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Charles Spurgeon · Citado em PreceptAustin
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Spurgeon - Jesus didn’t say, “I’m happy you men are troubled and filled with doubts. You’re doubts are wonderful.” “He takes no delight in the doubt and disquietude of his people. When he saw that because of what he had said to them sorrow had filled the hearts of his apostles, he pleaded with them in great love, and besought them to be comforted.” John
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Spurgeon - Let me say it ought to be a great deal easier for you and me to live above heart trouble than it was to the apostles; I mean easier than it was to the apostles at the time when the Saviour spoke to them and for forty days afterwards. You say, ‘How was that?’ Because you have three things which they had not. You have experience of many past troubles out of which you have been delivered. They had only been converted at the outside three years; they had not known much trouble, for Jesus in the flesh had dwelt among them to screen off troubles from them. Some of you have been converted thirty—forty—what if I say sixty years, and you have had abundance of trouble—you have not been screened from it. Now all this experience ought to make it easier for you to say, ‘My heart shall not be troubled.’ Again, you have received the Holy Spirit, and they had not. The Holy Spirit was not given, as you remember, until the day of Pentecost. His direct government in the church was not required while Christ was here. You have the Spirit, the Comforter, to abide with you for ever; surely you ought to be less distracted than they were. Thirdly, you have the whole of Scripture, they had but a part. They certainly had not the richest Scriptures of all, for they had not the evangelists nor any of the New Testament, and having, as we have, all that store of promise and comfort, we ought surely to find it no hard work to obey the sweet precept, ‘Let not your heart be troubled.’ (From LET NOT YOUR HEARTS BE TROUBLED) NOTE on troubled and believe. NET NOTE The translation of the two uses of πιστεύετε (pisteuete) is difficult. Both may be either indicative or imperative, and as L.
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Spurgeon - LET NOT YOUR HEARTS BE TROUBLED “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.”—John 14:1. THE disciples had been like lambs, carried in the warm bosom of a loving Shepherd. They were now about to be left by him, and would hear the howlings of the wolves, and endure the terrors of the snowstorm. They had been like tender plants conserved in a hot-house, a warm and genial atmosphere had always surrounded them; they were now to endure the wintry world with its nipping frosts, and so it was to be proven whether or not they had an inward vitality which could exist when outward protections were withdrawn. Their Master, their Head, was to be taken from them; well might they cry with Elisha, “My Father, my Father, the chariot of Israel and the horsemen thereof”! We too, dear friends, though we have not enjoyed perhaps so entire an immunity as did the apostles, were at one time very graciously shielded from trouble; we had a summer time of joy and an autumn of peace, far other than this present winter of our discontent. It frequently happens that after conversion God, who tempers the wind to the shorn lamb, gives to the weaklings of the flock a period of repose, during which they rejoice with David, “He maketh me to lie down in green pastures, he leadeth me beside the still waters;” but for all of us there will come a time of trouble similar to that sorrowful occasion which led the Saviour to utter these memorable heart-cheering words. If our conscious communion with Jesus should not be interrupted, yet some other form of tribulation awaits us, for the testimony of earth’s poet, that “man is made to mourn,” is well borne out by the inspired declaration, “man is born to trouble as the sparks fly upwards.” We must not expect that we shall be exceptions to the general lot of our race; there is no discharge in this war, we must all be conscripts in the armies of grief. We too shall do battle with strong temptations and feel the wounds of adversity. Albeit that yonder bark so lately launched upon a glassy sea has all her streamers flying, and rejoices in a favourable wind, let her captain remember that the sea is treacherous, that winds are variable, and that the stoutest vessel may find it more than difficult to outride a hurricane. I rejoice to see the courage of that young man who has but just joined the army of the church militant, and is buckling on the glittering armour of the faith; as yet there are no dents and pruises on that fair casque and burnished breastplate, but let the wearer reckon upon blows, and bruises, and blood-stains; nay, let him rejoice if he endure hardness as a good soldier, for without the fight where would be the victory? Brethren in our Lord Jesus, without due trial where would be our experience, and without the experience where would be the holy increase of our faith, and the joyful triumph of our love through the manifested power of Christ? We must expect, then, to walk with our Lord to the gates of Gethsemane, both his and ours; we must expect to cross the Brook Kedron in company with our Master, and it will be well if we hear him say to us as he did to his disciples on that eventful night, “Let not your hearts be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.” My brethren, some of us live at this hour in the midst of trouble. We do not remember any period more dark with portents of evil than the present watch of earth’s long night. Few events have occurred of late to cheer the general gloom. Our hopeful spirit has been accustomed to say, that all things considered, there are no times like the times present; query, whether any times have been more vexatious and troublesome, than those which just now are passing over our head. The political atmosphere is far from being clear, nay, it is thick and heavy with death-damps of mutual distrust, which bring no increase to England’s greatness, but greatly the reverse. There are those who think that our trade, especially in its more speculative department, has become thoroughly rotten; and one thing is quite certain, that many well-known infamous transactions have sapped the foundations of credit, and stained our national honour. Is all England bankrupt, and our wealth a sham? Let us hope not. But who can see without alarm the great portion of our trade which is going from us through the folly of the many who combine to regulate what ought to be left perfectly free? If our trade continues much longer to depart from us, we shall become a generation of beggars, who will deserve no pity because we brought out poverty upon ourselves. There are, we fear, dark days coming upon this land; in fact, the dark days are come; for in no year of the last twenty has there been, brethren, such deep and wide-spread distress in London as at the present moment. I am far from endorsing all the fears of the timid, yet I do see much ground for pleading earnestly with God to send to our rulers political wisdom to end the bitter disputes of class with class, and to our whole nation grace to repent of its many sins that the chastening rod may be withdrawn. Apart from these, we have each a share of home-trials. Is there one here who is happy enough wholly to escape from the troubles of the hearth? Some have the wolf at the door, shortness of bread just now is felt in the houses of many a Christian; some of you are compelled to eat your bread with carefulness, and go to your God in the morning and ask him to provide for you your daily food, and repeat that prayer with more meaning than usual, for just now God is making us to feel that he can break the staff of bread and send a famine in the land, if so he wills it. Many who are not altogether poor are, nevertheless, in sorrow, for reverses in business have, during the last few months, brought the affairs of many of the Lord’s people into a very perilous state, so that they cannot but be troubled in spirit. Vexations abound and many a path is strewn with thorns. If this is not the shape of our trouble, sickness may be raging where penury has not entered. Beyond all these there may be afflictions which it were not well to mention—griefs which must be carried by the mother alone, trials which the father alone must bear, or sorrows in which none but the daughter can share. We all have our omer full of trials, day by day this bitter manna falls around the camp. Trials arising from the church of God are many, and we add, that to the genuine Christian they are as heavy as any which he has to bear. I am sure, to those of us who have to look upon the church with the anxious eye of loving shepherds, to those of us who are set by God for the guidance and rule of his people, there are troubles enough, and more than enough, to bow us to the earth. In the best-ordered church, such as this is and long has been, it must needs be that offences come. Sometimes it is a jealousy between brethren; at another time a strife between sisters; sometimes it is this one who has fallen into gross sin (God forgive these, who have pierced us through with many sorrows!) and another time it is a gradual backsliding which the pastor can detect, but which the subject of it cannot discern. Sometimes it is a heresy, which, springing up, troubles us; at another time it is a slander, which, like a deadly serpent, creeps through the grass. I have had little enough to complain of in these respects, but still such things are with us, even with us, and we must not count them strange, as though some strange thing had happened to us. While men are imperfect there will be sins among the best of them, which will cause sorrow both to themselves and to those of the Lord’s people who are in fellowship with them. Worst of all are soul troubles. God save you from these. Oh the grief of being conscious of having fallen from high places of enjoyment, conscious of having wasted opportunities for eminent usefulness, conscious of having been lax in prayer, of having been negligent in study, of having been—alas! that we should have to add it—unguarded in word and act! Ah! friends, when the soul feels all this, and cannot get to the blood of sprinkling as it would, cannot return to the light of God’s countenance as it would desire, it is trouble indeed! It is terrible to be compelled to sit and sing “Where is the blessedness I knew, When first I saw the Lord? Where is the soul-refreshing view Of Jesus and his Word?” But my tale is all too long. It is clear that this mortal life has troubles enough. Suppose that these should meet, and that the man as a patriot is oppressed with the ills of his country, as a father and a husband is depressed with the cares of home, as a Christian afflicted with the troubles in the church, and as a saint made to walk heavily before the Lord because of inward afflictions: “why then he is in a sorry plight,” you say. Indeed he is; but, blessed be God, he is in a plight in which the words of the text are still applicable to him. “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.” Ceasing from this dolorous prelude, let us observe, that the advice of the text is very timely and wise; and, secondly, let us notice that the advice of the text is practicable; it is not given us to mock us, we must seek to carry it out; and lastly, and perhaps that last may yield us good cheer, the advice of the text is very precious. (For full sermon see LET NOT YOUR HEARTS BE TROUBLED) John 14:2 “In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. AMP In My Father’s house are many dwelling places. If it were not so, I would have told you, because I am going there to prepare a place for you. AMPC In My Father’s house there are many dwelling places (homes). If it were not so, I would have told you; for I am going away to prepare a place for you. NAU John 14:2 "In My Father's house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. KJV John 14:2 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. BGT John 14:2 ἐν τῇ οἰκίᾳ τοῦ πατρός μου μοναὶ πολλαί εἰσιν· εἰ δὲ μή, εἶπον ἂν ὑμῖν ὅτι πορεύομαι ἑτοιμάσαι τόπον ὑμῖν; NET John 14:2 There are many dwelling places in my Father's house. Otherwise, I would have told you, because I am going away to make ready a place for you. CSB John 14:2 In My Father's house are many dwelling places; if not, I would have told you. I am going away to prepare a place for you. ESV John 14:2 In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? NIV John 14:2 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. NLT John 14:2 There is more than enough room in my Father's home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? NRS John 14:2 In my Father's house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? NJB John 14:2 In my Father's house there are many places to live in; otherwise I would have told you. I am going now to prepare a place for you, In My Father’s house: 2Co 5:1 Heb 11:10,14-16 13:14 Rev 3:12,21 21:10-27 if it were not so: Joh 12:25,26 16:4 Lu 14:26-33 Ac 9:16 1Th 3:3,4 5:9 2Th 1:4-10 Titus 1:2 Rev 1:5 I go to prepare: Joh 13:33,36 17:24 Heb 6:20 9:8,23-26 11:16 Rev 21:2 Related Passages: Psalm 33:13;14 The LORD looks from heaven; He sees all the sons of men; 14 From His dwelling place He looks out On all the inhabitants of the earth, Isaiah 63:15 Look down from heaven and see from Your holy and glorious habitation; Where are Your zeal and Your mighty deeds? The stirrings of Your heart and Your compassion are restrained toward me. JESUS' PURPOSE FOR LEAVING TO PREPARE MANSIONS IN HEAVEN In My Father’s house (oikia) are many dwelling places ("abiding places," KJV - mansions; see note) - Jesus has just called them to believe in God and now He gives them a specific truth to believe about His Father, which will combat their being troubled. Trouble is real, but trouble is temporary. His Father's dwelling places are forever. It is all about our focus - temporal or eternal. Jesus sought to give them heart strengthening vertical vision as the antidote for their troubling horizontal vision. The first hope Jesus gives them to calm their hearts is the sure hope of heaven. With the phrase My Father's house (see note) Jesus is repeating His oneness with the Father and by using the word house alludes to the ideas of family, of love, of fellowship, of joy, etc in Heaven. D A Carson on My Father's house are many dwelling places - “The simplest explanation is best: My Father’s house refers to heaven, and in heaven are many rooms, many dwelling-places. The point is not the lavishness of each apartment, but the fact that such ample provision has been made, that there is more than enough space for every one of Jesus’ disciples to join Him in His Father’s home. Besides, have they not just been encouraged to trust Him (Jn 14:1), and always found strong reason to do so? Can they not therefore be assured that if heaven were other than what He has described, He would have told them?” (BORROW The Gospel according to John PAGE 488) John MacArthur on many dwelling places - The dwelling places of which the Lord spoke must not be pictured as separate buildings, as if heaven were a giant housing tract. The picture is rather of a father building additional rooms onto his house for his sons and their families, as was often done in Israel. In modern terms, the dwelling places might be pictured as rooms or apartments in the Father’s spacious house. The emphasis is on heaven’s intimacy, where “the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them” (Rev. 21:3+). (Read Rev 21:9-27+) (SEE The MacArthur Commentary) A T
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Spurgeon - “Obedience must have love for its mother, nurse, and food. The essence of obedience lies in the hearty love which prompts the deed rather than in the deed itself.....Some persons think that if they love Jesus, they must enter a convent, retire to a cell, dress themselves queerly, or shave their heads. It has been the thought of some men, ‘If we love Christ we must strip ourselves of everything we possess, put on sackcloth, tie ropes round our waists, and pine in the desert.’ Others have thought it wise to make light of themselves by oddity of dress and behavior. The Savior does not say anything of the kind; but, ‘If ye love me, keep my commandments.' Shallow sentimentally is not love, and cringing dread is not fear. Fearing God is hating evil (Proverbs 8:13), Loving God is keeping His commandments (John 14:15) Love (25) agapao - see noun agape) means to love unconditionally and sacrificially as God Himself loves sinful men (John 3:16), the way He loves the Son (John 3:35, 15:9, 17:23, 24). Note that agapao is a verb and by its verbal nature calls for action. This quality of love is not an emotion but is an action initiated by a volitional choice.
