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“Assurance For A Much Better Day"
• 12.15.19 • Calvary Christian Fellowship, Sunday Morning Service
Intro.
- No time has elapsed between the end of
chapter 13 and the beginning of chapter 14. Consider the hearts
of the disciples who have just been stunned by his words.
- There was a betrayer among them that they
knew nothing about, but had been predicted by scripture! That was difficult
enough to swallow.
- At the end of the previous section, the
eldest member of the group, Peter, is told that by the end of that very night,
he would betray His Master three times.
- Sandwiched in between however, was the most
devastating news of all: Jesus would be leaving them and they would not be
along!
- After spending three years of your life,
leaving all to follow Him, how would you feel? Jesus knows their sorrow and
moves to assure their hearts that a much better day is coming.
- He begins by securing their hearts to their
"Heavenly Home." Verse 1.
Text
• John 14:1 : "Let not your
heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me." : With all that Jesus just announced,
doesn't this statement seems a little unreasonable! "Let not your heart be
troubled!" The word picture is of the disturbance of a calm body of water.
- It is is written with the emphasis upon the
word "troubled" or "distressed." It is also written as a
command! The disciples were to choose not to allow their hearts to experience
distress.
- The NLT, NIV and CSB each render the verse,
"Don't let your heart be troubled." One commentator even went so far
as to translate this, "Stop letting your heart be troubled!"
- The point is that this is a forceful command
from Jesus not to allow this emotion to carry them away! When the Lord commands
us to do something, it is always in our power to obey.
- It is in our power to refuse to allow a
troubled heart to rule over our mind. How was it possible? That is tied
directly to their trust in God.
- They were believing in God. They were
presently putting their faith in the Almighty and they were to do the same with
regard to the Lord Jesus. Don't just read beyond that.
- Understand that Jesus is asserting that
trusting the Father and trusting the Son are equally valid positions! Why? Because
they both share a divine nature and are worthy of their trust!
- Throughout the book of John, Jesus has
outright announced the true nature of His deity! As their trust in Him grows,
their anxiety shrinks in comparison! The more I look to Him, the less I fret!
- It is the exchange of one emotion for a sure
foundation! My emotions can swing
wildly if I let them. My belief in the sure mercies of God leaves my heart in
an untouchable space!
- This is His command to the 12 that sat in
front of Him and to the 12 that sit in front of me!
- A believer's trust in the presence and
goodness of God is the foundation upon which a godly life is built. That trust
grows for a lifetime and well beyond. Verse 2.
• John 14:2-4 : "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. And if I
go and prepare a place for you, I will
come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know.'" : What a beautiful promise to give
them! They need to be thinking of His Father's house, their heavenly home!
- Interesting, when God gave His promise of a
land to Abram, Isaac and Jacob, none of them ever lived to receive it. When
Jesus lived upon the earth, He was also a bit of a pilgrim.
- Jesus replying to a scribe that wanted to
follow Him, said that foxes and birds had places to rest their heads. Jesus
could not claim the same thing. (Matthew 8:20)
- Upon the Earth, Jesus traveled on foot from
place to place, but like the Jewish patriarchs, never lost sight of the home
that eluded Him on this planet!
- Jesus invites His disciples to turn their
eyes from their present circumstance to their eternal home. "In My
Father's house!" Can you not wait to live there!?
- For a Christian, the body that our spirit
dwells in is likened to an earthly tent and this life is constant pllgrim sojourn.
A believer never quite feels at home on this planet because they aren't!
- One day, we will enter the heavenly home of
the God of the Universe and we will settle down to dwell there! The Lord's
dwelling place is full of places to dwell.
- Jesus can confirm this as true! He has been
there and seen this first hand! Jesus is going before them in order to make
preparations for them.
- The word that is used here generally refers
to a person called a "forerunner" that would travel the roads that
royalty would soon travel in order to smooth out their path.
- The same concept, used in a marital context,
would express the actions of a husband, who would prepare a home for he and his
wife to dwell in during their betrothal period. Both are true!
- Jesus as the Bride-groom is preparing a home
for His bride, the church! Every hindrance and every part of our path is being
smoothed for our arrival!
- The good news about that is that since He is
expending that kind of energy, it follows then that He will return to take them
to Himself!
- The holidays and the first advent of Christ
only serves to remind me that there is a second coming that will eclipse it's
predecessor's glory! Jesus is coming back to receive His disciples!
- He is not leaving them nor us abandoned, but
on the very night that He was betrayed, promised them in all earnestness, that
He would return and that they would one day be home!
- As we have studied, I hope that you have seen
the specificity and historicity of Christ's claims. He physically came to this
planet on a day in history.
- He entered Jerusalem on a day predicted by
Daniel the Prophet. Because these days were literally fulfilled, we can have
confidence in His physical return! Why will He return?
- That they would be where He was! Jesus had
invited the nation of Israel into this promise back in 12:26. The Lord's
servant will be where He is!
- That was where He was going, In that way,
they knew that that was where He was going and knew the way to get there.
