The Gospel of John – Lesson 43 – John 17:1-12

After Jesus had spoken these things, he looked up to heaven and said, “Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son so that your Son may glorify you. For you gave him authority over all flesh, so that he may give eternal life to all those you have given him. This is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you sent. I have glorified you on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. Now, Father, glorify me at your own side with the glory I had at your side before the world existed. “I revealed your name to the men you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me, and they have held on to your word. Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. For I gave them the words you gave me, and they received them. They learned the truth that I came from you. They believed that you sent me. 9“I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, because they are yours. 10 All that is mine is yours, and what is yours is mine. And I am glorified in them. 11 I am no longer going to be in the world, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by your name, which you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one. 12 While I was with them, I kept those you gave me safe in your name. I protected them and not one of them was destroyed, except the son of destruction, so that the Scripture might be fulfilled.

Jesus’ quiet time with his disciples in the Upper Room in Jerusalem was coming to an end. Soon he would head to the Garden of Gethsemane where the final battle for our salvation would begin. But, before he departed, Jesus looked up to heaven to speak to his heavenly Father in prayer. Jesus needed to pray for himself, for his disciples, and for us and all who would one day trust in him as our Savior.

Jesus knew what was about to happen. He was about to endure sufferings that we cannot begin to comprehend. We can’t fathom the crushing burden of sin that was placed on Jesus. We can never fully understand the sorrow Jesus would feel as his own heavenly Father needed to reject his Son, so Jesus could face all of God’s anger against sin. But the Son of God did fully understand that all these things needed to happen. Our salvation depended on it.

Jesus didn’t complain about the unjust treatment he was about to receive. He didn’t ask for his suffering to be removed or even reduced. He prayed that God the Father would glorify his Son and that Jesus would glorify his heavenly Father. Jesus would be glorified when his mission was brought to a successful completion through his suffering, death, and resurrection. The power of Satan would be crushed as God promised after mankind fell into sin. (Genesis 3:15) The Father would also be glorified because he sent his Son to do this gracious work for our salvation, Both Father and Son are glorified with every soul that comes to eternal life in heaven through faith in Jesus.

Jesus also prayed for his closest followers who were there with him on that night. They spent the better part of three years with Jesus. They heard his teaching. They saw his miracles. God graciously worked in them so that Peter could boldly confess the faith they all shared, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (Matthew 16:16) Jesus prayed for these men. He protected them for the last three years from all harm and danger. But now his time in the world was almost over. But the disciples would remain in the world. Jesus lovingly placed them into the hands of his heavenly Father. He prayed that his Father would continue to protect them. This wouldn’t mean they would never suffer. Most of the disciples eventually died martyr’s deaths. But Jesus prayed that his Father would protect them that they would remain one in faith and finally come to the eternal inheritance Jesus won for them.

Sadly one of the disciples would be lost. Psalm 41:9 foretold, “Even a man who was at peace with me, a man whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has raised up his heel to step on me.” Judas wasn’t lost because Jesus’ divine protection failed. He was lost because his love of money caused him to reject Jesus to satisfy his greed.

Notice that Jesus’ prayer also applies to us. In verse 9 we hear that Jesus prayed for all whom God the Father gave him. We have heard Jesus’ teachings in the Holy Scriptures. The Holy Spirit convinced us through Word and Sacrament that Jesus is the Christ. He is the true Son of God. He brought glory to his Father and himself by winning our salvation also. He continues to place his divine protection over us, so the devil, the world, and our sinful flesh will not overcome us. By the grace of God through faith in Jesus we remain united as one with all those who share this precious trust with us.

Discussion Questions

1 – Before Jesus departed for the Garden of Gethsemane he prayed to his heavenly Father. What was the main focus of the opening portion of Jesus’ prayer?
Jesus prayed that he would bring glory to his heavenly Father by completing the work of saving us from our sins. He prayed that his Father would glorify him by allowing him to successfully complete his mission by his suffering, death, and resurrection.

2 – What did Jesus teach us about eternal life in verse 3?
Eternal life comes to us through faith in Jesus Christ as our Savior. This means we believe that Jesus Christ is true God, who also became true man in order to carry out our salvation. We confess that we could do nothing to save ourselves because we are sinners. Jesus alone completed the work of our salvation when he gave his life to forgive us of our sins. He then rose again to give eternal life to all who trust in him. There is no other means by which we are saved.

3 – Jesus prayed for his disciples. How had these men become his followers?
Our Lord graciously revealed himself to these men through the saving message he proclaimed. By the grace of God these men believed the truth. Convinced by God that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, they held onto his message so that they remained disciples of Jesus.

4 – It has been said that, “Christians are in the world but not of the world.” How would you explain that statement?
We are residents of this world. But this world is only our temporary home. We look forward to the day when our Lord Jesus will return to take us to our true home, which is heaven.


If you have any questions about the Word of God we studied in this lesson please contact Pastor Greg Tobison. You can send your questions to
revgtobison@gmail.com.

The Gospel of John – Lesson 42 – John 16:17-33

Therefore some of his disciples asked one another, “What does he mean when he tells us, ‘In a little while you are not going to see me, and again in a little while you will see me,’ and ‘Because I am going away to the Father’?” 18 So they kept asking, “What does he mean by ‘a little while’? We don’t understand what he’s saying.” 19 Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him about this, so he said to them, “Are you trying to determine with one another what I meant by saying, ‘In a little while you are not going to see me, and again in a little while you will see me’? 20 Amen, Amen, I tell you: You will weep and wail, but the world will rejoice. You will become sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn to joy. 21 A woman giving birth has pain, because her time has come. But when she has delivered the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, because of her joy that a person has been born into the world. 22 “So you also have sorrow now. But I will see you again. Your heart will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you. 23 In that day you will not ask me anything. Amen, Amen, I tell you: Whatever you ask the Father in my name, he will give you. 24 Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask, and you will receive, so that your joy may be made complete. 25 “I have told you these things using figurative language. A time is coming when I will no longer speak to you using figurative language, but I will tell you plainly about the Father. 26 In that day you will ask in my name, and I am not telling you that I will make requests of the Father on your behalf. 27 For the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God. 28 I came from the Father and have come into the world. Now I am going to leave the world and go to the Father.” 29 “Yes!” his disciples said. “Now you are speaking plainly and not using figurative language. 30 Now we know that you know everything and do not need to have anyone ask you anything. For this reason we believe that you came from God.” 31 Jesus answered them, “Now do you believe? 32 Listen, a time is coming, in fact it is here, when you will be scattered, everyone to his own home. You will leave me all alone. Yet I am not going to be alone, because the Father is with me. 33 I have told you these things, so that you may have peace in me. In this world you are going to have trouble. But be courageous! I have overcome the world.”

