Week 20: John

Read John 15:1-11
“If”

In addition to the promise we highlighted yesterday, in this chapter, Jesus told his disciples: “If you remain in Me and My words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.” (See verses 7-11) That’s astounding—go read it again! He continued, “If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love…and My complete joy will be in you.” His “complete joy” seems like something all of us could use! Jesus explained how we can experience our best lives with these instructions—abide in Him, know His Word, and do what The Word says.

Keep in mind that becoming a child of God only required our belief in Jesus Christ as our Savior. That’s it…genuine belief! But, being able to live out our lives taking advantage of all the privileges of being children in His Kingdom often comes with conditions. Notice that both promises in today’s reading begin with the word “If.” It’s a tiny word with huge consequences. It seems to boil down to this: Do I really believe what He said, and if I do believe what He said, am I willing to follow His instructions? Assuredly, if we comply with His instructions, He will uphold His end of the promise. Bottom line: remain in Him by being in His Word.

QUESTIONS:

1. How would it benefit me to spend more time with The Word than I do with social media, watching TV, or tending to my favorite hobby?
2. What is stopping me from experiencing my best life and complete joy?
3. Am I willing to try Jesus’ promises by fulfilling the conditions?

Read John 16
Promise of Peace

We should never cease to be astounded by, and grateful for, being allowed to hear the words of Jesus just as they came from His lips into the ears and hearts of those He loved. In this chapter, Jesus continued to share with His disciples about events which were about to take place. Undoubtedly, they could not comprehend all that His words contained, nor can we, but let’s absorb as much of which we are capable.

Jesus explained how He was soon to go away, back to The Father, but that He would also soon send His Spirit, the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, Himself without flesh and bones, to always be with them. The vastness of that is yet to be revealed, but we can operate on the promises He has revealed to us. In the last verse of this chapter, Jesus explained that they would experience some harrowing times in the near future, but that they would always be able to find peace in Him. Specifically He said, “I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world!” Take heart, my friend, even though you may be experiencing great trouble right now, He will provide you with His peace, and ultimately, you will overcome.

QUESTIONS:

1. In what or whom have I searched for peace in the past?
2. Do I trust Jesus as my source of peace?
3. Since peace is an attractive quality of a Christ-follower, how can that be a living testimony to others who are seeking peace in all the wrong places?

Read John 16
Promise of Peace

We should never cease to be astounded by, and grateful for, being allowed to hear the words of Jesus just as they came from His lips into the ears and hearts of those He loved. In this chapter, Jesus continued to share with His disciples about events which were about to take place. Undoubtedly, they could not comprehend all that His words contained, nor can we, but let’s absorb as much of which we are capable.

Jesus explained how He was soon to go away, back to The Father, but that He would also soon send His Spirit, the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, Himself without flesh and bones, to always be with them. The vastness of that is yet to be revealed, but we can operate on the promises He has revealed to us. In the last verse of this chapter, Jesus explained that they would experience some harrowing times in the near future, but that they would always be able to find peace in Him. Specifically He said, “I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world!” Take heart, my friend, even though you may be experiencing great trouble right now, He will provide you with His peace, and ultimately, you will overcome.

QUESTIONS:

1. In what or whom have I searched for peace in the past?
2. Do I trust Jesus as my source of peace?
3. Since peace is an attractive quality of a Christ-follower, how can that be a living testimony to others who are seeking peace in all the wrong places?

Read John 17
Jesus prayed for me!

John was able to provide us with so many incredible details because of his extraordinary intimacy with Jesus. This entire passage is a recorded conversation Jesus had with God only hours before His crucifixion. Isn’t that amazing? What’s more amazing is that Jesus was talking to the Father about those who believe in Him…that’s you and me! Let’s look at what Jesus prayed to the Father about us. He prayed that we would:

1. be one with Him and The Father;
2. be protected from the evil one;
3. receive the full measure of His joy;
4. be sanctified by the truth of His Word;
5. be wherever He is;
6. be able to see His glory, and
7. have, in us, the same kind of love God has for His son!

Since Jesus asked the Father for these things, we can be assured they were granted. Accordingly, for you and me this means that we can be one with Jesus, we can be protected from the evil one, we can receive the full measure of His joy, we can be sanctified by the truth of His Word, we can be with Him, we can see His glory, and we can have the same kind of love God has for Jesus in us! It’s up to us to apply these truths to our lives.

One final treasure from this passage, and perhaps the most mind-blowing of all, is in verse 23. Jesus said to God, “…[t]hen the world will know that you sent me and HAVED LOVED THEM EVEN AS YOU HAVE LOVED ME! [emphasis added]” He loves us as extravagantly as He loves Jesus! Let us be encouraged by that glorious news.

QUESTIONS:

1. Am I aware of these gifts taking place in my life?
2. Am I being set apart for God’s use?
3. Who, in my life, needs me to be loving as He loves me?

Read John 19:16-30
It Is Finished!

John may have been the only disciple (and/or gospel writer) physically close enough to the cross at the final moments of Jesus’ life to hear clearly these gloriously definitive words of Jesus…”[i]t is finished.” Matthew recorded what Jesus shouted from the cross in Matthew 27:46. Then, in Matthew 27:50, Matthew recorded that Jesus said something else in a loud voice; but, apparently he was not close enough to hear what was said. Mark only recorded the first loud cry, the same that Matthew recorded in Matthew 27:46. (See Mark 15:34.) Luke recorded Jesus’ request to the Father for forgiveness for those who were crucifying Him, the conversation with the 2 thieves, and the words, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” (See Luke 23:32-46.) However, John 19:25 says that Jesus’ mother was near the cross as well as “the disciple whom He loved,” which we see repeatedly in John’s gospel that this is the way he referred to himself. Then, in his final act of compassion, Jesus gave his mother to John and likewise gave John to his mother. After having put wine vinegar on a hyssop stalk to touch Jesus’ lips, only those in close proximity could hear Him say, “It is finished.”

What was finished? When sin first entered the Garden of Eden by the choice of Adam and Eve to listen to the voice of the enemy rather than God’s, the relationship between God and man was severed, they were removed from the garden, and subject to the curse of death and destruction. (See Genesis 3.) But, God had a plan from before the foundation of the earth to restore that relationship through the obedience of Jesus so that we could again have intimacy with The Father and experience the benefits of being in His kingdom. (See Psalm 103:1-3.) It was the finished works of Jesus Christ who made this possible for us, and all we have to do is believe! It seems almost too good to be true, but the more we study and learn, the more we understand and can take advantage of this truth. We are incredibly thankful to John, the beloved, for being at the foot of the cross, despite the obvious risks and dangers, so that we too can hear Jesus’ words to us…”IT IS FINISHED!”

QUESTIONS

1. Do I understand and believe that what Jesus did at the cross was sufficient to restore me to The Father?
2. Do I continue to strive in my own efforts to earn this gift?
3. How am I going to demonstrate my commitment to know more about the goodness of God through the knowledge of His Word? How will this impact my whole being?