1:1 — In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
There had been 400 years of silence since God had spoken through His prophet Malachi. As happens with any prolonged time of quiet, the people’s ears strained for a word. So God sent the Word. But first, He readied the world for the gospel. Under the influence of Alexander the Great, Greek—the language of science, medicine, and philosophy—made communication much easier than it had ever been. Also, because of the roads and general peace (Pax Romana) of the Roman Empire, missionaries could travel everywhere with less difficulty. Finally, with all the Jews scattered throughout the Roman Empire, evangelists had many synagogues from which to preach the Good News throughout the known world.
1:14 — We saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Jesus is far more than just a great teacher or a mighty prophet; in fact, He is “God with us” (Matt. 1:23). Jesus is “the exact representation” of God’s nature because He is God Himself (Heb. 1:3). Whatever Jesus does, He does with grace. Whatever He says, He says in truth. If you want to understand what God is like, look to Jesus (John 1:18; 14:9).
1:29 — “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”
All the Old Testament sacrifices foreshadowed what Jesus Christ would do on the Cross. Here, John rightly identified Jesus as our Passover Lamb (Ex. 12), who willingly paid our sin-debt in full (1 Cor. 5:7). God “made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Cor. 5:21).
2:5 — “Whatever He says to you, do it.”
Jesus’ mother did not understand everything her Son said or did, but she understood enough to know that it was always wise to do what He said. It still is.
2:17 — “Zeal for Your house will consume me.”
Instead of being surprised and confused at Jesus’ actions, the disciples immediately recalled Psalm 69:9 about the coming Messiah. The disciples would not have been able to remember this text if they were not already familiar with it. For God to use His Word to encourage and instruct us, we have to spend time in it. Then we have confirmation He is uniquely at work in and around us.
2:22 — When He was raised from the dead, His disciples remembered that He said this; and they believed.
Sometimes we hesitate to spend time in God’s Word because we don’t feel as though we’re getting anything out of it. But often a text does not “click” in our minds until some time later.
Life Examples
Unclean but Unblemished
It all started at night, when Nicodemus, a Pharisee and “a ruler of the Jews” (John 3:1) came to the Light (v. 21). Nicodemus makes three appearances in the Book of John (3:1–21; 7:50–52; 19:39–42), and by the third time, we see that the truth Jesus planted in his heart had powerfully taken root. Although Jesus had been condemned by Nicodemus’s colleagues (Luke 23:13–24), it no longer made a difference to him. He knew Jesus was the true Messiah—the hope of Israel and the world.
How do we know he arrived at this decision? Because normally the bodies of those who had been crucified were thrown on the trash heap of the city. Yet after Christ was removed from the Cross, Joseph of Arimathea claimed His body, prepared it for burial, and then placed Him in a brand new tomb. Nicodemus was right beside Joseph. He brought myrrh and aloes and assisted in Christ’s burial (John 19:38–41). It is believed that the spices used for the Lord’s burial were those personally belonging to Nicodemus. Instead of saving them for his own burial, he gave them to Jesus as an offering of love and devotion. John 19:39 tells us these spices weighed “about a hundred pounds,” which would have been the amount used to bury a great king—not merely a good man or a simple teacher. Nicodemus acknowledged that Jesus is the Son of God and treated Him with great respect.
We also know that according to the Law of Moses, no priest was to “defile himself for a dead person” (Lev. 21:1) because touching the deceased body would make him unclean. Yet that also did not matter to Nicodemus, because he realized that in his new eternal life, he was completely unblemished (John 3:16).
Today, Nicodemus’s example still teaches us. We learn from him that Jesus is always there for us, night or day. We learn that in God’s perfect timing, He will answer our most confounding questions. We learn that regardless of our status, nothing is more important than the life of Christ within us. And we learn that no matter how great our sacrifice, it can never compare to Christ’s sacrifice for us.
See the Life Principles Index for further study:
12. Peace with God is the fruit of oneness with God.
3:5 — “Unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.”
As a Pharisee, Nicodemus belonged to the most prominent religious group in Israel and was a highly respected teacher. He observed all of the laws of cleanliness and piety, yet Jesus told Nicodemus that it’s not enough for one just to be physically clean—water is not enough for true purification. Rather, a person’s nature also needs to be cleansed—or sanctified—by the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit (Rom. 8; 1 Cor. 12:13; 2 Cor. 5:7).
3:7 — “You must be born again.”
What did Jesus mean about being “born again”? The new birth is an instantaneous spiritual experience, which occurs when the Holy Spirit leads a person to understand that Jesus Christ died on the Cross to provide forgiveness for their sins. We are born again the moment we accept that Jesus Christ is the only One who can redeem us and we confess Him as our Savior and Lord (Rom. 10:9).
