'Last Sermon of Jesus'
John 16:31 Jesus answered them, "Do you now believe?
Our Lord had taught them in the last three years that He was the Messiah, sent from God as the sacrificial Lamb, for the remission of their sins as prophesied by Isaiah. He must suffer much pain for the Father had laid on Him all the iniquities of man. Did the disciples believe Jesus?
Isa 53:4-6 Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.
Had they believed that our Lord Jesus came as the Lamb of God, then:
1. At His arrest - All the disciples obeying God's will would have surrendered Him with joy and then bow down to worship Him for His great love for man.
2. At His scourging - They should have been in great remorse seeing that each excruciating painful stripes inflicted on Him was in healing them. He took upon Himself the greatest pains of their sorrows, worries and sicknesses. Each one should rejoice, witnessing the great sacrificial love of God for him, unfolding the similar painful sacrificial love of our parents in bringing us up. In return, they should love Jesus with all his heart.
3. At His judgment - When they witnessed how the Priesthood and the Jews were forcing Pontius Pilate to send our Lord Jesus to His death, they should rejoice to see the fulfilment of His prophecies to the latest.
Mark 10:33 "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death and deliver Him to the Gentiles;"
4. At His crucifixion - Every drop of blood that dripped down from His body, was filled with agonizing pain. Blood from His head inflicted by the crown of thorns, or by the scrounging of His body or by the nails through His hands and feet, were all for the cleansing of our sins. Even in His great pain, He seemed to be pleased with Himself that He had saved us from the eternal punishing pains of Hell. Please see the movie ‘Passion of Christ’ again and again, until you can feel and appreciate His severe pain and sacrificial love for you in the core of your heart.
5. Before His resurrection - - His disciples should be continually rejoicing, fearlessly praising and worshipping God, preaching His sacrificial love as the Lamb of God and the prophecy of His resurrection in Jerusalem while waiting for His resurrection on
the third day. Instead, they were disappointed, dejected, lost, and in fear of imprisonment and martyrdom.
the third day. Instead, they were disappointed, dejected, lost, and in fear of imprisonment and martyrdom.
In the like manner, Christians today who do not understand His words, will, ways, sacrificial love, and attributes are living with uncertainties and fears. We are more than conquerors in Christ Jesus and with the Helper in us, we will glorify Him in all our ways.
Brethren, in this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls. (1Pet 1:6-9)
