John 19:23-30   

The soldiers cast lots for His clothing.

He commissioned John to care for His mother. 

 Then He knew.. "that all things had already been accomplished, in order that the Scripture might be fulfilled."

He said, "I am thirsty".. took some sour wine,  said, "It is finished."  and then "bowed His head and gave up His spirit." 

v31-42

His side was pierced. 

His body was taken down from the cross. 

Joseph and Nicodemus took away His body and placed it into  "a new tomb". 

John testifies that he saw all of this with his own eyes.  He knew it to be true. 

John wrote everything in this book so that the Word would be made known to everyone who would seek the Lord.  I imagine that when it came to this chapter he wanted to make sure that Jesus would be honored.. but that he couldn't wait to get to the the next event!  I always find it hard to stop at the crucifixion and not rush into the resurrection story.  But.. I will stop here for today.  I want to meditate on this.. Jesus knew that everything had been fulfilled.. every prophecy.. every Word of the Father was spoken.. . every action that the Father asked of Him was completed. 

"It is finished"!  Hallelujah! Jesus paid it all.. all to Him we owe. Sin had left a crimson stain, but Jesus made it white as snow! Let us think on this wonderful Savior. Amen. 

 John 18:12-40; 19:1-22 

 The long night began in the garden.. Next, Jesus was taken before Annas and then Caiaphas. Finally He was brought before Pilate.  Through this study of the book of John we have been reminded many times that Jesus, the Living Word, only spoke that which came from the Father.  His Words and His actions have been given so that the Father is revealed.  When Jesus was questioned by the priests He testified that He had always spoken publicly and appropriately.. " I have spoken openly to the world; I always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where all the Jews come together; and I spoke nothing in secret."  Jesus never tried to hide His message.. that would have been the opposite of His purpose.. for God sent Him to give the good news of the Kingdom. 

Before Pilate, Jesus continued to speak truth... " My  kingdom is not of this world.. not of this realm.. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to bear witness of the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice." ( verses 36, 37)

Pilate's question is very important.. "What is truth?" It is a question that we each must answer.  Do we believe the witness of Jesus? Do we believe that the Word of God is the Truth?"  

We do not know what Pilate really believed. But, he did make an effort to release Jesus. He didn't want to crucify Jesus. And, even when he finally gave into the cries of the Jews, he insisted on that the sign say "Jesus, the Nazarene, The King of the Jews." 

Father in heaven, we bow before You and worship.  You sent Your son to reveal the Truth.. to reveal Your Kingdom, Your love, and the greatness of Your grace.  We desire to hear the voice of Truth, being filled by the Holy Spirit so that we can draw on the words and life that Jesus gives. Let us hear His voice today we pray. Draw us close. In the Name of the Lamb of God, slain for us, we pray. Amen. 

 John 18:1-11  John doesn't tell about the prayers that Jesus offered in the garden... but goes directly to the confrontation between Jesus and the Roman cohort.   Judas had brought them into the garden.. with their lanterns and torches and weapons.  John does not tell about the kiss of betrayal.  He records what Jesus says.. " Whom do you seek?" 

They were seeking "Jesus the Nazarene".  They didn't even know what He looked like! When He said, "I am He"  it took them by surprise.. so much so that they all fell to the ground. Then again Jesus asked them who they were looking for and again they said "Jesus the Nazarene."  Once again He identified Himself, "I am He..."  He then asked them to let the others go. 

But.. dear Peter.. takes his sword and swings it at a slave. Malchus suffered the loss of his ear... The soldiers suffered nothing.  Judas suffered nothing.  It had no effect on the situation. The other gospels tell us that Jesus touched the slave's ear and healed him. John just tells us what Jesus said to Peter, "Put the sword into the sheath; the cup which the Father has given Me, shall I not drink it?"

Peter wanted to be the rescuer.. He wanted to do something to change the outcome of that night.  He didn't want to be the one to desert Jesus.. to deny Jesus... or to fail Jesus.  But.. his efforts were useless against the Roman cohort.  His will was not the Father's will.  Jesus loved Peter greatly.  He knew Peter did not understand what was about to happen. But.. He also knew that Peter needed to go through this trial so that he would eventually be the man that God would make him to be. When the Holy Spirit came upon Peter on the day of Pentecost, Peter was ready to be the instrument of God's Hand.  He had been refined and tested.. and prepared for the role that God chose him for.  Not a savior with a sword.. but a preacher with the Word. 