- That leads to a very honest question from
Thomas and a second assurance from Christ of their "Heavenly Connection"
Verse 5.
• John 14:5,6 : "Thomas said to Him, 'Lord, we do
not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?' Jesus said to him, 'I am the
way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." : Thomas can't take it anymore! He
cannot reconcile the truths that Jesus has been sharing!
- Jesus has told him that he and the rest of
the disciples can't follow where He is going, ie., to their own deaths, but
that they know the way to where He is going, ie. the Father's house.
- Thomas believes that the disciples will have
to figure out a path themselves!
- Jesus tells him that He doesn't need to know
a path because He already knows a person! Jesus tells the disciples and us,
"I AM the way!"
- At the risk of being redundant, I remind you
that the moniker "I AM" points to the covenant Name that God used to
identify Himself to Israel while they were in Egyptian bondage.
- The best translators have considered the
phrase to be the "self-existent" One, expressing the concept of being
whatever He willed to be and thereby, whatever we need Him to be!
- According to one commentator, the way that
this is written would better be written this way: "I Am, have always been
and will always be THE Way, THE Truth and THE Life!
- Jesus does not present a path or teach one to
reach a path. He is the singular path leading to God that any of the disciples
need to know. He is the Way and He alone is The Truth.
- Jesus is the sum total of the revelation of
God to men! He is the focal point of all "religious" knowledge
pertaining to God!
- When you apply your heart to know Christ, you
are absorbing everthing that you need to know about God's universe! He is The
Way, The Truth and The Life!
- There are two Greek words used to express our
word "life." One is "bios" which refers to biological,
physical or earthly life. The second word, the one used here is
"zoe."
- "Zoe" refers to the character of
life, that which separates a person who is "alive" against a person
who is dead. It is the animation of a person, the vitality.
- It's the brightness and excitement that is
seen when a person is genuinely enthused. Jesus is telling Thomas and the
disciples that He is the source of their life!
- He is their Path, He is The sum total of
divine knowledge and He is the source of their very existence! How important is
this for a person to know?
- If you do not know Jesus, you have no idea
where you are going, no concept of what you need to know and no grasp upon what
God's intention is for your life!
- A person without Christ will exist upon this
planet without any clue of the direction of their soul. That's bad enough! But
then, you die.
- How many men and women will come to the
Father and His house apart from knowing Jesus Christ? Not a single one!
"No one comes to the Father except through me!"
- Are you listening to the concrete,
intolerant, narrow words of our Savior? No one anywhere at anytime comes to the
Father except through Jesus!
- You cannot come to the Father by your own
works. You cannot come through any other agency. The way to the Father is
through Jesus Christ alone!
- If you find this narrow and intolerant, that
is your prerogative. To the person who is being saved it is the greatest joy to
know that there is a single and true way to heaven! Verse 7.
• John 14:7-11 : "If you had known Me, you would have known My
Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him.' Philip said to Him, 'Lord, show us
the Father, and it is sufficient for us.' Jesus
said to him, 'Have I been with you so long, and yet you
have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us
the Father’? Do you not
believe that I am in
the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own
authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. Believe Me that I am in
the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves." : The sense of verse 7 is
captured by the NLT and the NIV when it says, "If you had really known
me."
- It's not that they didn't know Jesus, but
that they did not fully grasp who He was in totality. This happens every single
day. You and I treat people based upon what we think they are capable of.
- The disciples had the very best view of
Christ as He wore human skin, but they only knew what He needed them to know to
continue following Him.
- Had they really known Him, they would have
known divinity, the same which He shares with His Father. They are of the same
essence.
- To know Jesus and see Him is to know and see
the Father. That is where Philip chimes in. All he wants is for Jesus to show
them the Father!
- Philip wants Jesus to provide them with
"exhibit A" proof! "Let us see with our own eyes. Give us that
vision and it will be enough for us."
- I mentioned last week that these men
struggled with some amount of unbelief. Philip gives credence to that narrative
as he non-chalantly asks to see God the Father! "That's not hard is
it!?"
- Jesus had told him that he would see greater
things. Perhaps Philip was wanting to cash in on that promise in this moment!
- Jesus replies to the question by saying that
the world had seen the Father by seeing Him. How could Philip ask that
question? Did He not believe in their unity?
- Jesus was in the Father and the Father was in
Him! He had continually spoken that which His Father had authorized. The works
that He did could only be explained by the Father working!
- He looks at Philip and understands the
dilemma that he was facing. He offers him the opportunity to take Him at His
word or to examine the works again. "Think about what they say!"
- Who could give sight to the blind? Who can
raise men from the dead? These things happened in Philip's presence. Could he
not have believed when they happened?
- Certainly, a greater and more personal
witness would occur when they believed upon Him. Verse 12 contains their
third assurance from Jesus in the form of their "Heavenly Commission."
• John 14:12-14 : "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes
in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he
will do, because I go to My Father. And
whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it. If you love Me, keep My commandments." : Jesus might not be with them physically for long, but their work
is far from over! These disciples will continue working and will do the works He
had done!
