Soar Like Eagles (Part 30)
Tranquil Words for Troubled Hearts - John 14:1-24
This is Jesus’ farewell discourse. In the next four chapters (Jn 14-17),
Jesus must drive home three critical facts:11-37 (1) He is leaving (Jn
13:1, 31-33, 36; 14:1-4, 18, 25, 27-29; 16:5, 11-19, 28; 17:11). (2) The
Apostles will continue Jesus’ mission with opposition from the world (Jn
13:13-17, 20, 34-35; 14:12-14, 18-21; 15:1-21, 27; 16:1-4, 23-24;
17:12-22). (3) The Holy Spirit will assist them in their mission (Jn
14:15-18, 26; 15:26-27; 16:6-11, 13-14). This is one of those "good
news/bad news" scenarios. What lies ahead is difficult. But Jesus’
promises are simply out of this world!
With these words, Jesus reverted to the original teaching which He had
begun before Peter interrupted Him, and at the same time gave a fuller
answer to Peter's question.
This counsel was doubtless the outcome of the attitude of the ten as
they listened to Jesus' words of warning to Peter, and of the dismay that
all of them felt when Jesus announced that He was about to leave them.
If their leader and spokesman was soon to deny Jesus, how could they
trust themselves? This first counsel was directed against disunity; this
exhortation was a cure for fear.
""Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God ; trust also in me.
{2} In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have
told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. {3} And if I go
and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me
that you also may be where I am. {4} You know the way to the place where
I am going.""
We Have Some Options
1. When we are hated for Jesus’ sake, we can drop out.
2. When we are hated for Jesus’ sake, we can feel betrayed.
3. When we are hated for Jesus’ sake, we can change our identifies
4. When we are hated for Jesus’ sake, we can hang on to the vine!
This has been unlike any other meal the disciples shared with Jesus. He
seemed so grave, so solemn. An ominous finality lingered over the
Passover "celebration" and the words "one of you will betray me" kept
echoing in their minds. Jesus has just told Peter that he would deny him
three times and the other ten would scarcely fare any better. They are
visibly shaken. So Jesus tells them to stop being troubled. With two more
imperatives, Jesus gives the solution: Trust in God; trust also in me!
While the crucifixion and ascension will be devastating losses for the
disciples, their faith can be sustained in the midst of this present
suffering by the assurance of three glorious realities: (1) The enduring
presence of the Holy Spirit, (2) Jesus’ return and (3) the hope of a
heavenly home. This "dwelling place" represented one of the rooms
surrounding the courtyard of a large Palestinian home. The room may have
been quite modest even though the house was huge. Hence, the KJV
translation "mansion" today conjures up the wrong idea. The glory of our
future dwelling is not in its size or prestige but in the presence of
Christ.
All people need to be comforted. Jesus' message to His disciples in
John 14 began with the comforting words "Let not your heart be troubled"
(v. la). This message was needed after the events and prophecies of
chapter 13. Judas had left to betray Jesus, Peter would deny Jesus that
same night, and the cross was quickly approaching. From a human
perspective, everything was "coming unglued." Near the end of chapter 14
Jesus repeated the words "Let not your heart be troubled," adding, "Nor
let it be fearful" (v. 27).
The verses between those two "bookends" contain the comforting
teachings of Jesus as He and the disciples faced their most difficult
hours together. These teachings helped the apostles to move forward in
their "journey of faith," and they can help us on our journey today.
That Jesus would use the word "troubled" in such a comforting way is
especially noteworthy. Three other times in the Gospel of John,
"troubled" describes Jesus Himself:
When Jesus therefore saw [Mary] weeping, and the Jews who came with her,
also weeping,
He was deeply moved in spirit, and was troubled" (11:33)
"Now My soul has become troubled; and what shall I say,'Father, save Me
from this hour?'
But for this purpose I came to this hour" (12:27).
When Jesus had said this, He became troubled in spirit, and testified,
and said, "Truly, truly,
I say to you, that one of you will betray Me" (13:21).
To be troubled is a natural and expected response to a distressing
situation. We are troubled when things go wrong in our lives. Surely, if
there was ever a time to be troubled, it was the day Jesus was crucified.
Jesus prepared His disciples for this event by calling on them to trust
Him (14:1) and by leaving some special resources with them.
Jesus suggested that the proper approach to the question of human
destiny is faith in a personal God. If a personal God exists, who is the
judge and redeemer of man, there must be a destiny for man beyond the
grave.