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Spurgeon - The personality of the Holy Spirit - Observe here, that each person (OF THE TRINITY) is spoken of as performing a separate office. “I will pray,” says the Son—that is intercession. “I will send,” says the Father—that is donation. “I will comfort,” says the Holy Spirit—that is supernatural influence. Oh! if it were possible for us to see the three persons of the Godhead, we should behold one of them standing before the throne with outstretched hands crying day and night, “O Lord, how long?” We should see one girt with Urim and Thummim, precious stones, on which are written the twelve names of the tribes of Israel; we should behold him crying unto his Father, “Forget not thy promises, forget not thy covenant;” we should hear him make mention of our sorrows, and tell forth our griefs on our behalf, for he is our intercessor. And if we could behold the Father, we should not see him a listless and idle spectator of the intercession of the Son, but we should see him with attentive ear listening to every word of Jesus, and granting every petition. Where is the Holy Spirit all the while? Is he lying idle? Oh, no; he is floating over the earth, and when he sees a weary soul, he says, “Come to Jesus, he will give you rest.” When he beholds an eye filled with tears, he wipes away the tears, and bids the mourner look for comfort on the cross. When he sees the tempest-tossed believer, he takes the helm of his soul and speaks the word of consolation; he helps the broken in heart, and binds up their wounds; and ever on his mission of mercy, he flies around the world, being everywhere present. Behold how the three persons work together. (SEE full sermon The Personality of the Holy Ghost) David Jeremiah - LIVE ABOVE DECEPTION JOHN 14:16 I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. In John 14:6 Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” Jesus is the truth. God accomplishes His will on earth through truth, and Satan accomplishes his purposes on earth through lies. When the child of God believes the truth, then the Spirit of God can work in him, God’s Word can work in him, and he can be set free from deception. But when we play with the deceptive words of Satan and allow that deception into our hearts, we open the door for him to wreak havoc in our lives and in the lives of our families. Every time there is destruction among God’s people, it’s because the deceiver has been allowed to have just a little bit of a foothold in someone’s life. Today, the spirit of deception is rampant. But let’s not forget that in the midst of this problem, there is Jesus. In the midst of the deception, there is the Truth. In the midst of all of the seduction of our society, there is the absolute, rock-solid person of the Lord Jesus Christ—the Way, the Truth, and the Life. When we put our trust in Him, we can live above deception and on the level of truth. (BORROW Sanctuary PAGE 105) Norman Geisler - JOHN 14:16—Are Muslims right in referring this promise of the coming “helper” to Mohammed? PROBLEM: Muslim scholars see in this reference of the promised “Helper” (Gk., paraklētos) a prediction of Mohammed, because the Quran (Surah 61:6) refers to Mohammed as “Ahmad” (periclytos) which they take to be the correct rendering of “paraklētos.” SOLUTION: There are absolutely no grounds for concluding the “Helper” (paraklētos) Jesus mentioned here is Mohammed. First of all, of the 5,366 Greek manuscripts of the NT, not a single manuscript contains the word periclytos (“praised one”), as the Muslims claim it should read. Second, Jesus clearly identifies the “Helper” as the Holy Spirit, not Mohammed. Jesus referred to “the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send” (John 14:26). Third, the “Helper” was given to His disciples (“you,” v. 16), but Mohammed was not. Fourth, the “Helper” was to abide with them “forever” (v. 16), but Mohammed has been dead for 13 centuries! Fifth, Jesus said to the disciples, “You know Him [the Helper]” (v. 17), but they did not know Mohammed. He wasn’t even born for 6 more centuries. Sixth, Jesus told His apostles, the Helper will be “in you” (v.17). In no sense was Mohammed “in” Jesus’ apostles. Seventh, our Lord affirmed the Helper would be sent “In My [Jesus’] name” (John 14:26). But no Muslim believes Mohammed was sent by Jesus in His name. Eighth, the Helper Jesus would send would not “speak on His own authority” (John 16:13), whereas Mohammed constantly testifies to himself in the Quran (cf. Surah 33:40). Ninth, the Helper would “glorify” Jesus (John 16:14), but Mohammed claims to supersede Jesus, being a later prophet. Finally, Jesus asserted that the Helper would come in “not many days” (Acts 1:5), whereas Mohammed did not come for 600 years. (When Critics Ask) Norman Geisler - JOHN 14:16—Does this text support the claim of Christian Scientists that it refers to “Divine Science”? MISINTERPRETATION: Mary Baker Eddy once boasted, “This Comforter I understand to be Divine Science [Christian Science]” which she founded. She also claimed that “when the Science of Christianity appears, it will lead you into all truth” (Eddy, 55, 271). CORRECTING THE MISINTERPRETATION: It is clear from both the words of Jesus here and the context that he was not referring to Mary Baker Eddy or her “Divine Science.” First of all, Jesus refers to the Comforter (or Helper) as “he”—not “she” (as Mary Baker Eddy was) or “it” as Divine Science is. Jesus identified the Helper as the “Spirit of truth” in the very next verse. A little later the Helper is called “the Holy Spirit” (v. 26) who is identified with the Father and the Son in the Holy Trinity (Matt. 28:19; 2 Cor. 13:14). There is absolutely no evidence that the Helper is anyone but God the Holy Spirit. (When Cultists Ask) C H Spurgeon - The Paraclete John 14:16 Honour the Spirit of God as you would honour Jesus Christ if he were present. If Jesus Christ were dwelling in your house you would not ignore him; you would not go about your business as if he were not there. Do not ignore the presence of the Holy Spirit in your soul. I beseech you, do not live as if you had not heard whether there were any Holy Spirit. To him pay your constant adorations. Reverence the august guest who has been pleased to make your body his sacred abode. Love him, obey him, worship him. Take care never to impute the vain imaginings of your fancy to him. I have seen the Spirit of God shamefully dishonoured by persons—I hope they were insane—who have said that they have had this and that revealed to them. There has not for some years passed over my head a single week in which I have not been pestered with the revelations of hypocrites or maniacs. Semi-lunatics are very fond of coming with messages from the Lord to me, and it may spare them some trouble if I tell them once for all that I will have none of their stupid messages. When my Lord and Master has any message to me he knows where I am, and he will send it to me direct and not by madcaps. Never dream that events are revealed to you by heaven, or you may come to be like those idiots who dare impute their blatant follies to the Holy Spirit. If you feel your tongue itch to talk nonsense, trace it to the devil, not to the Spirit of God. Whatever is to be revealed by the Spirit to any of us is in the word of God already—he adds nothing to the Bible, and never will. Let those who have revelations of this, that and the other, go to bed and wake up in their senses. I only wish they would follow the advice, and no longer insult the Holy Spirit by laying their nonsense at his door. (See full sermon The Paraclete) PRAY FOR MORE THAN HELP; PRAY FOR THE HELPER. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever.—John 14:16 What is the most universal prayer prayed? Lord, help! When is the most common time that people pray? Anytime they need help! Jesus has great news for you. You can stop waiting until you need help to pray for it. In fact, you’ll never have to pray “Help!” again. Why? Because the Helper, also known as the “Comforter” or the “Counselor” is available to anticipate your needs and help you even before you know you’re going to need help! Jesus has breathed the Holy Spirit into us for one purpose … to help. He helps us pray when we don’t know how to pray (Romans 8:26+). The Spirit helps us make wise decisions so we won’t always be crying “Help!” after making foolish decisions. The indwelling Holy Spirit imparts knowledge, wisdom, understanding and power to us (Isa. 11:2). That means we not only can know what’s right; we have the power to do what’s right! So what are you waiting for? If you are not a follower of Jesus, repent of your past sins, be baptized and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38). If you are a follower of Jesus, stop crying out for help. Instead, cry out for the Helper to always guide and direct your ways. (SEE 77 Irrefutable Truths of Prayer - Page 33) C H Spurgeon - Morning and Evening - John 14:16 Without Him we can do nothing, but by His almighty energy the most extraordinary results can be produced Great Father revealed himself to believers of old before the coming of his Son, and was known to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as the God Almighty. Then Jesus came, and the ever-blessed Son in his own proper person, was the delight of his people’s eyes. At the time of the Redeemer’s ascension, the Holy Spirit became the head of the present dispensation, and his power was gloriously manifested in and after Pentecost. He remains at this hour the present Immanuel—God with us, dwelling in and with his people, quickening, guiding, and ruling in their midst. Is his presence recognized as it ought to be? We cannot control his working; he is most sovereign in all his operations, but are we sufficiently anxious to obtain his help, or sufficiently watchful lest we provoke him to withdraw his aid? Without him we can do nothing, but by his almighty energy the most extraordinary results can be produced: everything depends upon his manifesting or concealing his power. Do we always look up to him both for our inner life and our outward service with the respectful dependence which is fitting? Do we not too often run before his call and act independently of his aid? Let us humble ourselves this evening for past neglects, and now entreat the heavenly dew to rest upon us, the sacred oil to anoint us, the celestial flame to burn within us. The Holy Ghost is no temporary gift, he abides with the saints. We have but to seek him aright, and he will be found of us. He is jealous, but he is pitiful; if he leaves in anger, he returns in mercy. Condescending and tender, he does not weary of us, but awaits to be gracious still. Sin has been hammering my heart Unto a hardness, void of love, Let supplying grace to cross his art Drop from above. Grieve Not The Spirit I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever. — John 14:16 Today's Scripture : Ephesians 4:25-32 If money were missing mysteriously from your wallet, you would be angry. But if you discovered that your child was the one who stole it, your anger would quickly turn into grief. One use of the word grief is to describe the sorrow we feel when those we love disappoint us. “Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God” (Eph. 4:30) essentially means not to hurt the One who loves us and is here to help us. For we read Jesus’ words in John 14:26 that the Holy Spirit is sent to us by the Father to be our Helper. When the Holy Spirit in us is grieved by our actions or attitudes, the result can be tremendous tension. The Spirit pulls us in one direction, but the lusts of the flesh pulls us in another. Paul describes this in Galatians 5:17, “For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.” If this continues, we may begin to feel guilty and dissatisfied with life. Soon, joy and vigor may diminish within us, only to be replaced by listlessness and lethargy (Ps. 32:3-4). Holy Spirit, all divine, Dwell within this heart of mine; Cast down every idol throne, Reign supreme and reign alone. —Reed The Christian’s heart is the Spirit’s home. Called Alongside I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper. — John 14:16 Today's Scripture : John 14:15-18 A few years ago, a 42-foot sailboat got caught in stormy seas off the east coast of the United States. Waves rose higher and higher until a giant wave flipped the boat upside down. The heavy keel righted the craft, but damage was significant. A Coast Guard cutter quickly responded to the sailboat’s SOS. But when the ship located the desperate boat, no one could be rescued because of the violent seas. So the cutter drew as close as possible to the smaller craft, taking the brunt of the waves. The ship remained alongside the imperiled boat and led her into port. The action of this Coast Guard cutter is an illustration of the ministry of the Holy Spirit. Jesus told His disciples in John 14:16, “I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper.” The word Helper may also be translated “Comforter” or “Counselor,” and literally means “one called alongside to help.” The Holy Spirit guides and protects us through life’s storms, much like that rescue ship escorted the sailboat. The long, long night is past, the morning breaks at last, And hushed the dreadful wail and fury of the blast, As o'er the golden hills the day advances fast! The Comforter has come! —Bottome God's Spirit lives inside us, and also walks beside us. ILLUSTRATION - John 14:16 Jackie Robinson was the first black to play major league baseball. Breaking baseball’s color barrier, he faced jeering crowds in every stadium. While playing one day in his home stadium in Brooklyn, he committed an error. The fans began to ridicule him. He stood at second base, humiliated, while the fans jeered. Then, shortstop Pee Wee Reese came over and stood next to him. He put his arm around Jackie Robinson and faced the crowd. The fans grew quiet. Robinson later said that arm around his shoulder saved his career. --Leadership We Need Help I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever. — John 14:16 Today's Scripture : John 16:7-15 I like to do jobs around the house by myself. One day I disassembled our heavy ping-pong table and strained as I carried it to the basement piece by piece. I was sore for a while after hauling the sections down the steps. Sometimes, though, I need to ask for help. There’s no way I’m climbing on the roof to retrieve a stranded toy without someone holding the ladder. And some jobs I simply cannot do without the know-how of my handy brother-in-law. To succeed in our walk of faith as Christians, we all need help. We can’t do it by ourselves. We need the help of all three Persons of the Trinity—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit—to give us guidance, strength, and instruction. Look at what Jesus said before He went to the cross. He told His disciples that He was going away but He would send them a Helper—the Holy Spirit (John 16:7). He knew that His followers could not fulfill their purpose in this world without the Spirit’s indwelling presence. Father, thank You for Your Spirit, Fill us with His love and power; Change us into Christ's own image Day by day and hour by hour. —Anon. God the Father gave us His Spirit to enable us to be like His Son. Unopened Gifts I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever. —John 14:16 Today's Scripture : John 14:12-31 Can you imagine a child on Christmas morning leaving his presents unopened? Yet, millions of people are doing something like that by ignoring or rejecting Jesus Christ as their Savior. Everyone has a gift with a tag that reads: TO: (your name) FROM: God. But it can be opened only by repentance and faith. God hasn’t given us just one gift, however. He singled out a second gift-giving occasion. At Christmastime, we celebrate God’s gift of His Son to the world. But on the Day of Pentecost, He and His Son together gave to believers another gift-the Holy Spirit (John 14:16; 16:7). Again, imagine a child at Christmas who opens just one package but leaves all the others tightly wrapped. Today the Holy Spirit indwells every believer, yet we often fail to make full use of all that He has given to us. If we ask Him, the Holy Spirit will lead us into a better understanding of God’s Word, give us the assurance of God’s care and keeping power, and transform us into Christ’s likeness. This Christmas, let’s consider the significance of the Holy Spirit’s coming and ask the Lord to help us experience all of His benefits more fully. Let the fullness of Your Spirit Fall upon us here this hour; How we need a new anointing Of the Holy Ghost and power. -Jarvis The Father gave us the Spirit to make us like His Son. John 14:17 that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you. the Spirit: Joh 15:26 Jn 16:13 1Jn 2:27 4:6 Whom: Pr 14:10 1Co 2:14 Rev 2:17 but: Joh 14:16,23 Isa 57:15 59:21 Eze 36:27 Ro 8:9,11,13,14 1Co 3:16 6:19 2Co 6:16 Eph 2:22 3:17 2Ti 1:14 1Jn 2:27 3:24 4:12,13 Will be in you: Mt 10:20 Ro 8:10 1Co 14:15 2Co 13:5 Ga 4:6 Col 1:27 1Jn 4:4 Related Passages: John 15:26+ “When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify about Me, John 16:13+ “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. 