- Can you imagine that? You don't really have
to! Read the book of Acts and you will see many of the same works done
through these men!
- But Jesus promises them that their works will
be greater! How can that possibly be true?
- First, the disciples will work throughout a greater
geographical area, touching the entire known world by the end of the book of Acts.
Jesus didn't work outside of Israel.
- Second, their works will give birth to an
international, multi ethnic church, which will thrive on Earth for 2,000 years!
The Lord's work technically ended with these 12 Jewish disciples!
- Third, the disciples work will be greater
because they will have an "in" with the Father! They will be able to
ask for anything in His Name and He would do it for them on His authority!
- Does this give any of His disciples carte
blanche? Could they ask for anything that they wanted? No! The promise is
connected to the context of their working as Christ worked!
- To ask for something in someone's Name is to
ask for that which was consistent with their character. To ask anything in His
Name was to ask for what He would ask for!
- The Lord Jesus never used heavenly authority
for His own earthly gain. He always used it at His Father's beck and call, and
only then for the will of His Father and the glory of the Kingdom!
- When these men would go out with the same mission,
whatever resource they needed to enhance the reputation of the Kingdom would be
provided by Jesus Himself!
- Jesus assures them of His continuing ministry
on their behalf, one that will be defined by their love for Him. What does it
mean to love God? It seems today that everyone has their own idea.
- "I love God by doing whatever I want and
claiming that it is loving toward Him!" I'm pretty sure that you won't
find a verse for that!
- Love, the concept, in the eyes of God, is
never an abstraction. It is defined by action.
- To His disciples, Jesus offers this test of
authenticity. If you are loving me, it will be related to you consistently
keeping my commandments! Verse 16.
• John 14:16-18 : " And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever—the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor
knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will
not leave you orphans; I will
come to you." :
Jesus has assured the disciples of their "Heavenly Home." He
is there preparing for their arrival. He is their "Heavenly Connection!"
He is The Way, Truth and Life!
- While they remain here, they have been given
a "Heavenly Commission." Their work will continue and to a
greater degree. How is that possible? Because they will have "Heavenly
Help!"
- The disciples work will be greater in scope
and diversity because it will be attended by the third person of the Trinity,
The Holy Spirit!
- Their work will be greater because Christ
will have sent the Holy Spirit to advertise to men the truthful majesty of
Christ to men!
- The Holy Spirit will witness of Him in a
greater way through the Apostles than Christ could have witnessed of Himself!
Jesus worked visually. The Holy Spirit will work internally!
- Notice the work of the Trinity in one verse. Jesus,
the Son, will pray to the Father, who will give the Holy Spirit to them! Listen
to these distinctions. First, He is another Helper!
- There are two words in the Greek language for
"another." The first is "heteros" which is to express
another of a different kind. The second word is "allos" which is
another of the same kind.
- That is the word that Jesus uses here! The
Holy Spirit is not another of a different kind. He is equal part Divine with
the Father and the Son! The only difference is in the role that He plays.
- The Father gives the Son and Son gives the
Spirit, the former to redeem men from their sins, the latter to help, to
"comfort" them. That is what the word "helper" suggests!
- The Holy Spirit being the
"Parakletos," is the one the expresses the very comfort of God! He is
the One who is tasked with "coming alongside" God's person.
- The Holy Spirit comforts, gifts, instructs
and guides each believer personally and Jesus promises that He will never leave
the believer!
- Jesus, by necessity, returned to His heavenly
throne after He rose from the grave. The Holy Spirit will only leave this
planet when the church is raptured!
- He will dwell, take up residence in the
believer forever! What will He communicate from God as He comes up alongside of
us? Truth! The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth!
- Consider what it means when a person comes
alongside another person. What are we often struggling over? What is generally
our concern? Who is working overtime to derail us?
- We are usually struggling against confusion,
worry, anxiety propelled by the enemy's lies. He lies to us about everything
and everyone!
- That's when the Spirit comes rushing to our
aid with the truth of His Word! He belongs to the believer exclusively! The
World cannot receive Him. It lacks the power to see Him.
- That word "see" gives us our word
"theory." The Word, for all it's supposed ability, cannot get a grasp
upon the person of the Holy Spirit! They can't even begin to theorize about His
work!
- They cannot discern His power or presence but
we are given the gift to know Him intimately! Why? Because the Holy Spirit
dwells with you and will be in you!
- The NLT translates it, "because He
lives with you now and later will be in you." Jesus will not leave His
disciples without comfort.
- He promises to come to them and the Holy
Spirit convinces us that He is speaking the truth!
Conclusion
- "Stop letting your hearts be
troubled!" You are expected to dwell in a "Heavenly Home!"
That promise has been given to you by your "Heavenly Connection,"
God in the flesh Himself!
- Jesus, the Groom is getting things ready for
the Bride that He will return to receive! While they wait, they have a "Heavenly
Commission."
- Work while you have the time and know it will
be effective because you have "Heavenly Help," the Holy Spirit
who will empower the work He sent us to do! Let's pray!
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