The Last Lecture of Jesus

What would you say to your friends and family if you knew for a fact that your time on earth was coming to a close? Is there something you would want them to know? Would you want to leave them with a word of encouragement? Is there something you might want to confess to them? Would you want to assure them of your love? When we read the gospels, it becomes clear that Jesus knew the time had come for Him to be crucified. He knew His time with His disciples was coming to a close. They didn't seem to realize it, and even acted dismissively toward Jesus when He tried to explain that His time to leave this earth was quickly approaching. But Jesus used the remaining time He had with them to communicate some additional words of truth and deep insights into His nature and plan for His followers. Much of what Jesus said to His disciples during this period of time is recorded in chapters 13-17 of the Gospel of John. Some refer to this section as Jesus' "Farewell Discourse" because these were His final teaching moments with His disciples before He was crucified. In our context, we might call this His "last lecture." At this point in His ministry, Jesus has been rejected by the majority of the Jewish people and He turns His attention primarily toward His community of believers. He counsels them and explains that He will be arrested, crucified, buried, and then rise from death. They had a hard time accepting this teaching, but everything transpired just as Jesus said it would. We also know that after His resurrection, Jesus appeared to hundreds of people in His resurrected state and then commissioned His disciples before returning to Heaven. What was the substance of what Jesus taught His followers in the days before this all took place? What did He use those moments to communicate? Why did He want His disciples to know this information and why was it passed along to us? In the coming chapters, we'll be examining the counsel Christ has given us in His "last lecture."