Seated at the table around the Last Supper, the disciples heard Jesus speak plainly that one of them would betray him and one of them would deny him. Judas was the betrayer – a man who failed to check the love of money within his heart and who was open to the schemes of the evil one. Peter was the a man who thought that he was as strong as an ox, only to be found to be as weak as a kitten. One fell into great sin and knew only remorse. The other was restored and forgiven by grace. Both serve to remind us that we cannot trust our own hearts.

Behind closed doors with his disciples and just before the Last Supper, John records some remarkable things about Jesus which led him to act accordingly. Jesus knew that he had come from God and was returning to God, so he proceeded to take the place of a servant and wash the feet of the disciples. This act of humbling himself would not be the end however. He humbled himself even further by submitting to death upon the cross. In washing the feet of the disciples, Jesus showed that the nature of true Christian ministry is always clothed with a towel and carries a basin – reflecting the nature of him who came ‘not to be served, but to serve’.

After some Greek men sought an audience with Jesus, He then began to speak openly about his imminent death. He spoke of it in terms of a seed that dies and in dying brings forth fruit and of being ‘lifted up’ as so drawing all types of men to himself. The Greek men were serious, persistent and believing, unlike the Jews whom Jesus then denounced for their stubborn unbelief. The death of Jesus continues to demand a response from people. Either we come seeking Him as Saviour in faith or we will end up facing Him as Judge.

Following the raising of Lazarus, a dinner was held at his home at which Jesus was present. The dinner would have been interesting to be at – for there was a man who had been dead sitting next to a mean who would soon be dead. At this dinner, Lazarus’ sister Mary showed her gratitude to Jesus by an extravagant gift of perfume upon his feet, while Judas was revealed to be far more interested in the money he could have got from the perfume. Meanwhile the Jewish authorities continued to reject Jesus’ claims to be the Son of God and so determined to put Jesus and Lazarus to death – in order to get rid of the evidence that would support this claim.

After claiming to be the ‘Good Shepherd’ who loves and dies for His sheep, Jesus went on to speak about the eternal security of His sheep. Because He is God and by His death saves His sheep completely, he can say that none of His sheep will be lost. Such truths are of great comfort to the believer, but also should cause discomfort to those who do not believe. If there is no salvation outside of Jesus, then no man or woman can have any hope of eternal security without belonging to Him.

After healing the man born blind in chapter 9, the conversation that Jesus had with the Pharisees centred upon the imagery of shepherds and sheep. The Pharisees’ actions in throwing out the man proved that they were not shepherds of God’s people. Jesus, however, claimed to be the one who truly loves the sheep by laying down his life for them. There is only one Good Shepherd who saves all who come to Him in faith. There is no other way of entering into the Kingdom of God.

After declaring that he was the ‘light of the world’ in chapter 8, Jesus then illustrated this by means of healing the man born blind in chapter 9. Though the man received his sight and his spiritual sight, the miracle not only confirmed Jesus’ claims to be the Messiah, but also revealed the hardened state of the hearts of the Pharisees who could only dismiss the miracle on the grounds that it had been done on a Sabbath. In doing so, they ignored the testimony of the formerly blind man which was, ‘I only know that I was blind, but now I can see’.

In John 8:31-59 Jesus was unafraid to speak openly about His claims to the Pharisees even though it cut across their understanding of truth. In a long debate between Jesus and the Pharisees, Jesus made some very significant claims as to His divinity, especially claiming to have lived long before Abraham, and that though the Pharisees claimed to be descended from Abraham, this did not make them right with God.  Salvation comes through faith in Jesus not by the process of birth.

In John 8:12-30, Jesus claimed to be ‘The Light of the world’. In doing so, He made clear his identity as the Messiah, pointed out the darkness that lived in the hearts of those who refused to believe in Him, and encouraged those who believe him to follow Him in the light He gives. Jesus also taught that His disciples are also ‘the light of the world’ who are in the world to reflect His light to many who walk in darkness.

At the Feast of the Tabernacles in Jerusalem, Jesus found himself in ‘the hot seat’. The religious authorities wanted to kill him and the crowds were divided about who He was. However Jesus spoke and made His identity clear to all, gave an indication of His departure from earth and spoke of the ministry of the Holy Spirit who would come and fill our greatest thirst. Despite facing such tension, Jesus issued a challenge to all who heard him to believe in Him and find the true source satisfaction in life.