John 16:16-33 ~ Jesus teaches His disciples the power of prayer through His name

“In just a little while I will be gone, and you won’t see Me anymore.  Then, just a little while after that, you will see Me again.”

Then His disciples asked each other, “What does He man when He says, ‘You won’t see Me, and then you will see Me?’  And what does He mean when He says, ‘I’m going to the Father’ ?

And what does He mean by ‘a little while’? We don’t understand.”

Jesus realized they wanted to ask Him, so He said, “Are you asking yourselves what I meant?  I said in just a little while I will be gone, and you won’t see Me anymore.  Then, just a little while after that, you will see Me again.

Truly, you will weep and mourn over what is going to happen to Me, but the world will rejoice. You will grieve, but your grief will suddenly turn to wonderful joy when you see Me again.

It will be like a woman experiencing the pains of labor.  When her child is born, her anguish gives place to joy because she has brought a new person into the world.

You have sorrow now, but I will see you again, then you will rejoice, and no one can rob you of that joy.

At that time you won’t need to ask Me anything.  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.

I have spoken of these matters in parables, but the time will come when this will not be necessary, and I will tell you plainly all about the Father.

Then you will ask in My name.  I’m not saying I will ask the Father on your behalf,

for the Father Himself loves you dearly because you love Me and believe that I came from God.

Yes, I came from the Father into the world, and I will leave the world and return to the Father.”

Then His disciples said, “At least You are speaking plainly and not in parables.

Now we understand that You know everything and don’t need anyone to tell You anything.  From this we believe that You came from God.”

Jesus asked, “Do you finally believe?

But the time is coming – In fact, it is already here – when you will be scattered, each one going his own way, leaving Me alone.  Yet I am not alone because the Father is with Me.

I have told you all this so that you may have peace in Me.  Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows.  But take heart, because I have overcome the world.’

Heavenly Father;

Thank You for Your love and Your Holy Spirit that helps us to know You and to live with You and to know Your will.  Thank You that You do not leave us and that You are the light of the world.  Thank You that Jesus has overcome the world and conquered sin once for all.  Thank You for the hope we have through Him and that our hope is used to give hope to others that they may know Him too.   Please bless our pastors and give them Your strength and wisdom so they may speak of the truths in Your word.  Please protect Your church through Your grace, love, mercy and compassion.   In Jesus’ Name!

John 16:5-15 – Jesus teaches about the Holy Spirit

“But now I Am going away to the One who sent Me, and none of you has asked Me where I Am going.

Instead, you are very sad.

But it is actually best for you that I go away because if I don’t the Counselor won’t come.  If I do go away, He will come because I will send Him to you.

And when He comes, He will convince the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment.

The world’s sin is unbelief in Me.

Righteousness is available because I go to the Father, and you will see Me no more.

Judgment will come because the prince of this world has already been judged.

Oh, there is much more I want to tell you, but you can’t hear it now.

When the Spirit of Truth comes, He will guide you into all truth.  He will not be presenting his own ideas; He will be telling you what He has heard.  He will tell you about the future.

He will bring Me glory by revealing to you whatever He receives from Me.

All that the Father has is Mine; this is what I mean when I say that the Spirit will reveal to you whatever He receives from Me.’

Jesus prepares us for what is ahead

John 16:1-4

Jesus continues to teach His disciples, “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.”

 

Jesus will always prepare us for what He has for our lives.  He promised to never leave us and will never forsake us.  We are victorious in Christ.  But we will face persecution and we will experience opposition from those who reject Him.  We must never fear what people may say or do to us to try to keep us from serving and obeying God.  God will come to our defense and He will keep His hand upon us.  He may not deliver us from the persecution, opposition and attacks, but He will deliver us through them for His glory.  We are never to try to protect our own life, as our life belongs to Him and He will give us His peace for whatever He calls us to do.  As Jesus here prepares His disciples for what was ahead of them, so He also prepares us.  As we stay in God’s word, pray, and stay in fellowship with other committed believers in Christ, we will be strengthened and will be able to stand against any attack or resistance we may receive for being Jesus’ disciples.  This world is not our home, but our home is with Jesus even while we walk in this world.  Grace and peace are ours daily in Christ.  He will give us His grace to get us through any trial and He will guide us by His peace as we walk with Him through the trial.  He will strengthen us and prepare us for to do His will.