Father in heaven, may we learn the things that You want to teach us.. those things that we need to lay at Your feet and surrender fully so that Your will is done and not our own. Open our ears to hear and our eyes to see.  Let Jesus be glorified in our lives...  in our words and in our actions.  Let the love of Christ fill us and overflow into a world that needs to hear about Jesus, the One true Savior who drank the cup that You gave Him so that we might find eternal life. Thank You for such a Savior as this. Let Your Kingdom come and Your will be done. Let Your Name be honored.  Let the glory of Christ be seen in us who have become united with You by faith in Him. Hallelujah and Amen. 

 John 17  This prayer is truly the Lord's prayer..  a prayer that reveals His heart for the Father and His heart for us who believe in Him. 

The first thing that Jesus prays for at this final hour is that the Father would glorify Him so that He could glorify the Father.  Jesus said in verse 4 that He glorified  the Father on the earth, "having accomplished the work which" He gave Him to do. For that glory to be made manifest to us the Father gave the Son authority over all mankind. He gave the Son the authority to give eternal life.. "And this is eternal life, that they may know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent." ( v3).  This is the work that Jesus came to do and this work glorified the Father. 

This glory that Jesus desires is found in the unity that He has with the Father.. a unity that He had before "the world was".  Jesus gives this glory to all who believe on Him. It is a glory found in "oneness" with the Father and the Son.

Jesus prays for the Father to guard His disciples. He prays that the Father would "keep them from the evil one."  He prays that they might be "sanctified in truth."  He prays for all those that come to believe through the word of the disciples would also be made one with the Father and the Son.  He prayed that the message of Christ, sent from the Father, would be heard and believed.  He prayed that those who believe would be "perfected in unity".  He prayed that through those who believe that the "world" would come to know Him.. that all would know the love of the Father who sent Him. 

"O righteous Father, although the world has not known Thee, yet I have known Thee; and these have known that Thou didst send Me; and I have made Thy name known to them, and will make it known; that the love wherewith Thou didst love Me may be in them and I in them." 

Father in heaven, we have come to know You through the Word.. the Living Word who became flesh and dwelt on this earth. His Words have brought us, by faith, into the blessed unity with You.  We are made new in Christ Jesus. We are Yours and You are our God and Father. Fill us with Your Spirit and keep us in that oneness of love and glory through Jesus Christ the Son.  You have given us to Him and we will not be forsaken. You are righteous and faithful always. Your compassions never fail. We give You praise and thanksgiving. May Your Name be glorified in us always we pray. Amen. 

 John 16:23-33  "And in that day you will ask Me no question."   The disciples were always full of questions.. like us.. they want to know what God's plans are.. what is really happening.. what part do we play in all of this?  Jesus gave them a promise that was beyond anything they could imagine. "Truly, truly, I say to you, if you ask the Father for anything. He will give it to you in My name." 

Jesus has given them this promise more than once.... (John 14:13-14; 15:16; 16:23, 26.)   Ask.. ask in My Name.. ask that the Father will be glorified in the Son; ask so the fruit will remain; ask so that your joy "may be made full"; ask because the Father loves you! 

This asking and receiving happens in the context of this "oneness" that Jesus has brought His followers into by the revelation of the Father's love.  The Father loves those who have loved the Son.. have believed that He was sent by the Father into the world.. and that He left the world to return to the Father.  We believe in the birth, the life, the death, the resurrection, and the ascension  of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who came to save us from sin and death.  He came because "God so loved the world".. He spoke the Words that God gave Him to speak. He did the works that God gave Him to do.  He died on a cross just as the Father had asked Him to... so that we could live. And Praise the Lord... He rose again from the grave so that we can also have eternal Life.. with Him in heaven. 

Ask of the Father.. Jesus tells us. Ask, seek, and knock.  The Father hears us and He loves us.  We are included in His inner circle.. because of Jesus. Hallelujah! What a Savior. 

Father in heaven, we ask that Your Name would be glorified and hallowed.  We ask that Your Kingdom would come. We ask that Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.  We ask that we would be fruitful branches staying connected to the True Vine. We ask You to fill us with Your great love that we might truly love You with all of our hearts, souls, minds, and bodies.  We ask that You would give us love for one another.. and love for our enemies as well. We ask all these things in the Name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus. Amen. 

 John 16:16-22  Jesus told His disciples that the Father gives "all things" to the Son.. and the Son  gives to the Spirit.. and the Spirit would disclose it to them. This connection.. this oneness.. is what He came to provide for all who would believe. There is nothing like this outside of God.   Jesus spoke and acted only what the Father said and did.  The Spirit would remind and teach His disciples these truths. He guides us into the fulness of the Word of God.  Let us wrap our minds around this and cling to this revelation that Christ has brought to us. 

