Examining JOHN 14 – Part 2 of 3
Introduction: This portion of Ch. 14 is very relational in its content. There is the relationship that the Father has with the Son, and the Son with the Father – then there is the Holy Spirit. There is the relationship we saints have with Christ, and with the Father and the Spirit.
We are part of the family of GOD, no longer orphans (vs. 18), but adopted (ROM 8:15,23; GAL 4:5; EPH 1:5). This isn’t the typical idea of adoption we know here in the West. In Greek culture a mature male adult (not a relative) would sometimes be adopted to carry on the family line. At such a time they are “adopted” – in the sense that they are bequeathed all of the authority and privileges of the family name.
We were outside the family of GOD, but He adopted us as His own through none other than the LORD Jesus Christ Himself.
The text also deals with our labors, and how we are to draw from the Spirit, the way that the Son did during His earthly ministry. One might say we’re in “the family business”! But isn’t it truly a labor of love?
As I’ve said before: Only in working in the Kingdom of GOD can we find rest for our souls (MATT 11:28-30)!
JOHN 14:12-14
12 "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. 13 "And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 "If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.
Some have suggested that vs. 12 means that we will outperform Christ in the way of miraculous “greater works”, but one must consider that “greater” can mean qualitative (greater in quality, that is, more powerful, more impressive works that outshine those performed by Christ) or quantitative (simply being greater in number and frequency).
The latter is correct. How could we outperform Christ? By what greater Spirit than the same by which Christ was Himself anointed with and worked by? It was the fact that Christ returned to the Father – in His glorified state – and no longer confined to one location at one time, and at all times be aware of the entire church worldwide, He can and does supervise the work of the saints and can validate, legitimize and empower our works for the last 2000 years (whereas He only lived about 33 years and only three and a half of those years in active ministry. Just do the math).
And this is only applicable to those who “believe in [Christ]” – not an intellectual assent, not with a philosophical esteem, not with a mere moral allegiance, but to believe in the sense of dependence upon Christ for salvation, one who is born of GOD’s Spirit.
Another misconception: Some believe that we can pray whatever we want, and tag on the end of that prayer “in Jesus Name” and that prayer – no matter what it might be – is a guaranteed answer. Wrong.
“In Jesus Name” is not in the mere act of invoking His name as though it was some sort of “power word”. In the name of someone or something, you are conducting yourself in accord with the nature, parameters, intentions and explicit will of that person or agency.
A police officer may shout, “Stop in the name of the Law!” By his declaration, that doesn’t magically make the subject in question stop on a dime – they may choose to keep running! The officer is speaking on behalf of the Law which the subject may be in violation of. According to the Law that person must be arrested, questioned, and charged if their guilt is determined.
So when I pray “in Jesus Name” that prayer better be in accord with His nature, the parameters of His Word of Truth, in one accord with His intentions and explicit will.
My prayer to acquire a fat to overflowing bank account and that twenty million dollar mansion in the foothills “in Jesus Name” is most likely contrary to His nature, and more in line with my own avarice and greed (If I truly coveted such things – I don’t)!
Praying to walk in humility and obedience to GOD’s will, for the healing of a suffering soul, for the lost to be reached with the Gospel, that Satan would be bound and prohibited from attacking a saint that’s being accosted with fiery darts – these are the sorts of prayers that are in Jesus Name!
1 JOHN 3:22Here is another requirement to receive answered prayer. We keep His commandments – I’m not talking Mosaic Law under the Old Covenant, because we are under the New Covenant (and if you want Christ to save you from your sin, you have to be ALL IN on the latter covenant). What we are talking about here are the instructions, directives, commandments, teachings of Christ for us, His church. Essentially, this is about “walking (living by the power of) the Spirit” who alone enables us to follow our LORD’s commandments, and to live a holy life – (super)naturally – because He is the HOLY Spirit!
And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.