 

Heavenly Father;

Thank You for Your love and grace which keeps us close to Your heart.  Thank You for Your peace which guides us and reminds us that we belong to You.  Thank You that You always prepare us before hand for whatever You have for us to do.  Thank You for Your word that teaches us more about You and that speaks into our lives so that we may be more like Jesus.  Thank You that Jesus lives and that He prays for us.  Thank You for Your Holy Spirit who helps us to obey You and to follow Jesus.  Thank You for the power of Your Holy Spirit in our lives who teaches us to love You and to love one another.  Please help our pastors to be filled and led by Your Holy Spirit that Your church may grow in You.  Please do a mighty work in our fellowship.  Please help us to pray more and to trust in You with all our hearts, minds, souls, and strength.  Please help us to always be reminded of Your love and presence in our lives.  We belong to You and You love us.  May our lives reflect Your love and may we love You completely.

In Jesus’ name.  Amen.

Holy Spirit Help and Comfort

John 15:18-26

“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 it hates you.”

 

“Do you remember what I told you?  ‘A servant is not greater than the master.’  Since they persecuted Me, naturally they will persecute you.  And if they had listened to Me, they would listen to you!”

 

“The people of the world will hate you because you belong to Me, for they don’t know God who sent Me.”

 

“They would not be guilty if I had not come and spoken to them.  But now they have no excuse for their sin.”

 

“Anyone who hates Me hates My Father, too.”

 

“If I hadn’t done such miraculous signs among them that no one else could do, they would not be counted guilty.  But as it is, they saw all that I did and yet hated both of us – Me and My Father.”

 

“This has fulfilled what the Scriptures said: ‘They hated Me without cause.’ [Psalms 35:19; 69:4]

 

“But I will send you the Comforter – the Spirit of Truth.  He will come to you from the Father and will tell you all about Me.”

 

“And you must also tell others about Me because you have been with Me from the beginning.”

 

These passages teach us more about the Holy Spirit which Jesus promises to all who will receive Him by faith, showing that we belong to Him.  The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Tri-Unity God. He can be everywhere at once.  He can fill each believer and bring us all into unity with one another.  He is a person and He is holy.

The spiritual battles we face as believers in Christ are three fold:  We struggle against our own sin nature inherited from Adam which opposes God ; we struggle against with this world’s system which opposes God, and we struggle against the temptations of the devil and his demons, who oppose God. Though the devil was defeated by Christ’s sacrifice on the cross, he still tempts believers to sin, and he is the influencing power behind this world’s system who promotes  hatred toward Jesus and all who follow Him. This is why we need the Holy Spirit to walk with Jesus.

We beed the Holy Spirit to give us God’s power to stand in Christ and to walk obediently with Him.  We need the Holy Spirit to teach us God’s Truth.  We need the Holy Spirit’s power to help to resist the  temptation to sin.  We need the Holy Spirit’s power to remind us of God’s Promises.  We need the Holy Spirit to help us grow in our Covenant Relationship with our Loving Heavenly Father.  We need the Holy Spirit to convict us when we sin and to point us back to God when our vision is clouded by the darkness of sin’s consequences.  We need the Holy Spirit to comfort us during the trials and persecution we will face as followers of Jesus and we need the Holy Spirit to teach us about Jesus. 

The Holy Spirit has a very important role in the life of every believer.  We must chose to yield our will to His and to learn to follow His leading in our life.  The Holy Spirit will always lead us in God’s will for our lives and He will always remind us of God’s truths in His word.  He will always help us to walk closer to Jesus.  He will help us to walk in unity with Jesus and with other believers in Christ.  He is very important in the church and will always point to Jesus, never to Himself.  We don’t worship the gifts of the Holy Spirit, we worship God and give Him glory through the gifts the Holy Spirit gives to us.  The gifts of the Holy Spirit should also point to God and never to the individual person exercising the gifts.  God is always glorified in our lives and in the church when we are walking in obedience to the Holy Spirit’s work in our lives.

