Sermon Tone Analysis

*JOHN 14:15-21 *

Jesus has been encouraging the disciples to continue in faith: “/you believe in God/…” [14:1].

§         Faith must grasp where Jesus is going: “/I go to prepare a place/…” [14:2].

§         Faith must grasp that there will be a final reunion: “/I will come again and receive you/…” [14:3].

§         Faith must grasp what Jesus is in his Person: “/I am the way, and the truth/…” [14:6].

§         Faith must grasp that Jesus is not only the revelation of God [14:7] but also ‘God with us’ due to the fact of the mutual indwelling of the Father and the Son [14:11].

§         This is the /hinge/ of saving faith: Jesus is the /revelation/ of God, He is /God with us/, and He is the eternal /Mediator/ between God and man.

#.

*THE FUTURE OF THE KINGDOM   *

In this case the saying provides a significant window into the post-resurrection situation.

Even though the disciples here may have been overwhelmed by sorrow (cf.

16:20), they are called to focus on the future rather than the present because most of the verbs are in the future tense in this section.

*1.        **Ongoing Discipleship *

*a.        **Ongoing Faith *

The ongoing emphasis on faith: “/he that believes on me…/” [14:12].

§        ὁ πιστεύων - “/believes/” [14:12], present active participle, ‘knowledge, conviction and trust’;

*b.        **Ongoing Love  *

The condition of discipleship: “/if you love me keep my commandments/” [14:15].

§        Ἐὰν - “/if/” [14:15], a combination of the conditional *eiv *and the  particle *a;n *to denote uncertainty or indefiniteness;

§        ἀγαπᾶτέ - “/love/” [14:15], plural present active, ‘devotion and delight based on regarded value’; ‘a spontaneous feeling which impels to self-giving or to the seizure of the object which awakens the feeling, or to the performance of the action in which pleasure is taken’; 

*i.

**Abiding (Future) Devotion *

The characteristic of love is devotion: “/keep my commandments/…” [14:15].

§        ἐντολὰς - “/my/ /commandments/” [14:15], ‘order, commission or command’; usually in the context of a command given by ‘a king, official, or general’;

§        τηρήσετε - “/keep/” [14:15], future indicative active, ‘to continue in a state’; ‘to guard, observe’;

§        New covenant obligation: “/a new commandment I give unto you/…” [13:34-35].

§        Integrally tied to holistic devotion to God: “/this is how we know that we love the children of God, by loving God and carrying out his commands/” [1Joh.5:2].

§        The future is the correct reading: ‘they will obey what he commands’.

*Application*

 

*2.

**Discipleship & Works of the Kingdom  *

Faith and the works of the kingdom: “/the works that I do/…” [14:12].

§        τὰ ἔργα - “/works/” [14:12], clearly a reference to the “/signs/” [20:30-31]; ‘the works performed by Jesus which confirm the word spoken by him’;

§        ποιῶ - “/I do/” [14:12], present active, ‘perform an action’;

§        κἀκεῖνος – “these” [14:12], demonstrative pronoun,

§        ποιήσει - “/he shall do/” [14:12], future active, ‘perform an action’;

*a.        **Greater Works *

*i.         **Works *

In this Gospel the “/works/” [14:11] are signs of the kingdom: “/many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples…/” [20:30].

§         σημεῖα - “/signs/” [20:30], ‘sign, characteristic, mark’; connected with shmainw, ‘to signify, indicate, make known’.

*ii.

**Greater Works *

The promise is even more staggering: “/greater works than these shall he do…/” [14:12].

§        μείζονα - “/greater/” [14:12], comparative, ‘greater in abundance, extent or degree’;

§        ποιήσει - “/he do/” [14:12], future active, ‘perform an action’;

*iii.

**The Resurrection & the Greater Works *

How is it that the disciples will do “/greater works/” [14:12] than what Jesus did?

The very basis of the greater works is “/because I go to the Father/” [14:12].

