It has been said that when people realize they are coming to the end of life there is a sense of urgency in what they want to say to family members and friends. In the passages for today’s lesson Jesus is reaching the end of His time for ministry and teaching on earth. Jesus knew He would soon be arrested and then face death at Calvary. You can almost feel the sense of urgency in the words of Jesus in the last part of the Book of John. Jesus showed love when He washed the feet the feet of His disciples then He reminded them, not once but twice, of His new commandment to love others. Jesus would show the ultimate act of love by dying on the cross for all humankind. He wanted the message of God’s love and man’s hope of redemption to spread to the world and for that to happen it would be through the lives of His followers. The command to love others still holds true today and your students need to see the importance of continuing in the steps of Jesus and His original followers by not only loving others but being known for loving others.