In our previous lesson Jesus told his disciples he had much more to tell them that they couldn’t bear to hear at the moment. (See John 16:12) We can see evidence that the disciples were already reaching the limit of what they could take in at that time. Jesus told them that in a little while they wouldn’t see him anymore, but then in a little while they would see him again. What did Jesus mean by a little while? Where was he going? How long would he be gone? When would they see him again? Didn’t Jesus realize how much his followers needed him? Jesus saw their confusion. He saw they needed some encouragement. Jesus gave them the truth they so badly needed to hear. It is a truth we continue to need to hear today.

Jesus once again used an earthly example to get his point across. When a woman goes into labor it can be an extremely painful experience. Until her child is born there seems to be no end to the pain she is experiencing. But once the baby is born her pain is quickly forgotten. She is filled with happiness as she holds her new child in her arms for the first time. Jesus’ disciples would be filled with agony as Jesus died on the cross. Think of John who stood at the foot of the cross and watched Jesus’ life slip away. All the while John must have felt great pain knowing there was nothing he could do to help Jesus. But imagine the joy John and the other disciples felt when they saw Jesus alive again. Their joy couldn’t be taken away. It was necessary for Jesus to die to fulfill the task given to him. But once he rose from the dead, he can never die again.

Notice that Jesus used a double “Amen” twice in our Scripture reading. He is saying “Yes it shall be so” twice to emphasize this will happen. Nothing can stop his promises from being fulfilled. The first double “Amen” made it clear that the disciples sorrow when Jesus was taken away would only be temporary. They would soon see him alive again and their joy would never end.

The second double “Amen” is followed by this promise: “Whatever you ask the Father in my name, he will give you. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask, and you will receive, so that your joy may be made complete.” This doesn’t mean that you can ask God to make you the wealthiest or the most powerful person in the world and he will give it to you. What Jesus is saying is that by his death and resurrection he is forgiving your sins so you can to come directly to your heavenly Father in prayer. Your Father in heaven will graciously hear your prayers. He will always answer by giving you what is best for you to have. This will make your joy complete. God never gives a bad answer to our prayers. God’s answer is always perfect. His answer will provide you what you need to remain on the path to eternal life that Jesus won for you.

Notice the results of the explanation Jesus gave his disciples. Their confusion was cleared up. They believed that Jesus came directly from God. He is the Messiah that God promised to send. They still had much to learn. Jesus told them this. A severe trial was waiting just ahead of them. They would all abandon Jesus in his time of need. But they didn’t need to despair. Jesus would triumph. His victory would be their victory as well. They would soon have the peace of knowing that eternal life in heaven was made certain for them by the work of Jesus.

We can take heart also. Jesus gives us the warning that we will often have trouble in this world. This will be true of all who follow Jesus. But be courageous. Jesus has overcome the world for you. He has taken away your guilt. Heaven is your home. Be at peace knowing that soon your joy will be made complete. Jesus will return to take you to the eternal home he prepared for you.

Discussion Questions

1 – How would the disciples’ grief soon be turned to joy?
The day after Jesus spoke these words he died on the cross. But their grief would be short-lived. Soon after Jesus would rise from the grave with the sure promise that all who trust in him as their Savior have eternal life in heaven.

2 – How does Jesus turn our grief into joy today?
Sin will cause much pain for us. Especially sin condemns us and tells us we have no place with God. But our Lord turns our grief to joy with the assurance that all our sins are paid for. Nothing can happen in this world that can ever separate us from God’s love for us in Jesus Christ.

3 – What change did Jesus bring in our relationship with God the Father?
As sinful human beings we had no right to approach God. We had no place in his presence since God his holy and we are not. But Jesus made us holy as he took away our sins. He has opened the way for us to approach God in prayer. We don’t need to approach him in terror. We come to him boldly and confidently as children can approach a beloved father.

4 – What assurance does Jesus give to us when we suffer in his name?
Jesus has already triumphed over the devil, the world, and our sinful flesh. Because he triumphed, we will triumph also. We stand on Jesus and the salvation he brings. This is a sure foundation that God’s enemies cannot overcome.


If you have any questions about the Word of God we studied in this lesson please contact Pastor Greg Tobison. You can send your questions to
revgtobison@gmail.com.

The Gospel of John – Lesson 41 – John 16:1-16

“I have told you these things so that you will not fall away. They will put you out of the synagogues. In fact, a time is coming when anyone who murders you will think he is offering a service to God. They will do these things because they have not known the Father or me. But I have told you these things so that when their time comes, you may remember that I told them to you. I did not tell you these things from the beginning, because I was with you. “But now I am going away to him who sent me, and not one of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ Yet because I have told you these things, sorrow has filled your heart. Nevertheless, I am telling you the truth: It is good for you that I go away. For if I do not go away, the Counselor will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. When he comes, he will convict the world about sin, about righteousness, and about judgment: about sin, because they do not believe in me; 10 about righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you will no longer see me; 11 about judgment, because the ruler of this world has been condemned. 12 “I still have many things to tell you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. For he will not speak on his own, but whatever he hears he will speak. He will also declare to you what is to come. 14 He will glorify me, because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you. 15 Everything the Father has is mine. This is why I said that he takes from what is mine and will declare it to you. 16 “In a little while you are not going to see me anymore, and again in a little while you will see me, because I am going away to the Father.”

Jesus had some bad news for his disciples. Already in John 15, he told them the world would hate them just as they hated Jesus. But it wouldn’t only be unbelievers who hated them. Some of the people who hated them would believe they were serving God by doing so. People would kick Jesus’ disciple out of the local synagogues. Some would have the apostles thrown into prison. Others would try to put them to death. The book of Acts provides us with numerous examples of how this prophecy came true. Jesus’ words continue to be true today. Christians throughout the world face many forms of hatred from this sinful world.

Jesus had an important reason for telling his disciples these things. Experiencing such hatred could easily cause them to fall from faith in Jesus. If this is what they were expected to endure why would they want to be Christians? Jesus told them in advance that these things would happen so they wouldn’t fall from faith. They could think back to how their Lord Jesus was persecuted in the same way. As Jesus prepared his disciples for the difficult times that lay ahead, he also prepares us for difficult times. Opposition to Jesus and the Gospel ministry will continue as long as this world continues. Not all persecution will lead to arrest or death, but it will lead to many struggles and sufferings for God’s people. Our Lord tells us this in advance so we won’t be caught off guard when it comes.

But take heart, Jesus also had good news for his disciples. Once again he promised that he will send the Counselor. (The Holy Spirit) No matter what opposition Jesus faced in doing his work, he would be triumphant. His suffering and death would be used by God to bring about our salvation. The Holy Spirit would follow Jesus and teach about the importance of everything Jesus accomplished.

The coming of the Holy Spirit will be bad news for those who hate Jesus and his followers. Our Lord explained how the Spirit will convict his enemies in three ways. He will convict the world of sin. They did not believe in Jesus as their Savior. Therefore, there is no forgiveness for their sins. They must atone for their own sins before God, which they can never do. He will convict them in regard to righteousness. God demands that we must be righteous just as he is righteous. This is impossible for us because of sin. Jesus came to cloth us in his own righteousness. But those who rejected Jesus remain covered with sin. They remain unacceptable in God’s sight. He convicts the world in regard to judgement. Jesus explained that the ruler of the world (Satan) is condemned by what Jesus accomplished. Those who reject Jesus are children of Satan. Satan is declared guilty and condemned by God. Those who follow Satan stand condemned also. They will face the same eternal punishment that the devil faces.

