Journeying with Jesus

Life is a journey with a beginning and a destination.

These opening statements at the beginning of John’s description of the life of Jesus make astounding claims about him, having travelled with him for three years.

John records an interesting interaction between Jesus and his mother when they are guests at a wedding on their third day of journeying together.

An exchange between Jesus and an academic searcher for meaning that contained arguably the most impacting statements uttered in all history that address our greatest need in life.

John switches the account of his journey from learning how Jesus reached out to a Jew with social status to how Jesus broke down religious and racial barriers to give restorative love to a social outcast. Then John records a miracle performed 2 days later that demonstrated how the measure of our love for him, and not physical proximity, determines the certainty of Jesus answering any request for help.

John records Jesus commanding of an invalid unable to walk for 38 years to pick up his make-shift bed on the Sabbath and walk. He records ensuing collision of Jesus with the religious authorities, who now want him dead for breaking the Sabbath, making himself equal with their God and exposing their hypocrisy.

At this juncture of his journey with Jesus, John hears him make clear the degree of intimacy he requires with a person seeking to become empowered with his eternal life. Many left.

The popular and joyous celebrations of the annual Feast of Tabernacles become the background for Jesus to challenge the embryonic plan of the religious leaders to kill him.

John sees Jesus come to the defence and forgive a woman caught in the act of adultery by the religious authorities then go to the Temple courts to expand his teaching on his relationship with his Father and contrast that with the religious leaders following the devil as their father.

John witnesses an astounding miracle of Jesus healing a blind middle aged man as they journey along a road with the other disciples. He records the Pharisees’ attempt to silence both the man and Jesus, then concludes his record with Jesus restoring the dignity of the healed man and his belief in Jesus as the Son of Man.

In this chapter, John continues his interaction between Jesus and the authoritarian Pharisees recorded in Chapter 9. Now he records the shift in Jesus becoming direct and emphatic with them. Now was the time for Jesus to do so in his journey to the Cross.

John follows his account of the murderous reaction of the Pharisees to Jesus’ claim to be God’s Son with a detailed record of possibly the most tender account of Jesus’ love for his close friend’s family that climaxes in the most impacting miracle recorded so far, while journeying with Jesus.

John records the impact of the resurrection of Lazarus on the celebration of Passover in Jerusalem 6 months later. The news of the miracle had spread far causing religious Jews to want to meet the living evidence of Lazarus for themselves. John focuses his record on the love of Mary preparing Jesus for burial, his claimed kingship, and his submission to imminent death to glorify his Father.

Jesus demonstrates the nature of the love that will build his kingdom and tests the commitment of Judas and Peter, whose pride has to face, “Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times”

Jesus confronts the imminence of his arrest with his disciples by words of comfort, assurance and teaching on their broadened relationship with deity upon his return.

John next records Jesus teaching his disciples significant truths about their life with him using a familiar metaphor of a vine producing fruit.

With limited time remaining with his disciples before his arrest by the authorities, Jesus gives teachings aimed to prevent them from falling away in their trust of him and special calling.

This chapter contains arguably one of the most significant prayers in the Word of God. It can be used as a benchmark for the focus of our own prayer.

John stays with Jesus to record his last moments of freedom, the overkill of his arrest, the scheming manipulation of the Roman governor by the Jewish leaders to extract an execution of Jesus, the reticence of Pilate to carry out an execution with no legal basis and the denials of Peter having any association with Jesus.

Pilate had the last say ensuring history would record Jesus as king and not a criminal. He fixed a sign in the three major language groups of his time to clearly distinguish the occupant of that central cross.

John switches his focus from the cross and its suffering to the empty tomb and his disciples various reactions. The tender and direct manner of these personal reunions displayed the high value Jesus placed on his relationships being free from impediments of pride, hurt and unforgiveness.

Jesus chooses the ideal meeting place and time to restore to confidence the disciples who had failed to stand with him during his crucifixion in his hour of greatest need. Peter, in particular, needed to be forgiven and re-instated in his relationship with Jesus.

We have reached the end of John’s record of journeying with Jesus. Our journey with him is now indivisible. Love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, meekness and self-control will increasingly be seen in you as the character states he is producing.