Why are some things so puzzling to me? Do I purposefully struggle because the circumstance would seem so simple on the surface, but later it is revealed as deep? Could it be that I have read it repeatedly and I know the content, but have forgotten the context? After you have read this passage as it is recorded only in the Gospel of John, your reflections may be totally different from mine. Admittedly, I read it repeatedly and then wrote words down to try to gain insight into what Jesus was saying. Take note, please, that in this passage, it is only Jesus who is speaking. There are no specific remarks to only one person, no questions to the Disciples, no interchange of thoughts and ideas — just instruction and insights from the lips of our Savior. It is likely late at night that they are leaving the Upper Room and walking toward Gethsemane. Judas has already dropped out and is somewhere else doing his deed. I wonder how much time passed between these verses. Did he say a couple of sentences, then pause and walk further? I have wondered about the Disciples’ facial expressions and their mindsets.

In this passage, there are distinct and unmistakable references to “remaining” as it is tied together with “obeying” — verses 9-10. When we see His use of “I, Me, My,” we feel His intimacy with them. He reveals His closeness to His Father when He speaks of following His own Father’s commands and abiding in the Father’s love. To the Disciples, the relationship is conditional — “IF you KEEP my commands and REMAIN in My love ...” Do I always remember this? Certainly not! But when I do remember, I feel the fullness of joy — at least a glimpse of the joy Jesus felt by obeying His Father and abiding in His love!

I could not help but think about my earthly father and the role of all parents. They provide the physical and biological ingredients for new life in this world. Both parents contribute to life, but unfortunately, many do not take their role seriously. Jesus knew the value of His Father, felt His love, heard His commands and learned from His instruction. I can say with confidence that I felt my earthly father’s love, heard his commands and learned from his instruction. I can also say with confidence that if I did not obey, I FELT his love in other ways (if you know what I mean)! And I ALWAYS learned from his instruction and NEVER doubted his love for me. As a result, I better understand JOY in this life.

I’m sure His Disciples were still a bit puzzled when He mentioned “Greater love has no one … but to lay down his life for his friends.” What a gift He gave to the Disciples in verses 13-15 when he promoted them from servants to friends and shared with them all that He had received from His Father. With this promotion, He reveals both the privileges of being “chosen” and the responsibilities of “going” and “bearing fruit.” They would need to remain and obey in order to bear much fruit. I also need to remain and obey faithfully in order to bear much fruit. Without remaining in Jesus and His love for me, it is impossible to bear fruit that remains. Do others see this consistency in me?

Going back to this late-night walk to Gethsemane, I continue to wonder if the Disciples were weary, tired, puzzled and fearful — reeling with questions and doubt. From this record (John’s gospel), they seem to be quietly attentive to Jesus’s words. Each one might have felt, “is He speaking directly to me?” or “why is He telling us this now?” He uses a lot of positive words as He reveals their relationship with Him — they are loved, informed, befriended, chosen, appointed and joyful. They need to love one another. They are being told these things and promoted as friends. They have been chosen for the purpose of going and bearing fruit. You and I must understand that this gospel record has been put in our hands for a purpose. In his book, The Finishing Touch, Charles Swindoll pens these words: “In choosing those who would represent Christ and establish His Church, God picked some of the most unusual individuals imaginable: unschooled fishermen, a tax collector, a mystic, a doubter and a former Pharisee who had persecuted Christians. He continued to pick some very unusual persons down through the ages. In fact, He seems to delight in such surprising choices to this very day.”

Thank you, God, for sending Jesus. Thank you that I was born into a Christian family. Thank you for the many persons who have influenced me and who continue to assist me in my walk with you to this day. While I wait for eternal glory, I can praise you for allowing me to glimpse some of it even now. There are many songs that reference GLORY. This old chorus is rarely sung, but it just now sang through my mind.

For God so loved the world

He gave His only Son

To die on Calvary

From sin to set me free

One day He's coming back

What glory that will be

Wonderful His love to me.