But when the Holy Spirit came, he brought good news to us. He came to Jesus’ disciples on Pentecost to lead them to the truth of Jesus Christ. He came to us through our baptism. From that day forward we became children of God through faith in Jesus Christ. The Spirit will not convict us of sin, because Jesus paid for our sins. He does not convict us of righteousness because Jesus clothed us in his righteousness. He does not convict us of judgement. On the Last Day, when Jesus returns he will call our bodies from the grave, reunite us with our souls and take us to heaven forever.

Jesus said these things as he was preparing to finish his work of our salvation. When he died his disciples wouldn’t see him for a little while. But on the third day he rose from the grave and his disciples saw him again. For now we do not see Jesus either. He has ascended into heaven. But this will last only for a little while. We will soon see Jesus when he takes us to dwell with him in peace and joy forever.

Discussion Questions

1 – Jesus told his disciples that the world would hate them just as they hated Jesus. That condition still exists today. Why does Jesus tell his followers these things?
Jesus wants us to understand that the life of a Christian will often be difficult. We shouldn’t expect to be loved by the world. The sinful world wants nothing to do with Jesus’ message. They hated him, so they will hate his followers. Jesus tells us these things so that we will not be caught off guard when persecution happens. We will remember what Jesus told us and hold fast to his Word, knowing that he will one day deliver us to eternal life in heaven.

2 – Jesus told his disciples he had things to tell them they could not bear to hear at the time. (Verse 12) Some have used this verse to claim they have received additional revelations from God that need to be added to the Holy Scriptures. What should we remember whenever we hear such claims?
Any message that someone claims is from God must agree completely with the Holy Scriptures. We know that all Scripture is from God. Any message that contradicts Scripture did not come from God. Also remember that Jesus promised when the Holy Spirit came, he would guide them in all truth. (Verse 13) The truths Jesus still needed to reveal to his disciples were made clear by Jesus after his Resurrection and by the Holy Spirit on Pentecost. The whole revelation of God’s Word is brought to us in Scripture alone.

3 – How would the Holy Spirit glorify Jesus?
The message of the Holy Spirit agrees completely with what Jesus taught. Through Word and Sacrament he leads us to believe that Jesus is the true Son of God and our Savior.

4 – What are the two ‘little whiles” that Jesus spoke about in verse 16?
He refers to his death and resurrection. For a little while (while he was in the grave) his disciples didn’t see him. But soon he rose from the dead and they saw him alive again.


If you have any questions about the Word of God we studied in this lesson please contact Pastor Greg Tobison. You can send your questions to:
revgtobison@gmail.com.

The Gospel of John – Lesson 40 – John 15:18-27

18 “If the world hates you, you know that it hated me first. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own. However, because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of it, for that very reason the world hates you. 20 Remember the saying I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you too. If they held on to my word, they will hold on to yours as well. 21 But they will do all these things to you on account of my name, because they do not know the one who sent me. 22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin. But now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 The one who hates me also hates my Father. 24 If I had not done the works among them that no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin. But now they have seen and hated both me and my Father. 25 This was to fulfill the word which is written in their Law: ‘They hated me for no reason.’ 26 “When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father—he will testify about me. 27 And you also are going to testify, because you have been with me from the beginning.”

Nobody likes to be hated. Think about the great lengths many people will go to in order to be liked by others. They may dress a certain way to fit in with the crowd. They may participate in popular activities even if they don’t personally like doing such things. They may go out of their way to be nice to people; especially those who are popular. Perhaps being popular isn’t important to you. But certainly we’d all rather avoid being hated by others. Being hated can lead to many unpleasant consequences. We may spend a lot of time being lonely, or the victim of nasty pranks, or having other people speak badly about us to our face and behind our back.

But Jesus tells us not to be afraid of being hated because you are a Christian. Jesus was hated when he was in the world. We’ve seen numerous examples of this in our studies of the Gospel of John up to this point. The leaders of the Jews were plotting against him. They wanted to have him arrested and put to death. Crowds of people would follow him for a time, but then many of them also rejected him. The day after Jesus spoke the words we’re studying he was mercilessly accused, condemned, tortured and put to death. Jesus called himself the Son of God and the promised Messiah. Many people came to hate Jesus and his message so much that they would do whatever was necessary to be rid of him.

You may never face torture, arrest, or death because you are a Christian. But being a Christian may cost you friends who don’t want to believe in Jesus as their Savior. Your faith in Jesus may cause family members to avoid you. You may lose out on promotions at work because you put spending time in God’s Word above your career. People may mock you for your faith, especially when you won’t join the crowd in some sinful activity. Christian college students may see their grades hurt because they stood firm on the teachings of God’s Word rather than accept the secular teachings that conflict with the Bible. Being hated and persecuted as a follower of Jesus can take many forms.

Sometimes, the idea of being hated as a Christian may seem too overwhelming for us to handle. We want to follow Jesus, but we don’t want to lose family or friends. The Son of God was strong enough to stand firm no matter what happened. But how can we ever hope to do the same? We’re sinful human beings. Sometimes our sinful flesh gets the better of us and we give into temptation. Sometimes we join the sinful world in doing things that we know are wrong. Sometimes the fear of rejection will lead us to stay silent about our faith.

Our Lord Jesus knows all this. As true God, who became true man to live with us, he knows all about facing temptation. He also knows the help we need to patiently endure persecution and remain faithful no matter what happens. Jesus said, “When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father—he will testify about me.” The Holy Spirit has come. He has testified about Jesus and what he has done. You are among the ones he testified to. He has filled you with the good news that Jesus is your Savior. He has made it clear that because Jesus endured all hatred and persecution, even to the point of death, you have been forgiven of all your sins. The Spirit has filled you with the certainty that an eternal future of joy, peace, and glory is awaiting you in heaven. The troubles we face now in the name of Jesus are temporary. When Jesus returns for you they will be forgotten. Eternal life in heaven will, more than make up for anything you lost in this world as a follower of Jesus.

With our future secure, Jesus said, “And you also are going to testify.” The love Jesus showed us leaves no choice in this matter. We don’t want anyone to fall under God’s judgement. We don’t want a close friend or family member to be lost in their unbelief. There is only one way to rescue them from such a future. Testify about Jesus. Tell the good news of what Jesus did for you. Tell them how Jesus wants to do the same for them. Tell them now, before it’s too late. Then pray that the Holy Spirit will use your testimony to bring them to faith, just as he brought you to faith when someone testified to you about Jesus.

