Devotionals: John

The Full Extent of his Love

By Devotionals: John

“Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love” (John 13:1) Bible Reading: John 13:1-5 Now that we have finished the Book of Ezra, we are going to return to the New Testament for our next series of Ezra Devotionals. I have felt drawn to explore with you Jesus’ farewell discourse with his disciples found in John 13-17. This has long been very important in my own life and bears directly on the purpose of the Ezra Ministry – to foster an intimate, interactive love relationship with God in Christ through the Holy Spirit. It is with […]

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Essential Washing

By Devotionals: John

“Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.” (John 13:8) Bible Reading: John 13:6-11 We left Jesus with a towel wrapped around his waist washing and drying the feet of his disciples (John 13:4, 5). When he came to Peter – and we have no idea at what point in the process that was – the outspoken fisherman protested. He wasn’t going to allow his Teacher and Lord to wash his feet (vs. 6-8). That was the task of a menial servant; Jesus couldn’t be allowed to do that. Jesus corrects his well-meaning follower. “Unless I wash you,” he says, […]

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The Way of the Master

By Devotionals: John

“Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet.” (John 13:14) Bible Reading: John 13:12-17 The task of foot-washing complete, Jesus re-clothes himself and takes his place at the table again (John 13:12). What he has done has not been for show; it has been a sincere expression of love towards his disciples. More than that, however, it has been a lesson in how they are to act towards one another. He wants his disciples to learn from his example (v. 15). To ensure that they do, he asks them if they had understood […]

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Believing in Jesus

By Devotionals: John

“I am telling you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe that I am He.” (John 13:19) Bible Reading: John 13:18-20 Even as he was washing his disciple’s feet, Jesus knew that one of them would prove to be false and turn against him. He indicated that in his conversation with Peter. “You are clean,” he said to him, “though not every one of you” (John 13:10). Having resumed his place at the table, and explained why he had done what he had done (washed their feet), Jesus takes up that thought again. “I am not […]

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Troubled in Spirit

By Devotionals: John

“After he had said this, Jesus was troubled in spirit…” (John 13:21) Bible Reading: John 13:21-30 Having indicated to his disciples that one of them would “lift up his heel against him” – that is, prove unfaithful – Jesus becomes “troubled in spirit” and declares that one of them is going to betray him (John 13:21). This, in turn, leads to the disciples staring at one another, “at a loss to know which of them he meant” (v. 22). Peter signals to “the disciple Jesus loved,” who was “reclining next to him,” to ask Jesus who he was referring to (vs. 23-24). […]

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A Parting Command

By Devotionals: John

“A new command I give you: Love one another.” (John 13:34) Bible Reading: John 13:31-35 The betrayer having departed, Jesus speaks to his remaining disciples with the tenderness of a father. “My children,” he says to them, “I will be with you only a little longer” (John 13:33). He is about to be glorified, and to glorify his Father (v. 31). And in doing so, he will leave them and go where they cannot come – at least for the present (v. 33). In the light of this, he has a special command he wants to leave with them, a command that […]

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A Temporary Separation

By Devotionals: John

“Where I am going, you cannot follow now, but you will follow later.” (John 13:36) Bible Reading: John 13:36-38 Jesus is about to leave his disciples and he is burdened to prepare them for the great change that will involve. He has mentioned his approaching glorification and the fact that they would look for him and not be able to find him. Where he was going, they could not follow for now (John 13:31-33). Not surprisingly, this news provokes Peter to ask, “Lord, where are you going?” (v. 36). But rather than give him a direct answer, Jesus merely repeats what he had […]

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Preparing a Place for Us

By Devotionals: John

“I am going there to prepare a place for you.” (John 14:2) Bible Reading: John 14:1-3 Jesus sees that his disciples’ hearts are “troubled” by what he has been saying to them (John 14:1). They were beginning to understand that he was leaving them and that massive changes were ahead. And that left them shocked, confused and sad. He didn’t want them to be in that state. So he urges them to trust in him (v. 1). They are to trust in God – in fact, they already trusted in him in the sense of relying upon him to be their Deliverer in […]

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The Way to the Father

By Devotionals: John

“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6) Bible Reading: John 14:4-6 Jesus had revealed to his disciples that he was leaving them in order to go to his Father’s house. Had they really known him, they would have understood that he was talking about leaving this world and going back to heaven – that he had “come from God and was returning to God” (John 13:1, 3). Furthermore, they would have understood what he meant when he added, “You know the way to the place I am going” […]

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Knowing the Father

By Devotionals: John

“If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well.” (John 14:7) Bible Reading: John 14:7-9 Jesus has been talking to his disciples of his impending departure, the place he is going to, and the way to get there. It is only natural that he should also bring into the picture the One to whom he is going, his Father. For his ultimate purpose in being with his disciples is that they, and through them, many others, might also “come to the Father” (John 14:6; see also 17:20). So it is that he introduces the idea of “knowing” the Father. […]

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