If you love me, you will keep my commandments.
And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another helper, to be with you forever.
Even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him.
You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.
I will not leave you as orphans, I will come to you.
Yet a little while, and the world will see me no more, but you will see me.
Because I live, you also will live.
In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you.
Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me.
And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.
Judas, not Iscariot, said to him,
Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us and not to the world?
Jesus answered him,
If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.
Whoever does not love me does not keep my words.
And the word that you hear is not mine, but the Father's who sent me.
These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you.
But the helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name,
he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.
Peace I leave with you.
My peace I give to you.
Not as the world gives do I give to you.
Let not your hearts be troubled.
Neither let them be afraid.
You heard me say to you,
I am going away, and I will come to you.
If you loved me,
you would have rejoiced,
because I am going to the Father,
for the Father is greater than I.
And now I have told you before it takes place,
so that when it does take place, you may believe.
I will no longer talk much with you,
for the ruler of this world is coming.
He has no claim on me,
but I do as the Father has commanded me,
so that the world may know that I love the Father.
Rise.
Let us go from here.
This is the word of God.
All right, good morning.
If you have your Bibles,
if you could turn them open to John chapter 14,
going from verse 15 to 31 today.
In our society,
love is a feeling.
Love is expressed as an emotion.
I have to say with feeling, for example,
I have to say with feeling,
I love you, Joe.
Not only is love expressed as an emotion,
but it's actually pursued as an emotion.
I have to feel in love with Joe
before I can actually say,
I love you, Joe, sincerely.
Love is expressed as an emotion,
pursued as an emotion,
and is actually interpreted through our emotions as well.
So, Joe says back to me,
I love you too, honey.
Or she might say,
well, I don't really feel loved at the moment by you,
so I can't say it back.
In our society, love is a feeling,
primarily pursued as a feeling.
But in God's society,
love is much, much more than that.
The main Old Testament word for love is hesed,
and it means steadfast or loyal love,
unfailing kindness,
covenant faithfulness,
commitment and affection fused together,
beautifully fused together.
It's self-giving in nature.
Love, in God's way of relating,
is affection that is steadfast.
It's actually based,
and you can probably pick it up
from those different descriptions I've given you,
that it's based on a prior existing relationship.
A relationship where one person
is committed to the other.
Like, for example, marriage.
And love has responsibilities and benefits,
just like marriage does.
It has commitment and feeling.
Now, this part of Jesus' teaching
that we're about to delve into
is about living in a loving relationship with him,
the Trinitarian God,
Father, Son, and Spirit.
And we see each of them come to the fore in this passage.
This loving relationship has history
in the context of this meal
that Jesus is sharing with his disciples.
In chapter 13, verse 1,
the meal begins with Jesus' expression of love
to his disciples.
We read these words.
Chapter 13, verse 1.
Now, before the feast of the Passover,
when Jesus knew that his hour had come
to depart out of this world,
to the Father,
having loved his own who were in the world,
he loved them to the end.
John recognizes in Jesus,
as he looks back to these events,
he recognizes in Jesus,
Jesus as the ultimate,
steadfast,
and loyal lover.
In chapter 13, verse 31,
in the middle of the meal,
Jesus speaks about this,
and he commands the disciples to love
in the same way that he's loved them.
Verse 34.
A new commandment I give you,
that you love one another.
Just as I have loved you,
you also are to love one another.
By this,
all people will know
that you are my disciples,
if you have love for one another.
Love is so distinctive about Jesus,
about God,
Father, Son, and Spirit,
that when we love,
people can't help
but recognize God in us.
Jesus is glorified
in his ultimate act of love
for his disciples.
And Jesus is glorified
when his disciples,
that's us,
love one another
like he's loved us.
But now we get to this particular section,
in chapter 14, verse 15,
the beginning of this passage
that Simon read out.
And in this section,
Jesus explains what it means
to be in a relationship with him.
In verse 15, he says,
if you love me.
Love is mentioned 10 times
in these verses that were read out.
Love between us and God,
love between and from God to us,
and then love within the Trinity as well.
The disciples, remember,
the disciples are troubled in heart.
