Day 315 – Reading – John 14, 15, 16, 17.

Read and believe in Jesus!

John 14.  (as well as 15-17) is Jesus’ private teaching to the eleven disciples. Judas has gone, the meal is finished, and before they “sing a hymn” and go out to Gethsemane, Jesus comforts, teaches, promises, and prays for these closest of His chosen men.

Jesus has just told them in chapter 13 that in a little while He would be going away and that they couldn’t follow Him.  When Peter cried out that he would follow Jesus anywhere, even to death, Jesus told him of his failure that very night. (He’s still worrying about this.)

And now, looking at them, Jesus said, “Let not your hearts be troubled.”  He explains (though they do not understand right then) that He’s going away to prepare a “place” for them, but He will come back for them and take them there.

When Jesus told them that they knew the way to where he was going (back to His Father, John 7:33), Thomas asked in panic, “Lord, we do NOT know where you are going. How can we know the way?’  (Hear the anxiety in his voice.)   Gently, Jesus answers that He, Himself, is the Way AND the truth and the life.  That HE is the way to His Father.  “You know Him, right?  You’ve seen Him.”

Now Philip cries, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.”

You can almost hear Jesus sigh.  “I have been with you so long, and you still don’t know me Philip?  If you’ve see ME, you’ve seen the FATHER.  I am in the Father, and He is in Me.  My words are His words. My miraculous works are His. Believe me!  I and the Father are one.”

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Jesus then continues with the amazing teaching about the Holy Spirit in chapters 14, 15, and 16..

• I will ask the Father and He will give you another Helper to be with you forever, even the SPIRIT of Truth. He will dwell with you and be IN you.
• The Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will TEACH you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.
• The Helper, the Spirit of Truth who proceeds from the Father, will BEAR WITNESS about me.
• It is to your advantage that Jesus “was going away” because then He will send the Helper to you.
• The Helper will convict the world of sin and righteousness and judgment concerning sin.
• When the Spirit of Truth comes, He will GUIDE you into all truth.
• He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears, He will speak and will declare to you the things to come.
• He will glorify Me.

He also speaks of love in these chapters.

• If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.
• Whoever has my commandments and does them, that person loves me.
• He who loves me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and show myself to him.
• If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word, and My Father will love him.  We will come to him and make our home with him.
• Whoever does NOT love Me, does not keep My words.
• As the Father has loved Me, so have I loved you. Abide in My love.
• If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love.
• This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.
• Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends.

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John 15.

Jesus here gives an illustration of how their relationship with Him should be.

He describes a vineyard. His Father is the Vinedresser – the one who planted and cares for the vines.  Jesus Himself is the true vine (with roots deep into the soil).  They – His disciples and all who follow Him later – are the branches growing out from the vine onto wires to spread them out. From these branches, the grape clusters will grow.

As long as the branches are connected to the sturdy vine, they will bear fruit that will remain and grow until harvest.  But the branches MUST stay connected to the Vine.  If wind or animals/bugs, or even the Vinedresser when He prunes,  separates them from the Vine, they will quickly wither and die.  And of course, no grapes will come from those dead branches.

The Vinedresser does purposefully cut some of the branches off the Vine; those that are withered and do not bear fruit.  He does this so the fruit-bearing branches get more nourishment and produce more fruit.

Jesus uses this as a warning.  “Abide in me and bear much fruit.  Apart from Me, you can do nothing.”

And, “My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.”

And, “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.”

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In Chapter 16, as well as explaining the Spirit’s ministry, Jesus tells them plainly that in a little while they won’t see Him. They will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. They will be sorrowful, BUT their sorrow will turn to joy – like a woman in childbirth rejoices when the babe is laid into her arms.

“You WILL rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.”

“But…. the hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home, and will leave Me alone.” 

At their confused faces, Jesus says, “I have said these things to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation.  But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

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Chapter 17.

This entire chapter is Jesus praying.  THIS is the one we should be calling “the Lord’s Prayer.”  He prays like a priest, standing between God the Father and His own disciples (present and future).  He acknowledges His relationship with the Father, asking that He would glorify the Son (Himself) in order that the Son would bring glory to the Father.

Then Jesus prays for “the people God gave to Him out of the world.” These are the ones who believe in Jesus and the Father, have received His words, and know the truth.

• “Holy Father, keep them in Your Name, that they may be one, even as We are one.” 
• The world hates them, as they hated Me. I do not ask You to take them out of the world.  Keep them from the Evil One.”
• Sanctify them in the truth. Your word is truth. 
• I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word.” 
• O righteous Father, even though the world does not know You, I know You, and these know that You have sent me.
• The love with which You have loved Me, may it be in them, and I in them.”

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Amen! Thank You, Jesus!