Good morning all. Sunday, a great day to spend with the LORD. God
is good all the time, all the time, God is good. BE BLESSED TODAY!
Today, Jesus comforts his disciples in John 14:1 - 16:33, a lot of
scripture so let us begin. Jesus begins in John 14 telling the
disciples about eternal life, which is not seen, but is secure in your
trust in Jesus. He has already prepared a place and we have to be
willing to believe. Here is Jesus' words:
3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
4 And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.
Now comes Thomas, later we refer to him as Doubting-Thomas and he says but LORD we really don't know the way. Tell us the way; Jesus replies:
I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.
14 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
4 And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.
Now comes Thomas, later we refer to him as Doubting-Thomas and he says but LORD we really don't know the way. Tell us the way; Jesus replies:
I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.
Then Philip says show us the Father and that will be enough
for us. Jesus is the visible image of God which Jesus explained to
Philip.
Jesus is saying the disciples, you and me, can carry on the work with
the Power of the Holy Spirit, spreading the Good News of God's Kingdom
into the whole world. Jesus says:
Have I been so long
time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen
me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Show us the Father?
10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.
11 Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake.
12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.
15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.
19 Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.
20 At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.
21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.
11 Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake.
12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.
15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.
19 Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.
20 At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.
21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
Judas (not Iscariot) asked Jesus
why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?
The disciples are expecting Jesus to establish an earthly kingdom and
overthrow Rome. They don't understand Jesus' message and why HE does
not tell the whole world. Jesus promises the disciples that the Holy
Spirit would help them remember what he had been teaching them. The
disciples are eyewitnesses of Jesus' life and teaching, the Holy Spirit
will help them remember. At this Jesus responds:
23 Jesus
answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words:
and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our
abode with him.
24 He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me.
25 These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you.
26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
28 Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.
29 And now I have told you before it come to pass, that, when it is come to pass, ye might believe.
30 Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.
31 But that the world may know that I love the Father; and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do. Arise, let us go hence
24 He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me.
25 These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you.
26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
28 Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.
29 And now I have told you before it come to pass, that, when it is come to pass, ye might believe.
30 Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.
31 But that the world may know that I love the Father; and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do. Arise, let us go hence
.Notice verse 30 when Jesus speaks of satan as the prince of
this world. the last phrase "hath nothing in me" - satan, the ruler of
this world, in all his arrogance, still thinks he can overpower Jesus.
Jesus is sinless and satan has no power over him.
We can do a lengthy discussion and commentary on chapters 15 and 16, but let me give you a short summary. John 15 - verse 1-17 The Vine and the Branches; verses 18-27 - Jesus warns of the world's hatred (our separation from the world).
Next comes John 16
- In the last time with the disciples Jesus tells them basically three
things. First - he warned them there would continue to be persecution
(verses 1-4); (verses 5-15) he told them where, when, and why he was
going ; and assured them that they would not be left alone, but that
the Holy Spirit would come.
Verses 16-31 Jesus teaches about
using His name in prayer. In verse 29 the disciples finally get it and
understand. They did not have the advantage of being about to read the
New Testament - they were the New Testament. Thank you for enduring.
Love you all.
In Christ's Love and Grace
Johnny
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