1 John 2:27+ As for you, the anointing (THE SPIRIT - 1Jn 2:20) which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him. 1 Corinthians 2:14+ But a natural man does not accept (dechomai) the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. JESUS' PROMISE THAT THE SPIRIT WILL ABIDE IN THE DISCIPLES that is the Spirit (pneuma) of truth (aletheia), Whom the world (kosmos - "anti-god" world) (ou = absolutely) cannot receive (lambano), because it (absolutely) does not see Him or know (ginosko) Him - The fact that they cannot receive the Spirit indicates Jesus is describing the unbelieving world. He emphasizes that because of their unbelief they do not see or know the Spirit. The world is quite unaware of the Spirit’s activities. The word Jesus uses for know (ginosko) emphasizes the idea of knowing by experience, something the unbelieving world would not experience. Marvin Vincent on Spirit of Truth - "A most exquisite title," says Bengel. The Spirit, who has the truth, reveals it, by knowledge in the understanding; confers it by practical proof and taste in the will; testifies of it to others also through those to whom He has revealed it; and defends that truth, of which 1:17 speaks, grace and truth.... The truth makes all our virtues true. Otherwise there is a kind of false knowledge, false faith, false hope, false love; but there is no such thing as false truth." A T Robertson on Spirit of Truth - The Holy Spirit is marked by it (genitive case), gives it, defends it (cf. John 1:17), in contrast to the spirit of error (1 John 4:6). Cannot receive (ou dunatai labein). Left to itself the sinful world is helpless (1 Cor. 2:14; Romans 8:7-8), almost Paul's very language on this point. The world lacks spiritual insight (ou theōrei) and spiritual knowledge (oude ginōskei). It failed to recognize Jesus (John 1:10) and likewise the Holy Spirit. Rod Mattoon on Spirit of Truth - He is the source of truth and communicates truth to His own. He helps us to understand the truths of God’s Word. He never leads us to contradict God’s Word. When people claim that the Spirit led them to do something that contradicts God’s Word, they are in error and possibly deceived. God is not the author of confusion and will not lead us to contradict the clear teachings of His Word. The world does not know the Holy Spirit, see Him, or receive Him. Radio or television waves go unnoticed without a radio or television because we are not tuned into them. The lost are not naturally in tune with the Holy Spirit. They have no spiritual life and walk in darkness. but you know (ginosko - present) Him because He abides (meno in timeless present) with you and will be in you - In sharp contrast (but) Jesus explains that the 11 will know (ginosko) the Spirit experientially and that He is even now with them but also gives a prophetic promise that He will be in them, a promise that will be fulfilled on the Day of Pentecost. Truth (225) aletheia from a = indicates following word has the opposite meaning ~ without + lanthano = to be hidden or concealed, to escape notice, cp our English "latent" from Latin = to lie hidden) has the literal sense of that which contains nothing hidden. Aletheia is that which is not concealed. Aletheia is that which that is seen or expressed as it really is (this idea is discussed more below). The basic understanding of aletheia is that it is the manifestation of a hidden reality (eg, click discussion of Jesus as "the Truth"). For example, when you are a witness in a trial, the court attendant says "Raise your right hand. Do you swear that you will tell the truth and nothing but the truth so help you God?" And you say, "I do" and you sit down. The question the court attendant is asking is "Are you willing to come into this courtroom and manifest something that is hidden to us that only you know so that you will bear evidence to that?" Therefore when you speak the truth, you are manifesting a "hidden reality". Does that make sense? An parallel example in Scripture is the case of the woman in the crowd who had touched Jesus (Read context = Mk 5:24-25, 26-27, 28-29, 30, 31-32), but when she became "aware of what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him, and told Him the whole truth " (Mk 5:33) and nothing but the truth. She did not lie. She spoke no falsehoods. Truth then is the correspondence between a reality and a declaration which professes to set forth or describe the reality. To say it another way, words spoken or written are true when they correspond with objective reality. Persons and things are true when they correspond with their profession (which we describe with words like integrity, sincerity, non-hypocritical, etc). In other words, "what you see is what you get". Hence a truth is a declaration which has corresponding reality, or a reality which is correctly set forth. Since God is Himself the great reality, that which correctly sets forth His nature is pre-eminently the Truth of Creation (Natural Revelation) and the Truth of Scripture (Special Revelation). Thus it is not surprising that rebellious, sinful men actively hold down or suppress the Truth of Creation (and the glorious Creator) (Ro 1:18+) and even exchange the truth, the clearly manifested (and objective) reality (Creation) for the lie (Ro 1:25+). Aletheia in John's writings - Jn. 1:14; Jn. 1:17; Jn. 3:21; Jn. 4:23; Jn. 4:24; Jn. 5:33; Jn. 8:32; Jn. 8:40; Jn. 8:44; Jn. 8:45; Jn. 8:46; Jn. 14:6; Jn. 14:17; Jn. 15:26; Jn. 16:7; Jn. 16:13; Jn. 17:17; Jn. 17:19; Jn. 18:37; Jn. 18:38; 1 Jn. 1:6; 1 Jn. 1:8; 1 Jn. 2:4; 1 Jn. 2:21; 1 Jn. 3:18; 1 Jn. 3:19; 1 Jn. 4:6; 1 Jn. 5:6; 2 Jn. 1:1; 2 Jn. 1:2; 2 Jn. 1:3; 2 Jn. 1:4; 3 Jn. 1:1; 3 Jn. 1:3; 3 Jn. 1:4; 3 Jn. 1:8; 3 Jn. 1:12 C H Spurgeon - The saint and the Spirit John 14:17 Jesus Christ gave us his righteousness and his blood, but he did a great deal more; he gave us himself: he ‘loved me, and gave himself for me.’ You have learned to distinguish between the gifts of Christ, and Christ himself. Now, the Holy Spirit gives us his operations and his influences, for which we should be very grateful, but the greatest gift is not the operation nor the influence, but himself: ‘he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.’ The great covenant gift is the Holy Spirit himself. Do you understand that truth? It is asserted many times in Scripture that the bodies of the saints are the temples of the Holy Spirit. God dwells in you; you are the temples of God. Now, do not cut that down and say that it means that he influences us and operates upon us. It does mean that, but it means a great deal more; it means literally this, that the Holy Spirit, the third Person of the sacred Trinity, actually dwells in every regenerate man and woman, that he has made our bodies to be his shrine, and that he is the indwelling Lord. Do you perceive this grand doctrine? It involves not merely the graces of God, nor the operations of the Spirit, but the Spirit himself dwelling in us. He is everywhere, he fills all in all, but still he has a special residence; and though we are told in John 14:23 that the Father and the Son take up their abode with us, yet this is not in the same sense in which the Holy Spirit does. He personally dwells in the church and in each believer. God the Holy Spirit is pleased to dwell in our bodies, not so as to deify our humanity, or to take us into connection with Deity in the same way as the humanity of Jesus was exalted, but still so as truly to dwell in us and abide in us. Brethren, gather up this manna; it is better than angels’ food. (See full sermon The Saint and the Spirit) C H Spurgeon - Intimate knowledge of the Holy Spirit John 14:17 When our Lord Jesus Christ came upon the earth and was beheld as God in human flesh, that was to us the pledge of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in us, for, as God dwelt in the human person of the Lord Jesus Christ, even so does the Spirit abide in our humanity. Our Lord’s life on earth was the picture of the Spirit’s indwelling. As he was anointed of the Spirit, even so are we in our measure. He ‘went about doing good’. He lived consecrated to God, loving the sons of men; thus will the Spirit of God within us cause us to live: we shall imitate the Christ of God through the Spirit of God. The death of Christ was the way by which the Spirit was enabled to come to sinful men. By his great sacrifice the stone is rolled away which once blocked the road. ‘’Tis through the purchase of his death, Who hung upon the tree, The Spirit is sent down to breathe On such dry bones as we.’ When our Lord rose from the dead, we had the guarantee that even so the Spirit of God would quicken our mortal bodies and renew us into newness of life. But it was when our Lord ascended up on high, leading captivity captive, that the Holy Spirit was, to the full, actually given. When our Redeemer returned to his Father’s throne, he scattered the largess of heaven: he gave the Holy Spirit to men of various offices and to his whole church; then were the days of refreshing by divine visitation. Your ascended Lord gives you this token of his love, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in you: prize it above all things. Do you know it? (See full sermon Intimate Knowledge of the Holy Spirit) J C Philpot - "The Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it sees Him not, neither knows Him." John 14:17 The world—that is, the world dead in sin, and the world dead in profession—men destitute of the life and power of God—must have something that it can see. And, as heavenly things can only be seen by heavenly eyes, they cannot receive the things which are invisible. Now this explains why a religion that presents itself with a degree of beauty and grandeur to the natural eye will always be received by the world—while a spiritual, internal, heartfelt and experimental religion will always be rejected. The world can receive a religion that consists of forms, rites, and ceremonies. These are things seen. Beautiful buildings, painted windows, pealing organs, melodious choirs, the pomp and parade of an earthly priesthood, and a whole apparatus of 'religious ceremony,' carry with them something that the natural eye can see and admire. The world receives all this 'external religion' because it is suitable to the natural mind and intelligible to the reasoning faculties. But the quiet—inward—experimental—divine religion—which presents no attractions to the outward eye, but is wrought in the heart by a divine operation—the world cannot receive this—because it presents nothing that the natural eye can rest upon with pleasure, or is adapted to gratify their general idea of what religion is or should be. Do not marvel, then, that worldly professors despise a religion wrought in the soul by the power of God. Do not be surprised if even your own relatives think you are almost insane, when you speak of the consolations of the Spirit, or of the teachings of God in your soul. They cannot receive these things, for they have no experience of them—and being such as are altogether opposed to the carnal mind, they reject them with enmity and scorn. Related Resources: The Promise: Experiencing God's Greatest Gift, the Holy Spirit - by Tony Evans EXCERPT -"When God saved us, He gave us all the component parts necessary for spiritual life and victory. But we are dependent creatures. We have not been designed to work on our own. Only as we are empowered by the indwelling Holy Spirit will we produce what our lives are supposed to produce. If you don’t rely on that power, don’t be surprised if the milk of your life turns sour and the ice cream begins to melt. God never intended us to live the Christian life on our own. The Holy Spirit is His supernatural gift to make the new being we have become alive and real. In the pages that follow I will seek to demonstrate from Scripture and illustrate from real life the importance of the Person and work of the Holy Spirit.Our study will seek to avoid the extreme of many in the fundamentalist community who allow the doctrine of the Holy Spirit to be a smokescreen which keeps them from experiencing His reality, resulting in a dead orthodoxy and truth without experience. On the other hand, we want to avoid the extreme of many in the charismatic community who seek an experience at the expense of doctrine, which results in an empty, emotional fanaticism.It is my contention that this wonderful yet mysterious member of the Trinity is not some esoteric Being or irrelevant theological truth unrelated to time, space, and our day-to-day realities. On the contrary, the Holy Spirit is the heart and soul of the Christian faith and the victorious Christian life, and if we don’t get plugged into Him we will continue to experience defeat after defeat. The Holy Spirit is necessary to make sure that our knowledge about God is transformed into an experience with God. He is a Person Who performs, and He represents a doctrine that delivers.(ED: I LOVE THIS METAPHOR) Once plugged in we will experience the supernatural wonder of a life in which the “Freon” of God’s grace flows through the conduits of our new nature, keeping our spiritual lives at a temperature that, like an expensive refrigerator, protects us from spoil and ruin and keeps us fresh for God and nourishing to others. (Page 10 in The Promise: Experiencing God's Greatest Gift, the Holy Spirit) MY PRAYER FOR YOU TODAY AS YOU READ THIS NOTE... LORD LET THE "FREON" FLOW THROUGH US, QUICKLY CONFESSING SINS LEST WE IMPEDE THE FLOW AND FUNCTION, SO THAT WE MIGHT EXPERIENCE THE SPIRIT EMPOWERED SUPERNATURAL LIFE OF CHRIST FOR YOUR GLORY AND HONOR AND GROWTH OF YOUR KINGDOM ON EARTH. IN THE MIGHTY NAME OF MESSIAH. AMEN. The Holy Spirit-Walking Like Jesus Walked! Filled with His Spirit/Richly Indwelt with His Word - Chart Comparing A Spirit Filled Church The Holy Spirit-James Smith John 14:18 “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. I will not leave you: Joh 14:16,27 Jn 16:33 Ps 23:4 Isa 43:1 Isa 51:12 Isa 66:11-13 2Co 1:2-6 2Th 2:16 Heb 2:18 orphans, La 5:3 Ho 14:3 will come: Joh 14:3,28 Ps 101:2 Ho 6:3 Mt 18:20 Mt 28:20 Related Passages: 2 Corinthians 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 Who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. (ORPHANS DON'T HAVE A FATHER TO COMFORT THEM IN THEIR AFFLICTION!) 2 Thessalonians 2:16 Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us eternal comfort and good hope by grace, (ORPHANS DON'T HAVE A FATHER WHO LOVES THEM, COMFORTS THEM AND GIVES THEM HOPE!) JESUS PROMISES TO RETURN TO THE DISCIPLES I will (absolutely) not leave you as orphans - Jesus comforts the 11 with this truth. He knows they will be confused and uncertain of what their future held when He departed. They would soon find that what they feared was the end, was really just the beginning of an amazing ministry for each of them! Yes, He would leave to go to the Cross, but He would not leave them forever. And orphans do not have parents but God is their (our) Father forever! Adam
