Today's Word Radio

Brett Meador: We forget of all the stuff that happened at dinner that night, but it was a busy night. The last supper, you know, Jesus washed the disciples feet. But before that, the Luke tells us they were arguing about which one of them is the greatest. Now they're debating, am I the one that's going to betray God?

Kurt: Pastor Brett Mether notes the betrayal of Judas was a divine fulfillment of scripture.

Brett Meador: Jesus answered, He it is to whom I shall give a sop. And when he had dipped the sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon.

Kurt: Jesus lived his life in anticipation of the hour that had finally come. The night before his crucifixion, as he brought his closest followers together in the upper room for the last supper, he would reveal that one of them was a traitor. On Today's Word, Pastor Brett Mether continues a study of John chapter 13, demonstrating the ultimate fulfillment of the will of the Lord in the end.

Brett Meador: John 13. So now in verse 18 we pick it up. I know whom I have chosen, but that the scripture may be fulfilled. He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me. Now I tell you before it come that when it is come to pass, that you may believe that I am he. Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me. And he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me. Something that's happening here. Jesus is hinting now at the betrayal. We've already seen that hint start.

Remember in verse 10 when he was saying, you know, he that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit. And you are clean, but not all. This is the first time he's like, but not all of you are clean. It seems that Judas was chosen specifically for this task to betray Jesus Christ. Chosen. Did you see that? It's in verse 18. When Jesus again says, I speak not of you all. He's hinting one of you is going to really mess up and you're not part of the team. I speak not of you all, and he says there in verse 18, I know whom I have chosen.

Now that's the theological operative words right there. The Lord chose someone, both chosen for salvation, but also chosen for destruction. He chose the 11 to be saved to believers. Not all of you are clean, but one of you is still not saved. And he's speaking of Judas Iscariot. So how can God choose someone to betray his son? Um I like H. A. Ironside. I love reading his works and stuff. In in his work, book called In the Heavenlies, which was kind of his Ephesians sort of I think commentary basically. One of the things that was most famous from that work of that book is he did something that people like to refer to as Ironside's door because he was talking about this idea.

You know, did God choose us or did we choose him? And Ironside's door let me read you sort of an excerpt from this book. He goes on and talks about how it's been pictured in this way. There's a vast host of people hurrying down the broad road with their minds fixed upon their sins. And one stands calling attention to yonder door, the entrance into the narrow way which leads to eternal life. On the door is plainly depicted in the text. Whosoever will, let him come in. And every man is invited. No one need hesitate. Some may say, well, I may not be one of the elect.

And so it would be useless for me to endeavor to come, for the door will not open for me. But God's invitation is absolutely sincere. It is addressed to every man. Whosoever will, let him take the the water of life freely. Revelation 22:17. If men refuse to come, they'll pursue their own careless, godless way down to the pit whom they can blame only but themselves for their eternal judgment. The messenger addressed himself to all. The call came to all, but the door could be entered by all, but many refused to come and perished in their sins.

Such men can never blame God for their eternal destruction. The door was open. The invitation was given. They refused. And he says to them sorrowfully, you will not come unto me that you might have life. But see, as the invitation goes forth every minute or two, someone stops and says, what is that? It's the way to life is the reply. Ah, that might be a ah that I might find the way to life. I have found no satisfaction in this poor world, we read. She that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth, he said.

I should like to know how to be free from my sin, how to be made fit for the presence of God. And such a one draws near and listens to the spirit of God, and God impresses the message upon his or her heart, and the conscience will say, I'm going to go inside. I will accept the invitation. I will enter the door. And he presses his way in and shuts the door behind him. And as he turns about, he finds written on the inside of the door the words, chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world.

What? Says he, had God had his heart fixed on me before ever the world came into being? Yes. But he could not find it out until he got inside. You see, you can pass the door if you will. You can trample the love of God beneath your feet. You can spurn his grace if you are determined to do it. But if you do, you'll go down to the pit and you'll be responsible for your own doom. That's quite a little, you know, word picture I think that he paints there of the door. But my favorite part is when you choose to go through the door and you turn around and you see.

