John 14:1-21 God encountering us / He is initiating contact

Remember watching Sputnik?

It had been in space a few years when I first saw it or think I did in Montana – remember families sitting on cars looking for it

Maybe that was when I became fascinated with space. And how can you not also then be interested in aliens. If we can go to space why not other creatures on other worlds.

So I Grew up thinking about “first contact”.  And so did many tv and movie shows.  Outer Limits picked up an alien from a radio tower. A much more significant movie years later involved New Mexico Very Large Array. Been to Roswell and read all the accounts. And of course the XFiles TV show. The truth is out there.

The idea of a greater intelligence invading our space is fascinating. Imagine how alien life much more advanced than our own showed up on day.

Well he did. But He did it with a little subversion / a little subtlety. No one got it. So now at the close of His ministry Jesus makes it ultimately clear.

The scene is the last evening Jesus is with His disciples. They hadn’t understood how other worldly Jesus was.  So now He waits no more He encounters them. This interaction is like a first contact. The superior creature reveals himself and his plan for them. Let’s listen in

God encountering us: Offers a place of belonging Disciples troubled at Jesus’ sayings. Death crucifixion trouble – inner turmoil / uncertainty about the future In times of uncertainty v. 1

ESV John 14 1 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 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? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. Peter “Where are you going” / Uncertain comments about death A place for you v. 2b ESV John 14 1 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 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? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. Vagabonds / will never really have a place / in a culture of security

Big enough for all His disciples (not only 144,000 – JW funeral) Not mansion – dwelling places Temple – most well known multiperson dwelling / apts for priests / But living in the house with God A place with Him v. 2a, 3 ESV John 14 1 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 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? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.

Christ coming for you – His going away will cause pain / trouble but it is the very thing that will provide hope (He is not up in heaven doing construction work – it is the going to the cross that He prepared a place for us) Receive you to Myself (not just to the place) Belonging / fellowship Visiting locations: Stay in motel or with people / luxury and quiet or deep fellowship – with people the first might be preferred / with God the latter Went to Amman Jordan – marble everywhere

Went to Obninsk Russia – translator and I slept in the living room – four other family members in two bedrooms and kitchen Page Break God encountering us: Offers His entire presence in our life The Father and His authority v 8-11 ESV John 14:8 Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” 9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?

Philip “Show us the Father?” Possible to be around Jesus and not yet really know Him Trinitarian language and relationship  – Experience the three persons of the one God A desire to know God (the Father) Come to Jesus and you experience the Father / the true longing of our soul

ESV John 14:10 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 authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. 11 Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves. In knowing Him we experience His authority Jesus and His Power v. 12-14, 18-20 ESV John 14:12 “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. 13 Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it. A promise of ability in Christ as we live in His presence

His works and more Greater works in the Christian – not quality or quantity but scope / reach the multitudes / preach a fuller message that Jesus was only able to do as a shadow of what was to come Through the means of prayer In His name Drawn into his life and love and sense of purpose.

See what needs doing, what we should be aiming at within our sphere of possibilities, and what resources we need to do it. To ask in his name might mean to ask in a way that is in accordance with his character  /  For His sake  /   According to His will   /   For His glory He will answer Page Break Jesus and His presence

He will leave physically, but not forever 18  I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you. 19  “A little while longer and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you will live also. 20  At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. The Holy Spirit & His inner working v. 16-17 John  14 16  And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— 17  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. Another helper/comforter of the same kind as Jesus

‘comforter’, ‘teacher’, ‘advocate’, ‘counsellor’, ‘helper’ and ‘guide’. Comfort – encourage – provide inner strength to deal with the difficult situations we find ourselves Defender/advocate – take our side / pleads our case/ give grace in the eyes of others / support us with others / support us in the eyes of God The Spirit in you Father reaching out to them – the one that they have been hardwired to know

Son ministering to them – making the way to fellowship Spirit living within them – experience of the fellowship / connection with God Page Break God encountering us: Offers a peace that is real Evidences of His encounter v. 22

ESV John 14 22 Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, “Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world?” How will you reveal yourself but not to the world? / What will this look like? Not like anything the world knows Consistently aware of His presence and support v. 23-24 ESV John 14 23 Jesus answered 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 home with him. 24 Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father’s who sent me.

Intimate relationship with God brings peace Helped by the Spirit ESV John 14 25 “These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. 26 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 have said to you. ESV John 14 Helper

Teacher / give perspective helper (14:16), interpreter (14:26), witness (15:26), prosecutor (16:7), and revealer (l6:13). Inner well being ESV John 14 27  Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

Page Break God encountering us: Requires our response A demand for faith v. 1 ESV John 14 1 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.

Both imperatives (could be other) Trust in the Father/Son Responding to Jesus v. 4-6 4  And where I go you know, and the way you know.” 5  Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?” 6  Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. Thomas “How can we go too?”

The way – via His death of the cross He is enabled to be the way Supporting statements – not the true and living way (article) The truth – brought the truth of the Father into the world, proclaimed it, embodied it -  is the living truth concerning the Father and the way to the Father The life – Is the means of life itself No other means to the Father except through Christ / no one else provides a way, no one else provides the truth / no one else can provide life

Displayed in obeying Him v. 15, 21 15  “If you love Me, keep My commandments…21  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.” Demonstration of love by following