Upper Room Lessons on Love

This is the manuscript of the first sermon in the series "Lessons from the Upper Room". In this sermon series I want us to look at the lessons that Jesus taught in the Upper Room.

I know that we have celebrated the resurrection of our Savior and the birth of the church at Pentecost, but I want us to go back to a time before Jesus’ crucifixion.  I want us to go back to the time that Jesus spent in the Upper Room with His disciples, that last night with them before His arrest trials and crucifixion.   

The first lesson this the meaning of love—Jesus’ love our love.

Scripture Reading:

John 13:31‭-‬38 NIV  When he was gone, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man is

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. “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. “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” Simon Peter asked him, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus replied, “Where I am going, you cannot follow now, but you will follow later.” Peter asked, “Lord, why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” Then Jesus answered, “Will you really lay down your life for me? Very truly I tell you, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times!

Text: 

John 13:34‭-‬35 NIV “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

Introduction

I know that we have celebrated the resurrection of our Savior and the birth of the church at Pentecost, but I want us to go back to a time before Jesus’ crucifixion.  I want us to go back to the time that Jesus spent in the Upper Room with His disciples, that last night with them before His arrest trials and crucifixion.   

In this sermon series I want us to look at the lessons that Jesus taught in the Upper Room.

It was in the Upper Room that the devil won a victory over Judas.

John 13:26‭-‬27 NIV 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. As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him. So Jesus told him, “What you are about to do, do quickly.”

It was in the Upper Room that Jesus instituted what we know today as the Lord’s Supper. 

Mark 14:22‭-‬25 NIV While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take it; this is my body.” Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, and they all drank from it. “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many,” he said to them. “Truly I tell you, I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”

It was in the Upper Room Jesus met with his disciples after the resurrection, 

John 20:19‭-‬20 NIV On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.

And here in the Upper Room, the disciples prayed, and the Holy Spirit set the fires of Pentecost. 

Acts 2:1‭-‬4 NIV When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

On the evening in the Upper Room, before His arrest, we see that Jesus was facing the agony of the cross, and it is evident that the disciples were not ready for the work he was committing to them. They were dense, weak, jealous of one another, and hungry for power. 

Mark 10:35‭-‬37 NIV Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. “Teacher,” they said, “we want you to do for us whatever we ask.” “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked. They replied, “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.”

As I mentioned before, Judas was struggling with Satan. 

John 13:2 NIV The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus.

The disciples still didn’t really understand the Messiah or their mission and there wasn’t much time left. They had to learn quickly. 

Knowing the time was fast approaching for Him to depart this world, Jesus spent His final hours before His death with His disciples, His closest friends.  In that Upper Room Jesus served them, He taught them, and He prayed for them.

The first lesson they needed to learn was the meaning of love—Jesus’ love and their love.

Jesus explained to them the relationship between love and service (John 13:1–5). 

In the upper room during the meal, Jesus demonstrated his love.

John 13:1‭, NIV It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. ‬3‭-‬5 Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

His hour had come. Here was Jesus, “the Lamb slain before the foundation of the world,” ready to die a redemptive death. He would soon no longer be with his disciples physically and He needed to show them that He loved them so, Jesus did the work of a servant as he washed their feet. 

Peter misunderstood Jesus’ actions.

John 13:6 NIV He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”

But Jesus told them why He did what He did. 

John 13:12‭-‬17 NIV When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.

In other words, Jesus was saying that a servant must not expect better treatment than his Lord. Our love is shown by our willingness to do whatever is necessary to advance Christ’s kingdom—even if it involves humiliating service.

Jesus even appealed to Judas with long-suffering love (John 13:18–30).

Judas must have been a great actor and the perfect hypocrite—he deceived everyone but Jesus. 

John 12:4‭-‬6 NIV But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.” He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.

John 13:29 NIV Since Judas had charge of the money, some thought Jesus was telling him to buy what was needed for the festival, or to give something to the poor.

Judas was still there when Jesus washed the disciples' feet which means Jesus washed Judas’ feet too.  After revealing that a disciple would betray him, Jesus also gave Judas a piece of bread. 

John 13:21‭-‬26 NIV 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.” His disciples stared at one another, at a loss to know which of them he meant. One of them, the disciple whom Jesus loved, was reclining next to him. Simon Peter motioned to this disciple and said, “Ask him which one he means.” Leaning back against Jesus, he asked him, “Lord, who is it?” 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.

To give bread to someone at a meal was a mark of goodwill.  This scene, of washing Judas’ feet and then giving him a piece of bread. beautifully displays the attitude Jesus expects us to have. 

Matthew 5:43‭-‬48 NIV “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

As we know Judas remained unmoved by this exhibition of love.  

John 13:27 NIV As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him. So Jesus told him, “What you are about to do, do quickly.”

Jesus showed that He loved Judas anyway. 

Real Christlike love always seeks the best for everyone no matter who they are.

Jesus taught the disciples that love even meant going to the cross, which would be followed by great glory (John 13:31–33).

John 13:31‭-‬33 NIV When he was gone (Judas), Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man is 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. “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.

To bring redemption to the world and glory to God, Jesus had to die on the cross.  However, on the third day God would glorify Jesus through the resurrection and his return to glory. 

The lesson the disciples had to learn is that the Christian way is not the easy way. We need to learn this too.  

Mark 8:34‭-‬38 NIV Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.”

Taking up our cross to follow Christ means, simply, commitment to the point of giving up our hopes, dreams, possessions, even our very life if necessary. This is the only acceptable attitude – of a true disciple.  Jesus' followers regard the reward as worth the price. Jesus set the example for us in His death, to give us the gift of life. 

Then Jesus gave his disciples a command that they were to love one another.

John 13:34‭-‬35 NIV “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

This was Jesus’ last command before His arrest and crucifixion.  We are to keep on following his examples of love.  Jesus loved his disciples selflessly and sacrificially. Sometimes we think love is meant to give us happiness. In the long run, it does, but it may bring pain or demand some suffering. Jesus knew the disciples' faults and he still loved them. Jesus loved his disciples forgivingly even when Peter later denied him and the others forsook him in his time of need. 

Mark 14:43‭-‬50 NIV Just as he was speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, appeared. With him was a crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests, the teachers of the law, and the elders. Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: “The one I kiss is the man; arrest him and lead him away under guard.” Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, “Rabbi!” and kissed him. The men seized Jesus and arrested him. Then one of those standing near drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear. “Am I leading a rebellion,” said Jesus, “that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture me? Every day I was with you, teaching in the temple courts, and you did not arrest me. But the Scriptures must be fulfilled.” Then everyone deserted him and fled.

The disciples were sometimes insensitive, sometime slow to learn, and lacking in understanding,

Matthew 16:5‭-‬11 NIV When they went across the lake, the disciples forgot to take bread. “Be careful,” Jesus said to them. “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” They discussed this among themselves and said, “It is because we didn’t bring any bread.” Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked, “You of little faith, why are you talking among yourselves about having no bread? Do you still not understand? Don’t you remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered? Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered? How is it you don’t understand that I was not talking to you about bread? But be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”

But there was no failure in them that Jesus could not forgive.  We are to love as Jesus loved.

Conclusion

Jesus knew the future of the kingdom depended not on the brilliance and greatness of his followers, but on their loving one another as he loved them. The first lesson to learn from the upper room is love.

Let's Pray,

Loving God, fill my heart with the love that you freely give. Make love my first and last thoughts. May I love others and freely give to them. Make my spirit a spirit of joy, happiness, and love for both my friends and my enemies. Help me love as abundantly as you have loved me. Amen