The Lord’s Message: Questions that Jesus Asked: “Will you really

The Lord’s Message: Questions that Jesus Asked: “Will you really lay down your life for me?”
Date:  November 16, 2025
Where:  Tilghman Methodist Church
Scripture Reference:  John 13:31-38

            In many romantic movies, there is a theme where the man tells the woman “I love you and I would die for you.”  In most marriage covenants, the vows that are said conclude with the phrase, “until death do us part.”  Jesus told his disciples in John 15:13, the greatest form of love is sacrificing one’s life for another.  As disciples of Jesus, we are called to sacrifice our lives for Him.  How do we accomplish this?  Are we willing to obey Him?

            Let us pray. 

            Please turn in your Bibles to John 13:31. This scripture is found on page 1674 in your Pew Bible.  We find ourselves at the Last Supper.  Jesus has just washed all the disciples’ feet including Peter, who would deny knowing Him three times, and Judas Iscariot, who would betray Him.  Jesus told the disciples that one of them would betray Him.  Jesus knows it is Judas Iscariot.  Jesus tells Judas Iscariot, “What you are about to do, do quickly.”  In verse 31, we pick up the happening with Judas Iscariot leaving the Upper Room and going to the temple to betray Jesus. 

            This whole section of scripture is about the highest form of love, sacrificial love or agape.  It starts with Jesus telling the rest of the disciples that “Now is the Son of Man glorified and God is glorified in Him.  If God is glorified in Him, God will glorify the Son in Himself and will glorify Him at once.”  This may seem to be some kind of word puzzle.  Jesus is saying that He is going to fulfill God’s plan of salvation by giving His life to be crucified on a cross.  In the Ten Commandments, God told Moses that children should honor their mother and father,     Exodus 20:12.  For Christian parents, the greatest way that this is accomplished is for the childto show their love for God and follow His Son, Jesus.  The parent is not only honored by their child, but by their child’s behavior and character.  In this way, both the parent and child grower closer in their relationship.

            Because Jesus is glorified, God is also glorified.  They are linked together.  They are two persons of the Trinity.  They share the same essence, so as the Son is glorified, the Father is also glorified. 

            In verse 33, Jesus is speaking fatherly language to the rest of the disciples.  He knows that He is going to give his life and He knows that this is going to cause great pain, suffering, and disillusionment.   All the disciples are going to feel the pain of grief.  All the disciples are going to suffer the loss.  All the disciples are going to question why and what is next for them.  They could not come with Jesus. 

Jesus is the embodiment of agape love.   His sacrificial love displays for all of us what agape love is about: humility, lay down our interests, our rights, and our privileges for another.  The Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 13:1-8a.

It has been correctly stated that the example of Jesus on the cross is just the tip of the iceberg.    The example of Jesus is greater than any definition because it can be applied to any situation.  If you are a follower of Christ, how would you model this sacrificial love in your marriage, to your children, in your workplace, and in your community?

In verse 34, Jesus goes on to state to His disciples and to us this morning that He gives us a new command.  The old command was found in Leviticus 19:18. Jesus calls this a new command, but God had commanded the people to love each other, so this is not a new ground shaking command.

There are two reasons this is a new command.  First, Jesus holds Himself up as an example of this love.  Second, Jesus expands the definition of neighbor to one another.  It is not only my neighbor that I am called to love, but everyone.  No one is out of the reach of God’s love and as disciples of Jesus, we are called to love everyone.  That applies to each one of us and the body of Christ, the church. 

JoAnn and I can tell when we walk into a church whether there is a feeling of coldness or warmth.  I am not talking about the temperature in the room, but the presence of the Holy Spirit within the congregation.  Now, I know that sometimes churches can have an off day.  When a congregation has the Holy Spirit living inside of them, you can feel the presence of God.  Before we go condemning or exalting any specific church, we need to remember that none of us are perfect.  We are all sinners saved by the grace of God.  Sometimes, you may come to church and do not feel like warmly greeting others or maybe you say or do something that you regret sayingor doing.  We need to learn to seek forgiveness and learn to forgive each other.  John, the disciple of Jesus writes in 1 John 2:7-11 about forgiving each other. John goes on to say in 1 John 4:11-12. 

The way that we treat each other will prove that we are disciples of Jesus, John 13:35.  Jesus loved us enough to leave heaven and be born as one of us.  He then taught about God’s love for them and healed many people of their diseases.  The greatest disease is our sin.  Jesus gave His life on the cross to be our atonement for sin.  He paid the price that we would all have to pay.  Because we have been bathed in this love, we are called to diffuse this love in all our relationships.  How are you willing to serve another?  How do the people outside of the church view Christians by their interaction with them?  It has been stated that unbelievers should look at the love within the church and wish they had what we have. 

            This love that we have from Jesus is not emotion or superficial, but from having a personal relationship with Jesus.  We become the conduit for God’s love to the world.  This love is not optional, but a command from Jesus. 

We do not make a great show of this love but do this with all humility.  In verses 36-38, Peter boldly tells Jesus and I suspect that all the disciples felt the same in response to Jesus saying to them, “Where I am going, you cannot come.”  Peter response to this is “Lord, why can’t I follow you now? I am willing to lay down my life for you.” 

The irony in Peter’s saying is that Jesus is going to die for Peter and all of us. We can be bold in our family or even in the church.  The rubber meets the road, when we are confronted by a world that does not want to hear about God’s love and attacks us for following Christ. Jesus tells Peter that he will deny knowing Jesus three times before the rooster crows.  Peter is very confident in carrying out what he says.  The problem becomes who or what is the source of Peter’s confidence?  Peter’s confidence is in himself, not in God. Relying on God for strength is the key.  James tells us this in James 4:10. David says in Psalm 28:7.  Solomon says in Proverbs 3:34. 

The source of our sacrificial love comes from our relationship with Jesus, not in our human strength.  In order for us to have a relationship with Jesus, then we need to surrender our will, our preferences, all other relationships, and our lives to Him.  Jesus is asking each one of us this morning, “Will you really lay down your life for me?”

Amen.