3:12 — “If I told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?”
Sometimes our idea of heaven is distorted because we think of it in our earthly terms. Yet heaven is a place for those who love the Lord—where everything revolves around His majesty, power, glory, and presence (Rev. 19:1–7). Every person there will praise and worship Him. If someone refuses to honor and serve Him here on earth, they won’t like heaven at all. In fact, they’ll be completely out of place there.
3:14 — “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up.”
Jesus is referring to the account in Numbers 21. The people of Israel faithlessly complained against the Lord, and He sent poisonous serpents as a judgment. Many of them died. When the Israelites finally repented, the Lord told Moses to set a serpent on a staff so that everyone who looked at it could live. In the same way, those who face the penalty of death can look upon Christ’s sacrifice on the Cross and receive eternal life.
3:16 — “God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”
What does it mean to believe in Jesus? Does it mean that intellectually you agree with the fact that He was born in Bethlehem of a virgin and that He is a great teacher? Yes, but there’s even more to it than that. To have faith in Jesus Christ means to believe that He is God (John 1:1; 10:30; 14:9) and that He saves you by His crucifixion (Eph. 2:8, 9; 2 Tim. 1:9; Titus 3:5). If you continue to believe that you can somehow earn your salvation, you have never been truly born again. However, when you truly place your faith in Him, you receive His gift of eternal life (John 6:40; 17:3).
3:17, 18 — “God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already.”
While Jesus says that all judgment has been committed to Him (John 5:22), He assures us that He did not come to earth to judge us but to save us. What that means is that we are already forgiven. When we place our faith in Jesus, we are accepting that He has already fully and successfully taken our punishment upon Himself. But those who reject Jesus as Savior also reject His provision and must bear the full penalty of their sins (Mark 16:16; John 5:24; Heb. 2:2, 3; 2 Thess. 1:8, 9).
Answers to Life’s Questions
How can I know if my worship pleases God?
Have you ever wondered if your worship pleases God? Perhaps you’ve read about the Old Testament regulations for the Mosaic sacrificial system and have wondered what you’re required to do now that Jesus has fulfilled the Law. It’s important to remember that whenever you worship, God’s priority is your heart (1 Chr. 28:9; Ps. 51:17; Joel 2:13).
But what exactly does that mean? What characterizes a heart that is lovely to the Lord? Jesus tells us, “True worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth” (John 4:23, 24). The heart that is led by God’s Spirit and filled with His truth is pleasing to Him—and the only one actually equipped to really adore Him.
Jesus was unimpressed by those who displayed their “devotion” in a pompous, attention-getting manner. Their worship was not characterized by love for Him and the desire to do His will; rather, they were motivated by their own fleshly agendas and goals. Therefore, He instructed us, “When you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they may be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you” (Matt. 6:5, 6).
Authentic service to God begins with the wholehearted trust that nothing escapes His loving and sovereign eye (Heb. 6:10; 11:6) and that He assumes full responsibility for our needs when we obey Him. This was illustrated one day when, sitting in the temple, Jesus watched the people who presented their offerings. Some rich people put large amounts into the treasury, making quite a scene. Then a poor widow put in what amounted to one cent. Jesus told His disciples, “Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the contributors to the treasury; for they all put in out of their surplus, but she, out of her poverty, put in all she owned, all she had to live on”’ (Mark 12:43, 44).
Are you noticing what is important to the Lord? It’s not the size of your offering that matters; it is the trust of your heart to give everything you are and dedicate everything you have to Him. It is not the beauty of your praising, giving thanks, singing, praying, or giving financially that moves Him; it’s your motivation—your true feelings of love and adoration for the Lord.
As you prepare to worship God in spirit and in truth, examine the reason you are approaching His throne. Is it to further your goals or to experience His loving presence? Is it to get something you want or to give Him your utmost devotion? As Philippians 3:3 instructs, “Worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh.” It will not only satisfy your being but will also build intimacy in your relationship with Him.
See the Life Principles Index for further study:
4:9 — “How is it that You, being a Jew, ask me for a drink since I am a Samaritan woman?” (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.)
Men in biblical times did not generally speak to women in public. Also, the woman at the well was a Samaritan and Jesus was a Jew—two groups who didn’t have anything to do with each other because the Jews believed the Samaritans had been tainted by the pagan nations among them (Deut. 7:1–6; 2 Kin. 17:24–31). But Jesus talked to her. Why? Because He never discriminates; rather, He wants all people to know Him and be saved (2 Pet. 3:9).
4:10 — “You would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.”
Even when God asks us to do certain things, it’s really an invitation to receive greater things from Him. Jesus asked the woman for a drink of water so He could offer her living water.
4:23 — “True worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth.”
