John chapter 14.
And we're looking at a section in John's Gospel which covers chapter 13 through to chapter 17, which is a lot, but is actually a record of the last 24 hours Jesus has with his disciples.
Before he goes to the cross and he's gently preparing the disciples for his departure and what life will be like when Jesus is gone.
So we're going to continue looking through that. We're going to read from John chapter 14 verse 15 to the end of the chapter. John 14 starting in at verse 15.
This is Jesus speaking to his disciples.
If you love me, keep my commands.
And I will ask the Father and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever.
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.
I will not leave you as orphans.
I will come to you.
Before long the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me.
Because I live, you also will live.
On that day you will realize that I am in my Father and you are in me and I am in you.
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.
Then Judas, not Judas Iscariot, that's the one who betrayed Jesus, said,
But Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?
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.
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.
All this I have spoken while still with you.
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.
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.
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.
I have told you now before it happens
so that when it does happen,
you will believe.
I will not say much more to you
for the Prince of this world is coming.
He has no hold over me.
But he comes so that the world may learn
that I love the Father
and do exactly what the Father has commanded me.
Come now, let us leave.
Well, let's pray.
Holy Spirit,
will you be our teacher this morning?
May you take the words
that are written down for us
and speak those words into our hearts
so that we see Jesus
in all his greatness
and all his beauty
that we will see his love for us
so that in response
we love him.
So help us now for our good
and for our blessing.
In Jesus' name.
Amen.
Well, growing up,
I had a very close relationship
with my brother, Philip.
Some of you know him.
Although he's six years older,
we were the best of friends
and still are.
We shared the same bedroom together.
We played football.
We went fishing.
And we annoyed our sister.
I couldn't imagine a life
without my brother.
And then came the terrible news.
My brother was leaving
to go to university.
I was devastated.
I was in first year in secondary school
and I remember crying deeply.
Yes, I could talk to him on the phone.
But that was nothing compared
to being with him.
Not having my brother around
was devastating.
Well, the disciples were struggling
with something similar
but much deeper.
They had spent the last three years
with Jesus.
They had left everything
to follow Jesus.
They had gone with him
wherever he went.
They had been learning from him.
They had been watching the miracles.
They had been to weddings with him.
They had been to funerals with him.
They had gone on long walks together.
And then came the devastating news.
I'm leaving.
I'm going back to the Father.
And they were devastated.
So Jesus seeks to reassure them
and comfort them
and to reassure us
and to comfort us as we read
that he is with us forever.
Look at chapter 14, verse 1.
Jesus says to them,
Do not let your hearts be troubled.
He says the same in the end of verse 27.
Do not let your hearts be troubled
and do not be afraid.
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.
Or we could imagine
the disciples
thinking to themselves,
Well, that's great for you, Jesus.
You're going to the Father.
But what about us?
What are we going to do?
And how are we going to have
a relationship with you
now that you're going?
You see, from our perspective,
Jesus has already returned
to the Father.
At this point,
in talking to the disciples,
Jesus was yet to die
and rise and ascend.
But we now look back
on a time when Jesus
has died,
has risen,
and is now ascended.
But our question
can still be the same.
How do you and I
relate to Jesus?
Because we can't see him physically.
How do we enjoy
a relationship with Jesus
now?
Well, the answer,
partly,
is reciprocal love.
It will be a relationship
of loving one another.
We can love Jesus
now.
And Jesus loves us
now.
Look at verse 21,
which is really a key verse
in this section.
saying,
whoever has my commands
and keeps them
is the one who
loves me.
And the one who
loves me
will be loved
by my Father.
And I too
will love them
and show myself
to them.
You see,
although we cannot
see Jesus
physically,
although we can't
go out and have
a coffee and a chat
with Jesus,
we can still
enjoy and
experience a deep,
loving relationship
with Jesus.
A relationship
where we
love him
and he
loves us.
So,
two big ideas
from this text
we're going to look at.
first,
we love Jesus
by our
obedience
and second,
Jesus loves us
by his
promise.
So,
first,
we love Jesus
by our
obedience.
Look at verse 15.
If you love me,
keep my
commands.
Now,
in case we
missed the point,
Jesus says it
twice more.
Look at the
beginning of
verse 21.
Whoever has
my commands
and keeps
them
is the one
who loves me.
And Jesus
repeats it
again in
verse 23.
Anyone who
loves me
will obey
my
teaching.
Now,
you might think
that doesn't
sound very much
like a fun
relationship.
It sounds like
a lot of
rules and
obedience.
Well,
obedience
is good
and it's
the mark
of a
healthy,
loving
relationship.
Look at
how Jesus
enjoys
his
relationship
with the
Father.
Look at
verse 30.
I will
not say
much more
to you
for the
prince of
this world
is coming.
