April 1, 2023
Please use the comment section on this page to share insights from today’s reading OR your own personal Bible reading.
Reading along with us in our Lenten readings from “The Life of Jesus”? Here’s today’s reading:
Day 22 in the Book: “The Life of Jesus“
The Week Jesus Dies
Read Sections 5.37 through 5.40 (pages 166-169)
This book is an account of Jesus’ life and teachings told through in chronological order from the four Gospels to create one continuous story.
*If you do not have a copy of the book please contact the church at (401)667-0775 and we can get you a copy.
How powerful it must have been that night for the disciples to hear the prayers of Jesus on their behalf and how powerful for us to be included in that prayer! That Jesus was about to make the way for us to be welcomed into His glory and connected directly to the Father through Him!
We are no longer a part of this world but a part of God’s Kingdom and there is such peace in knowing that Jesus Himself has prayed for our protection, strength, and for us to be filled with the Holy Spirit. The disciples were about to face not only great sadness in His death but also great persecution for being His followers and we will experience division among friends and family for our choice to follow and life will not always be easy but because of Jesus’ death we will never be alone!
Jesus whole theme is to prepare and encourage and comfort the apostles. And also us. Letting us know that the world is not going to agree with us. But to keep our eyes on Jesus and remember what the future holds. Who can say. I have overcome the world. What an incredible statement. So whatever we go through it has been approved by God. So where is fear or worry. John 17. Is there a better chapter in all of scripture. No. The holy of holy’s. As we listen to Jesus speaking to God. Incredible. Prays for himself. That he has done his fathers will and brought his father glory. Anyone want to know the definition of life. There it is!! Prays for his disciples. Not those that are in the world. Interesting. That the father woild protect them from the evil one. Battleground. Then to pray for us That we would be United as one as Jesus and his father are one. So. Where might division come from ?? Always on the alert for divisive schemes of the enemy. In our own lives and in the church
I can certainly understand why the disciples didn’t understand what Jesus was saying before the events took place…but how the lightbulb must have turned on after Jesus was raised and then ascended to heaven…and then when they received the Holy Spirit in such a dramatic way. How revealing and comforting for the disciples to hear once again about Jesus’ connection with His father and yet as well the regard the Father had for them because they followed Jesus. They were in for a rough road but it wouldn’t be without God’s presence, power and provision. And if Jesus speaking to them about it wasn’t enough, Jesus gives them a chance to hear Him speaking to God about it. How assured Jesus’ relationship with the Father is. He understands who He is, where He has come form and where He is going. And yet He understands the disciples will be alone, so He prays for them. He has protected and guided them, but Jesus asks for the Father to do the same. Jesus has been through what they will go through and He prays for them with that knowledge. And yet Jesus also knows the gospel will spread and others will believe…so He prays for them (us) as well. He desires so much for us in the relationship we would have with Him and with each other. He knows the fullness of life He has for us that following Him will offer, but He also wants that fullness of life to spill over to others as well. May we grow to know Him as much as He desires to be know and to follow Him in the purposes He calls us to.
Love reading these comments wish there was 100 more. Fills me up. Resassurance
Amen Mark! Maybe each one that values this can encourage one other to join?
I know that I usually comment a few days later, but I really like to read the comments as well, and I like it when someone replies to my comments! Sometimes I wonder if anyone is actually reading them. That is one thing that I wish there was more conversation back and forth.
Day 22 37-40
I like the statement that Jesus made while praying to the Father. [ And this is eternal life ; that people can know you , the only true God, and that they can know Jesus Christ, the one you sent.] Jesus also refers to the glory that He once had with the Father before the world was made and will again. As Pastor mentioned that Jesus was not just praying for his followers but for all future true believers that also being us. Jesus prayed that they may be one just as the Father and Jesus are one. It is hard to understand how Jesus lost glory to become a man yet still retained many areas of God like healing , knowing peoples thoughts, walking on water, raising the dead to life, etc. This just goes to show his oneness with the Father. Yet he also was limited to a human body with all it`s weakness. He got tired, had to get sleep, was hungry and thirsty. I like how the series The Chosen shows Jesus being warn out while he healed many people during the day going right into the night. People kept coming to him and he kept healing them. Meanwhile the disciples kept complaining amongst themselves and finding fault with each other . Still having a judgmental spirit toward Matthew the tax collector. By the way Matthew was no longer a tax collector because he left everything to follow Jesus. Just like they followed Jesus. They should have been one in Jesus instead they were divided. They were all thinking about themselves and didn`t even see how they could help Jesus. Only Mary did. What a rebuke to them and to us on how they were not one in Christ.
Day 22
5.37-5.40
On lent 2023 day 22
Until this time, the disciples asked for nothing in Jesus’ name. Now they could ask for anything from the Father in the name of Jesus and it would be given to them. Jesus prayed for the followers who believed that God sent him. He also prayed for us, his future followers. That we are united in fellowship together and in God’s truth. This is very important to him because it enables us to support and encourage one another as well as witness to others of the true identity of Jesus, the Son of God.
Jesus prays for Himself, He prays for His disciples, and He prays for future believers.
“And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.”