God is Spirit—His divine nature is pure and holy. He is absolutely worthy of our worship. However, we should never address Him in the way the world shows its adoration—trying to earn His favor and making sacrifices He never asked for. Instead, the Lord actively seeks men and women who will eagerly worship Him according to the truth of Scripture and by the power of the Holy Spirit.
4:42 — “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves and know that this One is indeed the Savior of the world.”
Each of us has to make the faith our own. Our faith in the truth and power of the gospel must be deeply personal, genuine, and an authentic expression of our hearts (Rom. 10:9).
5:6 — “Do you wish to get well?”
Sometimes our troubles and infirmities become such a part of our lives and identity that we have difficulty letting them go and allowing God to handle them. Have you been holding on to a painful experience or problem? You must choose to let it go. God offers you His healing, so there are no more excuses. You must decide what is more important to you—getting better or having a reason to say, “Woe is me.”
5:18 — The Jews were seeking all the more to kill Him, because He . . . was calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God.
Instead of being joyful to have God in their presence, His opponents became angry and murderous because of their jealousy and desire for power. How do you react to God’s presence? Do you rejoice that He is with you and obey His commands, or do you struggle with Him for control? You’ll never lose by obeying God, but you may forfeit everything by standing against Him, so choose wisely.
5:29 — “Those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment.”
Every person who has ever lived will one day stand before God at the judgment, either to receive rewards for their Spirit-empowered activity and faith in Christ, or to receive condemnation for self-focused behavior. An eager anticipation of the Lord’s return keeps us living productively.
5:30 — “I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.”
We have the wonderful opportunity to glorify the Lord with our lives (1 Cor. 6:20)—to walk in His footsteps (Eph. 5:1, 2) and resemble Him in our characters (Gal. 5:22, 23). This begins by asking whether we seek after our own goals or the will of God. As believers, we’ve been called to allow Jesus to live His life through us so that others can be saved—and that’s just what we must do.
6:6 — This He was saying to test him, for He Himself knew what He was intending to do.
The disciples learned firsthand that God is greater than the needs of 5,000 people, and this gave them confidence that they could trust Him for their own daily needs. Likewise, at times, the Lord will set a seemingly impossible task before us to test us and see whether we react in fear or faith. This is because He is training us to have faith in Him, and trusting Him means looking beyond what we can see and do to what He is able to accomplish.
6:37 — “The one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out.”
This is the basis of eternal security—Jesus will never reject the one who authentically believes in Him. You cannot earn your salvation (Eph. 2:8, 9; Titus 3:5), so neither can you lose it once you accept Christ as your Savior (John 5:29; 10:28, 29). On the Cross, Jesus literally became your Sin-Bearer and gave you His righteousness in return (2 Cor. 5:21). This is a permanent, eternal transaction that cannot be undone.
6:44 — “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day.”
Who took the initiative in your salvation? You may have confessed Jesus as your Lord and Savior; however, to do so was not initially your idea. The Lord created a longing within you for His love and presence and allowed difficulty to enter your life so that you would open up to Him. God took the initiative and you chose to cooperate with Him—which is the very definition of the Christian life.
6:67 — “You do not want to go away also, do you?”
Jesus did not try to talk unwilling disciples into staying with Him, nor did He make things easier for them so that they would reconsider their relationship to Him. He wants eager followers who understand the cost of following Him.
6:68 — “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life.”
Times come for all of us when a life of faith in Christ seems more difficult than we expected. Here is the question each of us must answer: Where else can we go? Jesus alone promises us eternal life. And although we face troubles for a little while here on earth, because of Him, “The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us” (Rom. 8:18).
7:5 — Not even His brothers were believing in Him.
Jesus’ younger brothers had grown up with Him in Nazareth, and while they might have heard about His extraordinary birth, they did not believe in Him until after the Resurrection. Only then did they come to faith.
7:30 — They were seeking to seize Him; and no man laid his hand on Him, because His hour had not yet come.
Several times Jesus’ opponents wanted to take Him by force or eliminate Him, but God did not permit any of their plans to succeed until they fit His timing. His sovereign will controls all of history.
7:37 — “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink.”
Because God made us for an intimate relationship with Himself, our deepest needs cannot be met anywhere else but in Him. Jesus offers the only satisfaction for spiritual thirst.
Answers to Life’s Questions
What does it mean to be set free in Christ?
The scribes and Pharisees were intent on trapping Jesus, so they brought Him a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery and said, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in adultery, in the very act. Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women; what then do You say?” (John 8:4, 5).
Instead of being ensnared by their words, Jesus turned the situation into an opportunity to teach the crowd about His liberating love in action. He said, “He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her . . . Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?. . . . do not condemn you, either. Go. From now on sin no more” (John 8:7, 10, 11). The woman walked away forgiven, free, and saved from certain doom.
