One Year Journey Through the New Testament
John 14
Welcome to our journey through the New Testament!
Christ Comforts His Disciples
1 “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. 4 And where I go you know, and the way you know.”
(John 14:1–4, NKJV)
Points to Ponder:
- Jesus, after just telling them He is to die and leave them, now comforts His disciples. He promises a place for them in heaven, where He is going.
- He promises to prepare a place for them and that they can be with Him forever. He also encourages them that they know the place, and they know the way.
Christ Answers Thomas
5 Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?”
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
7 “If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him.”
(John 14:5–7, NKJV)
Points to Ponder:
- Thomas, uncertain still at this point, questions Jesus’ instructions, insisting that they do not know where or the way.
- Jesus utters the powerful answer, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”
- He also tells them that from now on they will have known and have seen the Father through Jesus.
Christ Answers Philip
8 Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.”
9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. 11 Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves.
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.
15 “If you love Me, keep My commandments. 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. 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. 21 He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.”
(John 14:8–21, NKJV)
Points to Ponder:
- Philip then chimes in and asks Jesus to show them the Father. That was all he needed, he thought.
- Jesus told them that He had been with them long enough for them to see the Father. His words were the Father’s words, etc.
- He then promises that the works He had performed, they would perform, although greater.
- If they truly loved Jesus, they should keep His commandments. Jesus also promised to pray the Father to send another Helper, the Spirit of truth.
- Jesus then offers a brief summary of all that He had said.
Christ Answers Judas
22 Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, “Lord, how is it that You will manifest Yourself to us, and not to the world?”
23 Jesus answered and said to 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. 24 He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me.
25 “These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. 26 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 things that I said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. 28 You have heard Me say to you, ‘I am going away and coming back to you.’ If you loved Me, you would rejoice because I said, ‘I am going to the Father,’ for My Father is greater than I.
29 “And now I have told you before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe. 30 I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in Me. 31 But that the world may know that I love the Father, and as the Father gave Me commandment, so I do. Arise, let us go from here.
(John 14:22–31, NKJV)
Points to Ponder:
- Judas asked about the mechanism whereby Jesus would reveal Himself to the disciples, but not to the world.
- Jesus drew a line of demarcation between those who loved Him and kept His word, and those who did not. He then said that the former would be taught by the Holy Spirit. Therefore, they should not be afraid.
- Then He told them that they must go, because Satan was coming to start the process of His journey to the grave and back.
- Jesus is present on earth today through the presence of the Holy Spirit. Invite Him to teach you and lead and guide you in this world. That is the action of the true disciple who loves Jesus Christ, the Savior Messiah.
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All Scriptures from New King James Version unless otherwise noted.
Join us this afternoon at 5:00 pm for a discussion of this chapter live online. Live@5 with Dr. Greg Sloop can be found on Facebook on the Dr. Greg Sloop page or on the Kannapolis Church of God Facebook page or Youtube page. Another blog will be posted each weekday at 6:00 a.m.
Devoted To You 