What if Jesus did not die? What if there was a way to avoid brutal execution? A way to keep Jesus from ending up in the hands of the soldiers? Some have asked this question, wondering what might be different if Jesus was “successful” by earthly standards and was able to establish his kingdom on earth without suffering. This was surely the hope of Simon Peter as he drew his dagger and amputated the...  Read More

This chapter has historically been called the High Priestly Prayer. In it, Christ prays powerfully over His Church, displaying his heart and his for us to understand His desires for who we are to be and what He aims to form in us. When the Christian meditates on John 17, it is as if they are a child with their ear pressed against the door of the den, listening to Christ in the next room praying fe...  Read More

You can typically tell how “high up” a person is on the corporate ladder by determining how many people you need to talk to before you can speak to them.Depending on the person you wish to speak with, you may have to go through lower-level employees, junior managers, regional managers, and even a personal secretary before you can speak with them. The bigwigs will often have you jump through a vari...  Read More

At the heart of this passage is a message of hope that was intended by Jesus to breathe confidence and spiritual fortitude into his disciples. Their sorrow would transform into rejoicing. Those two ideas are entwined throughout this passage in a way that communicates that the former will necessarily lead to the latter: Their suffering will not be forever, their hardships will pass, their angst wil...  Read More

In the grand drama of life, choosing friends is like casting characters in the narrative of our existence. The world offers a plethora of advice on this subject, with books and axioms attempting to guide us through the complex process of befriending the right people.Growing up, our parents would caution us to be selective, emphasizing the importance of surrounding ourselves with those of strong mo...  Read More

Throughout this passage, there is an interplay between a believer’s requirement to follow Christ’s commandments (John 14:15) and the coming of the promised Holy Spirit (John 14:16). These two ideas are often pitted against each other as if they were in opposition. But the way Jesus interlaces them seems to communicate that both are essential and related.In verses 16 and 26, Christ promises that wh...  Read More