Jesus spoke again to His disciples on that fateful night.. "A little while, and you will no longer behold Me; and again a little while and you will see Me. "   It was like a riddle to the disciples.  They couldn't figure out what He was talking about. They kept trying to solve the riddle, but were truly confused.  In a few hours they would understand the first part.. for He would go to His death and be laid in a borrowed tomb.  It would be three days later before they would experience the second part of the riddle..  "your sorrow will be turned to joy"!!!! 

Jesus illustrated this change by telling how a woman has "travail" in childbirth but as soon as that baby comes, she forgets all about the anguish "for joy that a child has been born".  In the same way, they were about to go through a sorrowful time.. the anguish would be real.  ".. but I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice, and no one takes your joy away from you." 

One of the most joyful times in a woman's life is when she holds her newborn child in her arms. There is nothing like that feeling.. when a new love fills your whole body, soul, and spirit with a joy like no other. This kind of joy, Jesus told His followers, would be theirs in " a little while."  Imagine the disciples in that room when Jesus appeared!  When they finally realized that He was there in their midst.. what great joy!  It is hard for me to grasp how great that must have been.  We weren't there.  But.. one day.. Jesus will return.. and we will be with Him and we will rejoice for all eternity!  Yes, we are living in a world where there is trouble and anguish, and sorrow.. but in just " a little while" we will be with Jesus!  Joy is ahead.. let us not forget it!

Father in heaven, hallowed be Your Name!  May Your Kingdom come.. Your will be done!  May we enter into the joy of the Lord where we will serve You, singing praises and worshipping You with every breath.  What a day that will be!  Keep our eyes on Jesus.. holding on to these truths.  Spirit of truth teach us and guide us through the Word of Christ Jesus, to the glory of the Father. Amen. 

 John 16:1-15  "These thing I have spoken to you, that you may be kept from stumbling."  Jesus and His disciples left the upper room.. but they have not gone into the garden yet.  There are things that Jesus wants to say.. things that would prepare them as best they can for what is about to happen.  

He has talked about oneness.. with the Father and with Himself. He has talked about loving one another and being hated by the world.  Jesus does not want them to "stumble"... to trip up and be trapped by the things that are coming, so He warns them ahead of time.  They will be persecuted. They will be thrown out of the synagogue.  They will be killed.  "And these things they will do because they have not known the Father, or Me."  When this happens.. "remember"..  Remember that Jesus went before us.. He suffered persecution.. He died.. but that was not the end of the story! Hallelujah!

Jesus repeated His promise to the disciples that He would send the "Helper".. the "Spirit of truth".  The disciples didn't know exactly what that meant at the time.. but they clung to that promise.  

Jesus sent the Holy Spirit who would "convict the world concerning sin, and righteousness, and judgement."  He would guide them into "all the truth".  He would hear the Word and speak the Word, disclosing to them "what is to come".   He would glorify Jesus by taking what is His.. what is the Father's  and disclose it to them. 

We also have been given the Spirit of Truth, the Helper, who comes to disclose the Word of God to us.  He is the One who convicts of sin.. so that we can turn to Jesus Christ in faith for forgiveness of all sin.  He convicts of righteousness.. "because I go to the Father, and you no longer behold Me."  Righteousness is found in Christ alone.. He is the Redeemer who died and rose again so that we can be declared righteous when we are in Him.  The Spirit also will convict of "judgement".  Judgement is certain.. "the ruler of this world has been judged".  There is no escaping from God's righteous judgement.. there is only one Hope.. and that is in the glorified Son of God.  The Spirit guides us into these truths. 

Father in Heaven, open our ears to hear the Truth that we might not stumble but walk in the Light of Your Spirit who brings us the Word.  When we see the events of this world and know the hatred that comes upon Your children, may we stand firm by remembering all that Jesus spoke.. may we be ready, covered by His righteousness, filled with Your Spirit, and living in the power of Your Name. Direct our hearts into the greatness of Your Love we pray.  In Jesus' name. Amen. 

 John 15:18-27   Hatred.. such a hard word.. such a sad word.. a word that comes all too easy to some, but a word that I find hard to even speak.  Jesus did not hold back as He spoke to His disciples about hatred.  These were hard truths that they needed to understand. We need to understand it too. 

Verse 18 " If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you."  The "world"  speaks of  the earth and its inhabitants .. all those who have not been chosen "out of the world".. the godless, those who hate Jesus and hate the Father. These would "hate" the disciples just like they hated Jesus. 