I love that phrase, chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world. It's only one way to find out if you're chosen. You got to go through the door. Question in that analogy, what is the door itself? Anybody want to think, I guess? Jesus. Remember one of the I ams? I am the door. Anybody who tries to go through any other door is a robber or a thief. You got to go through the door of Jesus. And that's what Ironside's door was really about. It's you got to choose to go through the door. Um there's been more scholarly work than that, but sometimes the so-called scholars, they get derailed by this one.

And I've noticed there's this magnetism to try to fall on one side or the other, whether I'm going to say it's all about God's sovereignty and really you don't have any choice in the matter. And they want to fall on that side of the argument. You have no free will. Or there's other saying, no, God's not sovereign. He doesn't know the future. There's a whole theology out there now that says basically you are the creator of your own destiny, which I don't agree with that either. But people want to slide down to one side or the other.

Do you have free will and God doesn't have sovereignty or does God have sovereignty and there's no such thing as free will? I think that 's wrong to land on either side. God is outside of our time and our space, physical laws and dimensions. We don't have to worry about that. God knew things and yet we still have free will. So sovereignty is absolute, but our free will is also in place. I believe both are true. Well, back to John 13 because this is where we really do see that demonstrated in the person of Judas Iscariot.

God chose Judas for this to betray Jesus and to be called the son of perdition. Um now not only that here, but there's something else that I think is uh some Old Testament imagery that's worth noting. I think this is one of them. In the Old Testament, there's something linked to this prophetically about the betraying friend where Judas is going to betray Jesus. We see that in second Samuel and also in the Psalms. In fact, look at verse 18 back to John 13 in verse 18. I speak not of you all. I know who I have chosen.

But notice this, but that the scripture may be fulfilled. He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me. This is where it should be a flag for you and I going, whoa, there's scripture being fulfilled right here? The answer is yes. Psalm 41:9. It's a reference right next to that. That's how you use those little reference notes. What does Psalm 41:9 through 10 say? Interesting. This is a prophetic scripture from David uh where he says, yea, mine own familiar friend in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.

But thou, oh Lord, be merciful unto me and raise me up that I may requite them. Interesting question. Is this a prophecy about Jesus? Yes, it is. Did this also literally happen to David?

Guest (Male): Yes.

Brett Meador: Yes. So which one is true? Both. Brett, you're wishy-washy, sovereignty and free will. They're both the same. And no no, but this is the Bible. This is what the Bible does. Some might call this sort of a dual fulfillment. And I wanted to show you guys this because in Bible prophecy, this is something that's essential to understand. It happens over and over in the Bible where there's dual fulfillments. In fact, one time a story will happen and it's speaking of a future event. There's actually some triple layered fulfillments of prophecy, which are really fun to talk about.

But let me just go over this one just for a second. This is also about David, this Psalm, something that happened in his own life. He was betrayed by a person that he called friend. You can jot this down and you know, second Samuel chapter 17. Do you remember there in second Samuel 17? The problem is David's son Absalom. He just picture Fabio. That's that's who Absalom was. But yeah, Absalom was this Fabio looking guy and people were following him and you know, took over. David ends up leaving Jerusalem in shame. He's barefoot. He's got dirt and clods being thrown at him by Shimei.

And he's walking on with shame with a few of his guys. It's really a horrible situation. But one of David's advisors, a trusted advisor named Ahithophel, betrays David and joins Absalom's team. And that's a problem because Ahithophel was was like knew all of David's strategies and tricks and like he knew David's protocols and what have you. He advised David for many years. So Absalom now has him as an advisor in this most horrible coup that's taken place and the taking over of Jerusalem. Now in the story, there's a double agent as well, a guy named Hushai.

