His prayer for all believers

John 17:20 – 26

In chapter 17, Jesus prays for believers.

In John 17:20, Jesus prays for future believers who will believe in Him through believers’ message.

Regarding to ‘message’, Romans 10:17 says

Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.

Paul argued in Romans 10:14 that

¹⁴ How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?

Therefore, someone has to preach the message to them.  There should be a messenger.

Baptist John was a messenger. Quoting from Malachi 3:1 and Isaiah 40:3, Mark 1:2 – 3 says about Baptist John:

² as it is written in Isaiah the prophet:

‘I will send my messenger ahead of you,

who will prepare your way’—

³ ‘a voice of one calling in the wilderness,

“Prepare the way for the Lord,

make straight paths for him.” ’

In Isaiah 49:2, the mouth of the messenger was compared to sharpened sword.

² He made my mouth like a sharpened sword,

in the shadow of his hand he hid me;

he made me into a polished arrow

and concealed me in his quiver.

How would be the message from the mouth of sharpened sword?

Let’s read Hebrew 4:12 – 13.

¹² For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. ¹³ Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

Such message would be based on the Word of God, and reveal what are hidden in their heart for them to repent their sins, be inspired and aspired to follow the son of God, Jesus.

In John 17:24, Jesus prays for believers to be where He is.

Father I want those you have given me to be with me where I am

John 17:24 agrees with the fact that God wants all people to be saved, as shown in 1 Timothy 2:3 – 4:

³ This is good, and pleases God our Saviour, ⁴ who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.

See John 17:25 – 26.

The world does not know God (25a). As a result, people in the world are lack of God and His attributes. They are cruel, evil and without love (2 Timothy 3:2 – 4, Romans 1:29 – 32). Jesus, who knows God (25b), came to the world and made God known to them (25c), so that the love God has for Jesus may be in them (25d).

Jesus washes His disciples’ feet

John 13:1 – 17 

13 It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.

² The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. ³ Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; ⁴ so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel round his waist. ⁵ After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped round him.

⁶ He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, ‘Lord, are you going to wash my feet?’

⁷ Jesus replied, ‘You do not realise now what I am doing, but later you will understand.’

⁸ ‘No,’ said Peter, ‘you shall never wash my feet.’

Jesus answered, ‘Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.’

⁹ ‘Then, Lord,’ Simon Peter replied, ‘not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!’

¹⁰ Jesus answered, ‘Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.’ ¹¹ For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.

¹² When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. ‘Do you understand what I have done for you?’ he asked them. ¹³ ‘You call me “Teacher” and “Lord”, and rightly so, for that is what I am. ¹⁴ Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. ¹⁵ I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. ¹⁶ Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. ¹⁷ Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.

(Message)

We know feet are the most dirty and smelly part of our body. Washing others’ feet is the job of servants. Jesus is our Lord and teacher (13). But Jesus washes His disciples’ feet (4, 5).

Borchert knows of no other example in the literature of the ancient world before the coming of Jesus where such a foot washing by a leader occurs [1].

This “feet washing” is applicable for those who already bathed the whole body (10), which means they believed Jesus and were forgiven.

This teaches us how we should handle their mistakes due to the weaknesses and immaturity in the sinful world.

Washing is sanctification by love and care. Humility shown by Jesus makes a leader a servant who cares extensively as above.

Reference

[1] Borchert, G. L. (2002). John 12–21 (Vol. 25B, pp. 79–80). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.

The Holy Bible: New International Version (Anglicised Edition, 2011). (2011). (Revised and updated edition., Jn 13:1–17). London: Hodder & Stoughton.

The Gate of Salvation and Life in its Fullness

In the first part,

Jesus declares that He is the Gate for the sheep (7b) and the shepherd (2), and the Gate of Salvation (9) and Life (10b).

He shows what qualifies to be “the shepherd,“ and compares with a robber and a thief.

In the 2^nd part,

Jesus declares that He is the Good Shepherd, and compares with the hired hand.