That expression,
troubled in heart,
begins chapter 14.
It comes in the middle here,
and then it actually comes again
in the next chapter.
The disciples are troubled in heart.
They're afraid.
So in the next verses,
Jesus paints a picture
of what it means
to be in a loving relationship with him.
He offers them words of comfort.
And they begin this way.
It's how we experience love.
If you love me,
you will keep my commandments,
says Jesus.
Keep my commandments.
Do as I say.
Is there a more confronting phrase
to be said to Australians?
And this is a conditional statement.
If you will.
If Jesus speaks from the perspective
of a prior existing relationship,
remember that love in God's way of relating
is affection that is steadfast.
It's based on a prior existing relationship.
So love means benefits and responsibilities.
If this relationship between us exists,
this loving relationship between us exists,
then you will.
Jesus actually expects them.
He expects this love for him
to mean commitment to him.
Commitment that has a specific shape to it.
We who love Jesus
are those who have committed
to giving ourselves to him.
This means we will obey him.
We need to remember here
that this is not a relationship of equals.
We are committed to God the Son
when we choose to love him.
There is a right and natural order
to this relationship.
Think the parents
who are dictated to by their children.
A number of teachers here,
so some of you will actually experience
the outworking of what that actually looks like.
It's awful.
When children dictate to their parents
how things should work,
it produces awful results.
Just in case it's not clear,
we are the children.
God is the parent.
God's the one who knows best.
Even when we don't like what he says,
he knows best.
And as our father,
he demands our obedience.
If you love me,
you will,
he says on the one hand.
And on the other hand,
he says,
and I will,
in verse 16.
And I will ask the Father,
and he will give you another helper
to be with you forever,
even the spirit of truth
whom the world cannot receive,
because it neither sees him
nor knows him.
You know him,
for he dwells with you
and will be in you.
Jesus,
for his part,
says,
I will ask the Father
for another helper.
He's going,
so there will be
a replacement for him.
Jesus is going away,
but he will not leave them alone.
These people with troubled hearts
will not be left alone.
He will ask the Father
for what we discover here
is an eternal helper,
where helper means comforter,
but not just comforter
in the sense of,
oh, they're there then,
but comforter in terms
of a teaspoon of concrete,
you know,
that will teach you
to harden up,
to get a spine,
to stand firm,
to strengthen you.
A comforter
or a helper
in the sense of an advocate,
one who stands in court
on your behalf
and defends you
as his.
This is what a helper means.
He goes on to describe
the helper
as the spirit of truth,
the Holy Spirit.
This is the outworking
of prophecies
like Isaiah 44.3
and Joel 2.28
where God promises
that he will pour
his spirit into us.
So we see this fulfillment
as well
of Jesus' prayer here
in Acts 2
when that actually happens
at Pentecost.
He asks the Father
for another helper,
the spirit of truth,
and he promises
that he will dwell
in those who love him.
Even though Jesus
will soon depart,
their experience
of God doesn't end.
It actually becomes
more intimate.
Jesus dwelt with them,
we read in John 1.
The Holy Spirit
was present
in Jesus' ministry
and in theirs
as they actually
were sent out
by Jesus
at different points.
Now this same Holy Spirit
would dwell in them.
Think the Holy of Holies
in terms of the temple
type image
where you are
the Holy of Holies.
We, for our part,
well, we're called
to express our love
of Jesus
by obeying him.
He loves us
by providing
a deeper experience
of God's presence
in the Holy Spirit.
So we have this
experiencing,
experience of love
where we obey
and Jesus provides
the Holy Spirit.
And then we have
this expression of love
in verses 18 to 24.
His disciples,
remember,
they're still disturbed.
Jesus' departure
is still significant
to them.
So he continues
to express his love
by speaking of
his commitment to them.
It's almost like vows
in a wedding ceremony.
Just listen to this.
Remember,
vows are not
the airy-fairy vows
that you sometimes hear.
I mean,
I went to a wedding
a few years ago
and the wedding vows
were basically,
oh, I think you're lovely,
you're beautiful,
you're wonderful.
There were no promises
in them.
