The Final Conversations with Christ- Part 1

“It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father…” John 13:1

The idea of Jesus sitting down with his disciples and having a final conversation with those He loved was especially poignant for me, as Sunday was also the anniversary of my mother’s death.

My mom knew she was dying long before it occurred to me – I think I was in a sort of denial, unable to see the forest for the trees. During that stretch of time, we had some special conversations and experiences.

Then we were informed that Hospice would come in and make her as comfortable as possible during her last days. Those days passed quickly. And in the early hours of January 10, 2009, as I sat by her bedside, she breathed one last time.

In the sad and confusing days and weeks that followed, I clung tightly to our final conversations. And while, obviously, the situation surrounding the crucifixion and resurrection was significantly different than the passing of my mother, I imagine when the disciples realized what Jesus had been doing for them during those final hours they were amazed and deeply comforted.  

I think sometimes we just skim through these last chapters of the gospels because we know how it ends. But over the next few weeks, we’re really going to get deep into His final words to His disciples – words that would include events that seem unsettling – not what they would expect from a savior. But those words also included specific instructions and pointed to comfort.

In the portion of scripture we studied, while Jesus washed the disciples’ feet, he talked about His relationship with humanity, about humanity’s relationship with Him and how humanity is to relate with one another. We focused on the idea that Jesus wants to wash away the dirt and the grime that gets on us just by nature of going through life.

I love that about Him. I take great comfort in the fact that He left intentional final words to those He loved.

If Sunday was any indication of what we’re in for during this series, then I think we should be expecting greatly from the Lord.

Written by: Jaime Hlavin

Edited by: Tamara Sturdivant