Discussion Questions

1 – Why was it important for Jesus to speak to his disciples at this time about the hatred an unbelieving world has toward Him and his Word?
That very night, the disciples would see that hatred first hand when Jesus was arrested. The next day he would be tortured and put to death. Soon after, they would be sent into the world to testify about their crucified and risen Savior. Most of them would eventually be put to death for their faith. They needed to know these things would happen. Testifying about Jesus was going to be hard and often dangerous work.

2 – Why does the world hate Jesus and his followers?
The message we proclaim is that we are all sinners who deserve God’s judgement. We can do nothing to escape this judgement on our own. We are saved only by the grace of God, through faith in Jesus Christ. The sinful world doesn’t want to hear such a message. The world wants to believe that it is already acceptable to God. Those who follow the sinful world want to believe that if there is a God that he will accept them into his kingdom because of their own good works. They don’t want to believe their need for a Savior to rescue them from their sins.

3 – Jesus said in verse 20 “A servant is not greater than his master.” He said the same thing in John 13:16. What did Jesus mean by this statement?
A servant shouldn’t expect to be treated better than his master. If the master is hated, his servants will be hated as well.  Jesus is our master. The sinful world hated him. It will hate his followers as well

4 – What help does Jesus promise to give us as we strive to remain his followers in this sinful world
He promises to send “the Counselor” (the Holy Spirit) to us. He will testify to us about Jesus through the Gospel in Word and Sacrament. The Spirit uses these means to strengthen our trust in Jesus in both good times and bad times.


If you have any questions about the Word of God we studied in this lesson please contact Pastor Greg Tobison. You can send your questions to:
revgtobison@gmail.com.

The Gospel of John – Lesson 39 – John 15:1-17

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit, he is going to cut off. And he prunes every branch that does bear fruit, so that it will bear more fruit. “You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I am going to remain in you. A branch cannot bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Likewise, you cannot bear fruit unless you remain in me. “I am the Vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in me and I in him is the one who bears much fruit, because without me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is thrown away like a branch and withers. Such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this: that you continue to bear much fruit and prove to be my disciples. “As the Father has loved me, so also I have loved you. Remain in my love. 10 If you hold on to my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have held on to my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you these things so that my joy would continue to be in you and that your joy would be complete. 12 “This is my command: Love one another as I have loved you. 13 No one has greater love than this: that someone lays down his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends if you continue to do the things I instruct you. 15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know what his master is doing. But I have called you friends, because everything that I heard from my Father, I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will endure, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. 17 These things I am instructing you, so that you love one another.

In the previous chapter of John, Jesus told his disciples that all who love him will obey his commandments. (See John 14:15) But that is easier said than done. Jesus has made it clear what he expects us to do. He said that we are to love God most of all with our heart, soul, mind and strength. We are to also love our neighbor as much as ourselves. (See Matthew 22:37-39, Mark 12:30-31, Luke 10:27) Our Lord further explained how we should display our love for him and for each other when he gave us Ten Commandments at Mt. Sinai. (See Exodus 20:1-17) As Christians, we know that obeying God’s will is good for us. We know that disobeying God places us under eternal judgement. Yet far too often we must admit as Paul did that the good we want to do we didn’t do and the evil we didn’t want to do, we kept on doing. (See Romans 7:19) Even when we do outwardly keep his commands, it is often done out of obligation or to avoid punishment, rather than out of love for God.

Jesus makes it clear in John 15:6 that it is impossible for sinful people to perfectly obey God’s commands. Nothing short of perfection satisfies God’s righteous demands. So how can we show our love to Jesus if we can’t obey his commands? Jesus used a parable to show us the solution to our dilemma.

If you’ve been in a vineyard at harvest time, you’ll see the vines are full of grapes. To reach this point, the gardener has been taking care of the vineyard for a long time. He prunes the fruitful branches so they will bear even more fruit in the future. The branches that don’t bear fruit are cut off. Why should they receive nutrients from the vine that could be better used by branches that do bear fruit?

But now imagine that you take a fruitful branch and break it off from the vine. No matter how fruitful that branch has been in the past it will never bear fruit again. Without the vine it will die. Such lifeless branches are no longer good for anything. They are gathered up and thrown into the fire.

Jesus tells us that he is the vine and we are the branches. Without Jesus we cannot bear fruit in his kingdom. Sinful humans cannot please God by themselves. Our Lord carefully tends us and nourishes us with the Gospel in Word and Sacrament. Through these means we come to faith in Jesus. Without these nourishing foods our faith in Jesus Christ will wither and die. We would be like the branch that has been broken away from the vine. We would be thrown into the fires of eternal judgement.

But as we remain connected to Jesus, our Lord gives us this promise. We will bear much fruit in his name. The more we remain in Jesus, through the Gospel, the more we become certain of his great love for us. The more we see how much our Lord has loved us, the more we want to show our love for him. The Gospel motivates us to do the work our Lord has given us. The Gospel gives us the proper attitude for serving our Lord. We will do his work, not out of obligation, but out of love for our Lord and for one another. We will do this all to the glory of God.

It’s not always easy to do what our Lord calls us to do. In fact, we will never serve him perfectly in this lifetime. But as we remain in Jesus we live in the truth that our sins are forgiven. In grateful response, we want to be fruitful branches. We know that Jesus laid down his life to save us. Such love moves us to glorify God by loving him and each other.

Discussion Questions

1 – Jesus is the vine and we are the branches. Why is it necessary for us to remain connected to Jesus?
A branch cannot bear fruit unless it is connected to the vine. Without Jesus we are hopelessly lost in our sins. Any good works we do are of no value without faith in Jesus. But as we are united with Jesus through faith, we want to produce the fruits of faith. We want to serve our Lord in whatever way he calls us.

2 – Are good works optional in the Christian life?
Good works don’t save us. Jesus has already accomplished everything necessary for our salvation. But a Christian faith is a living and active faith. Our works show we are Jesus’ disciples. (See verse 8) We want to do works according to God’s will to show our faith and love towards him.

3 – What did Jesus say was the greatest example of love? (Verse 13)
He said there was no greater show of love than to lay down your life for another. Jesus showed this love when he gave his life to save us.

4 – What assurance does Jesus give us as we strive to be fruitful branches? (See verse 16)
Remember that our Lord chose us, we did not choose him. He chose us to be fruitful members of his kingdom. He wants us to be successful in our work for him. He calls on us to ask him in prayer for the things we need. He will always give us what we need to be fruitful branches.


If you have any questions about the Word of God we studied in this lesson please contact Pastor Greg Tobison. You can send your questions to:
revgtobison@gmail.com.

