THE FAREWELL MESSAGES OF JESUS JOHN 13–20 Studies for Lent and other times
DAVID MULREADY
An imprint of Anglican Youthworks Published September 2021 Copyright Anglican Youthworks 2021 © David Mulready This book is copyright. Apart from fair dealing for the purposes of private study, research, criticism and review as permitted under the Copyright Act, no part of this book may be reproduced by any process without the express permission of the publisher. Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide. Used by permission. NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION® and NIV® are registered trademarks of Biblica, Inc. Use of either trademark for the offering of goods or services requires the prior written consent of Biblica US, Inc. PO Box A287 Sydney South NSW 1235 Australia P: +61 2 8268 3309 E: sales@youthworks.net W: youthworksmedia.net National Library of Australia ISBN: 978-1-925879-89-6 ISBN: 978-1-925879-90-2 (eBook) Managing editor: Rachel Macdonald Theological editor: Joanna Hayes Cover and internal design: Andrew Hope
This book is dedicated to the saints of Jamberoo Anglican Church with whom Maureen and I spent 20 months between 2012 and 2014. These studies had their origin there as a series of eleven sermons leading up to Easter.
CONTENTS Introduction
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Day 1
Jesus knew his hour had come John 13:1
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Day 2
An extraordinary demonstration of love John 13:2–5
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Day 3
The protester John 13:6–11
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Day 4
Blessed by God are the truly servant-hearted John 13:12–17
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Day 5
The act of betrayal is revealed John 13:18–30
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Day 6
Glory John 13:31–33
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Day 7
Love one another John 13:34–35
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Day 8
The prediction of further betrayal John 13:36–38
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Day 9
Preparation of our reserved room in heaven John 14:1–4
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Day 10
Only one way John 14:5–7
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Day 11
To know Jesus is to know the Father John 14:8–11
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Day 12
Living for God in the here and now John 14:12–14
23
Day 13
Proof of our love for God John 14:15
25
Day 14
Not left as orphans John 14:15–18
27
Day 15
Loved by God John 14:19–21
29
Day 16
A point of clarification John 14:22–24
31
Day 17
Fear not! John 14:25–27
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Day 18
Being prepared John 14:28–31
35
Day 19
Remaining connected to the vine John 15:1–4
37
Day 20
Fruitful branches John 15:5–8
39
Day 21
True joy John 15:9–11
41
Day 22
Love each other as I have loved you John 15:12–15
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Day 23
Friends chosen for a purpose John 15:16–17
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Day 24
Chosen out of the world John 15:18–25
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Day 25
You also must testify about me John 15:26–27
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Day 26
Warnings John 16:1–4
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Day 27
More about the work of the Spirit John 16:5–15
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Day 28
The disciples begin to see more clearly John 16:16–30
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Day 29
Do you now believe? John 16:31–33
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Day 30
Jesus’ prayer for God’s glory John 17:1–5
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Day 31
Jesus’ prayer for the disciples John 17:6–19, 25–26
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Day 32
Jesus’ prayer for those yet to become Christians John 17:20–24
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Day 33
Jesus’ arrest John 18:1–11
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Day 34
Jesus’ first court appearance John 18:12–14, 19–24
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Day 35
Peter’s denial of Jesus John 18:15–18, 25–27
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Day 36
Jesus’ second court appearance John 18:24, 28; Matthew 26:57–68; 27:1–2
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Day 37
Jesus’ third court appearance John 18:28—19:16
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Day 38
Jesus, our crucified Saviour John 19:16–42
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Day 39
Jesus, raised from the dead John 20:19–31
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Day 40
Jesus, ascended to heaven Acts 1:1–11
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Questions for group discussion or personal reflection
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Days 1–4: John 13:1–17
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Days 5–10: John 13:18—14:7
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Days 11–16: John 14:8–24
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Days 17–22: John 14:25—15:15
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Days 23–28: John 15:16—16:30
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Days 29–34: John 16:31—18:14
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Days 35–40: John 18:15—20:31; Acts 1:1–11
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Talk outlines
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Summary of Talk 1
Two types of washing and two acts of betrayal: John 13:1–38
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Summary of Talk 2
Setting the record straight: John 14:1–14
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Summary of Talk 3
Something to prove: John 14:15–31
