April 1: Easter Sunday

The Gospel of John
By John, the "Beloved Disciple"

All of the four gospels contain narratives of the last supper, arrest, crucifixion, and resurrection of Jesus, but it is the Gospel of John that contains so many words of Jesus in the week leading up to his death.  In fact, about half the book of John is devoted to that final week.

Chapter 12 opens "Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany."  The next day, Jesus would be honored by large crowds in Jerusalem, waving branches of palm trees and shouting, "Hosanna! [Save us!] Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!", inciting the jealousy and wrath of the Pharisees, who sought a way to kill Jesus.

In Jesus's last days with his disciples, he comforts them,

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. (chapter 13: 34)

Let not your hearts be troubled.  Believe in God; believe also in me.  In my Father's house are many rooms.  If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you. I will come again and will take you to myself that where I am you may be also. (14:1,2)

I am the way, and the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me. (14:6)

Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.  If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it. (14:13,14)

I am the vine; you are the branches.  Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. (15:5)

I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace.  In the world, you will have tribulation.  But take heart; I have overcome the world. (16:33)

Jesus would go on to be betrayed by one of his disciples, arrested and convicted in a sham trial (the Roman governor, Pilate, could find no charge against him - but feared the ire of the Jewish crowds if he let Jesus live).  The crowds who adored him the previous week appear to have turned on him.  But you know the ending to this story - three days after his burial, Mary Magdalene came to his tomb - to find it empty. Jesus was dead - but he was now alive!  Death could not hold him.  He appeared to Mary, then to his disciples, with whom he shared a meal of fish, leaving his disciple Peter with the charge to "feed my sheep".

John, chapters 12-21 provide a great lead-in and description of the Easter story.