS RETURN!”

Isaiah 52:13-15 gives us a synopsis of the Cross as Jesus’ Glory! (Not as a defeat!) Read it with me: “Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high. As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men: so shall he sprinkle many nations; the kings shall shut their mouths at him: for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider.” (Remember, Jesus is the Fulfillment of Isaiah’s four great “Servant of the Lord” Passages.)

John, who relates Jesus’ amazing words about “love” in our crucial Paragraph, also enjoys talking about “love” in his little Epistles, especially in 1st John. One sample: “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” 1st John 2:15

Now here’s a graphic Old Testament Picture of God the Father “bruising” (Isaiah 53:5) His only begotten Son on the Cross. This happened at Calvary … “Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the LORD of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered.” (Zechariah 13:7, King James Version. Here the “Lord of Hosts” is God the Father. And the “Shepherd” is Jesus, Whom God calls “My Fellow” in this Verse. The “sheep” are His disciples, Mark 14:50.)

Wow!

Our current Text leads me to say … “Love is the Badge of Christian Discipleship!”

If you have not done so yet, I invite you to watch the whole class now …

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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As the Gospel of John tells the story of Judas, the Disciple who betrayed Jesus, it relies on the Old Testament to fill in some of the details!

Specifically, Psalm 41:9, which says: “Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.” Initially these are the words of King David grieving over one of his friends (Ahithophel) who had become disloyal! But Jesus (in John 13:18) applies this Scripture to His own situation, to His betrayal by Judas! (Thus we learn that Psalm 41 is Messianic, prophesying certain things about Jesus our Lord!)

Psalm 55:12-14 is also an Old Testament Text pointing to Jesus’ betrayal! “For it was not an enemy that reproached me; then I could have borne it: neither was it he that hated me that did magnify himself against me; then I would have hid myself from him. But it was thou, a man mine equal, my guide, and mine acquaintance. We took sweet counsel together, and walked unto the house of God in company.”

And when Judas led that host of soldiers to arrest Jesus, our Lord (with this Passage in mind) simply called the turncoat “friend!” Matthew 26:47-50 relates the incident: “And while he yet spake, lo, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and elders of the people. Now he that betrayed him gave them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he: hold him fast. And forthwith he came to Jesus, and said, Hail, master; and kissed him. And Jesus said unto him, FRIEND, wherefore art thou come? Then came they, and laid hands on Jesus, and took him.”

Wow!

Then Peter in Acts 1 quotes yet another Psalm concerning Judas. Psalm 109:8 prayerfully predicts: “Let his days be few; and let another take his office.”

Now Acts 1:20 … “For it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein: and his bishoprick let another take.”

Peter quoted this verse and applied it to Judas as he led the Believers in Jerusalem to elect someone to fill Judas’ shoes among the disciples.

What a vast study this could become … how the New Testament uses the Old Testament to validate the Claims of Jesus!

Watch the whole class now …

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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Yes, in verse 19 (of John chapter 13) Jesus uses Bible Prophecy (in adjunct to His Omniscience) to foster belief (faith) in His Disciples! Let’s study Bible Prophecy (eschatology) to further our faith as well!

“Now I tell you before it (Judas’ betrayal of the Lord) come, that, when it is come to pass, ye may believe that I am he.”

Wow!

The basic lesson, the spiritual principle, that Judas teaches us …

“Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?” 2 Corinthians 13:5

The Grace of God not only saves, it also teaches …

“For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, TEACHING US that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world.” Quoting Titus 2:11-12.

Psalm 41:9 was originally written to describe how Ahithophel (David’s trusted counsellor) back-stabbed King David, betrayed the great Monarch. “Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.” But Jesus uses the verse to apply to His situation with Judas! That’s called “applying Scripture” personally!

Turning “history” into “theology!”

Jesus washing feet …

Serving others, that’s where true “joy” is to be found! “If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.” John 13:17

I’m sure you’ve heard the acrostic … “Jesus first, Others next, Yourself last!” The first letters of which spell JOY!

Amen!

Those of you who can, might now want to watch the entire Class …

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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Our video Bible Study posted today while we were driving to this week’s Revival Meeting in Newaygo, Michigan. Actually, I posted it from the car as we traveled!

But I forgot to say …

In John chapter 12 Jesus’ feet were reverently anointed. In John chapter 13 Jesus is washing 24 dirty feet!

Yes, Jesus would have His Disciples with clean feet! (A picture of purity and sanctification in their lives.) Jesus did this for them … even knowing they would deny Him (at His arrest), flee from Him (at His Crucifixion), go to sleep on Him (at Gethsemane), and fail Him in many other ways too. Yes, He loves them “to the end!”

The water that cleansed those feet … the Word of God!

“Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.” Psalm 119:9, God’s Word indeed cleanses our feet, our daily activities!

Here’s a good foot-washing prayer …

“Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts; and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” Psalm 139:23-24

John chapters 1-12 concentrated mainly on making Believers, getting souls saved. John chapters 13-21 concentrate mainly on maintaining Believers!

Judas did not need clean feet, but a new heart! He was not a sheep of the Lord’s pasture, but a dog returning to his vomit!

The “high cost” of dirty feet …

No “fellowship” with the Lord!

A very high cost indeed!

Did you watch the full lesson yet?

If not, here it is …

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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And at this supper Judas is tempted (and yields to that allurement) to betray our Lord. (The non-Biblical “Gospel of Judas” makes this man a hero instead of a villain!) The sad verb the Gospel writers use for “betray” is “paradidomi.” Literally, it means “to hand over.”

In John 18:5 Judas handed over Jesus to the Pharisees!

In John 18:35 the Pharisees handed over Jesus to Pilate!

In John 19:16 Pilate handed over Jesus to the executioners!

And in John 19:30 Jesus handed over His Spirit to the Father!

A key word in John!

I did not know … not once in John’s Gospel does Jesus exorcise a demon! (No evil spirits cast out of a man or woman!)

But one great miraculous “casting out” of evil does occur! Jesus in John 12:31 tells us … “Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.” The devil himself … “cast out!”

When Jesus was dead, freshly dead, a soldier responded … “But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water.” The Blood bringing eternal salvation to the lost! The water bringing daily cleansing to the saved soul, the child of God!

Jesus’ deed of footwashing … GRACE!

Jesus’ great Upper Room Sermon to follow … GRACE AND TRUTH!

Lots more to be studied …

If you will take the time and ingest the Lesson.

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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