Passionate 3 – The Prayer is the third installment from our study of the Passion Readings from the Gospel of John. How does the Spirit convict the world? What does soon mean? Why would Jesus tell us that there will be trouble?! How is Jesus suffering and death glorious?!!
Wide Variety
A brief study of the third part of the Passion Readings is difficult due the variety of topics that Jesus covers in his High Priestly Prayer. The actual study spends a fair amount of time on the topic of the Spirit convicting the world. For this blog post, I wanted to take you to the glory of Jesus’ suffering and death.
Not Glorious
At a glance, the last word that we would choose to describe Jesus’ last hours before his execution and death is glorious. There is nothing glorious about an end to a roller coaster three year ministry that Jesus started. People might not like Christianity, but they love Jesus! He is an overwhelmingly popular figure in the world – still today! Being betrayed by one of your closest friends and students – no glorious. How about the rest of the lot running away in fear after promising to be faithful even to the point of death? Not glorious either. Then there is the treatment of Jesus after his arrest and condemnation. The chief priests had been waiting for years to get their hands on Jesus. Now they could do anything they wanted – and they did. Seeing Jesus beaten, abuses, bloodied, and then executed in the worst way? Hardly glorious. The historical church does not sing or say alleluia during the season of Lent lest we cheer during the death of God.
Nothing Could Be More Glorious
What makes Jesus’ passion glorious – besides Jesus calling that – is that God kept his promise. Isaiah 53 is a study of the suffering servant who gave up his life, yes, substituted his life for a sinful world. He died for me! With our God there is forgiveness – that is why he is feared. That is why Jesus’ passion is glorious.
Want to hear more? Watch this week’s study from the John Passion Readings – Passionate 3 – The Prayer.
Please click HERE for the Bible class slides.
Please click HERE to watch the third part of the Passion Reading according to the Gospel of John.