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This passage picks up where last week’s reading left off. Jesus continues to deliver his Farewell Discourse (chs. 14-17), preparing his disciples for his departure and their receipt of the Holy Spirit. In this brief (...)

John 14:1-3 often serves pastors in funeral contexts. With my seminary students I refer to it as the “cots in heaven” sermon that goes something like this: when we die, our souls are immediately whisked (...)

Joseph is in love with Maria. This sounds like a biblical story, but it is not in the Bible. These two young people live in Mary Gordon’s story, “Temporary Shelter.” Joseph has loved Maria since (...)

While most seminarians learn that John 13-17 is “the farewell discourse” in John, Gordon Fee refers to these chapters more simply as “table talks.”1 Jesus is at the table with the disciples. Knowing that he (...)

When Jesus departs from his disciples, there will be significant changes and this text makes a promise that despite this fact the disciples will not be left alone. This is a promise that surely made (...)

In the last evening he spends with the disciples before his death, Jesus tries to show them two elements of reality that are difficult to hold together: he is going away, yet he will not (...)

Believe, believe, believe. While the reading from Acts will no doubt take center stage on this celebration of Pentecost, nevertheless, this gospel reading from John challenges us to think about how it is that we (...)

[This commentary is co-authored with Dr. Erin Raffety.1] “Do not let your hearts be troubled.” These farewell words from Jesus to his disciples do not feel relevant to me as I sit in my New (...)

This text is frequently read at funerals, and for good reason. It contains promises that are profoundly comforting in the face of the death of a loved one. The challenge for the preacher on this (...)

This Sunday is the first of two Sundays from the 14th chapter of John. Chapters 13-17 are best known as the Farewell Discourse in the Fourth Gospel. Chapter 13 narrated the footwashing, the last meal (...)