There was no actual commitment
in those vows.
Whereas the traditional
Christian vows
actually reflect
what marriage is
as a covenant
where you commit.
So listen to how
Jesus commits to them.
He says in verse 18,
I will not leave you
as orphans.
I will come to you.
Yet a little while
and the world
will see me no more,
but you will see me.
Because I live,
you also will live.
In that day,
you will know
that I am in my Father
and you in me
and I in you.
I will,
he says.
I will not leave you
as orphans.
I'll not leave you alone.
Not as orphans.
What we need to hear here
is Jesus' departure
is not an abandonment.
I don't know
if you remember
the parenting series
we did a couple of years ago
where we actually
interviewed
Andrew and Anne
and we talked about
the effects of abandonment,
the effects of dislocation
between the relationship
between parents and children
and what that can have.
Dissociation between
parent and child
leads to feeling
adrift relationally
in the world
and adrift personally
within ourselves.
We struggle to actually
create a personal identity.
But Jesus' departure
is not abandonment.
Jesus still owns us.
And so he says,
although I go,
it won't be for long.
Now,
I've got to just pause
at this point
and say there is some debate
over what is actually
meant by this.
You see,
the main departure
that John's been
explaining to us
through Jesus' words
at this point
in his gospel
is the departure
to heaven
via the cross.
So that's the main departure
that's being talked about.
But this particular
departure and return
is likely referring
to something
that kind of happens
within that.
So yes,
the cross
and then his resurrection
and manifestation
appearance to them
before he then
goes off to heaven.
You can argue with me
about that later,
but it seems to make
best sense
of what he's saying here.
And so if we follow
on that train of thought,
what Jesus is saying
is they will see him
when he rises
from the dead,
but at this stage
the world won't.
But when they do see him,
they will finally understand
what he's been talking about.
It'll finally make sense.
So Jesus says,
I will not leave you alone.
But he says more than that,
I will return
to share my life with you.
Anticipation
will turn to knowing,
we discover in verse 20.
Their witness
of the risen king
is central to our hope.
The apostle Paul said
in 1 Corinthians 15, 14,
if Christ had not been raised,
then our preaching
is in vain
and your faith
is in vain.
That still applies
if.
But Jesus knows
that his resurrection
appearance
will actually transform
their lives.
He urges them
to hang on for it.
Their foundational
preoccupation
with the here and now,
so easy for us
to take on,
will be smashed
to pieces.
Everything that they believe
will be put back
together again
with an eternal perspective.
And finally,
it will make sense.
That's the knowledge
that we have now,
thanks to the witness
of these disciples.
Through the resurrection,
we understand
Jesus' ministry.
And notice in verse 21
that the I and you
becomes whoever.
This promise then
applies to us.
Whoever believes in him,
whoever puts their trust
in Jesus,
these truths
now come to us.
Through it,
the resurrection,
we understand
his death.
Through it,
we can see
the Father's hand
at work.
Through it,
we can know
his presence with us,
his love for us.
He speaks about
the things that he will do
and they're monumental.
He will share,
as he comes back to us,
he shares his very life,
the quality of his life
with us.
But we have to remember
that he's talking about
a loving relationship.
Whoever isn't everyone,
it's those who have
a living relationship
with the Father
through Jesus.
Those who trust in him,
which we read in verse 14,
in verse 1,
is the thing that Jesus
encourages them to do.
Now,
Judas was a little bit
uncertain about this
in verse,
and you see his question
in verse 22.
His vision of the restored
Israel was more concrete
and immediate.
He was expecting
to not wait at all.
And he didn't expect
the world to be,
sorry,
and he expected the world
to be the stage
when it actually happens.
But Jesus explains
in verse 23 and 24,
he says these words,
If anyone loves me,
he will keep my word,
and my Father
will love him,
and we will come to him
and make our home with him.
Whoever does not love me
does not keep my word,
and the word that you hear
is not mine,
but the Father's
who sent me.
This promise
is only for those
who love Jesus,
that loving,
committed relationship
with Jesus.
You who have my commands
and keep them,
he says.
You who keep my word,
he says in verse 23.
