Jesus "Last Words"

John 13:31-36 When Judas was gone, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified and God is glorified in him. 32 If God is glorified in him, God will glorify the Son in himself, and will glorify him at once. 33 My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come. 34 A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” 36 Simon Peter asked him, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus replied, “Where I am going, you cannot follow now, but you will follow later.”  
 
TO date this year, we have considered the New Testament end-time prophecies that are not in Revelation. One reason is to help us all know Jesus and the New Testament writers had much to say about the end of time. Revelation is only one of many sources for these prophecies and descriptions.
   This study has taught God’s plan and timetable to establish his Kingdom on earth. Jesus revealed the Kingdom power through his teaching, preaching and healing – and ultimately his resurrection and ascension. We focused on Jesus’ teachings in the synoptic gospels Matthew, Mark and Luke. They are so called because they describe Jesus’ ministry from a similar point of view, using many of the same events and teachings. In contrast John’s gospel centers on Jesus’ deity. The majority of the gospel covers the last six months of Jesus’ ministry.
   That’s why we’ve saved John’s writings for the last portion of the non Revelation end-time scriptures we’ll review. John also wrote after Paul and Peter. So his gospel and epistles are some of the last written in the New Testament timeline.
   That brings us to John 13:31. It had already been a busy evening. As they ate the Passover meal, Jesus washed his disciples’ feet. He prophesied Judas’ betrayal and Peter’s denial. Other gospels tell us he establish the New Covenant of grace through his blood and body. We can imagine a great deal of uncertainty, grief and wonder in the disciples’ minds.
   As we examined Jesus’ Olivet Discourse in Matthew 24-25, we’ll now learn from his Upper Room Discourse. John 13:31 to John 18 is Jesus’ discourse regarding Heaven, his own identity, the Holy Spirit and his love for his disciples. He admonishes all disciples’ to form a deeply rooted relationship with the Son, Father and Spirit. John has given us some wonderful details of Jesus’ teachings and prophecies as the cross loomed before him. John’s record allows us a deeper look into our Savior’s love for his disciples. We more acutely feel, too, the disciples’ uncertainty and grief over their Lord’s words of departure. We see, too, the hope Jesus gives to all who would be his disciples.
   Jesus’ new command to love one another was designed to unite his disciples into a common purpose for their upcoming mission. Their work would be ineffective if they did love each other as Jesus loved them. Love is the foundation of discipleship. Let’s be sure we pay close attention to our relationships in the church, so we can be effective ministers for God, who is Love.