This hatred would result in persecution. The disciples of Jesus are pursued, mistreated, harassed, and pressed toward a different end. The world will always try to turn believers away from the Truth and back into the darkness that it dwells in.  The world, Jesus says, does not know the One who sent Him and so they will seek to destroy those who do. 

Jesus said that those who heard His words and saw His works were and are "without excuse for their sin." 

 He also told His disciples that the Holy Spirit who is "sent to your from the Father" would bear witness of Him and that they would also be His witnesses.  They would share His words and tell of His works.. they would give opportunities to others so that they might love Him and love the Father.  The gospel of Jesus Christ is the only way we can turn from hatred to love.  When we chose to believe and follow Jesus we find life.. a life of love and oneness.  When we turn away from the truth we remain in a world that hates.. a world that brings persecution and pain... a world without love, hope, and joy that come from fellowship with God. 

Father in heaven,  live in us and fill us with Your holy love.  We, who have believed in Jesus Christ.. who confess that He came in the flesh.. that He died on a cruel cross.. and that He rose again to victory and that He now awaits the day when He will call us to be with Him.. we love You and know that You are love.  Fill us Spirit of truth and remove all hatred and unbelief.. all sin from Your people.  Let Your Kingdom come and Your will be done, Holy Father.  Let Your love make us complete in Christ Jesus that we might show others the greatness of Your perfect love..  we pray this in Jesus' name. . Amen. 

 John 15:12-17  "This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you."  Love -  is the greatest commandment.  Jesus said, - "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and with all your mind, This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, You shall love your neighbor as yourself."  (Matthew 22:37-39 and Deuteronomy 6:5)

Jesus gives us a deeper picture of the love that He commands us to have for one another.  It is a "greater love" than what the world knows.  This love would enable a man to "lay down his life for his friends."  This is the kind of love that Jesus loves us with, for He was willing to go to the cross.. to take on all our sins.. to die for us. This is the kind of love that He desires and commands His friends to have.  

Jesus told His disciples that they were no longer slaves.  They were free to choose to love Him and to love the Father. He had chosen them for this very reason.. to make known to them the great love of the Father  so that they could love others with this greater love.. bearing fruit to the glory of His Name. 

John wrote more about this love in his letters.. 1st John 3 is especially focused on this kind of love.. the abundant love that the Father gave to us, His children.. and the love that we bestow on others. "Little children, let us not love with word or with the tongue, but in deed and truth. " v18  

Love.. abiding love .. is the essence of our oneness with our Father and with our Lord Jesus.  "No one has beheld God at any time; if we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us. By this we know that we abide in Him and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit." (1st John 4:13-14) And verse 16 "And we have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love and the one who abides in love abides in God and God abides in him." 

Father in heaven, we thank You that we have  come to know Your great love... love  that You have manifested in us through Jesus Christ the only begotten Son who came into this world to give us life.. to reveal Your eternal Love.. to take away all fear.. By faith we receive the perfect love that You have bestowed on us.. and by faith we choose to love like You have made us able to  love.. with all our hearts and souls and minds.  Spirit of God fill us with understanding and strength that we might truly love one another as the Father and the Son have loved us.  We ask this is the Name that is above all names, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen 

 John 15:1-11  Jesus gives us one of the most powerful  illustrations of what it means to be "one" with Him and the Father.  "I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser..... I am the vine, your are the branches.. " ( v1,5)

The Father in heaven.. the Creator and Mighty God who spoke all of creation into being.. Jesus calls the "vinedresser" .. the "husbandman".. a farmer.. one who tills the soil and dresses the vines.  His "work"  is  centered around His crop... cutting off fruitless branches.. and pruning those that are bearing fruit so that they bear more. 

Jesus calls Himself the "true vine".  He is the genuine vine.. the real deal.. not counterfeit, imaginary, or pretend... but the True product of God's Hands.  He is the vine.. out of Him comes everything.  He is the root and the trunk.. Without Him there would be no branches..no leaves.. and no fruit. There can be no life without Jesus. 

Jesus calls His followers "the branches".  Jesus said that only as the branches abide in the Vine can they bear any fruit. There must be a vital connection between the Vine and the branch for fruit to be produced.  If the branch is fruitless.. then it shows that there is no connection and then the Vinedresser will cut it off and throw it into the fire.  But if the branch is connected and holding fast to the Vine, it will produce fruit. Not only that but the Vinedresser will "prune" it to allow it to bear more fruit.  

Pruning means cleansing. Purging all that is impure.. removing all that is unacceptable.. all that hinders more fruit from growing.  Jesus told His disciples that they had already been made "clean" by His Words, but they needed to keep abiding in Him.. staying present in their relationship with Him.. in order to keep bearing fruit to the glory of the Father. 

