Lesson 11 The Gospel of John, Chapters 13 and 14

Jesus: The Way, the Truth, and the Life

The Gospel of John alone records the foot washing, Jesus' final words to the disciples, and his amazing prayer of intercession for all Christians in chapters 13-17.

All people are lost. All people are confused. All people are sorrowful. But they need not be. Jesus came to seek and save the lost. Jesus came to comfort them. Even Jesus' disciples, during the night when he was betrayed, were confused and sorrowful. One could call these chapters, The Learning Chapters, because of the many questions the disciples ask in them. Jesus has the answers.

We are just like the disciples. Often we feel lost, confused and sorrowful. "Do not let your hearts be troubled." Let us listen to Jesus: the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

Read John 13:1-17 (Jesus washes the feet of his disciples)

The celebration of the Passover was about to begin. This would be the most special Passover for Jesus, his disciples, and for the whole world, for this was the hour that the Father had determined for his Son to redeem us. It was time for Jesus to fulfill His destiny. It was time for the cross, time for the suffering and death, and then returning to the Father. It was time to show the world the full extent of His love.

But before humbling himself even to death on a cross, Jesus would teach us all a lesson in humble service by taking the role of a servant and washing the feet of the guests.

Why was Peter at first reluctant to let Jesus wash his feet?
What did Jesus mean when he said, "Unless I wash you, you have no part with me?"
What lesson did Jesus teach his followers by his example of washing their feet?

We follow his example by serving each other, visiting the sick, helping the poor, doing acts of kindness, volunteering, helping others in need. We were created not to be served, but to serve others. When we put our faith into practice and love and serve others, we are blessed because we are doing what God made us to do. Sometimes old people living in a nursing home just want to die because they no longer feel needed or useful. Everyone wants to be needed and useful. That's a blessing which gives purpose to our lives and makes us content.

Read John 13:18-30 (Jesus predicts his betrayal)

Why did Jesus want his disciples to know in advance that one of them was about to betray him (see verse 19)?
In verse 26 it says that when Judas received the piece of bread, "Satan entered into him." What does that mean?

Read John 13:31-38 (Jesus predicts Peter's denial)

What did Jesus mean when he said, "Now is the Son of Man glorified and God is glorified in him?" (verse 31)

Look closely at Jesus' "new command" in verse 34. We might think, "But Lord, the command to love one another was certainly not new. Thousands of years earlier You gave commandments to Moses about how to treat other people that You summarized by saying, "Love your neighbor as yourself" (Matthew 22:39). Lord, how can you say that loving one another is a NEW COMMAND?"

In the sermon on the mount Jesus explains this for us. He said, "If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' love those who love them.And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' do that.And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' lend to 'sinners,' expecting to be repaid in full.But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked" (Luke 6:32-35).

The old command was "Love your neighbor as yourself." The new command is, "Love one another AS I HAVE LOVED YOU." He is commanding a new KIND of love. the kind of unconditional and voluntary love which He has shown to us. The laws of Moses required love out of obedience. The love which Jesus is instructing us to show is a free and voluntary love, a love that is given unconditionally and simply motivated by His love for us.

Unconditional love does not mean that we tolerate sin or approve of things that are wrong. It does, however, mean that we still love the sinner, even while rebuking sin and calling it out. We can show love to the homosexual person without condoning or approving of their sin. We can love the sinner and treat the sinner with kindness, while disapproving and rebuking the sin at the same time. The love that Jesus teaches us is different than the love the world knows and understands. It is not dependent upon another person's behavior, but upon a heart that is filled with love.

And how can we have a heart that is filled with love? The apostle John writes: "We love because he first loved us." (1 John 4:19). We must experience the love of Jesus. He is the source of this new kind of love.

This love is one of the marks of true Christian discipleship. Jesus says that others will know that we are his disciples when we show this kind of love (v. 35). This is because unconditional love is special and is rarely seen in the world outside of Christianity. In his first epistle, the apostle John writes that love for others is one of the tests for a true Christian.

Chapter Fourteen

In Chapter 14 Jesus comforts his troubled disciples, preparing them for his suffering, death, and departure. Though the moment is near when he will drink the Father's bitter cup of wrath in payment for the world's sin, Jesus thinks of us and speaks words that will enable us to live in confidence as we face the challenges of living as a Christian. At the end of chapter 13, Jesus was speaking to Peter. But now he turns to address all of his disciples.

Read John 14:1-14 (Jesus comforts his disciples)

In verse 1 Jesus said, "Do not let your hearts be troubled." What were some reasons why the disciples were so troubled that evening?
What are some things that trouble our hearts today?

Jesus was not speaking empty words of comfort. Because Jesus loved them, and they could trust His love, there is no need to worry or be afraid. He will make everything work out for the good of those who love him.

Agree or Disagree? It is impossible for anyone to get to heaven apart from saving faith in Jesus Christ. (Explain your answer)

Many people will say, "It doesn't matter what a person believes, as long as he is sincere. All religions are just different ways to the same place." This idea has been expressed so often that we may be tempted to think it is true. Wherever the idea originated, it did not originate with Jesus Christ. When the disciples asked him about the way to heaven, he replied, "I am the way." Notice that Christ says, "I am THE way." He does not say, "I am one of the ways," or "I know the way," or "I show the way." No, Christ's idea about the road to heaven was definitely exclusive – "no other way but me!" Some people may not agree, but this is the clear teaching of Jesus and his apostles.

