The Prayer of Jesus Before He Was Betrayed

    Today I studied John 17. A lot of people like to look at Jesus' prayer in the garden as recorded in Matthew 26:36-46, Mark 14:32-42, and Luke 22:39-46 as they remember the cross. Jesus' prayer in the garden is a beautiful reminder of Christ's humanity and his unfaltering obedience to the Father and his plan of salvation. I myself have looked Jesus' prayer in the garden in preparation of Easter to remind myself of the great sacrifice made for me, but this year I am doing things differently.
     John 17 is the prayer that Jesus prays after he has finished his speech to the disciples. In the very next chapter, Jesus is betrayed by Judas and begins the final stage of his journey to the cross. Jesus knew what was getting ready to happen and in this chapter we see another dimension of what was on Christ's mind as he headed towards the cross. This is not to negate the prayer recorded in the other gospels, I feel it just gives us more insight into the magnitude of what Jesus did for us on the cross.
     As I read through this prayer today I asked myself three questions which I am going to share with you along with the answers I found.

1. What does Jesus pray for in John 17?

• He prays that all will know eternal life which is in Jesus Christ, who was sent by God
• He is asking that he (Jesus) will be glorified (and thus glorify God) and that he will experience the glory he had with the Father before the world existed.
• He prays for his disciples and all those who believe because they will be left in this world. He prays for their protection, not that they will be removed from this world, but that they will be protected from the evil one, Satan. 
• He prays that the disciples will be sanctified in truth.
• Jesus prays that as he gives himself over to die on the cross that we can be sanctified in the truth
• Jesus prays for us, those who will become Christians because of the apostles teachings
• He prays that we will be unified just as he and the Father are one
• He prays that we will be with Jesus and see him in his glory

2. What does this teach me about my Jesus?

• Jesus is not a passive participant-he goes willingly to the cross knowing full well the extent of the salvation plan. He is not being forced or coerced or manipulated to the cross.
• Jesus is eternal! Multiple times Jesus refers to returning to the Father and experiencing the glory and love that he had with the Father before the world ever existed.
• Jesus' love for us in unimaginable, unfathomable, and never-ending!

3. What does this teach me about me?

• I am chosen!
• I am saved by Christ alone-I do nothing!
• We are called to love each other and be unified!

    The command to love each other and be unified is something that we see all throughout the New Testament. The world will know that we are his disciples by his love (John 13:35). We are to love each other as Christ loved us (John 15:12). Peter, John, and Paul all talk about our command and call to love each other throughout their letters to the church. Loving each other is not a suggestion, it is a command and we are expected to do it. The greatest act of love we can do for another person is to tell them about the salvation that comes only through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. As we prepare to remember the crucifixion tomorrow and celebrate the resurrection on Sunday, let us remember that in our call to love one another, we are called to tell the world about Jesus!

Preparing for Easter: Looking At Jesus' Final Words to His Disciples

    So often I forget how much actually happened during Jesus' final 48 hours. So often when we study the final days of Jesus we break it up into little parts and teach the sections separately. We will look at the last supper or look at Jesus washing the disciples feet or look at part of his final speech to the disciples, but we rarely look at all of it together.
    Today I took the time to study John 13:13-35 and John chapters 14, 15, and 16. I studied this large section together because all of these sections comprise Jesus' final speech to his disciples. On the night he was betrayed, Jesus knew that it would not be long until he was no longer going to be with his disciples. He knew that his death was imminent and he knew that the disciples still didn't really have a clue as to what was going to happen. He was leaving them with some final words that were meant to bring clarity later and also provide comfort. These men were Jesus' friends and he had so much he wanted to say to them.
    There is so much in these chapters of scripture. It is here that we read of how Jesus is the true vine and we are the branches, those who abide in him will produce much fruit. It is also here that we read of how Jesus will send the Holy Spirit when he is gone as a Helper and Guide. The disciples are told that just as the world hates Christ, the world will hate them because they are in Christ. Jesus' last words before praying and then going to the garden to be betrayed are some of my favorite words of comfort:

    John 16:33 - "I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world."

   Today I am going to do things a little differently than I have the past two days. I don't want to overwhelm you with an excessively long post. Today I am going to simply share some of the "take aways" I gleaned from reading Jesus' final words to his disciples and I encourage to also go and read these words for yourself.