I. The Gate, Jesus (John 10:1 – 10)

First, Jesus explains the difference between shepherd and thief/robber. The shepherd enters by the gate (John 10:2) but a thief and a robber climbs in by some other way (John 10:1).

Then, Jesus declares “I am the gate for the sheep” (7b, 9a)

Jesus is the Gate to the sheepfold, and it is important to enter through this Gate.

The man who enters by the Gate is one who recognizes and believes Jesus and he is the shepherd of His sheep.

Jesus entrusted His sheep to His servants like us. Entering through the sheep gate Jesus, we are able to be a shepherd to His sheep (2). Shepherd should understand their character & ability by calling them by their names and lead them by being an example (3).

If a man does not recognize Jesus, he is not qualified as the shepherd but considered as a thief and a robber (1-2). They have two different purposes: See verse 10.

¹⁰ The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

“Entering through Jesus” is the condition of salvation both for shepherd & sheep (9).

Jesus is the Gate of Salvation (9) and Life in its fullness (10).

II. The Good Shepherd, Jesus (John 10:11 – 18)

Jesus declared in John 10:11a.

^11aI am the good shepherd (11a, 14a)

Now, Jesus explains about the Good Shepherd. See v11b.

^11bThe good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

Jesus says this with “the good shepherd” replaced with “I” in v15b.

¹⁴ ‘I am the good shepherd; …… ¹⁵ …… and I lay down my life for the sheep.

Jesus compares the Good Shepherd with the hired hand in v12 and v13.

¹² The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So, when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. ¹³ The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.

Differently to the hired hand, Jesus owns the sheep. This implies how much greater His care and love toward His sheep (us) are than all others (hired hands)’s.

As we know, we usually do not commit if the cost is too high. But we may sacrifice even our lives for someone only if we truly love & care about that person. The Good Shepherd Jesus committed to save us even though it cost His life. This shows how much Jesus loves and cares for us. As a disciple & a shepherd entrusted His sheep, we learn from Jesus to be a good shepherd like Him (11-18).

See v14 and v15.

¹⁴ ‘I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me—¹⁵ just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep.

In these verses, Jesus says “I know my sheep and my sheep know me”.  What does this mean? Let’s think more about this Word.

• Jesus knows me: Jesus knows my character, habits, weaknesses and strengths, needs, feelings, hurts, intensions/motivations, sins, miserable fate if without Him, ……
• I know my Shepherd: His sheep knows “His sacrifice was out of His love toward me and how great His love is, He knew me even when I didn’t recognize Him, He knows me all along, He makes my life meaningful, He is trustworthy, He is faithful, He is good, ……”

See v16.

¹⁶ I have other sheep that are not of this sheepfold. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.

Jesus talks on “other sheep that are not of this sheepfold”. Jesus owns them at present, too, as shown in the expression of “I have” (not “I will have”). Jesus declares, “there shall be one flock and one shepherd.”

Philip said to Nathanael, “Come and see”

John 1:43 – 51

(Short Message)

In v43 – 45, Jesus found and called Philip to follow Him (43). Philip told Nathanael a great news that he has found the Christ, who is Jesus of Nazareth (45).

But Nathanael was sceptical about “Nazareth” (46a).

What is the answer of Philip? See v46b.

‘Come and see’, said Philip.

Philip didn’t argue about Nathanael’s doubt. He simply invited him to see Jesus.

What is the result of the invitation? See v47 – 51.

When Nathanael came to Jesus, Jesus showed his omnipotence to know about Nathanael (47, 48b). As a result, Nathanael believed Jesus being the Son of God (49). Further Jesus gave him vision to experience what would be greater than what he just experienced (51).

In various reasons, people could be sceptical. Only Jesus can clear their doubt and give them faith. Their faith depends on His power and grace. Therefore, they need to come and see Jesus. How they respond to this invitation will determine their destiny. In other words, our invitation to “come and see” has great role and impact on the eternal future of invitees.

% Also, how they deal with His believers will determine their destiny (Matthew 25:31 – 46).