He implied that they should believe Him against all odds. Remember, He
was doomed to death, which overtakes all men. Yet He promised to prepare
a place for them and to return to claim them!
According to Jesus in these words, heaven is a place. It is not a
product of religious imagination or the result of a psyched-up mentality,
looking for "pie in the sky by and by."
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Discussion Starters
1. By pointing to Jesus as the only way to the Father, God is being:
a. unfair
b. narrow-minded
c. merciful
d. shortsighted
e. old-fashioned
2. I am persuaded to believe that Jesus is the Way because:
a. he said so
b. it makes sense
c. I’ve read about what he did
d. of his miracles
e. of the changes I’ve seen in myself
f. there is no alternative
3. If I have trouble seeing Jesus as the Way, it’s because of:
a. anxiety
b. unbelief
c. impatience
d. ignorance
e. spiritual blindness
f. fear
4. How do you feel about your faith journey right now?
a. torn: I’m at a fork in the road
b. confused: I’m lost
c. indifferent: too busy looking at the scenery to watch where I’m going
d. encouraged: my destination is within sight
e. surprised: by the twists in the road
f. confident: Jesus is my navigator and guide
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Heaven is the place where God dwells and where Jesus sits today at the
right hand of the Father. Heaven is described as a kingdom (2 Peter
1:11), an inheritance (1 Peter 1:4), a country (Heb. 1:16), a city (Heb.
11:16), and a home (John 14:2).
Heaven is "My Father's house," according to Jesus. It is "home" for
God's children!
Though there is much "fuss" over the idea of the word mansions, the
idea is clear: there would be room for all in the Father's house. Verse 3
offers a clear promise for our Lord's return for His people. And since
heaven is the Father's house, it must be a place of love and joy!
Two thoughts stand out:
1. Human destiny involves a place
2. Human destiny involves a person. Indeed, "heaven is a prepared place
for a prepared person."
Reasons why Jesus had to go away:
1. He must go away (die upon the cross) to prepare our salvation. Only
His sacrifice is sufficient atonement for our sins.
2. He must go away (by His resurrection and ascension) to take
captivity captive (Eph. 4:8) to triumph over principalities and powers
(Col. 2:15) and allow us even now "to sit with Him in the heavenly places
in Christ Jesus" (Eph. 2:6).
3. He must go away (unto the right hand of the Father's throne) to
constantly minister for us.
Jesus promises two returns in this chapter:
1. In verse 3 He speaks of His bodily return when time will cease with
the general resurrection of the saints and the judgment.
2. Verse 18 tells of the promised return of the Holy Spirit on
Pentecost and subsequently into the life of each Christian.
* THE QUESTION OF THOMAS (14:5-7)
The second question was put by Thomas, and while it seems to flatly
contradict Jesus' last statement, and appear quite pessimistic, the
answer of Jesus is our point of emphasis now.
"Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how
can we know the way?" {6} Jesus answred, "I am the way and the truth and
the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. {7} If you really
knew me, you would know[1] my Father as well. From now on, you do know
him and have seen him.""
Thomas is determined to follow Jesus wherever he goes. In fact, earlier
he urged the other Apostles to join Jesus as he returned to Judea even if
it meant dying with him (Jn 11:16).
But he can’t follow Jesus if he doesn’t know where he is going or the way
he is going to get there. So when Jesus declares that the Apostles know
the way, Thomas feels obligated to correct him.
Where are we going to go to "find" God? He is an omnipresent Spirit.
There is no certain place that one can travel to increase the odds of
encountering him. However, God will manifest himself more visibly in the
New Jerusalem (Rev 21:3). Even now Jesus is returning to the throne room
where God’s "manifestation" is surrounded by angels and elders (Rev 4-5).
While Jesus can "travel" there now, the rest of us will have to wait. But
we will, indeed, find ourselves standing before that throne, turned
judgment seat. Getting there is not the problem; it is where we stand
when we get there that is in question. The way to the Father is not a
road but a relationship. Only through Jesus will we be able to stand
before the Father on that day. Once Jesus has explained to Thomas his
unity with the Father, and demonstrated it through his resurrection and
ascension, there will be no more question for Thomas.
Let there be no mistake, while Christianity is open to all people, heaven
is not! Call it narrow-minded, call it intolerant, call it what you like
as long as you call it truth from the lips of Jesus. He said, "I am the
way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through
me." If someone guides a lost child out of the forest, or a drifting ship
back to shore they are considered a hero, not a bigot. Jesus, who proved
his divinity through the resurrection, makes an unprecedented, exclusive
claim that we dare not ignore.
