John 13-21

Adult Quarterly
SUNDAY SCHOOL
WINTER QUARTER, 2008-2009
What Did Jesus Do?

Christs Mission for His People
A Study in John 1321
Writer: David Robinson
EDITOR IN CHIEF:
Larry E. Clements
larryclements@abaptist.org
BUSINESS MANAGER:
QUARTERLY AIM: The pupil will grow in understanding of what Jesus did and deepen his commitment
to serve Christ.
Wayne Sewell
wsewell@abaptist.org
PRODUCTION EDITOR:
Sally McInvale
ADULT EDITOR:
Jim Jones
CHILDRENS EDITOR:
Libby Gill
DECEMBER
7He
14He
21He
28He
Humbled Himself . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Prepared for Departure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
Promised Another Comforter . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
Assured Fruitfulness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26
ILLUSTRATOR:
Connie Spears
GRAPHIC ARTISTS:
Shawn Blase, Jeff Allen,

Greg Hilterbrand, Gerald
Martin, Ashley Carozza
LAYOUT DESIGNERS:
Bonita McKnight, Kyle Elkins,

Cindy Butler
CONTENT EDITORS:
Terry McKellar, Carolyn Burks,
Deby Turrentine
PRINT PRODUCTION:
JANUARY
4He
11He
18He
25He
Warned of Persecution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33

Guaranteed Guidance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40
Revealed His Death . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47
Interceded for Saints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55
Charles Easley
FEBRUARY
COVER DESIGN:
1He
8He
15He
22He
Jeff Allen
Copyright 2008
Baptist Sunday School
Committee
4605 N. State Line Ave.
Texarkana, TX 75503-2928
www.abaptist.org
1-800-264-2482
Yielded Himself . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63

Bore His Cross . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72
Arose from the Tomb . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .80
Commanded His Disciples . . . . . . . . . . . . . .88
2009
John 1321
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Jude
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2017
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2018
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American Baptist Association

Through-the-Bible Series Sunday School Lessons
Ephesians
1 Timothy
2 Timothy
Titus
Jeremiah
Lamentations
2 Kings 24; 25
2 Chronicles 36
John 112
December 7, 2008
He Humbled Himself
Text: John 13:1-30
Focus: John 13:1-17
Sunday Devotional: He Became Poor, Making Many Rich, 2

Corinthians 8:9.
Key Verse:
Now before the feast of the
passover, when Jesus knew that
his hour was come that he should
depart out of this world unto the
Father, having loved his own
which were in the world, he loved
them unto the end.
John 13:1
Application: Jesus is the perfect picture of humility. He set

the pattern for every believer to
follow as He selflessly and sacrificially served others. Whom do
you serve?
A FIRST LOOK
Jesus Christ is the Creator of the world. He made all
things that are and without Him nothing was made that
exists (John 1:3). He was rightly hailed as the Messiah and
the King of Israel. Yet, Jesus did not come into Jerusalem to
rule as a king; He came to die as our Savior. The first significant thing about the lesson today is Jesus humbled Himself.
As we live, situations and circumstances can often humble
us. We can be humbled by other people in our lives as they
act and react quite differently than we expect.
But no situation is ever beyond the control of our Lord. No
human being has had more power or authority than He did.
He literally chose to do everything He did, and He chose to
humble Himself. Jesus took on Himself the form of the lowliest of servants.
Daily Devotionals
The second thing we
M. Prediction of the Betrayal, John 13:18-30.
should note is there is a pro- T. The Pattern of Humility, Philippians 2:5-8.
cess. This is not a random W. No Vainglory, Philippians 2:1-4.
series of events. Everything T. Preferring One Another, Romans 12:9-16.
Jesus did teaches us a great F. Please Others First, Romans 15:1-3.
S. Serve To Gain, 1 Corinthians 9:19-22.
lesson and the order of
3
He Humbled Himself
events is instructive as well. Voluntary humility must be

first, then spiritual cleansing will follow, and the result will
be happiness.
This sinful world will exactly reverse this order. We think
once we achieve happiness we can find spiritual righteousness, and, if we choose, we can be humble. The worlds order
of things will never work. It will produce human misery, not
true happiness. In Jesus, the way to rewards is to become the
servant of all, not the ruler.
A CLOSER LOOK
I. Knowledge
John 13:1-3
1. Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his
hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the
Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them
unto the end.
2. And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart
of Judas Iscariot, Simons son, to betray him;
3. Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands,
and that he was come from God, and went to God.
In these verses we see the things Jesus knew His disciples

had not yet grasped. Jesus had plainly told His disciples that
He would go to Jerusalem, suffer many things, be crucified
and rise again on the third day. But these prophetic words
fell on deaf ears (Luke 9:22). Jesus came into Jerusalem to
die for the sins of the world; the disciples came to observe one
more Passover.
Jesus knew His hour, or time, had come. God is not bound
by time in the way we are, but He bound Himself to timing.
God sent Jesus into the world when the fullness of time was
come and Jesus ministry proceeded according to a time
schedule. That schedule was not known to men, but it was
known to our Lord. Jesus had previously stated that His hour
had not come and how He knew now that it had. Jesus knew
He would soon leave this world and return to His Father in
Heaven.
Text: John 13:1-30
Jesus also knew that He loved those who were His own. The
love God has for us is not circumstantial or limited to a time and
a place. The actions of Jesus were motivated by His love for His
own. This is a great example to any teacher or leader. There is
no better thing a teacher can do than to love those he teaches.
But the love of Jesus and the work of Jesus did not exclude
the activities of Satan. Jesus also knew Satan was at work in
the heart of Judas. Perhaps Judas did not initially intend to
betray Jesus. Certainly, Judas did not begin to follow Jesus
knowing that in a few years his own life would end in disgrace.
But Satan is a liar and he lied to Judas. Judas believed money
would solve his problems. He was greedy when the ointment
was poured out in the home of Lazarus and he was greedy
when offered a chance to make money by betraying Jesus.
Jesus knew the Father had given all things into His hand.
Jesus is in control of the earth and all that is in it. Often, it
may seem to us that things are out of control, but they never
truly are. The next few days would be chaotic from the view
of the disciples, but, from Jesus standpoint, they proceeded
according to a strict plan as He knew they would.
Jesus also knew where He came from and where He was
going. He endured the shame of the cross because of the glory
that was waiting for Him in eternity. When His redemptive
work on earth was finished, Jesus knew He would return to
Heaven to be with His Father.
There is a wonderful comfort in the simple fact we will go
to Heaven when we die. That fact should put a smile on your
lips and a spring in your step, no matter what else may happen to you. Life can indeed be filled with troubles. The next
few days would be days of heartbreak and trial for Jesus; yet,
at the end of it He returned to Heaven. We can face our trials
secure in the knowledge that, because of our faith in Jesus, we
will one day be taken to the presence of God Himself. What a
wonderful and comforting knowledge.
II. Service
John 13:4-12
4. He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a
towel, and girded himself.
He Humbled Himself
5. After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash

the disciples feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was
girded.
6. Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him,
Lord, dost thou wash my feet?
7. Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not
now; but thou shalt know hereafter.
8. Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus
answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.
9. Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my
hands and my head.
10. Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash
his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all.
11. For he knew who should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are
not all clean.
12. So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments,
and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done
to you?
With these thoughts in His mind, Jesus rose from supper

and began to perform the most menial of tasks. He took off
His outer garments and took a towel and began to wash the
feet of His surprised disciples. This was a kind of service that
no Hebrew, even a Hebrew slave, would be asked to perform.
A Gentile slave might, but no Jew would be required by
another Jew to stoop this low. Jesus was performing the most
humble and menial task imaginable in that day.
The man who held all things in His hands and could do
anything He chose, picked up a towel and washed feet. This
is a great lesson for us today. Often our pride keeps us from
serving. We may think the task at hand is beneath us, or we
may think those we are serving are not worthy of our service.
Either way, when we refuse to humble ourselves, we lose a
blessing.
When Jesus came to Peter, He found the first overt resistance to this ministry. At first Peter did not want Jesus to
wash his feet. Jesus patiently explained that Peter would
understand all this in the future, and, if Jesus did not wash
his feet, Peter would have no part with Jesus. Peter then
went overboard and asked Jesus to wash his feet, hands and
head. This shows clearly Peter did not understand what
Text: John 13:1-30
Jesus was doing, but like most of us, this did not keep him
from stating his opinions.
Jesus patiently explained what His actions were symbolizing. Jesus was teaching His disciples the importance of
maintaining fellowship with God. When a sinner trusts
Jesus as Savior, he has his sins washed away and forgiven
(Titus 3:3-7). That transaction is permanent and will never
need to be repeated. But, as a believer walks in this world, he
or she can become partially defiled. Such a person does not
need to be bathed all over again; he simply needs to have
that defilement cleansed away. God promised to give us this
cleansing when we confess our sins to Him (1 John 1:9).
When God cleanses us in salvation, this results in a permanent union with Christ. This is a settled relationship which
cannot change. It is settled once and for all. However, our fellowship with Christ depends on our keeping ourselves
unspotted from the world (James 1:27). If we have unconfessed and unforgiven sin in our lives, we interrupt our fellowship with the Lord, and that is when we need to have our
feet washed.
Peter would learn this lesson painfully when he denied
Jesus three times in one night. We should learn an important
lesson from the actions of Peter. Do not question the Lords
will or work, and do not try to change it. Jesus knew what He
was doing. Peter may have had a difficult time letting Jesus
wash his feet because Peter himself was not willing to minister to others in this same way. It takes humility and grace
to serve others, but it also takes humility and grace to allow
others to serve us. The beautiful thing about a truly submissive spirit is that it can give as well as receive and do both to
the glory of God.
III. Happiness
John 13:12-17
12. So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments,
and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done
to you?
13. Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am.
He Humbled Himself
14. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also
ought to wash one anothers feet.
15. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have
done to you.
16. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his
lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.
17. If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.
Jesus then asked His disciples whether they understood

what had happened. Knowing they did not comprehend, He
explained this example of service to them.
Jesus was indeed their Lord and Master. But, if He willingly humbled Himself and washed their feet in submissive
service, they should be willing to do as He had done. In this
incident Jesus gave us an example of humble service on any
level, not a specific command to imitate this particular
action. We do not find this practice repeated among other
churches mentioned later in the Bible. It is not mentioned or
taught in the church epistles. The two church ordinances are
baptism and the Lords Supper. In fact, foot washing was not
an ordinary practice in early Jewish homes. It was done, but
it was not required. Foot washing was a sign of special affection on the part of a host. This event occurred after the meal
was completed, not when these men first entered the room.
Jesus wanted His disciples to get this picture of humble
service, but, more than that, He wanted them to imitate this
example in the thousands of ways they could serve each
other. True happiness is not in understanding alone; it also
requires practice. In fact, understanding without practice is
usually frustrating to all involved.
A FINAL WORD
The great principle taught here is that the servant is not
above his master. If Jesus could humble Himself and serve
others in a menial task with no thought of reward, we should
be willing to do as He did.
This kind of humble service will be unconscious. You cannot take pride in your humility. In Matthew 25:31-46, Jesus
Text: John 13:1-30
told about people who had helped others and served Him
without knowing they were doing it. True humility is not
thinking lowly about yourself; it is not thinking of yourself at
all. True humility is doing what is right because it is right,
with no thought about position or pride.
In a world where men are constantly concerned about their
image and status, Jesus gave this contrary but refreshing
example of a King who was willing to perform the lowliest of
tasks to teach those He loved a valuable lesson about service.
Most of these men never forgot what Jesus did that night.
Judas was there and this whole incident made no impression on him. Satan had taken over his evil heart, and he was
no longer considering the lessons Jesus was teaching.
There is no job that is beneath us. The only promotion in
the service of the Lord is to be a servant of more people. In
Gods sight it does not matter how many people work for you
or with you, it only matters how many you serve. Opportunities for service are everywhere and they are eternally rewarding. Remember it is usually the CEO who has the
ulcers and stress, not the janitor.
FOR CLASS DISCUSSION

1. When you reflect on the actions of Jesus as He took the
place of a servant and washed the feet of His disciples, how
does it affect you?
2. What do you think the disciples thought as Jesus made
His way around washing their feet?
3. What humbling acts of service can we do for our
brethren as we emulate Jesus?
4. Discuss the difference between doing what Jesus did
and doing as Jesus did (John 13:15) in washing the feet of
His disciples.
December 14, 2008
He Prepared
for Departure
Text: John 13:3114:14
Key Verse:
In my Fathers house are
many mansions: if it were
not so, I would have told
you. I go to prepare a place
for you.
John 14:2
Focus: John 13:3114:6
Sunday Devotional: The New Commandment in Practice, 1 John 3:10-14.

Application: Jesus glorified the Father
through His life and death. He offers
eternal life, His presence, power and a
place in Heaven to all who come to God
through Him. He alone is the way.
A FIRST LOOK
Jesus was with His disciples in the same room where He
washed their feet when the lessons taught here were given.
But an important thing had happened. Judas had left the
room. John tells us it was dark when this happened. It was
dark in the world, and it was dark in the heart of Judas. In
the face of Jesus wonderful example of humility, Judas had
gone out to betray Him. He had completely missed the point
of Jesus life and teachings.
As soon as Judas left, Jesus began to prepare the hearts
of His disciples for His coming death, burial and resurrection and His return to Heaven. With a few words Jesus
changed the subject from humility and service to the glory
of God. There is no contradiction here. Those who truly seek
the glory of God will be
Daily Devotionals
humble and submissive in
M. Jesus and the Father Are One, John 14:7-14.
their service to God and T. His Offering for Sin, Isaiah 53:10-12.
their fellowmen.
W. Practice Brotherly Love, Romans 12:9, 10.
We often hear the com- T. The Only Way to God, Hebrews 10:19-22.
forting words of chapter 14 F. The Truth Is in Jesus, Ephesians 4:21-24.
S. The Life Is in the Son, 1 John 5:11, 12.
out of context. These words
10
Text: John 13:3114:14
11
are powerful and comforting on their own. They contain some

of the greatest promises in the Bible, but they are even more
striking when we observe them as they were given.
The idea here is perspective. From the human perspective,
Jesus ministry was a lost cause. He would die soon and
Judas was merely abandoning a sinking ship. But from Gods
point of view, the glory of God was about to be made known
to all men. Jesus was approaching not only the ultimate
point in His life on earth; He was approaching the focal point
of all human history. The cross is the defining moment in all
the affairs of mankind.
Even at this great time, Jesus still cared for those He had
called to follow Him, and He instructed them patiently and
tenderly concerning the days ahead.
A CLOSER LOOK
I. A New Commandment
John 13:31-35
31. Therefore, when he was gone out, Jesus said, Now is the Son of
man glorified, and God is glorified in him.
32. If God be glorified in him, God shall also glorify him in himself,
and shall straightway glorify him.
33. Little children, yet a little while I am with you.Ye shall seek me:
and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come; so now I say
to you.
34. A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
35. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love
one to another.
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus warned about casting

pearls before swine. He put that warning into practice by
waiting until Judas had left to teach these truths to His disciples. His first subject was the glory of God.
From a human standpoint, the next few days of Jesus life,
and His coming death were times of horrible failure. He
12
He Prepared for Departure
would be despised and rejected of men, and He would die a

horrible death on the cross. Of all those Jesus had helped and
taught, only a few would be with Him in this dark hour. At
the last, even God would forsake Him. But from a heavenly
standpoint, this was the hour for which Jesus came into the
world. The cross stands as the centerpiece of human history.
Jesus stood as a Lamb slain from the foundation of the
world (Rev. 13:8), and all Heaven was waiting for this
promised event to become history.
Now we look at the cross as a defining point in human existence. We do this without even realizing it. When we look at
a calendar, it is dated BC or AD. The dividing line between
the two is the life and death of Jesus.
Jesus desire and goal was to glorify the Father and for God
to be glorified in Him. He accomplished this in the same way
His followers have through the years. God is glorified when
we do His will. Jesus glorified His Father while He was on
earth by completing the work God gave Him to do. He was
now going to the cross to die for the sins of the world, and, in
doing so, He was acting in obedience to His Father and glorifying Him.
The simple truth of 1 Samuel 15:22 is that obedience is
better than anything else we can offer God. In the next few
days Jesus would have many opportunities to put His will
above the will of God. But He would pass every test, and God
would be glorified in His death as God had been glorified in
His life.
Then Jesus told His disciples that they would seek Him
but would not be able to find Him. He had twice before told
this to the Jews. Jesus told those who had faithfully followed
Him for so long that now He must go on alone. His disciples
could not go where He was going. They would eventually be
together again, but for a while Jesus had to walk alone.
Then Jesus gave the disciples a new commandment. This
commandment was not new in the sense that it had never
been taught before. This was not the first time God had
taught people to love each other. Leviticus 19:18 teaches us
that we should love our neighbors as we love ourselves. This
Text: John 13:3114:14
13
commandment was new in the sense that, once Jesus died on

