John 14:25-31


John 14:25-31
25 “These things I have spoken to you while abiding 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 said to you. 27 “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful. 28 “You heard that I said to you, ‘I go away, and I will come to you.’ If you loved Me, you would have rejoiced because I go to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. 29 “Now I have told you before it happens, so that when it happens, you may believe. 30 “I will not speak much more with you, for the ruler of the world is coming, and he has nothing in Me; 31 but so that the world may know that I love the Father, I do exactly as the Father commanded Me. Get up, let us go from here.

As Jesus concludes His remarks to His disciples, He explains why it is so important for Him to go to the Father and send the Spirit.  As hard as it may seem for us to fathom, it is actually better for us that Jesus is in heaven and send the Spirit, as opposed to Him being on earth.  He wants His followers to understand that the Spirit will have a tremendously positive impact on their lives.  The impact He had on their lives is evident all through the book of Acts and the rest of the New Testament.  It is important for us to remember that the very same Spirit in habits each of us who believe.

JESUS SENDS THE SPIRIT TO INFORM: There are two basic types of information Jesus promises the Spirit will provide: new and old.  The Spirit as come to teach all things.  Jesus taught many foundational truths, but there were still many important truths that were vital to the church theses apostles were responsible to start and that we are called to build upon.  The Spirit would teach them these truths.  There are many things about Scripture that are hard for us to understand.  The Spirit has been given to help us understand these truths.  These are the new things Jesus promised the Spirit would inform.  He would also remind the disciples of the things they had already heard.  We are very forgetful.  If we think back to subjects like algebra and geometry that took us so long to grasp.  Those of us who don’t use those subjects on a regular basis, tend to forget.  The same could be true of spiritual truths.  There are so many wonderful truths in Scripture and that we have learned from others, but unless we are reminded of these truths, it can be easy to forget.  The Spirit serves us by reminding us of the truths we need just when we need them most.

JESUS SENDS THE SPIRIT TO COMFORT:  As long as Jesus was with the disciples, they felt a certain level of peace and comfort.  Now that He would be leaving their physical presence, He wants to let them know that He would continue to bring them peace through the Spirit.  He would do this through two basic means.  First, He would give them peace in the midst of the troubling circumstances they would face in the days to come as they fulfilled the commands He left them.  Second, He would give them peace about where Jesus was now.  The disciples loved Jesus and would be genuinely concerned for Him because they would no longer be able to see Him.  The Spirit will assure them that He is with the Father.  When Jesus says that the Father is greater than He, it does not mean that the Father, Son and Spirit are unequal.  There is an order in the Trinity that is evident throughout this passage and all of Scripture.  Each member has unique functions but the are all co-equal.  There is leadership within the Trinity, but this does not imply superiority.  This truth is important for all leaders and followers within organizations, churches and families to understand.  The Spirit is with us to give us peace in the troubling circumstances we may face as well as in the relationships we have with one another.  Since we love Jesus, we are happy that He is enjoying the Father’s presence.  The same can be said about all our loved ones in Christ who have been promoted to the presence of the Father.

JESUS SENDS THE SPIRIT TO ENABLE: Days will become dark in the lives of the disciples.  They will be threatened, beaten, rejected and martyred.  How would they believe in the face of such opposition?  The Holy Spirit will enable them to believe.  Jesus warns them of all that will take place so the Spirit will be able to point to these words and strengthen their faith in the middle of great opposition.  The world and Satan himself is going to strike a blow with the crucifixion but this is not a surprise to the Father or the Son.  In fact, it is all part of the Father’s plan.  Jesus will submit perfectly to the Father’s will.  His example of obedience becomes our mandate.  Just as the Spirit enabled Jesus to obey in the face of pain, death and rejection; He will enable all who follow Jesus.  The faith we have today is a result of the Spirit’s ministry in our hearts and allows us to stand firm in obedience no matter what we might face. 

APPLICATION: Know that the Spirit indwells all who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.  He has been sent to teach us how to live in this world and to remind us of the teachings of Jesus.  When terrible things happen in our lives, the Spirit is with us to comfort us.  He strengthens our faith and helps us to be obedient in this fallen world.  Following Jesus is not an easy thing, but it is something that we will never have to achieve alone.  The Spirit is our teacher, comforter and helper.

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