Apart from Jesus, He tells us, we can do nothing.  No fruit will grow on a dead branch.  Life flows only from the True Vine.  It is in abiding.. remaining.. continuing.. being present in this relationship with Jesus that Life continues to flow into us and we bear fruit to the glory of God.  We abide by staying in the Word of God, by asking and receiving His Life in us, by keeping His commandments, and resting in His love. 

The Father cares for the Vine and the Branches with great love. Love flows from the Vine, Jesus Christ, into us.. the branches that abide in His Love.   "These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full."  Jesus said. 

Father in heaven, cleanse us from anything that keeps us from bearing fruit to the glory of Your Name.  Keep us abiding in the Word, continually walking in the Lord Jesus, and giving our lives to do Your will. Keep us in Your Love and in the Love of Jesus the True Vine.  Help us to know the Truth of these words with all of our hearts.  May Your Will be done in us we pray .. in the Name of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen. 

 John 14:16-31 Jesus prepared His disciples for the coming days.  He said, "And I will ask the Father and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever."  

Jesus said that the Helper is the "Spirit of truth".  He said that they "know Him"...that He abides with them and "will be in " them.   The Helper.. the Comforter will "teach" them, Jesus said,  and He will "bring to your remembrance all that I said to you." 

Jesus speaks what the Father tells Him .. and He  is telling the disciples (and us) about this wonderful  Helper.. The Spirit will show them how the Father and the Son are going to come and dwell with them.. in them and they in Him. This deep and abiding relationship is given to all who keep His commandments.. who love Him and who abide in Him. 

".. because I live, you shall live also... .I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you."  Love and obedience are the foundation of this blessed Oneness.. The Spirit helps us to know this and to live in these truths.   This is how we can keep letting our hearts rest in His peace and not in our troubles.  The Father and the Son are greater than any enemy, any fear, any trouble,  and we have the Helper to remind us and teach us what we need to live in this Truth.  Hallelujah!  Amen!

 John 14:7-17  Jesus makes His most profound statement here in the upper room. "He who has seen Me has seen the Father; "  He tells His disciples that they know the Father because they know Him.  To believe that Jesus is in the Father and the Father is in Jesus had been proven to them over and over by His Words and by His works.  Everything that Jesus did and said came from the Father .. so to see Jesus is the same as seeing the Father. 

Just believe it.. Jesus tells them.  Believe it and let this truth work in you.  "Truly, truly I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these he shall do, because I go to the Father." 

The disciples were about to find out exactly what that means.  They would "ask" in His Name and He would do what they asked and the  Father would be glorified. They would love Him and keep His commandments.  They would join the Father and the Son.. they would receive the Spirit.. and their lives would never be the same. 

Oh how we long to see the Son and the Father in this way.. in the fulness of glory and power and holiness. Thankfully... we are not "orphans" either.. we have the same Spirit that Jesus gave His disciples.. He is with us forever.  We receive Him even though the world cannot.  We can know Him and He abides with us and in us. 

Father in heaven, help me to grasp the greatness of these Words.. help us to know You.. to know Jesus.. to receive all that Your Spirit has come to reveal to us as we abide in You. May we love You and keep Your commandments, Lord Jesus.. May we do the work of the Father through Your Spirit. We are Your servants and we desire to obey and give glory to You.  Let Your will be done in us today we pray, in Your Name.. Amen. 

 John 14:1-6  "Let not your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me."  

Jesus spoke to His disciples about leaving. He sent Judas on his way to betray Him.  He told Peter that he would deny Him.. there was a lot for them to be troubled about.  

There is a lot that we get "troubled" about in this world too.  The Thayer Lexicon defines the word "trouble" as agitated, disquieted, stirred up, anxious or distressed.. or even perplexed.  Yeah, that's easy for us to relate to.  We have all been there at one time or another.  The disciples weren't ready for what was about to happen. Just like we aren't ready when our lives are upended by "trouble".  Yet, we have the same word that Jesus gave them.. "believe". 

"Believe in God, believe in Me also". 

Believe that Jesus is preparing a place for us.  Believe that He is coming again for us. Believe that He is the "way and the truth and the life."  Believe that we come to the Father through Him.  Believe... and don't let trouble  overcome the Truth. 

Easier said than done, I know.  Yet.. it is what gets us through the troubles of life We often say, " I don't know what people do without the Lord."  To be troubled and have no Savior, no hope, no comfort, no promise of a place prepared for eternity.. No wonder there is so much anxiety, depression, agitation, and distress.  