the cross, love would take on a new meaning. When the Holy
Spirit came, love took on a new power. Jesus did not only love
others as He loved Himself. He loved them more than that.
His love went beyond the capacity of legal or human love.
Jesus loved with the divine self-sacrificing love that available only as a gift from the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 13:13).
The power of this love is taught in the amazing truth in
verse 35. When we exercise God-given love toward each other,
the whole world will know we are the disciples of Jesus. This
love is exclusive. It is not found in the world and it is not
found in other religions. This kind of love is a gift from God,
and it is given to those who will place their personal faith in
Jesus Christ.
It is the best thing we can do for a lost and dying world.
II. Peters Question
John 13:36-38
36. Simon Peter said unto him, Lord, whither goest thou? Jesus
answered him, Whither I go, thou canst not follow me now; but thou
shalt follow me afterwards.
37. Peter said unto him, Lord, why cannot I follow thee now? I will
lay down my life for thy sake.
38. Jesus answered him, Wilt thou lay down thy life for my sake?
Verily, verily, I say unto thee, The cock shall not crow, till thou hast
denied me thrice.
Peter did not want Jesus to wash his feet, and now Peter
did not want to be told not to follow Jesus. Peter had impulsively questioned what Jesus was doing before, and now He
questioned what Jesus was teaching. Peters question was
Why? It is a characteristic of human nature to want to do
things that are denied us. Tell someone not to do something,
or that they cannot do something, or worse, dare them to do
something and all kinds of foolishness will be the result.
No doubt Peter had taken his following Jesus for granted.
He had just assumed that he would go where Jesus went and
be in on everything Jesus did. Now Jesus plainly told Peter
14
and the others that they could not go at this time where He
was going.
Peter added to this by making a rash and hasty declaration. He pledged to lay down his life for Jesus. At the time
Peter had no idea he would be required to actually put his life
on the line. It is easy to offer to sacrifice things you think you
will never have to give up. But Jesus knew what was ahead,
and He told Peter that, in a matter of hours, he would deny
Him three times.
Peter did indeed do as Jesus said. Peter was not thinking
about the possible trials in the hours ahead, but Jesus was.
Jesus knew what lay ahead for Him and for His disciples and
He was trying to prepare the hearts of these He loved for the
rough times ahead.
It is evident that Peter did not listen to what Jesus taught
here. When Jesus was arrested in the garden, Peter followed
Jesus even though Jesus had plainly said the disciples
presently could not go where He was going. Peter then found
himself in the courtyard of the high priest, and it was there
he first denied the Lord. If Peter had listened to Jesus, he
would not have attempted to go where Jesus went.
When we read our Bibles we are reading the Word of God
not the opinions of men. God knows what He is doing and the
best course for our lives is to understand and implement the
Word of God in our lives as thoroughly as possible. God never
asks for our advice or vote in what He is doing. He only asks
us to believe in Him and to obey what He has taught us.
III. A Living Hope
John 14:1-4
1. Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in
me.
2. In my Fathers house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would
have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
3. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and
receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
4. And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.
Text: John 13:3114:14
15
Jesus knew that the events of the last few hours had upset
His disciples. He loved these men, and, out of love, He gave
them and us the comforting words of this passage. We have a
choice in the matter of troubled hearts. We do not have a
choice in the troubles that come our way, but we always have
a choice in how we react to them. Jesus told us how to have
a calm heart in a troubling situation.
First, we should realize that ultimately we are going to
Heaven. Jesus taught He was going where the disciples could
not follow. This was troubling. But now He told them they
would all be together in the future. Jesus taught Heaven was
a real place and real people were there. Heaven is not merely a concept, or a dimension; it is a place. God is preparing a
dwelling place for everyone who believes in Jesus. The meaning behind these beautiful words is that God is preparing a
home for us in Heaven. Knowing this will change your life.
Then Jesus told them He would come again to get them.
This is comforting. Jesus will not send an angel to bring
about the resurrection. He is coming personally to gather
those who are His. Jesus did not merely point the way to
Heaven; He is the way. His desire was that He would be
together with those who were His for all eternity. This is a
wonderful promise for troubled hearts.
Jesus said these men knew where He was going, and they
knew the way to get there. Jesus was speaking about spiritual things, but His disciples were still thinking about physical things.
IV. Thomas Question
John 14:5, 6
5. Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest;
and how can we know the way?
6. Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man
cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Thomas brought up the obvious question. He did not know

where Jesus was going and he did not know the way to get
16
there. Thomas thinking was earthly and Jesus teaching was

spiritual.
Jesus did not rebuke Thomas. Instead, He reminded
Thomas of an all-important truth. Jesus is the way, the truth
and the life. No one can come to God except through Him.
This is the truth and accepting it will change your life permanently. Jesus is not a choice among alternatives. Christianity is not one of the worlds great religions. Jesus is not
another path to Heaven. Jesus is the only begotten Son of the
living God. There is no other and there is no other way to
eternal peace. This thought was an adequate answer to
Thomas doubt.
A FINAL WORD
In this troubled world and in our troubled lives, there are
many rough and weary roads we must travel. But these
roads are all made bearable knowing they lead home. The
assurance we have a heavenly home at the end of life enables
us to bear the unbearable, to love the unlovable, to be joyful
in the middle of tragedy and to succeed in bringing honor to
our Father no matter what our situations or circumstances.
The thoughts Jesus shared with these men He loved were
the same thoughts that encouraged Him personally. Hebrews
12:2 declares, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of
our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the
cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand
of the throne of God. Jesus knew terrible trials lay immediately ahead for Him, but He also knew that, after the cross,
there was the resurrection and a joyful reunion, not only with
these weary disciples, but also with Heaven itself. That
thought still brings comfort to the hearts of all those who
would believe in Jesus and accept His truth.

1. How do you think the disciples felt when Jesus
announced His departure?
Text: John 13:3114:14
17
2. Why do you think the prevalent sign of true discipleship

is love among the brethren?
3. In what ways can church members show their love for
one another? How does it become visible?
4. From the Lords promises in John 14:1-6, what do you
think brought most comfort to the disciples? What brings
most comfort to you?
December 21, 2008
He Promised
Another Comforter
Text: John 14:15-31
Focus: John 14:15-31
Key Verse:
But the Comforter, which is the Holy
Ghost, whom the Father will send in
my name, he shall teach you all things,
and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto
you.
John 14:26
Sunday Devotional: They

Waited for the Comforter,
Acts 1:4-9.
Application: Jesus promised
the Holy Spirit would come
to lead, remind, comfort, inspire, indwell and empower
His followers. He will guide
until Jesus returns.
A FIRST LOOK
It may be true that there is no area of our faith which is
more in need of clarification than the truth about the Holy
Spirit. Many Christians are confused about the person and
work of the Holy Spirit. Many are being misled by those who
twist and distort Scriptures to suit their prejudices. We need
clear information and there is no better place to get it than
from the lips of Jesus Himself. Here we have His exact words
concerning Gods plan to send another person after Jesus had
gone back to Heaven.
Daily Devotionals
The term used here is
M.
Teaching
by
the Holy Spirit,1 Corinthians
paraclete. This is also
2:12-14.
translated advocate and T. The Sealing of the Holy Spirit, Ephesians 1:13,
comforter. It literally
14.
means strengthener or W. The Renewal of the Holy Spirit, Titus 3:5.
helper, literally one T. The Resurrection by the Holy Spirit, Romans
ca l l e d a l o n g s i d e t o F. 8:11.
The Witness of the Holy Spirit, Romans
assist. We also need to
8:14-17.
know that the terms S. The Interceding of the Holy Spirit, Romans
8:26, 27.
Holy Spirit and Holy
18
Text: John 14:15-31
19
Ghost are interchangeable. They both are English translations of the same Greek words.
The ministry of the Holy Spirit is absolutely vital to every
child of God. In fact, if we do not have the Holy Spirit, we do
not belong to Jesus (Rom. 8:9). The Holy Spirit is a divine
person, as Jesus is. A person is whole. We do not receive each
other in bits and parts. We are either there or we are not, and
the Holy Spirit is either living in our hearts or He is not. He
does not come and go. There is no way to get more of the spirit. He is an abiding and eternal presence in the hearts of
those who belong to Jesus.
A CLOSER LOOK
I. The Spirit of Truth
John 14:15-18
15. If ye love me, keep my commandments.
16. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another
Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
17. Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive,
because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for
he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
18. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.
There are six remarkable facts in this brief paragraph concerning the Holy Spirit. First, we learn He will be a gift from
God to believers. It is important that Jesus defines one who
truly loves Him as one who keeps His commandments. We do
not love the Lord because we say we do. Our actions are testimonies to our faith. What we truly believe will be put into
practice in our lives. Those who believe in Jesus receive the
Spirit. This happens when we are saved and it will never
need to be repeated.
Jesus stated the Comforter is another (verse 16), a separate but similar person to Himself. The word for another in
Greek means another of the same kind. This is a reference
to the Trinity; three persons in one, Father, Son and Spirit,
all distinct one from the other, yet, forming only one God. The
20
He Promised Another Comforter
Comforter would take over the work Jesus had been doing
with the disciples. The reason these men had been strong in
the face of opposition was because they were with Jesus.
When He was no longer physically present, they began to
come apart. While He was with them He upheld them,
strengthened them, counseled them and ministered to them.
But now He promised another would come who would do this
same work.
The third truth is that the Holy Spirit will be a continually abiding presence. He will be with us forever. It teaches us
the Holy Spirit only comes into our hearts once. He does not
come repeatedly. He comes to abide, to dwell with us. In
Hebrews 13:5 we read, Be content with such things as ye
have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake
thee. The Holy Spirit comes to us as a whole person and He
abides forever.
The fourth fact is that the Spirit will reveal the truth. He
is the Spirit of truth. We can absolutely rely on what He does
and says. There is no confusion, no deceit or disillusionment
in His message. The Holy Spirit gave us the Bible, and our
Bible, when it is understood and interpreted by the Holy
Spirit, is completely dependable. Also the Holy Spirit will not
accept anything but truth from us. We must be completely
honest in our relationship with him. Do not try to deceive
Him about who, where and what you are.
Jesus said this ministry of the Holy Spirit is unavailable to
the world. The world is in a constant struggle to keep God out
of all public institutions and situations. He is not to be mentioned at all. This secular attitude denies the existence of
God and the divinity of Jesus, and, therefore, it cannot
receive the ministry of the Holy Spirit. The resource of the
Spirit is available only to those who believe in Jesus.
The Holy Spirit is a source of knowledge not found in any
other place in the world. As wonderful as human learning
may be, there is a fundamental knowledge about life that is
never discovered through secular learning, but is taught by
Text: John 14:15-31
21
the Holy Spirit. Nothing else on earth or no one on earth can

do the work of the Holy Spirit.
Finally, Jesus revealed that the Holy Spirit dwells within
a believer. This will be a resource available from within. Ever
since creation, the Holy Spirit has functioned in this world
(Gen. 1:2). But this working has been from the outside in.
Now His ministry will be within the hearts of believers.
Jesus, through the Holy Spirit, literally comes into our hearts
and makes His residence there. The laws of Gods New
Testament are not written in tables of stone but in the hearts
of those who believe in Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 3:3).
II. The Spirit of Love
John 14:19-24
19. Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see
me: because I live, ye shall live also.
20. At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me,
and I in you.
21. He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is
that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and
I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
22. Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt
manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world?
23. Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep
my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him,
and make our abode with him.
24. He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word
which ye hear is not mine, but the Fathers which sent me.
Jesus was clearly distinguishing between the knowledge

the world had of Him and the knowledge those who believed
in Him could have. The world only regarded Jesus from a
physical standpoint, and, from that view, He would die and
be removed from the scene. The world would not see Him.
But Jesus would live on after death and His disciples would
know this and through their belief He would live in them.
22
Jesus summed up our relationship to Him in six simple

words none more than three letters long. Here is the mystery
of the ages in terms simple enough for any child to grasp. Ye
in me, and I in you (John 14:20). When we are saved, Jesus
enters our hearts, and, when we respond to His love by loving Him in return, we enter into what He is and what He
does.
The manifestation of this relationship is in love. Those who
truly love Jesus are not those who shout their dedication the
loudest; they are those who keep the commandments of
Jesus. It is pointless to profess a love that does not change us.
That kind of love is thinly disguised selfishness. When we
love someone on any level, that love changes us, and we will
do our best to please the one we truly love. In our relationship with Jesus, we do this by keeping His commandments
and these are never difficult. Jesus comes into our lives to
relieve us of our burdens, not to add to them.
Through obedience to Jesus, the love of the Father, the love
of Jesus and the presence of Jesus are manifest or shown to
mankind. Many would like to have the manifestation of
Jesus love without obedience to His commandments, but this
will never work. When we trust Jesus and follow Jesus, we
will know that Jesus is living in our hearts. We must do the
will of God to know more of the will of God (John 7:17).
Judas, not Judas Iscariot, then asked Jesus the obvious
question. How would those who believed know Jesus when
the world did not? Jesus repeated the truth He had just
taught and amplified. It begins with love. We must first love
the Lord. That love will result in obedience. We must question any profession of love that does not lead to obedience. If
we say we love the Lord and refuse to follow Him, we are only
fooling ourselves. When we keep the words of Jesus, God will
love us and Jesus, through the ministry of the Holy Spirit,
will come and make a home in the individuals heart.
So there would be no misunderstanding, Jesus plainly
stated that those who do not love Him, will not keep His sayings. This was strong language, but Jesus emphasized this
was a direct message from God.
Text: John 14:15-31
23
III. The Spirit of Peace

John 14:25-31
25. These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with
you.
26. But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father
will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things
to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
27. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the
world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither
let it be afraid.
28. Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again
unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the
Father: for my Father is greater than I.
29. And now I have told you before it come to pass, that, when it is
come to pass, ye might believe.
30. Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this
world cometh, and hath nothing in me.
31. But that the world may know that I love the Father; and as the
Father gave me commandment, even so I do. Arise, let us go hence.
No doubt these teachings were troubling to the disciples.

Jesus reminded them this was truly a message of peace and
contentment, not of division. The future ministry of the
Comforter would be to enlighten and illuminate the truth
these men already knew. He would help them remember
what they had heard and would add new revelation they
would write down as the books of the New Testament.
Jesus, through the work of the Holy Spirit, left us a new
kind of peace. The world knows peace through strength or
through compromise. Both are unsatisfactory. Jesus gives us
peace through inner change. The renewed heart of a saved
man can be at peace with God and with His fellow
Christians. Because of this, we can have hearts that are not
troubled or afraid. What does a child of God really have to
worry about or fear? If you are going to Heaven when you
die, all other troubles are put in perspective.
Examining things from a physical standpoint, these disciples were afraid and troubled. Jesus was going away and
24
their lives would be permanently changed. But, if they could

grasp the spiritual things He was teaching, they could rejoice
with Him that He was returning to the Father.
Jesus taught His disciples these things so they could use
this information in the difficult days ahead. The trouble of
the cross was just ahead, and Jesus knew the time of teaching was coming to a halt. The lessons He taught would soon
become realities for these men He loved.
A FINAL WORD
Perhaps the most comforting thing in the world is to know
we are in the presence of another stronger and wiser person
who is able to handle any difficulties or threats that can come
our way. As children run to their parents for protection, so
should we turn to our Father in Heaven.
The ministry of the Holy Spirit is always comforting to the
souls of those who truly trust in Jesus. This is not the false
comfort of believing that somehow and someway things will
be good again. The Spirit of the Lord is the Spirit of truth.
Real comfort is based on truth, not the smoke and mirrors of
deceit.
This is the spirit of love. Sadly, this world is longing to
know that it is loved. Every day all over this planet men and
women are literally desperate for love. Many take their own
lives thinking no one loves them and no one cares what happens to them. This is never the case. You are loved. God loves
you and He sends His Holy Spirit to tell you so.
The Spirit of God is also the Spirit of peace. The world only
knows the peace that is the absence of strife. True peace is
not merely the absence of trouble any more than health is the
absence of disease. Peace is a positive thing that grips our
hearts and sets us free from worry and doubt. This is the
peace Jesus gives.
The wonderful ministry is available to anyone who will
obey the words of Jesus and allow Him to come into their
hearts and abide.
Text: John 14:15-31
25

1. What did it mean to the disciples that Jesus would not
leave them comfortless?
2. Discuss what the Bible teaches about the work of the
Holy Spirit within and among saints.
3. Did the work of the Comforter influence the writing of
Scripture? How?
4. Discuss the threefold work of God the Father, Son and
Holy Spirit in the salvation and security of believers.
December 28, 2008
He Assured Fruitfulness
Text: John 15:1-17
Key Verse:
Abide in me, and I in you.
As the branch cannot bear
fruit of itself, except it abide
in the vine; no more can ye,
except ye abide in me.
John 15:4
Focus: John 15:1-14
Sunday Devotional: Only God

Gives the Increase, 1 Corinthians
3:5-9.
Application: The chief requirement for bearing fruit is for believers
to continually abide in fellowship
with Jesus Christ. The Father prunes
the productive vine to bring forth
greater fruit.
A FIRST LOOK
Chapter 14 closes with Jesus having said to the disciples,
Arise, let us go hence (verse 31). It seems Jesus and the disciples left the upper room, where they had observed the
Passover, to make their way through the vineyards that grew
around Jerusalem at this time. The Passover season meant
there was a full moon. In the bright moonlight, Jesus and the
eleven disciples passed through the vineyards, across the
Tyropoeon valley, around the walls of Jerusalem, on through
the Kidron valley and up to the Garden of Gethsemane at the
foot of the Mount of Olives.
No doubt the disciples were struggling to understand the
truths that Jesus had been teaching them. He had referred
to His return to the Father
Daily Devotionals
by means of His death. This
had brought sadness and M. The Lord Expects Fruit, John 15:15-17.
T. Parable of Fruitfulness, Luke 13:6-9.
fear to their hearts. He had W. ImmanuelGod with Us, Matthew 1:18-25.
spoken about the coming of T. A Savior Is Born, Luke 2:8-20.
the Comforter who would F. Fruitful in Every Good Work, Colossians
1:5-10.
take His place, and in a
wonderful way, bring Him S. Evidence of Abiding, 1 John 2:3-6.
26
Text: John 15:1-17
27
back to them. This must have been puzzling to them. Jesus

had introduced them to the wonderful and yet strange
phrase, Ye in me, and I in you (John 14:20).
As was His custom, Jesus used what was at hand to illustrate what He was teaching, and so He turned to a humble
vine and gave us this great lesson. Over the years many
scholars have read many interpretations into these words,
but we do not have to wonder about them because the Lord
Himself tells us plainly what He meant. We need only take
the Lord at His word to learn the beautiful truth given here.
A CLOSER LOOK
I. The Work of the Father
John 15:1-3
1. I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.
2. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and
every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth
more fruit.
3. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto
you.
Jesus introduced us first to the characters in this account.