• Jesus is God-believing in him means believing in God!
• The only way to God is Jesus-he is the way, the truth, and the life.
• We show our love for Jesus by obeying his commands-our obedience does not earn us his love or earn our righteousness-it is simply an outward expression of our love
• We are commanded to love one another sacrificially as Jesus loved us-this is not a suggestion, it is a command that Jesus expects us to follow
• Jesus sent us the Holy Spirit as a Helper, Guide, and Convicter
• None of what happened to Jesus was outside of God's plan!
• Victory is Won!
• It will not be easy following Jesus-we will be hated and persecuted and experience trouble, but we don't have to fear because Jesus has overcome the world!

    Lord God, I thank you again for salvation. This path was not an easy one and yet you did it anyway out of love me! Thank you for sending the Holy Spirit as our guide and helper. Help me to lean more on the Spirit. Help me to remember that apart from you I am nothing more than a dead branch, only when I am abiding in you can I bear fruit. Help me to remember that it is not my job to convict others of sin, righteousness or judgement-I am to bear witness and the rest is up to the Holy Spirit. Help me to remember that in times of trouble that this momentary discomfort is to be expected and nothing compared to the eternally victory I will one day fully experience because of your work on the cross. Thank you that the victory has already been won!

Preparing for Easter: Jesus Was Not Caught Off Guard

    Today I study John 13:1-20, where Jesus washes his disciples feet. This passage is often used to teach on humble service to others, and that is clearly present in this passage. The thing that has really stuck out to me as I have been studying the book of John though, is how Jesus was always sovereign. Jesus was not caught off guard or surprised by anything that happened. He knew the plan from the beginning and was a willing participant in the Father's salvation plan.

John 13:1-20

Observations:

• Jesus and the disciples are having supper before the Feast of the Passover
• Jesus knows that the time has almost come for him to be crucified
• Jesus knows all that is about to happen and he is control of the entire situation-it is all part of the plan
• Jesus goes around and washes each of the disciples feet-a lowly servant's job
• Peter, in typical fashion, doesn't get it, even when Jesus says he won't understand until later. At first Peter is appalled-his master will never wash his feet. Then when Jesus rebukes Peter saying, "if I don't do this, you aren't a part of me", Peter becomes over-zealous-"well then wash all of me."
• Jesus says if you are clean already,  you only to need to wash your feet to be fully clean
• Jesus shows his authority and dominion in verses 10-11 because he knows who will betray him
• Jesus tells his disciples that he is their Teacher and Lord and that he has just given them an example to follow-they are to serve each other as Jesus has served them
• We are no greater than Jesus, and if Jesus was willing to serve his disciples, then no form of service to to others is beneath us
• Jesus keeps giving the disciples cryptic clues to what will happen so that they will see that Jesus was in control the whole time

Questions I have:

1. Why was washing feet a job for the lowest servant?
2. Why does Jesus say if the feet are clean, Peter is clean?

Answers I found:

1. Feet got really dirty from walking on dirt roads. Tables were low to the ground and people reclined around them to eat meals. Nobody wants to eat with nasty feet in their face. It is obvious in Peter's reaction that people of importance did not wash feet, it was a job for a servant. Due to the filth that accumulated on traveler's feet, it was a disgusting job and assigned to a low servant.
   There is also a priestly aspect to the washing of the feet. Priests had to ritually wash before entering the temple. Jesus is establishing himself as the Holy High Priest, but it is possible he is also establishing the disciples as priests who are equipped to enter into holy communication with God and sharing the gospel.
2. More than likely Jesus is drawing a parallel between the physical and spiritual. If the men had bathed recently then the only thing that would be dirty would be their feet. In parallel, these men are believers and followers of Jesus and they are about to be forever and eternally cleansed of sins, but there is still a place for sanctification.

Insights:

• Nothing Jesus does is coincidental, Jesus has complete control over what is going on and nothing is happening outside of his plan. None of the events catch Jesus off guard
• I love Peter-he is so clueless, just like me. He questions Jesus, claims to know better than Jesus, and then goes overboard with his actions. Jesus is calm and patient with Peter, gently rebuking and correcting him each time. I am so much like Peter and I am grateful that Jesus is calm and patient with me.
• Nothing was beneath Jesus, he set an example of humble service that he expects us to follow. We are no greater than Jesus who performed the task of a low servant so we should not assume that we are better than taking out the garbage or cleaning toys or mopping a dirty floor.
• We are chosen by Christ-it is not an accident or happenstance.
• The disciples still do not fully grasp the idea that Jesus actually is God. Jesus knows that until he dies and is resurrected that they will not fully understand. He keeps telling them things that will only make sense in hindsight, but he is also establishing his divinity and sovereignty.

