John - Chapter 14: Jesus Promised another Comforter
JOHN 14:15-31
Application: The student will learn to accept and cherish the comforting presence of the Holy Spirit and follow Him as He leads.
SEVERAL PORTIONS OF OUR LESSON TODAY WILL MAKE MORE SENSE IF WE CONSIDER THE MEANING OF THE ORIGINAL HEBREW IN WHICH THE OT WAS GIVEN.
FROM THE TIME OF MOSES UNTIL TODAY, JEWISH FAITHFUL EACH MORNING AND EACH EVENING RECITE THE “SHEMA” FOUND IN DUET 6:4-6:
“Hear O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord:
And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart,
and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
And these words which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart...”
IN THE HEBREW THE FIRST LINE WHICH SAYS “OUR GOD” IS ADONAI ELOIHEINU, WHICH IS THE FIRST PERSON POSSESSIVE POSITION OF THE HEBREW ELOHEIM WHICH WE WILL BRING FOCUS UPON NEXT.
NOW AS WE REVIEW OUR SCRIPTURE ASSIGNMENT, WE SEE THE TEACHING OF THE LORD TO HIS DISCIPLES GROW STRONG IN VERSES 15-17.
IF YOU LOVE ME, KEEP MY COMMANDMENTS.
JESUS HAD JUST FINISHED SHOWING HIS OWN HUMBLE LOVE BY WASHING THE FEET OF ALL 12 DISCIPLES, INCLUDING JUDAS.
NOTICE JESUS MAKES THIS TEACHING CONDITIONAL BY SAYING “IF YOU LOVE ME...”
HE THEN PROMISED THAT ANOTHER COMFORTER WOULD BE GIVEN, WHO WOULD ABIDE WITH THEM FOREVER, WHOM THE WORLD CANNOT SEE OR KNOW OR RECEIVE, AND WHO WOULD WOULD DWELL WITHIN THEM.
FOR THE BELIEVER THIS CONDITIONAL PROMISE IS OF MAJOR IMPORTANCE.
DISOBEDIENCE IS NOT ONLY A FAILURE OF PERFORMANCE OR A FAILURE OF STRENGTH, BUT IS A FAILURE OF LOVE.
JESUS SHOWS VERY CLEARLY HERE THE FOUNDATION OF HIS GOSPEL. IT IS NOT OBEDIENCE THAT COMES FROM FEAR, PRIDE, OR DESIRE TO EARN BLESSING.
IT IS OBEDIENCE ONLY BASED UPON OUR LOVE FOR HIM.
A 2ND ASSURANCE IS GIVEN NEXT.
JESUS WILL PRAY TO THE FATHER TO SEND ANOTHER TO COMFORT THEM.
THIS IS NOT A COMPLEX DISCUSSION ON THE TRINITY AND REVEALS HOW VERY SIMPLY THE TRINITY WORKS TOGETHER TO PROTECT THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN CHOSEN FOR ETERNITY.
THIS IS THE NEXT PHASE OF THE ETERNAL PLAN.
THIS HELPER IS TO GUIDE BELIEVERS, STANDING BESIDE THEM, HELPING THEM TO FURTHER OBEDIENCE.
IN THE ORIGINAL LANGUAGE (GREEK) WE SEE THE WORD USED HERE IS “ALLEN”, MEANING ANOTHER HELPER OF THE SAME KIND.
THIS MEANS OF THE SAME KIND AS JESUS.
JESUS WILL BEGIN THIS PROCESS OF THE NEW GIFT IN JOHN 20:22 WHEN HE BREATHES UPON THEM TO PREPARE THEM FOR THE PERMANENT GIFT.
IN ACTS 1:8 JUST BEFORE HE ASCENDS, JESUS TELLS HIS OWN THAT THE POWER WILL ARRIVE WHEN THE HOLY SPIRIT COMES UPON THEM.
THIS IS THE OUTPOURING IN THE PROPHECY OF JOEL.
NOW IN VERSES 18-21 JESUS WILL DEPART BUT PROMISES HE WILL MAKE HIMSELF KNOWN STILL.
AGAIN HE FOCUSES THE TEACHING OF THE COMMAND OF LOVE.
THOSE WHO LOVE HIM WILL BE LOVED BY HIS FATHER.