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Spurgeon - IT is not every believer who has yet learned to pray in Christ’s name. To ask not only for his sake, but in his name, as authorized by him, is a high order of prayer. We would not dare to ask for some things in that blessed name, for it would be a wretched profanation of it; but when the petition is so clearly right that we dare set the name of Jesus to it, then it must be granted. Prayer is all the more sure to succeed because it is for the Father’s glory through the Son. It glorifies his truth, his faithfulness, his power, his grace. The granting of prayer, when offered in the name of Jesus, reveals the Father’s love to him, and the honour which he has put upon him. The glory of Jesus and of the Father are so wrapped up together, that the grace which magnifies the one magnifies the other. The channel is made famous through the fulness of the fountain, and the fountain is honoured through the channel by which it flows. If the answering of our prayers would dishonour our Lord, we would not pray; but since in this thing he is glorified, we will pray without ceasing in that dear name in which God and his people have a fellowship of delight. THOUGHT - How would I classify my prayers? Are they big prayers? Are they prayers in God's will? I have several times felt silly praying for the salvation of all my high school classmates and all my medical school classmates, but as I study this section, I am encouraged to keep it up. I am reminded of a great hymn written by John Newton with music by Matt Foreman (who sings the hymn). Take a moment and listen to this beautiful hymn and pay close attention to powerful words! If this does not stir your soul, I don't know what will! Indeed, may God's Spirit stir all of our hearts to pray "big prayers" to our our great God that He might receive great glory. In the Name of Jesus. Amen. Come, my soul, thy suit prepare, Jesus loves to answer prayer; He Himself has bid thee pray, Therefore will not say thee nay. Thou art coming to a king, Large petitions with thee bring; For His grace and power are such, None can ever ask too much. With my burden I begin, Lord, remove this load of sin! Let Thy blood, for sinners spilt, Set my conscience free from guilt. Lord! I come to Thee for rest, Take possession of my breast; There Thy blood bought right maintain, And without a rival reign. While I am a pilgrim here, Let Thy love my spirit cheer; As my Guide, my Guard, my Friend, Lead me to my journey’s end. Show me what I have to do, Every hour my strength renew; Let me live a life of faith, Let me die Thy people’s death. The “name it and claim it” preachers have grossly misused this verse as a blanket promise to get anything one wants. In light of this abuse see Gotquestion's response below... QUESTION Is “name it claim it” teaching biblical? ANSWER - The “name it and claim it” or “prosperity gospel” is not biblical and is in many ways antithetical to the true gospel message and the clear teaching of Scripture. While there are many different versions of the name it and claim it philosophy preached today, they all have similar characteristics. At its best, this teaching comes from the misinterpretation and misunderstanding of some Scriptures, and, at its worst, it is a completely heretical teaching that has the characteristics of cultic doctrine. The roots of the Word of Faith movement and the name it and claim it message have more in common with new age metaphysics than with biblical Christianity. However, instead of us creating our reality with our thoughts, as new age proponents advise, name it and claim it teachers tell us that we can use the “power of faith” to create our own reality or get what we want. In essence, faith is redefined from “a trust in a holy and sovereign God despite our circumstances” to “a way of controlling God to give us what we want.” Faith becomes a force whereby we can get what we want rather than an abiding trust in God even during times of trials and suffering. There are many areas where name it and claim it departs from biblical Christianity. The teaching really exalts man and his “faith” above God. In fact, many of the more extreme Word of Faith teachers teach that man was created on terms of equality with God and that man is the same class of being that He is Himself. This dangerous and heretical teaching denies the very basic tenets of biblical Christianity, which is why the extreme proponents of the name it and claim it teaching must be considered to be cultic and not truly Christian. Both the metaphysical cults and the name it and claim it teaching distort the truth and embrace the false teaching that our thoughts control reality. Whether it is the power of positive thinking or the prosperity gospel, the premise is the same—what you think or believe will happen is ultimately what controls what will happen. If you think negative thoughts or are lacking in faith, you will suffer or not get what you want. But on the other hand if you think positive thoughts or just have “enough faith,” then you can have health, wealth, and happiness now. This false teaching appeals to one of man’s most basic instincts, which is one reason why it is hugely popular. While the prosperity gospel and the idea of controlling one’s future with his thoughts or faith is appealing to sinful man, it is insulting to a sovereign God who has revealed Himself in Scripture. Instead of recognizing the absolute sovereign power of God as revealed in the Bible, the name it and claim it adherents embrace a false god who cannot operate apart from their faith. They present a false view of God by teaching that He wants to bless you with health, wealth, and happiness but cannot do so unless YOU have enough faith. Thereby God is no longer in control but man is. Of course, this is completely antithetical to what Scripture teaches. God does not depend upon man’s “faith” to act. Throughout Scripture we see God blessing whom He chooses to bless and healing whom He chooses to heal. Another problem with the name it and claim it teaching is that it fails to recognize that Jesus Himself is the ultimate treasure worth sacrificing everything for (Matthew 13:44) and instead sees Jesus as little more than a way of getting what we want right now. Jesus’ message is that a Christian is called to “deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?” (Matthew 16:24–26). Contrast that to the message of the prosperity gospel. Rather than being a message of self-denial, the prosperity gospel is one of self-satisfaction. Its goal is not becoming more Christlike through sacrifice but having what we want here and now, clearly contradicting the words of our Savior. The Bible teaches that “all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Timothy 3:12), but the name and claim it message is that any suffering we undergo is simply the result of a lack of faith. The prosperity gospel is completely focused on us getting the things the world has to offer, but 1 John 2:15 tells us we should not “love the world or the things in the world” and, in fact, those with a fondness for the things of the world become enemies of God (James 4:4). The message of the prosperity gospel simply cannot be any more opposite of what the Bible really teaches. In his book Your Best Life Now, prosperity teacher Joel Osteen says that the key to a more rewarding life, a better home, a stronger marriage, and a better job is found in a “simple yet profound process to change the way you think about your life and help you accomplish what is truly important.” How different that is from the biblical truth that this life now is nothing compared to the life to come. The message of the prosperity gospel is focused around the “treasures” or good things we want and can have now, while Jesus said, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:19–21). Jesus did not come to give us health, wealth, and happiness now. He came to save us from our sins so that we can have an eternity of bliss with Him. Following Christ is not a ticket to all the material things men desire in this life but a ticket to eternal life. Our desire should not be to have our best life now but to have the attitude of the apostle Paul, who had learned to be content “in whatever state I am” (Philippians 4:11).GotQuestions.org John
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Spurgeon - WHAT a wide promise! Anything! Whether large or small, all my needs are covered by that word “anything.” Come, my soul, be free at the mercy seat, and hear thy Lord saying to thee, “Open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it.” What a wise promise! We are always to ask in the name of Jesus. While this encourages us, it also honours him. This is a constant plea. Occasionally every other plea is darkened, especially such as we could draw from our own relation to God, or our experience of his grace; but at such times the name of Jesus is as mighty at the throne as ever, and we may plead it with full assurance. What an instructive prayer! I may not ask for anything to which I cannot put Christ’s hand and seal. I dare not use my Lord’s name to a selfish or wilful petition. I may only use my Lord’s name to prayers which he would himself pray if he were in my case. It is a high privilege to be authorized to ask in the name of Jesus as if Jesus himself asked; but our love to him will never allow us to set that name where he would not have set it. Am I asking for that which Jesus approves? Dare I put his seal to my prayer? Then I have that which I seek of the Father. John 14:15 “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. Joh 14:21-24 Jn 8:42 Jn 15:10-14 Jn 21:15-17 Mt 10:37 25:34-40 1Co 16:22 2Co 5:14,15 8:8,9 Ga 5:6 Eph 3:16-18 6:24 Php 1:20-23 3:7-11 1Pe 1:8 1Jn 2:3-5 4:19,20 5:2,3 Related Passages: John 8:51+ (HOW IMPORTANT IS OBEDIENCE? IT'S A MATTER OF LIFE OR DEATH) “Truly, truly, I say to you, IF (third class conditional = potential action) anyone keeps (tereo) My word he will never (JESUS USES A STRONG DOUBLE NEGATIVE - "ou me" ~ "NEVER, ABSOLUTELY NEVER) see (ETERNAL SPIRITUAL) death (HE IS NOT SPEAKING OF PHYSICAL DEATH WE WILL ALL EXPERIENCE).” (NOTE: OBEDIENCE PER SE DOES NOT SAVE, BUT IT DEMONSTRATES OUR FAITH IS GENUINE SAVING FAITH!) John 15:10 “If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. 1 John 2:3-5+ By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments. 4 The one who says, “I have come to know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; 5 but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him: 1 John 3:22; 24+ + and whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight. (3:24) The one who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. We know by this that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us. 1 John 5:3+ For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome. 2 John 1:6 And this is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, that you should walk in it. Luke 6:46+ “Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? (COMPARE JESUS STERN WARNING IN Mt 7:21-23,22+). LOVE LINKED TO OBEDIENCE If you love (agapao) Me, you will keep (tereo) My commandments - IF is a third class conditional sentence which speaks of potential action. You can say you love Jesus with your lips, but Jesus is saying you truly love Him when you say it with your life, when you truly obey Him. Jesus teaches that love is not something "touchy-feely" but is best defined by action, in this case obedience to His commandments. This is a description of a disciple, one whose love is not just with their lips but is validated by their life lived out in loving Spirit enabled obedience to Jesus. THOUGHT - As an aside Spirit enabled obedience to Jesus is clear evidence that one's faith is genuine. And one more point - Obedience is like a "key" which opens the unseen door to the supernatural life in Christ. Do not wonder why you are not experiencing the supernatural, abundant life in Christ (Jn 10:10) if you are entangled in sin. Confess and repent immediately (Pr 28:13+, 1Jn 1:9+)! The corollary is disobedience blunts the Spirit's flow of supernatural power and leaves you "on your own," to navigate the waters (often stormy and rough) of life in your own natural (inadequate) power! And most of us know where that has gotten us! Amen? Amen! Father, may Your children continually experience the supernatural power of the Spirit for your glory. Amen Bob
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Spurgeon - Faith's Checkbook - John 14:18 - HE left us, and yet we are not left orphans. He is our comfort, and he is gone; but we are not comfortless. Our comfort is that he will come to us, and this is consolation enough to sustain us through his prolonged absence. Jesus is already on his way: he says, “I come quickly”: he rides post-haste towards us. He says, “I will come”: and none can prevent his coming, or put it back for a quarter of an hour. He specially says, “I will come to you”; and so he will. His coming is specially to and for his own people. This is meant to be their present comfort while they mourn that the Bridegroom doth not yet appear. When we lose the joyful sense of his presence we mourn; but we may not sorrow as if there were no hope. Our Lord in a little wrath has hid himself from us for a moment; but he will return in full favour. He leaves us in a sense, but only in a sense. When he withdraws, he leaves a pledge behind that he will return. O Lord, come quickly! There is no life in this earthly existence if thou be gone. We sigh for the return of thy sweet smile. When wilt thou come unto us? We are sure thou wilt appear; but be thou like a roe, or a young hart. Make no tarrying, O our God! Kenneth Osbeck - May 23 HOLY SPIRIT, FAITHFUL GUIDE Words and Music by Marcus M. Wells, 1815–1895 I will not leave you comfortless; I will come to you. (John 14:18KJV) One of the Holy Spirit’s ministries is to lead us each day wherever our heavenly Father desires us to best represent Him. When vital decisions must be made, the Holy Spirit can open the Scriptures to us and illuminate our minds. By this faithful guidance of the Holy Spirit, we come to love and follow the will of God for our daily living. Many of our troubles occur because we fail to take counsel from the Holy Spirit and the Bible. Instead of first praying and seeking guidance, we act and then ask God to bless our actions. We must learn the lesson continually that effective Christian living is totally dependent upon an awareness and appreciation of the Holy Spirit’s intimate presence in our lives; we must have a willingness to be directed and controlled by Him. “Holy Spirit, Faithful Guide” was written and composed by an American farmer, Marcus M. Wells. He gave the following account for its writing: On a Saturday afternoon in October, 1858, while at work in my cornfield near Hardwick, New York, the sentiment of this hymn came to me. The next day, I finished the hymn and wrote a tune for it and sent it to Professor I. G. Woodbury. The hymn appeared in the next month’s issue of Woodbury’s periodical, The New York Musical Pioneer. These tender words still minister to us today: Holy Spirit, faithful Guide, ever near the Christian’s side, gently lead us by the hand, pilgrims in a desert land; weary souls fore’er rejoice, while they hear that sweetest voice whisp’ring softly, “Wand’rer come! Follow Me, I’ll guide thee home.” Ever-present, truest Friend, ever near Thine aid to lend, leave us not to doubt and fear, groping on in darkness drear; when the storms are raging sore, hearts grow faint, and hopes give o’er, whisper softly “Wand’rer come! Follow Me, I’ll guide thee home.” When our days of toil shall cease, waiting still for sweet release, nothing left but heav’n and prayer, knowing that our names are there, wading deep the dismal flood, pleading naught but Jesus’ blood, whisper softly, “Wand’rer come! Follow Me, I’ll guide thee home.” For Today: John 14:16, 26; 15:26; 16:13; Romans 8:4, 26, 27; 1 John 3:24 Determine to be especially aware of and sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s guidance, even in the minute decisions and actions of the day. Thank Him for His promised presence, even into eternity. Use this portion of the hymn to aid you in this exciting walk of faith. (BORROW Amazing Grace page 158) Norman Geisler - JOHN 14:18—Does this verse prove that Jesus is God the Father, as Oneness Pentecostals believe? MISINTERPRETATION: In John 14:18 Jesus affirmed to his disciples, “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you” (NIV). Oneness Pentecostals argue that since Jesus himself said he would not leave his disciples as “orphans,” Jesus must be their Father (see Haywood, n.d., 17). Does this verse prove that Jesus is the Father? CORRECTING THE MISINTERPRETATION: The Oneness Pentecostal interpretation of this verse confuses action with identity. Christ in action functions as a divine parent-figure who guides, nurtures, protects, and leads his disciples. But this doesn’t mean that Christ in identity is the Father. The apostle John speaks of the recipients of his first epistle as “my little children” (1Jn 2:1), “little children” (1Jn 2:12), and “children” (1Jn 2:18) but this does not mean that John was claiming to be God the Father. Neither is Christ “the Father” simply because he watches after his disciples and doesn’t leave them without his Spirit. The uniform testimony of Scripture is that the Father and Son are distinct persons within the unity of the one God. See the discussion of Matthew 28:19. (When Cultists Ask) John 14:19 “After a little while the world will no longer see Me, but you will see Me; because I live, you will live also. After a little while: Joh 7:33 Jn 8:21 Jn 12:35 Jn 13:33 Jn 16:16,22 because: Joh 14:6 Jn 6:56-58 Jn 11:25 Ro 5:10 8:34 1Co 15:20,45 2Co 4:10-12 Col 3:3,4 Heb 7:25 1Jn 1:1-3 Related Passages: Romans 8:10 If (SINCE) Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness. 11 But if the Spirit of Him Who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit Who dwells in you. 1 Corinthians 15:20-22 But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep. 21 For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. 1 Corinthians 15:20, 45 But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep.....45 So also it is written, “The first MAN, Adam, BECAME A LIVING SOUL.” The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. BELIEVING BRINGS SEEING AND LIVING IN CHRIST After a little while the world (kosmos) will no longer see Me - World in this context refers to humanity in general, the people who inhabit the earth, and in context would be those unbelieving Jews in Israel who had been given the incomparable privilege of witnessing first hand His miraculous ministry for 3+ years. They would not see Him after His resurrection, for then He appeared only to those who had believed in Him (1Cor 15:5-8). but you will see Me - As noted above after His resurrection the 11 disciples did see Him.