This is the sixth of seven "I AM" statements in John (6:48; 8:12; 10:9;
10:11; 11:25; 15:1). The first description of Jesus, "The Way," became
one of the names of the early church (Acts 9:2; 19:9, 23; 22:4; 24:22).
This affirmation of Jesus is one the greatest philosophical utterances
of all time! He did not say that He knew the way, the truth, and the
life, nor that He taught them. He did not make Himself the exponent of a
new system ... He declared Himself to be the final key to all mysteries!
- He was the way.
Between the present of man's failure and the future of God's design for
him is a gulf which seems unbridgeable. Through Jesus man is brought back
to God, and through the Living Way he achieves his true destiny.
"I am the Way" in the original Greek is so written to place heavy
emphasis on the pronoun "I" and would literally read, "I, even I Myself,
am the Way." He does not merely show the way, but He is the way.
- He was the truth.
Truth is a scarcest commodity in the world. All the philosophers have
sought it; none have attained it. No one mind was great enough to grasp
it; no one personality was pure enough to achieve it by conduct.
- He was the life.
Jesus was a means of reaching the Father; the truth defined the
righteous standards of the way; the life spoke the dynamic which could
make attainment possible.
"Christianity is not a system of philosophy, not a ritual, nor a code
of laws. It is the impartation of a divine vitality. Without the way
there is no going, without the truth there is no knowing, without the
life there is no living."
* THE QUESTION OF PHILIP (14:8-14).
The preceding words of Jesus about the house of the Father and the
dwelling place being prepared there have stroked a familiar heart-string
within the bosom of Philip. The teaching of Jesus with reference to His
relation with the Father was too subtle for Philip, who wanted to see the
Father as plainly as he could see Jesus.
"Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for
us." {9} Jesus answered: "Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have
been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the
Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'? {10} Don't you believe
that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to
you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is
doing his work. {11} Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and
the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles
themselves. {12} I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do
what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these,
because I am going to the Father. {13} And I will do whatever you ask in
my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. {14} You may ask
me for anything in my name, and I will do it.
We get three glimpses of Philip in John. He was one of the first to
follow Jesus clear back in the days of John the Baptist (Jn 1:43-46). His
first act of devotion to Jesus was to lead him to Nathanael. A couple of
years later it was Philip whom Jesus tested at the feeding of the five
thousand by asking how they would feed all these people (Jn 6:5-7).
Finally, in John 12:21, the Greeks who wanted to see Jesus petitioned
Philip to take them to him.
Philip wants a visual glimpse of God. He is probably thinking in terms of
a vision like Ezekiel’s (1-2) or Isaiah’s (6) or even Moses’ (Exod
33:18-23). But Jesus gives him nothing more than he needs and nothing
less than himself. To see Jesus is to see the Father (Heb 1:3). Granted,
Jesus’ incarnational form is not nearly as striking as these visions of
God. Then again, his incarnational form was not nearly as striking as his
own non-incarnational visions (Isa 11:3-5; Ezek 40:3; Dan 10:6; Rev
1:12-16). Nevertheless, what is needed here is not a striking vision but
an accurate revelation of the character, purpose and acts of God.
These are represented with striking clarity in Jesus’ incarnational
ministry through his words (v. 10) and his works (v. 11), both of which
come directly from the Father (Jn 5:18-23, 36-39; 8:41-42; 10:30-32,
37-38; 12:49-50). Throughout John, the miracles of Jesus are portrayed as
evidence for his claims (Jn 9:31-33; 10:37-38; 11:39-43; 20:30-31; cf.
Acts 2:22; 2 Cor 12:12).
Jesus’ unity with the Father is a wondrous thing (Jn 1:18; 10:38; 14:10,
20; 17:21). But even more wondrous is his solidarity with his followers.
As Jesus performed his Father’s will, his Father empowered him
supernaturally. Likewise, when we carry out Jesus’ marching orders, the
power of the Father flows through him to us.
In fact, Jesus said that the works of the disciples would even be greater
than his own works. Now, part of Jesus’ work was performing miracles (v.
11). And there is as strong a connection in the book of Acts between
prayer and miracles as there is here (cf. Acts 4:31; 6:6-7; 8:15; 9:11,
40-41; 10:4; 11:5; 12:5; 13:3; 16:25-34; 28:8). But it is unlikely that
Jesus only has miracles in mind when he says the Apostles will do greater
works than he himself has done. After all, what greater miracle could
there be than raising a person from the dead? And Jesus did three of
these (excluding his own), while the "greatest" Apostles, Peter and Paul,
only had one each (Acts 9:40-41; 20:10).