The Gospel of John – Lesson 38 – John 14:15-31

15 “If you love me, hold on to my commands. 16 I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever. 17 He is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive because it does not see him or know him. You know him because he stays with you and will be in you. 18 “I will not leave you as orphans; I am coming to you. 19 In a little while the world will see me no longer, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. 21 The one who has my commands and holds on to them is the one who loves me. And the one who loves me will be loved by my Father. I too will love him and show myself to him.” 22 Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, “Lord, what has happened that you are going to show yourself to us and not to the world?” 23 Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will hold on to my word. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 24 The one who does not love me does not hold on to my words. The word that you are hearing is not mine, but it is from the Father who sent me. 25 “I have told you these things while staying with you. 26 But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and remind you of everything I told you. 27 “Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, and do not let it be afraid. 28 You heard me tell you, ‘I am going away and I am coming to you.’ If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father, because the Father is greater than I. 29 “I have told you now before it happens so that, when it does happen, you may believe. 30 I will not speak with you much longer, because the ruler of this world is coming. He has no power over me. 31 But I want the world to know that I love the Father and that I am doing exactly what the Father has instructed me. “Get up. Let’s leave this place.”

Jesus made it clear to his disciples they were not to be idle after he left them to return to his heavenly Father. If they truly loved him they would show their love. That doesn’t apply only to this little band of men who gathered with Jesus the night before he died. The Christian life is an active life. Our Lord wants all his disciples in every age to continually show their love for him. Jesus made it clear how we show our love to him. Those who love him will keep his commands. God gave his commands to his people when he gave the Law at Mt. Sinai. (See Exodus 20) It is true that Jesus fulfilled God’s commands for us perfectly. But that doesn’t mean that the Ten Commandments have been abolished. They are God’s commands to all his people for all time. But because of Jesus, these commands have a new purpose for us. We don’t keep God’s Law out of fear that God will punish us. We keep them to show our love to him for all he did for us.

Jesus promised to give us some special help that is necessary for us to keep his commandments. He promised that he would ask his heavenly Father and he would give us a special Counselor who would be with us forever. This Counselor is “the Spirit of Truth.” (The Holy Spirit) The Spirit comes to us through the Gospel in Word and Sacrament. As he comes to us through these means, several important things will happen.

Jesus said that soon the world wouldn’t see him any longer. But his disciples would see him. We don’t see Jesus with our eyes. But we do see him through the eyes of faith. The Spirit creates this faith in us through Word and Sacrament. Through this faith, we believe that Jesus is true God, just as our heavenly Father is true God. We believe that Jesus came from the Father to carry out the work of our salvation. Jesus said that those who love him will hold onto his Word. Through the Word and Sacrament to Holy Spirit will also daily work to keep us in faith in Jesus Christ. Even though we don’t physically see Jesus, we believe that he is always working for the good of all his people.

As we hold onto our faith in Jesus he promises he will give us peace. The peace Jesus gives isn’t worldly peace. In this world peace is only temporary. Two nations that are at war, sign a peace treaty to end hostilities between them. But that peace only lasts as long as both sides maintain their end of the deal. The peace Jesus gives us is different. Jesus called it “my peace.” God’s peace is perfect, just like everything else about God is perfect. Jesus gives us perfect peace with God by removing all our sins. Sin put us in a state of war with God. With our sins removed all our hostilities with God are ended. God forgives us completely for the sake of his Son. Our peace with God is a lasting peace because Jesus is the source of our peace.

Jesus closed this portion of his message to his disciples by telling them “the ruler of the world is coming.” He was referring to Satan. How can Satan be the ruler of this world? Certainly God is in full control of all things. But Satan ensnares many people with his lies and temptations. Even powerful nations submit to his will. But the devil has no power over Jesus. He was about to do his worst to the Son of God, by tempting people to arrest Jesus, torture him, and finally kill him. But all this would play into God’s hands. Our Lord would use these events to fulfill the promise that the offspring of the woman (Jesus) would crush the head of the serpent (Satan). (Genesis 3:15) The Holy Spirit works in us so that we know Jesus has triumphed over the devil for us. He will not overcome us as long as we remain in Jesus. With that, Jesus told his followers it was time to leave the Upper Room in Jerusalem and begin the final battle that would result in forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation for us.

Discussion Questions

1 – What will those who love Jesus always want to do?
We will want to obey his commands. God gave us the Ten Commandments to show us what his will is. His commands are summarized this way. God wants us to love him with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. He also wants us to love our neighbor as much as ourselves.

2 – What special helper does God send to be with his believers?
Jesus called him the “Counselor” and the “Spirit of Truth.” The Holy Spirit comes to us and continually reminds us of the things Jesus taught us. He uses the Means of Grace (The Gospel in Word and Sacrament to lead us to faith in Jesus and to keep us in that faith always.

3 – Why should Jesus’ followers be glad he returned to the Father?
This would indicate that Jesus has completed the mission he came to earth to accomplish. He completed the work of our salvation by his death and resurrection. Our Lord Jesus has now moved on to the next part of his work, which is to rule over everything for the good of his people. Even though we don’t see Jesus, he is daily protecting us and working in everything for the good of those who love him.

4 – What did Jesus want his disciples to know about his impending separation from them?
A time of trouble was coming. Satan would seem to be in control, as the enemies of Jesus would arrest him and put him to death. But Jesus made it clear that the devil had no power over him. Jesus would use his suffering and death to defeat his enemies and to give eternal life to all who trust in him. Jesus loved his heavenly Father and us so much that he was willing to undergo any suffering in order to carry out his Father’s will.


If you have any questions about the Word of God we studied in this lesson please contact Pastor Greg Tobison. You can send your questions to:
revgtobison@gmail.com.

The Gospel of John – Lesson 37 – John 14:1-14

“Do not let your heart be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions.If it were not so, I would have told you. I am going to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you to be with me, so that you may also be where I am. You know where I am going, and you know the way.” “Lord, we don’t know where you are going,” Thomas replied, “so how can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the Way and the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father, except through me. If you know me, you would also know my Father. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” “Lord,” said Philip, “show us the Father, and that is enough for us.” “Have I been with you so long,” Jesus answered, “and you still do not know me, Philip? The one who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Don’t you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I am telling you I am not speaking on my own, but the Father who remains in me is doing his works. 11 Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father is in me. Or else believe because of the works themselves. 12 “Amen, Amen, I tell you: The one who believes in me will do the works that I am doing. And he will do even greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. 13 I will do whatever you ask in my name so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask me for anything in my name, I will do it.”

Jesus had just dropped some crushing news on his disciples. He was going to be leaving them soon. One of them was going to betray him. Peter was going to disown Jesus three times in one night. Can you just imagine what must have been going through the disciples minds after hearing all that? What are we going to do Jesus? Shouldn’t we all just get out of town now before these terrible things happen? Jesus, why won’t you take us with you wherever you’re going? Surely there must be a better way than the one Jesus just described.

Jesus had a completely different response in mind. He told his disciples not to be troubled. These were not mere empty words of comfort. Jesus’ words were backed by the unlimited power of God. All the disciples needed to do was to trust in Jesus and in his heavenly Father. Everything that was about to happen to Jesus, had been prophesied in the Holy Scriptures. In the short term, it was necessary for Jesus to suffer many things. This suffering would cause much grief for his disciples. But he explained that their grief would quickly be turned to joy. The disciples needed to trust that everything that was about to happen would serve God’s good purpose.

