John 13-17

Today's study is over what scholars call the Upper Room Discourse. It is a tremendous source for understanding the heart and vision of Jesus as he approaches the cross. The disciples don't know it, but Jesus is giving them parting gifts before he goes. The first is a model of leadership as he, the host, washes the disciples' feet. If you have ever been part of a footwashing, for many people (including myself) there is a profound experience of vulnerablity for the one who has his or her feet washed (just like Peter). Some will actually be moved to tears. If, as a teacher, you wished to do a footwashing as part of your class, the class should know each other well and you should consider whether they are ready. Sometimes, I have substituted handwashing, even using it in worship services (which seems to be a little more comfortable). Jesus invites them to wash each other's feet. We don't know if they actually did it at that time, but the object lesson is clear. To follow Christ is to lead not in power dominance but in sacrificial service. A good combination with John 13 is Philippians 2:1-11 under the theme of "downward mobility." The intimacy of those moments is followed by Jesus' predictions of both his betrayal by Judas and his denial by Peter. Part 1 of the betrayal has already taken place, but now Judas leaves to set up the arrest. John mentions that this happened at night, so that we are made aware that the arrest will be illegal. As John writes this, looking back some sixty years, how powerful he must have felt those events and how they shaped his life and the lives of his fellow disciples. Most likely, he is the only one that is now alive and he will be the only one, at least according to church tradition, that will die a natural death. This theme of servant love will be the key metaphor for the rest of John's writings.

Chapter 14 introduces "the plan" for what follows Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection. When Jesus "goes to the Father", they will be able to do greater things than Jesus (vs. 12). How? Jesus says he will send "another counselor" or "another advocate." In the Greek this is a paraclete, one called along side to help. There are two words for another in the Greek. One is heteros which means "another of a different kind." The other is allos, which means "another of the same kind." Allos is what is used here. In sending the Holy Spirit, Jesus sending one like himself, who will be along side them just like he has been. Only now he is portable, within every believer. That's how verse 12 is fulfilled. We can't outdo raising people from the dead, but the transforming power of Christ is no longer limited to one person and the overall impact is far greater than what Jesus did. The Holy Spirit becomes the one who then guides, teaches and convicts us when necessary. There is an excess to be avoided here, which the early church discovered quickly. What the Holy Spirit teaches us must be measured against what the scriptures say and what God is teaching others. We don't follow Jesus in isolation. Jesus promises the gift of peace, not the absence of conflict, but a contentment of soul that carries us in good times and bad.

The vine and the branches teaching in chapter 15 is one of the great passages of the entire bible. The main issue is being connected to Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit. What we do or say apart from that connection is fruitless according to Christ's point of view. The "pruning" illustration is tough, because none of us likes to be "cut back" and learn difficult character lessons. This passage lends itself to object lessons in your teaching (e.g. rose bushes, vines, etc.). For me, this is one of the key passages to offer in helping people have a balanced and healthy self-concept. Our greatness is not found in talking ourselves into feeling good about ourselves, it is found in our connection with Christ who chose us first and loved us so much that he found us worth dying for. The last part of the chapter is about the cost of following Jesus. Jesus says in 15:20b-21,"No servant is greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching they will obey yours also. They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do now know the One who sent me." How will you and the people you teach deal with the issue of rejection when it comes to becoming a fully devoted follower of Jesus Christ? Most of us are consummate people pleasers.

Chapter 16 goes further into the role of the Holy Spirit. It's kind of neat to think about Jesus providing an inner tutor after he's gone. For the disciples, this is all very cryptic and wierd, but John now looks back and understands. Jesus predicts that they will all abandon him and scatter, which they will do in less than 12 hours.

We call Matthew 6:9-13 "the Lord's Prayer" (which is also in Luke without the tag ending), but it is really "the disciples' prayer". The real Lord's Prayer is in John 17. It is first of all a prayer of relinquishment of the disciples to the Lord's care. Love involves letting go and Jesus is doing that. But having this prayer help us understand more of who we are as followers of Jesus. Jesus prays, "My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it."

The last part of the prayer is for you and me, as well as all the generations to follow him. It is that the church becomes one, one with Christ and the Father and one with each other in unity. Jesus prayer gives us our job description: By the power of the Holy Spirit we are to be Christ in the world: healing the sick of mind, body and spirit; sharing and demonstrating God's kingdom in our daily lives; teaching the truth of Christ;serving those around us; reconciling those who have become fractured in relationships;speaking and bringing hope to the hopelss; and transforming our world, offering our very lives. Romans tells us that Christ still intercedes for us with the Father.

Now you have a day off before we experience John's version of the passion of Christ. This passage has really been all about love, not a bad study for Valentine's Day weekend. May the love of Christ be with you and make sure to tell those around you about Christ's love and how much you cherish them.