This is the last and the most profound section of this series, because in it is displayed the intensity of Jesus’ love for his disciples. We can hear him preparing them for his death and resurrection, and for future events that will change their lives forever. He also unveils the unique gift his followers will receive (the indwelling Holy Spirit) to empower them to accomplish His purpose.
In this section we clearly see the three parts of God’s salvation plan for Mankind. First is forgiveness of sin. We cannot be stained with sin if we are hoping to get into the Paradise God has promised all Christ-followers. Why? Because sin contaminates, spreads, destroys and kills. When we accept Jesus’ finished work on the cross, we become sin-free. Secondly, Jesus rose to eternal life, and because we are in Christ, we too will rise to eternal life. That seals our eternal destiny. But what about those of us who are still living in this fallen world? God has also made provision for us to rise above the temptations of this world and our circumstances so we can become the person he created us to be. (referred to in Ephesians 2:10 as his “Masterpiece”.) He has given us the indwelling Holy Spirit so we can make choices that honor Him. This is God’s salvation plan for the world.
THE DEATH AND RESURRECTION OF JESUS, THE SON OF GOD. (13:1-21:25) 3A Jesus Washes the Disciples Feet: “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. The evening meal was in progress, so he got up from the meal, removed his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciple’s feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him. 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. 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.” (13:1-5, 12-17)
3B Jesus Predicts his Death: “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. Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God, believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.’ Thomas said to him, ‘Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way? Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father. From now on, you do know him and have seen him. Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father”. (13:33-36, 14:1-7, 9) “The truth is, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. You can ask for anything in my name and I will do it because the work of the Son brings glory to the Father. Yes, ask anything in my name and I will do it. (14:12-14) (clarification: anything that is in line with God’s will.)
3C Jesus Promises the Holy Spirit: “If you love me, obey my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world at large cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you do, because he lives with you now, and later will be in you. No, I will not abandon you as orphans – I will come to you. For I will live again, and you will too. (14:15-17, 19) But when the Father sends the Counselor as my representative – and when I say Counselor, I mean the Holy Spirit – he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I myself have told you. I am leaving you with a gift – peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give isn’t like the peace the world gives. So don’t be troubled or afraid. Remember, what I told you: I am going away, but I will come back to you again.” (14:26-28) “The truth is, you can go directly to the Father and ask him, and he will grant your request because you use my name. You haven’t done this before. Ask using my name and you will receive, and you will have abundant joy.” (16:23-24) (implied again: if it is in line with God’s will.)
3D Jesus is the True Vine: “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me, you can do nothing. But if you stay joined to me and my words remain in you, you may ask any request you like, and it will be granted. My true disciples produce much fruit, and this brings great glory to my Father.” (15:5-8) “When you obey me, you remain in my love just as I remain in the Father’s love. I have told you this so that you will be filled with joy. Yes, your joy will overflow.” (15:10-11)
3E The World’s Hatred: “When the world hates you, remember it hated me before it hated you. The world would love you if you belonged to it, but you don’t. I chose you to come out of the world, and so the people hate you because they don’t know God.” (15:18-21) “I have told you these things so that you won’t fall away. For you will be expelled from the synagogues, and the time is coming when those who kill you will think they are doing God a service. This is because they have never known the Father or me. Yes, I’m telling you these things now, so that when they happen, you will remember I warned you. I didn’t tell you earlier because I was going to be with you for a while longer.” (16:1-4) “I have told you all of this so that you may have peace in me. Here in this world you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” (16:33) And the good news is…we who are in Christ have also overcome the world.
3F Jesus Sentenced to Death: “Then Pilate had Jesus flogged with a lead-tipped whip. The soldiers made a crown of long, sharp thorns and put it on his head, and they put a royal purple robe on him. ‘Hail! King of the Jews!’ they mocked, and they hit him with their fists. Pilate went outside again and said to the people, ‘I am going to bring him out to you now, but understand clearly that I find him not guilty.’ Then Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said, ‘Here is the man!’ When they saw him, the leading priests and Temple guards began shouting, ‘Crucify! Crucify!’ Pilate gave Jesus over to them to be crucified.”
3G The Resurrection: “Early Sunday morning, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. She ran and found Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved. She said, ‘They have taken our Lord’s body out of the tomb, and I don’t know where they have put him!’ When Peter arrived at the tomb, he went inside. He noticed the linen wrappings laying there, while the cloth that had covered Jesus’ head was folded up and laying to the side. (According to Jewish custom, when someone got up to leave the table, if they were going to return, they folded the napkin and set it aside) Mary was standing outside the tomb crying when she heard a noise. She looked over her shoulder and saw someone standing behind her. It was Jesus, but she didn’t recognize him. ‘Why are you crying’, Jesus asked her. ‘Who are you looking for?’ She turned to him and exclaimed, ‘Teacher!’ ‘Don’t cling to me’ Jesus said, ‘for I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go and find my brothers and tell them that I am ascending to my Father and your Father, my God and your God.” (20:1-2, 6-7, 11,14-15, 16-17)
John’s stated purpose for writing this Gospel. “Jesus’ disciples saw him do many other miraculous signs besides the ones recorded in this book. But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing in him you will have life. This is the disciple who saw these events and recorded them here. I suppose that if all the other things Jesus did were written down, the whole world could not contain the books.” (20:30-31, 22:24-25)
This is the last posting in this series. Next week’s blog is entitled, “How Good is Good Enough, and How Bad is Too Bad?
Please feel free to respond to this post, and the whole series. And please “like” it and share it with other social media friends.
May God Bless ya,
Dan Presgrave (a.k.a. Pastor Dan)
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