And for those
who love Jesus,
he promises
to make his home
with them.
The oneness
that Jesus experiences
with the Father
is something
that we're actually
being invited into,
being drawn into.
It's something
that breaks into
the here and now.
There's no pause
in this notice.
Jesus says this is
how it's going to work out.
The Father and the Son
have made their home
with us.
The Spirit
is already in us.
God is pouring himself
into our existence,
and there is so much
more to come.
He is so much
greater than us.
We will be flooded
with his goodness,
flooded with his love.
Friends,
marriage
is the most intimate
of human relationships.
When we don't have it,
we long for it.
When we have it,
we long for a better
version of it
than we do have.
I use the concept
of marriage
because John actually
does when you get
to the end of Revelation.
He actually applies
these truths
of Jesus' return
in terms of
the arrival
of the bridegroom
and the church
being the bride.
I don't apologize
for using marriage,
but for some of you
who are single,
you may be wondering
what's going on here.
What I want to tell you
is this,
and you who are married
as well and think
marriage is everything.
You're deluded.
That'll change in time.
Don't worry.
But marriage is only
an illustration.
It's a metaphor
in the Bible.
It's meant to give us
a glimpse or a taste
for the greatest relationship,
home with the Father,
the Son,
and the Spirit.
That's what we were
created for.
If you think
you are missing out,
then remember this.
Marriage is like
as children
when we play with cars
and toys and dolls
and role play.
Marriage is like that
compared to the real thing
of being home
with Father,
Son,
and Spirit.
Single or married,
that's when you're at home.
That's when you are complete.
That's what we were
created for.
Again,
Jesus expresses
that this home,
this completeness,
this invitation
into relationship
of this kind of magnitude
of intimacy
is not for everyone.
You see,
a loving relationship,
you'll know,
particularly a relationship
between lovers
is an exclusive relationship.
If we love Jesus,
we will keep his commands.
If we keep Jesus' commands,
then we love him.
We demonstrate our love
for him practically.
But notice each time
that Jesus raises obedience,
he raises it in the context
of relationship.
He's not just looking
for a moral life.
He's not looking for you
to conform to a set of rules
and regulations.
Like you,
I've got a bunch of friends
who are really,
really good people.
Friends who don't profess
to be Christian
but in every other way
live lives that are as good
as if not superior
to myself
and many of my other
Christian friends.
But here's the thing,
they don't love Jesus.
no amount of obedience
is equivalent to loving Jesus.
That's not the point
of these verses.
The point is that love
implies a loving relationship,
a prior relationship
of self-giving,
loyal commitment,
faithfulness,
unwavering affection.
someone who loves Jesus
is so committed to him
that they will be preoccupied
with growing in obedience
to him.
It'll be the work
of their lives
to honor
and delight
and imitate their God.
Is that you?
That's what expressing love
is about.
That's what expressing love
is about.
Jesus then goes on
to describe love
in an enduring sense,
recognizing that there will be
a period of departure,
a period of separation,
that they will feel it acutely
and so he speaks words
into this too.
See, Jesus did return
after his death
and appear to his disciples
and then he went
to be with the Father
and we live in that time now,
a time where Jesus
is not physically present with us
like he was
with the disciples.
And our skeptical friends,
if you have a robust conversation
with your friends
who aren't yet Christians,
they'll call on us
to prove that God exists.
I don't know if you've had
this happen to you,
but I certainly have
on numerous occasions.
The taunt of Psalm 42,
where is your God?
It still stings,
doesn't it?
It hurts when they say it
because we do feel
the separation.
So Jesus explains
what will happen
after he's returned
to the Father.
There is parting gifts
and he's parting words
in this passage.
They're designed
to comfort and prepare,
comfort in the sense,
remember,
of strengthen,
the teaspoon of concrete,
to strengthen
and prepare those
he loves
for this period
of separation.
So in terms of parting gifts,
we'll read verses 25 and 26.
Jesus says,
These things I have spoken
to you while I'm still
with you,
but the Helper,
the Holy Spirit,
whom the Father
will send in my name,
he will teach you
all things
and bring to your remembrance
all that I have said to you.
