John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I Am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me. 7 If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on, you know him, and have seen him.”
Christ concluded his discourse on heaven by telling his disciples that they know the way to heaven.
Do you know the way to the Father in heaven?
If you know Jesus you know the way to heaven.
Throughout his time on earth Jesus referred to himself using the Name of God…I AM. Exodus 3:14
I Am… offering living water. John 4:10
I Am …the bread of life. John 6:35,48
I Am… the light of the world. John 8:12; 9:5
I Am… the door for the sheep. John 10:7,9
I Am… the good Shepherd. John 10:11,14
I Am… the resurrection and the life. John 11:25
I Am… the way, the truth, and the life. John 14:6
I Am… the vine. John 15:1
If you know Jesus you also know the way to the Father.
John 14:8 Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us.”
9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you such a long time, and do you not know me, Philip? He who has seen me has seen the Father. How do you say, ‘Show us the Father?’ 10 Don’t you believe that I Am in the Father, and the Father in me? The words that I tell you, I speak not from myself; but the Father who lives in me does his works. 11 Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me; or else believe me for the very works’ sake.
Can you sense the disappointment in Jesus’ reply? It is as if Jesus is saying, “I’ve told you that God the Father and I are one and the same. But if you won’t believe my words that I Am the fulfillment of all of the Old Covenant promises, the living water, bread of life, light of the world, door, Good Shepherd, resurrection and the life, and the way, truth and life, at least believe my works.” Jesus always pointed to his works: water into wine, five thousand fed, walking on water, healing the lame, healing the blind, curing the sick, and raising the dead to life.
Who but God can do such marvelous things?
John 14:12 Most certainly I tell you, he who believes in me, the works that I do, he will do also; and he will do greater works than these, because I am going to my Father. 13 Whatever you will ask in my name, I will do it, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you will ask anything in my name, I will do it.
Jesus had done amazing works. How could it be possible for his followers to do greater works than these?
Jesus gives two answers.
First, as Jesus is returning to the Father, he promises that he will be in a position to answer his followers’ prayers that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
Second, Jesus explains that, if you love me, if you have made Jesus your Lord and demonstrate his Lordship in your life by keeping [his] commandments, Christ will ask the Father to give you another Counselor… the Spirit of Truth.
John 14:15 If you love me, keep my commandments. 16 I will pray to the Father, and he will give you another Counselor, that he may be with you forever: 17 the Spirit of Truth, whom the world can’t receive; for it doesn’t see him and doesn’t know him. You know him, for he lives with you, and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you orphans. I will come to you. 19 Yet a little while, and the world will see me no more; but you will see me. Because I live, you will live also. 20 In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. 21 One who has my commandments and keeps them, that person is one who loves me. One who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him, and will reveal myself to him.”
For three years Jesus had been the disciples’ teacher, mentor, friend, and counselor but now he is going to leave them. In preparing them for his departure, he reassures them that they will not be alone because they will soon be given another Counselor.
What could that mean?
In the Old Covenant when Moses was trying to lead the ungrateful and obstinate Israelites in the wilderness, in exasperation he wished, “Oh, that all the Lord’s people were prophets and that the Lord would put his Spirit upon them.” Numbers 11:29 Many years later in the Old Testament, the prophet Joel prophesied that Moses’ wish would come true. “And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh. Joel 2:28 Christ is referring to the fulfillment of the prophesy of the Holy Spirit being given to all believers. And after Jesus’ resurrection and ascension into heaven, Christ’s prayer for the Counselor to be given to his followers was granted. The prophecy about the coming of the Holy Spirit was fulfilled on Pentecost.
When the day of Pentecost came, [the disciples] were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
5 Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6 When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. Acts 2:1-6
As promised, referring back to John 11:32, as was customary, many of the children of God who were scattered abroad as a result of the Assyrian invasion of 733BC, made the pilgrimage to their homeland of Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover and the day of Pentecost, when God gave the law to Moses. At that time, Jews from every nation under heaven witnessed the coming of the Holy Spirit and in response to Peter’s preaching, 3,000 Jews became believers. After the Spirit was given to those who put their trust in Christ, the new believers moved into all corners of the world, performing miracles, Matthew 10:8, the greatest of which was calling everyone to faith in Christ so that those who made Christ their Lord could escape from their slavery to sin in the kingdom of darkness and find true life in Christ’s kingdom of light and life.