Peter once told the Jewish leaders: "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12). Through the years people have sought other ways to heaven. The ancient Canaanites sacrificed their own children, and the Hindus tortured their own bodies, hoping that these things would appease the anger of their imaginary outraged gods, and smooth the way into a happy hereafter. And many people today look for the way to heaven in something they do, or say, or offer, or sacrifice. But these salvation‑by-character religions have only destroyed hope and bred fear. Forgiveness cannot be purchased. Only Christ can bridge the gulf between the holy God and the helpless sinner. Through his holy life, his innocent death, and his mighty resurrection, he has secured an eternal pardon for all. All other ways are simply dead-ends. Jesus alone is the way – the only way!

Yet, thank God, Christ is also an all-inclusive way. Any person can get to heaven through Christ. His way of salvation is universal: "Whoever comes to me, I will never drive away," Jesus said (John 6:37). So, trust in Jesus alone.

In verse 8 Philip makes a request that reveals a lack of understanding that Jesus had been showing (revealing) the Father to them all along. Because Jesus is God, whoever see and observes Jesus will be able to see what God is like. Jesus came down from heaven to reveal the Father to us. Through Jesus we can see and know God the Father.

In verse 12 Jesus says that those who believe in him will do "even greater things" than the works that he had been doing. Can it really be possible that ordinary people, weak and sinful people like us, will do the same things and even greater things than the almighty, sinless Son of God? Yes, this is true, Jesus says. And He emphasizes this truth, perhaps because it is so hard for us to believe.

And what great works are these that Jesus is thinking about? Building churches? Bringing the Gospel to more people all over the world? Suffering for the sake of the truth? Showing compassion and kindness and establishing institutions of mercy, healing, and education (such as hospitals and schools and universities) all over the world? Perhaps. "Even greater" can refer to the greater number of future believers they would win for the kingdom by proclaiming the Gospel through the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus knew that only in His death and resurrection could He send the Holy Spirit that would enable the disciples to spread the message that would change the lives of millions of people.

Read John 14:15-31 (Jesus promises the Holy Spirit)

Jesus would soon complete his mission and return to heaven. The gospel message of God's great love and amazing grace would be entrusted to his disciples. They would need power to witness in the face of great persecution. They would need guidance to remain in the truth. They would need a new heavenly Counselor who would help them in their mission of taking the gospel to the whole world.

So Jesus promised to send them a special Helper who would be with them forever. That Helper is the Holy Spirit, whom Jesus calls the "Spirit of truth". This is the first of many specific promises about the Holy Spirit that Jesus gave his disciples in the next few chapters.

Jesus said the world cannot accept the Spirit. Why? See 1 Corinthians 2:14
What specific examples of this do we see today?

In verse 22 a disciple named "Judas" speaks. Actually, two of Jesus' twelve apostles were named Judas. One of them was Judas Iscariot, who would betray Jesus. The other Judas was also called by the name Thaddaeus (Matthew 10:3). This is the Judas (not Judas Iscariot) who speaks here in John 14:22. He could not understand why Jesus would show himself to them, but not to the rest of the world. Remember that even the twelve disciples had some false expectations about the Messiah at this time. Like many others, they expected that Jesus would become a glorious earthly King who would bring a new era of peace and prosperity to Israel. The disciples still struggled to understand what kind of Messiah Jesus would be. Only when the Holy Spirit came upon them on the day of Pentecost did they fully understand who the Messiah would be.

The Holy Spirit would do two things: a) Remind them of all that Jesus had said; and b) Teach them all. Jesus is very gentle toward weak and floundering believers. That includes you and me.

In John 14:26 Jesus says that the Father will send the Holy Spirit. ("But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.") Then, in John 15:26 Jesus says that he will send them the Holy Spirit ("When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me.") So who will send the Holy Spirit – Jesus, or the Father? Actually, it is both. This is why Christians use the Nicene Creed and confess: "I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and Giver of Life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son …"

In verse 28 Jesus said, "If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father …" Why should Jesus' followers be glad he returned to the Father?

In verses 29-31 Jesus is speaking to the disciples about his death and burial. As the disciples watched Jesus suffer and die and as they laid his lifeless body in the tomb, it might seem to them that the "prince of this world" (Satan) had taken hold of Jesus and defeated him.

Therefore, Jesus told them, "The prince of this world … has no hold on me." Although the suffering and crucifixion and burial of Jesus might make it seem that Jesus was weak and powerless against the forces of evil, Jesus wanted them to know that his suffering and death was not a sign of Satan's power, but of the power of Jesus' love for the Father, and his desire to do the will of his Father. Jesus would not be under the control of Satan, but under the control of love for the Father and for us.

  Our Lord had no weak spots for Satan to attack. He was holy, and his holy life would be sacrificed to save the world from sin.

The next lesson will focus on the comforting words of Jesus in chapters 15 and 16. In those words he promises the Holy Spirit, and encourages us to do the works of God, even in times of persecution and trouble.

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