He acts like he's with Absalom, but he's actually still there to infiltrate for David. It's a total James Bond kind of thing. But anyway, you know, David's leaving. The whole thing's kind of sketchy. And they're trying to decide. Absalom and his soldiers are all saying, is this time to attack and go after David to to finish him off or not? They're debating that. Hushai, who is working for David, but double agent, you know, his advice was, man, you think David's tired, but he's actually strong. That's a trick. Don't go after him right now because he's ready for you.

Now that's Hushai. And he knew David was weak and was at a vulnerable place. So he's lying saying, boy, this is a trick. Absalom, don't fall for the old I'm tired and David's fleeing Jerusalem trick. That's what's going on. He Hushai is giving him bad advice if you're Absalom. Well, Ahithophel, who was betraying to David, he says, no way, Absalom. David is weak right now, but if you go after him right now, you will finish him off for sure. That was actually the truth of the matter. But God had a different plan. So what happened?

Let me just show you a few highlight verses from the story. This is pretty cool. Second Samuel 17:14. And Absalom and all the men of Israel said, the council of Hushai is the Archite is better than the council of Ahithophel. For the Lord hath appointed to defeat the good council of Ahithophel to the intent that the Lord might bring evil upon Absalom. Which it's funny. They all made the wrong decision here. They're saying, the Lord did this, the Lord did that, but it's actually Yeah, the Lord's doing this, but to Absalom's demise. Um so it's kind of a crazy story.

So the good council was actually not good if you're Absalom. So then in second Samuel 17:23 um when Ahithophel saw that his council was not followed, he saddled his ass and arose and got him home to his house to his city and put his household in order and hanged himself and died and was buried in the sepulcher of his father. So you got this crazy betrayal of, you know, a friend of David was betrayed by his close advisor Ahithophel. But he goes out when he realizes what he'd done and that they didn't listen to his council and hanged himself.

Does this ring a bell? So isn't it interesting that in John's Gospel he connects that Psalm and Jesus himself is saying, you know, here, but the scripture might be fulfilled. Jesus is the one saying, this is a dual fulfillment of prophecy saying Psalm 41, the Psalm that we read. Jesus is the one saying, this is being fulfilled today with Judas. But if you know the the Psalm, it's actually David writing about this situation. Well, which one is it? Well, it's both. That's the kind of the cool thing. Sort of a dual fulfillment of prophecy. Basically, we have a man betraying his friend, didn't go as planned, and he goes and hangs himself just like Judas did.

So there's that correlation. Uh who was Ahithophel to David? Have you ever wondered why Ahithophel did such a horrible, you know, betrayal of David? Well, there's actually a bit of a interesting story to that. We think we know why Ahithophel betrayed David, and it has to do with years earlier a situation that happened. Remember the story of Bathsheba? Well, how can you forget? Bathsheba is the daughter of a guy named Eliam. But later, if you do a little connecting of the dots, who's Eliam? Well, second Samuel 23. We learn this right when David's dying. Second Samuel 23:34.

Eliam, the son of Abishai, the son of Maacathite, Eliam, the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite. What did we just learn? We learned that Bathsheba is the granddaughter of Ahithophel. You see, David messed up Bathsheba's life and messed up all of Israel by his horrible adultery and murder and cover-up and it just really messed everything up. And it seems that Ahithophel was bitter about that. And it's for that reason he went and betrayed David. And had they listened to, you know, Ahithophel's advice, David probably would have been wiped out. But in God's sovereignty, he wanted David to be king, not Absalom or Fabio as it were.

When I read these Old Testament stories, do you remember when pastors today say stuff like we need to unhitch ourselves from the Old Testament? Do you realize how stupid that is? By the way, like let me just give you another example of a dual fulfillment of prophecy. When you read Daniel chapter 10 and 11, there's a a story where, you know, it's foretold of a guy that's going to come mighty from the solutions. A guy named Antiochus Epiphanes, he'd defile the temple and do all this stuff. But then Daniel's gaze goes past, you know, 170 BC where Antiochus Epiphanes, this horrible defiling of the temple guy comes into the scene.