John 14:22 Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, “Lord, what has happened that you are about to reveal yourself to us, and not to the world?”
23 Jesus answered him, “If a man loves me, he will keep my word. My Father will love him, and we will come to him, and make our home with him. 24 He who doesn’t love me doesn’t keep my words. The word which you hear isn’t mine, but the Father’s who sent me. 25 I have said these things to you while still living with you. 26 But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things, and will remind you of all that I said to you.
In answer to Judas’ (not Iscariot) question, Christ said, “If a man loves me, he will keep my Word. My Father will love him, and we will come to him, and make our home with him”
Christianity is much more than just drifting along with the flow of the culture. We have been rescued from darkness and we are to grow into the light. We are no longer orphans v.8, we have been adopted into God’s family and given the Spirit of God. As we grow we are to exhibit, in increasing measure, our new family traits; loving God’s Word and, out of gratitude, striving to be obedient to it.
The Apostle Paul explained: I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. Ephesians 3:16-17
The Spirit of God will actually dwell within you. You will be the temple of the Spirit. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
What could be better in this earthly life than to have the Counselor, the Spirit of God present with you at all times and in all circumstances?
What should our response to this be?
Genuine love for Jesus manifests itself in obedience to his commandments. In other words, the one who loves Jesus subordinates his own desires to those of the Lord. That kind of love rules out treating Jesus as a celestial vending machine who exists to meet our wants and desires. R.C. Sproul, John: An Expository Commentary, Ligonier
Peter echoed Christ’s teaching saying, Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, 11 and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 2 Peter 1:10-11
Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 1 John 4:8
John 14:27 Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, I give to you. Don’t let your heart be troubled, neither let it be fearful. 28 You heard how I told you, ‘I go away, and I come to you.’ If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I said ‘I am going to my 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 no more speak much with you, for the prince of the world comes, and he has nothing in me. 31 But that the world may know that I love the Father, and as the Father commanded me, even so I do. Arise, let’s go from here.
Although we have forgotten its origins and meaning, when we say goodbye to someone, we are actually saying “God be with you.” But culturally, we are just repeating a social nicety to, at best, express good wishes. The same was true in Jesus’ time. Just like saying goodbye, when people parted they commonly said “shalom” meaning peace. It had become a cultural nicety used by the world rather than a true divine blessing. This is why Jesus said, “My peace I give to you; not as the world gives…” In other words, this peace is not a perfunctory expression. Rather, it is given by the Savior as a divine blessing. Because we are blessed by the Creator God we have no need to let our hearts be troubled…or afraid.
Throughout history, Satan has been a powerful foe trying to thwart God’s plan to redeem mankind. Satan lays claim to all of mankind and owns, for eternity, everyone who dies apart from the grace of God. But not understanding God’s divine plan, he believed that by arranging for Christ’s crucifixion the Son of Man would be defeated in death. But Jesus willingly went to his death, knowing that his death was the only way to offer mankind life through his resurrection. Christ’s victory over death brought Satan’s defeat. As Christ told his disciples, “For the prince of the world comes and he has nothing in me.” That is why, after Christ’s ascension into heaven, the prince of this world in rage, tries to kill those who believe in Christ in order to destroy the church. But by the mighty power of the Spirit Christ will build his church and the gates of hell cannot withstand it. Matthew 16:18
The Church has grown exponentially across the globe over the past 2,000 years. How has this been possible? Christ sits on his heavenly throne ruling over all of creation. Even under the most trying circumstances, Christ gives his believers courage, perseverance, and true peace. As believers teach the Gospel, “The God of peace will crush Satan under your feet.” Romans 16:20