We must start with one of the greatest chapters in the Bible. I begin with a deep reverence, because I shall be mentioning words that are really intimate between Jesus Christ and God His Father, but since Jesus prayed openly in the presence of His disciples, and since the content of it is so full of sound doctrine, which every Christian should know, I venture with great anticipation. The chapter that we plan to use as a foundation to the subject, will lead us into other portions of the Bible, for it is found everywhere, even in Revelation! This chapter is the seventeenth of the Gospel of John.

Prior to the prayer Jesus offered to His Father, He spent hours with His disciples preparing the last Passover Feast that He commemorated with them. The words Jesus spoke during the hours that preceded His arrest were emotive words, just as they are now to all those that are truly disciples of Jesus Christ. Among the words recorded the following are most touching: ‘It was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew the time had come for Him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved His own who were in the world, He now showed them the full extent of His love.’ (John 13:1-2) These were also searching words, for among them was Judas Iscariot who had already planned to betray the Lord; nevertheless, Jesus still washed his feet! Before Jesus came down from heaven, He knew everything that ungodly men would throw at Him, so I ask ‘Why did he ever decide to come to this evil world’? What do you think drove Him regardless of the cost?

Jesus said: The time had come’. This time, the time for what? According to the normal time it was sometime before or after midnight on Thursday before the Passover Feast, soon after they left the upper room to go to Gethsemane, the garden He loved to fellowship with His disciples. Jesus was waiting for this Passover Feast, for so many things were going to happen during these eventful hours which were his last hours and He devoted them totally to be with them. Luke, in his Gospel, recorded what Jesus said as to this ‘Passover Feast’: “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfilment in the kingdom of God.”  The King James Version gives, to the underlined statement above, even more oomph, for there is so much in what Jesus says but I have no time to go into it at present, so I must leave it there as the subject in consideration is part of it, but different.

When one begins to read the Bible, one does not really know the immense field of miraculous events one will read about. I began to read the New Testament as an infant when I could barely read, it was an illustrated version, pictures were describing various events in the life of Christ, it was meant to encourage a child to read; I often wish I still had it, I should have kept it, as it has meant so much to me, for it was a gift from my mother! Little did I know then that I would read the whole Bible many, many times! Some of the events depicted are still with me, none more so than the picture of the good shepherd carrying the lost sheep that was lost, having found it, He was happily returning it to the sheepfold!  – Incidentally – He also found me! If He is looking out for you, I tell you, He’ll find you too! But let’s return to our subject.

So, I ask myself a question? One has to! I have found that a lot of Christians read the Bible, if they do, sadly many don’t, but when those that do, tend to read it like a book, it is often before going to bed, before they hit the pillow, by that time they have already forgotten what they read. Christians, you have to approach the Bible with respect and read it as if you were eating a meal, give yourself time to chew at it, so that you get the taste of what you are reading. Ask questions and try to find the answers, if you can’t ask the Lord to help you, He will but you must not be in a hurry because He might take his time. The answers are always meaningful and necessary for you to know God better and Jesus your Saviour who is keen to talk with you! I tell you, you ain’t seen the best yet!