We have a God who sees us, knows us, and loves us. Are we "troubled"?   Let us hold on to the Word.. hold on to Jesus.. cling to the Truth and BELIEVE!

Father in heaven,  You are the Giver of all things!  We believe Your word and all that You have revealed to us through Jesus Christ.  Help us to believe and keep believing especially in the times of trouble.   You are our Life, our Hope, our Help, and our God who has professed everlasting Love to all who call on You.  Thank You for such grace and mercy.  Keep us in Your perfect peace. Be in us and let us be in You through Jesus our Lord and Savior.  We ask this in His Name. Amen. 

 John 13:21-38  I really don't understand the idea of "reclining at the table".      How is it that the 12 disciples and Jesus gathered around a table, reclining or leaning.. close enough that John was able to lean back onto Jesus.. yet none of them knew what Jesus said to Judas or understood why he left? 

When Jesus said  "one of you will betray Me".. all the disciples looked at one another. They had no clue.  They even wondered about themselves!  Only Judas knew that he himself was the betrayer.  He must have been shocked that Jesus knew too. 

After Judas left Jesus said, "Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in Him; "  The time was at hand. Judas would betray Him. Peter would deny Him.. but those things were small in comparison of what Jesus said next.. "  A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved You, that you also love one another."  This love would be the proof of discipleship.  Following Jesus means to love like  Jesus.. this is the service that we render to Him that glorifies Him and glorifies the Father. 

We have known this love.  A love that glorifies Jesus and glorifies the Father.  God's people lifting us up in prayer in a time of need.  Hearts and hands reaching out to encourage and care.. We are praising God for this display of His love in our family and in our church family.. Prayers were offered on our behalf this last week.. and prayers were answered!  We have hearts overflowing with thanksgiving for what God has done for us.  We praise the Lord that this commandment to "love one another" was displayed so wonderfully and God's name was glorified. 

Thank You Father for Your faithful servants have obeyed Your command to love like Jesus.. Amen

 John 13   Jesus knew "His hour had come".  He knew His disciples.  He knew about Judas. He knew about Peter. He knew He was going back to His Father.. and knowing all of that and more.. He got up, removed His robe, took a towel, and washed the disciples' feet. 

His purpose was to be an example to those He loved. How important was this lesson.. that Jesus would take these moments during the Passover meal.. on the last evening of His life in the world?  Vital! How often do we willingly take on the role of a servant?  "If you know these things, you are blessed to do them." Jesus said.  The disciples had yet to learn this lesson.. but they would.. except for Judas.  He had already turned away and allowed Satan to fill his heart.  He would not choose servanthood.  He wanted much more for himself. 

Jesus said, "If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me and where I am there shall My servant also be; if anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him."  (12:26)  Servants obey the voice of their Master.  A servant loves and listens and serves.  Yes, we are made the children of God through Jesus Christ.. but we are called to serve Him.  Revelation 7:15 tells us that those who washed their robes and made them white in the blood of Jesus will be "before the throne of God; and they serve Him day and night in His temple; and He who sits on the throne shall spread His tabernacle over them."  This place of servanthood is a place of honor.. a place of shelter.. a place where there is no hunger or thirst.. a place where tears are wiped away.  

Father, we are Your servants and we come to Your throne to serve You.  We bring worship and praise to the Lamb. We give You glory and honor.  May we be good and faithful servants, loving one another, praying for one another, washing the feet of one another. ..  lifting up the Name that is above all names. Let the words of our mouths and the meditations of our hearts be pleasing to You. Equip us for every good work that You have planned for us and work in us all that delights You. We are Yours and You are our God. Amen. 

 John 12:12-50  Jesus came into Jerusalem, riding on the donkey, fulfilling Scripture and receiving the worship of the multitudes who believed.. for they had seen with their own eyes Lazarus brought out of the grave.  Even foreigners .. the Greeks.. wanted to see Jesus.. the whole city was looking for Him.

John recorded the words of Jesus on this occasion.. and it is not what we would have expected if we were  part of that great multitude  singing "Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel."   No.. Jesus said, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains by itself alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit." 

Jesus had one prayer, "Father glorify Thy name," (v27)    He had been talking about life and death. He knew that the people would not understand.. that many would not believe. But there was a truth that He was about to live out in front of them that they needed to learn.. "He who loves his life loses it; and he who hates his life in this world shall keep it to life eternal."  Which life do we want more?  A life of self-love.. or a life that is eternal?  A life that serves and follows Jesus?  Or a life that only serves one's self?