There was a vine, a gardener, or husbandman, and there
were the branches. All these are clearly identified for us.
Jesus Himself is the Vine. He used the term true vine to indicate He was the fulfillment of the many illustrations in the
Old Testament that referred to the nation of Israel as a vine.
He is not teaching that the nation of Israel was a false vine,
but that He is the true fulfillment of the promises of God.
God was the gardener. In this capacity God did two things.
First, He removed those branches that did not bear fruit.
Many people struggle with this, but, if we will let the Bible
interpret itself, we can see this had just happened. God had
removed Judas from this group. Earlier Judas had joined
with Jesus and His disciples and was recognized as a part of
the group, but he was never truly saved, and he never bore
any spiritual fruit. In time, God removed Judas.
28
There are people who join a church but are never truly
saved. They can never bear spiritual fruit, and, if they refuse
to be saved, eventually God will remove them.
The second work of the Father was to prune, or purge, the
true branches so they could bear more fruit. This takes place
as we read the Bible and commune with the Holy Spirit. God
will take away the bad ideas and evil practices which hinder
His children in the production of spiritual fruit. Jesus stated
plainly this process had already taken place in the hearts of
those who were with Him. They had been cleansed, or pruned
and purged, by the words He had taught them.
At this point we well might ask, What is the fruit mentioned here? Once again, the Bible declares plainly. In
Galatians 5:22, 23 we have a list of the fruit of the Spirit.
Nine fruits, or one cluster, are mentioned. These are like
grapes on a grapevine. The continuing application of the first
threelove, joy, and peaceproduces the others. As the first
three reach out to control the relationships of our lives, they
are manifested as patience, loving-kindness, gentleness,
goodness, faithfulness and self-control. Love, joy and peace
are the fruit Jesus expects us to bear. All these things taken
together will make us like Jesus. We will become obedient to
the will of God and dependent on the power of God, and, in so
doing, we will bear spiritual fruit. The eternal purpose of God
is that we might be like Jesus (1 John 3:2).
The more we abide in Christ, the more fruit we will bear
and the more it will be necessary for the Father to purge, or
prune, us. Pruning is sometimes a painful process, but we
need it to keep our lives focused and to keep our goals in line
with the overall purpose of God for our lives. One of the most
difficult lessons for us to learn is simply God knows best and
He knows what He is doing in our lives. We should never second-guess Him, and we should never resist His guiding hand.
II. Our Responsibility
John 15:4-6
4. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself,
except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
Text: John 15:1-17
29
5. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I

in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do
nothing.
6. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are
burned.
The work of the Father is twofold and our responsibility in

fruit bearing is also twofold. The first part is something we
must do; we must abide in Jesus. This is in the active voice
and it indicates a positive decision which we must make to
live our lives in harmony and fellowship with Jesus. We are
expected to remain in Jesus, to live in Him, to follow Him and
to abide in Him.
Then, there is something that Jesus does. He abides in us.
Interestingly, this is in the passive voice. We do not make this
happen, we allow God to do it for us. Here again is the simple formula, Ye in me, and I in you (John 14:20). Both parts
are necessary to bear fruit. We must passively accept the
presence of Jesus in our lives and we must actively involve
ourselves in His service. Many Christians make the mistake
of focusing on one and ignoring the other.
There are disciplines in the Christian life. We must learn
early there is no way we can be Christlike Christians unless
we discipline our lives. We must search the Scriptures, pray
for and with others, love each other, forgive one another, worship together and implement every teaching of the New
Testament to the best of our ability. There is no possibility of
growth and fruit bearing unless we do. Jesus stated clearly
that, unless we abide in the Vine, we cannot bear fruit.
Discipline is necessary, but there is another part that is
equally needed. Jesus summed this up in John 15:5 when He
said, Without me ye can do nothing. We need dependence as
well as discipline. Jesus obviously did not mean that we literally could not act without Him. You can do many things
without depending on Christ. You can raise a family without
Him. You can run a business without Him. You can be active
in a church without Jesus. You can fill your days with great
activity and busyness, but without dependence on Him you
30
will not become Christlike. You will have achieved nothing in

Gods sight.
Without Jesus we can never do the things which will bring
us eternal rewards. We can never accomplish Gods will and
fit into Gods plan. We should strive to achieve a balance in
discipline and dependence. We must abide in Him, but we
must also allow Him to abide in us. When we do both, the
result will be spiritual fruit born in abundance in our lives.
The definition of a wasted life is given in verse 6. Here is
a person who failed to abide in Jesus. No matter how men
may have applauded him or looked up to him, or even envied
him, that person became worthless and his lifes work was
burned in the fires of judgment (1 Cor. 3:13-15).
III. The Fruit that Results
John 15:7-14
7. If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what
ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
8. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall
ye be my disciples.
9. As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in
my love.
10. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as
I have kept my Fathers commandments, and abide in his love.
11. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain
in you, and that your joy might be full.
12. This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have
loved you.
13. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life
for his friends.
14. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.
The first result of abiding in Jesus and having Him abide

in us is answered prayer. We can ask what we will and it
shall be done unto us. This is indeed a kind of spiritual blank
check but notice the important qualifications. First, we must
abide in Jesus and He must abide in us. When we do this, His
will becomes our will. We will want the exact same things
Jesus wants. Jesus wanted to do Gods will in His life. He
said this repeatedly.
Text: John 15:1-17
31
Prayer is not about getting mans will done in Heaven. It is

not wheedling God out of a favor or getting God to see things
our way. Prayer is about getting Gods will done on earth. It
is about trusting God to arrange our lives so His will can be
done in us. Remember, this will involve a pruning and purging process. We are never wise to ask God to stop purging us.
When we stop the purging process, we limit the spiritual
fruit that we can bear.
Then we will glorify our Father in Heaven as did Jesus. As
we abide in Him and He abides in us, we become more like
Jesus and we will begin to seek the glory of God, not our own
glory. In this way we become the true disciples of Jesus. We
indicate that we have a vital and lasting connection to the
true Vine.
Then we will be able to continue in the love God has given
us. Love is both a spiritual fruit and a spiritual gift. God
gives us the ability to love, and, as we exercise it, we grow in
our ability to love as Jesus loved.
Here we see obedience and dependence in perfect balance.
We keep the commandments of Jesus; this is obedience, and
we abide in His love; this is dependence. We are asked to do
this as Jesus did. He kept the commandments of His Father
and lived His life in the will of God.
The final blessing of an abiding life is joy. The joy of Jesus
will remain in us and our joy will be full. There is a worldly
happiness which is mostly laughter at the expense of the suffering of others. There is nothing funny about what most of
the world calls comedy. But there is a joy unspeakable and
full of glory, and this is the joy which comes to the hearts of
those who abide in Jesus and allow Him to abide in them.
So that we will be certain, Jesus told us we have a commandment to love each other. This is not a suggestion or
merely a good idea. It is not an option. There is something
terribly wrong with any Christian who cannot love His brother (1 John 3:14; 4:20). Do not take these verses lightly; your
eternal salvation is at stake. There were false branches
taken away and cast into the fire. If you are a child of God,
you can obey the commandment to love your brethren.
And we become the friends of Jesus. What a wonderful title
and blessing Jesus gave us. Can there be a better thing said
32
of any human being than simply that he or she is a friend of

Jesus?
A FINAL WORD
Here we have the legacy of those who believe in and follow
Jesus. When we abide in Him and allow Him to abide in us,
when we are pruned and purged from our bad habits and evil
intentions, when we are cleansed through the words that we
read in our Bibles and by the activity of the Holy Spirit in our
hearts and lives, we can have the blessings of love, joy and
peace.
These are the things which sustained Jesus and they will
work equally as well for us. We read in Hebrews 12:2
Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who
for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the
throne of God.
When we understand these wonderful verses and apply
them to our lives, we can face any situation and become more
than conquerors through Jesus who loved us. We will not just
survive, or merely live, we will live an overcoming, victorious
life of love, peace and joy. What a marvelous legacy from our
wonderful Savior.

1. Discuss the requirements Jesus gave for fruitfulness.
Are you meeting the requirements?
2. How would you describe the fruitless branches that are
burned?
3. What is involved in abiding in the Vine? How can you do
this?
4. How can you love others the way Christ commands?
How important is it for us to love one another?
January 4, 2009
He Warned
of Persecution
Text: John 15:18-27
Key Verse:
Sunday Devotional: Follow His

Steps! 1 Peter 2:21-25.
If ye were of this world, the

world would love his own: but
because ye are not of the
world, but I have chosen you
out of the world, therefore the
world hateth you.
Application: Stand with Jesus

come what may! As He was persecuted, so His followers are called
to sacrifice, walk in His steps, suffer
as necessary, serve and glorify Him.
John 15:19
A FIRST LOOK
Loving as Jesus commanded involves two difficult practices. First, we must learn to love those we do not personally
like. Everyone has a personality, and we are naturally drawn
to some people and put off by others. But, Jesus teaches us
that we must love each other regardless of our personal likes
and dislikes.
Just as difficult, we must love those who do not like us.
Here we truly have only two choices. We can overcome evil or
we can be overcome of evil (Rom. 12:21). This is practical.
Belief in Jesus will challenge you either to love someone you
do not like or to love someone who does not like you.
We can never do this through human strength and resolve.
When left to our own devices,
Daily Devotionals
we will love our friends and
M.
Suffering
for Righteousness Sake,
hate our enemies. But
1 Peter 3:13-17.
through the power of Jesus, T. Fiery Trials, 1 Peter 4:12-19.
through His life in us and W. The Cost of Godliness, 2 Timothy 3:10-12.
our abiding in Him, we can T. Tribulation Worketh Patience, Romans 5:1-6.
love our enemies as well as F. Reaction to Persecution, Matthew 5:43-48.
our friends. We can even S. Count It All Joy! James 1:2-4.
33
34
He Warned of Persecution
love those who persecute us and pray for those who despitefully use us.
As the world grows darker and we near the second coming
of Jesus, we will be challenged repeatedly to face persecution
for our Christian beliefs. Men and women are still being
killed for believing in Jesus Christ as their Savior. We need
to know what is behind this persecution and what we can do
to face it and be more than conquerors when it comes.
A CLOSER LOOK
I. The Fact of Persecution
John 15:18-20
18. If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated
you.
19. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but
because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the
world, therefore the world hateth you.
20. Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not
greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.
One of the most puzzling aspects about the life and ministry of Jesus is that His message stirred hatred in the hearts
of some who heard Him. Consider the things Jesus did and
taught. He taught love, care and compassion, and He went
about doing good. He healed the sick, restored sight to the
blind and health to the crippled. Why did the leaders of His
day want so much to silence Him and even kill Him?
This hatred still pervades society in this day. Think for a
moment about what the world would be like if every human
being were a true Christian? Souls would be saved and lives
would be changed. There is absolutely nothing harmful or
deceitful in the message of Christ; yet, the world continues to
hate Jesus and those who worship Him. This hatred is nothing less than evidence of the activity of Satan among men.
Jesus taught His disciples to expect this kind of irrational
hatred. Before the world ever hated the disciples of Jesus, it
Text: John 15:18-27
35
hated Him. No man could accuse Jesus of anything, and He

never committed a single sin; yet, He was despised by unreasonable men.
The world hates Christians simply because we are not of
this world. The world, that evil system which governs and
directs most activities on this planet, loves those who agree
with it and hates those who do not. The world will even love
a worldly Christian as long as that person does not practice
his faith. But, when we clearly distinguish ourselves and
show the world that we are different, the hatred will come.
Jesus had specifically chosen these men for the great job
that was before them. To avoid the discouragement of irrational hatred, they needed to keep this in mind. Knowing
God has a purpose in our lives and a plan for us will be a
great help in times of discouragement. We may or may not
understand Gods plan for us, but we can always be sure that
things are working together for our ultimate good (Rom.
8:28).
When trouble comes, our minds are torn in many directions, but we should always remember that we should never
expect to be treated better than Jesus was. The servant
should not expect to be treated better than his master.
Interestingly, Jesus set forth only two outcomes of our ministry. We will either be hated by those who reject the gospel,
or our message will be kept by those who do not reject the
gospel. Jesus did not say we should seek an accommodation
with the world. The goal of Jesus was for mankind to keep
His words. When the message of the gospel is kept, love,
peace and joy will naturally flow from it. When the gospel is
rejected, hatred will flow toward those who preached it.
These are the facts of life and we should be aware of them as
we serve the Lord.
There is nothing personal about this kind of hatred. The
same kind of people who hated Jesus without knowing Him,
will hate you and me.
II. The Reason for Persecution
John 15:21-24
21. But all these things will they do unto you for my names sake,
because they know not him that sent me.
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22. If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin:
but now they have no cloke for their sin.
23. He that hateth me hateth my Father also.
24. If I had not done among them the works which none other man
did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both
me and my Father.
We will never eliminate the hatred the world has for Jesus
and those who follow Him. This is a deep-rooted animosity,
and it will only disappear as each individual heart is won to
Jesus. The basic cause for this is that men do not know God.
Those who did not know God, the godless, did not recognize
the Son of God when He came. In like manner, they will not
honor the children of God who walk among them.
Men fail to recognize the one true God because they are
worshiping the false gods they make for themselves. Idolatry
and humanism have blinded men to the truth, and, in that
blinded state they will literally hate those who expose their
error. The words of Jesus removed the cloak of sin that had
covered the evil hearts of the men of His generation. The
gospel still works that way. When the cloak of falsehood is
stripped away, men will either clothe themselves with the
truth of the gospel or react in hatred toward the messenger
who told them the truth.
We are not hated and persecuted because we have made a
mistake. Jesus was not hated because He was a sinner. We
are not hated because there is some character flaw which we
need to correct. We are not hated because we have behaved
badly or reacted improperly to some situation. Christians are
hated because they are Christians. The message of the cross
is inherently a divisive truth. You either believe it or you do
not, and the consequences are life changing either way.
We learn also that men cannot claim they hate Jesus and
still love God. Such a claim is an insidious lie and an impossibility. The person who denies Jesus also denies God (1 John
2:23). This is important because there are many who think
there are many paths to God, and it really does not matter
which one is taken. They claim to find truth in all religions
and arrogantly claim that mankind can pick and choose
among them as long as he ends up in Heaven. This is a plain
Text: John 15:18-27
37
lie. There is one God and one Mediator between God and men
and that is Jesus (1 Tim. 2:5). Jesus is the exclusive way to
the Father, and no one can come to God in any other way
(John 14:6). Jesus was plain about this and that is why the
world hated Him. He was telling the truth to men who would
rather believe a lie. It is simply not possible to hate Jesus and
love God.
Most of the world believes in spiritual neutrality. We tend
to think that we are neutral, and when we choose, we can
decide to trust God or to reject Him. This denies the basic
truth that all men are sinners. Mankind is already condemned in the sight of God (John 3:18). We do not have to do
anything to be lost. The idea of spiritual neutrality is a myth.
All men are sinners, and, unless we come to Jesus, we will be
eternally lost. This is the message which stirs up so much
hatred in the world.
III. How To Handle Persecution
John 15:25-27
25. But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is
written in their law, They hated me without a cause.
26. But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you
from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the
Father, he shall testify of me:
27. And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me
from the beginning.
Jesus has told us how to handle this kind of unreasonable