The reason that Jesus was going away was to prepare a place for his disciples in his Father’s house in heaven. This promise wasn’t meant only for the little group of disciples gathered with Jesus for the celebration of the Passover. Heaven has plenty of room. A place is waiting for all those who trust in Jesus Christ as their only Savior. That means he wants you to have a place there also. Jesus’ words don’t indicate that he is currently supervising a massive building project in heaven. He went away and prepared a place for us by his suffering and death on the cross. As he stated in verse 6 “No one comes to the Father except through me.” Jesus needed to sacrifice himself to take away all our sins. Nothing sinful can live in the holy presence of God. We cannot remove our guilt by our works. Jesus prepared a place for us by shedding his own precious blood to wash us clean of all our sins.

Jesus also provided comfort by promising that his separation from us is only temporary. Jesus gave his life to prepare a place for us. He will make sure that we get to our new home. He will come back to take us to be with him where he is. He may come for you before his return on the Last Day. The souls of those who die in faith in Jesus will immediately go to be with their Lord in heaven. On the Last Day he will return to raise all the dead and reunite their body and soul. On that day everyone will stand before the Judgement Throne. Jesus will take those who are his to be with him where he is. Then body and soul, we will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Jesus made it clear that he and his heavenly Father are in full agreement on this. When Philip asked to see the Father, Jesus made it clear in verse 11 “Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father is in me.” Jesus’ works prove this to be true. The miracles he did show that he is true God. He is co-equal and co-eternal with the Father (and the Holy Spirit). All three persons of the Triune God are in full agreement on everything. They fully agree that all who place their trust in Jesus Christ will have a place waiting it God’s eternal house.

Jesus also tells us that those who follow him will do the works he has been doing. In fact, he said we will do even greater works. This doesn’t mean that we will do miracles like Jesus did. Jesus did allow his first disciples to do miracles. If God chooses to give someone else that ability, that is his decision. But the greatest work we do is to share the good news of Jesus.  Jesus came to preach and teach that he is the true Son of God who came as the promised Savior of the world. The greater thing we will do is proclaim to the world that Jesus has completed the work of salvation. Through our prayers, offerings, and personal testimony we will share in the work of bringing the good news of Jesus to every nation. Our Lord Jesus has prepared a place for us in heaven. He gives us the privilege to point others to Jesus so they may believe and have a place in heaven also.

Discussion Questions

1 – Jesus told his disciples not to be troubled. These were not empty words of comfort. Why didn’t they need to be troubled and why don’t we need to be troubled either?
Jesus told his disciples (and us) to trust in God and to trust in him (the Son of God). Everything that was happening to Jesus was going to serve God’s purpose. God promised at the fall into sin, that he would send a Savior to crush the devil and to undo the damage sin and the devil had accomplished. Jesus was now about to bring that promise to completion. In doing so he would prepare a place in heaven for all who trust in him as their Savior.

2 – What did Jesus mean when he called himself “the way and the truth and the life?”
Jesus is the way to our heavenly Father. No one can come to him except through faith in Jesus. Jesus came to proclaim the saving truths of God’s Word and to fulfill those truths by his life death and resurrection. He is the source of physical and spiritual life. All who believe in him have eternal life.

3 – What did Jesus teach us as he answered Philips’ request to see God the Father?
Jesus is true God, just as the Father is God and the Holy Spirit is God. Those who have seen Jesus have also seen the Father. Those who hear Jesus’ words are also hearing the words of God the Father.

4 – How did Jesus prove that he is true God?
Jesus pointed to the miracles he did. Only God could do such powerful miracles. Jesus could also point to the way he fulfilled all the promises of the coming Messiah in the Holy Scriptures. Scripture testified that the Messiah is true God. Therefore, Jesus is also true God.


If you have any questions about the Word of God we studied in this lesson please contact Pastor Greg Tobison. You can send your questions to:
revgtobison@gmail.com.

The Gospel of John – Lesson 36 – John 13:18-38

18 “I am not talking about all of you. I know those I have chosen. But this is so that the Scripture may be fulfilled: ‘One who eats bread with me has raised his heel against me.’ 19 I am telling you this right now before it happens, so that when it does happen, you may believe that I am he. 20 “Amen, Amen, I tell you: Whoever receives anyone I send, receives me. And whoever receives me, receives the one who sent me.” 21 After saying this, Jesus was troubled in his spirit and testified, “Amen, Amen, I tell you: One of you will betray me.” 22 The disciples were looking at each other, uncertain which of them he meant. 23 One of his disciples, the one Jesus loved, was reclining at Jesus’ side. 24 So Simon Peter motioned to him to find out which one he was talking about. 25 So leaning back against Jesus’ side, he asked, “Lord, who is it?” 26 Jesus replied, “It is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread, after I have dipped it in the dish.” Then he dipped the piece of bread and gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. 27 As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him. So Jesus told him, “What you are about to do, do more quickly.” 28 None of those reclining at the table understood why Jesus said this to him. 29 Because Judas kept the money box, some thought that Jesus was telling him, “Buy what we need for the Festival,” or to give something to the poor. 30 As soon as Judas had taken the bread, he went out. And it was night. 31 After Judas left, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man is glorified, and God is glorified in him. 32 If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify the Son in himself and will glorify him at once.” 33 “Dear children, I am going to be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come. 34 “A new commandment I give you: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, so also you are to love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” 36 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus answered, “Where I am going you cannot follow now, but you will follow later.” 37 Peter asked, “Lord, why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you!” 38 Jesus replied, “Will you really lay down your life for me? Amen, Amen, I tell you: The rooster will not crow until you have denied me three times.”

Jesus had just shown an amazing act of love to his disciples. The Son of God got down on the floor and washed their feet. This washing pointed ahead to the spiritual washing he was about to give them and all of us by his death on the cross. But before it was time for this to happen Jesus had some important things to tell his disciples. His message will take us all the way to the end of John 17. But this message wasn’t meant only for the twelve men gathered with him to celebrate the Passover. His instructions are important for us and for all his followers today. Jesus began by sharing some difficult news.

The first troubling news Jesus had to tell his disciples was that one of them was about to betray Jesus. Imagine how hard this news must have hit the other disciples. They had been with Jesus for three years. They had been through so much together. They learned many things from Jesus. They witnessed his miracles. They believed that he is the true Son of God. They knew he was the “Christ” (the anointed one chosen by God to be our Savior). How could any of them even consider betraying Jesus? But that is what was about to happen. Judas Iscariot had already taken money from the chief priests and the teachers of the law to betray Jesus into their hands. (See Matthew 26:14-16) Jesus always knew this was going to happen. He quoted Psalm 41:9 to show this betrayal had already been prophesied in the Holy Scriptures. When Jesus exposed Judas as the one who would betray him the disciples still did not comprehend what was happening. But Jesus said that when these events took place the disciples would be further convinced that Jesus is the Christ because he promised this would happen.

