- araratchurch
- Mar 30
- 4 min read
Last time, our guide took us to hear Jesus’ priestly prayer. In this prayer, Jesus prayed for Himself and for the disciples. He prayed for Himself, asking that the Father would glorify Him (having come to His moment of being offered up). He asked that the disciples would be protected from the evil one. He also asked that they would be able to be where He was.
Having met no new people last time, let’s catch up with our guide. It seems we are going to a garden with Jesus.
As we enter the scene, we see Jesus arriving at a garden to which He had often taken the disciples to pray. Judas, knowing this was Jesus’ custom, brought troops and officers from the religious leaders, to arrest Jesus. When Jesus sees them coming, He asks them who they are seeking. When they tell Him, Jesus says, “I am He.” At these words, the soldiers fall down. A second time, Jesus asks the same question, and repeats, “I am He,” when they indicate who they are looking for. Again, at His answer, the soldiers fall down. Jesus then tells them to let the others go. At this point, Peter takes his sword and cuts off the right ear of the servant of the high priest. Jesus scolds Peter saying that He must drink this cup. Jesus is then taken to Annas (the father-in-law of Caiaphas), who sends Him to Caiaphas (the high priest). During this time, as Jesus warned, Peter denies being connected to Jesus, three times, before the rooster crows. Then Caiaphas sends Jesus to Pilate (Roman governor of Judea). Now, Pilate is very intrigued with Jesus and wonders why the Jewish leaders want Him dead. Pilate asks Jesus if He is a king. Jesus says that He is a king, but that His kingdom is not of this world. Pilate finds no fault in Jesus, but fails in His attempts to get the Jewish leaders to relent concerning wanting Jesus to be crucified. Pilate even offers to release Jesus, but they choose a thief, Barabbas, to be released instead.
Our highlighted verses for today:
“Then Judas, having received a detachment of troops, and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, came there with lanterns, torches, and weapons. Jesus therefore, knowing all things that would come upon Him, went forward and said to them, “Whom are you seeking?” They answered Him, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus said to them, “I am He.” And Judas, who betrayed Him, also stood with them. Now when He said to them, “I am He,” they drew back and fell to the ground. Then He asked them again, “Whom are you seeking?” And they said, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus answered, “I have told you that I am He. Therefore, if you seek Me, let these go their way,” that the saying might be fulfilled which He spoke, “Of those whom You gave Me I have lost none.” So Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword into the sheath. Shall I not drink the cup which My Father has given Me?” Then the servant girl who kept the door said to Peter, “You are not also one of this Man’s disciples, are you?” He said, “I am not.” And when He had said these things, one of the officers who stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, “Do You answer the high priest like that?” Jesus answered him, “If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil; but if well, why do you strike Me?” Now Simon Peter stood and warmed himself. Therefore they said to him, “You are not also one of His disciples, are you?” He denied it and said, “I am not!” One of the servants of the high priest, a relative of him whose ear Peter cut off, said, “Did I not see you in the garden with Him?” Peter then denied again; and immediately a rooster crowed. Then Pilate said to them, “You take Him and judge Him according to your law.” Therefore the Jews said to him, “It is not lawful for us to put anyone to death,” that the saying of Jesus might be fulfilled which He spoke, signifying by what death He would die. Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here.” Pilate therefore said to Him, “Are You a king then?” Jesus answered, “You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.” Then they all cried again, saying, “Not this Man, but Barabbas!” Now Barabbas was a robber.”
John 18:3-9, 11, 17, 22-23, 25-27, 31-32, 36-37, 40 NKJV
Question for reflection:
Why did Peter deny Jesus, even after Jesus warned him?
Next time, we witness the unthinkable: Jesus is crucified!
Peace to you.
Jesus is coming! Get ready for Him!
- araratchurch
- Mar 27
- 3 min read
Last time, in continuing to prepare the disciples for His departure, Jesus was offering a couple of bad news/good news scenarios to His disciples. The first bad news is that they will face hard times in this world. The good news is that Jesus has already overcome the world. Therefore, they can be at peace. Second bad news is that Jesus is definitely going to depart. The good news is that if He goes, the Helper will be able to come.
Since we were introduced to no new people last time, let’s join our guide and take that front row seat to hear Jesus’ priestly prayer.
Entering the scene, we see that Jesus is praying to His Father. He first prays for Himself that the Father would glorify Him and receive Him back where He was before the world began. Jesus then prays for the disciples that the Father would keep them from the evil one, sanctify them with His word, and make them one with Him and the Father. Jesus also prayed for all those who would come to believe through the disciples. As well, He asks the Father that those who the Father has given Him, could be where He is.
Our highlighted verses for today:
“Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You, as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him. And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do. And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was. Now they have known that all things which You have given Me are from You. For I have given to them the words which You have given Me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came forth from You; and they have believed that You sent Me. “I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours. Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are. But now I come to You, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves. I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. “Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world.”
John 17:1-5, 7-9, 11, 13, 15, 17-18, 20-21, 24 NKJV
Question for reflection:
Why did Jesus not pray for the world?
Next time, our guide takes us to Gethsemane.
Peace to you.
Jesus is coming! Get ready for Him!
- araratchurch
- Mar 25
- 3 min read
Last time, we listened in on a continuing conversation in which Jesus is telling the disciples things they need to know before He departs. In this part of the discussion, Jesus explained that He is the true vine, and as the branches, they must be vitally connected to Him, or they will have no fruit. Jesus told His disciples that the Spirit of truth, will testify to them about Him, so that they, in turn, can testify of Jesus.
Since we were introduced to no new people last time, let’s jump right into today’s excursion. From what I understand, Jesus will be giving His disciples more information they need to know before His departure.
As we enter today’s scene, Jesus is emphasizing that the information He is giving the disciples, is to keep them from stumbling. He warns them that they will be rejected and that people will even think they’re doing God a favor by killing them. He says people will be doing these things, because they really don’t know Him; and they really don’t know the Father. Jesus then points out the fact that He sees that they are sorrowful, and encourages them by telling them that if He doesn’t go away, the Helper, the Spirit of truth, will not come. But if He comes, He will speak things to them, explain things to them, that they are not currently able to bear. Jesus then tells them that although they are sorrowful now, He will come back to them, and their joy will be complete: a joy that no one can take from them. He also tells them that they will be able to ask the Father for things in His name, and the Father will do it for them. When the disciples comment that now they truly believe that He is from God, Jesus tells them that actually the time has come that they will go and abandon Him, but that He will not truly be alone, because the Father is always with Him. Going back to the topic of hardships they will face, Jesus says that even though they will have tribulation in this world, He has already overcome the world, therefore they can be at peace.
Our highlighted verses for today:
““These things I have spoken to you, that you should not be made to stumble. They will put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service. And these things they will do to you because they have not known the Father nor Me. But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. “A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me, because I go to the Father.” Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you. “And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you. Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full. His disciples said to Him, “See, now You are speaking plainly, and using no figure of speech! Now we are sure that You know all things, and have no need that anyone should question You. By this we believe that You came forth from God.” Jesus answered them, “Do you now believe? Indeed the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave Me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me. These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.””
John 16:1-3, 6-7, 12-13, 16, 22-24, 29-33 NKJV
Question for reflection:
How can people who one minute are saying that they know Jesus came from God, turn around and then abandon Him?
Next time we’re going to have a front row seat for Jesus’ wonderful priestly prayer.
Peace to you.
Jesus is coming! Get ready for Him!