persecution. We must handle it in exactly the same way He
did. First, we must realize this is a fulfillment of the Word of
God. For Jesus, the irrational hatred of the world was prophesied years before. Jesus quoted a prophecy mentioned two
places in Psalms. Often, Jesus dealt with trials and temptations by simply saying, It is written. The Word of God will
be a continuing resource to us, but we must read it, understand it and apply it to our lives and to our individual situations. Our first line of defense is found in our knowledge and
understanding of the Bible. Conversely, those who, for what-
38
ever reason, do not know the Scriptures will be ill-prepared

to face the trials which are certain to come.
Then, we have the resource of the Holy Spirit. The Comforter is present in our lives to do for us the same things
Jesus did for His disciples while He was here on earth physically. One of Satans favorite tricks is to try to convince us we
are all alone; that no one cares what happens to us and we
must face our trials by ourselves. There is a false spirit which
causes many to try to reach down inside themselves and handle things alone. We admire the strong, silent hero who is
self-sufficient in any situation. But this is another myth.
Such a person does not exist. It is not good that man should
be alone, and Jesus has promised to never leave us or forsake
us. No matter what a child of God may have to go through, he
will not have to go through it alone. The Holy Spirit is there
to comfort your heart and to help you find the truth in a confusing mess of lies and misdirection.
The Holy Spirit is always testifying about Jesus.
Remember, persecution is not about you or me; it is about
Him. This wicked world system wants to hurt and destroy
Jesus.
Perhaps our best defense is a good offense. We find this in
witnessing. When we plainly, loudly and clearly state what
we truly have witnessed, we can never be successfully contradicted. There is no successful argument against personal
experience. Listen to the blind man who was healed, as
recorded in John 9:25, One thing I know, that, whereas I was
blind, now I see. If you have been saved, you are an eyewitness to your own salvation. When we affirm our faith to others, we discover a way to handle persecution.
A FINAL WORD
Persecution from a sinful world can be virulent (extremely
bitter) and violent, but the Lord tells us not to run away. We
should never invite trouble, but neither should we shrink
from opportunities to serve Jesus because there may be trouble involved. We have the Word of God to teach us, the Holy
Text: John 15:18-27
39
Spirit to lead us, and our own personal experience of grace to

refresh us. Jesus will stand with us and steady us. In troubling circumstances keep focused on what Jesus truly means
to you, no matter how fierce the persecution. Paul said about
his appearance before Nero, Notwithstanding the Lord stood
with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching
might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear:
and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion (2 Tim. 4:17).
Persecution is the normal state of affairs for the children
of God. Do not be surprised when trouble comes. Peter tells
us in 1 Peter 4:12, Beloved, think it not strange concerning
the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange
thing happened unto you. It is all to be expected; it is what
Jesus said would happen. We must rid ourselves of the dream
of settling down comfortably in a sin-cursed world. We are
citizens of Heaven and we no longer belong to this evil world.
In 2 Timothy 3:12 we read, Yea, and all that will live godly
in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. We are in a war
with sin, but victory is certain. Our main concern should not
be the casualty count, but, are we on the right side? We never
need to retaliate, but we do need to respond to persecution
with truth in our minds and courage in our hearts.

1. How do you normally react when unjustly criticized for
doing the right thing? How should you react?
2. Is there unjustified hatred of Christ and His way in this
present world? How is it manifest?
3. In what ways are Christians suffering for Christ in this
present day?
4. What can you do to strengthen those who are suffering
for Christs sake?
January 11, 2009
He Guaranteed Guidance
Text: John 16:1-15
Focus: John 16:1-15
Key Verse:
I have yet many things to say unto
you, but ye cannot bear them now.
Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth,
is come, he will guide you into all
truth: for he shall not speak of himself;
but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall
he speak: and he will shew you things
to come.
John 16:12, 13
Sunday Devotional: The

Promise of the Father, Acts
1:4-11.
Application: Jesus guaranteed His followers would
never be left alone. After His
ascension the Holy Spirit
came to indwell, guide, remind, teach and empower
His followers for service.
A FIRST LOOK
It is important for every child of God to realize that, no
matter what happens, he or she can never be alone. The Holy
Spirit lives in the heart of every saved person, and He will be
there in any and every circumstance of our lives.
Equally important is to realize the Holy Spirit is not present merely as an observer. True, He does see and know everything we do, but His purpose is not just to be there and see
things. God is present in our lives to offer positive help in any
troubling situation and to offer guidance in every decision
that we make.
We divide our opportunities and trials into categories. We
seem to think that we can handle the small things, and we
depend on God to help us
Daily Devotionals
with the big things. Of M. The Blessing of Persecution, Luke 6:22, 23.
course this begs the ques- T. Spiritual Blindness, 2 Corinthians 4:3-6.
Waiting for the Power, Luke 24:49.
tion, How do we decide W.
T. Focus on the Eternal! 2 Corinthians 4:16-18.
what is a little thing and F. Revealing Things of God, 1 Corinthians 2:10-13.
what is a big thing? Well, S. The Spirit Glorifies Jesus, 1 John 4:1-3.
40
Text: John 16:1-15
41
think for a moment. In the sight of God, what is a big problem? To God, everything is possible, and the solution to every
trouble we might have is within His capability. There is no
trouble or decision too small or too great to be turned over to
God.
Jesus knew His disciples would need total dependence on
the Holy Spirit as He had lived in total dependence on His
Father. These verses offer us both an understanding of the
ministry of the Holy Spirit in our hearts as well as a practical guide to what we can expect as we go into the world serving the Lord.
The servant will not be treated better than the master. We
can expect the world to treat us exactly as it treated Jesus.
A CLOSER LOOK
I. The Coming Trials
John 16:1-4
1. These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be
offended.
2. They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh,
that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.
3. And these things will they do unto you, because they have not
known the Father, nor me.
4. But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come,
ye may remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not
unto you at the beginning, because I was with you.
An old adage teaches us that to be forewarned is to be forearmed. Jesus was telling these things to His disciples so they
would not be offended when these events came to pass in
their lives. The Greek word translated offend literally means
to put a stumbling block in someones way. Jesus did not
want the persecution of an evil world to be a stumbling block
for those who would serve Him.
The persecution Jesus described here was severe. These
men would be put out of synagogues. In the account of the
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blind man Jesus healed, the Jews had already determined if

anyone confessed Jesus, that person would be excluded from
the synagogue. This indicates the servant of Jesus must have
made a complete break with old ways. We cannot follow Jesus
and still go along with the world.
More was involved here than dislike and exclusion. The followers of Jesus would be killed and worse, those who killed
them would do so in the name of God. These deceived people
would think they were doing the work of God by killing the disciples of Jesus. This first occurred when Stephen was stoned
and it has been going on ever since. One thought always arises here. If God wants to kill someone, He hardly needs our
help. God is quite capable of ending any human life He chooses. Jesus said there would be selfish and deceived men who
killed Christians and did so thinking they were serving God
in the process.
This happened because these evil men did not know the
Father or Jesus. There is no other way to God except through
Jesus. Men have many ideas about access to God but the
truth is that no one comes to the Father in any other way
(John 14:6).
Jesus did not tell His disciples these things to frighten
them or to put them on their guard. He did not instruct these
men to be careful and cautious or to watch what they said or
did so this would not happen. This persecution would definitely come, and Jesus was preparing these men for it. When
this kind of trouble came, they were to remember His words
and know this was to be expected. Jesus had not told them
this before because He was there with them personally, but
now He was going away, and they needed to know what was
ahead for them.
Jesus was not speaking about the ordinary troubles of living. He was not speaking about the harm men do to each
other in pursuit of power or wealth. He was specifically talking about persecution which arises simply because we are
Christians and we serve the Lord. We should not try to blame
all the troubles that come in our lives on our belief in Jesus.
Most of us are quite capable of generating all kinds of trouble by ourselves.
Text: John 16:1-15
43
II. The Coming Comforter

John 16:5-11
5. But now I go my way to him that sent me; and none of you
asketh me, Whither goest thou?
6. But because I have said these things unto you, sorrow hath filled
your heart.
7. Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go
away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but
if I depart, I will send him unto you.
8. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of
righteousness, and of judgment:
9. Of sin, because they believe not on me;
10. Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no
more;
11. Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.
Jesus had been with these men and now He was going
away. This is why it was necessary to tell them what was
ahead in their lives. We get a glimpse into the selfishness
embedded in the human heart. The only concern of the disciples was that they would be alone; that Jesus would not be
there. No one had asked Jesus where He was going. Their
concern was not for Him but for themselves. This is why sorrow had filled their hearts.
This is natural for all of us. When someone we love goes to
Heaven to be with Jesus, it is difficult for us to rejoice for
them. Instead we grieve because we are left behind. We long
to hear the misleading message, do not worry, everything will
be all right. The truth is that the future for these men was a
time of great trial. This is why Jesus told them the truth. We
can always deal with the truth, no matter how unpleasant it
may be. We are never truly helped by the smoke and mirrors
of cleverly crafted lies. Men may want to hear the lies, but the
lies will never offer real comfort.
Although these men probably did not believe it, the best
that could happen to them was for Jesus to go away. The reason was that, unless Jesus proceeded according to Gods plan
for Him, the rest of Gods plan would not take effect. For the
Comforter to come, Jesus had to complete His ministry on
earth and return to Heaven.
44
Jesus defined the work of the Holy Spirit in the hearts of

men. His ministry is defined by the word reprove. This term
means to convict, to expose or to rebuke. There are things
we would never know unless they were revealed to us by the
Holy Spirit. Jesus set forth the work of the Comforter on
three levels with a reason given to explain each work. Three
levels are mentioned because man, created in the image of
God consists of spirit, mind and body. The Holy Spirit works
in each of these spheres.
First, He reproves of sin. This is not sin in general, but the
specific sin of refusing to believe in Jesus. The Comforter convicts lost men of their sin in rejecting Jesus. Jesus is not a
choice among alternatives. He is not another religious leader
with just another philosophy about life and eternity. Jesus is
the living Son of God. He was born of a virgin, and He rose
from the grave. There is no one else in history who did what
Jesus did. Mankind is lost because of the sin of unbelief (John
3:36). The most important decision in any life is the decision
to accept Jesus as Savior. Leading men to this saving knowledge is the primary work of the Holy Spirit.
All comfort in time and eternity flows from a decision to
accept Jesus as your Savior. Truly, there is no lasting comfort
in any other thing on earth.
Second, the Holy Spirit convicts the world of righteousness. How do we know what is right and conversely, what is
wrong? We can ask our own hearts, but our hearts are deceitful. Our hearts will tell us that whatever we want is right.
We can ask others, but all we get is consensus (judgment),
not information. While He was physically present on earth,
Jesus showed men what was right and what was wrong. This
was often in conflict with their well-established ideas (Matt.
5:21-48). Jesus was leaving the earth and the world needed a
moral compass to guide it into righteousness. This is the
function of the Holy Spirit.
Third, He convicts of judgment. Men without Christ
always seem to think they can somehow avoid judgment. We
imagine that we get away with things. The truth is every
deed ever done is seen by God and will be judged in one way
or another. The prince of this world, Satan, is judged and all
his works are judged with Him. The Comforter will tell us
Text: John 16:1-15
45
that Satan cannot win and that the least of Gods children
can never lose.
III. The Coming Spirit of Truth
John 16:12-15
12. I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them
now.
13. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you
into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall
hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
14. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew
it unto you.
15. All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that
he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.
Jesus did not mean to limit the work of the Comforter to

these three areas alone. Jesus had many more things to
teach these men, but He realized that His time on earth was
limited. This did not mean that knowledge of Jesus would
stop when He died.
The ministry of the Holy Spirit is to guide us into all truth.
He does this primarily through the Scriptures. When we read
our Bibles, we are reading the Word of God. The Holy Spirit
will never contradict the Scriptures. He will faithfully guide
our hearts as we search the Scriptures and show us how the
Scriptures magnify and glorify Jesus.
An important truth is given in verse 13. There is never a
spiritual experience of and for itself. The Holy Spirit never
testifies of Himself; He is always revealing Jesus to us. A true
spiritual experience will always point us to Jesus and bring
us closer to Christ.
The Comforter will reveal things to come. This is not mysterious and secret information about the future. Instead, it is
the revelation that we are mortal and Jesus is coming back
to this earth. These two simple facts constantly elude
mankind. Many people are living today as if every tomorrow
would be a repeat of yesterday. This is nonsense. We need the
Holy Spirit to tell us that we have a sure appointment with
death and after this the judgment.
46
A FINAL WORD
If Jesus were physically alive today and you heard Him
speak to you personally, one on one, would you listen to Him?
Would you change your life to conform to His teachings?
Could you look Him straight in the eye and deny that He was
who He said He was or that He did what He said He did?
Most of us would be moved by such an experience. Then
realize that Jesus and the Holy Spirit are one and the same.
Whatever we do to the Holy Spirit, we are doing to Jesus. If
we reject the leadership of the Spirit, we are rejecting the
leadership of Christ. If we ignore the warnings of the Spirit,
we are ignoring the warnings of Christ. If we refuse to hear
what the Spirit is saying to us, we are refusing to hear the
message of our Lord Himself.
If we refuse to accept the comfort the Holy Spirit offers our
hearts in times of trial and persecution, we are refusing the
comfort that God offered His only Son. These are sobering
truths, but we need to hear them and understand them.
We cannot have God without Jesus, and we cannot have
Jesus without the Holy Spirit. They are one and the same.
Whatever the Holy Spirit reveals to us has first been
revealed to Jesus. It is literally God dealing directly and intimately with our hearts.

1. Do you think the disciples were surprised by the anger
of the Jews toward Jesus? Why or why not?
2. Why was their hatred of Christ so intense? (Hint: John
16:3.)
3. How important to you is Christs promised presence in
the Holy Spirit?
4. As the Holy Spirit revealed more of Gods Truth to the
apostles, what was the ultimate result?
January 18, 2009
He Revealed His Death

Text: John 16:16-33
Sunday Devotional: Sorrow

Becomes Joy, 1 Peter 1:6-8.
Key Verse:
These things I have spoken unto
you, that in me ye might have
peace. In the world ye shall have
tribulation: but be of good cheer;
I have overcome the world.
Application: Jesus would be

separated from them in death,
but would reappear in victorious life. The hope He brings
through His death results in
peace the world cannot comprehend.
John 16:33
A FIRST LOOK
There are two interesting and revealing thoughts set forth
in these verses. First, we find Jesus continually teaching
about joy in a situation where there was little reason for
rejoicing. The Jews hated Jesus and His disciples enough to
kill them. Judas had left the group and gone out to betray
Jesus. That same night Jesus would be arrested. In a few
hours He would be crucified, and the disciples would be scattered. Everything that these men had dedicated their lives to
would seem to come to an end. Yet, in the darkness of this
hour, Jesus continually taught them about joy.
The other thing we see here is how wonderfully human
these men were. They were afraid and confused. They did not
understand much of what was happening to them or what
was going on around
Daily Devotionals
them. Years later, they M. Death Swallowed by Life, Isaiah 25:8, 9.
would grasp the impor- T. Everlasting Joy, Isaiah 51:11-13.
W. Principles of Prayer, Matthew 7:7-11.
tance of the things Jesus T. Come Boldly to the Throne! Hebrews 4:14-16.
said, but for now they F. Our Eternal Intercessor, Hebrews 7:25, 26.
were worried and con- S. Keys to Answered Prayer, 1 John 5:14-16.
47
48
fused. This is comforting because we often find these same

emotions welling up in our own hearts.
We have our expectations of how things should go for us,
and, when they take an entirely different course, we can easily become discouraged. But we should remember that God
uses ordinary men and women in ordinary circumstances to
do His will. These men were chosen to write the New
Testament and spread the gospel around the world. Yet, at
this particular time they seemed weak and wounded.
Then, as now, the power of God would shine through
human weakness and that power would do great things
through frail human instruments.
A CLOSER LOOK
I. A Permanent Joy
John 16:16-22
16. A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while,
and ye shall see me, because I go to the Father.
17. Then said some of his disciples among themselves, What is this
that he saith unto us, A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again,
a little while, and ye shall see me: and, Because I go to the Father?
18. They said therefore, What is this that he saith, A little while? we
cannot tell what he saith.
19. Now Jesus knew that they were desirous to ask him, and said
unto them, Do ye enquire among yourselves of that I said, A little
while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see
me?
20. Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but
the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall
be turned into joy.
21. A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour
is come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth
no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world.
22. And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and
your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you.
In these verses the disciples go from not knowing what