§        ὅτι - “/because/” [14:12],

§        πορεύομαι - “/I go/” [14:12], present middle indicative, ‘move from one place to the other’;

§        πρὸς τὸν πατέρα - “/unto my Father/” [14:12],

§        The works will become greater precisely because of the new order that has come about consequent on his going to the Father.

*iv.

**The New Testament Church *

The “/greater works/” [14:12] belong to an age of clarity and power introduced by Jesus’ sacrifice and exaltation.

§        From a numerical standpoint, the works of Peter and the other Apostles surpassed those of Jesus in a single day (the day of Pentecost): “/there were added to the church about three thousand souls/” [Acts 2:41].

§        The message went forth not just in “/Judea and Samaria/” but “/to the farthest parts of the known world/” [Acts 1:8].

*Application*

 

*3.

**Discipleship & Successful Ministry   *

*a.        **Prayer *

The disciples’ fruitful conduct is the product of their prayers: “/whatsoever you shall ask in my name/…” [14:14].

§        αἰτήσητέ - “/shall ask/” [14:14], aorist subjunctive active, ‘to demand’; ‘to request’;

§        ἐν - “/in/” [14:14], ‘withinness’;

*b.        **The Mediator *

Prayers are offered: “/in my name/…” [14:14].

§        τῷ ὀνόματί μου - “/my name/” [14:14], ‘petition with invocation of his name’ or ‘appeal to his name’;

§        The /fundamental/ factor is the role of Jesus as mediator between God and his people: “/no one comes to the Father but by me/” [14:6].

§        The central idea is that the prayer is answered because of a faith-union with Christ as the one who is “/the way/…” [14:6].

§        The central idea also includes /mutual harmony/ in the things desired’.

*c.

**The Mediator’s Work *

The work is that of the Mediator: “/I will do it/” [14:14].

§        ποιήσω - “/will do it/” [14:14], future active,

*Application*

Contrast is between ‘Jesus and his disciples in the limited circumstances of his earthly ministry’ and ‘the risen Christ with the disciples in the post-Easter situation.

§        Jesus will continue to work through them: “/I will do it/” [14:14].

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*THE PROMISED RETURN *

*1.        **The Promise  *

The disciples still feel abandoned; but Jesus consoles them.

*a.        **Orphans *

The temporary condition of the disciples: “/I will not leave you comfortless/…” [14:18].

§        Οὐκ ἀφήσω - “/leave/” [14:18], ‘depart from’; ‘dismiss or leave behind’; ‘abandon’; “/he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone/…” [8:29];

§        ὀρφανούς - “/comfortless/” [14:18], ‘bereaved’; ‘an orphan’; ‘one without parents’; ‘friendless person’;

§        Orphans are exposed, vulnerable, unprotected, without guidance and support.

*b.        **Jesus’ Return *

He promises to return: “/I will come to you/” [14:18].

§        ἔρχομαι - “/come/” [14:18], present middle, ‘to come or go in a particular direction’, the direction being determined by the preposition.

§        πρὸς ὑμᾶς - “/to/ /you/” [14:18],

*2.        **The Account of Jesus’ Movements  *

*a.        **The Separation from the World  *

Jesus is not speaking of events remote in the future: “/yet a little while and the world/…” [14:19].

§        ἔτι - “/yet/” [14:19], ‘still’;

§        μικρὸν - “/little while/” [14:19], ‘small’; ‘little’;

§        κόσμος - “/world/” [14:19], ‘the godless world system’; ‘the moral order against God’;

§        θεωρεῖ - “/sees/” [14:19], present active, from ὁράω, ‘to see or look at’; ‘to see or perceive something’; ‘to see is to take part in’;

§        οὐκέτι - “/no more/” [14:19],

*b.        **Return to the Disciples   *

Jesus’ resurrection appearances: “/but you shall see me/…” [14:19].

§        θεωρεῖτέ - “/see/” [14:19], present active, from ὁράω, ‘to see or look at’; ‘to see or perceive something’; ‘to see is to take part in’;

*c.        **The New Order *

*i.         **Jesus’ Resurrection *