The second piece of troubling news that Jesus delivered was that he was soon going to be leaving his disciples. Where he was going they could not follow them at the time. No one could walk the path of suffering and death that Jesus was about to walk. It was necessary for him to pay the debt of our sins completely alone.

Such news didn’t sit well with Peter. He didn’t want to believe he couldn’t follow Jesus anywhere he went. Even if Jesus was going to his death, Peter believed he could stay with him and endure everything his Lord endured. In response, Jesus revealed one more piece of difficult news. Peter’s faith was going to be put to the test that same night. Peter wouldn’t be up to the task. Three times that very night he would be called on to confess that he was a disciple of Jesus. On all three occasions he would deny that he even knew Jesus.

The news Jesus had to share with his disciples must have been difficult to hear. But Jesus also had some important good news to share. As soon as Judas departed, he announced “Now the Son of Man is glorified, and God is glorified in him. 32 If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify the Son in himself and will glorify him at once.” Everything was happening exactly as God planned. It was necessary for Jesus to suffer and die alone. His suffering would be beyond our ability to fully comprehend. He would suffer while carrying the unimaginable burden of our sins. But Jesus foretold that he would be successful. God would be glorified as his plan of salvation was completed perfectly. All who trust in Jesus as their Savior would receive full pardon for all their sins and become heirs of eternal life. God is glorified by every soul that is saved and comes to eternal life. Through faith in Jesus we will also one day stand before the heavenly throne of our Lord and offer eternal thanks and praise to him for bringing salvation to us.

Discussion Questions

1 – Why did Jesus warn his disciples in advance that one of them was about to betray him?
Jesus indicated that when the betrayal occurred his disciples would believe that Jesus is the promised Savior. Even in the face of Judas’ sin, our Lord would achieve a good purpose. He would use this betrayal to bring himself to the cross where he won full pardon for all our guilt.

2 – What happened to Judas when he took the piece of bread that Jesus used to identify him as the betrayer?
We are told that Satan entered his heart. Judas rejected his Savior. He was now fully under the control of the devil. Judas would carry out his betrayal of Jesus. Later he would commit suicide. He died in his sins and he will suffer eternally because he rejected Jesus as his Lord and Savior.

3 – Jesus called his command to “love one another” a new command. God has always commanded that we love one another. Why did Jesus now call it a new command?
Because Jesus has fulfilled the Law for us, we now carry out God’s commands to show our thanks and love to our Lord. We love one another because out Lord first loved us.

4 – What important role does loving one another play in our Christian lives?
Jesus said that when we love one another we are showing that we are disciples of Jesus. As we love one another we give glory to God and encourage one another to do the same.


If you have any questions about the Word of God we studied in this lesson please contact Pastor Greg Tobison. You can send your questions to
revgtobison@gmail.com.

The Gospel of John – Lesson 35 – John 13:1-17

Before the Passover Festival, Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved those who were his own in the world, he loved them to the end. By the time the supper took place, the Devil had already put the idea into the heart of Judas, son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. Jesus knew that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God. He got up from the supper and laid aside his outer garment. He took a towel and tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him. He came to Simon Peter, who asked him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” Jesus answered him, “You do not understand what I am doing now, but later you will understand.” Peter told him, “You will never, ever, wash my feet!” Jesus replied, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with me.” “Lord, not just my feet,” Simon Peter replied, “but also my hands and my head!” 10 Jesus told him, “A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet, but his body is completely clean. And you are clean, but not all of you.” 11 Indeed, he knew who was going to betray him. That is why he said, “Not all of you are clean.” 12 After Jesus had washed their feet and put on his outer garment, he reclined at the table again. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. 13 “You call me Teacher and Lord. You are right, because I am. 14 Now if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 Yes, I have given you an example so that you also would do just as I have done for you. 16 Amen, Amen, I tell you: A servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.

It was one of those moments that makes us stop and stare. The Son of God, the almighty creator and ruler of all things got down on the floor and washed his disciples’ feet. Washing the feet of dinner guests was a common practice at this time in history. But normally such a task would be given to a servant. Secondly, didn’t Jesus have bigger things on his mind? John recorded that Jesus knew it was time for him to leave the world. He was about to suffer and die to take away the sins of the whole world, including yours and mine. He also knew that the devil had worked in the heart of one of Jesus’ own disciples to betray him. With all this going on, couldn’t the lowly task of washing feet be given to someone else?

Simon Peter felt that way at first. He knew Jesus is the Son of God. Surely God should not be on the floor washing the feet of human beings. But, the Son of God didn’t come to this world to be served, but rather to serve. (Matthew 20:28) As he washed his disciples feet, he pointed ahead to a much greater washing that was about to occur. Jesus was about to serve us by going to the cross to shed his own precious blood to cleanse us of all our sins. When Peter objected to Jesus washing his feet, our Lord patiently explained to him “If I do not wash you, you have no part with me.” If Jesus does not cleanse us of our sins, we are left to make atonement for our guilt by ourselves. That is a debt we could never pay. Only Jesus can wash us clean and make us acceptable before God.

But Jesus had more to teach as he washed the disciples’ feet. He made clear that not all of them were clean. He knew that Judas was about to betray him. Although Jesus knew it was necessary for this betrayal to happen, he tried to call Judas to repentance. After Judas betrayed Jesus, he had every opportunity to return to the Lord. (See Matthew 27:3-5) Judas had no one to blame but himself that he betrayed Jesus and placed himself under God’s judgment

Our Lord Jesus also sets an example for all his people. The Son of God took on the role of a servant in order to save us. As God’s redeemed children we should be ready to serve one another out of love for our Lord and for each other. As Jesus said, “Amen, Amen, I tell you: A servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.”

Being a servant isn’t something most people dream of doing. Being in a position of power seems much more attractive. But our Lord tells us that his true disciples will follow his example of humble service. We see it as a joy when our Lord presents those opportunities to help others. In those times when humble seems undesirable, look again at the example of Jesus. See how he humbled himself to serve you with everything you need for eternal life. Those opportunities to serve are our chances to show our thanks and love to our Lord for his humble service that saved us.

Discussion Questions

1 – Jesus celebrated the Passover with his disciples on the night before he died. Why was it necessary for him to celebrate the Passover?
Before Jesus could be our Savior, he needed to perfectly fulfill all of God’s Law. God demanded that the Passover Feast was to be celebrated annually by the nation of Israel. (See Exodus 12) Also, the Passover pointed ahead to the coming of the promised Savior. The Passover Lamb symbolized the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. On Good Friday Jesus would bring to fulfillment what the Passover pointed ahead to.

2 – What did Jesus mean when he told Peter “If I do not wash you, you have no part with me?”
Jesus pointed ahead to the next day when he would shed his blood on the cross to wash us clean of our sins. If Jesus didn’t wash our sins away then we have no part with him.