The prince
of this
world is
talking about
the devil
or Satan
who would
seek to
derail
Jesus
from going
to the
cross.
But Jesus
says he
has no
power over
me.
But he
comes
that the
world may
learn
that I
love the
Father
and do
exactly
what my
Father has
commanded
me.
Do you
see it
there?
Jesus
demonstrates
his love
for the
father
through
obedience.
Now
parents and
children
can enjoy
a similar
relationship.
Parents
have
commands
and teach
their
children
obedience
but not
to harm
them but
to do
them good.
In the
same way
as children
obey their
parents
they learn
to experience
the love
of the
parent.
So a
parent who
gives a
good command
and a
child who
obeys the
command
enjoys a
healthy
loving
relationship.
Well Jesus
and the
Father love
one another
and the
way Jesus
expresses his
love to
the Father
is look
at the
end of
verse 31
by doing
exactly
what my
Father
has
commanded
me.
You see
there's no
hint that
obedience
to Jesus
and keeping
his
commands
are
bothersome
or tiresome.
It's the
mark of a
healthy
loving
relationship.
Some of
you might
know of
or even
read
the book
called
The Five
Love
Languages.
Anybody
of you
heard that
or read
it?
A few
nods
here.
Well if
you read
it it will
tell you
how to
express
your love
to your
spouse.
So here
are the
five love
languages.
Words of
affirmation,
quality
time,
receiving
gifts,
acts of
service,
and physical
touch.
So each
person
will lean
to one
of these
five.
And so
the more
that we
understand
the love
language of
the other
person,
the more
we will
know how
to love
them and
the deeper
the relationship
goes.
Well the
love
language in
our
relationship
with
Jesus
is
obedience.
It's
through
listening to
his
commands,
by reading
his word
and doing
what Jesus
says,
that we
enjoy a
healthy and
loving
relationship.
So first,
we love
Jesus by
our
obedience.
Second,
Jesus
loves us
by his
promise.
He loves
us by
his promise.
He made
a promise
to his
disciples
that has
now been
fulfilled.
Look with
me,
verse 16.
Jesus
says,
I will
ask the
Father
and he
will give
you another
advocate to
help you
and be
with you
forever,
the Spirit
of Truth.
Jesus is
promising them
the Holy
Spirit.
You see,
as Jesus
goes,
so the
Spirit
comes.
As Jesus
ascends to
the Father,
so the
Spirit will
descend to
his disciples.
Now,
if we're
Christians
today,
that promise
has already
been fulfilled.
Jesus
has returned
to the
Father
and the
Spirit has
now
come.
That's what
Jesus is
referring to
in verse
20.
On that
day,
the day
when the
Spirit
comes,
you will
realize
that I
am in
my Father
and you
are in
me
and I
am in
you.
So what
Jesus
promised to
his
disciples,
we now
get to
experience
if we
are trusting
him.
So what
can we
expect
from the
Holy
Spirit?
What
experience
should we
have?
Well,
there are
four things
we can
experience
that will
lead to
a healthy,
loving
relationship.
four things
that will
lead to
a healthy,
loving
relationship.
First of
all,
we have
the
presence
of
Jesus.
Look
again what
it says,
verse 16.
I will
ask the
Father
and he
will give
you
another
advocate,
a helper.
Some of
your
translations
might say
counselor,
or comforter.
But the
focus here,
I think,
is on
another
advocate.
In other
words,
the Spirit
is not a
replacement
for Jesus,
but another
one just
like
Jesus,
who will
be with
you forever.
So Jesus
says in
verse 18,
I will
not leave
you as
orphans.
I will
come to
you.
But how
can Jesus,
who is
departing and
going to
the Father,
be present
with us
at the
very same
time?
Well,
Jesus is
present with
us by
the person
of the
Holy Spirit.
verse 17.
Jesus
says,
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.
You see,
the Spirit
is not an
it or
a thing.
The Holy
Spirit is
the presence
of Jesus,
not just
with us,
but,
as it says
at the
end of
verse 17,
he is
in you.
We can't
see Jesus,
we can't
hug Jesus,
we can't
invite him
round for
dinner,
but Jesus
is living
in us,
and therefore
he is
with us
wherever we
go and
whatever we
do.
There is
never a
time when
Jesus is
not with
us.
You see,
being with
us and
in us
is an
expression
of the
deep
love that
he has
for us.
Jesus
is present
in the
disciples,
in the
believer's
life,
by the
Spirit.
And he
is continually
present
with us.
So we
have the
presence
of Jesus.
Second,
actually I
don't have
this,
this was
an added
extra
later in
this morning,
and if
you're using
notes you
don't have
it,
but it's
number two
anyway.
We have
the assurance
of Jesus.
Not just
the presence
of Jesus,
but the
assurance of
Jesus.