A little later, Jesus proclaimed: “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free” (John 8:31, 32). Consider these verses the believer’s emancipation proclamation. In verses 34–36, Jesus explains: “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son does remain forever. So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.” How are we liberated to live in Christ?
1. Through Jesus’ death on the Cross and resurrection, we are freed from the penalty of sin. Like the woman caught in adultery, we are no longer condemned for what we’ve done. Christ pays our sin-debt in full so that we can be reconciled to the Father (Rom. 5:10; 6:23; Col. 1:19–22).
2. We are released from the power of sin. Our sin nature no longer dominates us—leading us from one unsatisfying and destructive transgression to another. Rather, we are free to seek and know God through the power and presence of His Holy Spirit (Rom. 8:2–17). Jesus told the woman, “Go. From now on sin no more” (John 8:11), not as a terrible requirement for earning His forgiveness, but as a declaration of what is possible when we follow Him (1 Cor. 6:11–20).
3. We are liberated from the purpose of sin. James 1:15 tells us, “When sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.” The goal of our iniquity is usually to exalt ourselves or meet our own needs, but the outcome is always ruination. Perhaps this woman was seeking love, acceptance, or security, yet she was obviously going about getting it in the wrong way—destroying herself and her dignity. However, Christ sets us free to become everything God created us to be to His honor and glory (John 10:10; Eph. 2:10).
4. We are unshackled from the personality of sin. To the scribes and the Pharisees, this woman would always be known by the name “sinner,” and perhaps that is how she thought of herself as well. However, when Jesus comes into our lives, we are no longer known for our iniquities. Rather, we are recognized as belonging to the One who has covered our iniquities with His blood. Our transgressions are no longer our identity because Christ makes us into a new creation (Rom. 8:1; 2 Cor. 5:17).
What can you do to begin living in the freedom Jesus purchased for you on the Cross? There is no formula for discovering the richness of His truth. But by obeying and trusting in Him, you’ll be on the road to the liberated life He designed for you.
See the Life Principles Index for further study:
8:11 — “From now on sin no more.”
Jesus is gracious and merciful, but He never ceases to be holy. He calls us to a life of holiness and obedience to His Father, and He gives us the spiritual resources we need to walk in righteousness.
8:32 — “You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”
How does the truth set us free? Because through it, the Lord breaks the bonds of enslavement that sin has over us (John 8:36; Rom. 7:14–25; 8:2, 20, 21). He shows us how to become everything we were created to be and to embrace every blessing that is ours because of our position in Him (Eph. 1). He also guides us in living the very best life possible—one that gives us joy and glorifies Him (John 16:13–15; 2 Cor. 3:17; Gal. 5:1).
8:56 — “Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.”
The Jewish identity is based on the fact that they are Abraham’s descendants (John 8:33, 39), and therefore heirs to all of God’s promises to him (Gen. 12:1–3). Yet Jesus demonstrates that the Jews were not living as their forefather would because Abraham acknowledged God, had faith in Him, and obeyed Him (John 8:39, 40). In other words, Abraham would have acknowledged that Jesus is the Messiah.
8:58 — “Before Abraham was born, I am.”
Jesus is God in the flesh. Here, He calls Himself by the divine name, “I AM” (Ex. 3:14; Is. 42:8; 43:10, 13), and affirms that He existed long before Abraham lived. Why is this important? Because the Jews continued to cling to men and issues that were temporary, instead of the Son of God, who is eternal.
9:3 — “It was so that the works of God might be displayed in him.”
It is always dangerous to assume that some sin is to blame for a physical ailment. In this case, Jesus said that God designed the man’s blindness to provide a platform for demonstrating His glory.
9:30 — “Here is an amazing thing, that you do not know where He is from, and yet He opened my eyes.”
The healed man may have been born without sight, but the Pharisees were blinded by their own pride, jealousy, and sin (John 9:41). It is a terrible thing to think we know better than God because it shows that pride is deeply rooted in our hearts. We must always be careful to acknowledge the Lord’s work around us, because if we refuse to obey Him, we, too, will become blinded to His matchless presence by our sin.
10:9 — “I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.”
There is only one door to heaven. Jesus is not one route among several to an intimate relationship with God, but the only way. Some may think, “That is very narrow-minded.” However, it was the greatest mind, the most profound wisdom, and the deepest thoughts that ever existed that implemented the plan of how you and I would be reconciled to God and have a home in heaven. The Lord, who created us is the One who decides how we can know Him—and that way is through Jesus Christ.
10:10 — “I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.”