So he comes back
to the Holy Spirit
again at this point.
The Holy Spirit
is the first gift.
He's the gift
all believers receive.
But for the first receivers,
his role is specific here.
I need to again
point this out.
That for the first receiver,
that's the disciples of Jesus,
the ones who were with him
and witnessed
and experienced.
This is who he's talking to
in the first sense.
The Holy Spirit
will remind them
of everything
that Jesus spoke to them,
everything that Jesus taught them.
And he'll teach them
what it means.
Not just a memory verse exercise,
which I did as a child,
but life-changing truth
about Jesus' transforming plan
of salvation.
Truths that they wrote down
and some others
who were with them
and received their teaching
wrote down as well.
Truths that they knew
were scripture
even as they wrote them.
And you can see 2 Peter 3.16
for an expression of that,
just a glimpse
of that sort of thinking.
Truths that they knew
would change us
in all the ways
that we need changing.
Look at Timothy 3.16.
All scripture
is God-breathed
and profitable
for teaching,
rebuking,
correcting error
and training in righteousness,
that the man of God
may be thoroughly equipped
for every good work.
You could also read
in light of this passage
that the man of God
may be thorough,
or woman of God
may be thoroughly equipped
to love God
wholeheartedly.
Or Hebrews 4.12.
The word of God
is living and active
sharper than any
two-edged sword.
You get the sense
of almost surgical precision
that the word applies.
Friends,
what I'm talking about here,
just to be clear,
is the New Testament.
This is the written down
teaching of Jesus.
It's written down,
distilled,
and understood.
It's not just
that they remembered,
but they began
to understand it.
The Spirit taught it to them.
It's recorded.
So what we're talking about here
is the work of the Spirit
is actually teaching us
and reminding us
of everything
that Jesus taught
the disciples
through his word.
I am not talking about
some kind of
Christianized seance here
where we all sit around
and pray
or whatever
until the Holy Spirit
speaks to us personally.
He has done.
It's not some
airy-fairy thing
that happens.
The Spirit shows us
the truth of the Gospel.
He keeps us looking
to the truth of the Gospel
and applying it
to our lives,
applying the Bible
to our lives.
And as we do,
with the power
of the Spirit,
he transforms us
into his likeness.
this gift of a comforter
is an uncomfortable gift.
He gets into our heads
and he exposes
our false beliefs.
He gets into our hearts.
Imagine,
this is God inside us
seeing everything.
He gets into our hearts
and realizes
our selfish desires.
Absolutely nothing
is hidden from him.
I'll give you an example.
Joe went to a coffee shop
the other day
and a favorite place
I really like to go.
I love eating pastries.
and I asked her
to get a cake for me.
And she forgot.
And I was speaking
to her on the phone
as she told me this.
And I was so annoyed
that I hung up on her
over a cake.
I got so annoyed
with my wife,
who I've loved
for nearly 25 years,
nearly,
for not getting me
a cake
that I actually
hung up on her.
You didn't know
that about me.
But the Holy Spirit
did.
And the Holy Spirit
made me ashamed
of what I did.
And guilty.
And he led me
to set it right.
This is the gift
of the helper
that we're talking
about here.
With the Holy Spirit
comes another gift.
And that is
the gift of peace.
In verse 27
we read this.
Peace I leave
with you.
My peace
I give you.
Not as the world
gives do I give to you.
Let not your hearts
be troubled,
neither let them
be afraid.
Friends,
when we feel alone,
perhaps even abandoned,
when we wonder
what's going on
in the world,
when climate change
and political unrest
and social injustices
just kind of
fill the newsreels,
the Holy Spirit
teaches us
and reminds us
of what our loving God
has done
to set things right.
He reminds us
that Father,
Son and Spirit
have made their home
with us.
He reminds us
that Jesus will return
to make this
our absolute reality,
a thing we look forward to.
He speaks
words of comfort
and strength
into our fearful hearts.
Jesus gifts us
with peace.
He provides
the antidote
to fear,
an antidote
that needs to be
applied daily,
moment by moment.