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Spurgeon - “A man is saved because Christ died for him, he continues saved because Christ lives for him. The sole reason why the spiritual life abides is because Jesus lives.” This promise recalls Jesus' earlier promise "I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies." (Jn 11:25+) This promise also recalls Paul's words in Colossians 3:3-4+ - "For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, [Who is] our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory." Bob
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Spurgeon - Life in Christ Excerpt - This world saw our Lord Jesus for a very little time, but now it seeth him no more. It only saw him with the outward eye and after a carnal sort, so that when the clouds received him and concealed him from bodily vision, this spiritually blind world lost sight of him altogether. Here and there, however, among the crowds of the sightless there were a few chosen men who had received spiritual sight; Christ had been light to them, he had opened their blind eyes, and they had seen him as the world had not seen him. In a high and full sense they could say, "We have seen the Lord," for they had in some degree perceived his Godhead, discerned his mission, and learned his spiritual presence of its object, those persons who had seen Jesus spiritually, saw him after he had gone out of the world unto the Father. We who have the same sight still see him. Read carefully the words of the verse before us: "Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me." It is a distinguishing mark of a true follower of Jesus that he sees his Lord and Master when he is not to be seen by the bodily eye; he sees him intelligently and spiritually; he knows his Lord, discerns his character, apprehends him by faith, gazes upon him with admiration as our first sight of Christ brought us into spiritual life, for we looked unto him and were saved, so it is by the continuance of this spiritual sight of Christ that our spiritual life is consciously maintained. We lived by looking, we live still by looking. Faith is still the medium by which life comes to us from the life-giving Lord. It is not only upon the first day of the Christian's life that he must needs look to Jesus only, but every day of that life, even until the last, his motto must be, "Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith." The world sees him no more, for it never saw him aright; but ye have seen him and lived, and now, through continuing still to see him, you remain in life. Let us ever remember the intimate connection between faith and spiritual life. Faith is the life-look. We must never think that we live by works, by feelings, or by ceremonies. "The just shall live by faith." We dare not preach to the ungodly sinner a way of obtaining life by the works of the law, neither dare we hold up to the most advanced believer a way of sustaining life by legal means. We should in such a case expect to hear the apostle's expostulation, "Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?" Our glorifying is that our life is not dependent on ourselves, but is safe in our Lord, as saith the apostle, "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." Because he lives, we live, and shall live for ever. God grant that our eye may ever be clear towards Jesus, our life. May we have no confidence but in our Redeemer; may our eyes be fixed upon him, that no other object may in any measure or degree shut out our view of him as our all in all..... This truth instructs us in many ways: let us hint at three. It instructs us to admire the condescension of Christ. Look at the two pronouns, ‘ye’ and ‘I’; shall they ever come into contact? Yes, here they stand in close connection with each other. ‘I’—the I AM, the Infinite; ‘ye’—the creatures of an hour; yet I, the Infinite, come into union with you, the finite; I, the Eternal, take up you, the fleeting, and I make you live because I live. What? Is there such a bond between me and Christ? Is there such a link between his life and mine? Blessed be his name! Adored be his infinite condescension! It next demands of us abundance of gratitude. Apart from Christ we are dead in trespasses and sins; look at the depth of our degradation! But in Christ we live, live with his own life. Look at the height of our exaltation, and let our thankfulness be proportioned to this infinite of mercy. Measure if you can from the lowest hell to the highest heaven, and so great let your thankfulness be to him who has lifted you from death to life. Let the last lesson be, see the all-importance of close communion with Jesus. Union with Christ makes you live; keep up your enjoyment of that union, that you may clearly perceive and enjoy your life. Begin this year with the prayer, ‘Nearer to thee, my Lord, nearer to thee.’ Think much of the spiritual life and less of this poor carnal life, which will so soon be over. Go to the source of life for an increase of spiritual life. Go to Jesus. Think of him more than you have done, pray to him more; use his name more believingly in your supplications. Serve him better, and seek to grow up into his likeness in all things. Make an advance this year. Life is a growing thing. Your life only grows by getting nearer to Christ. Spurgeon - Seeing Jesus Excerpt - WHATEVER religious privileges men of the world may have, they will lose them. It was a great favor to see Christ in the flesh. Kings and prophets had desired to see His day and had died disappointed because He had not come, but that sight of Him which the generation enjoyed in which Christ lived was taken from them. They were none the better, but in some respects they were all the worse for having seen Him, whose blood was on them and on their children. So, as a general truth, all the outward religious privileges which any of you may enjoy, if you do not become spiritual men and are not, indeed, Christ’s disciples, will be taken from you, speedily taken from you, leaving no blessing behind, but rather a curse. You are hearers of the Gospel today, some of you, though unconverted—but you shall not always hear it. There is a land where Sabbath bells never ring, where the joyful feet of the messengers of mercy are never seen, and where no loving expostulations and no affectionate entreaties will be addressed to you. Now you join in song with God’s people but you will not do so soon—another sound, more strange and full of trembling, will be in your ear. Some of you, it may be, unconverted as you are, even venture to touch the ordinances and have been baptized and have come to the Lord’s Table. There will be another baptism for you and you will eat bread at a far different table from that of the Lord by and by, for except you be converted, these, instead of being means of grace, shall be swift messengers against you to your condemnation Spurgeon - Sharing Christ's Life Excerpt - THIS WAS, and is, the mark of the true believer, that he see Jesus. When Jesus was here among men, the world saw him in a certain sense, but yet in truth it did not see him at all. The world's eye saw the outside of Christ-the flesh of the man Christ, but the true Christ the ungodly eye could not discern. They could not perceive those wonderful attributes of character, those delightful graces and charms, which made up the true spiritual Christ. They saw but the husk, and not the kernel; they saw the quartz of the golden nugget, but not the pure gold which that quartz contained. They saw but the external man; the real, spiritual Christ they could not see. But unto as many as God had chosen, Christ manifested himself as he did not unto the world. There were some to whom he said, "The world seeth me not, but ye see me." Some there were whose eyes were anointed with the heavenly eye-salve, so that they saw in the "the man Christ Jesus," the God, the glorious Saviour, the King of kings, the Wonderful, the Counsellor, the mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. The blind world said of him that he was a root out of a dry ground, and when they saw him there was no beauty in him that they should desire him; he was despised and rejected of men. But these men saw him as God over all blessed for ever, descending to tabernacle among men, and to take upon himself man's imperfect nature, that so he might redeem him from all iniquity and save him. Now, to this hour, this is the mark of the true Christian: this is to be of the elect: this is the very badge and symbol of the faithful-they see Jesus. They look beyond the clouds. Other men see the cloud and the darkness, and they wist not what it is; but these men with more than eagle eye pierce through the clouds of mere sensual impressions, and they see the glory that was always his, even the glory of the Only Begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. Beloved, have you ever seen Jesus with the eye of faith? Have you ever perceived the glory of his person, and the beauty of his character? Have you so perceived Jesus as to trust in him? Have you been so enamoured of him as to have yielded yourselves to be his servants for ever? Do you take up his cross? Do you avow yourselves to be his followers, come what may? If so, then are ye saved; but if ye see not Christ with your spirit, neither do ye know him, nor shall ye enjoy a portion with him. Spurgeon - Spiritual Sight and Eternal Life Excerpt - IT is very noticeable, in this verse, and in many other parts of the New Testament, what a sharp line of demarcation the Lord draws between his people and the world: “The world seeth me no more; but ye see me.” We have the same truth taught in John’s first Epistle: “We know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in the wicked one.” It is quite evident that our Lord kept prominent in his teaching the distinction, between the regenerate and the unregenerate, — the converted and the unconverted, — those who have been quickened by the Holy Spirit and those who have remained dead in trespasses and sins. This distinction, which our Lord kept up so strikingly, should always be made clear in every ministry. I do feel that much evil comes of a mode of address, which is adopted by some of my ministerial brethren, in which they speak to the entire congregation as though all who were present were Christians. That is a false theory to go upon, because it is not at all likely that any congregation ever gathered together will consist wholly of Christians....If you look carefully at our text, you will notice in it, first, a fact which should solemnize the mind of every unconverted person here, namely, that the religious, privileges, enjoyed by the world, will sooner or later be taken away: “Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more.” Secondly, the text very clearly tells us that the Holy Spirit has given to believers a sight of Christ: “but ye see me.” And, thirdly, this sight is accompanied by a life which is linked with the life of Christ: “because I live, ye shall live also.” The Comeback King A little while longer and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you will live also. — John 14:19 Today's Scripture : John 14:1-6 We admire anyone who makes a comeback after failure and defeat. In 2001, Sports Illustrated magazine featured an article on the greatest comebacks of all time. Surprisingly, they selected the resurrection of Jesus as number one. It was stated this way: “Jesus Christ, 33 ad. Defies critics and stuns the Romans with His resurrection.” How discerning! In any list of history’s comebacks, Jesus’ victory over the grave surely merits first place. Indeed, His resurrection is in a class that soars above any other comeback. Death ultimately triumphs over life. When a person dies, there is no possibility of renewed existence—at least not in this world. But that wasn’t so with Jesus. He had promised His disciples that after being crucified by His enemies, He would come back to life—triumphing over the grave. Matthew records this in his gospel: “Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things . . . and be killed, and be raised the third day” (16:21). And that is what happened to our Savior. When Jesus died upon the cruel cross, “This is the end,” thought many standing by; But we can put our faith in what He said: “If you believe in Me, you’ll never die.” —Hess The empty tomb is the foundation of our faith. Spurgeon - Faith's Checkbook - JESUS has made the life of believers in him as certain as his own. As sure as the head lives the members live also. If Jesus has not risen from the dead, then are we dead in our sins; but since he has risen, all believers are risen in him. His death has put away our transgressions, and loosed the bonds which held us under the death sentence. His resurrection proves our justification: we are absolved, and mercy saith, “The Lord hath put away thy sin, thou shalt not die.” Jesus has made the life of his people as eternal as his own. How can they die as long as he lives, seeing they are one with him? Because he dieth no more, and death hath no more dominion over him, so they shall no more return to the graves of their old sins, but shall live unto the Lord in newness of life. O believer, when, under great temptation, thou fearest that thou shalt one day fall by the hand of the enemy, let this reassure thee. Thou shalt never lose thy spiritual life, for it is hid with Christ in God. Thou dost not doubt the immortality of thy Lord; therefore, do not think that he will let thee die, since thou art one with him. The argument for thy life is his life, and of that thou canst have no fear; wherefore rest in thy living Lord. J C Philpot - "Yet a little while, and the world sees me no more; but you see me--because I live, you shall live also." John 14:19 Communion with Christ rests on three things--seeing him by faith, living upon his life, and experiencing his manifested presence. But all these three things depend on his resurrection and a knowledge of its power. As risen from the dead, the saints see him; as risen from the dead, they live a life of faith upon him; as risen from the dead, he manifests himself unto them; and as life and feeling spring up in their souls from sweet communion with him, the power of his resurrection becomes manifest in them. This communion, therefore, with the Lord Jesus as a risen Head all the reconciled and justified saints of God are pressing forward after, according to the measure of their grace and the life and power of God in their soul. It is indeed often sadly interrupted and grievously broken through, by the sin that dwells in us. But the principle is there, for that principle is life; and life is the privilege, the possession, and the distinction of the children of God. You need none to assure you that Jesus is risen from the dead if he manifests himself to your soul. You need no evidence that you are one of his sheep if you have heard and know his voice. So you may say, "Jesus is risen, for I have seen him; Jesus is risen, for I have heard him; Jesus is risen, for I live upon him." Communion with Jesus is the life of religion, and indeed without it religion is but an empty name. If without him we can do nothing; if he is our life, our risen covenant Head, our Advocate with the Father, our Husband, our Friend, our Brother, how are we to draw sap out of his fullness, as the branch from the vine, or to know him personally and experimentally in any one of his endearing relationships, unless by continual communion with him on his throne of grace? In fact, this is the grand distinguishing point between the living and the dead, between the true child of God and the mere professor, that the one has real union and communion with a risen Jesus, and the other is satisfied with a form of godliness. Every quickened soul is made to feel after the power of God, after communion from above, after pardon and peace, after visitations of mercy and grace; and when he has had a view of Christ by faith, and some revelation of his Person and work, grace and glory, nothing afterwards can ever really satisfy him but that inward communion of spirit with Jesus whereby the Lord and he become one; "for he that is joined to the Lord is one spirit." Kenneth Osbeck - BECAUSE HE LIVES Gloria Gaither, 1942– William J. Gaither, 1936– Because I live, you also will live. (John 14:19) Christ’s resurrection is our guarantee of at least two basic truths: First, He has the power to give His life to us and to bring us ultimately to glory to reign with Him forever. And second, His resurrection makes it possible for Him to live in our hearts and to be an integral part of our daily living. For the past two decades the music of Gloria and Bill Gaither has greatly enriched evangelical hymnody. But the song that has especially highlighted the Gaither’s ministry is one that reflects their own philosophy—the resurrection principle in the daily routines of life—“Because He Lives.” Bill Gaither recalls the circumstances that prompted the writing of this favorite: We wrote “BECAUSE HE LIVES” after a period of time when we had had a kind of dry spell and hadn’t written any songs for a while … Also at the end of the 1960’s, our country was going through some great turmoil with the height of the drug culture, and the whole “God is Dead” theory was running wild in our country. Also it was the peak of the Vietnam war. During that time our little son was born—at least Gloria was expecting him. I can remember at the time we thought, “Brother, this is really a poor time to bring a child into the world.” At times we were even quite discouraged by the whole thing. And then Benjy did come. We had two little girls whom we love very much, but this was our first son, and so that lyric came to us, “How sweet to hold our new-born baby and feel the pride and joy he gives, but better still the calm assurance that this child can face uncertain days because Christ lives.” And it gave us the courage to say, “Because Christ lives we can face tomorrow” and keep our heads high. God sent His son—they called Him Jesus; He came to love, heal and forgive; He lived and died to buy my pardon; an empty grave is there to prove my Savior lives. How sweet to hold a new-born baby and feel the pride and joy he gives; but greater still the calm assurance: This child can face uncertain days because Christ lives. And then one day I’ll cross the river; I’ll fight life’s final war with pain; and then, as death gives way to victory, I’ll see the lights of glory—and I’ll know He lives. Chorus: Because He lives I can face tomorrow, because He lives all fear is gone; because I know He holds the future and life is worth the living—just because He lives. For Today: John 6:40; Colossians 3:3, 4; 2 Timothy 1:10; 1 John 5:11 Live in the joyous confidence that the living, victorious Christ is guiding your life. Carry this musical truth with you as you go— (BORROW Amazing Grace - page 128) John 14:20 “In that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. you will know that I am in My Father: Joh 14:10 Jn 10:38 Jn 17:7,11,21-23,26 2Co 5:19 Col 1:19 2:9 ye in: Joh 6:56 Jn 15:5-7 Ro 8:1 16:7 1Co 1:30 2Co 5:17 12:2 13:5 Ga 2:20 Eph 2:10 Col 1:27 1Jn 4:12 DIVINE INTERRELATIONSHIP In that day - What day? This could refer to the day of Pentecost when they would receive the Spirit and their eyes would opened to the mysterious truths that Christ was living in them and through Him they shared life and union with the Father (and ultimately the Trinity). You will know (ginosko) that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you - Jesus and spoken of the unity He had with the Father (John 10:38; Jn 14:10-11, cf Jn 17:21-23). The interrelationship of the Father and Son and the disciples and Jesus would become clear in that day.