Certainly, the greatness of Jesus’ followers would not be in the number
or character of their miracles but in the number and character of their
converts. How great indeed are the works of those who break the barriers
of geography and ethnicity to bring to Christ people from every tongue
and tribe.
In order to accomplish this great work, Jesus promises that he, himself,
would answer our prayers no matter how great the request. This is not a
blank check to satisfy our whimsical desires. There are some parameters
around Jesus’ promise from parallel passages. We must ask in faith (Mt
21:22), in agreement with other believers (Mt 18:19), in Jesus’ name (Jn
14:13-16; 16:23-26), according to his will (1 John 5:14-15), while
obeying his Word (Jn 15:7; 1 John 3:22) and bearing fruit for him (Jn
15:16).
The promise does not apply where we ask selfishly or with the wrong
motives (Mk 10:35; James 4:2-3). But certainly God will grant our
requests when we pray for things he told us to ask for. So what shall we
request? Jesus told us to ask for at least three things: The Holy Spirit
(Lk 11:13), workers in the harvest (Mt 9:38), and wisdom (James 1:5). Our
greatest error is not that we ask inappropriately or that we ask for the
wrong things, but that we don’t ask at all (Lk 11:9; Eph 3:20; James
4:2).
One writer said: "Philip could think in terms of statistics, when he
was confronted by the problem of feeding the multitude (6:5-7), but he
was totally at a loss for an answer when Jesus stepped from the realm of
the material into the realm of the spiritual."
To his credit, his request revealed a consuming earnestness that was
more than curiosity. He would be satisfied if God could be made visible
to him, if He could be brought down to his own level. The shame of it all
is that He had come down and He could be seen ... through Jesus.
Jesus claimed (vs. 9) such unity with the Father that His very
appearance bespoke the Father's character and reality. As surely as
Philip could perceive Jesus with the senses which he possessed and have
the assurance of His actual physical existence, so could he be assured
that the Father was real.
He gave several reasons for believing (vs. 10);
1.Because of His personality.
The conscious presence of the Father which Jesus enjoyed at all times
was a testimony of unity between the Father and Himself.
2. Look at the objective eidence.
Look at the words ... even Jesus' enemies had admitted that "never man
so spoke." (7:46).
3. Testimony of the works.
Look at the various miracles and signs He'd performed (vs. 12). The
objective of the works was the glorification of the Father in the Son.
The purpose of the Son was to make the Father known to the world and the
promise contained in verses 13-14 was dependent upon that promise.
Verses 13-14 are powerful verses ... and have caused "quite a stir" as
we seek to decide if Jesus was talking here to only the apostles or to
all believers!
In 1 John 5:14-15 the promise is made to all believers that if they
ask anything according to His will they shall have it. And, yes, Jesus
did make certain promises of powers and miracles to His chosen apostles
which He did not intend that all believers should exercise.
There are some things offered without question:
- We must pray in faith (vs. 12).
This is a promise for us to claim, and the claiming of it demands
faith.
- We must pray in Christ’s name (vs. 13).
To ask anything of the Father, in the name of Christ, means that we
ask what Jesus would ask, what would please Him, and what would bring
Him glory to further His work.
- We must pray in loving obedience (vs. 15).
When you love someone, you honor his/her name; and you would never use
that name in a demeaning manner. Love is an important theme of the gospel
of John; it is used as a verb or noun a total of 56 times!
* THE INSTRUCTION RESUMED (14:15-21).
Having assured the disciples that He was not deserting them but rather
going before to prepare a place for them, Jesus proceeded to ask for
their obedience:
""If you love me, you will obey what I command. {16} And I will ask
the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you
forever-- {17} the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because
it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with
you and will be[1] in you. {18} I will not leave you as orphans; I will
come to you. {19} Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you
will see me. Because I live, you also will live. {20} On that day you
will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.
{21} Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me.
He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and
show myself to him.""
A Christian, in essence, is one who loves Jesus. We have used our
religious exercises (such as offerings, church attendance, and dress), as
a barometer of love for Christ. While religious devotion may fulfill the
greatest commandment, it hardly touches the second greatest—to love our
neighbor as ourself. If Jesus is correct, this second command will have
primary emphasis on Judgment Day (Mt 25:31-46). After all, the best
barometer of our love for God is our love for his children.
Those whose love for Christ is validated by their obedience are granted a
most precious gift, the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:32). He is called the
Counselor -- one called alongside to assist or succor]. The indwelling of
the Holy Spirit was reserved for Christians (Jn 7:39-40).
