John 14
-Jesus’ High
Priestly dialog continues now that Judas has left the building. This is the
most intimate discourse before His crucifixion that Scripture details. We thank
God that John, through the Holy Spirit years later, denotes this beautiful
exchange over the next several chapters. The Savior starts with this:
"Do not let your heart be
troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me.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. 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 you know the
way where I am going (John 14:1-4)."
Thomas asked Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going,
how do we know the way?” Jesus makes one of His most profound statements, “I am
the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through
Me.” Then He assured them that now they would know Him and see Him in this
coming glory, or radiance, of the Father’s blessing. Philip spoke up and wanted
the Lord to show them the Father. This would be enough he reasoned in his
natural heart (John 14:5-8). Jesus diligently and patiently continued His
instruction:
“Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me,
Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in
the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you I do not speak
on My own initiative, but the Father abiding in Me does His works. Believe Me
that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; otherwise believe because of
the works themselves. Truly, truly, 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 the Father. Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the
Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask Me anything in My name, I will
do it. If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. I will ask the Father,
and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; 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. I
will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. After a little while the
world will no longer see Me, but you will see Me; because I live, you will live
also. In that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in
you. He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he
who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose
Myself to him (John 14:9-21)."
The other disciple named Judas, not Iscariot, wondered, “Lord,
what then has happened that You are going to disclose Yourself to us and not to
the world (John 14:22)?” Jesus went on in His disclosure of how the Trinity
operates:
“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. He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which
you hear is not Mine, but the Father's who sent Me. These things I have spoken
to you while abiding with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father
will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance
all that I said to you. 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. You heard that I said to you, 'I go away, and I will come to you.'
If you loved Me, you would have rejoiced because I go to the Father, for the
Father is greater than I. Now I have told you before it happens, so that when it
happens, you may believe. I will not speak much more with you, for the ruler of
the world is coming, and he has nothing in Me; 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 (John 14:23-31).”
-*Application*- I
cry tears of hope and joy as I re-read these words this morning. We can be one
with the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit with all the peace and comfort that
can possibly be afforded. Even as fallen and sinful people, we can have His
redemption through His grace and a Spirit-filled life that produces abundant
living (John 10:10). Grow in Him. He is our eternal hope and dream. And remember,
if He is in us, we can do even greater works than He performed as the body of
Christ.
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