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Spurgeon quipped, the best thing, in the best place for the best result! One must be careful not to fall into the trap of having His commandments (e.g., memorizing them) and failing to obey what they had memorized. Jesus called those who behaved this way "hypocrites." Steven Cole on has My commandments as it applies to use today - To have Christ’s commandments you need to be in God’s Word consistently. Read it over and over until it shapes your worldview.....when you begin to read God’s Word, you discover that much that you thought was right is wrong and many things that you thought were wrong are right (Isa. 5:20-21). (Knowing Christ More Intimately John 14:21-24) The phrase disclose (emphanizo) Myself to him is not a promise for some mystical experience, but of greater levels of personal intimacy. Practically, as you read His Word, the Spirit may give you deeper insights and/or understanding of Jesus. This was Paul's great desire, writing to the Philippians "that I may know (ginosko by experience) Him, and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death." (Phil 3:10+). A W
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Spurgeon - Morning and Evening - “And will manifest Myself to him.”—John 14:21 The Lord Jesus gives special revelations of Himself to His people. Even if Scripture did not declare this, there are many of the children of God who could testify the truth of it from their own experience. They have had manifestations of their Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ in a peculiar manner, such as no mere reading or hearing could afford. In the biographies of eminent saints, you will find many instances recorded in which Jesus has been pleased, in a very special manner to speak to their souls, and to unfold the wonders of his person; yea, so have their souls been steeped in happiness that they have thought themselves to be in heaven, whereas they were not there, though they were well nigh on the threshold of it—for when Jesus manifests Himself to His people, it is heaven on earth; it is paradise in embryo; it is bliss begun. Especial manifestations of Christ exercise a holy influence on the believer’s heart. One effect will be humility. If a man says, “I have had such-and-such spiritual communications, I am a great man,” he has never had any communion with Jesus at all; for “God hath respect unto the lowly: but the proud he knoweth afar off.” (Ps 138:6KJV) He does not need to come near them to know them, and will never give them any visits of love. Another effect will be happiness; for in God’s presence there are pleasures for evermore (Ps 16:11KJV). Holiness will be sure to follow. A man who has no holiness has never had this manifestation. Some men profess a great deal; but we must not believe any one unless we see that his deeds answer to what he says. “Be not deceived; God is not mocked.” (Gal 6:7) He will not bestow his favours upon the wicked: for while he will not cast away a perfect man, neither will he respect an evil doer. Thus there will be three effects of nearness to Jesus—humility, happiness, and holiness. May God give them to thee, Christian! Adrian Rogers on Jn 14:21 Early sailors did not have global positioning satellites and radio signals to guide them, yet they sailed over the trackless seas by keeping their eyes on the heavens. They called this "keeping the stars." Keeping the stars is a whole lot like keeping the commandments. It doesn't mean sinless perfection. Any sailor could occasionally get blown off course, become distracted, and waver this way and that. Yet when our heart's desire is to keep God's Word, He steers us in the right direction. From the moment I gave my heart to Jesus, I have had a desire to keep His Word. Yes, Lord! He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. — John 14:21 Today's Scripture : John 14:15-21 The owner of a business near my home in Texas often places a Bible verse or a thought-provoking saying on a sign outside his building. I appreciate that public word of witness for Christ and have thanked the owner for it. The other day as I drove past, the sign contained just two words: “Yes, Lord.” While I was running errands that morning, the words stayed in my mind. Was there any situation to which they did not hold the key? I couldn’t think of one. What great joy it would bring to Jesus if I began every day with those two words! “Yes, Lord. I’ll be content where I am instead of wishing I were somewhere else.” “Yes, Lord. I’ll trust You for the outcome of the uncertainty gnawing at my mind.” “Yes, Lord. I’ll open my heart and hand with the joyous generosity You love.” Jesus said, “He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him” (Jn. 14:21). There is no burden of obligation in that; just the eager response of love. Master, speak, and make me ready, When Your voice is truly heard, With obedience glad and steady, Still to follow every word. —Havergal You can never go wrong when you choose to obey Christ. Adrian Rogers on Jn 14:21 - Lastly, there's the "Mystery Myth"—that God's will is a mystery, sort of like an Easter egg hunt. God says, "There's something I want you to do, but I'm not going to tell you what it is. You search around and see if you can find it." It would be like saying to my son, "I have some things I want you to do that will make you very happy. But if you don't do them, I'm going to punish you, and you'll be unhappy." He would say, "Well, what do you want me to do?" And I would say, "I'm not going to tell you, but you'd better do it." That's kind of absurd, isn't it? God wants you to know His will! An Inseparable Trio He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. — John 14:21 Today's Scripture : John 14:15-27 For several years he had been a bitter recluse, never attending the church he once loved dearly. Now he was terminally ill and cried most of the time. The few people who had maintained some contact with him were deeply concerned. They remembered him as a warm Christian man until a very unfortunate incident occurred. An affluent fellow church member had cheated this man in a business deal and then had slandered him. At first he reacted properly and tried to settle the matter in private. When these efforts failed, he attempted to find two elders from his church to accompany him and confront the man, but none of them wanted to become involved. Frustrated, he then left the church and became an unhappy loner. Without excusing the guilty businessman or the cowardly elders, I am convinced that this man’s lack of peace was the result of his own disobedience. Even though he was wronged, he should have obeyed the commands to “love your enemies” and “pray for those who spitefully use you” (Matthew 5:44). To obey our Lord's commandments Proves to Him our faith and love; When we're living by His Spirit We'll have peace from God above. —Fitzhugh To walk in peace, keep in step with Jesus. John 14:22 Judas (not Iscariot) *said to Him, “Lord, what then has happened that You are going to disclose Yourself to us and not to the world?” Judas (AKA Thaddaeus, AKA Lebbaeus, AKA Judas son of James): Mt 10:3, Mk 3:18, Lu 6:16 Ac 1:13 Jude 1:1 what then has happened that You are going to disclose Yourself: Joh 3:4,9 Jn 4:11 Jn 6:52,60 Jn 16:17,18 THE MAN OF THREE NAMES ASKS JESUS A QUESTION Judas (not Iscariot) *said to Him, “Lord, what then has happened that You are going to disclose (emphanizo) Yourself to us and not to the world - Judas (not Iscariot) is confused about how in His departure Jesus could reveal Himself to His disciple and not the world. One consideration is that Judas was thinking that Jesus was going to return and establish His kingdom (this was the popular Messianic expectation of the Jews in general and of the 11 disciples), similar to the question the 11 disciples ask Him after His resurrection in Acts 1:6+ (which He did not correct supporting the truth that He will one day establish His Millennial Kingdom!) Judas reasoned, if Jesus was returning to establish His Millennial Kingdom (disclose Himself to them), how is it that the rest of the world would not see Him? Steven
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Spurgeon - Christ manifesting himself to his people John 14:22 I was reading a short time ago of a Mr Tennant. He was about to preach one evening, and thought he would take a walk. As he was walking in a wood he felt so overpoweringly the presence of Christ, and such a manifestation of him, that he knelt down, and they could not discover him at the hour when he was to have preached. He continued there for hours, insensible as to whether he was in the body or out of the body; and when they waked him he looked like a man who had been with Jesus, and whose face shone. He never should forget, he said, to his dying day, that season of communion, when positively, though he could not see Christ, Christ was there, holding fellowship with him, heart against heart, in the sweetest manner. A wondrous display it must have been. You must know something of it, if not much; otherwise you have not gone far on your spiritual course. God teach you more, and lead you deeper! “Then shall ye know, when ye follow on to know the Lord.” Then, what will be the natural effects of this spiritual manifestation? The first effect will be humility. If a man says, “I have had such and such spiritual communication, I am a great man;” he has never had any communications at all; for “God has respect unto the humble, but the proud he knoweth afar off.” He does not want to come near them to know them, and will never give them any visits of love. It will give a man happiness; for he must be happy who lives near to God. Again: it will give a man holiness. A man who has not holiness has never had this manifestation. Some men profess a great deal; but do not believe any man unless you see that his deeds answer to what he says. (Full sermon Christ Manifesting Himself to His People) QUESTION -Who was Thaddeus in the Bible? ANSWER -Thaddeus was one of the original twelve disciples chosen by Jesus Christ. Thaddeus, whose name is also spelled Thaddaeus, is somewhat of a mystery apostle. For one, Thaddeus is hardly mentioned in the Bible. To complicate matters, Scripture refers to Thaddeus by a few different names. Jerome, a fourth-century Bible scholar, dubbed Thaddeus “Trinomious,” which means “the man with three names.” In both the Gospels of Matthew and Mark, the apostle is listed as Thaddeus (Matthew 10:3; Mark 3:18). In the King James Version of Matthew 10:3, he is called “Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus.” Luke, however, replaces the name Thaddeus with “Judas son of James” in both Luke 6:16 and Acts 1:13. And when the apostle John mentions Thaddeus, he calls him “Judas (not Iscariot)” (John 14:22). Judas was a popular name in New Testament times. It means, “Jehovah leads.” Bible scholars suggest that Judas was likely the name given to Thaddeus at birth, while Lebbaeus and Thaddeus were nicknames. Lebbaeus translates as “heart-child,” and Thaddeus means “breast-child,” so it’s possible these were terms of endearment given him by family members. John MacArthur proposes in his book Twelve Ordinary Men that these nicknames suggest Thaddeus was a gentle soul with a tender, childlike heart. The only recorded words of Thaddeus are in John 14. Jesus and the twelve disciples were gathered together in the Upper Room for the Last Supper. The Lord was speaking to them about the troubling matter of His impending death. The apostles had questions and concerns. Jesus promised to give them the Holy Spirit to help them and to dwell within them. Then He said, “Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them” (John 14:19–21). Confused, Thaddeus asked Jesus, “Lord, why are you going to reveal yourself only to us and not to the world at large?” (John 14:22NLT). Thaddeus’s question reveals a few things about the man. First, he felt comfortable enough in his relationship with Jesus to interrupt Him with a question. Second, Thaddeus wanted to know why Jesus would treat the disciples differently from the world. And third, like most first-century Jews, Thaddeus was expecting a Messiah who would reveal Himself in power to the world. The answer Jesus gave Thaddeus was simple: “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. Anyone 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” (John 14:23–24). Our love for God is expressed through obedience to His teaching. Love and obedience are inseparable for Christians. Those who love and obey God are His children. These children receive the Holy Spirit, who reveals Christ to them, but Christ remains hidden to the world. Nothing more is revealed about Thaddeus in the Bible. We know Thaddeus, like the other disciples, left his former life to follow and serve Jesus Christ faithfully, enduring hardship and persecution. Some scholars believe Thaddeus wrote the book of Jude, although the more widely accepted view is that Jude, the half-brother of Jesus, penned the book. Extrabiblical literature says that, after Pentecost, Thaddeus took the gospel message north, where he performed miracles, preached, and founded a church in Edessa, an area in modern Turkey. One tradition says that he was either clubbed or axed to death for his faith, and another that he was crucified. GotQuestions.org SPECIAL TOPIC: CHART OF APOSTLES' NAMES Matthew 10:2-4 Mark 3:16-19 Luke 6:14-16 Acts 1:12-18 1st Group Simon (Peter) Andrew (Peter's brother) James (son of Zebedee) John (James' brother) Simon (Peter) James (son of Zebedee) John (James' brother) Andrew Simon (Peter) Andrew (Peter's brother) James John Peter John James Andrew 2nd Group Philip Bartholomew Thomas Matthew (tax gatherer) Philip Bartholomew Matthew Thomas Philip Bartholomew Matthew Thomas Philip Thomas Bartholomew Matthew 3rd Group James (son of Alphaeus) Thaddaeus Simon (the Cananean) Judas (Iscariot) James (son of Alphaeus) Thaddaeus Simon (the Cananean) Judas (Iscariot) James (son of Alphaeus) Simon (the zealot) Judas (son of James) Judas (Iscariot) James (son of Alphaeus) Simon (the zealot) Judas (son of James) John 14:23 Jesus answered and said to 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 abode with him. If anyone loves Me: Joh 14:15,21 make Our abode with him: Joh 14:17 Jn 5:17-19 Jn 6:56 Jn 10:30 Ge 1:26 11:7 Ps 90:1 91:1 Isa 57:15 Ro 8:9-11 1Jn 2:24 4:4,15,16 Rev 3:20,21 7:15-17 21:22 22:3 BELIEVERS INDWELT BY GOD THE FATHER! This is the only verse in the Bible which states that believers are indwelt by God the Father. Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves (agapao) Me, he will keep (tereo) My word (logos); and My Father will love (agapao) him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him - This IF is another third class conditional sentence which speaks of potential action. Jesus is addressing Judas' question about why He would not be revealed to the world. Jesus' answer at first might seem a bit obscure, because He says that love of Himself is shown to be authentic by obedience to His words. The only one who will obey His word is one who is a genuine follower, a true believer. It is such a person that (after Pentecost) that He will give the Holy Spirit and it is the Holy Spirit Who will disclose Jesus to His followers. The rest of of the world will not know Jesus or His Father who make their abode with genuine believers. So this would be one way to understand Jesus' revealing Himself to His disciples (the 11 at first, then all true disciples that follow) and not to the Christ-rejecting world. Stated another way Jesus and the Father would not take up their abode in those who reject Him (as indicated by their refusal to keep His word). In other words, if one rejects Jesus, they are in effect rejecting God the Father. You cannot have One without the Other! Steven Cole on the Father and the Son making their abode in believers - If we would only remember that wonderful truth, it would keep us from sin! How can you sin when you realize that God Himself is living in your heart as His home? If you’ve never read the wonderful little booklet, “My Heart, Christ’s Home,” by Robert Boyd Munger, I encourage you to do so (you can read it online). He shows how Christ moved into his heart as His home and began cleaning and remodeling each of the rooms. THOUGHT- So if you want to grow to know Christ more intimately in the coming year, figure out where you’re not obeying Him and begin to obey Him at those points. You may have some dirty closets that you need to let Him clean out. You may need to prioritize your list and begin with one or two changes before you tackle others. It sounds simplistic, but Jesus promises that we will grow to know Him more intimately by obeying Him. (Knowing Christ More Intimately John 14:21-24) Maclaren on My word - “That is more than a ‘commandment,’ is it not? Christ’s ‘word’ is more than precept. It includes all His sayings, and it includes them all as in one vital unity and organic whole. We are not to go picking and choosing among them; they are one.” Andrew
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Spurgeon - The private tutor’ John 14:25–26 Christ in his sayings gave us our class-book, complete and infallible, but through our dullness we need more. That young man has gone to college: he has with him all necessary books and in them is to be found all that he will need to learn; even thus the Lord Jesus has given us in his sayings all that we need to know. But the young man’s father wishes him to become a learnèd man and therefore he engages for him a private tutor, who will teach him what the books contain. With his tutor’s help his book is of far greater use to him than before. If any passage is difficult the tutor explains it; he puts the youth into the way of reading his class-books, so as to get the full value of them. Spiritually this is the office of the Holy Spirit: he finds us the key wherewith to open up the mystery which otherwise would be out of our reach. He really teaches us. To teach you is a very different thing from speaking to you. A person may speak to a company of young people and yet teach them nothing. If I am anxious to instruct a brother on any point, I do not merely speak to him, but I go over the ground carefully, set out each point distinctly, repeat my statements deliberately and illustrate them appropriately. The Spirit of God, when he takes the child of God out of the company and speaks privately to his heart, goes over the truth with him till it is made clear and happily apprehended. We need to have truth opened up to the understanding, impressed upon the heart, made real to the apprehension, applied to the mind, wrought into the affections and endeared to the soul. It is one thing to hear the Word, but it is another thing to learn the Word: it is one thing to be told, but quite another thing to be taught. (Full Sermon - The Private Tutor) Warren