He actually enters our bodies (Rom 8:9-11; 1 Cor 6:19), and marks us as
God’s possession (2 Cor 1:22; Eph 1:13; 4:30). Through him we are
sanctified (Rom 15:16; 2 Thess 2:13), taught (1 Cor 2:10-16; Eph 1:17-18;
1 Jn 2:27), guided (Rom 8:14; Gal 5:18), and strengthened (Jn 14:26).
Through him we receive adoption (Rom 8:12-17), gifts with which we serve
the church (Rom 12:6-8; 1 Cor. 12:7-11; Eph 4:11-13), and fruit for the
glory of God (Gal 5:22-23).
He intercedes for us when we don’t know how to pray (Rom 8:26), and
refreshes us when we are downcast (Acts 3:19 [cf. Acts 2:38]; John
7:38-39; Isa 40:1-2; 41:17-20; 44:1-5; 54:11-17; 55:1-5; Heb 4:1-11).
Even this brief job description of the Holy Spirit makes one want to
shout with thankful praise! The Christian community must be cautious not
to allow contention over miraculous gifts to overshadow the beauty and
necessity of the Holy Spirit in the life of every believer.
The Apostles are going to lose Jesus in a "little while" (cf. Jn 7:33;
12:35; 13:33; 16:16-19). This will be a devastating blow. They will lose
their teacher, their guide, their empowerment. However, all they lose
when Jesus leaves will be replaced when the Spirit comes. In fact, the
book of Acts, the continuing story of Jesus (Acts 1:1), is not so much
the Acts of the Apostles as it is the Acts of the Holy Spirit.
He is "another" helper of the same nature and ability as Jesus. It is
clear in Acts that the world knows nothing of this marvelous gift (cf.
Acts 2:6ff) because it operates on the earthly plane. Because the Holy
Spirit can’t be dissected or marketed he is rejected by the worldly
person (1 Cor 2:14). Yet verses 19-20 make it clear that we, in our
bodies, participate in the unity of the Trinity through the indwelling of
the Spirit. We are, indeed, partakers of the divine nature (2 Pet 1:4).
If their distress over the prediction of His departure were genuine,
it meant that they loved Him. If they really loved Him, they must show it
by obedience. Love was to be the new motive for their lives; obedience to
Him the new standard for their activity.
The one who keeps the word of Christ has the mature, complete love of
God in him (1 John 2:5; 5:3)
*SIX WONDERFUL ASSURANCES
FOR THE TROUBLED HEART
1. You are going to heaven (13:36-14:6)
2. You know the Father right now (14:7-11)
3. You have the privilege of prayer (14:12-15)
4. We have the Holy Spirit (14:16-18)
5. We enjoy the Father's love (14:19-24)
6. We have His gift of peace (14:25-31)
- He is also assured that he knows God and is known by God (1 John
2:3)
- But the one who professes to know God and does not keep the
commandments of Christ is a liar and the truth is not in him (1 John 2:4)
The provision for their future included also a new dynamic: the Holy
Spirit.
Several assertions were made concerning Him in these verses:
- He is an answer to Jesus' prayer to the Father (vs. 16)
- He is another "Comforter" (vs. 16)
- He dwells permanently with the believer (vs. 16)
- He is called the Spirit of Truth (vs. 17)
- He is unknown to the "world" (vs. 17)
- He will dwell in the believer (vs. 17)
The word "Comforter" (Greek: paraklete) is misleading to modern ears.
It does not mean "sympathizer" so much as "advocate," one who is
called in to defend against accusation and to represent a client in court
or to transact business for him.
The only use of this word outside of this gospel is in 1 John 2:1,
where Jesus is called an Advocate.
Verse 15 not only indicates the condition (obedience) necessary by the
disciples in order to be given the Holy Spirit, it also indicates the
agency (the Word of Christ) through which He comes into the believer.
This is repeated in verse 21.
Had Jesus remained upon earth, He would necessarily have been
restricted by space and time as are all men. The indwelling of the Spirit
in the hearts of Jesus' followers would provide a fellowship with God
even closer than they had experienced in the physical presence of Jesus.
The passage (vs. 16) clearly indicates that the Holy Spirit is not
merely a power but a person, just like the Father and the Son. He is
another Helper, not a different Helper.
The Holy Spirit is the token of difference between the Christian and
the unbeliever. "The world" cannot receive Him; He indwells the
Christian!
