Seeding Perseverance

This morning we “finished” our summary of John 13 – 17.  My chart for the section is below.

This section of John is the core of the book.  I do not feel like I have a complete handle on this yet.  I am gaining on it, but the more I dig in the more I see.

I approached this several different ways.  First the chart.  Then I wrote a summary of the major lessons from each chapter.  Then I asked how do each of these chapters support John’s stated objective for the book, John 20:30 – 31?

Overall it seems to me that Christ is preparing his men for the reality they are going to face in the next few days.  They will see their leader and Lord crucified, buried, and then resurrected.  Subsequent to that they will be transformed by the arrival and pouring out of the Holy Spirit.  All of them will be executed but John.

Throughout this discourse and prayer, Christ is planning the seeds that will allow them to persevere with coming ministry of the Spirit.

Part of my summary was the promises that the Lord made to us as well and requirements of the twelve and by extension us:
There are several things promised by the Lord to the 12 and by extension us:

• The preparation of a place for us with the Father
• The abiding presence of the Father and the Son in our lives
• The abiding and teaching presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives
• The free access to and of the resources of the Father in the Name of Christ

Additionally the Lord asks us to:

• Abide in Him
• Abide in His Word
• Pray in His Name
• Love one another

None of the actions we are asked to do are possible apart from the first.

If you haven’t spent a significant amount of time in John 13 – 17 I would recommend it.