Jesus
promises
to keep
us in
relationship
with him.
Look at
verse 19.
before
long
the world
will not
see me
anymore.
They'll
not see
him because
Jesus is
going to
the Father.
But you
will see
me.
Because I
live,
you also
will live.
Jesus is
saying because
I live,
because I
will be
going through
my death
and resurrection,
you also
will live.
And how
will they
live?
Because of
the Spirit
in you.
Yes,
you will
see me
again,
but how
can Jesus
be so
sure that
the disciples
will physically
be with
Jesus and
see him?
Because of
the Holy
Spirit within
us.
Just one
quick cross
reference.
Jump
forward to
Romans 8
verse 11.
Romans 8
verse 11.
So it's
John
Acts
Romans.
Romans 8
verse 11.
So we're
thinking here
of the
assurance
that Jesus
gives to
the believers
because the
Spirit is in
you, you
will live.
So look
what it
says,
chapter 8
verse 11.
And if
the Spirit
of him
who raised
Jesus from
the dead
is living
in you,
he who
raised Christ
from the
dead
will also
give life
to your
mortal bodies
because of
his Spirit
who lives
in
you.
did you
get that?
The Spirit
that raised
Jesus from
the dead
is the
same Spirit
that lives
within the
believer's
life so
that we
too will
rise.
Go back
to John
chapter 14.
You see,
Jesus is
reassuring us
that though
he is gone,
yes,
he is present
with us by
his Spirit,
but there
will come
a day
when we
will rise
and we
will see
him and
physically be
with him.
Because I
live,
you also
will live.
So we
have the
presence of
Jesus,
the assurance
of Jesus,
and third,
that's second
on the screen,
we have
the love
of Jesus.
You see,
Jesus makes
an even
greater promise.
Look down
at verse
23.
Jesus said,
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.
So it's
not just
Jesus who
is going
to be present
with us,
it's
Jesus
and the
Father
who is
in us.
Before
Kirsty and
I got
married,
we lived
in separate
homes.
We loved
each other
and we
enjoyed
spending
time
together,
but when
we got
married,
we moved
in
together.
It would
be a very
strange thing
for someone
to get
married,
but to
remain
apart and
to live
in different
homes.
Well,
when we
believe in
Jesus,
when we
commit
ourselves
to Jesus,
it's like
we enter
into a
marriage
relationship.
God,
by his
spirit,
moves
into
our
lives.
As an
expression
of love,
verse 23,
God the
Father
and God
the Son
make us
their
home.
God
moves
in
to our
life.
Now,
you can't
get closer
than that,
but more
than that,
deeper than
that,
Jesus wants
us to
experience
the love
of the
Father
and the
love of
the Son
that they
enjoy
together.
Look back
at verse
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.
You see,
before time
begun,
the Father
and the
Son
and the
Spirit
have been
enjoying
a continued
loving
relationship
with one
another.
Before this
universe came
into existence,
before you
and I
were born,
the Father,
the Son,
and the
Spirit were
relating to
each other
in perfect
love.
So when
God makes
his home
within us
by the
Spirit,
he's inviting
you and I
to share
in that
eternal,
perfect,
loving
relationship.
relationship,
the love
that the
Father has
for the
Son and
the love
the Son
has for
the Father,
we get
to experience
it and
share in
it.
We get
to enjoy
the love
of God
by the
indwelling
person of
the Holy
Spirit.
After a
couple of
years of
our marriage,
we had
two children
and because
Ethan and
Rebecca are
our children,
they get
to share
in the
love that
Kirstie and
I have
for one
another.
They share
in that
love.
To not
love them
would be a
tragedy.
Well, the
amazing thing
about God
is he comes
into our
life by the
Holy Spirit
so that we
may know
and enjoy
his love.
He shares
his love
with his
children.
an eternal
perfect love
that never
fails and
will never
leave us.
His love
is steadfast
and loyal
and faithful
and keeps
on loving
and pursuing
us even
when we
don't do
things that
are unloving.
Jesus
loves us
by enabling
us to
experience
his love
by the
presence
of the
Holy Spirit.
So we
have the
presence of
Jesus,
the assurance
of Jesus,
the love
of Jesus,
and then
we have
fourth
the peace
of Jesus.
Being with
Jesus for
the disciples
was both
comforting
and reassuring.
but now
Jesus is
going and
departing to
the Father,
they're
troubled and
afraid.
So Jesus
makes a
further promise.
Look at
verse 27.
Peace
I leave
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.
now how
many of
us
experience
fear
in life?
We fear
what's
happening
around us,
what we
see on
the news.
We fear
the future
and wonder
if everything
is going
to be
alright.
Perhaps
we even
fear,
as I
often do,
is my
relationship
with God
going to
continue?
What if
I fail
and it
breaks?