Jesus was talking about (verse 17), to knowing exactly what
Jesus was saying (verse 30). Our problem with interpretation
Text: John 16:16-33
49
is never that the Bible is not plain enough; the fault is in our
understanding. When we determine in ourselves that we
want to understand the Word of God, we can do so.
Jesus began here by impressing on these men the everchanging nature of life. They were with Jesus at this time.
They would be separated for a while, and then they would be
reunited again, and finally Jesus would return to Heaven,
and they would be left on earth. The constant of life is
change. No matter what, things will change. That is not good
or bad; it is just true. We are being foolish when we refuse to
accept change. On the mount of transfiguration, Peter wanted to build three tabernacles and just stay there. Jesus wisely told Peter they had to leave the experience and go back
down into the valley (Luke 9:33-37).
Whenever we are on a mountaintop, we are surrounded by
valleys; and, whenever we are down in the valley, the mountains are all around us. We must learn to accept and even
welcome the changes which come our way and give God glory
in them.
One frightening thing about change is the uncertainty it
brings. The disciples were troubled because they did not
understand what Jesus was teaching. They reasoned within
themselves that they just could not tell what He was saying.
As we look back, we can see there was nothing mysterious
about Jesus teaching. But, at the time it seemed confusing.
Many things which puzzle and confound us now will be made
clear by the passing of time. We truly will understand it better by and by.
Jesus knew these men wanted to ask Him about the things
they did not understand. However, they were talking among
themselves instead of talking to the Lord. Is not this like we
are? We ask each other what the Lord wants. If we truly want
to know what God wants from us, we should ask Him. Jesus
patiently and tenderly explained what He was teaching.
There was a time of great sorrow immediately ahead for
these men. Jesus had predicted it to them and now it was
happening right before their eyes. He would be tried before
the courts, found guilty of crimes He had not committed and
He would be crucified. Jesus had told these men this would
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happen (Matt. 16:21). He would be buried and would rise

again from the grave.
He illustrated this by reminding these men how each of
them came into this world. Men can only imagine, but women
tell us the greatest pain human beings experience is childbirth. For many women the whole experience is months of
discomfort and ends in tremendous anguish and physical
pain. Yet, this pain is soon forgotten as the permanent joy of
seeing a baby born into the world erases the agony. Every
mother has experienced this.
Jesus was teaching that the joy of the resurrection and the
promise of the new life involved in this wonderful event will
erase all the sorrow of the cross. Jesus would suffer and to
some degree each of these men would suffer, but the suffering would all be worth it when the promise of eternal life
became a reality for all humanity.
This is exactly what Hebrews 12:2 means when it declares
Jesus endured the shame for the joy that was set before Him.
II. A Permanent Privilege
John 16:23-28
23. And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto
you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it
you.
24. Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall
receive, that your joy may be full.
25. These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs: but the time
cometh, when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall
shew you plainly of the Father.
26. At that day ye shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, that
I will pray the Father for you:
27. For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me,
and have believed that I came out from God.
28. I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world:
again, I leave the world, and go to the Father.
In one way or another all our blessings flow from privilege.

Someone loves us and out of that love comes all the good
things of our lives. Jesus now instructed these men about the
new privileges that would be theirs when the Comforter has
Text: John 16:16-33
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come. At this time they were filled with questions. Jesus

sensed that and answered their questions before they asked
them. But later, they would not need to question Him personally because the Holy Spirit would guide them into all
truth.
The relationship that the Comforter would have with
believers was so complete that any request, made according
to the will of God would be granted. Note the vital distinction. Prayer is not a blank check that allows us to get our
wills done in Heaven. Instead prayer is a means by which we
seek the will of God. God will always answer our prayers
when our concerns are to do His will.
The disciples had not exercised the privilege of this kind
prayer up until this time. Jesus had literally anticipated
their needs and questions, as He had just demonstrated, and
had given them the things they needed as they traveled and
worked with Him. Now, He was going away, and the Comforter would come and minister in the place of Jesus.
The teaching for us is that we are to ask what we need
from God, and, through answered prayer, we will find fulfillment of our joy. Joy is mentioned here as being possible but
partial. For many Christians there is some joy but hardly full
joy. It is a wonderful blessing to be around someone who is
truly and totally joyful. This is not the joy of the world that
is like the crackling of thorns in a fire. This is a joy unspeakable and full of the glory of God. Literally, the world does not
know anything about this joy. The only joy in this sinful
world is forced laughter at the expense of the misery of others. In sharp contrast Jesus gives our hearts lasting joy and
peace.
As Jesus had stated before, He spoke in parables so those
who were honest could understand His message and so His
words would be hidden to those who were deceitful (Matt.
13:13). But, when the Holy Spirit came, the truth would be
equally revealed to all. As the sun will shine on anyone who
will go outdoors, the Holy Spirit will reveal Jesus to anyone
who will honestly examine the Word.
The privilege of prayer is particularly set forth. At that
day, the day of the coming of the Comforter, the children of
God would be able to ask in the name of Jesus?
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This is not necessarily automatic. God loved the world and

sent Jesus into the world. These men had believed in Jesus
and loved Him, and, because of their belief and love, they
were given the privilege of assured prayer. This privilege is
available to all those who believe in Jesus.
III. A Permanent Promise
John 16:29-33
29. His disciples said unto him, Lo, now speakest thou plainly, and
speakest no proverb.
30. Now are we sure that thou knowest all things, and needest not
that any man should ask thee: by this we believe that thou camest
forth from God.
31. Jesus answered them, Do ye now believe?
32. Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am
not alone, because the Father is with me.
33. These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have
peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I
have overcome the world.
The disciples understood what Jesus was saying. They

were able to say with assurance that Jesus was speaking
plainly. They declared the simple twin truths that Jesus was
who He said He was and He was able to do what He
promised. This is the essence of faith in any age.
Jesus did not rebuke them for this statement of faith. It is
good for Gods people to declare their belief publicly and out
loud. But Jesus did warn them that this kind of profession of
faith also involved a price. He warned the road ahead would
be filled with trials and troubles.
The hour was just ahead when these men would indeed be
scattered and every man would retreat to a place within his
own spirit to meditate on the things that were happening all
around. Jesus warned that it is possible to have faith and
still endure tribulations. We can have faith but fail in the
practice of our beliefs. Peter would deny the Lord and all of
the rest would forsake Jesus. In fact, they all forsook Him
and fled when trouble came (Mark 14:50).
Text: John 16:16-33
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But Jesus made the important point that He would not be

alone because the Father would be with Him and His disciples would not be alone either. The Holy Spirit lived in their
hearts, and they literally could never be alone, even when no
friend or family member was standing with them. However,
for one terrible moment on the cross Jesus would be alone.
He would suffer the penalty of our sins and for a brief
moment God would forsake Him (Matt. 27:46). He became
sin for us so we could be saved.
Jesus summarized this whole sermon. He had spoken
these things to leave these men He loved the twin gifts of
peace and joy. The peace Jesus gives is not just the absence
of trouble. There can be a great deal of unrest in our spirits
when outside, nothing seems wrong. The only peace the
world knows is the peace that is merely the cessation of warfare. But the peace Jesus gives is far deeper. Jesus gives
peace that has nothing to do with circumstances. He gives an
inner peace that never leaves.
Because we have peace, we can have joy. We may be in
trouble, but we can be of good cheer. A child of God who is not
truly cheerful, no matter what his or her situation, does not
fully understand the promises Jesus gave. When we stop and
realize that Jesus has overcome the world and all that is in
it, we can have this kind of cheer.
A FINAL WORD
Jesus was teaching these men about change. But, in spite
of the dramatic and irreversible changes that would soon
take place in their lives, there were some things that were
constant. Jesus was giving these men good advice that in
times of trouble we should not focus on the things we have
lost, but on the things which remain.
Through our faith in Jesus, we have access to permanent
joy. Christians may be constantly in trouble. We may be perplexed and puzzled both by what we know and what we do
not understand, but we can always be happy and cheerful, no
matter what is happening around us. The reason is simple. A
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child of God knows how things will turn out. We know we will
go to Heaven when we die, and that assurance alone will put
a smile in our hearts and on our faces.
Through our faith in Jesus, we have a permanent privilege
of prayer. There is nothing small or great that we cannot take
to the Lord in prayer, and, when we do, we have an assurance
that God will hear us and help us. The help God gives may
often be the grace to endure what cannot be changed, but
there is help nonetheless. When we seek the will of God and
appropriate the power of God, there is nothing that we cannot accomplish for the honor and glory of God.
We have the permanent promise of the presence of the
Comforter in our hearts. We are never alone. We are never
forsaken. We are never left to fend for ourselves or to make
our way alone. As the angel promised when Jesus was born,
we have Emmanuel, God with us. Consider the simple question, If God be for us, who can be against us? With Jesus as
our Savior and God as our Heavenly Father and the Holy
Spirit as our Comforter and guide, we can never fail. What
wonderful promises for any trial, small or great.

1. What does it mean to pray in Jesus name? Why is that
important?
2. Discuss the Lords plain teaching about His origin and
destination (John 16:28-31).
3. How important is Christs heavenly origin? Why?
4. Jesus taught not only that we would have tribulation in
the world but also peace in Him (John 16:33). Discuss and
share ways class members have recently faced trying times
but have felt the peace Jesus brings.
January 25, 2009
He Interceded for Saints

Text: John 17:1-26
Focus: John 17:1-6, 11-18, 20-24
Key Verse:
Neither pray I for these alone,
but for them also which shall
believe on me through their word;
that they all may be one; as thou,
Father, art in me, and I in thee, that
they also may be one in us: that
the world may believe that thou
hast sent me.
John 17:20, 21
Sunday Devotional: Jesus is

Glorified, Philippians 2:9-11.
Application: The Lord Jesus
faithfully prayed for His disciples
in that day and for believers in
future days. As He constantly
interceded in prayer, so we
should faithfully mediate for
needs today.
A FIRST LOOK
The lesson today is a record of the real Lords Prayer. What
we often call the Lords Prayer in Matthew 6:9-15 is really a
Model Prayer for believers. Here is the prayer Jesus prayed
as He prepared Himself for the ordeal of the cross. There are
many great lessons for us to glean from these words.
First, Jesus was not the victim of evil men. He was in
charge of all the events surrounding the crucifixion. As He
had stated earlier, no man would take His life from Him;
instead, He would lay down his life and He would take His
life up again (John 10:17, 18). He had told His disciples to be
of good cheer because He had overcome the world and now
He was practicing what He
Daily Devotionals
had taught them. We can M. Jesus Prayed for His Own, John 17:7-10.
approach our trials as help- T. Loving Like Jesus, John 17:25, 26.
less victims, caught in the W. Thou Art Worthy, Revelation 5:9-14.
T. God and the World, 1 John 5:19, 20.
great machine of life, or we F. Witness to the World, Luke 8:38, 39.
can realize that, in Jesus, we S. Hold Forth the Word of Life, Philippians
2:14-16.
are more than conquerors. A
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child of God is never alone, and, when we realize the simple

truth that God has a plan and a purpose for our lives, we will
never see ourselves as helpless victims.
Interestingly, Jesus prayed for His disciples and for us.
This prayer is about you and me. As He prepared His heart
for the darkest moments of His life, Jesus was thinking about
others. This is a wonderful recipe for dealing with troubles.
Jesus was not selfish. He was thinking about the men who
had believed in Him and about all those who would believe
in Him in the future. He prayed for their unity, happiness
and security, and, as He did, He found strength to do the will
of God in His life.
A CLOSER LOOK
I. Jesus Prayed for Himself
John 17:1-6
1. These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and
said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may
glorify thee:
2. As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give
eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.
3. And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true
God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.
4. I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which
thou gavest me to do.
5. And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the
glory which I had with thee before the world was.
6. I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me
out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they
have kept thy word.
Jesus began by praying for Himself, but this prayer is not

in anyway selfish. Jesus was praying for the strength and
ability to glorify the Father and to complete the work God
gave Him to do. It is always proper for a child of God to pray
for whatever is needed to complete the work God has called
him to do. This is in keeping with the Model Prayer in
Text: John 17:1-26
57
Matthew 6:10, where Jesus taught us to pray that the will of

God would be done on earth as it was in Heaven.
Jesus noted the importance of timing in His life. He had
stated that His hour had not come (John 2:4). Now that hour,
or time, had arrived and His main concern was to glorify the
Father in death as He had in life. There is an important principle here. Our purpose is to bring honor and glory to our
Heavenly Father in all things that we do. God will help us
accomplish this, and we can successfully pray for whatever
we need to do His will. God will not help us get our earthly
agenda accomplished by our own will or satisfy our fleshly
desires.
Time is irrelevant to an eternal being, but timing is vital.
We must work the works of our Father while we have time to
do so. God has given us our years on this earth, and we
should be continually mindful that when we die we pass a
milestone. If you intend to serve the Lord at all, do it now.
Jesus realized the power He possessed as the Son of God.
Literally, He could do anything that He wanted to do. He
could rebuke the winds, He could walk on water and He could
reverse the course of disease and disability. But the work He
chose to do was to give eternal life to those God had sent Him
to redeem. This teaches us the most important thing we can
ever do is to complete the work that God has for us. There is
nothing in time or eternity more important than eternal life.
Eternal life is just thatit is eternal. Once we have it, we
will always have it and there is no danger that we will lose
it. Jesus specifically said that eternal life consisted in knowing God and knowing Him. This is not knowing about Jesus,
it is knowing Jesus. It is the establishment of a personal relationship with Jesus which comes about when we place our
personal faith in Jesus through hearing the gospel. This is
the way to conquer death; there is only one way, but one is all
that is needed because that one way is available to everyone.
Jesus prayer for Himself was that He would complete the
work God had begun in Him. He had finished His work so far,
and His death, burial and resurrection lay before Him. He
had shown the name, or nature, of God to the world. He had
kept and taught those who came to Him and they, in turn,
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had kept His word. Now Jesus was preparing His heart for
the cross.
II. Jesus Prayed for His Disciples
John 17:11-18
11. And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world,
and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those
whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.
12. While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name:
those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but
the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.
13. And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world,
that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves.
14. I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them,
because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
15. I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but
that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.
16. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
17. Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
18. As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent
them into the world.
The main thrust of Jesus prayer for His disciples was their
sanctification. Many are confused about this term.
Sanctification is not some kind of spiritual sheep dip we go
through, where we lose the pesky bugs of sinful behavior. To
sanctify something simply means to put it to its proper use.
You sanctify a pew by sitting in it. You sanctify an automobile by driving it. And we are sanctified when we allow God
to use us in His service.
Jesus had kept these men from the influences of an evil
world, and He had kept them from the attacks of Satan. Now
He was going away and He prayed for God, through the coming Comforter, to continue to keep them from evil influences.
Verse 12 reveals the true character of Judas Iscariot. He
was never saved. He traveled with the disciples and was
counted as one of them. On the outside he gave every evidence of being a believer, but inside he had never committed
his heart to Christ. Jesus did not keep him because Jesus
never had him. Even in the life of this lost man, God accom-
Text: John 17:1-26
59
plished His purposes. God used the unbelief of Judas Iscariot

to fulfill Scripture. God is greater than the works of evil men.
The legacy of Jesus is joy and peace. Jesus prayed that
these men might have the same joy He had fulfilled in themselves. This joy is not the temporary joy the world gives.
Jesus specifically stated that these men were not of this
world. The worlds joy is circumstantial and temporary. The
joy Jesus gives is eternal and will be in our hearts no matter
what is happening around us. That kind of joy only comes
from doing the will of the Father and abiding in the Word of
God.
Jesus plainly taught that the world would hate His disciples. He had taught these men the Word of God, and, because
of this, they were hated. There is nothing personal in this
hatred. The world does not hate Christians because of some
personality conflict with the Christians. It hates Christians
because of what Christians teach and stand for. When we
accept Jesus, we become citizens of Heaven, and this world is
no longer our home. Those who will not yield to the pleadings
of the Holy Spirit and accept Jesus as Savior will hate those
who do.
Jesus did not ask God to take His followers out of the
world. The answer to persecution is never separation. Jesus
did pray for God to keep these men safe from the evil around
them. This is a model for our testimony. We are in the world,
but we are not of the world. The old illustration serves us
well. A boat is supposed to be in the water. It was made for
that purpose. But the water is not supposed to be in the boat.
A Christian belongs in the world to shine the light of the
gospel in the darkness of sin. But the world should never be
in the Christian.
The key to this is sanctification, or putting ourselves to
proper use. When we use our time, talents and opportunities
for the service of God, we will keep ourselves separated from
the world. When we get involved in all of the worlds schemes
and temptations, we will no longer be used of God.
The thing which sanctifies us and allows us to be used of
God is our understanding and application of the Bible to our
lives. In response to temptation, Jesus often said, It is writ-
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ten. He used the Word of God as a defense against the wiles

