The Gospel of John Lesson 66 (03-02-14) John 16:1-6

The Gospel of John Lesson 66 (03-02-14)

Lesson 66 – John 16:1-6

What they, the disciples, were about to see would be dramatic. It would be enough to shake their faith, their newfound perception of reality. In this rather lengthy instruction and admonition before His crucifixion Jesus had created a new or different paradigm and purpose or approach to life and spiritual perception and practice. It was new and fresh, but very practical approach to God and His will. Something that they had never tried before. Some would call it a new and Living way because it required a relationship and interaction in the process of implementation, Jesus explaining the need of abiding in Him as they serve Him instead of just giving them marching orders and sending them off to do a job..

However, what Jesus will tell them in the next few verses when things begin to happen or come to pass would blast (fragment) their perception of how things should be, capable of totally shattering and taking away everything they depended upon to make their daily life work. The changes that were coming would be drastic! They were going to need guidance and instruction beforehand if they were going to make any sense of it all.

Their life and the perception of how life was and should be was in a nice neat little package. They had been with Jesus…the winner. Their perspective was, “We are on the winning side. Life is good.”, or so they thought. But, this picture of how life now should be, even with Jesus in the picture, was about to be challenged. What they were about to witness was enough to throw them off course, not only capable of detouring them for a season, but capable of knocking them off course with the possibility of being lost in their old life forever. Jesus’ words would reassure them to hold on no matter what they saw, telling them that no matter what they saw, remember and believe what He had told them.

Jesus’ disciples were no different than us. Their confidence in their mission and who they were would have been easy to fracture. It could have been easy to shake their faith…possibly beyond repair. At this point in their faith they were not what we would call well established or rock solid in their faith. At least not for what they were about to face.

We remember at the table during Jesus’ last supper with them that when Jesus told them that there was a trader at the table that every one of them questioned themselves wondering if it was them. Don’t get me wrong, it is good to honestly examine one’s self to be sure that we are not in need of repentance and change, but even John in I Jn. 3:20 tells us that our faith can be shaken with doubt needing God’s words to reassure us that we are indeed His.

I have a question, and, before you answer too quickly I would like you stop and think about the question before you answer it. Being completely honest with ourselves, how many in a church would survive a church leadership crisis?

Although you would not want to wish or hope for it, one way to tell how well a church is founded on the fundamentals of the faith and not trusting in a person or personality is to watch how the church body functions and acts during a church crisis, especially one involving the leadership. You can be sure if a church fractures following such an event that the proper foundation was not laid down before the crisis. A church that survives a crises such as this, and, not only survives but thrives during such things, does so because of Jesus’ words here concerning abiding and following Him and not ourselves or others.

Jesus tells His disciples in John chapter 16, verse 1 that a good part of this rather lengthy conversation was to not only survive what was coming, but to help them remain in that which was true. It is a major strategy of this world and its leader Satan to discredit the claims of Christ being able to actually make it look like what Jesus said and claimed is a lie and has no real benefit to the reality of the life we live and know. Satan’s voice is heard loud and clear in this world saying “Look what following Christ got you? Nothing but pain and suffering.” And, soon that voice will say to them “By the way…where is your Leader? Look what it got Him…look what happened to Him. Your time is coming, you had better take notice and take cover!”

How difficult is it to survive when these words clearly come, especially when they are backed up by visual pictures or so called undeniable events. For the disciples it was coming. Their faith would be challenged.

Soon to come they would have to choose between Jesus’ words and what they will see. What they will soon see will disprove Jesus’ words, or, so it will seem. It will be a visual that will be hard to deny. It would be a perceived reality that could not be ignored. They will have to make a decision one way or another in what they will end up believing. And, they will have to make a decision now! They will not be able to put this decision off to another day at their choosing in reality hoping not to have to make a decision at all. In a very short time they will be forced to make a decision, making that decision their reality, one way or another.

This world has a way of pressing us to make a decision concerning our perception of what is real…now! It is insistent and persists in forcing the issue until we choose. They say they are giving us a choice, but in reality they will only be happy if we in their mind choose the only right answer…theirs. It is odd, the opposition to Christ will say that they are giving us a choice, but in the offer they stack the deck, so to speak, forcing what they see as the only sensible and logical choice…theirs.

