John Reading GuideSample

Some days alarms don’t go off, cars won’t start and nothing goes as planned. But even those mishaps pale in comparison to moments when someone suddenly loses their job, is widowed or struck with an incurable illness. Our future is unforeseen, sometimes in the worst ways. The scene in John 18 is an unimaginable disaster. Jesus is betrayed by one of His closest friends. He is arrested and bound by a band of officers and soldiers. Then, He is interrogated and treated like a criminal. Seemingly, everything had gone wrong. But in reality, everything was going according to plan. John makes it clear that Jesus was not a victim of circumstance, but contrary to appearances, He was in complete control. Jesus foretold these events. He turned himself over to them “knowing all that would happen to him” (John 18:4) and He declared to Pilate, “For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world” (John 18:37). How could Jesus continue to submit to the situation? He trusted in God’s perfect plan. In the same way Jesus trusted in the goodness of the Father despite His circumstances, we can trust that God is in complete control over every aspect of our lives. Even when events are outside of our control, we can rest assured that God is graciously orchestrating everything for ultimate good (Romans 8:28). Today, thank God for His good- ness and His authority over all circumstances. Ask Him to help you remember this truth in the face of any difficulty. 1) What did you learn about Jesus from this chapter? 2) How can this view of God’s control over all circumstances change how you consider difficulties in your own life?