Bible Reading
Jesus Comforts His Disciples
14 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. 2 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 4 You know the way to the place where I am going.”
Jesus the Way to the Father
5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” 6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” 8 Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.” 9 Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. 11 Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves. 12 Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. 13 And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.
Jesus Promises the Holy Spirit
15 “If you love me, keep my commands. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and 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 be 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 keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.” 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, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. 24 Anyone 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. 25 “All this I have spoken while still with you. 26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. 28 “You heard me say, ‘I am going away and I am coming back to you.’ If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. 29 I have told you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe. 30 I will not say much more to you, for the prince of this world is coming. He has no hold over me, 31 but he comes so that the world may learn that I love the Father and do exactly what my Father has commanded me. “Come now; let us leave.
14 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. 2 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 4 You know the way to the place where I am going.”
Jesus the Way to the Father
5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” 6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” 8 Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.” 9 Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. 11 Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves. 12 Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. 13 And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.
Jesus Promises the Holy Spirit
15 “If you love me, keep my commands. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and 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 be 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 keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.” 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, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. 24 Anyone 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. 25 “All this I have spoken while still with you. 26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. 28 “You heard me say, ‘I am going away and I am coming back to you.’ If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. 29 I have told you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe. 30 I will not say much more to you, for the prince of this world is coming. He has no hold over me, 31 but he comes so that the world may learn that I love the Father and do exactly what my Father has commanded me. “Come now; let us leave.
Devotional
At this point in the Last Supper, Jesus has now predicted his betrayal by Judas and has also predicted that Peter would soon deny Him. The mood was dark and somber to say the least. The disciples had so much confusion and questions as Jesus continued to pour on the concerning events which would soon take place. It was then that Jesus paused and began to comfort His disciples. He did so by taking their eyes off of this present world and the terrible events about to take place, and instead helped them to refocus on eternity, heaven and the life that is to come.
Often in our world we become so consumed with the news and events of the day, we too need a reminder to lift our eyes up, focus on Jesus and keep our mind set on eternal things. After all, heaven is our home, and this life is but a vapor - here today and gone tomorrow. Jesus never intended us to have life without trouble, but He promised we could have an untroubled heart even in the midst of a troubled life. It seems that even when Jesus had a troubled heart, His own focus would shift back towards heaven. We see this again in the coming story of Jesus’ interaction with the repentant thief on the cross. In the midst of pain, Jesus turns His focus to His true home.
The question that followed is probably the most common question throughout all of history. It is essentially this: How do we get to heaven? Jesus answered in a way often quoted but seldom fully understood. Jesus declared that He was the Way, the Truth and the Life, and He promised that no one would spend eternity in Heaven without going through Jesus. This is a bold statement, and one that flies in the face of our current post-modern culture which claims there are many ways, many truths, many forms of life and countless paths that all lead to the destination of eternal connection with God the Father. This is simply not true and it is contradictory to God’s word. If you want to spend eternity in Heaven with God, the only way is through repentance of your sin and placing your hope and trust in Jesus Christ. Jesus didn’t tell us that He would show us the way…Jesus declared that He is the Way. Without the Way there is no going; without the Truth there is no knowing; without the Life there is no living.
Jesus also explained why He was the only way to God because He was and is the perfect representation of God. To know Jesus is to know God. Simply put, if Jesus is not the only way to God, then He is not any way to God. If there are many roads to God, then Jesus is not one of them because He absolutely claimed there was only one road to God, and He Himself was that road. If Jesus is not the only way to God, then He was not a honest man; he was most certainly not a true prophet. He then would either be a madman or a lying devil. There is no middle ground available when it comes to answering the question of who Jesus is.
Jesus makes a profound declaration when He states that those who are left behind will do greater works than what Jesus had done. Jesus did not mean greater in the sense of more sensational or powerful, but greater in magnitude. Jesus would leave behind a victorious, working family of followers who would expand His kingdom to more people and places than Jesus ever did in His life and ministry. This promise seems impossible at first read; yet after Peter’s first sermon on the day of Pentecost there would be more people converted in one day than what were recorded during Jesus’ entire 3-year ministry. Jesus further explained how these greater works would be possible for His followers. It would be possible because of the Holy Spirit who would soon come. A helper who would be with them and allow them to grow the church with great power and authority. The word “Helper” found in the book of John translates the ancient Greek word “parakletos”. This word has the idea of someone called to help someone else, and it could refer to an advisor, a legal defender, a mediator, or to an intercessor…all of which the Holy Spirit was and still is for us today. The World cannot understand or receive the Spirit, because He is holy and true. The Spirit of Truth is not popular in an age of lies, and the world cannot perceive the Spirit and does not know Him. You simply cannot be full of the truth and full of deception at the same time.
One other aspect of the Holy Spirit is revealed in the closing verses of this chapter both for the disciples and for us today. Jesus declares that this spiritual advocate which will soon come would fill and indwell God’s people and this the Spirit would continue to teach them and would also bring to mind the remembrance of all the things Jesus had said. This supernatural element of the Holy Spirit is what enabled the Gospels to be written at all. No man, in his own power, would be able to rewrite the entire sermon on the mount if not for supernatural clarity of remembrance given through God’s Spirit. One final gift Jesus would leave His followers is that of peace. In one sense, this was a common thing to say at a departure in that culture. To wish peace (shalom) to others as you left them was common. Jesus took this normal good-bye and filled it with deep strength and meaning. When someone in that ancient culture said peace as they departed, they said it without any special meaning. It was like when we say goodbye. Literally that word means, “God be with you” – but rarely do people really mean it that way. Jesus wanted them to know that when He said peace I leave with you, it wasn’t in the casual, empty way that most people said it. There was power in it, and a tangible promise that would be fulfilled.
