Walking With JohnPrøve

Walking and Talking with Jesus By: Rebekah Measmer This beautiful passage, which is full of warnings and several promises, records the continuation of the final conversation between Jesus and His followers after the Last Supper. It is not known exactly where this conversation took place, but we know it was during the hours preceding Jesus’ intense prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane. With the Crucifixion looming ahead—the excruciating details of which He would have already known—these final instructions and teaching are a testament to Jesus’ selfless and loving nature. He focused on comforting His disciples and warning them of what was to come when, in fact, Jesus Himself desperately needed comforting that night. Frightened and confused by many of His warnings and vague declarations, the disciples struggled to make sense of what Jesus was saying. Naturally, Jesus knew that His words would not be fully understood at the time, but His foresight not only demonstrated His deity but also prepared the disciples for the day when He would not be physically present. Many wonderful promises are made in this passage such as the assurance of the Holy Spirit coming as a counselor “to guide you into all truth.” Jesus also promised that their grief would turn to joy and that all His followers would be “scattered,” an echo of the prophecy in Zechariah: “Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered…” (Zechariah 13:7). As we know, believers were scattered to the four corners of the earth—a necessary occurrence for the Gospel to spread to all nations. The promises of Jesus in John 16, though given to His disciples over two thousand years ago, are just as relevant today. We, as followers of Jesus, have the Holy Spirit to intercede for us, guide us, and convict us of our sin. Additionally, our grief will be turned to joy, and whatever we ask in Jesus’ name, we shall receive in accordance with His will. And finally, Jesus promised that life would be hard (verse 33), but to take comfort in the fact that He, the Savior of the World, has overcome it all—suffering, death, and sin. He came to reconcile us to God so that we might have peace and relationship with Him. He, our Savior and friend, desires to walk and talk with us, comforting, counseling, and preparing us for what lies ahead. Questions to Ponder -After reading through this chapter of the book of John, were there any promises listed that God highlighted in your heart? Write them down! “Savior, worthy of honor and glory, Worthy of all our praise, You overcame. Jesus, awesome in power forever, Awesome and great is Your name, You overcame. Power in hand, speaking the Father’s plan, You’re sending us out, light in this broken land.” ~ John Egan, Overcome