 

Heavenly Father;

Thank You for the gift of the Holy Spirit who lives in us and who teaches us about You and helps us to walk with You.  Thank You for all You’ve done for us in Christ.  Thank You for Your love that is expressed in so many ways.  Thank You for the life we have in Christ.  Thank You that Your mercies which are new every morning.  Thank You that You are for us and not against us.  Thank You for Your wonderful love that gives us so much that we may be blessed and renewed in our lives.

Please help us to listen to the Holy Spirit and to always remember Your promises and Your purposes for our lives that we may bring You glory and share Your love with others.  Please help us to stand strong against the persecution we will receive for belonging to Jesus.  Please help us to continue to grow in You that we may not forget all You’re done for us and who we are in You. 

Please help our pastors and guide them by Your Holy Spirit.  Please help them to yield to Your Holy Spirit and to always serve You in Spirit and in truth. 

Please help all who call upon the name of Jesus to love Him more and more and to love one another more and more.  Please be glorified in our lives and help us to shine our lights for You in this dark world. 

Thank You for all the opportunities You give us to know You and to make You known to others.  May we not be distracted from all You’ve called each of us to do.  May we know Your will and the power of Your Holy Spirit in our lives.  Thank You, again, for Jesus and all He means to us:  Jesus is our Life,  He is our Hope,  He is our Light, He is our Sustenance, He is our Saviour, our Friend, Our Lord, Our Master, He is our Eternal Life and He is the Love of our lives.  Thank You!  In Jesus’ Name.  Amen.

Holy Spirit Joy

John 15:1-17

[Jesus said], “I am the Vine, and My Father is the Gardener.”

 

“He cuts off every branch that doesn’t produce fruit, and He prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more.”

 

“You have already been pruned for greater fruitfulness by the message I have given you.”

 

“Remain in Me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful apart from Me.”

 

“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.”

 

“Anyone who parts from Me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers.  Such branches are gathered into a pile and burned.”

 

“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.  This brings great glory to My Father.”

 

I have loved you even as the Father has loved Me. Remain in My love.”

 

“When you obey Me, you remain in My love, just as I obey My Father and remain in His love.”

 

“I have told you this so that you will be filled with My joy.  Yes, your joy will overflow!”

 

I command you to love each other in the same way that I love you.”

 

“And here is how to measure it – the greatest love is shown when people lay down their lives for their friends.”

 

“You are My friends if you obey Me.”

 

“I no longer call you servants, because a master doesn’t confide in His servants.  Now you are My friends, since I have told you everything the Father told Me.”

 

“You didn’t choose Me.  I chose you.  I appointed you to go and produce fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using My name.”

 

“I command you to love each other.”

 

Jesus’ words to His disciples are so plain.  He speaks in such a way that even a child can understand.  Jesus desires even for all to come to Him, even the children can know eternal life through Jesus.  The relationship we can have with Jesus frees us from the guilt and shame of our sin.  This gives us a deep joy.  We are free to love by the love God gives to us.  We want to obey God and extend His love to others because of the love He’s given us.  The greatest relationship we can ever have is to be one with Jesus and the Father.  This is the greatest friendship ever known to man.  It’s well worth what we must give up to follow Jesus.  There is nothing more valuable that this world offers that can compare to knowing Jesus and to be forgiven of our sin.  Jesus offers us life, but abundantly here and eternally in Heaven.  When we walk with Jesus we are changed from the inside out.  The fruit our lives produces come from being with Him.  The deep, abiding joy we have in Christ is one example of the fruit we will experience.  Other fruit is found in Galatians 5:22-23 – Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Gentleness, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, and Self Control.  We will see more of the attributes of Christ in us as we walk with Him.  We will be humble and obedient to the Father like Jesus. We will hate sin and be bold against it.  We will not be controlled by our feelings, by fear or by doubt, but by His word, by love for God and others by the power of the Holy Spirit.  These are all gifts of grace and mercy extended to all who will walk with Jesus.  Though we will sin, we will hate to sin and we will sin less and less, as we come to God for His help to change in those areas where we used to sin without care.  In Christ we will not want to sin, and we will follow  the principles of 1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sin to God, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sin and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”  This is not just a one-time event, but a life-long practice as we learn to walk with Christ in obedience. 

