The Hour Has Come
Hello Bride of Christ,
Have you ever considered what you would do if you were told you have one more week to live? Would you change how you spend your days? Is there anything you would not do? Is there anything you would start doing? As we come together this weekend to celebrate Resurrection Sunday let us take a look at what Jesus did as He became aware that His hour was drawing near and He had one week left on this earth.
Beginning in the gospel of John chapter 12 we begin to see how Jesus lived His last week on the earth. John 12:1 - 3 "Then, six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, were Lazarus was who had been dead, whom He (Jesus) had raised from the dead. There they made Him a supper; and Martha served, but Lazarus was one who sat at the table with Him (Jesus). Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair." Jesus went to spend time with His dearest friends: Lazarus, Mary, and Martha. As they spent time together Jesus' friends served Him, enjoyed His company, and even prepared Him for the days to come (John 12:7). This fellowship was common for the four friends. They often had supper together and enjoyed one another's company, for its mentioned a couple times in this passage of a previous time Jesus visited with them; when Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. John goes on in chapter 12 to note what Jesus did the next day.
The next day Jesus headed to Jerusalem, as many others, for it was time to celebrate the Passover. However, Jesus was not only journeying to Jerusalem for the Passover celebration, but to fulfill the word of God. Jesus was fulfilling prophesy, events declared to come, spoken by the prophet Zechariah in regards to Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem on a donkey, often referred to today as Palm Sunday. Jesus was also fulfilling prophesy spoken by the prophet Isaiah in regards to the people's blind hearts and inability to understand what Jesus was declaring to them. Why would Jesus use His last days to live out prophesy? Jesus was concerned with glorifying the Father. As a result, God spoke to Jesus for everyone to hear and said, "I have both glorified it and will glorify it again." (John 12:28) Take note though that this too was common to Jesus. Jesus from the time He came to earth was concerned with glorifying the Father, it was not just in His last week. As we saw in Jesus' baptism God opened the heavens and spoke declaring Jesus was His beloved son in whom He was well pleased!
John's narrative continues in John chapter 13 to highlight Jesus' last supper, Passover celebration, with His closest followers, His disciples. At this supper Jesus washes all the disciples feet as a symbolic gesture of what it meant to love like Jesus the Servant Master. Jesus at this dinner tells all His disciples about His betrayer and about the events that are to come. Again, very similar and common to how Jesus always spent His time with His disciples. In the gospels we see Jesus time and again sharing parables with the disciples amongst the multitude. These parables giving wisdom and insight on how to live life, what to expect out of life, and how to glorify God. Jesus with each parable would simplify it for His disciples and reveal to them the meaning so that they would have understanding and be prepared. So naturally Jesus spends his last days doing much the same.
As many of us might do in our last days, Jesus tells those that were dear to Him, His disciples, to not worry, but that He would soon see them again (John 14). He explains to them why He must go and what preparation He has made for them to be taken care of in His absence (John 14:7-18). Jesus shares the gift He is giving them: The Helper who will guide them in all truth and allow them to experience peace (John 14:25-27). Jesus reaffirms to His disciples how much He loves them and how He considers them friends (John 15:9-15). He tells them what He expects of them- to love one another (John 15:17), and then goes on to tell them what they will experience in His absence. Jesus told them they would experience hatred, rejection, sorrow, and joy (John 15:18 - 16:24). Very similar to much of the discussions Jesus had with His disciples on a day to day basis.
Jesus was also committed to prayer in His last week for John captures Jesus' prayer to the Father in John 17. Jesus prays to the Father about Himself, His disciples, and all believers of Christ to come. Prayer was a major part of Jesus' life. All throughout the gospels the writers capture how Jesus departed quietly to go pray to the Father. So not surprisingly in His final days and hours Jesus is found praying- praying fervently.
Bride of Christ, might Jesus' example be an encouragement to each of us to not wait until our final hour to do the things that matter most. Notice Jesus did not start anything new in His final week nor did He stop doing anything. Jesus redeemed the time from the beginning and was focused on glorifying the Father in all that consumed His time. Spend time with those dear friends, point your friends to God, pray for them and speak to God on a regular basis. Today is a perfect day to begin to walk in wisdom, redeeming the time becoming imitators of God as dear children.
