Not Alone

Not Alone

Text: John 14:15-24 (NIV)

15 “If you love me, you will obey what I command. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will bea in you. 18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. 21 Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him.”

22 Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, “But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?”

23 Jesus replied, “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 24 He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me. [1]

I.        Introduction:

II.      Not Alone With Special Assistance

A.      A Special Candidate For Assistance

1.       The Condition of Love

2.       The Evidence of Love

B.      A Special Request For Assistance

1.       The Request for Assistance Made

a)       Made by Jesus

b)       Made to the Father

2.       The Request for Assistance Granted

a)       The Assistant Personalized

b)       The Assistant Identified

c)       The Assistant Recognized

(1)     Failure of Recognition

(2)     Fact of Recognition

(a)     Personally Known

(b)     Personally Indwelt

III.   Not Alone With  Soothing Assurance

A.      Assurance Delivered Through A Promise

1.       The Promise of No Desertion

2.       The Promise of No Disappearance

3.       The Promise of No Death

B.      Assurance Delivered Through A Relationship

1.       A Relationship of Unity

2.       A Relationship of Love

a)       Love Resulting in Obedience

b)       Love Received from the Father

c)       Love Returned by Christ

(1)     Jesus Loves Personally

(2)     Jesus Reveals Himself Personally

IV.    Not Alone With Select Appearance

A.      Revealed Selectively

B.      Received Individually

1.       He Loves

2.       He Abides

C.      Restricted Intentionally

1.       For Refusing Love to Christ

2.       For Rejecting the Word of God

V.      Conclusion:

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a Some early manuscripts and is

[1] The Holy Bible : New International Version. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1996, c1984.