Prayer:

    Lord, thank you for this beautiful demonstration of service-help me to serve as you served. Forgive me of the times when I have believed that certain acts of service were beneath me. Forgive me for the times when I question you or claim to know better than you. Thank you for your grace when I am pig-headed. Thank you for your salvation plan. Thank you for loving me, and the world, so much that you died in our place. Help me to meditate on that today. You were not merely killed injustly-you willingly sacrificed yourself in accordance to the Father's beautiful, masterful plan.

Shout "Hosanna!" on Sunday and Cry "Crucify!" on Friday

    Yesterday was Palm Sunday, marking the triumphal entry of Christ into Jerusalem and the beginning of what has become known as Passion Week.  Passion Week chronicles the final days of Jesus which ended with his sacrificial death on the cross.
     I have been a Christian for many years, and I grew up in the church, so the story of Jesus' final week, crucifixion, and resurrection is not new to me. I always loved the sunrise service at my church on Easter Sunday growing up. If you were to ask me to recite the story, I could do so with little trouble.
     But I have come to realize that I have never actually studied the final days of Christ for myself, I have only been going on commentary I have heard through the years. So this year, I am doing something different. This week as I prepare to celebrate Easter, I am going to study Jesus' final days according to the book of John. I chose the gospel of John because we have been studying this gospel for the past year at church and I have been studying it during my time alone with God, so it seemed appropriate to just skip ahead a few chapters and study John's perspective.
    I want to share what I have learned with you here on the blog, not because I think I am awesome at Bible study, but simply because this is my way of sharing with others the truths God has been teaching me. I hope that you will also take the time this week to study the final days of our Savior here on this earth. I pray that you and I will approach this story with fresh eyes, not taking the cross for granted.
    To help you follow my process as I study each passage, I will start by sharing my observations into the passage, then I will share any questions I had while reading, followed by the answers I found, next I will share any insights into how the passage applies to my life or what it reveals about me and/or my God, and finally I will share a prayer based on the passage.

John 12:12-19

Observations:

• a large crowd gathers when they hear Jesus is coming to Jerusalem
• the people waved palm branches, crying out, "Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!"
• Jesus rides in on a donkey-fulfilling Scripture
• at the time the disciples did not understand, but when they looked back on these events later, following Christ's ascension, they realized the significance and understand more what was happening.
• the crowd was there, not necessarily because the believed Jesus was the Messiah, but because they knew Jesus had raised Lazarus from the dead-they wanted to see if he would do it again
• the Pharisees are becoming more nervous because as they say, "the whole world" was going after Jesus

Questions I have:

1. What is the significance of the palm branches?
2. Why are the people crying "Hosanna!"?
3. What is the prophecy that Christ is fulfilling?

Answers I found:

• 1 and 2 go together: the people wanted Jesus to be a political savior, not an ultimate one. They wanted Jesus to become their king and overturn the Roman rule. I looked it up and the palm branches signified goodness and victory-the people wanted a political victory, not a spiritual victory. When they shout "Hosanna!" it is not a declaration of Christ's Lordship or divinity, but a plea for him to save them from an oppressive ruler
• The prophecy Jesus is fulfilling is Zechariah 9:9. as I look at the Old Testament verse, I can see the confusion over spiritual savior versus political savior. "Behold, your king is coming, righteous and having salvation"-because I know the whole story, I know that Zechariah is talking about Jesus providing salvation from sins and righteousness before a holy God, but the people, who had been living under oppression for so long, would have been wanting political freedom and I can understand them interpreting the Scripture through that lens.

Insights:

• The people wanted salvation on their terms. They wanted an earthly king to free them from a temporary situation. They wanted immediate gratification. How often am I like that? I want Jesus to save me, but on my own terms and according to my plans and ideas. I don't believe that Jesus' salvation plan is enough or what is necessary to meet my perceived needs.
• When Jesus did not give the people what they wanted they cast him aside and cried "crucify him" just days later. I am like that-childish and impulsive-crying foul and demanding punishment when I don't get my way.

Prayer:

       Lord God, help me to remember that I am one who cries "Hosanna!" on Sunday just to turn and cry "Crucify!" on Friday. Help me to remember that your plan of salvation is much greater than any plan I could come up with. Forgive me for wanting salvation on my terms. Help me to rejoice in your ultimate and final victory over sin and death. Help me to rejoice in the assurance that because I am yours, I too share in that victory. Help me to cry Hosanna in the highest declaring you as King of All and the bringer of my true salvation. Give me boldness to declare the truth that you are real Life and through you we can experience eternal victory!