of Satan. This is our example.
God sent Jesus into the world so the world could be
redeemed and Jesus sends His disciples into the world for
the same purpose. We are to carry the message of the gospel
and be witnesses of the saving power of Jesus.
III. Jesus Prayed for Future Believers
John 17:20-24
20. Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall
believe on me through their word;
21. That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in
thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that
thou hast sent me.
22. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that
they may be one, even as we are one:
23. I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one;
and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved
them, as thou hast loved me.
24. Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with
me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given
me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.
Jesus wanted to make it clear that He was not speaking

only of those men who journeyed with Him. He did pray for
the eleven men who had been His close companions. But He
also prayed for all men and women in every age who would
believe through the words which His disciples preached.
His prayer here is for unity amid diversity. Jesus knew
that many people from all walks of life and all nations of the
world would believe in Him. He prayed that all other differences would be set aside so men might serve the true and living God. This would lead to more souls being saved.
The goal of Jesus was for believers to be united in purpose
and destiny as He was with His Father. This is expressed in
the simple formula Jesus gave in John 14:20, Ye in me, and
I in you. This unity is one of the most powerful witnessing
tools available to us. And conversely, when churches are fractured and split into factions, the work of God suffers. The
Text: John 17:1-26
61
world knows we love God and God loves us when we are united in Him.
The ultimate goal of Jesus was to be united with those who
believed in Him. His will, expressly given here, is for all those
God had given Him to be together with Him and behold the
glory which God had already ordained for Jesus.
Jesus lived according to a divine plan set in motion before
the world was made. He was obedient to His Father in
Heaven and in obedience He paid the price for our sins and
made salvation available to all men everywhere. He would
have us take our place in that great plan and follow Him
through life and into eternity.
A FINAL WORD
Two of the most powerful forces we can let loose in the
world are Christian love and Christian harmony. Through
these witnesses the world may believe that thou hast sent
me (John 17:21). The lost world cannot see God, but they can
see you and me; and the things they see in us are the things
they will believe about God. If they see love and unity, they
will believe these things are produced by our faith in God.
They will know God is love. If they see hatred and division,
they will know our faith has not changed us, and they will
reject the gospel.
We are witnesses, not lawyers, prosecuting attorneys or
judges. We have many reasons to love each other and live
together in unity. We have faith in the same Jesus and our
future contains His glory. We are all saved with the promise
of the same Heaven. We have the same Father and our
Father has given us the same gospel to preach to a lost world.
We believe the same truth, the Bible, even though we may
have different views about interpretive matters.
While it is true, believers do have differences, and those
differences are real, we should always remember there is far
more to unite us than to divide us. We must always be
encouraged to love each other and as much as is in us, we
should live together in Christian unity.
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Our faith is in a person, not a program, and it is the words

of Jesus that assure us we will go to Heaven when we die.
Our security rests on the price Jesus paid (1 Cor. 15:3); the
promise Jesus made, John 14:1-6; and the prayer Jesus
prayed (John 17:24). If we believe God answers the prayers
of Jesus, we must also believe those who die believing in
Jesus will go to Heaven and behold the glory of God. What a
comfort to know the prayer of Jesus reaches down through
the ages and into our hearts today. When Jesus prayed this
prayer, He had you and me on His heart and in His mind.

1. When you read Christs prayer, in what ways does it differ from our normal prayers?
2. What one word describes most of our praying? (for example: self-centered, simple or thankful).
3. What does it mean to you that Jesus prayed for you?
(John 17:20).
4. What seems to be the main requests in our prayers?
Could you envision Jesus praying that way? Why or why not?
February 1, 2009
He Yielded Himself
Text: John 18:1-40
Key Verse:
Jesus answered, My kingdom
is not of this world: if my
kingdom were of this world,
then would my servants fight,
that I should not be delivered
to the Jews: but now is my
kingdom not from hence.
John 18:36
Focus: John 18:1, 2, 12-14, 24-28, 33-40
Sunday Devotional: He Willingly

Died, Matthew 26:52-54.
Application: Though in ultimate
control, Jesus willingly yielded Himself
to enemy forces. He submitted to the
will of God to become our Savior.
Though difficult at times, it is always
right to obey Gods will.
A FIRST LOOK
To understand the events in these Scriptures, we must
understand the teaching of John 10:17,18. Jesus said,
Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my
life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but
I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I
have power to take it again. This commandment have I
received of my Father.
Jesus lived His life in obedience to the will of His Father.
He taught us to follow in His steps. He plainly stated He had
received a commandment that He should lay down His life
and then take it up again. When Jesus went into the garden
and was betrayed, arrestDaily Devotionals
ed, denied, judged and condemned, He was not the M. Betrayed and Arrested, John 18:3-11.
T. Denied and Abandoned, John 18:15-23.
victim of circumstances W. Peters Empty Boast, Matthew 26:33-35.
beyond His control. In fact, T. Praying and Sleeping, Mark 14:32-42.
He was in direct control of F. The Kingdom of His Son, Colossians 1:12-14.
S. My King, Psalm 2:6-12.
each of these events.
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He Yielded Himself
One of the most liberating truths we can ever grasp is that

God has a plan for every life (Eph. 2:10). When a child of God
accepts this fact, trials and troubles will fall into place and
he can be assured everything that happens is for his ultimate good (Rom. 8:28).
Jesus could have easily avoided each of these difficulties.
He could have reversed the course of any of them. He did
what He did deliberately, as a choice to obey His Fathers
will. This was the hour for which He came into the world,
and He faced it with the resolve and inner strength which He
gives everyone who will truly trust Him.
A CLOSER LOOK
I. Jesus Yielded Himself to Betrayal
John 18:1, 2
1. When Jesus had spoken these words, he went forth with his disciples over the brook Cedron, where was a garden, into the which he
entered, and his disciples.
2. And Judas also, which betrayed him, knew the place: for Jesus ofttimes resorted thither with his disciples.
The history of mankind began in a garden, the Garden of

Eden. Adam sinned and was expelled from that garden and
it is interesting that Jesus journey to the cross to redeem
lost mankind began when Jesus entered into a garden. The
history of mankind will also find fulfillment in a garden (Rev.
21; 22).
Jesus entered the Garden of Gethsemane, located at the
foot of the Mount of Olives. As is implied in the names, the
Mount of Olives consisted of a large grove of olive trees and
at the base of the mountain was a garden containing an oil
press for the olives. Gethsemane literally means oil press.
When Jesus was in Jerusalem this was one of His favorite
places to go. Judas Iscariot knew this and he also knew that
Text: John 18:1-40
65
after the Passover supper, Jesus would most likely lead His
disciples to this place for prayer.
Jesus had completed the discourse He began in the upper
room and had led His disciples over the brook Kidron and
into this garden. Judas Iscariot had followed Jesus for over
three years, but Judas never knew who Jesus was or what
Jesus was doing. We are left to wonder what he had told the
chief priests about Jesus. Evidently, Judas expected the disciples to put up a fight. He brought a whole company of
armed men with him. Evidently, he also expected Jesus to try
to be deceptive. The kiss was meant to single Jesus out of the
crowd, as if Jesus would try to hide His identity in the face
of an impending arrest.
If Judas had been listening to Jesus, he would have known
Jesus would willingly lay down His life for His sheep. He
would have realized that Jesus whole ministry had been
leading up to this moment. How sad for Judas to completely
miss the point of Jesus teaching.
There is more to being a disciple than just showing up at
church services and sitting through a lesson or a sermon. If
you have an ear to hear, then listen to what the Holy Spirit
is saying to your heart.
Jesus boldly presented Himself to this crowd. Jesus spoke
with such authority and force that the soldiers fell to the
ground. Three words of truth spoken with authority literally
put this mob on the ground. Jesus was in complete control of
this situation and had the power to do anything He wished.
Jesus showed He was in command. He asked the mob
whom they were seeking. They told Him, and Jesus again
clearly identified Himself and in the process protected His
disciples. He told the crowd they had found Jesus of
Nazareth and could let the others go free.
Peter, perhaps remembering his declaration earlier that he
would never forsake the Lord, drew his sword and struck at
a man named Malchus. Peter cut off Malchus ear, but Jesus
quickly healed this wounded man and ordered Peter to put
up his sword.
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He Yielded Himself
Again we see that Jesus was in submissive control of this

situation.
II. Jesus Yielded Himself to Arrest
John 18:12-14
12. Then the band and the captain and officers of the Jews took
Jesus, and bound him,
13. And led him away to Annas first; for he was father in law to
Caiaphas, which was the high priest that same year.
14. Now Caiaphas was he, which gave counsel to the Jews, that it
was expedient that one man should die for the people.
Next, the band that had come to arrest Jesus bound Him
and took Him to Annas, the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the
high priest. If we examine these verses, we can easily see
how far the Jews had departed from the Law. God gave specific instructions about how a high priest should be chosen
and how long he should serve. But the Jews had made this
office into a political plum to be doled out as a reward for
servitude to the Romans. Annas had been deposed by the
Romans but had secured the position of high priest for
Caiaphas, his son-in-law before he left the office. Neither of
these men had a legitimate right to hold this high office.
Interestingly, the man who was brought before them was
the true high priest of Israel. Neither of these evil men recognized this. They had already decided how this hearing
would end. Before Jesus was brought to this informal tribunal, Caiaphas had decided it was expedient that one man,
Jesus, should die for His people.
Caiaphas did not realize just how true his verdict was. He
was thinking about politics; but God was using him to convey
an eternal principle. God was in charge, even of the evil
thoughts of deluded men.
Because the outcome was already determined, Annas was
looking for some evidence which merited capital punishment.
This judge was looking for a reason to execute an innocent
prisoner who was not actually accused of anything.
Text: John 18:1-40
67
This was all according to Gods plan. Jesus was in control

of all these events. To an outsider it might have appeared
that Annas and Caiaphas were in charge here, but the truth
was that things were going precisely according to Gods master plan.
III. Jesus Yielded Himself to Denial
John 18:24-27
24. Now Annas had sent him bound unto Caiaphas the high priest.
25. And Simon Peter stood and warmed himself. They said therefore unto him, Art not thou also one of his disciples? He denied it, and
said, I am not.
26. One of the servants of the high priest, being his kinsman whose
ear Peter cut off, saith, Did not I see thee in the garden with him?
27. Peter then denied again: and immediately the cock crew.
Jesus had specifically told Peter He could not follow Him

at this time (John 13:36). He had given him an opportunity
to retreat in the garden. But Peter was following the crowd
instead of listening to Jesus. Jesus knew all about this and
had also predicted that Peter would deny Him three times
the same night.
Like many of us, Peter was afraid, but he was also curious
to see how things would come out. He went into the crowd
and tried to blend in, to observe and see what was happening. Jesus was taken from Annas house to the house of
Caiaphas. Annas had no official capacity to try Jesus, so
Jesus was sent to Caiaphas for trial. This religious trial was
a necessary part of the process which would end in a death
sentence.
Earlier, Pilate had stripped the Jews of the power to execute prisoners and so for Jesus to be put to death, He had to
come before a Roman court. The preliminary step was to
appear before Caiaphas.
Outside the house, a servant girl asked Peter if he were a
disciple. The grammar used here indicates the servant girl
expected a negative answer, and Peter denied Christ by denying he was a disciple.
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He Yielded Himself
Peter remained by the fire, and he was approached again.

Another servant asked the same question. The pronoun they
in verse 25 suggests others around the fire also questioned
Peter.
The third question came from one of Malchus relatives.
This man had gotten a good look at Peter because he was
probably standing with Malchus when Jesus was arrested.
At that point, Peter began to curse and swear. This does
not necessarily mean Peter used foul or profane language. He
was trying to emphasize his lie. He was on trial, so he swore
an oath to convince his accusers that his lie was the truth.
It was at that point the cock began to crow as Jesus had
predicted.
Like so many, Peter found it easier to lie than to simply tell
the truth. Jesus was still in control. Jesus had not only
known all about this. He had told Peter it would happen.
IV. Jesus Yielded Himself to Judgment
John 18:28, 33-38
28. Then led they Jesus from Caiaphas unto the hall of judgment:
and it was early; and they themselves went not into the judgment hall,
lest they should be defiled; but that they might eat the passover.

33. Then Pilate entered into the judgment hall again, and called
Jesus, and said unto him, Art thou the King of the Jews?
34. Jesus answered him, Sayest thou this thing of thyself, or did others tell it thee of me?
35. Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? Thine own nation and the chief
priests have delivered thee unto me: what hast thou done?
36. Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom
were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be
delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.
37. Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus
answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for
this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the
truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.
Text: John 18:1-40
69
38. Pilate saith unto him, What is truth? And when he had said this,
he went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto them, I find in him no
fault at all.
These Jews were trying to get an innocent man put to

death, but they were still worrying about not entering a
Gentile courthouse so they would not be defiled and able to
eat the Passover. Love of ritual had replaced the love of truth
and justice.
Pilate accused Jesus of treason, that is of saying He was
king of the Jews. The Jews were forbidden at this time to
have a king other than the one appointed by the Romans.
Jesus refused to answer this question, asking instead how
Pilate came to ask it. Pilate told Jesus His own nation was
accusing Him.
Then Jesus told Pilate the truth and Pilate quickly ignored
it. Jesus was indeed a king and He had a kingdom, but it was
not of this world. Pilate recognized authority. The Jews were
under the Romans and Pilate was under the emperor. Jesus
was telling Pilate that His kingdom was from God and no
earthly authority had any control over it.
Pilate failed to understand what Jesus was saying and
asked Him again if He were a king. Pilate wanted a simplistic explanation to a complicated situation. Jesus graciously
explained further who He was, where He came from and
where He was going.
Jesus stated He was telling the truth and everyone that
was of the truth would hear Him and understand what He
was saying. Pilate clearly had little understanding of the
truth. Pilates question revealed that he did not know the
truth.
Like so many who are confronted with eternity, Pilate
chose to walk away and dismiss the whole matter. He declared that he found no fault in Jesus. Pilate did not want to
face his own mortality, and he did not want to have any more
to do with Jesus.
Pilate thought He was in charge and he could do what he
wanted. But he was not. God was in charge, and this trial
would not end until Jesus was found guilty.
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He Yielded Himself
V. Jesus Yielded Himself to Condemnation

John 18:39, 40
39. But ye have a custom, that I should release unto you one at the
passover: will ye therefore that I release unto you the King of the Jews?
40. Then cried they all again, saying, Not this man, but Barabbas.
Now Barabbas was a robber.
Pilate, desiring to please the Jews and avoid further conflict came up with what he thought was a brilliant solution
to his dilemma. He remembered a custom of the Jews that at
the Passover one prisoner could be released and spared.
Pilate chose to bring a particularly evil man named
Barabbas out and give the Jews a choice of killing Barabbas,
who deserved to die, or Jesus who was innocent.
No doubt Pilate thought it was almost certain Jesus would
be released and Barabbas crucified. Notice how Pilate asked
the question. But the Jews, with hearts filled with anger,
demanded that Barabbas be released and Jesus be crucified.
They even pledged that His blood would be on them and on
their children. This was the unreasoning prejudice and anger
that so often confronts the innocent today.
Jesus did not resist. He could have ended this at any time,
but He was submissive, even unto the death and that death
was the horrible death of the cross.
A FINAL WORD
The cross is about much more than an innocent man who
was put to death on the whim of powerful politicians. On the
cross Jesus paid the price for our sins. He fulfilled the justice
of God and became the Savior of all who will believe on Him.
We may feel pity for the agony of Jesus, but we are not saved
because we do. We are saved when we repent of our sins and
place our personal faith in Jesus. What was going on here
was not the sham arrest and trial of an innocent man; it was
the plan of God for the ages.
The cross is literally the centerpiece of history. No doubt
the only man there who understood this was Jesus. He alone
Text: John 18:1-40
71
truly knew what was happening there, and He was willing to

submit to the will of His Father and humbly accept Gods
plan for His life and for His death.
In doing so, He became a model for everyone who will follow Him. If we will be like Jesus, we, too, will accept Gods
plan for our lives and realize He is leading us into the best
for time and eternity. We will humbly submit, both to our
burdens and blessings. We will especially be submissive to
God when our so-called friends betray us and our true companions forsake us. We will be submissive when we are
unfairly accused and even convicted and killed for crimes we
did not commit.
Jesus won a great victory. These other men have passed
into the abyss of history, and, except for Jesus, we would not
even know their names. But, Jesus still lives and He is still
saving the souls of all who come to Him in faith.