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Spurgeon - The Comforter John 14:26 I have heard many fanatical persons say that the Holy Spirit revealed this and that to them. Now that is very generally revealed nonsense. The Holy Spirit does not reveal anything fresh now. He brings old things to our remembrance. “He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have told you.” The canon of revelation is closed; there is no more to be added. God does not give a fresh revelation, but he rivets the old one. When it has been forgotten, and laid in the dusty chamber of our memory, he brings it out and cleans the picture, but does not paint a new one. There are no new doctrines, but the old ones are often revived. It is not, I say, by any new revelation that the Spirit comforts. He does so by telling us old things over again; he brings a fresh lamp to manifest the treasures hidden in Scripture; he unlocks the strong chests in which the truth has long lain, and he points to secret chambers filled with untold riches; but he creates no more, for enough is done. Believer! There is enough in the Bible for thee to live upon for ever. If thou shouldst outnumber the years of Methuselah, there would be no need for a fresh revelation; if thou shouldst live till Christ should come upon the earth, there would be no necessity for the addition of a single word; if thou shouldst go down as deep as Jonah, or even descend as David envisaged into the belly of hell, still there would be enough in the Bible to comfort thee without a supplementary sentence. But Christ says, “He shall take of mine and shall show it unto you.” (Full sermon The Comforter) C H Spurgeon - “The Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost.” —John 14:26 He delights to give the oil of joy for mourning, and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. This age is peculiarly the dispensation of the Holy Spirit, in which Jesus cheers us, not by his personal presence, as he shall do by-and-by, but by the indwelling and constant abiding of the Holy Ghost, who is evermore the Comforter of the church. It is his office to console the hearts of God’s people. He convinces of sin; he illuminates and instructs; but still the main part of his work lies in making glad the hearts of the renewed, in confirming the weak, and lifting up all those that be bowed down. He does this by revealing Jesus to them. The Holy Spirit consoles, but Christ is the consolation. If we may use the figure, the Holy Spirit is the Physician, but Jesus is the medicine. He heals the wound, but it is by applying the holy ointment of Christ’s name and grace. He takes not of his own things, but of the things of Christ. So if we give to the Holy Spirit the Greek name of Paraclete, as we sometimes do, then our heart confers on our blessed Lord Jesus the title of Paraclesis. If the one be the Comforter, the other is the Comfort. Now, with such rich provision for his need, why should the Christian be sad and desponding? The Holy Spirit has graciously engaged to be thy Comforter: dost thou imagine, O thou weak and trembling believer, that he will be negligent of his sacred trust? Canst thou suppose that he has undertaken what he cannot or will not perform? If it be his especial work to strengthen thee, and to comfort thee, dost thou suppose he has forgotten his business, or that he will fail in the loving office which he sustains towards thee? Nay, think not so hardly of the tender and blessed Spirit whose name is “the Comforter.” He delights to give the oil of joy for mourning, and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. (Isaiah 61:3) Trust thou in him, and he will surely comfort thee till the house of mourning is closed for ever, and the marriage feast has begun. David Jeremiah - THE SPIRIT OF ENCOURAGEMENT JOHN 14:26 The Holy Spirit’s other name is Comforter. That is my favorite name for the Holy Spirit. The word “comforter” is a Greek word, paraclete, and it is the same word that is translated “encourager.” The Holy Spirit is my Encourager. He comes and puts His arm around me when I am discouraged, and He encourages me. Yes, there are times when this pastor loses his perspective a little and becomes discouraged. I may have actually slipped into depression once or twice (not recently, thank the Lord). It’s the same with anyone in leadership; sometimes you feel as though there is hardly anywhere to run. You just have to get alone with your Bible, get down on your knees in prayer … and then the Spirit of God comes to bring encouragement to your heart. I’ve had that experience time and again. It is almost (almost!) worth experiencing the dark and heavy times, because the encouragement of God’s Spirit is so sweet. I praise God that the Holy Spirit is my Comforter and Encourager and Helper. (Sanctuary) Jay Adams - John 14:26 “He is the One Who will teach you everything” But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit that the Father will send in My name, He is the One Who will teach you everything and remind you of everything that I told you. “If so,” you ask, “how come there are so many things I don’t know? And how come there are so many Christians who differ about so many things? Has God failed to keep this promise?” Of course not. The problem is that in reading passages, many have the harmful tendency of failing to ask, “To whom is this passage speaking?” This verse does not contain a general promise that is given to every believer. It is a promise that the Lord made to His disciples about what would happen to them when they became apostles who would preach and write His Word under inspiration. We know this because the promise appears in a section of Scripture in which Jesus had drawn His disciples away from others in order to institute His Supper, and instruct them about what would happen after His death and resurrection. That the passage pertained to them alone is perfectly clear from the verse itself. Jesus promised that the Spirit would remind them (as well as teach them) of all the things He had told them before. Thus, in fulfillment of the promise, they were enabled by the Spirit to write the Gospel accounts. It is not a promise for every believer of every age. It is, then, a promise that the Holy Spirit would inspire them to proclaim by word and by pen the truths He had taught them directly and those that He would tell them later through inspiration. It is not a promise for every believer of every age. A secondary element in the promise that does pertain to believers of every age There is, however, a secondary element in the promise that does pertain to believers of every age since. Because the promise was fulfilled in the production of the New Testament, we benefit from those twenty-seven books just as if the promise were made to us. But all notions of the Spirit still teaching us new truth that goes beyond the Scriptures is forbidden (cf. 2 John 8, 9). Think about it: if the apostles were taught “everything” that is needed, it is obvious that there is nothing more yet to come. The verse gives the lie to all who claim revelation today. Now I See — by David C. McCasland 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 things that I said to you. —John 14:26 Bible in a Year: 2 Samuel 16-18; Luke 17:20-37 Deborah Kendrick loves to attend Broadway musicals even though she is blind and always struggles to understand the setting and the movements of the characters onstage. Recently, however, she attended a play that used D-Scriptive, a new technology that conveys the visual elements of the stage production through a small FM receiver. A recorded narration, keyed to the show’s light and sound boards, describes the set and the action as it unfolds onstage. Writing in The Columbus Dispatch,Deborah said, “If you ask me if I saw a show last week in New York, my answer is yes . . . I genuinely, unequivocally mean that I saw the show.” Her experience struck me as a vivid illustration of the Holy Spirit’s role in our understanding of God’s Word. Just before Jesus went to the cross, He told His followers that “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 things that I said to you” (John 14:26). Break Thou the bread of life, dear Lord, to me, As Thou didst break the loaves beside the sea. Beyond the sacred page I seek Thee, Lord; My spirit pants for Thee, O Living Word. —Lathbury The Father gave the Spirit to teach us from the Word. John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful. Peace I leave with you: Joh 16:33 Jn 20:19,21,26 Nu 6:26 Ps 29:11 72:2,7 85:10 Isa 9:6 Isa 32:15-17 54:7-10,13 55:12 57:19 Zec 6:13 Lu 1:79 2:14 10:5 Ac 10:36 Ro 1:7 5:1,10 8:6 15:13 1Co 1:3 2Co 5:18-21 Ga 1:3 Ga 5:22 6:16 Eph 2:14-17 Php 4:7 Col 1:2,20 3:15 2Th 1:2 3:16 Heb 7:2 13:20 Rev 1:4 not as the world gives : Job 34:29 Ps 28:3 La 3:17 Da 4:1 6:25 Do not let your heart be troubled Joh 14:1 nor let it be fearful.: Ps 11:1 27:1 56:3,11 91:5 112:7 Pr 3:25 Isa 12:2 41:10,14 Jer 1:8 Eze 2:6 Mt 10:26 Lu 12:4 Ac 18:9 2Ti 1:7 Rev 2:10 21:8 Related Passages: John 16:33 “These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.” John 20:19 So when it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and *said to them, “Peace be with you.” John 20:21 So Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” John 20:26 After eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors having been shut, and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be with you.” JESUS PARTING SHALOM Peace (eirene) I leave with you (plural); My peace (eirene) I give to you (plural); not as the world gives do I give to you - Jesus would soon be departing and it was common in that day to say "Peace" (or Shalom) when greeting and when departing. Clearly this peace is deeper for it is peace Jesus gives, not the kind of peace the world gives, that is without any special meaning. Obviously this peace Jesus gives them would not exempt the 11 disciples from intense trials and conflicts which they experienced throughout the book of Acts (e.g., Acts 4:1-12, 13-19, 20-30, 31+). The peace Jesus gave was a supernatural peace, a peace that would be independent of troubling circumstances, a supernatural peace that His Spirit would enable (Gal 5:22, Ro 8:6, Ro 14:17, Ro 15:13 Acts 9:31). It is supernatural peace because it is the experience of an untroubled heart in the face of troubling circumstances. G Campbell Morgan on My peace (eirene) - “He carefully described the peace as ‘My peace.’ His peace was a heart untroubled and unfearful in spite of all the suffering and conflict ahead of Him.” R C H
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Spurgeon - Spiritual peace John 14:27 If you would maintain unbroken peace, take advice from God’s minister this morning, young though he be in years. Take advice, which he can warrant to be good, for it is Scriptural. If you would keep your peace continual and unbroken, look always to the sacrifice of Christ; never permit your eye to turn to anything but Jesus. When you repent, my hearer, still keep your eye on the cross; when you labour, labour in the strength of the crucified One. Everything you do, whether it be self-examination, fasting, meditation, or prayer, do all under the shadow of Jesus’ cross; or otherwise, no matter how you live, your peace will be but a sorry thing; you shall be full of disquiet and of sore trouble. Live near the cross and your peace shall be continual. Another piece of advice. Walk humbly with your God. Peace is a jewel; God puts it on your finger; be proud of it, and he will take it off again. Peace is a noble garment; boast of your dress, and God will take it away from you. Remember the hole of the pit whence you were digged, and the quarry of nature whence you were hewn; and when you have the bright crown of peace on your head, remember your black feet; nay, even when that crown is there, cover it and your face still with those two wings, the blood and righteousness of Jesus Christ. In this way shall your peace be maintained. And again, walk in holiness, avoid every appearance of evil. “Be not conformed to this world.” Stand up for truth and rectitude. Suffer not the maxims of men to sway your judgment. Seek the Holy Spirit that you may live like Christ, and live near to Christ, and your peace shall not be interrupted. (Full sermon Spiritual Peace) C H Spurgeon - The best of masters John 14:27 It is the same with the world at this day. Everyone greets us in writing with a “Dear sir,” or a “My dear sir,” and concludes with “Yours very truly,” and “Yours sincerely.” We call all “friends,” and if we meet but casually we express the utmost anxiety with regard to one another’s health, and we carefully enquire after each other’s families; when perhaps we shall no sooner have passed by the person than we shall forget his existence, and certainly shall entertain no anxious thoughts with regard to his welfare, nor any loving remembrance of him. The world gives very largely when it gives compliments. Oh, what blessings would descend upon all our heads, if the blessings uttered could be blessings bestowed. Even when the “Good bye” is given, which translated means, “God be with you”—if that could be but true, and if God could be with us, in answer to that prayer, so little understood, how rich might we be! But alas! the way of the world is, “Be ye warmed and filled;” but it has not that which should warm, nor that which should fill. It is a world of words; high-sounding, empty, all-deceiving words. Now this is not so with Christ. If he says “Peace be with you,” his benediction is most true and full of sweet sincerity. He left his own peace in heaven, that he might give the peace which he enjoyed with his Father, to us in this world of sorrow, for thus he puts it, “My peace I give unto you.” Christ, when he blesses, blesses not in word only, but in deed. The lips of truth cannot promise more than the hands of love will surely give. He gives not in compliment. Furthermore, even when the world’s wishes of peace are sincere, what are they but mere wishes? (See full sermon The Best of Masters) HUDSON TAYLOR'S PEACE JOHN 14:27-15:7 "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you... . Let not your heart be troubled" (John 14:27). When Australian pastor H. B. Macartney visited Hudson Taylor in China, he was amazed at the missionary's serenity in spite of his many burdens and busy schedule. Macartney finally mustered up the courage to say, "You are occupied with millions, I with tens. Your letters are pressingly important, mine of comparatively little value. Yet I am worried and distressed while you are always calm. Tell me, what makes the difference?" Taylor replied, "I could not possibly get through the work I have to do without the peace of God which passes all understanding keeping my heart and mind." Macartney later wrote, "He was in God all the time, and God was in him. It was the true abiding spoken of in John 15." When life becomes more like Macartney's than Taylor's, when we become tense, troubled, anxious, and fearful, and when we desire the peace Jesus promised, we must learn to abide in Christ as Hudson Taylor did. Abiding in Christ means to be in touch with' Him continually so that the composure He experienced while on earth rules our lives. We need not agonize or plead or try to work up a certain feeling. The path to abiding in Him is that of confessing and rejecting all known sin, surrendering completely, and looking trustfully to the Lord Jesus for strength. It's continual dependence on Him. Peace floods the soul when Christ rules the heart PEACE The Lord will bless His people with peace (Psalm 29:11). Read - JOHN 14:25-31 When Jesus was with His disciples in the upper room shortly before His crucifixion, He knew they would face turmoil and unrest in the days ahead. They would experience the distressing events of His betrayal, arrest, execution, and burial. Then, after His resurrection and ascension, they would face long periods of hard work, opposition, ridicule, and persecution. So in the quiet of those final moments together, He gave them words of comfort: "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you" (John 14:27). Peace of mind and heart is still one of our most precious and needed commodities. In his book A Time to Heal, former President Gerald R. Ford repeated a story he had heard some years earlier. During the civil war in Greece in 1948, a villager was planning to emigrate to the United States. Before he left, he asked his weary, beleaguered, poverty-stricken neighbors, "What should I send when I get to America? Should I send money? Food? Clothing?" "No," one of his neighbors replied, "you should send us a ton of tranquillity." Peace floods the soul when Christ rules the heart. KNOW GOD, KNOW PEACE "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you" (John 14:27). That same peace is available to all who by faith receive the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior. "Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ," said Paul in Romans 5:1. Those who have peace with God can also experience the peace of God. This is what John 14 is all about. The Bible says, "Let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus" (Phil. 4:6-7). No God, no peace. Know God, know peace. THE PEACE OF GOD The story is told about a wounded soldier who was being taken to a hospital tent by some of his comrades. After they had carried him but a short distance, he urged them to put him down and go back to rescue someone else. As he was mortally wounded, he knew there was no hope for him anyway. Granting his request, they left him and returned to the combat area. In a few minutes, however, an officer stopped to ask him whether he could assist him in any way. The wounded soldier weakly replied, "No, thank you, sir. There's nothing at all you can do." "But can't I at least get some water to quench your thirst?" the officer inquired. The dying man again shook his head saying, "No, thank you, sir. There is one thing, however, you could do for me. In my knapsack you will find a New Testament. Please open it to John 14. Near the end of the chapter you will find a text beginning with the word `Peace.' I would appreciate it if you would read just that one verse to me." The officer found the passage and read these words, "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" (John 14:27). "Thank you, sir," said the dying soldier. "I have that peace and I am going to the Savior who made that promise. God is with me, I want no more." Peace, perfect peace, in this dark world of sin? The blood of Jesus whispers peace within. Peace, perfect peace, with sorrows surging 'round? On Jesus' bosom naught but calm is found. —E. H. Bickersteth Peace rules the day when Christ rules the heart! "A REAL RELATIONSHIP" Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you. - John 14:27 Phillips Brooks, former minister of Boston's Trinity Episcopal Church, is perhaps best known as the author of "O Little Town of Bethlehem." He was a very busy pastor, yet he always seemed relaxed and unburdened, willing to take time for anyone in need. Shortly before Books died, a young friend wrote to him and asked the secret of his strength and serenity. In a heartfelt response, Brooks credited his still-growing relationship with Christ. He wrote, "The more I have thought it over, the more sure it has seemed to me that these last years have had a peace and fullness which there did not used to be. It is a deeper knowledge and truer love of Christ . . . I cannot tell you how personal this grows to me. And one wonders with delight what it will grow to as the years go on." I bless the Christ of God; I rest on love divine; And with unfaltering lip and heart I call this Savior mine. - Bonar Peace floods the soul when Christ rules the heart. "WHERE'S THE PEACE?" "My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you." - John 14:27 More than 45 years ago, my father was wounded while fighting in World War II, a conflict that claimed at least 35 million lives. Millions of other people around the world carry with them the lifelong, tragic consequences of international conflict. Each family that remembers a lost son or daughter, the casualty of war, and each veteran who must live with the physical and emotional scars of battle is a testament to mankind's failure to achieve a lasting peace on earth (Lk. 2:14). What went wrong? Why are we still seeing bombings and shootings and destruction of nations? The men and women who fought for their country are to be honored with gratitude. We must also remember that any peace secured by guns can never be permanent. That can only come when the Prince of Peace rules the nations. But He must be enthroned in our heart now. He brings us an inner peace that comes from trust in God through Christ. It is a peace with God -- something that even those who have faced the terrors of war can experience. Oh, the peace I find in Jesus, Peace no power on earth can shake, Peace that makes the Lord so precious, Peace that none from me can take. -- Beck True peace is not the absence of war but the presence of God. Streams in the Desert - “My own peace I give to you.” (John 14:27.) (Weymouth.) TWO painters each painted a picture to illustrate his conception of rest. The first chose for his scene a still, lone lake among the far-off mountains. The second threw on his canvas a thundering waterfall, with a fragile birch tree bending over the foam; and at the fork of the branch, almost wet with the cataract’s spray, sat a robin on its nest. The first was only stagnation; the last was rest. Christ’s life outwardly was one of the most troubled lives that ever lived: tempest and tumult, tumult and tempest, the waves breaking over it all the time until the worn body was laid in the grave. But the inner life was a sea of glass. The great calm was always there. At any moment you might have gone to Him and found rest. And even when the human bloodhounds were dogging Him in the streets of Jerusalem, He turned to His disciples and offered them, as a last legacy, “My peace.” Rest is not a hallowed feeling that comes over us in church; it is the repose of a heart set deep in God.