The next day, the large crowd of people gathered for the Passover Festival had heard about Jesus raising Lazarus and went to meet Him. They took palm branches and shouted praises to God. Jesus found a donkey to ride on fulfilling the scripture, Zech 9:9. (Oct 6) The disciples didn't understand the significance at the time, but later they remembered. The Pharisees took notice that the whole world seemed to be following Jesus and ignoring them. There were some Greek people who wanted to see Jesus. Philip and Andrew went to tell Jesus. Jesus told them that if a seed dies, it makes many more seeds, and anyone who hated this worldly life would find eternal life, and to be with Jesus we need to follow Jesus. Jesus spoke about His death and said He'd rather not have to go through the suffering, but that is why He came, so He would do whatever God wanted, to glorify His name. Then a voice from heaven spoke so that everyone in the crowd could hear it, "I have brought glory to it, and will do so again." (12:28) The people thought they heard an angel and Jesus told them that the voice they heard was for their benefit not His. Jesus told them what would happen to Him, but they really didn't understand. He told them to believe in the light so they would be the people of light. After that, Jesus went and hid because they still did not believe in Him, making Isaiah 53:1 and 6:10 true. There were Jewish leaders who believed in Jesus, but hid their truth to gain approval of other men which was more important to them than approval of God. Jesus said, "Whoever believes in me believes not only in me but also in Him who sent me." (12:44) Jesus came to bring light to the darkness and do what God wanted Him to do.
Jesus knew that it was almost time for Him to go. He loved the people who followed Him to the very end. At supper, Jesus washed His disciples' feet. When it was Peter's turn, Jesus told him that if He didn't wash his feet, then he wasn't His disciple, so Peter told him to wash his feet, hands and head too! Jesus said all of them were clean except one (He knew who would betray Him.) Jesus explained that no slave is greater than his master and demonstrated this principle by washing the feet of the disciples. Jesus said Psalm 41:9 must come true and He was telling them about it before so that when it happened, they would know it was of God. They wanted to know who would betray Jesus, so Jesus took bread dipped it in sauce and gave it to Judas Isacriot. When Judas took the bread, he took Satan into him too. Jesus told him to go do what he must! Judas left. Jesus told them He didn't have much longer with them and gave them a new commandment: love one another. If we have love for one another, then everyone will know we are His disciples. Peter wanted to know where Jesus was going, but Jesus told him he couldn't go where Jesus was going. Peter told him he would die for Him, but Jesus told Him that before the rooster crowed, he would say he didn't know Jesus three times.
Jesus told them not to be worried and upset, because they couldn't go where He was going. He would go ahead and prepare a place for them and when it was time, He would come back for them. Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one goes to the Father except by me." (14:6) Philip wanted to Jesus to show them the Father, but Jesus told him that whoever has seen Jesus Christ has seen the Father. Jesus told them that His words came from the Father. Believe it because of the things He does.
Tomorrow read John 14:12-17:13
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