But listen
to what
Jesus is
saying.
End of
verse 27.
Do not
let your
hearts be
troubled
and do
not be
afraid.
Well,
how are
we not
to fear?
Well,
jump back
to verse
26.
Here's
how we
don't
fear.
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.
You see,
we experience
the peace
of Jesus
as we
listen to
the words
of Jesus.
The peace
of Jesus
becomes our
experience
as we
listen to
the words
of Jesus.
Now,
how do we
hear the
words of
Jesus?
Jesus,
we pick
up the
Bible
and we
read it.
The
apostles
heard the
word of
Jesus
and they
wrote it
down,
and so
as we
read it,
we hear
the words
of Jesus.
And the
Spirit reminds
us and
brings peace
into our
life.
The peace
that tells
us,
verse 18,
that we
are not
left as
orphans,
but he
is with
us.
Or the
end of
verse 19,
because Jesus
lives,
we will
live.
And verse
23,
because the
Father loves
us,
we know
that he
will stay
with us.
You see,
as we
read the
promises and
assurances of
Jesus,
the Spirit
brings to
our minds
all these
wonderful
truths.
So in
our fears
and in
our
troubles,
the Spirit
brings
peace.
So Jesus
loves us.
He loves
us by
his promise.
We now
have the
Spirit who
enables us
to experience
a loving
relationship
with Jesus.
We have
his presence,
his assurance,
his love,
and his
peace.
Jesus
loves you.
He really
does.
Now the
big question
we need to
ask as we
conclude and
think about
this is
how do I
actually get
to experience
this love
for myself?
How can I
experience this
loving
relationship?
How do we
receive the
Holy Spirit?
Well that
seems to be
the question
Judas is
asking in
verse 22.
Look with
me at
verse 22.
Then Judas
said,
but Lord,
why do you
intend to
show yourself
to us
and not
to the
world?
In other
words,
if you are
promising the
Spirit to
us,
what about
everybody
else?
Can they
experience
him too?
Well look
at how
Jesus
responds,
verse 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.
And anyone
who does
not love
me will
not obey
my teaching.
Now we
need to be
crystal clear
about this
or we'll
get very
confused.
Jesus
does not
mean that
through our
obedience
we earn
the Spirit.
So if I
obey all
the commands
of Jesus,
I will
get the
Spirit.
No,
that would
be a
contradiction
to everything
Jesus has
taught.
the gift
of the
Spirit is
given the
moment
someone
believes
and trusts
in Jesus.
So back
in verse
16,
Jesus says,
I will
ask the
Father
and he
will give
you
another
advocate.
It's a
gift.
It's not
something we
earn.
It's a
gift to
those who
believe.
and the
moment we
trust and
believe in
Jesus,
we receive
the Holy
Spirit.
But,
it's
through our
obedience
that we
experience
the Spirit.
Did you
see that in
verse 23?
Anyone who
loves me
will obey
my teaching
and my
Father will
love them
and we
will come
to them
and make
our home
with them.
We don't
earn the
Spirit,
but we
experience the
Spirit through
our
obedience.
As we
love Jesus
by our
obedience,
so we
experience the
love of
Jesus for
us.
Obeying
is
experiencing.
So if we
want to
experience the
Spirit's work
in our
life,
today,
well,
if you
are not
yet a
Christian,
then you
need to
trust him,
to commit
your life
to him,
to ask
him to
change you,
and if you
do,
the Spirit
will enter
your life
at that
very moment,
right now,
and he
will be
present with
you,
and assure
you that he
will be yours
forever,
and you
will have
peace,
and you
will experience
his love.
As we
obey his
commands,
as we
enter into
this loving
relationship,
so we
experience all
that he
has to
give us.
Jesus
welcomes,
he welcomes
you and I,
and invites us
into that
loving,
eternal
relationship,
where we
love Jesus,
and Jesus
loves us,
where we
know his
presence,
his assurance,
his peace,
and his
love.
Let's
keep obeying,
and encouraging
one another
to follow
him.
Let's
pray.
Amen.
thank you,
Jesus,
for your
promise,
that the
Father would
send the
Spirit,
and would
indwell
every single
person
who trusts
you,
and loves
you.
Thank you
that we
can know
the Spirit
today,
living in
us,
never
departing,
helping us
to enjoy
and experience
a loving
relationship
with you.
Would you
help us
as we go
into this
week to
be people
who obey
your word,
not because
we have
to,
but because
we delight
in you,
and to
enjoy you.
Father,
impress upon
us all
that you
have done,
that we
might love
you as
you love
us.
In
Jesus'
name,
Amen.
Well, we're
going to sing
together a
reminder of
the assurance
of God's
great love
for us.
Blessed
assurance,
Jesus is
mine.
Let's stand
together,
and as we
sing,
and if this