—Drummond. My peace I give in times of deepest grief, Imparting calm and trust and My relief. My peace I give when prayer seems lost, unheard; Know that My promises are ever in My Word. My peace I give when thou art left alone— The nightingale at night has sweetest tone. My peace I give in time of utter loss, The way of glory leads right to the cross. My peace I give when enemies will blame, Thy fellowship is sweet through cruel shame. My peace I give in agony and sweat, For mine own brow with bloody drops was wet. My peace I give when nearest friend betrays— Peace that is merged in love, and for them prays. My peace I give when there’s but death for thee— The gateway is the cross to get to Me.—L. S. P. Oswald Chambers - Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you.… Let not your heart be troubled. John 14:27. Whenever a thing becomes difficult in personal experience, we are in danger of blaming God, but it is we who are in the wrong, not God, there is some perversity somewhere that we will not let go. Immediately we do, everything becomes as clear as daylight. As long as we try to serve two ends, ourselves and God, there is perplexity. The attitude must be one of complete reliance on God. When once we get there, there is nothing easier than living the saintly life; difficulty comes in when we want to usurp the authority of the Holy Spirit for our own ends. Whenever you obey God, His seal is always that of peace, the witness of an unfathomable peace, which is not natural, but the peace of Jesus. Whenever peace does not come, tarry till it does or find out the reason why it does not. If you are acting on an impulse, or from a sense of the heroic, the peace of Jesus will not witness; there is no simplicity or confidence in God, because the spirit of simplicity is born of the Holy Ghost, not of your decisions. Every decision brings a reaction of simplicity. My questions come whenever I cease to obey. When I have obeyed God, the problems never come between me and God, they come as probes to keep the mind awake and amazed at the revelation of God. Any problem that comes between God and myself springs out of disobedience; any problem, and there are many, that is alongside me while I obey God, increases my ecstatic delight, because I know that my Father knows, and I am going to watch and see how He unravels this thing. F B
João 14
Spurgeon - Love’s transformations: a Communion meditation John 14:28 The chiefest love that we have should go to Jesus Christ himself: not so much to his salvation, as to himself, should our hearts fly. ‘If ye loved me, ye would rejoice’. We do well to love Christ’s house, his day, his book, his church, his service, his blood and his throne, but we must, above all these things, love his person. That is the tender point; ‘We love him,’ and other things in him. We love his church for his sake, his truth because it is his truth, his cross because he bore it for us, and his salvation because it was purchased by his blood. I counsel you to pull up the sluices of your love, and let the full tide flow towards Jesus. LOVE HIM. For, first, he is the source of all benefits; therefore, in loving him you value the benefits, but you trace them to their fountain-head. Should we love the gift better than the giver? Should the wife love her jewels better than the beloved one who gave them? It must not be so. Love the very person of Jesus, the God, the man, Emmanuel, God with us. Realize him as a distinct existence. Let him stand before you now ‘with scars of honour in his flesh, and triumph in his eyes’ as we sang just now. Love him as the source of your hope, your pardon, your life, your future glory. Loving him we learn to prize all his gifts the more, for he that loves the giver values the smallest gift for the giver’s sake. Your love to the person of Jesus will not make you think less of the benefits which he bestows, but infinitely more. Shoot at the centre of the target. Love him, and, loving him, you will value all that he gives. Loving Jesus we have him for our own, and that is a great blessing. (Full sermon Love's Transformations: A Communion Meditation) David Jeremiah - EXPERIENCE PEACE JOHN 14:28 In order for Jesus to give us what He promised, it was necessary for Him to go back to heaven. He says in verse 28, “You have heard Me say to you, ‘I am going away and coming back to you.’ If you loved Me, you would rejoice because I said, ‘I am going to the Father.’ ” Jesus is reminding His disciples (and us) that before His peace could flood their hearts, it was necessary for Him to ascend back to heaven and be with the Father. You may wonder why that was true. I believe it was because the peace of the Lord Jesus is resident in the Person of the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit could not be poured out upon mankind as He was at Pentecost until Jesus Christ ascended back to the Father. Jesus had just told the disciples (vv. 25–26) that the Holy Spirit would be sent by the Father after Jesus was no longer present with them. Because the Holy Spirit is resident in the life of every believer, it becomes possible for every believer to experience peace (Galatians 5:22). (Sanctuary) Norman Geisler - (When Cultists Ask) JOHN 14:28—Did Jesus think of himself as less than God? MISINTERPRETATION: Jesus said in John 14:28, “The Father is greater than I.” The Jehovah’s Witnesses say this verse proves that Jesus is a lesser god than the Father. Because Jehovah is “greater” than Jesus, Jesus cannot be God Almighty (Let God Be True, 1946, 110). According to Christian Science, this verse proves that “Christ is not God, but an impartation of Him,” just as “one ray of light is light, and it is one with light, but it is not the full-orbed sun” (Eddy, 1901, 8). CORRECTING THE MISINTERPRETATION: The Father is greater than the Son by office, but not by nature, since both are God (see John 1:1; 8:58; 10:30; 20:28). Just as an earthly father is equally human with but holds a higher office than his son, even so the Father and the Son in the Trinity are equal in essence, but different in function. There is no contradiction in affirming ontological equality and functional hierarchy. In like manner, we speak of the President of our country as being greater, not by virtue of his character or nature, but by virtue of his position. Jesus cannot ever be said to say that he considered himself anything less than God by nature Norman Geisler - (When Critics Ask) JOHN 14:28 —Did Jesus think of Himself as less than God? PROBLEM: Orthodox Christianity confesses Jesus is both fully man and fully God. Yet Jesus said in John 14:28 , “My Father is greater than I.” How can the Father be greater if Jesus is equal to God? SOLUTION: The Father is greater than the Son by office, but not by nature, since both are God (see John 1:1 ; 8:58 ; 10:30 ). Just as an earthly father is equally human with, but holds a higher office than, his son, even so the Father and the Son in the Trinity are equal in essence, but different in function. In like manner, we speak of the president of our country as being a greater man, not by virtue of his character, but by virtue of his position. Therefore, Jesus cannot ever be said to say that He considered Himself anything less than God by nature. The following summary helps to crystalize the differences: JESUS IS EQUAL TO THE FATHER THE FATHER IS GREATER THAN JESUS In essence In function In nature In office In character In position GOTQUESTIONS' QUESTION - If Jesus was God, why did He say, “The Father is greater than I”? ANSWER - The phrase “the Father is greater than I” (John 14:28) was spoken by Jesus during the upper room discourse, and the greater context is the promising of the Holy Spirit to the disciples after Jesus’ resurrection. Jesus says repeatedly that He is doing the Father’s will, thereby implying that He is somehow subservient to the Father. The question then becomes how can Jesus be equal to God when by His own admission He is subservient to the will of God? The answer to this question lies within the nature of the incarnation. During the incarnation, Jesus was temporarily “made lower than the angels” (Hebrews 2:9), which refers to Jesus’ status. The doctrine of the incarnation says that the second Person of the Trinity took on human flesh. Therefore, for all intents and purposes, Jesus was fully human and “made lower than the angels.” However, Jesus is fully divine, too. By taking on human nature, Jesus did not relinquish His divine nature—God cannot stop being God. How do we reconcile the fact that the second Person of the Trinity is fully divine yet fully human and by definition “lower than the angels”? The answer to that question can be found in Philippians 2:5-11 (What is the kenosis? What does it mean that Jesus emptied Himself?). When the second Person of the Trinity took on human form, something amazing occurred. Christ “made himself nothing.” This phrase has generated more ink than almost any other phrase in the Bible. In essence, what it means is that Jesus voluntarily relinquished the prerogative of freely exercising His divine attributes and subjected Himself to the will of the Father while on earth. Another thing to consider is the fact that subservience in role does not equate to subservience in essence. For example, consider an employer/employee relationship. The employer has the right to make demands of the employee, and the employee has the obligation to serve the employer. The roles clearly define a subservient relationship. However, both people are still human beings and share in the same human nature. There is no difference between the two as to their essence; they stand as equals. The fact that one is an employer and the other is an employee does nothing to alter the essential equality of these two individuals as human beings. The same can be said of the members of the Trinity. All three members (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) are essentially equal; i.e., they are all divine in nature. However, in the grand plan of redemption, they play certain roles, and these roles define authority and subservience. The Father commands the Son, and the Father and the Son command the Holy Spirit. Therefore, the fact that the Son took on a human nature and made Himself subservient to the Father in no way denies the deity of the Son, nor does it diminish His essential equality with the Father. The “greatness” spoken of in this verse, then, relates to role, not to essence. C H Spurgeon - Love’s transformations: a Communion meditation The chiefest love that we have should go to Jesus Christ himself: not so much to his salvation, as to himself, should our hearts fly. ‘If ye loved me, ye would rejoice’. We do well to love Christ’s house, his day, his book, his church, his service, his blood and his throne, but we must, above all these things, love his person. That is the tender point; ‘We love him,’ and other things in him. We love his church for his sake, his truth because it is his truth, his cross because he bore it for us, and his salvation because it was purchased by his blood. I counsel you to pull up the sluices of your love, and let the full tide flow towards Jesus. LOVE HIM. For, first, he is the source of all benefits; therefore, in loving him you value the benefits, but you trace them to their fountain-head. Should we love the gift better than the giver? Should the wife love her jewels better than the beloved one who gave them? It must not be so. Love the very person of Jesus, the God, the man, Emmanuel, God with us. Realize him as a distinct existence. Let him stand before you now ‘with scars of honour in his flesh, and triumph in his eyes’ as we sang just now. Love him as the source of your hope, your pardon, your life, your future glory. Loving him we learn to prize all his gifts the more, for he that loves the giver values the smallest gift for the giver’s sake. Your love to the person of Jesus will not make you think less of the benefits which he bestows, but infinitely more. Shoot at the centre of the target. Love him, and, loving him, you will value all that he gives. Loving Jesus we have him for our own, and that is a great blessing. David Reed - John 14:28 - Borrow Jehovah's Witnesses Answered Verse by Verse “ … If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.” (KJV) This is a favorite verse for Jehovah’s Witnesses arguing against the deity of Christ. They begin by quoting from the Athanasian Creed: “And in this Trinity none is afore, or after an other; none is greater, or less than another. But the whole three persons are co-eternal, and co-equal.” Then they will read Jesus’ words about the Father being greater than the Son, rather than “equal,” as that creed says. Don’t let JWs lure you into this trap. Remind them that Jesus was speaking at a time when he had done as stated at Philippians 2:6–7: “Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men” (KJV). Naturally, then, Christ could speak of the Father as being “greater than I.” The Son had even become “lower than the angels,” in order to act as the Savior of mankind (Heb. 2:9). See also the discussions of Isaiah 9:6; John 1:1; John 20:28; and Revelation 1:7–8. John 14:29 “Now I have told you before it happens, so that when it happens, you may believe. Joh 13:19 Jn 16:4-30,31 Mt 24:24,25 Related Passages: John 2:19-22+ Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” 20 The Jews then said, “It took forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?” 21 But He was speaking of the temple of His body. 22 So when He was raised from the dead, His disciples remembered that He said this; and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had spoken. John 13:19+ “From now on I am telling you before it comes to pass, so that when it does occur, you may believe that I am He. FULFILLED PROPHECY SHOULD FORTIFY FAITH Now I have told you before it happens, so that when it happens, you may believe (pisteuo) - This is clearly another claim to His deity for only God could accurately predict the future (Isa 42:9, Isa 46:9-10, Isa 48:3,5). Jesus has repeatedly predicted His death and resurrection and when the 11 disciples see these events come to pass, they might believe. John 14:30 “I will not speak much more with you, for the ruler of the world is coming, and he has nothing in Me; I will not speak much more with you: Joh 16:12 Lu 24:44-49 Ac 1:3 for the ruler of the world is coming: Joh 12:31 Jn 16:11 Lu 22:53 2Co 4:4 Eph 2:2 6:12 Col 1:13 1Jn 4:4 1Jn 5:19 *Gr: Rev 12:9 20:2,3,7,8 and: Lu 1:35 2Co 5:21 Heb 4:15 7:26 1Pe 1:19 2:22 1Jn 3:5-8 Related Passages: John 12:31 “Now judgment is upon this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out. John 16:11 and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged. Luke 4:5-6 And he (SATAN) led Him up and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. 6 And the devil said to Him, “I will give You all this domain and its glory; for it has been handed over to me, and I give it to whomever I wish. Luke 22:53 “While I was with you daily in the temple, you did not lay hands on Me; but this hour and the power of darkness are yours.” 2 Corinthians 4:4 in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. SATAN HAS NO CLAIM ON JESUS I will not speak much more with you - He does not mean absolutely no more words for He spoke in John 15-16, but then it would be His last words to the 11 before the Cross. For (gar - term of explanation) Explains why these would be His last words before the Cross. The ruler (archon) of the world (kosmos) is coming - This clearly refers to Satan who Jesus acknowledges had been given temporary authority over the world. He would soon be coming in the form of the betrayer Judas Iscariot. And he has nothing in Me - Nothing means absolutely nothing. Satan might be the ruler of the world (1Jn 5:19), but He had no claim on Jesus. There was nothing in Jesus' life that Satan could use as a ground of accusation against him. The thought is that Satan had no power over Jesus. While it may at first glance look like Satan did have power and it might seem like he had defeated Jesus, the exact opposite would prove to be the case - the Cross would mark Satan's downfall! (1Jn 3:8, Heb 2:14, Rev 20:10) D.A. Carson on nothing in Me - "How could he?" Jesus is not of this world (Jn 8:23), and he has never sinned (Jn 8:46). The devil could have a hold on Jesus only if there were a justifiable charge against Jesus. Jesus' death would then be his due, and the devil's triumph" (BORROW The Gospel According to John, 509). John 14:31 but so that the world may know that I love the Father, I do exactly as the Father commanded Me. Get up, let us go from here. but so that the world may know : Joh 4:34 Jn 10:18 Jn 12:27 Jn 15:9 Jn 18:11 Ps 40:8 Mt 26:39 Php 2:8 Heb 5:7,8 10:5-9 12:2,3 Get up, let us go from here: Joh 18:1-4 Mt 26:46 Lu 12:50 JESUS PROPOSES LEAVING THE UPPER ROOM but so that the world may know that I love (agapao) the Father, I do exactly as the Father commanded Me - Jesus reiterates that His accomplishment of the will of His Father by dying on the Cross, would demonstrate to the world that He loved the Father. Note how Jesus had previously said our love will be shown by our obedience. Now His obedience would demonstrate His love. Get up, let us go from here - Jesus calls on the 11 to go with Him from the comfort and safety of the Upper Room. The exact meaning of this command and call to go from here is uncertain. Some think they left the Upper Room at this time but others do not agree with this interpretation. Kenneth Gangel writes that "John 18:1 says, “When he had finished praying, Jesus left with his disciples and crossed the Kidron Valley.” We wonder about the geography at the end of chapter 14. Some interpreters suggest that Jesus and his disciples left the room at the end of chapter 14 and that chapters 15–17 describe discussions along the way with the prayer somewhere in route. Others find cause for textual dislocation and rearrangement of the text. Perhaps the best approach indicates that they began to leave at the end of chapter 14 but did not actually get away until the beginning of chapter 18.