Tuesday, May 1, 2018

John 14  After Judas Iscariot has left the room, Jesus tells the 11 twice to -not let their hearts be troubled. ( 14 and 27)  Three of the disciples have questions for Him:

v5 Thomas asks " Lord, we do not know where You are going, how do we know the way?" 
v8 Philip says, " Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us."
v22 Judas, son of James, also called Thaddeus asks, " Lord, what then has happened that You are going to disclose Yourself to us, and not to the world?"

Jesus, who loved these men to the end,  reassures them once again...

 To Thomas, He says..  I'm going" to prepare a place for you"...  I will come and get you and take you to be with Me.  You will know the way.. for " I am the way and the truth and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me." ( v6)   In other words,  He tells them that they are on the right path.  They are following Him and they will be with Him until the end. Just keep going!

To Philip, Jesus addresses a deeper need..  He tells them that He and the Father are the same.. they are One.  To know Him is to know the Father.. to see Him is to see the Father.  The problem is not that they can't see God.. the problem is that they need to believe what they are seeing!  God has been right there all the time.. speaking with them,  doing the works before them and through them. And, He is not done with them... Because, when Jesus returns to the Father, they will take over doing what God wants to do and speaking what God wants them to speak.  They will ask of the Father , in His Name and it will be done.  They will ask Him, " anything " in His Name and He will do it.  They are to keep on loving Him and living for Him. Believe it!

To Judas/Thaddeus,  Jesus teaches about the coming of the Holy Spirit, the Helper, the Spirit of truth, Who will come and abide with them.
It is Jesus who will ask the Father and the Father who will give the Spirit to be with us forever.
The world will not receive the Spirit, will not see Him, and will not know Him.
Only the followers of Jesus will receive Him..
The Spirit will be with them and abide IN them.
Jesus will come in the Spirit..

After His death and resurrection, Jesus teaches....they will know.....
They will know what true unity is.
They will know what true love is.
They will know what it means to keep His words.
They will know peace that only He can give.
They will know that all He has said is true.. for they will see it with their own eyes.

Father in Heaven... there is always so much that we need to know.. and to believe.  We also want to see You and know You.. Come Holy Spirit and make Your home with us, that we might understand and remember.. that we might abide in unity with the Father and the Son.  May our love be complete in You, Jesus.  May Your peace fill our hearts.  May Your truth cover us and bind us together.  Help us to glorify God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.  amen.

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