Jesus Farewell Discourse Pt. 3

John 14:15-31

Vs. 15....If you Love Jesus, keep His commandments........

This verse is moving the discussion toward vv. 16–17. (2) The obedience theme is of a piece with asking for things in Jesus’ name (vv. 13–14). None of the promised fruitfulness will come to those who think they can manipulate the exalted Christ, or use him for their own ends.

Notice that Jesus does not assume that His disciples, love Him or not.

Love will show through obedience, to the greater (Jesus will mention that later). It is not a “got to” but “I want to”

Adam Clarke wrote: “ If ye love me, keep my commandments.] Do not be afflicted at the thought of my being separated from you: the most solid proof ye can give of your attachment to and affection for me is to keep my commandments. This I shall receive as a greater proof of your affection than your tears.”

1 John 2:3-5 “And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.”

1 John 5:2-3 “By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.”

1 John 4:10 “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”

1 John 4:19 “We love him, because he first loved us.”

These are writings from John and his writing impresses love to our mind, the love of God which in turn produces a love for Him, which produces love for one another.

Love for God and love for one another is at the heart of the 10 commandments.

Vs. 16-21......Because of their love, Jesus will not leave the disciples (us) without comfort, without His presence......

This is conditional, but not in doubt to Jesus.

He will ask........Side-note: Jesus does not demand from His Father, He asks. Who are we to demand or declare anything from God.

Pray here meaning: ask, urge, beg!

Another...........The Greek word means another of the same kind.

Comforter.........The Helper, Counselor, Encourager, Mediator.

This Comforter will abide, dwell within us, not just for moments but forever.

The Spirit of truth......The Spirit of Truth against the world

“The greatest gift that God has ever given the world is the truth – divine revelation, divine truth.  The truth about Himself, the truth about us, the truth about time and eternity, the truth about life and death, the truth about origins and consummation, the truth about judgment, the truth about salvation, the truth about heaven, the truth about hell.  This is the greatest gift that God has ever given.  In a world of liars, in a world of lies, in a world where deception abounds because the whole world lies in the lap of the evil one who is the arch deceiver, and who applies his deception through a mass of fallen angels identified as demons, and has held captive the entire human race.  In the midst of all of the deception of Satan, demons, and duped human beings; in the midst of the darkness and blackness and bleakness of the ignorant heart of an unregenerate person, God deposits the truth.”

The prophet Zechariah wrote that one day, the Messiah will come.  And when He comes, He will set up His kingdom in the world.  And when His kingdom comes, and He establishes His throne in the world, which is yet to come, Jerusalem will be given a new name. Zechariah 8:3 “Thus saith the Lord; I am returned unto Zion, And will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: And Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth; And the mountain of the Lord of hosts the holy mountain.”

1 Corinthians 1:21 “For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.”

The world is..........2 Timothy 3:7 “Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.”

Truth is truth.....there is truth inn mechanics, science, mathematics.......but the physical truth does not even come close to the spiritual realm!

2 Corinthians 4:3-4 “But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.”

The god of this world is satan and he is hiding the true reality of real life!!!

Let me use an example.......Let’s say someone is searching trying to find some truth about themselves or their family. Maybe they were adopted........Let’s say they spent all their efforts in seeking that out and then their souls were required of them.......what truth would matter at that point?

I would take you back to one verse: John 6:63 “It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.”

Does not see Him..........The devil is working to hide this truth and placing undue value on the flesh, which would and does blind us from the extreme value of God’s truth and this is what Jesus is asking for the disciples and it is what they will be baptized with....The Spirit of Truth!

Jesus is leaving, His teachings and life was so far from what the world was teaching, they are going to need the revelation of the truth of God daily! They will need discernment against anything that comes against the truth of God!

One more note on this.......I believe that a knowledge that is needed in believing in Jesus Christ, is the knowledge that the flesh profits nothing!

Yes, there is some enjoyments down here, Jesus said that it will rain on the just and unjust and the sun will shine on the same........but the reality of this is, if you truly believe that the flesh profits nothing and that the spiritual truth is greater than anything, how much effort would you put into that truth! Especially if that truth is not seen!

B.H. McClendenon said that it will be worth our lives!.....So, we must endure hardness as a good soldier because we have the truth!

That Spirit of truth resided in them and in all those that believe!

This is the comfort that is needed in a world against the truth....a world of lies and deception, we and they stand and stood in the face of that darkness and by doing so we are going to need a Comforter, a Counselor, and Encourager, and a Mediator!

That is Jesus, the Holy Spirit is Jesus in us because He only speaks of Jesus! He reveals the Truth to us!

Verse 19 Jesus tells again that He is leaving and folks will be looking for Him, but we won’t why???

Because His Truth lives in us!

When you receive the Spirit of truth, you will understand that the fullness of the Godhead dwells in Jesus .