If we love Jesus, we’ll obey Him

John 14:15-30

“If you love Me, obey My commandments.”

 

“And I will ask the Father; and He will give you another Comforter, Who will never leave you.”

 

“He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth.  The world at large cannot receive Him, because 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.”

 

“In just a little while the world will not see Me again, but you will.  For I will live again, and you will, too.”

 

“When I am raised to life again, you will know that I am in My Father, and you are in Me, and I am in you.”

 

“Those who love Me, My Father will love them, and I will love them.  And I will reveal Myself to each one of them.”

 

Judas (not Iscariot, but the other disciple with that name) said to Him, “Lord, why are You going to reveal Yourself only to us and not to the world at large?”

 

Jesus replied, “All those who love Me will do what I say, My Father will love them, and we will come to them and live with them.”

 

“Anyone who doesn’t love Me will not do what I say.  And remember, My words are not My own.  This message is from the Father who sent Me.”

 

“I am telling you these things now while I am still with you.” 

 

“But when the Father sends the Counselor as My representative – and by the 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.  If you really love Me, you will be very happy for Me, because now I can go to the Father, Who is greater than I am.”

 

“I have told you these things before they happen so that you will believe when they do happen.”

 

“I don’t have much more time to talk to you, because the prince of this world approaches.  He has no power over Me,”

 

“but I will do what the Father requires of Me, so that the world will know that I love the Father.  Come, let’s be going.”

Don’t be troubled, Trust Jesus

John 14:1-14

[Jesus is with His disciples to share the Last Supper before He goes to the cross as the Passover Lamb.  Judas has already left to betray Him and Peter has just declared that he’s ready to die for Him, but Jesus tells him that instead he’ll deny Him three times before the rooster crows. Jesus  encourages and teaches His disciples about their future and the faith and hope they must have in Him.]

“Don’t be troubled.  You trusted God, now trust in Me.”

 

“There are many rooms in My Father’s house, and I am going to prepare a place for you.  If this were not so, I would tell you plainly.”

 

“When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with Me where I am.”

 

“And you know where I am going and how to get there.”

 

“No, we don’t know, Lord,” Thomas said.  “We haven’t any idea where you are going, so how can we know the way?”

 

Jesus told him, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.  No one can come to the Father except through Me.”

 

“If you had known who I am, then you would have known who My Father is.  From now on you know Him and have seen Him!”

 

Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and we will be satisfied.”

 

Jesus replied, “Philip, don’t you even yet know who I am, even after all the time I have been with you?  Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father!  So why are you asking to see Him?”

 

“Don’t you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me?  The words I say are not My own, but My Father who lives in Me does His work through Me.”

 

“Just believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me.  Or at least believe because of what you have seen Me do.”

 

“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 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!”

 

Again Jesus declares His Deity and His mission on this earth.  His disciples are not thinking about Heaven, but about this earth.  They can’t believe because they aren’t willing to believe that Jesus will die.  They are thinking like mere men with their hopes on what they see. They’re thinking Jesus will set up His kingdom on earth, so for Him to die just can’t be true in their minds. 

But after Jesus’ resurrection, when they see Him alive again after His crucifixion, they will believe Jesus’ words in a new way. They will truly understand that as the Messiah and the Lamb of God He fulfilled all righteousness by obeying the Father and giving Himself for our sins that He may redeem us back to God again.  The disciples will know first hand this deliverance.  Jesus will give them His Holy Spirit so that the work of God will be multiplied through the life of each disciple – even to this very day.  Jesus reassures them that He will always be with them.  Though they may not see Him after His ascension, He instructs them to ask for whatever they need and it will be theirs.  This will strengthen their faith in Him and they will be renewed in their spirits to do the work God has called for them to do.  This is true to this very day.  We’ve been given the spirit of God to teach us and to fill us to do the work of God as God’s instructed each of us to do.  As we draw closer to Him, and allow His word to live in us, we will know what His will for each of our lives.

