²⁹ “Now I have told you before it happens, so that when it happens, you may believe.”

A young man went to buy life insurance for the first time. When he saw the face value suggested by the agent, he became quite excited, having never had that much money in his entire life before. But then the realization set in that he would never see any of that money. But his wife and children would. And that is the point of life insurance. Another person sets up his will to bequeath all that he has to those who survive him upon his death. Still another, with limited means, trains his children in all aspects of life, so that after his death, they will be fully capable for living life successfully and productively. Each of these prepared for others to live well after he departed this life. Some people give no thought at all to what happens after they are gone.

Jesus cared immensely for His followers, and how they would fare after He departed. His work was not just to come to this world, minister and then provide the perfect atoning sacrifice. His mission was to continue on through His followers. So He could not leave them until they were fully prepared. His mission would not have been complete if He died for sins but did not prepare for the continuance of His message to the ends of the earth (Acts 28:18-20). While His disciples there in the room most certainly did not think they were ready for His departure, Jesus’ training for them was nearing completion.

We have seen in the Upper Room so far that shortly after His departure (which at this time they still could not fully comprehend, and little did they realize that it would be “worse” than they expected, and at the same time they would discover afterwards that it would be far more glorious than expected), the disciples would receive the Holy Spirit, who would be another helper or comforter just like Him. He is now giving them His final in-depth teaching, the instructions they will need for after He is gone.

Jesus was fully aware that they did not understand what He was saying to them. He could have waited and given them this teaching after His resurrection, when it would have made more sense. But, being the Master Teacher that He was, the plan was to give it to them before, to give greater clarity later to who He truly is. They would come to a greater depth of faith than they already had at that time. They would come to a profound understanding, beyond anything they could possibly imagine before the resurrection. To use the words of Peter at Pentecost, after the resurrection and ascension of Jesus, they came to “… know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ…” (Acts 2:36).

Lord Jesus Christ, I bow before You and declare my allegience to You.