BACKTRACKING TO ‘GOOD’ FRIDAY, lesson 5

(6 p m ‘Thursday’ to 6 p m Friday)
LESSON 5: The Upper Room Discourse as reported by John
April 13, 2010

Reading for today:
John 14 - 17

John 14 Jesus comforts his disciples
Jesus teaches He is the way to the Father
Jesus promises the Holy Spirit
John 15 Teaches he is the vine and we are the branches
Explains that the world will hate his disciples
John 16 Tells them he is telling them in advance to they won’t go astray
Explains the work of the Holy Spirit
John 17 Prays for himself
Prays for his disciples
Prays for all future believers (that’s us, folks)


I watched a fair amount of The Master’s Cup Tournament with Al. Do you know what Golf stood for when the word was originally coined? It was an acronym for Guys Only Ladies Forbidden. Well – this night was obviously a guys-only-ladies-forbidden night too.

These chapters record the final messages for those Yeshua loves most dearly on his final night – and within hours of being brutally beaten and hung on a cross to die a miserable death. Dying messages. I’ve never read these chapters from that perspective before. It changes them, reading them as the dinner conversation Jesus shared with his disciples on that last night….

Someone I care deeply for told me – not so long ago – that when Jesus declared ‘I am the way, the truth and the life’ – that he was saying he was showing them a simple way to live that they should mimic…. I would not decry simple living – it has a lot of value, for where the treasure is there the heart will be also – but that isn’t what he was saying here. He’s telling them pure and simply that belief in him is the absolutely only way to get to the Father. Jesus as ‘the way’ is the only way to eternal life. The messages Jesus left with them as his final words oozed love…and oodles of important information, including:

My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.
You are my friends if you do what I command.
I chose you to go and bear fruit.
This is my command: Love each other.
You will be hated by the world.
The Holy Spirit is promised.
Their grief will turn to joy.
Warns them that in this world they will have trouble – but He has overcome the world.

Jesus prays for himself, but makes such a clear theological statement in the process that there can be no doubt that eternal life is through him alone;
He prays for them, praying for their protection and unity in Him;
and He prays for future believers – again for unity.

He covers all the bases that need to be covered, reinforcing the message He came to earth to bring. Reading this from the perspective of the reality of when it was spoken makes it so much more tender. Jesus’ care for them in these last moments before all hell broke loose is monumental.

And – with a song and these prayers that John shares – they went out into the night.
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I want to mention just a little more about Chapter 15. In the midst of the myriad of reminders, Jesus tells them that he is the true vine - and his Father is the gardener. He uses a word-picture that they - and we - can understand. We have to be 'in him.' We can do nothing without him. God will cut off every branch that bears no fruit. Christianity is not an 'I got mine - so good luck to the rest of you' religion. It is a relationship. Just as the branches are connected to the trunk - so we are connected relationally - first and foremost to God - but also to each other. We are grafted in - and as long as we are connected to Him - and produce fruit - we are a healthy part of the tree.

God will prune us to make us more fruitful. Being pruned is not fun - it is painful - but God prunes us precisely so we can be more fruitful. He knows what is deadwood to us. He constantly leads us. He directs our paths. He speaks to us.

God speaks to us in several ways. He speaks in different ways to different people - but two foundational ways are through His Word - and in prayer. He speaks to some through dreams; some through visions. I think that is very cool! He also can speak through others - but He has to confirm what He is saying through His Holy Spirit to me. I know I am not to rely on someone else being my connection to hearing Him. In fact - for a little bunny trail - when I was a Youth Leader, I told the kids to check out everything they heard me say or the pastor say against God's Word - - never to take anything someone else said as the truth without confirming it by His Word.

For me, in addition to speaking to me through the words of His written Word, He speaks in a still, small voice inside my head - but it is a voice I recognize clearly, and His thoughts are different than my own. I recognize his 'voice,' - and it never conflicts with His written Word....that is the test. In fact - that is the test for all of the insights God gives. They will always line up with His Word, the Bible. Anything that adds to or takes away from that written Word is not God speaking.... He will illumine what is already there - but there will never be 'new' information. It is complete as is. False religions include those that add to the written Word of God with 'newly revealed knowledge.' That is a huge red flag. Lights and sirens and bells and whistles should all go off in our heads if we hear someone teach anything different than the Word of God - or hear anyone twist God's Word to say something it doesn't clearly say.

Once long ago when I said that God speaks to me, my daughter thought I meant audibly. It is as clear as audible - but it is not an external voice. And - God often gives me 'large life messages' in Charlotte's Web fashion: Recent examples include: 'Contend for what I contend for.' And on another day last fall: 'Persevere.' When 9/11 occurred and I was praying, wondering if it was 'the end,' God spoke to me and said, 'Keep on keeping on. Occupy until I come.' On a more daily level, he communes with me as I walk through my day, assuring me of His presence, bringing songs or scriptures to mind, nudging me when I need nudging, cautioning me when I need caution, leading, guiding, nurturing. My point is: I know His voice, and treasure my relationship with Him. I am humbled that He wants to be in relationship with me.

And - this passage, instructs and informs me - compels me to see His enormous love. 'Now remain in my love.' The choice is up to us.... 'If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love....'

Lord, help me hear and help me obey. Help me love as you have taught me to love. I know I can’t do it perfectly; but I can be intentional in trying. With His help, I can make a difference in the world.



My thanks for this humor goes to Pastor Dan: (Lola’s revised edition:)

A grandma was out for a walk with her four-year-old granddaughter. The child picked a piece of partially wrapped candy up off the ground and started to put it into her mouth, when the Grandma stopped her and took the item away.

“Why can’t I have it?” the granddaughter asked.

“Because it has been on the ground. You don’t know where it’s been. It probably has germs, and it’s dirty,” the Grandma replied.

At this point the little girl looked up at her Grandma with total admiration and exclaimed, “Grandma, you’re so smart! How do you know all this stuff?”

“Well,” her Grandma replied, thinking quickly, “All Grandmas know this stuff. It’s on the ‘Grandma Test.’ You have to know this stuff or they don’t let you be a Grandma.”

That seemed to satisfy the child – and the two walked on in silence for a few minutes; but apparently the little girl was processing this bit of new information, for suddenly a smile brightened her face and the joy of discovery was expressed in her observation: “Oh, I get it! She beamed. It you don’t pass the test, then you have to be the Grandpa!”

“Exactly,” the Grandma replied, with a big smile on her face….