 

Heavenly Father;

Thank You for the hope You’ve given us in the promises of Your word.  Thank You that Jesus was so patient with His disciples when they just weren’t grasping what He was telling them. Thank You that You’re so patient with us today. Thank You that You’ve given us Your Holy Spirit to help us and to guide us in all truth. Thank You that You have a plan for each of our lives.  Thank You that You want us to know You and to know Your will for our lives.  May we be seeking You and desiring to do Your will everyday.  Please fill us afresh with Your Holy Spirit.  Thank You for our pastors who love and serve You faithfully.  Thank You for the power of Your word that changes our hearts and lives.  Thank You for the many people who came to church this Resurrection Morning who don’t usually come.  Thank You that Your Holy Spirit did a might work in the hearts of those who were open to You.  Please continue to help those who struggle with their faith to know that You will help them if they will call out to You.  Please help them to believe in You, Lord Jesus.  Please help us to continue to ask You for those things we may think impossible, and for the faith to believe that You will do whatever we ask according to Your will.  Thank You for the mighty power of Your love that’s changing so many lives.  Please continue that good work You’re doing in Your church.  Be glorified Lord Jesus.  We love You!  In Your name we pray.  Amen.

By faith in Christ we are called God’s ‘Dear Children’

John 13:31-38

As soon as Judas left the room, Jesus said, “The time has come for Me, the Son of Man, to enter into My glory, and God will receive glory because of all that happens to Me.”

 

“And God will bring Me into My glory very soon.”

 

“Dear children, how brief are these moments before I must go away and leave you!  Then, though you search for Me, you cannot come to Me – just as I told the Jewish leaders.”

 

“So now I am giving you a new commandment:  Love each other.  Just as I have loved you, you should love each other.”

 

“Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are My disciples.”

 

Simon Peter said, “Lord, where are You going?”

 

“And Jesus replied, “You can’t go with me now, but you will follow Me later.”

 

“But why can’t I come now, Lord?” he asked.  “I am ready to die for You.”

 

Jesus answered, “Die for Me?” No, before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will deny three times that you even know Me.”

 

Jesus’ ‘TIME’ had come.  Before now when the Jewish leaders tried to have Him arrested and kill Him, they were not able to even touch Him because ‘His time had not yet come’  . . . God had planned for Jesus to leave Heaven and come to earth to live as a Man, being faced with all the temptations we are faced with, yet without sinning – then to go to the cross to pay for our sins as the Perfect Sacrifice.   Jesus was in His Father’s perfect plan, up until it was ‘HIS TIME’  to give His life on the cross. . . No one took Jesus’ life from Him.  He gave up His life for us in accordance with His Heavenly Father’s will and plan for Him.  He obeyed His Heavenly Father all the way to the cross.  Jesus was the perfect Lamb of God, without spot or blemish.  Only He could redeem us with His own blood.  This was the last sacrifice ever needed for sin.  From here on out anyone who sinned could come to Jesus, confess their sin and ask for His forgiveness with confidence that He would hear them. 1 John 1:9

 

Jesus had chosen His disciples and they had spent 3 years with Him as He taught them about God’s plan.  Over and over He’d spoken to them about His going to the cross and giving up His life according to the Scriptures.  The Scriptures had prophesied of Messiah’s death on the cross – the Lamb God provided to be sacrificed for sin (Gen.22:8) – but the disciples refused to believe this, as they were expecting Jesus’ kingdom to be on earth.  Their faith was weakened by their unbelief.  Jesus told them ahead of time this would happen. He also gave them hope and strengthened them after His resurrection.  After His resurrection, Jesus wanted His disciples to know that life would be different from that of the Mosaic Covenant  which had them offering sacrifices at the Temple for a covering for their sin each year at Passover.  Now Jesus would be the perfect Sacrifice, once for all.  Jesus was the Passover Lamb.  Faith in Jesus would provide a new Covenant Relationship with God.  Now life through the blood of Jesus would provide freedom of sin, once for all,  and the power to live obediently with God through His Holy Spirit Who is given to all believers in Christ upon conversion.  God’s love would now be the identifying mark distinguishing Believers in Christ from non-believers.  The power of God would be seen through Believer’s humility and obedience to God and seen through God’s love flowing through their lives toward one another.  God is glorified through each  heart surrendered to Christ.  This is God’s plan for all who receive Christ to this very day. 

