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SearchTo John – Responsibility for Earthly Family
To John, Jesus said: "You, John, are the youngest of my brethren. You have been very near me,
and while I love you all with the same love which a father bestows upon his sons, you were
designated by Andrew as one of the three who should always be near me. Besides this, you have
acted for me and must continue so to act in many matters concerning my earthly family. And I
go to the Father, John, having full confidence that you will continue to watch over those who are
mine in the flesh. See to it that their present confusion regarding my mission does not in any way
prevent your extending to them all sympathy, counsel, and help even as you know I would if I
were to remain in the flesh. And when they all come to see the light and enter fully into the
kingdom, while you all will welcome them joyously, I depend upon you, John, to welcome them
for me.
"And now, as I enter upon the closing hours of my earthly career, remain near at hand that I may
leave any message with you regarding my family. As concerns the work put in my hands by the
Father, it is now finished except for my death in the flesh, and I am ready to drink this last cup.
But as for the responsibilities left to me by my earthly father, Joseph, while I have attended to
these during my life, I must now depend upon you to act in my stead in all these matters. And I
have chosen you to do this for me, John, because you are the youngest and will therefore very
likely outlive these other apostles.
"Once we called you and your brother sons of thunder. You started out with us strong-minded
and intolerant, but you have changed much since you wanted me to call fire down upon the heads
of ignorant and thoughtless unbelievers. And you must change yet more. You should become the
apostle of the new commandment which I have this night given you. Dedicate your life to
teaching your brethren how to love one another, even as I have loved you."
As John Zebedee stood there in the upper chamber, the tears rolling down his cheeks, he looked
into the Master's face and said: "And so I will, my Master, but how can I learn to love my
brethren more?" And then answered Jesus: "You will learn to love your brethren more when you
first learn to love their Father in heaven more, and after you have become truly more interested
in their welfare in time and in eternity. And all such human interest is fostered by understanding
sympathy, unselfish service, and unstinted forgiveness. No man should despise your youth, but I
exhort you always to give due consideration to the fact that age oftentimes represents experience,
and that nothing in human affairs can take the place of actual experience. Strive to live peaceably
with all men, especially your friends in the brotherhood of the heavenly kingdom. And, John,
always remember, strive not with the souls you would win for the kingdom."