Welcome to the John Mark Comer teachings podcast by practicing the way.

This teaching was first given at Bridgetown Church in Portland, Oregon as a part of the Unhurrying with the Rule of Life series.

This is a little bit odd, but they say the best way to die is actually by cancer, or by another

kind of disease that has a timeline attached to it, i.e. you have six months to live, or you have

nine months to live. Does that sound a little bit counterintuitive

to you? It does to me. All the research says that, but it does to me. I would think they would say,

well, in one fell swoop motorcycle accident, beautiful fall day, highway one, last thought was cliff

or whatever, you know. That's how I would want to go for one,

which is why my wife no longer lets me drive a motorcycle. But, and with all due respect to the

tragedy of death or a motorcycle accident, the reality is that all sorts of doctors argue that, no, the best way to go

is when you know I'm dying and you have a few months or you have a set time for closure in your

life, to make things right, to call up that old friend or that estranged relationship and to tie off your relationships and to say goodbye.

Those same doctors also tell us, based on observation and research as well, that often it's

in those last conversations, that kind of final parting goodbye where people often often, you know,

offer what we call famous last words, where people offer something to say

as a final kind of farewell and anthem for what life is all about. On that note, the passage that

we are about to read from John 15 is that from Jesus of Nazareth? It's actually part of what scholars call the

upper room discourse, which is basically Jesus parting word to his apprentices on the night before

his death. He's just a few hours away from his arrest, and then after that his execution.

Let's read Jesus parting words to His apprentices.

John chapter 15, verse 1.

I am the true vine and my father is the gardener.

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