And then he starts talking about the last days and this world leader that's going to come. And he's comparing him to Antiochus. And that's none other than the coming Antichrist that's going to be in the future of the world even still to this day. This is an example of dual fulfillment. When you read about Antiochus in Daniel or just in history, you're seeing a dual fulfillment of a story that happened in 170 ish BC which led to the Maccabean Revolt, Hanukkah, all that stuff. But it's ultimately a dual fulfillment when it gets out to the Antichrist who's going to come and defile the temple.

And it's a time called the Abomination of Desolation. Jesus says that it's going to happen like the prophet Daniel said. So it's so cool. This is another example of a dual fulfillment. The Bible does this often. Well, John chapter 13. There's so much here. Did you see in verse 18 where it says, he that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me? Does that ring a bell? I didn't mention anything about that, but I probably should. You know, the idea of lifting up a heel is maybe an image if you're a horseman or equestrian.

Yes. Have you ever been kicked by a horse? They're pretty powerful. That's the idea lifting up the heels like boom, when the horse, you know, just reaches his old hoof back there. But um you know, this is also by the way what Christ is going to do to the head of the serpent. We see in the proto evangelium, the first mention of the Gospel in the book of Genesis talks about how Jesus is going to crush the head of the serpent by, you know, lifting up his heel if you would. Kind of interesting correlations. You can make those connections, but we keep going there.

Look at verse 21. When Jesus had thus said, he was troubled in spirit and testified and said, verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me. It's like he's sealing the deal now. He was talking sort of figuratively thus far. And the disciples are probably scratching their heads going, what's he talking about? And now he says it very plainly in verse 21. One of you will betray me. Man, this is where the depression probably starts with the disciples. I think they're going to get really bummed at the end of this chapter.

And there's a reason why chapter 14 starts with let not your heart be troubled. Because chapter 13 is really troubling. And the first troubling news they hear is one of you is betraying me. Now the reason we already are talking about Judas is we know it is and we've already figured it out. We've read the story. But this is where the disciples are like, what? One of us is going to betray and they're they're going to start to get it now. And verse 22, then the disciples looked one on another doubting of whom he spake.

Not doubting like I don't believe him, but doubting like like is it me or is it you? What like which one of us? This is where I I I think you know, a lot of you like if you're at work and somebody says, one of you is betraying the company, like most of you like, it's Fred over there in cubicle number three or whatever. He's the betrayer. Most of us would would at least have a guess. But I find it interesting the disciples really don't have a clue. They're like, which one of us is it?

That's kind of interesting. And they don't really know that it's Judas. I wonder if they would have thought it was the last guy that would be Judas because he, like I said, wasn't from Galilee. The name Iscariot is linked to a location by the way. That name actually links him to a place or Kerioth, which is a town located south of Jerusalem in Judea, which is a much more hoity-toity town. In fact, it'd be like, you know, if you're from some little swamp town in southern Louisiana, you know, the guys talking like Judum Cooter, you know, to the alligator killer, hunter people and stuff versus like being raised at Berkeley.

That's the difference. If you're from Galilee, remember when they said, he speaks like a Galilean. When they spoke of Peter, that would have given him a way as a hick. They they thought Galileans were a bunch of uneducated, ignorant men. Remember Acts says they're unlearned and ignorant men. So there's Peter tell you what, like saying stuff like that, you know. They had a play. It'd be Romeo, Romeo, where y'all at? You know, that kind of like that's the the language of the disciples. But Judas would have sounded impressive and he probably looked impressive. That's my guess.

That's why the disciples are like, yeah, we don't know who it is. So Peter says, hey, John, find out who it is. So trying to find out who would betray Jesus was the same table. We know from the other Gospels that they were also arguing about which one of them was the greatest. See, we we forget about, you know, the way these Gospels we forget of all the stuff that happened at dinner that night, but it was a busy night. The last supper, you know, Jesus washed the disciples' feet. But before that, Luke tells us they were arguing about which one of them is the greatest.

