The Gospel of John Lesson 57 (12-29-2013) John 14:18-26

The Gospel of John Lesson 57 (12-29-2013)

Lesson 57 – John 14:18-26

In v. 18 of chapter 14 of John’s Gospel Jesus further affirms His promise to them telling them that although He is leaving that He will not leave them without guidance and support. He uses an interesting word in making this promise. In making His promise to them He not only tells them that He will give them the physical tools and capability to accomplish the task(s) that will be set before them, but in giving them what they will need He promises that He will also be their coach, moral support, adviser and helper, comforting them when faced with doubts and difficult times.

At the end of v. 18 He makes a statement that is puzzling to them. He had told them earlier in this chapter that He was going away, and, that the world would not see Him anymore, that He was also leaving them for a season. However, at the end of v. 18 He tells them that even thought He is going away that in some mysterious way that at the same time He would visit them even though absent from them. Putting myself in their shoes, I understand their confusion when first hearing this. This indeed would have been a strange concept to them at the time.

However, in v. 19 Jesus goes on to explain further what He is talking about. In v. 19 Jesus essentially divides the human race into two groups. He divides them as those that are what He terms to as belonging to the world or this world’s system and organization and those that are His. This is not a new concept. It is a theme found throughout all of Scripture. Later in this chapter, v. 30, Jesus will reference to this making the statement that He and the prince of this world have nothing in common at all.

To those that give allegiance to the prince of this world spoken of in v. 30 Jesus says in v. 18 that He will not be known to them. When He would leave after His ascension, to them He indeed would be gone, no more to be seen until He returns in judgment. This indeed is a sobering thought! Think of it. To be alive in this world and not know or recognize the presence of God in while going through this life…how empty and lonely could it be.

However, He goes on to say to His disciples, and also future followers of Him, that even though He would be leaving them physically that in reality He would in no way be leaving them. In other words, His Person and Presence would still continue to be known to them in spite of His physical absence for a season. In some mysterious way, this is the mystery of the Holy Spirit, He would continue to be with them, a mystery that those of this world will not in any way know or be able to experience.

But, in v. 19 He also assures His followers of something else. Although the main reference to the point that He is making in v. 19 may be to His final act of physically leaving, occurring at His ascension, He also makes reference to what they will also soon see, i.e. His death… on the Cross. Soon as they will see Him physically die and they will be devastated thinking all is lost.

However Jesus knows the final outcome. In just a short time after His death on the Cross they will see Him come back to life again… rising from the dead. I believe that in His statement found in v. 19 He challenges them, and yet, reassures them, that they also will be challenged to give their life for the Gospel, and, that they should be reassured that death will not be their end either. Not too many days from now all but the Apostle John will be called to eventually suffer the same fate as Jesus, dying, only to be Promised life after their death.

Jesus talks to them in these remaining hours concerning many seemingly different things, i.e. prayer, the Holy Spirit, the Father and His relationship…Their being One, His departure and even beginning concepts concerning His union with the soon to emerge Church, v. 20. At times He appears to jump around from this topic to that. However, in these remaining hours He continues to share with them the nuts and bolts that will make up and bring about the coming Kingdom of God.

But, how do you explain the Kingdom in words? God’s Kingdom is better experienced than understood. It is hard to fully explain the Kingdom on paper. These are mysteries that defy human logic and intellect. It is not possible to fully understand the Kingdom when using intellect and human reason alone. The mind of man by itself is no match for the mind and wisdom of God in practical application of the reality of God. That is why these concepts were at times confusing to His disciples.

However, in explaining the things of the Kingdom to them He does it in an interesting way. In telling them these things He is not just giving them the A. B, C’s or just the facts of the Kingdom, but in essence tells them to embrace the Kingdom not only with their mind, but also with their being. To do so they must receive His words in relationship test driving what He is saying experientially. He was telling them the details, but asking them to taste the Kingdom to better understand what He is saying to them.

As yet, they did not fully understand the mystery stated in v. 20. This concept of the Kingdom that Jesus and the Father were fully and completely One was indeed a difficult concept to grasp. Now Jesus adds another twist to this mystery…Jesus telling them that they were part of this union. It was difficult enough to conceive of Jesus and the Father being One, but a union with sinful man…this was too much.