After my resurrection, ye shall be more fully convinced of this important truth, that I and the Father are ONE; for I will live in you by the energy of my Spirit, and ye shall live in me by faith, love, and obedience

The prerequisite of this promise, the manifestation of the Spirit of truth is to love, love that produces obedience in following Christ.!

Verses 22-26...........Judas asked a question......how is it that we will see you but the world won’t!

To believers (followers) today that would be easy to answer, but at this point, even after 3 years it was all so new and opposite of the worldly thinking that their minds at this point was full of questions.

Judas probably had in mind the millennial reign of Christ....how can you reign and nobody but us see You?

Love Jesus and Keep His Words.....this is a conditional if, but if you do the Godhead will make Their abode with you........

That is an awesome promise........

Mere duty will not generate obedience to Christ; only love for him can do that.

He that does not love Jesus will not keep His sayings or Word.........

That Word is not Jesus’ but the Father’s!

Jesus’ Words He has been teaching to them while He is still with them, but once He goes to the Father, the Comforter will come, which is the Holy Ghost (Spirit).........

A lot of people get a little bit crazy in the mystical thinking of the Holy Spirit.....it seems when they say ghost it energizes some kind of magical scene in their minds.......

Ghost means spirit which all together means a non-material being! Can’t see It, but It is real!

This is what I love to teach about the Holy Spirit’s functions........This is how the Holy Spirit comforts us, counsels us, encourages us,........It will teach us all things and bring all things......

All things is key here, we must read that in the right context, those 2 are connected....

As being taught all things, in turn “all things” will be brought to our remembrance........

So is the all things, truly all things?? Like everything in the world????

Absolutely not, it is the “all things” that pertain to whatever Jesus has taught?said unto them! That is how they wrote this all down for us!!

Truly, Jesus Words are all we need!

They were called to bring this Gospel News of Jesus to the world! How else could they do that in unity, unless the Holy Spirit showed them the way!

Verses 27....It seems that disciples are troubled at the hearing of Jesus’ departure. Jesus encourages them in truth as the Holy Spirit will do.

In Jesus there is peace! I can’t help but think of Isaiah 9:6-7 “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: And the government shall be upon his shoulder: And his name shall be called Wonderful, Counseller, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, Upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, To order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice From henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.”

Jesus fulfills the Messianic promise of peace, He has settled the debt owed to God and has been raised to give eternal life to those that believe! Jesus bore our entire responsibility! “It is finished”

In Jesus there is also an inward peace (which is directly because of what Jesus has done for us), this inward peace (assurance) dissolves fear, gives an inward confidence, and gives composure in the midst of trouble.

The world has no means or power to give peace!

I want to read a quote, that I had to work through the big words but I think it is important: “The world is powerless to give peace. There is sufficient hatred, selfishness, bitterness, malice, anxiety and fear that every attempt at peace is rapidly swamped. Within a biblical framework, attempts to achieve personal tranquility or merely political stability, whether by ritual, mysticism or propaganda, without dealing with the fundamental reasons for strife, are intrinsically loathsome. That is why God denounces ‘prophets and priests alike’ who ‘practise deceit. They dress the wound of my people as though it were not serious. “Peace, peace,” they say, where there is no peace. Are they ashamed of their loathsome conduct? No, they have no shame at all; they do not even know how to blush’ (Je. 6:13–15). The world promises peace and waves the flag of peace as a greeting; it cannot give it.”

Jeremiah 6:13-15 “For from the least of them even unto the greatest of them every one is given to covetousness; and from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely. They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace. Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore they shall fall among them that fall: at the time that I visit them they shall be cast down, saith the Lord.”

One last thing, if you think that if we can get people in unity, by fixing things, it won’t work! If your sickness is healed, that is not complete peace, if your family is restored that is not complete peace, etc, etc.....You get what I am saying? In Jesus the Christ the Son of the Living God is true peace!

Do not be fooled by worldly peace, it won’t last, only the peace that resides in believing, loving, and following Jesus Christ will last!

Verses 28-29....Therefore as my friends ye should rejoice in my elevation, though for a while it may put you to the pain of being separated from me: besides, I am going that I may send you the Holy Spirit, which shall fill you with the fulness of God: on your own account, therefore, ye should have rejoiced and not mourned.

Jesus told them before hand so that when all of it started happening they would have that understanding!

Verses 30-31...........Jesus is not ending the discourse here, He is just stating the essence of the entire discourse.

Satan is coming.....coming in Judas, coming in the “Jews”, coming in the Roman’s........coming as an accuser.

Satan has nothing on Jesus......the devil being the accuser has nothing to accuse Jesus of, He is innocent!

He has no power over the Truth of Jesus Christ!

The world may think, with the devil, that Jesus is defeated by his death. It must learn that Jesus glorifies the Father by faithfully completing the will of God, through His death and resurrection!

Arise…it seems they leave the upper room on the way to the Garden.