1 JOHN 5:14And there it is: If something isn’t in GOD’s will, then I DON’T WANT IT! His will is perfect, pure, righteous, holy, the very best – why wouldn’t I want that? One might say, “It was GOD’s will that Christ die on the Cross” – to die in such a horrific or even remotely similar, violent way – how can I feel good about “GOD’s will” then?
Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.
Look at the fruit of Christ’s Cross – a multitude of souls beyond count are saved for all eternity! I’d say that’s a good thing, wouldn’t you? By the same token, whatever suffering, hardships, persecution, tribulation we might (and probably will) go through, GOD is working behind the scenes, to bring something good out of that situation and your life (ROM 8:28 is still in my Bible! Is it in yours?).
JOHN 15:7,16
7 "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.
16 "You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.
And of course in all things, our primary objective and fervent desire is that the Father is glorified because for one – He is absolutely worthy! And for another – After all that He has done for us, His absolute glorification is His due!
We need to understand, our lives are not meandering, coincidental, purposeless existence – we have an appointment by GOD Himself! That being, to bring Him glory by bearing the fruit of the Spirit (GAL 5:22-23). It’s the same truth expressed in EPHESIANS 2:
EPHESIANS 2:10Long before GOD said, “Let there be light” He had laid out in His eternal Mind, the plans and purposes for your life. And you don’t need to set out on a holy quest to discover it! Just continue to walk in the Spirit, loving on Jesus in a deep, intimate relationship with Abba Father, stay in prayer – and He will see to it that you run right into His pre-planned destiny for your life!
For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
JOHN 15:8Being a disciple is equated with bearing “much fruit” not just a smidgen, or a basket full – “much fruit”! Don’t think for one minute your in this all on your own either! The LORD intends on working in you, and through you all the way! After all, He IS the Vine, and you are His branch!
"By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.
JOHN 14:15
"If you love Me, keep My commandments.
Is it hard to do something for someone you really love? If you really, really love someone, you’d do your best to move heaven and earth, if they wanted you to! How much more so if the LORD of glory commands us – we should always, always do those commandments out of the only qualifiable motive that will meet with our Father’s approval: out of a simple, childlike love for JESUS!!
1 JOHN 2:3-5JOHN 14:16-17
3 Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. 4 He who says, "I know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him.
1 JOHN 3:22-23
22 And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight. 23 And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment.
1 JOHN 5:3
For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.
16 "And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever 17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.
Note what the LORD said here: “ANOTHER Helper (Comforter in the KJV)” – Who is the First? The LORD Jesus Christ of course. The LORD Incarnate will have resurrected from the dead, and after fifty days, ascend up into heaven to be seated at the right hand of the Father. Someone who was not incarnate would have to minister to the church, and that meant the Holy Spirit.
He indeed abides with us, and since Christ paid the price for our sin, thereby clearing the way for the Spirit of GOD to perform spiritual heart surgery (EZEK 36:26) and then indwell us (ROM 8:9,11), and seal us as GOD’s “earnest” (2 COR 1:22; EPH 1:13; 4:30) or down payment, we become “the temple of the Holy Spirit” (1 COR 6:19).
The Spirit of GOD is holy and also by definition, truth. It’s the Holy Spirit in conjunction with the Holy Scriptures that we are able to discern truth from error (lies; 1 JOHN 4:6):
HEBREWS 4:12This is why this world scoffs and mocks the church – because of the fact that they don’t have the Spirit of truth, they literally can’t perceive biblical truth staring them in the face. It’s the spiritual blindness afflicting them due to sin nature (JOHN 9:39-41) as well as Satan’s interference (2 COR 4:4).
For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart (1 COR 2:14; HEB 5:14).
One of the proofs of those who are genuinely saved, and those who genuinely are not is the ability to detect lies and falsehoods (1 COR 11:19). This is why no true child of GOD will remain in a cult – because they are born of the Spirit of truth, and with an innate love for the truth. And even if they are so spiritually weakened, the Spirit of truth will lead them out by divine intervention and deliver them.
