Last time Jesus prepared and comforted His disciples for His departure. He declared that He was the only Way to the Father.
John 14:15-31 – Jesus Promises The Holy Spirit
In John 14:15-17 Jesus told the disciples, “If you love me, you will obey what I command”. – John 14:15. To help them He said He would ask the Father to give them another Counselor to be with them forever - the Spirit of Truth. This Counselor is the Holy Spirit. He comforts troubled hearts. He is absolutely trustworthy. God, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are One. These three are called the Trinity. Jesus said the world cannot accept Him. The world cannot see Him nor knows Him, but the disciples know Him because He lives with them and will be in them. This Helper is available only to believers.
Principle: Obedience is the evidence that we love Jesus.
In John 14:18-20 Jesus said He would not be with them much longer. He promised them three things: He would not leave them as orphans, He will come to them, and He will live in them. The indwelling of the Holy Spirit links Himself and the Father to those who love Him and keep His teachings. His Spirit lives in every believer.
Jesus said “On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me and I am in you.” – John 14:20. On that day is the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit would descend upon all believers. Some say it was the day of Jesus resurrection. Whichever it is, it’s when the disciples would understand what Jesus meant. You are in me and I am in you means that Christians are united with Jesus and so united with the Father along with the Holy Spirit. This wonderful mystery and is hard to understand, but it’s true. If you are saved, Christ is in you.
Jesus went on to say that if we love Him we will keep His commands and obey Him. We obey Him because we love Him. As we continually confess sin and grow in our knowledge of God, our love for Him naturally increases. He makes His home within us.
In John 14:26 Jesus said that the Holy Spirit will teach them many things and remind them of everything He had said to them. He would be their helper and continue teaching them what Jesus taught.
The Holy Spirit is also referred to in Scripture as the Advocate, the Comforter, the Counselor, the Strengthener, the Helper, the Spirit of Truth, the Spirit of God, the Convicter, the Spirit of Life, the Teacher.
The Holy Spirits does many things:
Principle: We can rejoice that Jesus has given believers the Holy Spirit.
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” – John 14:27. His peace is different from the peace that comes from the world. To have peace doesn’t mean we will not have trouble. True peace comforts us when bad things happen. The peace of Jesus is a calm and freedom from anxiety that comes from trusting our sovereign God. We know that God is in control and is always looking out for us. We have peace knowing that He paid the price for our sins on the cross. He gives spiritual peace or peace with God. He gives peace with others or relational peace. We have peace and the reassurance of our place in heaven.
How can you get Christ’s peace? You get peace with God through faith and trust in Jesus Christ. You get it through prayer, studying the Scriptures, and living in obedience to God’s will.
Principle: We can rejoice that Jesus has given believers His peace.
In John 14:28-29 Jesus told them He would soon leave this world, but would come back and that they would be glad He is going. Why would they be glad? If they truly understood that He would be resurrected, restored to His glory with the Father, then seated on the right hand of God, have authority over all the universe, and that He would send the Holy Spirit to dwell in them, they would have rejoiced over His return to the Father.
To come back could refer to His resurrection, His appearances after His resurrection, the coming to us as the Holy Spirit, or to His 2nd coming at the end the world. Whichever He really meant; they should rejoice.
In John 14:30-31 Jesus said the prince of this world (Satan) has authority over the world, but not over Jesus. Satan wasn’t the one who pushed Him to the cross. Jesus went willing and in obedience to God. Jesus makes it very clear that He is sovereign over His own death and over Satan.
Telling the disciples these things in advance would make sense to them after He has been killed and resurrected. He wanted them to know that Satan has no power over Him and what is about to happen is only by Christ’s own choice.
Satan has no authority over us Christians, because Jesus has made us right with God. Still Satan will try to make us do wrong things and will attack us in different ways. We are to reject his temptations and look to God for the strength to resist.
Jesus is the eternal Son of God and is now sitting on the right hand of the Father. He is sovereign over all in the world and if you are a believer He is sovereign over your life. He has promised to work all things together for good for those who love Him. (Rom. 8:28).
Principle: Jesus is sovereign over all!
What causes you the most anxiety?
Key verses:
Wow! This chapter of John is jam packed. Take time to read and study over it more than once. There are many truths to think about.
Next week we will study John 15. Have a blessed day and thanks for visiting my site. – I encourage you to trust in Jesus.
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