What Jesus Did

After saying all these things, Jesus looked up to heaven and said, "Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son so he can give glory back to you. For you have given him authority over everyone. He gives eternal life to each one you have given him. And this is the way to have eternal life — to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth."

—John 17:1-3 NLT

Key Thought​

Jesus came to give us life. His goal wasn't to prolong our lives here. His goal...

 

[Jesus continued his prayer:] "I brought glory to you here on earth by completing the work you gave me to do. Now, Father, bring me into the glory we shared before the world began."

—John 17:4-5 NLT

Key Thought​

Jesus did everything his Father told him to do. Imagine, finishing your task at such a young age! But isn't that what Jesus did? So often we don't look on obedience as a way to give God glory. Powerful praise songs in worship seem like a much more exciting way to give...

 

[To his disciples, Jesus continued,] "I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world."

—John 16:33 NLT

Key Thought​

The power of the world, the realm controlled by Satan, was defeated when Jesus accepted his Father's will to go to the cross. He broke and defeated the power of sin and death through his own sacrificial death and his resurrection. [1] He brought life...

 

Jesus asked [his disciples], "Do you finally believe? But the time is coming — indeed it's here now — when you will be scattered, each one going his own way, leaving me alone. Yet I am not alone because the Father is with me."

—John 16:31-32 NLT

Key Thought​

The disciples think they believe. [1] They think they are courageous and loyal. Yet they will all scatter and leave Jesus alone. [2] He will face the horrors of the cross by himself. Yes, the Father will go with him. But on...

 

[Jesus continued,] "Yes, I came from the Father into the world, and now I will leave the world and return to the Father."
Then his disciples said, "At last you are speaking plainly and not figuratively. Now we understand that you know everything, and there's no need to question you. From this we believe that you came from God."

—John 16:28-30 NLT

Key Thought​

The story of Jesus is the great circle of grace. He began with the Father in heaven before time. He created all that...

 

[Jesus continued, "When you rejoice after your sorrow,] you won't need to ask me for anything. I tell you the truth, you will ask the Father directly, and he will grant your request because you use my name. You haven't done this before. Ask, using my name, and you will receive, and you will have abundant joy.
I have spoken of these matters in figures of speech, but soon I will stop speaking figuratively and will tell you plainly all about the Father. Then you will ask in my name. I'm not...

 

[Jesus continued,] "In a little while you won't see me anymore. But a little while after that, you will see me again."
Some of the disciples asked each other, "What does he mean when he says, 'In a little while you won't see me, but then you will see me,' and 'I am going to the Father'? And what does he mean by 'a little while'? We don't understand."

Jesus realized they wanted to ask him about it, so he said, "Are you asking yourselves what I meant? I said in a little while you won't see...

 

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[Jesus continued,] "There is so much more I want to tell you, but you can't bear it now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future. He will bring me glory by telling you whatever he receives from me."

—John 16:12-15 NLT

Key Thought​

Why do we trust the Gospel message we have received? There are at least two reasons: 1) The Spirit led, reminded...

 

[Jesus continued,] "And when [the Advocate] comes, he will convict the world of its sin, and of God's righteousness, and of the coming judgment. The world's sin is that it refuses to believe in me. Righteousness is available because I go to the Father, and you will see me no more. Judgment will come because the ruler of this world has already been judged."

—John 16:8-11 NLT

Key Thought​

Jesus' promise to his disciples to send the Advocate to them was powerfully demonstrated on...

 

[Jesus continued,] "But now I am going away to the one who sent me, and not one of you is asking where I am going. Instead, you grieve because of what I've told you. But in fact, it is best for you that I go away, because if I don't, the Advocate won't come. If I do go away, then I will send him to you."

—John 16:5-7 NLT

Key Thought​

I can't imagine how the disciples felt or what they understood when Jesus talked about going away. Even though he was facing rejection, torture...