Do you know how Jesus gives us abundant life? He does so by giving us Himself! You could have all the money, relationships, wealth, and power, but you would still have a deep sense of emptiness because life isn’t found in these things. The only One who can truly satisfy you is Jesus Christ. To live the abundant Christian life is to allow Jesus to live His life through us. His love motivates and empowers us, so we obey Him out of joy and thankfulness.
10:11 — “I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.”
Jesus willingly gave His life to save ours, so how can we think He would ever keep back from us anything that would truly benefit us or allow anything in our lives that doesn’t have some eternal purpose (Rom. 8:32)? Instead, we must always remember that He is the Good Shepherd. He has all of our problems, pressures, and provisions under His control, and nothing we face is ever too difficult for Him to handle. So cast your cares upon Him because you can be sure that He will help you.
10:30 — “I and the Father are one.”
In this verse, Jesus proclaimed His unity of nature and equality in the Godhead (Deut. 6:4). Based on His assertion, we must make a decision: either we believe He really is God, or we must reject everything He says—there is no middle ground. As believers, we know that there is only one God and that He is three Persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We also know that everything Jesus said is absolutely true because He is the truth (John 14:6).
11:4 — “This sickness is not to end in death, but for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified by it.”
Jesus did not mean that Lazarus would not die—he did (John 11:14)—but that he would not end in death. When Jesus is involved, death does not have the final victory. As the Lord of life, He has triumphed over the grave eternally for all who trust in Him (Rom. 6:8, 9; 1 Cor. 15:54–57).
11:14, 15 — “Lazarus is dead, and I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, so that you may believe.”
Jesus was glad that He was not present with them at Lazarus’s death because it provided Him the perfect opportunity to mature their faith and teach them about His resurrection power. God is far more concerned with growing our trust in Him and deepening our relationship with Him than with making us comfortable. Adversity can be a bridge to a deeper relationship with the Lord, if we will trust that He can work every detail of our lives—even the bad ones—together for good (Rom. 8:18, 28; 2 Cor. 4:16–18).
Life Examples
Worship as You Work
After Jesus raised her brother Lazarus from the dead, Martha finally understood the awesome power of Christ. She knew that nothing she could do would ever honor Him sufficiently—yet she also realized that He would gladly receive anything done for Him out of a heart of genuine devotion (John 11:19–44).
God invites you to use your gifts to express praise to Him, especially if you use them with a grateful, joyful heart. If, however, they become your avenue for seeking acceptance and prestige—as with Martha at the beginning (Luke 10:38–42)—then they can become a source of bitterness and resentment. Your actions can either proclaim Christ or seek your own advancement. You can use your talents with an attitude of praise or an attitude of self-promotion.
As you express your gifts today, consider your testimony. Will you serve out of praise to Him? Will you choose work or worship?
See the Life Principles Index for further study:
11:37 — “Could not this man, who opened the eyes of the blind man, have kept this man also from dying?”
Yes, Jesus could have kept Lazarus from dying, but in His wisdom, He chose to do something far better. He did not spare His friends’ great grief because it benefited them more in the end to witness His power over death (Rom. 8:18).
Life Examples
A Life Devoted to God
Each time we look at the life of Mary of Bethany through the window afforded us in the Gospels, we find her at the feet of Jesus (Luke 10:39; John 11:32; 12:3). In Mary, Jesus discerned a heart of devotion and true love for the things of God (Luke 10:42).
Mary accepted Jesus’ words when He spoke of His death and resurrection, and she applied them to her life by humbling herself before God and desiring only to serve the Lord. Her attitude marked her as a woman mighty in spirit—and you, too, can have this trait when you commit yourself to Christ.
Ask the Lord to make you aware of anything that keeps you from sitting at His feet in wholehearted devotion. Pray for the Holy Spirit to give you a deep love for God’s Word. This is what Mary cherished—the Word of God spoken to her. And it can be your greatest source of comfort and hope as well.
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12:16 — These things His disciples did not understand at the first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written of Him.
Even though it took the disciples a long time to understand the meaning and significance of Scripture, when understanding finally came, it never left them, and it gave them the strength to continue despite great hardship.
12:32 — “I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself.”
Jesus says that He draws all peoples to Himself. We are to represent Him as well as we can and allow Him to live through us, but we can never convert anyone. It is Christ’s responsibility to cause faith to take root in human hearts, not ours.
13:5 — He poured water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet.
As the Passover (Ex. 12) and His sacrifice on the Cross approached, Jesus took every opportunity to teach His disciples about what He was about to accomplish and how they were to proceed after He was resurrected. In one of the most humbling and beautiful displays of servant leadership, the Lord knelt and began to cleanse the disciples’ feet—a task reserved for the lowliest slave in the house. As believers, we are to be humble as our Savior is—in love, we gently lead others to the Cross, where they can be washed clean of all their sins.
13:17 — “If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.”
