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Last time we met, we saw Jesus make a declarative statement. Today he makes a promise to the disciples in John 14:15-31.
15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, 17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.
18 “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. 21 Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.” 22 Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, “Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world?” 23 Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 24 Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father’s who sent me.
25 “These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. 26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. 28 You heard me say to you, ‘I am going away, and I will come to you.’ If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. 29 And now I have told you before it takes place, so that when it does take place you may believe. 30 I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no claim on me, 31 but I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father. Rise, let us go from here.
I don’t know if I will get through all 16 verses today, we’ll see how it goes eh? 🙂
Love Jesus…. keep his commandments. Ah, that easier said than done isn’t it? I was reminded in church yesterday that when God calls us his very own children he loves us with a love we can’t even truly fathom. This love is a support system that I don’t think we will ever truly understand. We can’t mess up too badly in his eyes. God sees us, he sees his own son. Ah that love that is. But it’s hard. The call of the old nature it’s strong isn’t it?
Jesus doesn’t just leave us though. He makes us a promise. He will talk to God, his DAD. And his dad will give us another helper, someone who won’t ever have to go away for a while. A helper who will be with us ALL THE TIME. How great is that!?!?!?! This helper will be the Spirit of truth, the world doesn’t get this helper because they can’t see him or know him. But those of us who are disciples we CAN know him for he dwells with you and will be in you.
Not left as an orphan
Even though Jesus is going way he is not going to leave us as orphans. He says:
18 “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. 21 Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.” You know what? I don’t blame the disciples for being confused sometimes. I know what will happen. Jesus will die, rise from the dead, be seen by lots of people and then ascend to heaven. I know this stuff and even so, this whole “in a little while the world won’t see me but you will” that’s confusing. How can we see him but the world can’t? How can we see him on earth when he’ll be ascended to heaven? It makes no sense to me.
I understand the “I live, you also will live“. Christ will live forever, and through his death, we will to as well. Makes sense right? but what’s with this part “In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. 21 Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.” In what day? When we accept Christ as our Saviour? When the Holy Spirit indwells us? I don’t really understand since mixed into this statement is who keeps the commandments received loves Christ. Those who love Christ are loved by God and by Jesus and Jesus manifests (shows) himself to that person. So it’s all kinda linked isn’t it?
Love Jesus, keep his commandments, which SHOWS your love for Jesus, so God loves that person, which has Jesus loving them and it all circles round. The centrality is love. Actionable love, not just a feeling. Our love action is obedience, Jesus’ love action is to show himself to people, and God’s love action is to call us his very own children. Kinda this and yet more eh?
The obvious question
The not Iscariot Judas asks a rather obvious question: “Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world?” Good question to ask isn’t it? It gives Jesus a chance to reiterate. One who loves keeps Jesus’ commands. These commands are God’s. Keeping commands is loving God through Jesus, and God loves the obedient. And his “we will come to him and make our home with him.” Wow.. I like that statement. Shows the indwelling you know? Because THEY come to us and make their home with the believer.
Jesus goes on to say that he teaches them these things while he is still with them. BUT a helper will come, sent from God, who will also teach them things and help them remember what they have already been taught.
I feel sad when I read these next words….and I shouldn’t. I feel sad for the disciples because as carefully as Jesus tried to tell them, they didn’t really understand what was going to take place. When Jesus died they hid away in fear. Jesus tried to warn them not to be afraid, to not let their hearts be troubled. Yet they did. Not until he rose from the dead did they lose that fear (partially) and not truly until Pentecost did they REALLY lose that fear. Speaking out in boldness then. WOW.
Now though he tells them Peace… I give you my peace. Not worldly peace. MY peace. Don’t be afraid or worried. Rejoice with me that I am going back to the Father. Fret not. I tell you this so you will remember when the time comes. For the time is coming, the ruler of the world thinks he has a claim on Jesus but he doesn’t. Jesus is just being obedient to God. Remember this. Jesus obedience shows he loves the Father.
Brain Spark
WOW.. light bulb moment.
Keeping the commands of God was no different for Jesus than it is for us. It was showing love. That’s what obedience is. It’s showing love. So when Jesus says do what I do… it makes sense you know? He was perfectly obedient to God’s will and command. We can’t get that perfection but we can work towards it, but in doing so we show the Lord that we love him. Just like Jesus did with God. Showing the world that we love God, showing God that we love Jesus through our obedience. Awesome sauce. 🙂
I don’t know if my ramblings today are all correct thoughts, I felt confused for a good part of my reading today. So if you have insight, please, feel free to give me your thoughts. THANKS!
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