1. How do we know Jesus willingly went to the cross?
2. What caused Peter to go from being willing to die for
Christ to denying Him? How does that happen? Can it happen to people today?
3. Why should you willingly yield to Gods will for your life?
4. Does following Christ include a willingness to sacrifice
and yield our wills to His? Why or why not?
February 8, 2009
10
He Bore His Cross

Text: John 19:1-37
Key Verse:
And he bearing his cross
went forth into a place
called the place of a skull,
which is called in the
Hebrew Golgotha.
John 19:17
Sunday Devotional: He Bore His

CrossBringing Us to God, 1 Peter
3:18.
Application: Jesus died for our sins
on the cross so that we should live
for Him in the world. He bore the
cross for us. What are you bearing
for Him?
A FIRST LOOK
As the end of the trial of Jesus drew near, Pilate was both
angry and afraid. He was afraid because Jesus had claimed
to be the Son of God. The Romans were superstitious and
they believed some of their gods did indeed take human
form. Pilate tried to pretend he was not personally interested in spiritual matters; yet, he had a nagging fear that Jesus
might be who He claimed to be.
Pilate was angry because he was a man in authority; yet,
Jesus was not submitting to that authority. Pilate was accustomed to men being deferential if not reverential toward
him; yet, Jesus would not give him an answer to his questions. Of course this was a
Daily Devotionals
fulfillment of prophecy (Isa. M. Crowned with Thorns, John 19:1-3.
T. Pierced for Us, John 19:31-37.
53:7).
Preaching of the Cross, 1 Corinthians
Pilate asked Jesus once W. The
1:17, 18.
more, Where do you come T. Glory in the Cross, Galatians 6:14.
from? Jesus refused to F. Peace Through the Cross, Colossians 1:20.
answer and Pilate reminded S. Nailed to the Cross, Colossians 2:14.
72
Text: John 19:1-37
73
Jesus he had power to kill Him or to release Him. At this

point Jesus did speak, and He gave one of the most powerful
testimonies ever given about the working of God and human
governments. This is recorded in verse 11.
All human governments operate within the permissive
will of God (Rom. 13:1). Pilate was under Gods authority
that day and so was Jesus. Jesus did Gods will submissively. Pilate did Gods will reluctantly and without even knowing he was doing it, but the will of God was done that day
and the sins of mankind were cleansed by the redemptive
love of God.
A CLOSER LOOK
I. Pilates Decision
John 19:13-16
13. When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he brought Jesus
forth, and sat down in the judgment seat in a place that is called the
Pavement, but in the Hebrew, Gabbatha.
14. And it was the preparation of the passover, and about the sixth
hour: and he saith unto the Jews, Behold your King!
15. But they cried out, Away with him, away with him, crucify him.
Pilate saith unto them, Shall I crucify your King? The chief priests
answered, We have no king but Caesar.
16. Then delivered he him therefore unto them to be crucified.
And they took Jesus, and led him away.
As we examine Johns account of the crucifixion, read

Matthew, Mark and Luke for further information about this
crucial time in history. Each of these writers has a unique
perspective on these events.
John focused on two facts. One was that Pilate was trying
to find a way to release Jesus. The other fact is the chief
priests hated Jesus and nothing would satisfy them short of
His death. John has taken us from Gabbatha, the seat of
judgment, to Golgotha, the place of redemption.
What Pilate heard which finally convinced him to crucify
Jesus was an accusation by the Jews that, if he released
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He Bore His Cross
Jesus, he would be committing treason against Caesar

because Jesus had claimed to be a king. The twisted logic of
hate proclaimed that anyone who believed Jesus could not be
loyal to Caesar. This shows how far people with evil minds
will go to get their way.
Pilate was like many others. He wanted to tell the truth as
long as there was no cost to doing so. When it appeared that
he would have to pay a price for his opinion, he quickly gave
into the crowd. Pilate failed to heed the simple truth Jesus
had told Him. God was in control, and ultimately everyone
will answer to Him alone.
Christians need desperately to regain this view of the
world. When we are under pressure or in trouble, we need to
remember and realize none of this could happen if God did
not allow it. Everything in our lives is working together for
our good and we should know that (Rom. 8:28). This is not a
perfect world. He is calling His children to prepare the
hearts of men for the world to come. Our future is in Heaven,
not on this earth.
The Jews were making preparation for the Passover. They
had eaten the feast the night before and were now preparing
for the Passover Sabbath which followed. Pilate knew that
this was a holiday and so he said to the Jews, Behold your
King (John 19:14). This enraged the crowd and they
demanded that Jesus be crucified. Amazingly, they pledged
their allegiance to Caesar. These were the chief priests
speaking. These men should have known the Law and the
Scripture. Yet, in a moment of hatred, they rejected their heritage and pledged loyalty to a pagan ruler miles away. The
depth of hatred was indeed remarkable.
Trying times do not forge our character; they only reveal
what is already there. Hatred and murder had been in their
hearts all through the ministry of Jesus. God uses situations
like this to reveal what is already in human hearts. Pilate
wanted to appear to be a fair and honorable judge; yet, he
was shown to be a coward without true conviction in the face
of a mob. The chief priests appeared pious and righteous; yet,
these circumstances show they were filled with murderous
Text: John 19:1-37
75
hatred and were willing to do anything to protect their own

interests.
So in this evil situation, Jesus was sentenced to be crucified.
II. Jesus Submission
John 19:17-22
17. And he bearing his cross went forth into a place called the place
of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha:
18. Where they crucified him, and two other with him, on either
side one, and Jesus in the midst.
19. And Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross. And the writing
was, JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS.
20. This title then read many of the Jews: for the place where Jesus
was crucified was nigh to the city: and it was written in Hebrew, and
Greek, and Latin.
21. Then said the chief priests of the Jews to Pilate, Write not, The
King of the Jews; but that he said, I am King of the Jews.
22. Pilate answered, What I have written I have written.
These few words record the beginning of the most significant event in the history of mankind, past, present or future.
John used intense symbolism to make his point. Jesus was
taken to Golgotha, the place of the skull. Jesus was dealing
with death and what better place to do it.
Golgotha was near the place where Abraham offered Isaac,
so many years ago. On that occasion, God intervened and
Isaac was spared. This time God allowed His Son to suffer for
the sins of mankind so we can be saved. This time the sacrifice would be complete.
Crucifixion was a horrible death. The victim was nailed to
a cross and left to die, perhaps from his wounds or more likely from days of exposure to the elements. Men could hang on
a cross for a week or more and still be alive. Once on the
cross, all hope was gone. All that remained was a painful and
torturous death.
When Jesus was crucified, two others were crucified with
Him. These were convicted criminals who deserved to die.
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He Bore His Cross
Luke reveals one of them repented and was saved in his final
hour (Luke 23:39-43).
God wanted the whole world to know what was happening.
Pilate wrote an inscription for the cross of Jesus. It read,
JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS (John
19:19). It was written in Hebrew, Greek and Latin. These
three languages were commonly spoken in Jerusalem and
throughout the crowd gathered for the Passover. In this way
everyone who witnessed this event would know what was
happening.
The chief priests were not content to have Jesus killed;
they wanted Him humiliated. They asked Pilate to change
the inscription to say Jesus had only claimed to be the king.
But Pilate summoned a last bit of resolve and refused.
We should learn that, once we speak a word, we can never
take it back. No one can change the past, but God through
the blood that Jesus was shedding at this moment, can
cleanse us from the sins of the past. In one sense Pilate was
speaking for all men. What is done is done.
Jesus, though innocent of all charges brought against Him,
was nailed to a cross and left to die.
III. Earths Darkest Hour
John 19:23-30
23. Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took his garments, and made four parts, to every soldier a part; and also his coat:
now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout.
24. They said therefore among themselves, Let us not rend it, but
cast lots for it, whose it shall be: that the scripture might be fulfilled,
which saith,They parted my raiment among them, and for my vesture
they did cast lots. These things therefore the soldiers did.
25. Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mothers sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene.
26. When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing
by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son!
27. Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that
hour that disciple took her unto his own home.
28. After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished,
that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst.
Text: John 19:1-37
77
29. Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a
spunge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth.
30. When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.
John mentioned the soldiers because this was a fulfillment

of prophecy given in Isaiah 53 and Psalm 22. It is impossible
for us to imagine the agony Jesus suffered during His hours
on the cross. Our minds simply cannot relate to it. But during this time John recorded three of the things Jesus had to
say. They are revealing of the wonderful character of our
Lord.
First, John noted that Jesus, in great agony and suffering
for the sins of the world, remembered His mother. He commended Mary to John and John to Mary, binding these two
together in the same love He shared for them. The remarkable thing about this is that Mary had four other sons who
could and would have cared for her, although they were not
believers until after the resurrection. Yet, Jesus committed
her care to John. Our spiritual ties are often stronger than
our family ties.
Second, John revealed the terrible anguish and physical
agony of the cross. Scientists tell us thirst may be the most
agonizing of all pain. When we are thirsty, every cell in our
body cries out for relief and the pain gets worse and worse.
Remarkably Jesus cried out, I thirst (John 19:28) only
because it was necessary to do so to fulfill Scripture. Jesus
was not showing weakness; He would have borne this agony
of thirst without complaint, but to faithfully fulfill the
Scriptures, Jesus cried, I thirst (verse 28).
Finally, John recorded Jesus last word from the cross. It
is finished (verse 30) is one word in Greek. It signifies the
sacrifice was done. Jesus had forever paid the price for our
sins and nothing else would ever need to be added to redeem
lost humanity. The work was over and the foundation for
redemption was securely laid.
Jesus dismissed His spirit. He showed, in His last
moments, that He had power over life and death. No man
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He Bore His Cross
took His life from Him. He laid it down and after three days
and nights, He took it up again.
A FINAL WORD
The Jews had caused an innocent man to die. This did not
bother them, but they were concerned that their Sabbath celebration not be tainted by having men hanging on crosses. So
they asked Pilate to order the soldiers to break the legs of
these men so they would die more quickly. Pilate obliged, but
when they came to Jesus, they found He was already dead.
One of the soldiers, wanting to make sure, pierced Jesus side
with a spear. When he did, blood and water came out. The
blood of our Lord had already separated, something which
only occurs after death. This makes the theory that Jesus
only fainted on the cross and was later revived a lie. John
wanted us to know Jesus was completely dead.
John took a solemn oath concerning the things written
here. Johns reason for doing so is simple. He wanted the
truth of this event to be on record so those who read it can
believe.
Jesus did not die on the cross to make us feel bad about an
injustice being done to an innocent man. Jesus was not a
martyr for a cause. He did not die because He was the powerless victim of evil forces beyond His control. He did not die
because His life was at its natural end and His body could no
longer sustain His spirit. Jesus died deliberately in submission to the will of God. He died for you and me so we could
believe in His name and be eternally saved.
The death of Jesus will begin to take on its proper meaning to you only when you repent of your sins and place your
personal faith in Him.

1. Discuss the irony of the Jewish leaders keeping the letter of Gods Law (John 18:28; 19:31) while they crucified
Text: John 19:1-37
79
Gods Son. Are we sometimes legalistic about minor traditions while being negligent in major responsibilities? In
what ways?
2. What is the significance of the placard on the cross being
written in three languages?
3. What does the Lords concern for His mothers care
while on the cross say to you?
4. What did Jesus imply when He said, It is finished
(John 19:30)? What was finished?
February 15, 2009
11
He Arose
from the Tomb
Text: John 19:3820:31
Focus: John 19:3820:8, 19, 20
Sunday Devotional: He Lives!

1 Corinthians 15:3-8.
Key Verse:
And when he had so said, he
shewed unto them his hands
and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the
Lord.
John 20:20
Application: Thank God for the

empty tomb! The resurrection of
Christ is as instrumental to the
gospel as His crucifixion. Reflect
and rejoice in His resurrection
that assures our resurrection!
A FIRST LOOK
The gospel is a whole message. Paul stated it concisely in
1 Corinthians 15:3, 4. There he said it involved the death,
burial and resurrection of Jesus. Although these are three
separate events, they are uniquely and permanently linked
one to the other. If any element is removed, the gospel is no
longer the gospel.
The lesson today is about the burial and resurrection of
Jesus. To get the whole picture, read and harmonize the
accounts given in Matthew, Mark and Luke of this same
event. Each writer adds his own perspective and detail about
the things which happened
Daily Devotionals
at this pivotal time in
M. Secured, Sealed and Guarded, Matthew
human history.
27:59-66.
John wrote these words T. Jesus Appeared to Mary, John 20:9-18.
about fifty years after he W. Thomas: Doubting then Convinced! John
20:21-29.
witnessed these events; T. The Purpose of Johns Gospel, John 20:30, 31.
yet, that day was as fresh F. He Showed Himself Alive, Acts 1:3.
The Dead in Christ Shall Rise, 1 Thessaloniin his memory as if it had S. ans
4:16-18.
just occurred.
80
Text: John 19:3820:31
81
There was no way to overemphasize the importance of this

message. Here is the difference in Christianity and every
other religion. Jesus conquered death. He did it publicly and
openly. There was no secret meeting here of only the elite.
Jesus was seen of ordinary men and women and at one time
of over five hundred brethren at once. Jesus was proving once
and for all He was who He claimed to be. He did what He
promised, and, because He did, all those who believe in Him
have the gift of eternal spiritual life and the promise of life
after physical death.
A CLOSER LOOK
I. The Burial of Jesus
John 19:38-42
38. And after this Joseph of Arimathaea, being a disciple of Jesus,
but secretly for fear of the Jews, besought Pilate that he might take
away the body of Jesus: and Pilate gave him leave. He came therefore,
and took the body of Jesus.
39. And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to
Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an
hundred pound weight.
40. Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes
with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury.
41. Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden;
and in the garden a new sepulchre, wherein was never man yet laid.
42. There laid they Jesus therefore because of the Jews preparation
day; for the sepulchre was nigh at hand.
The first thing we notice after Jesus died is He had some

friends who were afraid to speak up on His behalf. One was
Joseph of Arimathaea. We did not meet this man until Jesus
had died. We know he was a rich man, and he was an honorable counselor who did not consent to Jesus death and was
looking for the kingdom of God to come. He was a disciple of
Jesus, but, because he was afraid of the Jews, he kept his
allegiance secret. Now that Jesus was dead, he came to Pilate
and asked if he could have the body of Jesus. Most people
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He Arose from the Tomb
who were crucified were thrown in the garbage outside the

city. Joseph evidentially wanted better for Jesus, and he
offered to make arrangements for His burial.
Nicodemus also came forward and brought an expensive
gift of perfume to use in anointing the body and preparing
the body for burial. Both of these men acted in love and
respect, but, in a way, they had missed the point of Jesus
teaching. Jesus had plainly stated He would rise again on the
third day. Believing that promise would make an elaborate
burial ritual unnecessary. The grave clothes on Lazarus body
were a hindrance when he came forth from the tomb. Of
course no one expected Lazarus to come forth from the grave,
and here we see no one really expected Jesus to rise again.
The body of Jesus was prepared according to Jewish ritual. He was wrapped in a series of linen clothes (verse 40). The
Bible makes it is clear that there were several pieces of cloth
involved here. Both John and Peter saw a separate napkin
which covered the head of Jesus (John 20:7). While Jesus was
on the cross the Jews had sought to hasten His death
because of the rapidly approaching Passover Sabbath.
Because of this the preparation of the body was not completed before burial.
The Sabbath was approaching. Jesus was crucified near a
burial garden. There was a new sepulcher, or crypt, there and
simply because this sepulcher was close at hand, Jesus was
buried there. Without pomp or ceremony, the body of Jesus
was laid to rest. Matthew reveals to us that the chief priests
and Pharisees came to Pilate and asked for soldiers to be
assigned to guard the grave. These evil men remembered
that Jesus had predicted He would rise again the third day.
They thought someone would steal the body and claim that
Jesus had been resurrected.
Once again, we see God overriding human wisdom. If the
grave had been left unattended, the Pharisees could have
claimed that the body was stolen and an imposter claimed to
be Jesus. But, because a Roman guard had been there all the
time, the grave was secure, and Jesus promise was proven to
be accurate.
Text: John 19:3820:31
83
II. Sunday Morning

John 20:1-8
1. The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it
was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from
the sepulchre.
2. Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other
disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them,They have taken away
the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid
him.
3. Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to
the sepulchre.
4. So they ran both together: and the other disciple did outrun
Peter, and came first to the sepulchre.
5. And he stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying;
yet went he not in.
6. Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the
sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie,
7. And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen
clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself.
8. Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the
sepulchre, and he saw, and believed.
It is interesting that the best news mankind has ever

received was at first thought to be bad news. When the
women came to the grave, early on the first day of the week,
they found the stone rolled away from the sepulcher and the
tomb empty. In fear and confusion they ran to Peter and the
other disciples with haste and totally wrong. Their premise
was based on human reasoning, not divine revelation. The
disciples of Jesus had not believed what the chief priests and
Pharisees had feared.
Marys thought was that someone had stolen the body of
Jesus. She did not know where the body was taken, and she
was only concerned that the body be given the proper preparation for burial.
Peter and John, hearing this, ran to the sepulcher. By this
time it was full daylight and they could see clearly. John outran Peter and was first to the grave. When he looked in, he
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could see the linen clothes that were used to wrap the body,
but he also could see there was no body in the tomb. Peter
arrived and actually entered the tomb and saw the same
thing. A separate napkin was used to cover the head of Jesus.
The napkin was lying apart from the other clothes (verse 7).
John entered the tomb and saw the evidence and believed
what Jesus had said.
What these men and women had witnessed was the great
event of the ages. Jesus had plainly stated that He had power
to lay His life down. He had proven that when He dismissed
His spirit on the cross. He had also stated He had the power
to take His life up again. Now He had proven this as well.
The angel had announced to the women, He is not here, for
he is risen, as he said (Matt. 28:6).
This simple message changes everything. The ugly, little
secret of life is that we are mortal. Every human being is
born under a death sentence and humanly there is nothing
we can do about it. Medical care may prolong our lives, but
eventually our lives will end. Jesus offers the real answer to
human mortality. It is not that we will never die; it is that we
can live again after we die. No matter what, our physical bodies will perish, but our souls will live on eternally. Eventually,
in Gods time, we will be reunited with a new body to live
with Jesus in eternity. This is the glorious promise of the
gospel which is available to all men everywhere.
III. Sunday Evening
John 20:19, 20
19. Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week,
when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear
of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them,
Peace be unto you.
20. And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and
his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord.
Jesus was resurrected not resuscitated. The body He had

after the resurrection was vastly improved over the one He
Text: John 19:3820:31
85
had before He died. There were many resemblances and