 

“For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ.  It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes – Jews first and also Gentiles. This Good News tells us how God makes us right in HIs sight.  This is accomplished from start to finish by faith.  As the Scriptures say from Habakkuk 2:4, ‘It is through faith that a righteous person has life.” Romans 1:16- 17

 

Heavenly Father;

Thank You for Your plan of Salvation through faith in Christ.  Thank You for Jesus and His words recorded for us today that we may follow Him and learn from His obedience to You and Your perfect will accomplished through His obedience to go to the cross for our sins. 

May You be glorified in our lives and may we walk obediently with You according to Your perfect plan and will for our lives.  May we live in the power of Your Holy Spirit that our lives may bring You glory and honor.  Thank You for Your love and the love You give us through Your Holy Spirit that proves that we are Your disciples. 

May You be glorified in Your church.  Please strengthen and help our pastors to walk in the power of Your Holy Spirit that they may know Your will and speak boldly of You.  May they speak  Your words accurately that others may come to know You. 

We love You Lord Jesus.  Thank You for Your obedience to the Father and love given for us on the cross.  May we walk with You and may You be honored in our hearts, thoughts, words and in every area of our lives.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.

Jesus was in control over ‘His time’ to give His life for our sins

John 13:21-30

Now Jesus was in great anguish of spirit, and He exclaimed, “The truth is, one of you will betray Me!”

 

The disciples looked at each other, wondering whom He could mean. 

 

One of Jesus’ disciples, the one Jesus loved [John’s referring to himself], was sitting next to Jesus at the table.

 

Simon Peter motioned to him [John] to ask who would do this terrible thing.

 

Leaning toward Jesus, he [John] asked, “Lord, who is it?”

 

Jesus said, “It is the one to whom I give the bread dipped in the sauce,”  And when He had dipped it, He gave it to Judas, son of Iscariot.

 

As soon as Judas had eaten the bread, Satan entered into him.  Then Jesus told him, “Hurry.  Do it now.”

 

None of the others at the table knew what Jesus meant.

 

Since Judas was their treasurer, some thought Jesus was telling him to go and pay for the food or to give some money to the poor.

 

So Judas left at once, going out into the night.

Jesus, the Humble Servant

John 13:1-20

Before the Passover celebration, Jesus knew that His hour had come to leave this world and return to His Father.  He now showed the disciples the full extent of His love.

 

It was time for supper, and the Devil had already enticed Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to carry out his plan to betray Jesus.

 

Jesus new that the Father had given Him authority over everything and that He had come from God and would return to God.

 

So He got up from the table, took off His robe, wrapped a towel around  His waist,

 

and poured water into a basin. Then He began to wash the disciple’s feet and to wipe them with the towel He had around Him. 

 

When He came to Simon Peter, Peter said to Him, “Lord, why are You going to wash my feet?”

 

Jesus answered, “You don’t understand now why I am doing it; someday you will.”

 

“No,” Peter protested, “You will never wash my feet!”  Jesus replied, “A person who has bathed all over does not need to wash, except for the feet, to be entirely clean.  And you are clean, but that isn’t true of everyone here.”

 

For Jesus knew who would betray Him.  That is what He meant when He said, Not all of you are clean.”

 

After washing their feet, He put on His robe again and sat down and asked, “Do you understand what I was doing?”

 

“You call Me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and you are right, because it is true.”

 

“And since I, the Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet.”

 

“I have given you an example to follow.  Do as I have done to you.”

 

“How true it is that a servant is not greater than the master.  Nor are messengers more important than the one who sends them.”

 

“You knew these things – now do them!  That is the path of blessing.”

 

“I am not saying these things to all of you; I know so well each one of you I chose.  The Scriptures declare, ‘The one who shares My food has turned against Me,’ [Psalm 41:9] and this will soon come true.”

 

“I tell you this now, so that when it happens you will believe I am the Messiah.”

 

“Truly, anyone who welcomes My messenger is welcoming Me, and anyone who welcomes Me is welcoming My Father who sent Me.”