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Summary of Talk 4
Friends and habits: John 15:1–17
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Summary of Talk 5
Three important things about being a Christian: John 15:18–27
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Summary of Talk 6
The Lord’s prayer: John 17
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VI
INTRODUCTION Farewells are often difficult, and it sometimes makes no difference whether they come without warning or whether plenty of notice is given. I think of a friend who died suddenly of a heart attack in his early fifties, unable to say farewell to his family before he died. I recall other friends whose families knew for months or even years that their cancer may well end their lives. They had time to say goodbye, but it was still incredibly hard. The Lord Jesus came to die. At the age of about thirty he commenced his brief three-year ministry: preaching, teaching, healing, casting out demons and performing various miracles. From the Gospels, we know that this was with his twelve disciples, whom he had chosen to accompany him. John the Apostle is one of four authors who recorded the life and ministry of Jesus. Of his twenty-one chapters, eight are devoted to the last days of Jesus’ earthly life: his betrayal, trials, crucifixion and resurrection. His public ministry was finished. As John records, ‘Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father’ (John 13:1). Chapters 13 to 17 of John are traditionally known as ‘the farewell discourse’. In early 2013, while I was the rector of the parish of Jamberoo, we preached a series of eleven sermons leading up to Easter that I titled ‘The Farewell Messages of Jesus’. Trevor, one of the wonderful wags in that church who preached a couple of the sermons, re-named them with an Aussie flavour as ‘The Hooroo Messages of Jesus’. How to use this book Over the next six weeks, I invite you to join me in seeing how lovingly and caringly Jesus prepared his friends for his death. You may be doing this as part of a small group, as a family or on your own. I have included seven sets of questions for group discussion or personal reflection. I have also included six outlines of talks, which may be helpful to some.
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If you are using the book in the lead-up to Easter, I pray that these daily devotions may be of encouragement and challenge in your own Christian life, as they have been to me. I’ve devoted the week before Easter to thinking about Jesus’ arrest, trials, crucifixion, resurrection and ascension. Of course, the studies can be used at any time, not just in preparation for Easter. May you be greatly blessed as you re-read John’s account, inspired by the Holy Spirit. John’s writings are the word of God, Scripture, and as such are ‘useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work’ (2 Timothy 3:16–17). David Mulready, Arcadia Vale, NSW
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DAY 1 Jesus knew his hour had come
JOHN 13:1 Chapter 13 of John begins: ‘It was just before the Passover Festival’. This festival was the annual celebration of the escape of the Jews from Egypt under the leadership of Moses in about 1300 BC. A record of the inauguration of the Passover can be found in Exodus 12. Verse 14 in that chapter says, ‘This is a day you are to commemorate; for the generations to come you shall celebrate it as a festival to the Lord, a lasting ordinance’. We know the timing of these events. There were several occasions during the public ministry of Jesus when his enemies tried unsuccessfully to arrest or kill him (John 7:30, 44; 10:31–39; 11:53). They were unsuccessful because, as John writes, ‘his hour had not yet come’ (7:30; 8:20). Jesus’ life would not be taken from him. Rather, he would lay down his life (John 15:13). However, on this occasion in today’s verse, ‘Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father’. Jesus had about thirty-three years earlier come from the Father whom he had been with from the beginning (John 1:1, 14). Jesus has always existed—there was never a moment when he did not exist—but his time dwelling among us in the flesh was nearly completed. Jesus would in a few days return to the Father and rule until he returns as the judge of all. Then he will gather Christians who have died and those who are still alive, and be with them forever (1 Thessalonians 4:13–18). Jesus knew that the time had come for him to lay down his life and carry the sins of the world on the cross. He knew what
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lay ahead of him—and yet he didn’t go into hiding or gather the troops to fight off those who would arrest him. He knew that he would be betrayed, not just by Judas but in some sense by all of the Twelve. He knew of the three mock trials which lay ahead and the physical abuse he would suffer. He knew that he would be nailed to a cross and executed, probably naked, for all to see. He knew that he would be forsaken by the Father on account of our sin that he bore for us. The next phrase in verse 1, ‘having loved his own who were in the world’, could refer to his mother and sisters and brothers, but also includes the twelve disciples whom he had chosen to be with him (perhaps even a wider group of disciples). The word John uses for love is agape: sacrificial, selfless and self-giving love. We’ll see over the next couple of days an expression of that love in John 13:2–17. But today, let’s remember that Jesus was in control of the timing and circumstances of his suffering and death, and that it was for us.
Prayer Heavenly Father, thank you that you sent your dear Son to live among us and to suffer and die in our place. Thanks for his sacrificial love, which took him to the cross before his return to be with you. Help us to live lives which honour him. Amen.
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