Knowing and doing are two separate things. Jesus reserves His blessing not merely for those who know His will, but for those who do it as well. Genuine faith always leads to godly action, and we know that whatever He leads us to do for His name’s sake, He will use powerfully for His glory, even if we can’t yet see how (Phil. 1:6).
13:35 — “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
The method Jesus gave us to preach His message to the world is through love. The world does not know we are His disciples through correct doctrine or big buildings, but through our love for one another.
14:2 — “I go to prepare a place for you.”
In the Jewish culture, it was customary for a young man to prepare a house for his bride-to-be. At an unspecified time, the bridegroom would return to fulfill the marriage covenant with his wife and take her to their new home. As the Bride of Christ—the church—we know that Jesus is preparing an everlasting home for us in heaven. And one day, He will return to claim us and take us to the wonderful place He has created for us to love and worship Him for the rest of eternity (John 14:3; Rev. 19:7–9; 21:9–27).
14:6 — “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.”
The truth is very narrow—the only way someone can come to the Father is through Jesus, who lived a completely sinless life, in thought, word, and deed.
14:9 — “He who has seen Me has seen the Father.”
In Jesus, we have more than just a representation of theological attributes. He is God in the flesh, and when we gaze upon Him, we behold our Lord.
14:23 — “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him.”
We love and obey Jesus by depending on His power to enable us to do what He calls us to do. An intimate relationship with Him leads to willing, devoted, joyful obedience, and the deeper our intimacy with Him, the greater the impact our lives will have for His kingdom.
14:26 — “The Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.”
Jesus mentions all three Persons of the Godhead here—the Father; Himself, the Son; and the Holy Spirit. The three Persons of the Trinity are equal, divine, and share the gods—there is only one God who is expressed in three Persons (Deut. 6:4). The Holy Spirit brings to mind Jesus’ words, because He is one and the same (1 Cor. 2:10–16).
14:27 — “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, nor let it be fearful.”
The peace of Jesus “surpasses all comprehension” (Phil. 4:7) because its source is Christ Himself. His peace keeps us from fear and worry because it brings us straight to Him—and teaches us to depend on Him in everything we face. And we know that no matter what our circumstances, the Lord Jesus will sustain us, strengthen us, and enable us to walk through it victoriously.
15:2 — “Every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit.”
Why does God allow difficulty in the lives of those who love and serve Him? Because the believer is like a branch that receives its nourishment from the Living Vine—Jesus Christ. When we abide in Him, He produces fruit through us. However, sometimes we allow things in our lives that diminish our impact for His kingdom. So God prunes all the extraneous things that are hindering us so we will be free to bear a better harvest.
15:4 — “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me.”
The only way we can play a significant role in the kingdom of God is to allow Jesus to live His life in and through us. While apart from Him we can do nothing, in Him we can do anything He calls us to do.
15:11 — “These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.”
The Word of God, living and growing within us, produces lasting and increasing joy. A lack of joy in a Christian’s life often can be traced to a lack of concentrated devotional time in God’s Word or disobedience.
15:13 — “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.”
Jesus is the best friend we could ever have. He loves us just the way we are—He knows everything there is about us and still accepts us completely. In fact, this is why He laid His life down for us on the Cross—so we could become acceptable and have an intimate relationship with Him through His sacrificial death (Col. 1:19–22).
15:15 — “I have called you friends.”
If we were merely God’s servants, He would just give us orders. However, Jesus wants us to build a relationship with Him as His friends—loving and fellowshipping with Him and knowing His heart.
15:16 — “You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain.”
Jesus does not want any of us to lead unproductive or unfocused lives. He chose us not only for salvation, but also to play a significant role in His kingdom. He wants each of us to fulfill the particular purpose He created us for (Eph. 2:10).
16:13 — “When He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth.”
In every area of our inadequacy, the Holy Spirit indwells us to meet our needs in the way that honors God (Rom. 8). He draws us to salvation (John 6:44; 1 Cor. 2:6–16; 12:3), regenerates us (Titus 3:5), convicts us of our sinfulness and teaches us to live in the righteousness of Christ (John 14:26; 16:8), and seals us for redemption (Eph. 4:30). Everything that God calls us to do, the Spirit equips and empowers us to accomplish it (Matt. 10:19, 20; Acts 1:8; 1 Cor. 2:3–5; 12:4–13; 2 Pet. 1:21).
What the Bible Says About
If you’ve ever wished you could immediately understand God’s will when going through a difficult situation, you’re in good company. We’ve all faced challenging circumstances that have confounded us—we’ve had no idea about how to proceed, and we’ve longed for the Lord’s guidance, help, and provision. However, as believers, we must understand that the Holy Spirit indwells us the moment we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior, and He has been given to us as an everlasting promise that God will never leave us nor forsake us, no matter what happens (John 14:16–18; 1 Cor. 3:16; 6:17; 2 Cor. 1:21, 22; 5:5; Eph. 1:13; 4:30; 1 John 4:2, 13).