Jesus desired a life that would glorify the name of the Father.  He wants His followers to have this kind of life too.  He was ready to demonstrate this kind of life by being "lifted up from the earth".  This is what would bring judgement upon the world and upon the "ruler of this world".   Jesus would willingly lay down His life so that He could "draw all men" to Himself.  This is what would bring glory to the Father. 

Jesus warned His followers to "walk while you have the light'.  It is a good warning for all of us continually.. walk in the light "in order that you may become sons of light."  Walking in darkness leads us nowhere. Walking in unbelief is walking in darkness.. blinded.. hard-hearted... lost.  But.. walking in the light.. in the Words that Jesus was speaking.. the Word of the Father.. this it what brings healing and salvation.. and eternal life. 

Jesus said "I have come as light into the world that everyone who believes in Me may not remain in darkness." (v45)  His words brought light and life.. they were exactly what the Father wants us to hear and receive and walk in. These are the wonderful words of life. 

Father, may we hear Your word, receive Your word, and believe.  This important lesson that Jesus lived out before us is what we want to live by.. to choose Jesus.. to walk in His Light.. to glorify Your Name.. a life willingly laid down at Your feet.. surrendered to You..  Help us to fully understand what You desire of us.. hating our life in the world.. loving Jesus more than our own life.. so that Your name is glorified in us as it was in the sacrifice that Jesus made on the cross.  We can do nothing on our own Lord, so we seek Your Spirit to fill us with faith and love.. that the life of Jesus be in us and we in Him. Amen. 

 John 12:1-19  Six days.. Passover was coming.. His days were numbered. Jesus and His disciples went back to Bethany, to Lazarus's house. 

 Martha was serving. 

Lazarus was sitting at the table.  

Mary was worshipping... she took the costly nard  and "anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped His feet with her hair."  

Judas complained.. even as he was "intending to betray Him."  

The multitude gathered..

... and the Pharisees plotted. 

The scene is set. We can picture that moment.. bring it to our minds and pause it for just a second.. knowing what lies ahead, but waiting to grab on to what Jesus is doing..

He receives both the service and the worship.. 

He celebrates His friends. 

He defends the actions of Mary. 

He rebukes Judas.. gently. 

He tells them that He will not always be with them.. that this is the way He is being prepared for His burial. 

Where would I be in this picture if I could be there?  Would I be in the background, serving a meal?  Would I have the courage to bring the expensive perfume and wash His feet with my hair?  Would I complain about the waste of money?  Or would I simply stay silent and watch the events happening before my eyes? 

Where would you be?

Father in heaven,  I want to be at the feet of Jesus.. giving all I have.. worshipping and anointing Him with oil. Yet.. I don't know if I would have been so brave.. so completely surrendered. Make me over.. transform me.. lead me..Spirit of God fill me today I pray. Jesus is all and is in all.  Let my life be Yours I pray, Amen. 

 John 11 When Lazarus became ill his sisters sent for Jesus, "Lord, behold he whom you love is sick."  They expected Jesus to come immediately.. or just say the word and Lazarus would be well.  They believed. They trusted. They prayed.  But.. Jesus did not come and Lazarus died.  They buried him.. they mourned him.. their lives would never be the same.  And still, Jesus did not come. 

For four long days, the sisters waited. 

Jesus had a different plan for Lazarus and for his sisters.  He knew that Lazarus would die.. but He knew that He was about to do something wonderful.. He would go and call Lazarus back to life.  He told His disciples.. " Lazarus is dead, and I am glad for your sakes that I was not there so that you may believe; but let us go to him."  To Thomas, this was a call to their own deaths. But.. they chose to follow Jesus even then. They were learning that even death and life were in His Hands. 

Martha met Jesus on the way into town. She did not stop trusting Him.  But, she did not know what He could do.. Lazarus was dead and his body was decaying after 4 days in the tomb. She was willing to wait until the resurrection to see her brother again. But.. her heart was broken that Jesus had not come and healed Lazarus before it was too late.  Mary felt the same. Their tears were genuine and it broke His heart too... even knowing what He was about to do. 

When Jesus told them to open the tomb, they hesitated.  Jesus told them to just believe. ".. if you believe, you will see the glory of God."  And so they did.  Jesus spoke and Lazarus came out of the tomb. 

Many saw this miracle and believed.  The chief priests and Pharisees saw and plotted His death.  One cannot be any blinder.. to see God glorified in a resurrected life and still not give Him glory. 