Now they're debating, am I the one that's going to betray God? And they don't know which one's which. Verse 25, he then lying on Jesus's breast said to him, Lord, who is it? And Jesus answered, he it is to whom I shall give a sop when I have dipped it. And when he had dipped the sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon. And after the sop, Satan entered into him. Then said Jesus to him, that thou doest, do quickly. You know, what you're going to do, go do. Now pause there just for a second.

Even though it was Satan that had entered into Judas, did you notice that he still seems to need permission? Did you notice this? She's like, okay, that what you are going to do, now go do it. When else did Satan need permission to do something? Book of Job. Remember Job? Beginning of Job, he had to get permission. Now this causes people trouble. Why does God give Satan permission? Why wouldn't he say, don't do that? We have to realize that God raised Judas up for this purpose. Again, we can't argue against that, but that's why he existed to betray Jesus.

That was his calling. And now God's giving permission.

Kurt: Pastor Brett Mether drawing insight for how God uses the free will of man for the fulfillment of his divine purpose. And you're listening to Today's Word. We'll continue this intriguing verse by verse study of John chapter 13 next time. Also Pastor Brett will join me with some questions about Today's Word expanding to more cities across the nation in just a moment. But first, if you're new to Today's Word, Pastor Brett Mether is the senior pastor of Atheist Creek Church in the Portland suburb of West Lynn, Oregon. Each day he'll share a verse by verse study through God's word.

For more information about Pastor Brett or Atheist Creek Church, just go to todayswordradio.com. That's todayswordradio.com. All right, Pastor Brett has joined me now. As we've mentioned, this Today's Word Radio program is now being heard nationwide. And we continue to add radio stations. Brett, why did you decide to expand the reach of your ministry via radio outside the Pacific Northwest?

Brett Meador: Well, Kurt, I don't want to sound overly spiritual because I'm not that guy that wants to say these things that often, but probably one of the greatest stirrings in my heart and life was a few years back. I took a group of Atheist Creek Church folks over to Paul's missionary journeys. We did a a big journey, a GNC and went to Ephesus and Corinth and Philippi. It was just an outstanding trip, but one of the things that every place we went, the Lord just revealed how much Paul, the apostle, was passionate to go to all the cities that he possibly could.

I mean, the guy was tireless and he went to Ephesus, the biggest city of that region of that time. When you go see the ruins at Ephesus, it's just profound. It's one of the greatest archaeological ruins you'll ever go see in the world. But when I finally got to Corinth and I'll tell you, Kurt, I've probably teared up maybe twice in my life in front of people. I'm just not that guy. People tell me I'm as sensitive as a brick. But I was preaching in Corinth and the Lord just stirred my heart and said, Brett, it's time to reach like Paul the apostle reached people.

And uh man, I just stood there teaching in Corinth and I started tearing up and people probably thought what the world's going on, but it was this massive stirring to say, you know, I got to admit Atheist Creek, we didn't really have uh any publicity. We didn't put ourselves on the internet. We were unannounced, but we grew just by word of mouth. But a few years ago, the Lord says time to stop that and really reach as many people in the world as possible. And we've done just a little bit of effort to try to get as many people to hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the verse by verse teaching through the word.

Those are the two main components of what the Lord stirred in my heart to reach as many people with that. And so we love all the formats online, but I I really do love the radio format too because I think there's a lot of people that are kind of coming back to radio that want to get away from just sort of the digital podcast thing. And And so that's one of the reasons we've expanded our radio program and we're really glad to be on the air with people around the country.

Kurt: Yeah, we really are. Thank you, Brett, for sharing that. And if you'd like more information about Atheist Creek Church, Pastor Brett Mether or Today's Word, you can visit our website at todayswordradio.com. That's todayswordradio.com. Well, that's all the time we have. I hope you can be back as Pastor Brett will discuss how and why Judas was chosen for the role of the betrayer. Today's Word with Pastor Brett Mether is an outreach of Atheist Creek Church in West Lynn, Oregon.