Prayer: God of the covenant, in the glory of your cross your Son embraced death and broke its hold over your people.  In this time of prayer and reflection, draw all people to yourself, that we who confess Jesus as Lord may out aside the deeds of death and accept the life of your kingdom.
Amen

It is important to say once again that the crucifixion and resurrection are treated by John as two parts of one event.  More to the point, the crucifixion/resurrection event is the purpose, the reason, for Jesus’ being.  The incarnation was the first action in God’s purpose in reconciling humanity to God’s self-writing a new covenant on their hearts if you will.  For John, though, the cross is the moment that matters most in the Christ event.  The sense of glorification on the cross, that Jesus was most fully revealed as Messiah on the cross, is certainly a key to any reading of, or discussion about, John and/or John’s Jesus.

Thinking it Over:

* What are the things that hold us captive and lead us in the way of death rather than life?
* How might Jesus’ crucifxion write a new covenant on our hearts?  What difference might that make to you personally?  What difference could it make to God’s people today?