Daily Devotions
John
John 17 : 1 - 26 "A MATTER THAT WAS ALWAYS FOREMOST IN THE MIND OF JESUS"
Day 249 – John 17
A MATTER THAT WAS ALWAYS FOREMOST IN THE MIND OF JESUS
As Jesus breathed His Father’s sacred Name, He also sensed His Presence, His power and His will. He had sent His Son on a Mission. That work He was sent to do work had now come to an end. Whereas He needed to explain what He said to His Disciples, there was no need to fear that His Father would not understand Him. Whether it was in plain language or in figurative language, Jesus knew that His Father would understand Him completely.
“Father, the hour has come…”
John 17:1
“The hour…” This thought had occupied the mind of Jesus right from the start. Many failed to understand what He meant when He spoke of His “hour”. Let us take time to review how Jesus employed this word.
1. A cryptic reference
Jesus and His Disciples were at a wedding party in Cana of Galilee. Mary, His mother and her family were also there to join in the wedding celebration. An alarming situation arose before too long. The supply of wine was running out and the wedding celebration was in danger of being ruined. Mary came to Jesus seeking His help. Jesus replied and said,
“Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me?
My hour has not yet come.”
John 2:4
Jesus had already begun His public ministry. He graciously took time out to be at the wedding reception. Already, He had begun His countdown to that “hour” where He would fulfill His destiny – as the Saviour of the world, through His death.
2. A reference to a new order of worship
Jesus was at Jacob’s well. As He sat there to rest, He reached out and spoke to a woman of Samaria. A number of topics were discussed, among them the subject of “worship”. Jesus spoke to her about “a new order of worship” that would take place. It was related to His coming to earth. His death would usher in worship where locale no longer mattered!
“Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming
when you will neither on this mountain,
nor in Jerusalem worship the Father…But the hour is coming, and now is,
when the true worshippers will worship the Father
in spirit and in truth;
for the Father is seeking such to worship Him.”
John 4:21, 23
3. A reference to the Day of Judgment
Jesus had just healed a man who was lame. He performed that great act of mercy on the Sabbath. The unbelieving Jews were of course furious with Him, because He had “broken” the Sabbath. They quizzed Him as to why He healed on the Sabbath! Jesus answered brilliantly. An occasion had arisen which gave Him the opportunity to proclaim a wonderful Gospel message to the Jews.
One of the points Jesus raised up was the fact that one day, all would be judged. He used the word “hour” to describe the Day of Judgment.
“Most assuredly, I say to you,
The hour is coming, and now is,
When the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God;
And those who hear will live…Do not marvel at this;
For the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves
Will hear His voice and come forth –
Those who have done good, to the resurrection of life,
And those who have done evil,
To the resurrection of the condemnation.”
John 5:25, 28
4. A reference to the hour of His death
John the author was obviously taken up with Jesus’ usage of the word “hour”. He used it on two separate occasions to describe the failed attempts of the Jews to capture Jesus.
“Therefore they sought to take Him;
But no one laid a hand on Him,
Because His hour had not yet come.”
John 7:30
“These words Jesus spoke in the treasury,
as He taught in the Temple; and no one laid hands on Him,
for His hour had not yet come.”
John 8:20
Jesus Certainly used the word “hour” with specific reference to His death. But He spoke of His demise as His “glory”.
“The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified.”
John 12:23
The hour had come. But Jesus was fully prepared to embrace it as His glory.