Throughout the ministry of Christ, the Holy Spirit was with the apostles, leading them into truth (1 JOHN 2:27; 4:6), anointing them for the ministry that our LORD sent them off to. The promise of the Spirit coming was given (JOHN 7:37-39) and that promise our LORD made good on after His glorification (i.e., the crucifixion and resurrection; JOHN 20:22).
JOHN 14:18-20
18 "I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you. 19 "A little while longer and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you will live also. 20 "At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you.
The LORD in His infinite compassion saw that we were outside of the family of GOD – orphans in comparison with those who are “the children of GOD” (JOHN 1:12-13; ROM 8:14). And yet, no one is really an orphan in this world – we have a patronage: we are either children of GOD or children of the devil (JOHN 8:44,49).
But we can be adopted if we receive Christ’s salvation (ROM 8:15,23; GAL 4:5; EPH 1:5). GOD is all about family – He created the very institution of family, complete with a husband/father and a wife/mother and their children. These designations however last only a lifetime – our lives being “but a vapor” in duration.
GOD’s forever family will last for eternity, thanks to the sacrifice that the LORD Jesus Christ made when He redeemed us from sin and this sinful world! And one Blessed Day He is going to take us out of this sinful world – we’ll finally be going to our Father’s House (JOHN 14:1-3)!
The world didn’t see Christ after His burial – only loving eyes ever saw Him again after His resurrection, but while the apostles did indeed see Him again after Three Days from the Cross, the world will see Christ again when He comes in judgment – and we’ll be coming along with Him (REV 19:11-14).
“Because I live, you will live also.”
We are not practitioners of a mere religion or a philosophical system or a self-help program – where Christ is just the example to emulate. The Christian faith is far, far more than simply this.
When one becomes a child of GOD, we don’t only worship the GOD of heaven, we live because the Spirit of GOD lives in us (ROM 8:11) – as does Christ Himself (COL 1:27), and the Father (JOHN 14:23).
Our very lives as Christians and all that this entails – our love for GOD, for His Holy Word, for time spent in the company of our Savior in prayer – and the saints in fellowship. Our desire to share our faith with others, the blessed hope and yearning we have to go Home and be with our GOD, along with our repulsion for sin, and this sinful world under judgment, tempered with our compassion for the lost, and our fervent prayers for them: all of this is intertwined in, and stems from the life of Christ that is in us!
Eternal life isn’t just a “thing” that we possess – it’s a relationship we have in knowing GOD and the LORD Jesus Christ that our Father sent to us!
JOHN 17:2-320 "At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you.”
2 "as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him. 3 "And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.
We see here the dynamics of this Holy Family – there is the everlasting Father, and the LORD Jesus Christ, and inasmuch that they are in infinite union with each other, so likewise the intertwining of the Savior and His saints is evident – and will grow in the same profound unity as expressed in the Trinity! That’s astounding when you think about it – but is that true? Yes!
It's what our LORD prayed for!
JOHN 17:20-21What impedes that kind of unity being present in the church today?
20 "I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; 21 "that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.
A lack of the Spirit’s power in our lives for one thing, and a predominance of sin nature for another (it causes us to hide just as much as it did for Adam and Eve (GEN 3:8).
It’s when the church finds a fluent unity in the reality of the Holy Spirit’s power, and as we die to self which diminishes the power of sin (ROM 8:4; GAL 5:16), that is when GOD is most able to use us for His glory:
ACTS 4:32-33And it’s as we allow the Spirit of GOD to have His way with us, as we obey by His power (not ours!) the commands of our LORD – this is how we can grow in “the unity of the faith”.
32 Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common. 33 And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all.
EPHESIANS 4:11-16
11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head--Christ-- 16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.
It was my intention on finishing this TRIUMPHANT Trilogy of JOHN 12, JOHN 13 and JOHN 14, but what I’ve got included in the remaining study of Ch. 14 is such an amount, that I’ve had to divide this into a Three Part study – which we will finish next time, before proceeding to the next trilogy of JOHN 15, 16 and 17!
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