Jesus was completely recognizable, but His resurrected body
had powers that others could hardly imagine.
This is shown in this appearance to His disciples. This had
been an eventful day for these men, and, at the end of the day
they had shut themselves up in a secure place. They were
afraid of the Jews and rightly so. The Jews had brought
about the crucifixion of Jesus, and it was reasonable to
assume that, because Jesus was in their midst, persecution
would continue. Fear had overcome faith and the wonder of
the resurrection.
But Jesus could overcome fear and circumstances. In a way
no one can explain, He physically appeared in this securely
locked room and stood in the middle of the disciples gathered
there. What He did was wonderful and instructive.
The disciples were expecting trouble and a fight. Jesus
offered them peace. The immediate reaction of the disciples
was more fear. Obviously, their hiding place was not so secure
after all. The shut doors had been breached. Now they saw
what they thought they would never see again, the physical
body of Jesus. Jesus began with a message of peace. Closely,
following was a message of assurance. Jesus offered to allow
them to examine His wounds so they could make sure He
was who He claimed to be.
Here we see the essence of faith. All Jesus asks you to
believe is that He is who He claims to be and He did what
He claimed to have done. The wounds these men saw confirmed both these facts for them. Immediately, their fear
turned to faith and they were as glad to see the Lord as they
were afraid when He first came into their midst. Here Jesus
was emphasizing the two great gifts He gives to everyone
who will believe in Him. Peace is the legacy and the right of
every believer. You do not have to be worried, hurried and
bent out of shape by life. You have the right to claim the
inner peace Jesus spoke of here. This is His resurrection gift
to all believers.
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Then, we have a right to the presence of Jesus in our lives.

A believer can never be alone. We may think we are, as these
men did. We may want to be, but Jesus is there all the time
and in every place. He is there and He will give us every evidence of His presence. If we examine our circumstances carefully, we will see Jesus in all of them.
A FINAL WORD
Thomas was not there when Jesus came. The other disciples told Him they had seen the Lord, but Thomas would not
believe unless he had his own experience. So eight days later
Jesus again appeared to these men. At that time Thomas also
examined the wounds of Jesus and believed Jesus had risen
from the dead. The lesson here is that each of us must personally and individually accept Jesus into our hearts. It is
great that your neighbor believes, but you must believe for
yourself.
Jesus did many other things which proved conclusively
that He had done exactly as He predicted. John did not write
them all down and he tells us that he did not. But John also
tells us why he has written what he has written. This is
recorded in verse 31.
The purpose of the book of John is that we might believe
Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. It is through our faith in
this fact that we have life through His name. Men have many
plans and schemes which they imagine will give them some
hope in eternity. Most of these are obviously foolish. Some are
a grasp at wisps of imagination, too foolish to merit serious
consideration.
Jesus wants us to put our faith in facts. He lived on earth;
He was born of a virgin. He died a public and agonizing
death. He lives today. He was seen of hundreds of men and
women, and they are eyewitnesses who bear reliable, eternal
testimony to the truth that, because He lives, we can also
live.
Text: John 19:3820:31
87

1. Discuss the public stands taken by the secret disciples
(Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus, John 19:38, 39). Did
they take a stand too late?
2. How important is the doctrine of the physical resurrection of Christ? Discuss the implications of it.
3. Why do you think the disciples were so surprised by the
resurrection of Christ?
4. Discuss the special blessing: Thomas, because thou hast
seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not
seen, and yet have believed (John 20:29). To whom was
Jesus referring?
February 22, 2009
12
He Commanded
His Disciples
Text: John 21:1-25
Key Verse:
This spake he, signifying
by what death he should
glorify God. And when he
had spoken this, he saith
unto him, Follow me.
John 21:19
Sunday Devotional: Fully Follow

Jesus, Matthew 16:21-25.
Application: Jesus commanded His
disciples to follow Him. No greater
ambition can one have than to
sincerely follow our Lord Jesus
Christ. Following Jesus is the key to
every Christian life.
A FIRST LOOK
Jesus instructed His disciples to meet Him in Galilee. They
got there before Jesus did and decided to go fishing. This was
not a sport for these men. They were professional fishermen
and decided to take up their former occupation, at least for
one night. They had labored hard all night long and had
taken nothing.
Jesus appeared to them on the shore and told them they
were fishing on the wrong side of the boat. They obeyed His
instructions and filled their net with fish. John perceived
that Jesus was on the shore, and Peter immediately jumped
out of the boat and swam to shore. The others followed and
found that Jesus had prepared the morning meal for them.
There is a striking parallel between Peters denial in the
courtyard and this scene.
Daily Devotionals
In each, Peter made a M. Simons Test of Obedience, John 21:1-11.
threefold statement. Both T. True Testimony of John, John 21:24, 25.
took place before a fire and W. Elders: Feed the Flock, 1 Peter 5:1-4.
T. Key To Following Jesus, Luke 9:22-26.
in both instances Peter was F. Calebs Key to Success, Numbers 14:23, 24.
asked to make a declara- S. Live for Him Who Died for You,
2 Corinthians 5:14, 15.
tion about his personal
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Text: John 21:1-25
89
beliefs. In the first instance, Peter denied the Lord but here
Peter declared his love for Jesus.
Jesus instructed Peter and the other disciples present in
their work. Jesus was the Great Shepherd and He instructed
His followers in how to be effective undershepherds in His
kingdom.
We may do many things in our lives, but the most important thing we can do is to be faithful to the Lord who called
us. Judgment is not a jury trial. The approval of our brethren
may matter greatly to us on earth, but it is pointless in
Heaven. A servant must be faithful to His own master, not to
the other servants. Peter and John fulfilled their obligations
and were faithful until they died.
A CLOSER LOOK
I. Jesus and the Disciples
John 21:12-14
12. Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine. And none of the disciples
durst ask him, Who art thou? knowing that it was the Lord.
13. Jesus then cometh, and taketh bread, and giveth them, and fish
likewise.
14. This is now the third time that Jesus shewed himself to his disciples, after that he was risen from the dead.
There are many interesting things about this appearance.

First, Jesus was not immediately recognizable. He was in His
glorified body, but He did not look much different from a distance than He did before the resurrection. John did recognize
Jesus and then the others knew who He was.
Jesus was doing ordinary things in an ordinary way. He
built a fire and roasted a meal of fish on the coals. He invited the disciples to come and dine. No doubt they were hungry after a long, fruitless night of labor. They gladly received
what Jesus had prepared. None of them asked Him who He
was because they knew this was Jesus who was with them.
90
He Commanded His Disciples
It is important to note Jesus was not a frightening spirit.

He was in a physical body and was quite able to do physical
things when He chose. There is a definite tie between the
physical world and the spiritual world. Heaven will not be a
place so strange that we will not know what is going on when
we get there. We will know as we are known and we will all
be like Jesus (1 John 3:2).
Jesus ate with His disciples. He did not eat because He
needed the food to sustain His body, but nevertheless He was
able to perform this bodily function as He had before the resurrection. Jesus did all these ordinary things to encourage
His disciples and to convince them He was real. Perhaps they
were questioning all the things they had witnessed in
Jerusalem. It may be that they were speculating about the
last three years and thinking about the future. Jesus came
this third time and showed them He was real and He had a
real job for them in the future.
Jesus now instructed them about His plan for their lives.
II. Jesus and Peter
John 21:15-19
15. So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son
of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea,
Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my
lambs.
16. He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas,
lovest thou me? He saith unto him,Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love
thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
17. He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest
thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time,
Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things;
thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
18. Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt
be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee,
and carry thee whither thou wouldest not.
19. This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God.
And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me.
Text: John 21:1-25
91
After the meal was finished, Jesus asked Peter a simple,

yet profound question. It is the same question each time. This
is parallel to the same question asked three times in the
courtyard when Peter denied the Lord. Peter was given three
chances to affirm his love.
The first question was a matter of degree. Jesus asked
Peter whether he loved Jesus more than these. Of course we
immediately ask, These what? We do not know for certain.
But we do know Jesus was speaking comparatively. To love
Jesus properly, we must love Him supremely. Whatever these
are, Peter needed more love for Jesus than anything else.
The only permanent motive we have for any action is love.
We may serve out of duty, but when we believe our duty is
done, we will stop. We may serve out of obligation, but, when
the debt is paid, we will quit. We may serve to satisfy our conscience, but when our conscience is satisfied, our service will
be over. There are dozens of motives, but only one eternal one.
That is love. What we truly love, we will do for the rest of our
lives and we will never quit. If you love the Lord, you will
serve the Lord. That is plain talk, but it is also the truth.
Peter did not give a direct answer. Peter simply said Jesus
knew He loved Him. Jesus did not press the point, but He did
give Peter a job to do. He told Peter to feed His lambs. The
clear indication is that service is based on love. If we love the
Lord, we will do as He says. Jesus was asking this fisherman
to become a shepherd. If Peter loved Jesus, he would gladly
do it.
Jesus asked the question the second time. Both times
Jesus used Peters legal, or formal, name, Simon, son of
Jonas. Peter was actually a kind of nickname Jesus had given
Simon. Peter answered the same way. We can only speculate
as to why Peter did not give Jesus a simple yes or no answer.
Jesus once again asked Peter to feed His sheep. It is important to know Jesus was not talking about literal, physical
sheep. There was not a flock over the hill which needed to be
fed. Jesus was speaking in a parable about serving people as
a wise undershepherd.
Jesus was not finished with Peter, so He asked the question the third time. At the fire in the courtyard, it was the
third question which caused Peter to curse and deny the
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Lord. This third question grieved Peter. Obviously, there was

something in Jesus question which Peter did not want to
face. Peter said Jesus knew everything and Jesus knew of
Peters love. This was true, but it is also true the redeemed of
the Lord need to say so. You may know you love the Lord and
the Lord may know that you love Him, but the others around
this fire needed to hear Peter make this declaration. Jesus
once more commands Peter to feed His sheep.
Jesus then gave a part of Gods plan for Peters life. God
has a plan for each of us (Eph. 2:10), and we may or may not
like it, but the best we can do is to walk in it. Peters future
would end in weakness. Peter would once more be treated as
he was when he was a baby. This message was about Peters
eventual death.
Jesus concluded this message to Peter by simply asking
Peter to follow Him. This is the best advice we could possibly
get in any situation. Follow Jesus.
III. Jesus and John
John 21:20-23
20. Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved
following; which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said, Lord,
which is he that betrayeth thee?
21. Peter seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man
do?
22. Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that
to thee? follow thou me.
23. Then went this saying abroad among the brethren, that that disciple should not die: yet Jesus said not unto him, He shall not die; but,
If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee?
Peter looked around and saw John. Peter shifted attention

from himself and asked Jesus what would happen to John.
Peter had yet to learn that each human being must face God
for himself. No matter what happened to John, it would not
change Gods plan for Peter.
Jesus told Peter His plan for John did not change anything
in relation to the plan for Peter. If Jesus plan for John was
Text: John 21:1-25
93
that John would live until Christ returns that did not change
the command for Peter to follow Jesus.
Here we see how the sayings of the Lord can be misunderstood. Those who heard this reported to others that Jesus
had said John would not die. Jesus did not say John would
not die. Jesus was making the point that, if John did not die,
it would not matter to Peter. We must be careful to understand what Jesus said, and we must be cautious not to read
into what Jesus said things He did not say. We should neither
add to, nor take away from Gods Word.
Jesus was teaching that rivalry and competition must be
removed from the service of the Lord. There is no place for
this kind of competition in Gods work. The Lords churches
should operate so that each of Gods children would exercise
the gifts God has given them. God will put it all together. We
are not in competition with anybody; we do not have to struggle for any position. Every child of God has a place of service,
not only preachers. Every child of God has been given talents
by the Holy Spirit, and they define our ministry for us.
A FINAL WORD
These closing words are Johns last part of his eyewitness
account of what Jesus said and did. But someone else associated with John, likely the elders of the church in Ephesus,
picked up the pen and wrote, and we know that his testimony is true (verse 24). There are many other things Jesus did,
and the world itself could not contain the books that would
be the result if every one of them were recorded.
Over the years John had told of many other things Jesus
did that God did not include in his gospel. If everything from
the marvelous life of Jesus had been written, the accounts
would have so intrigued men that they would have endlessly
written so that all the libraries of earth could not contain
their books.
What a marvelous life our Lord lived. We have only been
given parts of it, but we have all we need. We have adequate
testimony. John said earlier, But these are written, that ye
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might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and
that believing ye might have life through his name (John
20:31). We have all we need, but it is not the whole story. The
account of the works of Jesus will only be complete when this
world is gone and the heavenly ages come.
John closed his account of the life of Jesus with the instruction for the fisherman to do the work of a shepherd, a teacher
and pastor. Every work we do for the Lord, whether it is a
mother teaching her children in her home, a teacher in a
Sunday School class or a preacher in a pulpit, our work can
rest upon the revelation of Jesus in the Word of God. We have
a reliable testimony. Let us go into the world and proclaim
the Word of God and live according to the plan God has for
each of our lives. The most important thing in life is to do
what God has put us here to do. Only doing the will of God
can guarantee us a reward from God.

1. Following his three denials, Peter was hesitant to claim
he loved Jesus with greatest devotion. Why do you think
Jesus kept asking Peter whether he loved Him?
2. Why do you think Jesus commanded Peter three times
to care for His flock?
3. In what specific ways are you following Jesus? What
does it mean to follow Jesus today?
4. What are the greatest hindrances which keep you from
fully following Jesus?
Notes
Notes

John 13-21

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John 13-21

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Adult Quarterly

WINTER QUARTER, 2008-2009

What Did Jesus Do?

Shawn Blase, Jeff Allen,

Bonita McKnight, Kyle Elkins,

Warned of Persecution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33

Yielded Himself . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63

American Baptist Association

Focus: John 13:1-17

Sunday Devotional: He Became Poor, Making Many Rich, 2

Application: Jesus is the perfect picture of humility. He set

events is instructive as well. Voluntary humility must be

In these verses we see the things Jesus knew His disciples

Text: John 13:1-30

5. After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash

With these thoughts in His mind, Jesus rose from supper

Text: John 13:1-30

Jesus then asked His disciples whether they understood

Text: John 13:1-30

FOR CLASS DISCUSSION

December 14, 2008

Focus: John 13:3114:6

Sunday Devotional: The New Commandment in Practice, 1 John 3:10-14.

Text: John 13:3114:14

are powerful and comforting on their own. They contain some

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus warned about casting

He Prepared for Departure

would be despised and rejected of men, and He would die a

Text: John 13:3114:14

commandment was new in the sense that, once Jesus died on

He Prepared for Departure

Text: John 13:3114:14

Thomas brought up the obvious question. He did not know

He Prepared for Departure

there. Thomas thinking was earthly and Jesus teaching was

FOR CLASS DISCUSSION

Text: John 13:3114:14

2. Why do you think the prevalent sign of true discipleship

December 21, 2008

Focus: John 14:15-31

Sunday Devotional: They

Text: John 14:15-31

He Promised Another Comforter

Text: John 14:15-31

the Holy Spirit. Nothing else on earth or no one on earth can

Jesus was clearly distinguishing between the knowledge

He Promised Another Comforter

Jesus summed up our relationship to Him in six simple

Text: John 14:15-31

III. The Spirit of Peace

No doubt these teachings were troubling to the disciples.

He Promised Another Comforter

their lives would be permanently changed. But, if they could

Text: John 14:15-31

FOR CLASS DISCUSSION

December 28, 2008

Focus: John 15:1-14

Sunday Devotional: Only God

Text: John 15:1-17

back to them. This must have been puzzling to them. Jesus

Jesus introduced us first to the characters in this account.

Text: John 15:1-17

5. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I

The work of the Father is twofold and our responsibility in