John 13:31-35

John 13:31-35

Therefore when He went out, Jesus says, “Now the Son of Man was being glorified and God was being glorified in Him.  If God was being glorified in Him, God will also glorify Him in Himself and He will glorify Him immediately.  Children, yet a little while I am with you all.  You all will seek me, and just as I said to the Jews that ‘where I go you all are not powerful enough to come,’ I now also say to you all.  I give to you all a new commandment in order that you all should love each other: just as I loved you all in order that you all should also love each other.  In this all will know that you all are my disciples: if you all should have love in each other.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

This passage opens with Jesus speaking of glory.  We have a fourfold understanding of glory in this passage.  First, the time has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.  That glory is the cross.  (See John 8:21-29)  Then we hear that God is glorified, and this is because the Son is obedient to the Father.  Then we hear that the Father glorifies Himself in the Son, and this is because God has provided the means for atonement in the cross when He did not need to do so.  Finally we hear that God will glorify the Son immediately, and this is the resurrection from the dead that happens quite quickly after the crucifixion of Jesus.  The three days that on the surface appear to be Jesus’ defeat are actually all about the glory of God.

What does it say about God that He can bring about His glory even through something as dark and foreboding as the cross?  How does this affect your desire to worship Him?

Second Thought:

Jesus reminds His disciples of a message that He had already told the Jews.  (See John 8:21-29)  Where Jesus is going the disciples cannot come.  Jesus has to walk this road alone.  Only Jesus can be the atonement for our sins.  Only Jesus can be the perfect sacrifice.  Only Jesus can fulfill all of the promises of the Messiah.  There are some things that only God – or the Son of God – can do.

Do you believe there really are things only God can do?  If this is true, is it more important to serve your agenda or His?  Why?

Third Thought:

Jesus speaks of love.  He also speaks of imitation.  Jesus loved His disciples.  He loved them so they would have an example of love to show each other and the world.  Jesus dies on the cross to show the sacrificial love we should have for one another.  In this sacrificial love, the world will know there is something more to us than meets the eye.

Where have you seen sacrificial love?  Where is sacrificial love on display in your community of faith?  Why is sacrificial love the best way to show the world what God is up to?

Passage for Tomorrow: John 13:36-38