NOW THE DISCIPLE PROGRAM IS OVER FOR THESE FEW AND THE APOSTLE PROGRAM IS STARTED (THOSE WHO ARE SENT), AND THEY ARE NOW TO SPEND THEIR LIVES MAKING NEW DISCIPLES OF NEW BELIEVERS UNDER THE GOSPEL.
JESUS SAYS HE WOULD NOT LEAVE THEM ORPHANS.
HE ACTUALLY IS NOT LEAVING THEM AT ALL, BUT IS TRANSFORMING HIS OWN PRESENCE INTO THE PRESENCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
HE PROMISES TO COME AGAIN, AND ASSURES THEM THAT BECAUSE HE LIVES, THEY WILL LIVE ALSO. HERE IS THE PROMISE OF LIFE ETERNAL.
NOW THE RELATIONSHIP IS ETERNALLY FIXED, NEVER TO CHANGE AGAIN.
THERE IS A SHARED LIFE, SHARED UNION WITH GOD THE SON, GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT AND LATER GOD THE FATHER IN THE NEW EARTH.
THIS UNION IS MARKED BY THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD'S WILL
(HIS COMMANDMENTS).
THIS UNION IS MARKED BY OBEDIENCE TO GOD'S WILL
(KEEPING THOSE COMMANDMENTS)
THIS UNION IS MARKED BY RELATIONSHIP, FELLOWSHIP, AND LOVE AND BY A REVELATION OF THE FURTHER DESIRES OF GOD AS GUIDED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT INDWELLING US.
NOW IN VERSES 22-24 THERE IS A QUESTION FROM ONE OF THE DISCIPLES.
LORD, HOW IS IT YOU WILL MANIFEST YOURSELF TO US BUT NOT TO THE WORLD?
BY THE KEEPING OF THE COMMANDS, LOVE WILL BE SHOWN BY THOSE WHO ARE FAITHFUL, AND BOTH THE FATHER AND THE SON WILL MAKE THEIR HOME WITH THOSE OBEDIENT.
JESUS SHOWS AGAIN HIS SUBMISSION TO THE FATHER'S WILL WHILE HE IS IN THE LIKENESS OF HUMAN FLESH AS HE SAYS THESE WORDS ARE NOT HIS OWN BUT FROM THE FATHER WHO SENT HIM.
NOW IN VERSES 25-27 JESUS GIVES THE GIFT PROMISED AND HIS OWN PEACE TO HIS FAITHFUL ELEVEN BY A FINAL CONFIRMATION OF THE COMING OF THE NEW COMFORTER.
THE WORK OF THIS NEW PERSON WILL BE A CONTINUATION OF THE FATHER'S WORK IN THE OT AND THE WORK OF THE SON THUS FAR IN THE NT.
PEACE JESUS LEAVES THEM, NOT THE PEACE OF THE WORLD, BUT A MUCH MORE SPECIAL PEACE, MEANING ETERNAL SPIRITUAL PEACE, UNLIKE MAN'S VIEW OF PEACE WHICH IS SIMPLY THE ABSENCE OF WAR.
HE ONCE MORE SOOTHES THEIR HEARTS BY TELLING THEM NOT TO KEEP A TROUBLED HEART, BUT TO BE PEACEFUL IN A TROUBLED WORLD.
JESUS SAYS HIS OWN SHOULD REJOICE NOW, EVEN AFTER HIS LEAVING.
THEIR JOY SHOULD BE FOUND IN THEIR OWN PREACHING AND TEACHING WHICH WILL BRING MANY TO DIVINE REWARDS.
NOW IN VERSES 30-31 WE SEE THAT JESUS GOES FORTH TO END HIS MORTAL LIFE WILLINGLY ON HIS OWN TERMS AND BY THE LONG HELD PLAN OF GOD.
HE IS NOT THE VICTIM OF SATAN'S EFFORTS.
HE HAD THE POWER TO LAY DOWN HIS LIFE AND THE POWER TO TAKE IT UP AGAIN
SO HIS HOUR HAD COME, HE HAD KNOWN THAT IT WOULD AND WHEN IT WOULD, AND NO MAN NOR DEMON NOR EVEN SATAN HIMSELF COULD BRING IT ONE MOMENT CLOSER.
HE WAS IN TOTAL CONTROL AND HE SAYS NOW AT LAST, ARISE, LET US GO FROM HERE.