3 – What did Jesus mean when he said “You are clean, though not every one of you?”
Jesus showed his divine knowledge of everything. Jesus knew Judas had already taken money to betray him into the hands of his enemies. Judas was trying to put on a good front by pretending to still be a follower of Jesus. But the Son of God looked into Judas’ heart. He was well aware of the hypocrisy of Judas. Without Jesus, Judas had no hope of salvation. But Jesus also knew the rest of his disciples believed in him. He already knew his sacrifice on the cross would be successful. Through faith in Jesus as their Savior, they were already clean of their sins.

4 – How are we blessed when we follow Jesus’ example of humble service?
Serving one another as our Lord Jesus commanded blesses us in several ways. It is always a blessing to follow the example of our Savior. We are blessed with the chance to show our love and thankfulness to Jesus for all he has done for us. We are blessed to know we have helped someone else in their time of need. Sometimes, our faithful service may also inspire others to give glory to the Lord by serving one another. (See Matthew 5:16)


If you have any questions about the Word of God we studied in this lesson please contact Pastor Greg Tobison. You can send your questions to
revgtobison@gmail.com.

The Gospel of John – Lesson 34 – John 12:27-50

27 “Now my soul is troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, this is the reason I came to this hour. 28 Father, glorify your name!” A voice came from heaven: “I have glorified my name, and I will glorify it again.” 29 The crowd standing there heard it and said it thundered. Others said an angel talked to him. 30 Jesus answered, “This voice was not for my sake but for yours. 31 “Now is the judgment of this world. Now the ruler of this world will be thrown out. 32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” 33 He said this to indicate what kind of death he was going to die. 34 The crowd answered him, “We have heard from the Scriptures that the Christ will remain forever. So how can you say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this Son of Man?” 35 Then Jesus told them, “The light will be with you just a little while longer. Keep on walking while you have the light, so that darkness does not overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going. 36 While you have the light, believe in the light, so that you may become sons of light.” Jesus spoke these words, and then went away and was hidden from them. 37 Even though Jesus had done so many miraculous signs in their presence, they still did not believe in him. 38 This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet, who said: Lord, who has believed our message? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? 39 For this reason they could not believe, because Isaiah also said: 40 He has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart, so that they would not see with their eyes, or understand with their heart, or turn—and I would heal them. 41 Isaiah said these things when he saw Jesus’ glory and spoke about him. 42 Nevertheless, even many of the rulers believed in him, but because of the Pharisees they were not confessing him, so that they would not be put out of the synagogue. 43 For they loved praise from people more than praise from God. 44 Then Jesus called out, “The one who believes in me does not believe in me only, but in him who sent me. 45 And the one who sees me sees him who sent me. 46 I have come into the world as a light, so that everyone who believes in me would not remain in darkness. 47 If anyone hears my words but does not hold on to them, I do not judge him, for I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. 48 The one who rejects me and does not receive my words does have a judge. The word which I spoke is what will judge him on the Last Day, 49 because I have not spoken on my own, but the Father himself who sent me has given me a command regarding what I am to say and what I am to speak. 50 And I know that his command is eternal life. So the things I speak are exactly what the Father told me to speak.”

We all probably face this situation multiple times in our lifetime. We have a job to do. We know the work is going to be very hard and perhaps even painful. We don’t want to do the job. We might put it off as long as we can. But finally we must face the task at hand. The work needs to be done. Jesus found himself in that situation. His purpose for coming to Jerusalem on this occasion was so that he could be handed over to his enemies to suffer, and die, and have his body placed in the grave. Jesus hadn’t put off his assignment from his heavenly Father. He had waited until the appointed time to go to Jerusalem. Now the time had come. Jesus’ soul was troubled by the suffering and death he needed to endure. His assignment was made even more difficult by the fact that he needed to endure all this while carrying the crushing burden of the sins of the world. It’s not hard to imagine why Jesus was troubled. He is true God, but also true man. His human nature would suffer in ways no other human being has ever suffered.

But Jesus knew there could be no avoiding this painful task. Only he could be sufficient sacrifice to pay for our sins and the sins of the whole world. Instead of asking to be spared from his task, Jesus prayed that by his work he would glorify his heavenly Father. God the Father answered his Son in a powerful way. A voice from heaven said, “I have glorified my name, and I will glorify it again.” God the Father was glorified as Jesus fulfilled God’s Law in our place during his entire earthly life. God would glorify his name again as Jesus died and rose again from the dead to defeat sin, death and the devil. God is also glorified with every soul that believes in Jesus Christ as their Savior and comes to eternal life in heaven through faith in Jesus.

Jesus was about to make the ultimate sacrifice for all of humanity. But John proclaimed the sad reality that most of the people rejected Jesus. Jesus urged the people in Jerusalem to walk in the light of salvation while he was still with them. But the words of Isaiah 6:9-10 said that although the people would see the miracles and hear the message of salvation, they would refuse to understand the truth. According to Jesus, those who reject him will face God’s judgment on the Last Day. Without Jesus, they will remain in the darkness of sin and be sentenced to an eternity in the torments of hell.

John does record that Jesus’ work did bear fruit. According to verse 42, there were many who heard Jesus’ message and believed. We praise our Lord that he graciously caused his message to be proclaimed to us. By the grace of God we heard and believed. We are no longer living in the darkness of sin and unbelief. We walk in the light of salvation Jesus brings. We have God’s sure promise. Because of Jesus, we will see God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and dwell with them eternally in heaven.

Discussion Questions

1 – Why would God the Father speak audibly from heaven when Jesus asked that God would glorify his name?
Jesus said the God’s voice was for the benefit of the people. They needed to see that Jesus had brought glory to his Father by the perfect life he lived on earth. Now God would be glorified again as Jesus completed the work of salvation and won eternal life in heaven for all who trusted in him.

2 – What was Jesus speaking about in verses 31-32 when he said “Now is the judgment of this world. Now the ruler of this world will be thrown out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself?”
God had promised in the Garden of Eden that a Savior would come to crush the head of the serpent. (Genesis 3:15) That time had come. Jesus would suffer and die, but he would be triumphant. Satan would be defeated. After Jesus died and rose again many would believe in him and have eternal life.

3 – Why would God finally blind the eyes and deaden the hearts of some so they will not believe the truth about Jesus?
God’s grace and mercy are beyond our comprehension. But when people totally harden their hearts against God again and again, God will finally give them over to their unbelief. We see an example of this when God finally hardened the heart of Pharaoh the unbelieving King of Egypt in the days of Moses. (See Exodus 10:20 – 11:10)

4 – What does Jesus teach us about the relationship he has with his heavenly Father? (Verses 44-50)
They are in perfect agreement on everything. It was the will of both God the Father and God the Son that Jesus would come into this world to carry out God’s plan of salvation. They are in perfect agreement on who will receive eternal life and who will be eternally condemned. As Jesus said in verse 50, “And I know that his command is eternal life. So the things I speak are exactly what the Father told me to speak.”


If you have any questions about the Word of God we studied in this lesson please contact Pastor Greg Tobison. You can send your questions to revgtobison@gmail.com.