It's not the effect
of the Spirit
that's deficient
in us in this
so much as
our own
and Satan's choices
that keep us
needing the Spirit's
ministry.
to know
the truth
that we are
at peace
with God
and that
he is one
with us.
That all
that can happen
into the future
is a guarantee,
the absolute certainty
that can happen
in the future
is a guarantee
that that will
become an absolute
reality.
Not even death
can prevent that.
So Jesus
finishes
with some
parting gifts
of the Holy Spirit
and peace.
and then
he finishes
with some
parting words.
Some final
instructions
if you like.
In verse 28
he's encouraging
us to learn
so that we
can rejoice.
He says
in verse 28
you heard me
say to you
I am going
away
and I will
come to you.
If you loved
me
you would have
rejoiced
because I am
going to the
Father
for the Father
is greater
than I.
In other words
they know
what's going
to happen
because Jesus
has told
them
but they
responded
wrong.
He's saying
learn from
this
understand
the truth
and begin
to rejoice.
Not
everything
comes to us
straight away
and that's
okay
but we
need to
pursue
Jesus'
perspective
not wallow
in the
disappointments
that our
own
perspective
will bring.
We need
to learn
to rejoice
in Jesus'
departure
in particular
because of
what that
brings
us.
Learn
so that
you can
rejoice.
Remember
so that
you may
believe.
Verse 29
he says
and now
I have
told you
before it
takes place
so that
when it
does take
place
you may
believe.
Let's
think about
this here.
You see
the disciples
got a glimpse
in advance
so that
they would
believe
later.
We have
the full
picture
now
so believe.
When you
wonder if
this is all
pointless
or if
there's an
easier way
or if
there even
is a
God in
the first
place
choose to
believe
the truth
that was
told
and then
fulfilled
and then
witness to
us
through his
word
by disciples
who abandoned
him and
gave up
only to
be restored
by him
at his
resurrection.
This is
the witness
testimony
of skeptics
and unbelievers
who when
they encountered
the risen
Jesus
believed.
This is
not just
a nice
little
spin
clever
little
religious
spin
on a
historical
event.
It's
far more
than that.
choose to
believe the
truth that
was told
and then
fulfilled.
So he
says learn
so you
can rejoice.
Remember
so that you
may believe.
And finally
he wants
this to be
clear.
Know
that I
choose
to leave.
If you
look at
verse 30
Jesus said
to his
disciples
before he
was
crucified
I will
no longer
talk much
with you
for the
ruler of
this world
is coming.
He has
no claim
on me
but I
do as
the father
has commanded
me so
that the
world may
know that
I love
the father.
Rise
let us
go from
here.
Friends
Satan has
power in
this world.
He's
described
here as
the ruler
of this
world.
He has
power but
not over
Jesus.
Jesus chose
to die
in obedience
to the
father.
It wasn't
a failed
coup attempt.
Jesus chose
to die
in obedience
to the
father.
He
willingly
went to
where he
would be
betrayed.
He was
glorified
beyond our
capacity to
comprehend
as he
hung on
the cross.
His
love for
us
rescued
you and
me.
And so
we come
back to
where we
began
with love.
steadfast
or loyal
love.
Unfailing
kindness.
Covenant
faithfulness
because of
an existing
relationship.
A beautiful
fusion of
commitment and
affection.
Self-giving
in nature.
Gloriously
and completely
expressed at
the cross
for us
who believe.
let me pray.
Father God,
we thank you
for sending
the son.
We thank you
for your plan
of salvation
that began
before time
for rescuing
us from the
futility of
our lives
and the
reality of
sin.
Son, we
thank you for
being obedient
to the
Father and
choosing to
lay down
your life
for our
sake.
For
granting us
with peace.
Peace with
you and
peace with
one another.
Father.
And Jesus, we
thank you too
for sending
the Spirit.
And Spirit,
we thank you
for coming
to us and
for teaching
us and
reminding us
the truths
that your
word just
keeps declaring
to us.
We thank you
for patiently
working on
us and
through your
goodness
showing us
what it truly
means to be
obedient children
of our
Father.
We pray
these things
in Jesus'
name.
Amen.