Although you may be facing a situation that makes you feel isolated, helpless, or directionless, understand that you’re never alone. The Holy Spirit is with you, to live the life of Christ through you—helping you face every challenge in a godly, victorious manner. John 16:13, 14 promises, “He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you.”
How does the Holy Spirit help and direct you? He does so in a manner that is:
Practical. The Holy Spirit warns you of perils ahead and equips you to succeed in the tasks He has assigned to you. He knows exactly how much strength, wisdom, resources, and encouragement you need for whatever is ahead.
Personal. He lives inside of you and knows you even better than you know yourself. He understands exactly what you require to grow in the likeness of Christ, and He enables you to become the person the Lord created you to be.
Available. Twenty-four hours a day, 365 days a year, the Holy Spirit is there for you. He never sleeps but is constantly working in and through you for your good.
Dependable. There’s no problem you face that God can’t handle. In fact, not only will the Holy Spirit help you get through your heartaches, but He will also use your burdens to teach you about the love, wisdom, and power of God.
Even when you don’t know what to ask for in prayer, the Holy Spirit will intervene for you (Rom. 8:26–29). Though God’s Word may not make sense to you, He will show you what it means (1 Cor. 2:12–14). If there is something within you that is hindering God’s work, He will reveal it to you (John 16:8). When you feel inadequate, He bestows you with the giftedness you need to live the Christian life (1 Cor. 12:4–11). And in your greatest moments of weakness and distress, the Holy Spirit can energize, encourage, and empower you to overcome whatever afflicts you (Rom. 5:3–5).
Therefore, don’t hinder the Holy Spirit—He is your Helper, and His guidance is yours for the asking. Whenever you need Him, pray, listen, follow His direction, and confidently obey His promptings—because you can be sure that He will never lead you astray.
See the Life Principles Index for further study:
16:22 — “You too have grief now; but I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you.”
Sorrow and happiness are both a part of the human experience, and both depend largely on circumstances. When we unite ourselves to the risen Christ, however, He gives us a joy that no obstacle, problem, or situation can take away.
16:24 — “Until now you have asked for nothing in My name; ask and you will receive.”
To ask in Jesus’ name means to connect your request with His will, plans, purpose, and sovereignty.
16:33 — “In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”
As Jesus stood ready to face the Cross and defeat the last foe—death (1 Cor. 15:26)—He encouraged the disciples to always have confidence in His ability to lead them to triumph, which was proven at the Resurrection. Although it may feel as if your every desire and security has been destroyed, your true hope—the Lord Jesus—can display His resurrection power in your situation as well. And when He does, you certainly won’t be disappointed.
17:3 — “This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.”
Some mistakenly believe that eternal life can only be enjoyed after death. However, Scripture is clear that you receive it the moment you have faith in the risen Jesus Christ and begin a relationship with Him. You don’t just receive the gift of living forever—you are given the awesome privilege of having a vibrant, growing relationship with the Creator of all that exists.
17:24 — “Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory.”
Hebrews 12:2 tells us, “Jesus . . . for the joy set before Him endured the cross.” What was His joy? Fulfilling the purpose for which He came—to restore our relationship with Him and show His glory. In the moments before He faced arrest, Jesus prayed for us in the Garden of Gethsemane. And because He triumphed on the Cross, not only has He achieved His mission, we can share in His joy as well.
Life Examples
“Rabbi” Is Not Enough
Judas Iscariot powerfully reminds us of the horrific possibilities within every human heart. While he called Jesus “Rabbi” (Matt. 26:25, 49), there is no record that he used the term “Lord.” Sadly, he shows us that we can claim allegiance to Christ without ever truly believing in Him as our Lord and Savior (Matt. 7:22, 23). This is the case with those who believe that Jesus was a good teacher but deny that He is the only way to the Father (John 14:6), or those who profess to know Him but do so only for their own gain.
Whatever his reason for handing over the Lord Jesus, we know that sin had so blinded Judas that he could not see the Way, the Truth, and the Life. He pridefully took matters into his own hands and later regretted all that he had done (Matt. 27:3–5).
Judas’s story of the betrayal still resonates, not only because of his evil kiss (Luke 22:47, 48) but also because we realize the wickedness of our own flesh. How many of us attend church regularly and give Jesus intellectual assent—but not our hearts? How many call Him King, only as a way to achieve our own thrones?
What kind of kiss do we give the Lord?
See the Life Principles Index for further study:
18:11 — “The cup which the Father has given Me, shall I not drink it?”