There is much debate today by well-known and learned Christian men
about the indwelling Spirit, Yet, verse 23 is so simple and profound! It
agrees with Romans 8:9b: "If any man has not the Spirit of Christ, he is
none of his."
The measure of the fullness of the Spirit may vary in the individual
life; but the presence of the Spirit is essential to true Christian
experience.
Jesus promised His return (vs. 18) and gives them hope for eternity
(vs. 19). This likely has to do more with the Spirit coming to the
apostles on Pentecost (Acts 2) than the second coming.
The cross was the final revelation of God to the hostile world; but
the disciples could look beyond the cross.
And did you notice the "fruit" in verse 21 of one who has the Spirit?
Love and obedience! The only dependable agency available to man by which
he may be certain that he knows the Holy Spirit or feels Him or that He
controls him is obedience to the written will of the Holy Spirit in His
word, which is the Bible!
* THE QUESTION OF JUDAS (14:22-24).
The one who spoke here was not Judas Iscariot the traitor, for he had
already left the room (13:30). It is rather the one surnamed Thaddeus; he
was Judas of James (Luke 6:16; Acts 1:13).
"Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, "But, Lord, why do you intend
to show yourself to us and not to the world?" {23} Jesus replied, "If
anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and
we will come to him and make our home with him. {24} He who does not love
me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they
belong to the Father who sent me."
The problem which he raised was that of revelation. He could not
understand how Jesus, if He reappeared to His disciples after a temporary
withdrawal, could avoid showing Himself to the world.
A third question springs from the table by a third relatively obscure
Apostle—the other Judas, also known as Thaddaeus (Mt 10:3; Mk 3:18) or
Lebbaeus. Still thinking about a political kingdom, he can’t understand
why Jesus wouldn’t manifest himself to the entire country. Wouldn’t a
king, after all, want a wildly publicized coronation?! Jesus scarcely
acknowledges that Judas even spoke. Instead of answering his question,
Jesus reiterates the points that Judas obviously missed:
1. Love is shown by obedience.
2. Those that love Jesus have a home with God. However, the home
Jesus described to Thomas was a future "heavenly" one. The home promised
to Judas is a present earthly one through the indwelling of the Holy
Spirit.
3. The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are essentially one in
character, quality and purpose.
4. The Holy Spirit will continue the ministry of Jesus after he
leaves.
Part of the Holy Spirit’s continued ministry is to establish Apostolic
doctrine (Acts 2:42). In order to accomplish that, the Apostles will need
"divine recall" of the words and acts of Jesus (cf. Jn 16:13). Even more,
the Holy Spirit will interpret and apply those words and actions for the
Apostles, especially when they stand to preach (Mt 10:19-20).
Eventually this Apostolic doctrine was written down, through the
inspiration of the Holy Spirit, for successive generations of Christians.
Although the process was a bit more complex than we have time to describe
here, we basically believe that the twenty-seven books of the NT comprise
that Apostolic doctrine. It is the core message of the faith.
While it is not all Jesus said or did, or even all that the Apostles
taught about him, it is all that is needed for the church to exist, grow,
and endure until Christ returns for his bride.
With verse 27 Jesus returns to verse one: "Let not your hearts be
troubled." The next couple of days will be fairly traumatic for the
Twelve. They will run from Jesus in his crucible hour and then watch from
a distance as he is beaten and crucified. Then their joy at the
resurrection will turn again to consternation at the ascension. Their
road ahead leads to rejection, mocking, beatings, and for all but John,
martyrdom.
Yet Jesus offers them peace. Not peace without tribulation, but in the
midst of it. That offer continues to extend to each of his followers.
Because we have the Holy Spirit in us, because we have the hope of a home
with God, and because we are confident in the return of Christ, these
brief and momentary afflictions are palatable, almost pleasurable, for
what they promise to bring (Rom 8:18, 22-23).
Think for a moment:
If He were to manifest Himself finally as the Messiah, why should he
not declare Himself to the world in that capacity? Jesus' answer
emphasized love as the condition of revelation. That attitude of the
disciple was to be the determining factor (vs. 23).
One writer said: "Direct communication with the world was impossible
because of its hatred, but He could deal with the disciples on the basis
of love."
*THE DISCOURSE COMPLETED (14:25-31).
The Holy Spirit, sent in the name of Jesus, would come with His
authority, and the message of the Spirit should be received as if Jesus
Himself were speaking.
""All this I have spoken while still with you. {26} But the Counselor,
the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all
things and will remind you of everything I have said to you."