In making this statement in v. 20 Jesus eludes to the Body of Christ or the reality of the Church of Christ being united with Him and the Father in some again mysterious and yet real way. In v. 20 He assures them that they will know this reality and truth inferring that they will know this to be true by them having experienced it to be so. In other words, there will be no doubt of its reality. They will not know this in concept or theory only. God will literally show them the reality of this being true eventually giving them firsthand experience of this truth.

He continues in v. 21 finishing the picture for them of what this will look like and how it will be so. Their union with Jesus and the Father will not happen without change, bringing about a change in their focus and actions. Instead of them being focused on their self centered and selfish life they will adopt Jesus’ focus and perspective, desiring to do the Father’s will also.

In the next few verses He will make this distinction between His true followers and those firmly held in the grasp of this present world. Those who truly love Jesus will follow His example being truly desirous to do the Father’s will doing His work. Those who are not His followers will do their own thing, in reality looking out for number one even though at times their actions may appear similar to those that are true followers of Christ. Remember, even Judas put on a good show fooling even those that were near.

In v. 22 we find Judas, not Iscariot, in all probability expressing the question that is on everyone’s mind. He asks for a little more practical explanation of the reality and mechanics of how they will know His presence and those who are not His followers will not. What Jesus said to them seemed quite strange to him. The practical application of what Jesus had just said did not in any way fit into the world that he had been experiencing.

In saying this or asking Jesus this question we can see that Judas understood what Jesus was saying to them. What Jesus was promising and telling them was that His Presence would be known so real that it would be as if Jesus were in actuality physically present. This is what prompted Judas’ question. For Jesus to come to them as if physically present and the world not have this privilege to know or see Him would be difficult to understand.

Jesus’ answer to Judas was an interesting one. In v. 23 He does not begin to explain the mechanics of how they would know His presence and those of the world would not, but begins to answer Judas by explaining what will happen in the terms of a relationship, telling them that His presence will be known by those who honor their relationship with Him in obedience to His words or commandments. In saying this Jesus was saying that the answer to Philip’s question was not a riddle to be solved by logic or the laws of physics, but is found in the experience and reality of a relationship…a relationship with Jesus and the Father. The world unable to do this will not and cannot participate in knowing or experiencing His presence in this manner.

Obedience to the will of Christ is not possible, however, for the unregenerate person. But, those who are part of His family, having family traits and resemblance Jesus tells them is different. As stated by John the Apostle in I John 5:3, the love for God is demonstrated in keeping His commandments, even going one step further saying that doing so is desirous and not a burdensome task to those that love Him. When this is so…because this is so, v. 23 tells us that the literal Presence of Jesus and the Father will appear, so much so that God will literally be Present making His home or abode not only with, but in His followers. His Presence will be real. It will not even be some virtual perceived reality. Christ will literally be present. This is what prompted Judas’ question in v. 22.

In v. 24 Jesus reminds His disciples that He did not just invent or come up with what He is saying, being the man with the plan, because He knew that the Cross was near and/or inevitable. In essence He tells them that this was the plan all along, since the beginning of time. He was continuing to implement and teach them the Father’s plan, continuing to be obedient to the Father, sharing and speaking the Father’s plan with them while present with them, v. 25.

In v. 26 He tells them that there is so much more that He would like to share with them, but time and events are closing in. It is amazing all that Jesus does indeed share here with them in chapters 13-7 just hours before He is crucified. But, not to worry, Jesus tells them that He and the Father have also made plans for this moment, sending the Comforter which is the Holy Spirit, to them shortly after His departure.

In essence in v. 26 Jesus tells them that He knows that He has given them a crash course and that He will not be there to instruct them further on how to practically apply what He has taught them. But, He tells them that Someone is coming to guide and further, instructing them as they begin to take the wheel, being sure that they get it right.

He tells them that they have received the education, but now they must learn to practice what he has taught them. They will receive further guidance in this, and, also be taught even more as they embark on their journey.

He ends v. 26 by reassuring them not to worry. He knows that He is sharing a lot with them in these remaining moments before His death, but this Comforter who will come will not only teach them further but will bring to their remembrance these things that He had said to them. Jesus has thought of everything. He really does love us.