 If anyone thinks that they offer an unbiased choice just read the consequences of choosing God’s way and offer instead of theirs, even if God’s way makes more sense to you in practical application. In v. 2 we read some of the consequences for choosing, in their mind, choice number two.

As long as you chose choice number one you will be met with a smile, a handshake, a pat on the back and maybe even a hug. But, Jesus makes it plain to His disciples here in v. 2 the reality of choosing the world’s unpopular number 2 reluctantly offered choice. He tells them in vs. 1-4 of chapter 16 to be ready. Those who once offered you a greeting with a hand shake and a smile will most likely have a change in their posture and demeanor, possibly still having a smile on their face, but their actions will say different.

Here is what Jesus told them would soon be the reality and evidence that the world would present them as evidence that they indeed are right and the disciples Leader Jesus was speaking foolishness to them. Jesus tells them in v. 2 that they will be banned from the only offered organized religion, and, if that was not enough, those who promote choice number 1 could even take stronger action and just get rid of them, putting them to death.

Our faith in our relationship with Christ is dependent upon only one thing, that is where we stand with Him. What happens outside that faith has no bearing on a relationship solidly established with Him in faith. What is our faith established upon?? Jesus’ disciples would have to keep their eyes on Him. In telling them these things He again challenged His disciples to go even deeper in their resolve and commitment to their relationship with Him in the process letting go of the things they depended upon in the past. His challenge to do so was for their benefit. His words here would be what would sustain them.

In v. 4 Jesus tells them that He had been saving these words just for this time. He tells them that He had not shared these difficult words with them in the beginning because He was with them physically. In being with them He was everything to them, their teacher, protector, shield, admonition, guide, leader, vision, GPS and most important their example of how to live life.

But, now things would be different. While He was present any abuse that was directed toward His disciples in reality was channeled through Jesus first. For some reason, when Jesus’ opposition had a question or criticism for Jesus’ followers the comment would routinely be directed to His disciples through Jesus.

Up until now Jesus was physically a buffer to the world’s abuse that was directed toward His disciples because of following Him. However, now the physical buffer would be gone. They would now have first hand exposure to the abuse, criticism and opposition that was direct from this world toward the Church because of Christ. When this direct assault would start He tells them in v. 4 that they will remember these words and that they will be comforted and encouraged by them.

The words recorded in vs. 5-7 reveal a tender moment. Sometimes in the final moments of being with someone we can get lost in the conversation, enjoying the moment as if it will never end…but it will. In their conversation at this point Jesus wanted to share with them some of the good that was to come concerning His leaving, but they got caught up in the emotion of the difficulty that was to come when Jesus left. Sorrow and fear had filled their heart, but Jesus was concerned about the moment and His remaining moments with them.

He had a plan. Jesus knew that it was not going to be as bad as they had imagined even though things would indeed get rough. In saying these things to them in all likelihood what they had imagined and were right now already beginning to process and brace for was to run through the possible scenarios in their minds coming to the end conclusion that for them what was about to happen was hopeless. Putting together the possibilities, worse and best case scenarios, in their mind they came up with only one possible outcome…devastation.

But, they had forgotten one important ingredient. They had based all of their models of possible outcomes calculating them on what they would be able to do and handle on their best day. The outcomes using all of the possible components that they could come up with in their own ability individually or collectively was the same…hopeless. They might as well just surrender right after Jesus left.

However, Jesus had not planned to leave them hopeless even though He wanted them to know that things really would get difficult for them. But, Jesus was just about to share the best part of the plan with them.

In vs. 7-15 of chapter 16 He paints for them a bigger picture of His strategy that He will employ to continue His work of redemption. He reminds them in v. 7 again of His promise that He had shared with them just a little earlier in this conversation about the coming Comforter that would be His replacement while He was gone. They would not be left alone. Soon to come they would receive the help and power that they would need in the up and coming difficult times. Their equation needed one more ingredient to make the outcomes tilt toward the positive. What He would give them in help would be more than enough to make up the difference. But, for now, he did not want them to be preoccupied with the future. In v. 5 He encourages them to be focused instead on the present and where He is going. In doing so He knew that their fear would be replaced with Joy and Hope!