READ: JOHN
13:13-15
God has
favourites. This may sound antithetical. Those who bear resemblance to the
nature and the character of God are close to His heart. Our text reveals the
fact that God knows the true disposition of all who claim to follow the Master.
The disciples wanted to know the identity of the man who was going to betray
their master. They asked John to ask the Lord who the man was. Because John was
the “disciple whom Jesus loved”, Jesus spoke to him directly and told him that
the guilty man would be the one to whom he handed the sop. Jesus took a piece
of bread, dipped it into the dish and handed it to Judas Iscariot. Immediately,
John knew who the potential betrayer was, though none of the others knew. John
was aware because he was the Lord’s favourite. You have to be holy to be a
favourite of the Lord. Some say that the Lord does not have favourites because
the Bible says God shows no partiality (Acts 10:34). While it is true that God
shows no partiality for anyone, He does make distinction between persons. He tells
us that He knows His sheep and they in turn know Him (John 10:14). He knew which
one of the disciples would betray Him, which one would deny Him three times,
and which ones would desert Him in His greatest hour of need. He also knew
which disciples would follow Him all the way to the cross. It was to that
disciple alone that He revealed the identity of His potential betrayer. That
one disciple whom Jesus favoured (through His sovereign knowledge) was John the
beloved. Moreover, one thing is true: God is Sovereign. He is the Almighty, the
king of kings and the Lord of lords. He does whatever pleases Him. In Romans
9:15, He says: “I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will compassion
on whomever I will have compassion.” If God decides to make a person
His favourite nobody can challenge Him or accuse Him on unfairness. I am happy
to tell you that the Lord God Almighty is willing to make you His favourite
provided you satisfy the conditions of receiving His favour: you must be as
pure as light. Do you know that God is watching every step taken by you? He will
make you His favourite if your conduct conforms to His word.
MEMORIZE:
ACTS 10:34 –Then Peter opened his mouth and said: In truth I perceive that God
shows no partiality.