While Jesus continues His revelation here, the Holy Spirit would
guarantee its continuing. Because the disciples were human, they were
likely to forget what Jesus said. The voice of the Holy Spirit alone
could stimulate the disciples' minds to recall the utterances of Jesus
and could explain them correctly as needed.
One writer said: "Calling to remembrance, however, implies learning,
for men cannot remember what they never knew. Jesus did not intend that
the Holy Spirit should be regarded as a substitute for learning. He
expected that the disciples would pay close attention to His teachings,
so that the Spirit might direct the use of what they had acquired."
With verse 27, the discourse on revelation was completed ... and Jesus
turns to the final gift: peace.
"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as
the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
{28} "You heard me say, 'I am going away and I am coming back to you.' If
you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father, for the
Father is greater than I. {29} I have told you now before it happens, so
that when it does happen you will believe. {30} I will not speak with you
much longer, for the prince of this world is coming. He has no hold on
me, {31} but the world must learn that I love the Father and that I do
exactly what my Father has commanded me. "Come now; let us leave."
Jesus has already twice described his imminent exodus and return (14:2-3,
18-19). The disciples should be happy for Jesus’ "homecoming." But they
are too overwhelmed with their own loss to rejoice in Jesus’ gain. Even
so, Jesus doesn’t tell them all this so they can rejoice with him, but so
they can be assured that Jesus knows what he is talking about.11-41
Satan’s onslaught is only hours away. He will conquer Judas Iscariot,
defeat Peter and the other Apostles, and have his way with the body of
Jesus. Even though it looks pretty bad, the truth is that Satan has no
power over Jesus. He was unable to tempt him in the wilderness, and he
will be unable to defeat him on the cross or hold him in the tomb. Satan
doesn’t have the power to influence Jesus and he has no accusation to
make against him. Jesus dies, not because of Satan’s power, but because
of God’s will.
Having said this, it is now time to leave. But we still have three
chapters of this upper room discourse left! The remaining three chapters
only take about ten minutes to read. Even though this is likely only a
summary of what Jesus said, we are probably not looking at an extended
discourse. Jesus apparently continues to talk as they linger a few
minutes in the upper room to sweep up after supper, collect their things,
and put on their tunics before going out into the night air. Jesus will
continue talking as they march through the streets of Jerusalem to the
Kidron Valley (Jn 18:1). That gives him ample time to get all this in
before his private prayer in the garden.
His peace did not consist in freedom from turmoil and suffering, but
in a calm undeviating devotion to the will of God. Jesus' mind was at
rest because of His trust in God.
The coming death of Jesus was intended to be the clearest and fullest
demonstration of Jesus' love to the Father (vs. 31). The death of Christ
was an utter contrast to the spirit of the world which was epitomized in
the jest of His enemies: "Save thyself, and come down from the cross"
(Mark 15:30).
MINI-OUTLINE OF THESE VERSES
1. A home to envision (14:2-3)
Knowing how awful it is to be left alone, Jesus gave His disciples a new
way to think about His approaching absence. They were told to see it as a
time when He would prepare a heavenly place for them.
2. A direction to embrace (14:4-11). Do we want to draw near to God?
Do we want to be close to Him? Jesus gave them a direction to look in
their time of trial.
3. A presence to experience (14:12-14). He assured them that He would
continue to be ‘there’ for them through the Spirit and through their
prayers.
4. A helper to expect (18:16-18, 25-26). They would not be
orphans...they would have "one who comes alongside."
5. A command to obey (14:15, 20-21, 23-24, 31). They were given a
series of commands so they could understand what God expected from them.
JOHN 14 IN REVIEW
Why were the disciples’ hearts troubled? Christ had told them He was
leaving them (13:33), that one of them was a traitor, and that Peter
would fail Him (13:36-38). This undoubtedly disturbed them all, for they
looked to Peter as their leader. Jesus Himself had revealed His own
inward burden (13:21), although certainly His troubled spirit was in no
way like their troubled hearts.
In this chapter, Christ sought to comfort the Twelve and quiet their
troubled hearts. He gave them five reasons why He had to leave them and
go to the Father.
I. To Prepare a Place for Them (14:1-6)
Christ speaks of heaven as a real place, not merely as a state of mind.
He pictured heaven as a loving home where the Father dwells. "Mansions"
in the Gk. is actually "abiding places," speaking of the permanency of
our heavenly home. Heaven is a prepared place for a prepared people.
Christ "the Carpenter" (Mark 6:3) is building a heavenly home for all who
have trusted Him. And He will return to receive His own to Himself.