Three times in the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus prayed that, if it were possible, God would remove the “cup” of the Cross from Him (Matt. 26:36–46). He didn’t, and so now Jesus would let nothing come between Him and that cup.
18:36 — “My kingdom is not of this world.”
One day Jesus will return to earth “to rule all the nations with a rod of iron” (Rev. 12:5; see also Ps. 2:9; Rev. 2:27; 19:15). Until then, His kingdom focuses on redeeming the hearts of the lost.
19:11 — “You would have no authority over Me, unless it had been given you from above.”
No one exercises any authority at all in this world unless the Lord first gives it to him or her (Prov. 21:1; Dan. 4:17; Rom. 13:1). As children of a sovereign God, we are never victims of our circumstances.
19:15 — The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar.”
The opponents of Jesus wanted Him dead so badly that they confessed Caesar as their only king, thus rejecting God as their King. No one speaking by the Spirit of the Lord could ever give total allegiance to a human ruler.
19:26 — When Jesus then saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, He said to His mother, “Woman, behold, your son!”
Even as He died, Jesus showed His deep and genuine concern for others. He called upon John the Beloved to care for his mother. “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45).
19:30 — “It is finished!” And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.
Each one of us has a sin debt that must be reconciled (Rom. 6:23), yet none of us can pay it because of our sin nature. So Christ—knowing every sin we would ever commit—took our record of wrongs upon Himself and wiped them all out with His own blood (Matt. 26:28; Rom. 3:23–26; Eph. 1:7; Col. 1:20; Heb. 9:11–28). It was finished forevermore! No one can ever condemn us because our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, paid the penalty in full.
20:12 — She saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had been lying.
Though Mary didn’t realize it, what she was seeing was the fulfillment of the Old Testament mercy seat—the glory of the Lord shone between those two angels (Ex. 25:22). Only, God’s shekinah glory was not being revealed to a priest with an offering. It was being shown to a woman with a broken heart. The forgiveness, guidance, and presence of God—which had previously been accessible to only one man on one day a year (Lev. 16)—is now available to all of us for all eternity (Heb. 2:17; 4:14–16; 9:23–28; 10:19–23; 1 John 2:2; 4:10).
20:21 — “As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.”
The Father sent His Son into the world to make it possible for sinful men and women to become holy, and the Son now sends His followers into the world to make it possible for others to hear about His provision.
Life Examples
From Doubt to Faith
The name Thomas is the Hebrew equivalent of the Greek name Didymus, which means “twin.” Thomas reminds us of the similarities between doubt and faith—both originate from the same place: a confrontation with the unknown. Doubt concedes defeat, while faith claims the victory.
When Jesus appeared to Thomas, hope became reality. The Resurrection renewed his confidence in God (John 20:24–29) and motivated him to spend the rest of his life proclaiming the certainty of the risen Christ. Tradition holds that Thomas spread the gospel to India and helped dispel others’ disbelief about the Resurrection.
If uncertainties have smothered your confidence in the Lord, remember His power so evident in the empty tomb. The Crucifixion was not the end of the story—and neither is the trial you face. Choose the path of faith and declare that triumph lies just ahead. Allow Jesus’ resurrection to strengthen your hope, renew your certainty, and be your greatest victory.
See the Life Principles Index for further study:
9. Trusting God means looking beyond what we can see to what God sees.
20:29 — “Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed.”
Thomas declared that he must see and touch the Savior before he could believe in the Resurrection. Yet Jesus said that those who do not need visual evidence of His work and power would be especially blessed. Trusting God means looking beyond what we can see to what He sees. This is the very essence of faith—we don’t see God at work, but we have confidence in Him anyway. We must actively obey Him and have confidence in His love for us before He will bless us.
20:31 — These have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.
If the Word of God did not have the Lord’s stamp of approval, it would have fallen into obscurity long ago. But as Isaiah 40:8 assures, “The word of our God stands forever.” The Bible is His revelation to us, and through the work of the Holy Spirit, it will continue to accomplish His purpose—to lead people to eternal life in Christ (Is. 55:11; Matt. 5:18; Phil. 1:6).
21:12 — Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.”
If someone were making up the story, it would seem very odd to have the resurrected Savior making breakfast for His awestruck disciples. Yet God is interested in every detail of our lives, even the mundane ones.
21:19 — Signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God.
From this moment on, Peter knew what kind of death—crucifixion—awaited him. And yet he loved the Savior who forgave him with such a passion that he never shrank from fulfilling his purpose, even to the very end.
21:22 — Jesus said to him, “If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow Me!”
We are to concern ourselves with what God wants to do in our lives, not to fret about what He might do in the life of another. We are not to compare or compete—we are to obey. What the Lord does with His other servants is His business, not ours.