The Gospel of John Lesson 71 (04-20-14)
In vs. 12 and 13 of John 16 Jesus tells His disciples that
learning the Spirit’s, or God’s, will and ways will be an ongoing process.
Jesus knows that the time is short and that His disciples still have so much to
learn. Notice that Jesus does not step up the pace of His training for them in
the remaining moments franticly cramming in more information than is possible
to learn or understand, nor, does He give up in frustration knowing that there
is not enough time for Him to tell them everything, and, for them to learn what
would be needed to carry on Jesus’ ministry. Notice that He also does not tell
them to figure the rest of it out on their own.
He prepares them for a ‘New’ reality. It will be a reality
and concept that will be hard for them to conceptualize and understand at
first. It will not be along the line of their way of thinking and what they had
previously had learned and been taught.
In these verses Jesus introduces them to a new friend and
the new reality of Jesus’ ongoing presence and ministry. Jesus will speak in
the coming verses as if He is not leaving at all, even though He has told them
that He is indeed leaving. This will be confusing to them. So little time left
and they still are not understanding. But, Jesus knows that they will, for the
Spirit that He will send in His place will see to it that they will eventually
get it.
He tells them in v. 12 that He was not just holding back
information from them, but they were just not ready to receive it as yet. He
tells them to prepare their heart…be ready to learn and embrace this new
concept. He tells them “What you are use to will not work here.” He shares with
them that this will be a stretch for them. They have no idea how much of a
stretch this will be for them.
In vs. 13-5 Jesus reveals to them how this Comforter will
work and minister to them. In v. 13 He tells them that when this Comforter
comes that He will actively engage with them continuing to reveal to them what truth
is, including additional truths concerning Christ. He tells them that this real
presence that will come to them and identify with them will not speak about
Himself or His agenda, but will continue to teach and instruct along the lines
of Jesus’ teachings, further revealing the truth of the Gospel and its details.
Even though we need to respect, revere and worship the Holy Spirit being God,
Jesus tells them that this new mysterious Comforter and teacher must not become
a thing of its own. He tells them that this Comforter will magnify Jesus just
as He, Jesus, magnified the Father.
In v. 16 Jesus again reminds them that He is leaving, but in
the same sentence He tells them that He will also return. After what He had
just said to them, now they were totally confused. He had just told them that
He was leaving and that this new mysterious presence would come and not only be
with them, but would comfort and instruct them and now He tells them that He is
leaving, but He is also coming back. Jesus knows that this is confusing now, as
He is telling them this, but He also knows that they will eventually get it.
Some things are best to be experienced even though it is a good idea to prepare
for what is coming by an explanation. The experience will come very soon.
In vs. 17 and 18 we see that the disciples continue to be
very confused by Jesus’ words about leaving. This may seem strange to us
looking at the events from this side, after these events and the Cross having
already happened. However, we must give them some credit. In their minds they
continue to see Him as the Messiah that has come and as such all they can see
is a King that has arrived that is assured a victory. At this point they cannot
imagine seeing Him as a King that will now that He has arrived for some reason
leave before He has taken His throne, and, surely they cannot see Him as a King
that will fail in His ascent to His throne, possibly ending in His death. They
were having trouble wrapping their mind around what Jesus was saying.
Knowing that they are truly confused about these details and
that they are for some reason afraid to ask Him directly about this, Jesus Himself
brings it up. However in doing so it appears that He does not answer their
question directly, but instead again prepares them for the reality of the
coming events reassuring them that in the end everything will be all right.
In v. 20 Jesus begins to share the realities of the near
future with them. He explains to them that His leaving will not be as simple as
just His going away like a friend or relative leaving and their missing Him. In
v. 20 He informs them that His leaving will be a big thing, and, that in His
leaving that all those connected with Him will be affected, those that are for
Him and those that are against Him. He tells them in v. 20 that rightly so
being connected to Him they will indeed miss Him. But, He also gives them the impression
that this leaving will not just be a casual departure of the parting of
friends, but that there will be more drama associated in His departure of more
of a tragic nature.
In v. 20 He tells them that they will ‘weep and lament’.
Undoubtedly these words catch their attention for they are words that are only
used in extreme tragedy, most often implying someone’s death. As He continues,
He brings the situation into sharper focus by telling them that even though
they will have great sorrow that their sorrow will not be shared by most. Most
will be happy that Jesus has met this tragic ending. They will feel like the
world will be against them, and their perception will be an accurate one. But,
He immediately reassures them that sorrow will not be their ultimate end. He
encourages them to focus and set their eye on the end, for the end will be
filled with great joy.
However, in v. 21 He tells them that initially there will be
great trouble associated with His departure and compares their sorrow and grief
with the pain on the level of childbirth. Lookout! Trouble coming. Be Aware! This
does not look good.
But, as He continues He reassures them that even though
their pain will be intense…extremely intense, that it will indeed have an end
and that they should look for, and even find, joy in their relatively short
time of sorrow using the example of a woman willingly bearing the pain of
childbirth for the reward of the joy that is received when it is over. He tells
them that in the end it will be a Joy that will not be taken away. He reassures
them in v. 22 that He will most assuredly be reunited with them again. They can
count on it. It is better than money in the bank.
He continues by telling them that this reunion will have
even greater benefits associated with it. Up until this point all they could
really see was Jesus. This of course was not bad, but this was not Jesus’
purpose in coming. As we remember, repeatedly Jesus made the statement that the
purpose in His coming was to reveal the Father to them so that they could know
and experience directly the love that the Father had for them.
We also remember in the Old Testament in Exodus chapter 19
that man’s initial encounter with God did not go so well. In meeting the Father
we find that man’s response initially was one that was griped with fear not
understanding God’s purpose of love in meeting with him. However, now we see
that Jesus is nearing the end, completing His purpose in coming in that soon,
very soon, those who truly love God will know directly in relationship the
Father and the love that He has for them. Very soon the door to God the Father
will be opened wide allowing all who will to come to Him directly experiencing
His love intimately and first hand.
Notice the progression. In God’s initial meeting with Israel
in Exodus chapter 19 Israel drew back fearing God and telling Moses, “You go
and meet with God…we will stay here.” In saying this the people of Israel were
saying that they were more comfortable in talking with a person, meaning with Moses
instead of directly with God. However, Jesus had completed His task in showing
us the Father and the intentions that the Father had all along for us. God’s
love for us had always been there. However, no matter how you look at it God is
God and as such His Presence is frightening to us especially in our sinful
state.
However, now Jesus had accomplished His task and has shown
the Father to us plainly, v. 25.In v. 26 He tells them that soon they will be
able to go directly to the Father with their requests. In v. 27 tells them that
it is not just Jesus that loves them. They had experienced and knew first hand
Jesus’ love. But, now, the Father God Who they had been taught all of their
lives was unapproachable Jesus now tells them that He also loves them as Jesus
did, telling them to come close and not to be afraid. Yes man in his
unregenerate state should fear God, but for those who had received forgiveness
and full pardon all that remained for them was God’s love. There is no fear
left .The God of Exodus 19 was now near to them, something that God had wanted
and intended all along.
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