Paul later amplified this promise in 1 Thess. 4:13-18. "Absent from the
body, present with the Lord." Had Christ remained on earth, He could not
have prepared the heavenly home for His own.
How can sinners ever hope to get to heaven? Through Christ! Read Luke
15:11-24, the story of the Prodigal Son, in connection with John 14:6.
Like the sinner, the boy was lost (15:24), ignorant (15:17—"came to
himself"), and dead (15:24). But he came to the father! (15:20) He was
lost, but Christ is the Way; he was ignorant, but Christ is the Truth;
and he was dead (spiritually), but Christ is the Life! And he arrived at
the Father’s house when he repented and returned.
II. To Reveal the Father to Them (14:7-11)
Philip seemed to have trouble with his eyes: he wanted to see. Almost his
first words in 1:46 are, "Come and see!" He saw the great crowd in John 6
and decided that Christ could not feed them (6:7). The Greeks who came to
Philip said, "We would see Jesus" (12:21). Jesus made it clear that
seeing Him is seeing the Father. "From now on you know Him," He promises
in v. 7 (NKJV). It is by faith that we see the Father as we come to know
Christ better.
III. To Grant Them the Privilege of Prayer (14:12-14)
While He was with the disciples, Christ supplied their needs (see
16:22-24); now that He was returning to heaven, He gives them the
privilege of prayer. He promises to answer prayer that the Father might
be glorified. To pray in "His name" means to pray for His glory, asking
for whatever He Himself would desire.
The "greater works" spoken of in v. 12 refer to the wonderful miracles
and blessings the disciples experienced as recorded in the Book of Acts
(see Mark 16:20; Heb. 2:4).
The works He does through us today are "greater" in the sense that we are
mere human vessels, while He was God incarnate ministering on earth.
IV. To Send the Holy Spirit (14:15-26)
Christ has much to say about the Spirit in these next chapters. Here He
calls Him "the Comforter," literally, "The One standing alongside to help
you."
The word "another" means "another of the same kind," for the Spirit is
God just as Christ is God. The Spirit living within the disciples would
take the place of the Savior living beside the disciples. He is also
called "the Spirit of Truth." The Spirit uses the Word to convict sinners
and to direct saints, and God’s Word is truth (17:17). The world cannot
receive the Spirit because He comes in response to faith.
There is considerable discussion over what Christ means when He says, "I
will come to you" (v. 18). Literally it reads, "I do [present tense] come
to you." This statement probably includes several things: Christ’s coming
to the apostles after His resurrection; His coming to them in the Person
of the Spirit; and His future coming to take them to heaven.
In vv. 21-26, Christ speaks of a deeper relationship the disciples will
have with the Father and the Son through the Spirit. They thought they
would be "orphans" (literal meaning of "comfortless" in v. 18), when
actually Jesus’ going to the Father made possible a deeper relationship
between the saint and his Savior.
This relationship involves obedience to the Word (v. 21) and a love for
the Word (v. 24). It involves too the teaching ministry of the Holy
Spirit (v. 26). The Christian who spends time learning the Word, then
goes out to live the Word, will enjoy a close, satisfying communion with
the Father and the Son. Love for Christ is not a shallow emotion to be
talked about; it means loving and obeying His Word by the power of the
Holy Spirit. In 14:1-3, Jesus talked about the saint going to heaven to
abide with the Father and Son; but here He talks about the Father and Son
coming to abide with the saint.
V. To Grant His Peace (14:27-31)
How the disciples needed peace! The peace that Christ gives is not that
of the world, nor does He give it the way the world gives. The world’s
peace is shallow, unsatisfying, and temporary; while Christ’s peace rests
deep in the heart, is always satisfying, and will abide forever.
The world offers peace through outward means; Christ gives peace that
dwells in the heart. Psychologists talk about "peace of mind," but
Christ, through His death, resurrection, and ascension, gives "peace with
God" (Rom. 5:1). Philippians 4:4-9 outlines how the believer may have the
peace of God. "My Father is greater than I" (v. 28) refers to the days of
His earthly life. As Son of God, He is equal with the Father; as Son of
Man in a human body, He was obedient to the Father, who gave Christ His
words and works (14:10, 24).
By dying on the cross and going back to heaven, Christ defeated Satan (v.
30), who is the author of confusion and unrest. Lest the disciples think
that His death was a tragedy or a mistake, Christ assured them in v. 31
that the cross is proof of His love for the Father. He died because the
Father commanded it, and Christ came to do the Father’s will.
Last modified: April 18, 2006