“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. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.” (John 13:1)

As Easter approaches, I find myself being drawn once again to John’s account of the Upper Room Discourse where Jesus shares his most intimate thoughts with his disciples the night before his crucifixion. As John chronicled the events of that night, he had very little to add to the words of our Lord. How they must have echoed in his heart for years before he sat down to preserve them for all eternity.

Like John, I find anything I have to offer in the way of commentary completely unnecessary. As we remember and reflect this Easter weekend, may this sampling of our Lord’s words from the Upper Room echo in our hearts as well and, more importantly, may they reverberate through our lives.

“Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet.” (13:14)

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (13:34-35)

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” (14:1-3)

“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” … Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. … The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work.” (14:6,9,10)

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (14:27)

“I am the vine: you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” (15:5)

“When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of Truth who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me. And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning.” (15:26-27)

“You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy. … Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.” (16:20,22)

*”I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (16:33)

Indeed he has overcome. Happy Easter, everyone. He is risen!

“Jesus gave us a model for the work of the church at the Last Supper. While his disciples kept proposing more organization – Hey, let’s elect officers, establish hierarchy, set standards of professionalism – Jesus quietly picked up a towel and basin of water and began to wash their feet.” – Philip Yancey, Church: Why Bother?

*Note: All Scripture from the New International Version (NIV) of the Gospel of John.