Day 308 – Jesus’ Passover Teachings

• Jesus’ teachings at the Passover evening conclude in our readings today with some of His greatest teachings of love – His love to us, ultimately shown in His upcoming death, and how our love for Him should extend to all those around us.
• What is the “new commandment” Jesus gave in the first passage? Leviticus 19:18 already commanded the Jews to love their neighbour, so what do you think was “new” about this command? Think of our hearts, rather than legal requirements.
• We’ll read about Peter’s denial of Jesus in time, but it’s worth mentioning Jesus’ reference to it in John 13. Do you think it’s comforting to see the disciple’s mistakes, and slowness to understand Jesus? Does it give us hope?
• John 14 is often read at Christian funerals. Why do you think this is? If Jesus really is “the way, the truth and the life”, do you think they would be comforting words to hear at funerals?
• John 14:6 is one of Jesus’ hardest sayings, even if you trust it yourself. What is it saying that the world around us does not? Why do you think it offends people?
• Verse 15 is great. Read it carefully! It does NOT say “if you keep my commandments, I will love you”, does it? What does it say instead? Why do Christians keep Jesus’ commandments? How does this verse differ from many other religious attitudes?
• John 14:16-31 speak profoundly about the Trinity. Some of the greatest minds struggle with everything these verses say, so don’t worry about the details, but note that the more we know Jesus, the more of the Trinity we’ll appreciate. Jesus is shown as the perfect Son. The Spirit comes into our hearts and leads us towards a deeper relationship with the Father. How wonderful it is to know that we can be a part of the love shared by the Father, Son and Spirit for all eternity.

Jesus makes bold claims, doesn’t He? He (and therefore the Christian faith) doesn’t say that there are many ways to God, or that we have a journey in our life to find our own idea of truth. “I am the Way, the Truth and the Light”, says Jesus, which means He is the only way, and the only speaker of truth, and the only light this world needs.

People don’t like hearing that.

Jesus’ words would be words of foolishness if spoken by any regular person. But Jesus isn’t just any man. Not four days from Him saying these words, He rose from the clutches of death in victory. Jesus didn’t just “talk the talk” – he was about to walk the painful walk to the cross too. We don’t have to have blind faith in empty words. We can trust in the historical event of his glorious resurrection.