Jesus had no physical inheritance or fortune to leave to His followers in a last will and testament. Yet Jesus gave them two things greater than any fortune: the presence and power of the Holy Spirit, and the peace of Jesus Himself. That peace was not only given to the eleven, but made available to all who would follow after Jesus. Even in the midst of trouble and harsh circumstances, we can be filled with the presence and peace of Jesus. It was these two gifts that would be a catalyst for the growth of the early church.
Often in our world we become so consumed with the news and events of the day, we too need a reminder to lift our eyes up, focus on Jesus and keep our mind set on eternal things. After all, heaven is our home, and this life is but a vapor - here today and gone tomorrow. Jesus never intended us to have life without trouble, but He promised we could have an untroubled heart even in the midst of a troubled life. It seems that even when Jesus had a troubled heart, His own focus would shift back towards heaven. We see this again in the coming story of Jesus’ interaction with the repentant thief on the cross. In the midst of pain, Jesus turns His focus to His true home.
The question that followed is probably the most common question throughout all of history. It is essentially this: How do we get to heaven? Jesus answered in a way often quoted but seldom fully understood. Jesus declared that He was the Way, the Truth and the Life, and He promised that no one would spend eternity in Heaven without going through Jesus. This is a bold statement, and one that flies in the face of our current post-modern culture which claims there are many ways, many truths, many forms of life and countless paths that all lead to the destination of eternal connection with God the Father. This is simply not true and it is contradictory to God’s word. If you want to spend eternity in Heaven with God, the only way is through repentance of your sin and placing your hope and trust in Jesus Christ. Jesus didn’t tell us that He would show us the way…Jesus declared that He is the Way. Without the Way there is no going; without the Truth there is no knowing; without the Life there is no living.
Jesus also explained why He was the only way to God because He was and is the perfect representation of God. To know Jesus is to know God. Simply put, if Jesus is not the only way to God, then He is not any way to God. If there are many roads to God, then Jesus is not one of them because He absolutely claimed there was only one road to God, and He Himself was that road. If Jesus is not the only way to God, then He was not a honest man; he was most certainly not a true prophet. He then would either be a madman or a lying devil. There is no middle ground available when it comes to answering the question of who Jesus is.
Jesus makes a profound declaration when He states that those who are left behind will do greater works than what Jesus had done. Jesus did not mean greater in the sense of more sensational or powerful, but greater in magnitude. Jesus would leave behind a victorious, working family of followers who would expand His kingdom to more people and places than Jesus ever did in His life and ministry. This promise seems impossible at first read; yet after Peter’s first sermon on the day of Pentecost there would be more people converted in one day than what were recorded during Jesus’ entire 3-year ministry. Jesus further explained how these greater works would be possible for His followers. It would be possible because of the Holy Spirit who would soon come. A helper who would be with them and allow them to grow the church with great power and authority. The word “Helper” found in the book of John translates the ancient Greek word “parakletos”. This word has the idea of someone called to help someone else, and it could refer to an advisor, a legal defender, a mediator, or to an intercessor…all of which the Holy Spirit was and still is for us today. The World cannot understand or receive the Spirit, because He is holy and true. The Spirit of Truth is not popular in an age of lies, and the world cannot perceive the Spirit and does not know Him. You simply cannot be full of the truth and full of deception at the same time.
One other aspect of the Holy Spirit is revealed in the closing verses of this chapter both for the disciples and for us today. Jesus declares that this spiritual advocate which will soon come would fill and indwell God’s people and this the Spirit would continue to teach them and would also bring to mind the remembrance of all the things Jesus had said. This supernatural element of the Holy Spirit is what enabled the Gospels to be written at all. No man, in his own power, would be able to rewrite the entire sermon on the mount if not for supernatural clarity of remembrance given through God’s Spirit. One final gift Jesus would leave His followers is that of peace. In one sense, this was a common thing to say at a departure in that culture. To wish peace (shalom) to others as you left them was common. Jesus took this normal good-bye and filled it with deep strength and meaning. When someone in that ancient culture said peace as they departed, they said it without any special meaning. It was like when we say goodbye. Literally that word means, “God be with you” – but rarely do people really mean it that way. Jesus wanted them to know that when He said peace I leave with you, it wasn’t in the casual, empty way that most people said it. There was power in it, and a tangible promise that would be fulfilled.
Jesus had no physical inheritance or fortune to leave to His followers in a last will and testament. Yet Jesus gave them two things greater than any fortune: the presence and power of the Holy Spirit, and the peace of Jesus Himself. That peace was not only given to the eleven, but made available to all who would follow after Jesus. Even in the midst of trouble and harsh circumstances, we can be filled with the presence and peace of Jesus. It was these two gifts that would be a catalyst for the growth of the early church.