Father in heaven, You are the giver of Life and the authority over death.  There is nothing that is out of Your control.  No sickness, no grief, no pain, and not even death can overcome.. You are Sovereign and You are glorified!  Lord God, You see the hurting, the sorrowful, the helpless and the hopeless in our world.. and You know our grief.  The tears of Jesus are genuine.. flowing down along with  our own when sorrow overflows.. but You have promised to wipe away every tear and we long for that glorious day!  Hold us close to Your heart, Father. May the love and compassion of our Lord Jesus fill our hearts and lives today we pray. Thank You. amen. 

 John 10:30 -42   Jesus said, " I and the Father are one."  The Jews really didn't like this and took up stones to throw at Him.  They considered Him a blasphemer, claiming to be God..   Yet, Jesus pointed them back to the Scripture.. to Psalm 82 where it said, "I said, you are gods.. " 

The psalmist was talking about the people of God, men who were set apart to serve Him as judges and rulers.. given divine authority to carry out the judgements of God.  They were supposed to  "vindicate the weak and fatherless; do justice to the afflicted and destitute. Rescue the weak and needy; deliver them out of the hand of the wicked.. "  But, they failed at doing the work of God.. the work of the "sons of the Most High.." 

Jesus said to the Jews, "I showed you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you stoning Me?"  (v32)  He was doing what the "sons of God" were meant to do.  He was sent by the Father for this purpose.. "If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; but if I do them, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in Me and I in the Father. " 

Jesus did the works of the Father.. those spoken about in Psalm 82.. those things that the rulers failed to do. The rulers of the Jews in His time were failing to judge justly.. they were failing to do the work of the Father too.. just like in the times of the Psalmist.  The proof of Jesus' statement, "I and the Father are One" is found in the "works of the Father" .. those very works that the "sons of God" were supposed to do..  He did. 

Jesus vindicated, or defended, the poor and fatherless. He showed justice to the poor and needy.  He delivered them from evil  and helped the helpless.  He was sent from the Father to do the work of the Father.. and He did it in complete unity with the Father.  

Though the Jewish leaders wanted to stone Him.  Others recognized the truth and followed Him.  "And many believed in Him there." 

Father in heaven, thank You for showing us Your works through the Life of Your Son, Jesus.  These are the precious works of God that are most glorious.. justice and mercy.. deliverance and help.. abundant lovingkindness..forgiveness and restoration.  We give You thanksgiving and worship.  You alone are God and Jesus Christ is the Beloved Son who has made a way that we might also be Your sons and daughters.. sanctified to do Your works among those around us.  Surround us and fill us Spirit of God that we might be faithful to do the Father's work today. We ask this in the Name of Jesus our King. Amen.

 John 10:1-30

  Jesus told a parable about sheep. There are two characters.. actually three.. that we need to recognize in this story...  First there is the doorkeeper.  He is the one who opens the gate for the shepherd.  Secondly, there is the shepherd. The shepherd goes to the doorkeeper and the door is opened. The shepherd calls his sheep and they follow him, knowing His voice. Thirdly, there is the stranger. the thief, the robber.. the one who comes to "steal and kill, and destroy." 

Jesus calls Himself the "good shepherd".  He also calls Himself "the door".   He came to give life to His sheep. He came to lay down His own life for His sheep.  Jesus tells us that He knows His sheep.. and that they know Him.  It is a relationship founded in the Father, Who loves the Son.. who gave the Son authority to lay His life down and to take it up again.. on behalf of the sheep. Jesus.. promises to bring "other sheep" to join His flock.. His flock will be all those who hear His voice and follow Him.  He knows His sheep, He tells us.. for the Father has given them to Him and "no one shall snatch them out of My hand."  -  the thief and robber cannot snatch those who belong to the Father for the Father is" greater than all".

To belong to the Father and to the Son is to have abundant life.. eternal life.. to be His sheep.. is the gift to all who will believe.  The Jews would not believe and Jesus told them that because they would not believe the witness of the works that He did in the Father's name.. they were not His sheep.  Those who don't hear His voice and follow Him.. those are the ones He does not know. They are the ones who will perish.. who will be snatched out of His hands... out of the Father's hand.. stolen by the great thief. 

Father, we pray to You.. to bring more sheep into the flock of Jesus Christ. More to hear His voice and follow Him.. more to believe so that they might not perish but have eternal life in Jesus.  Our hearts break to see so many who refuse to believe..who refuse the Truth. Oh Father of mercy and grace.. let Your Light shine through us, Your children, so that others might turn from unbelief and find life in Christ our Good Shepherd.. the only One to lead us to salvation .. Thank You for patiently waiting , for hearing our prayers. and for bringing others into the flock.. into the family of Heaven.  Amen.