0:01 In some of our sermons this year, in fact, in most of them, we have zoomed in on certain key passages. We've given an overview of the passage maybe in an an adult class lesson on Sunday morning or Wednesday night, and we've zoomed in to look at the close-up shot and to unpack specifics. This morning I want to do the exact opposite. I want to zoom out and look at the wide panorama big picture view of Jesus comforting the apostles in John 14, 15, and 16.
0:47 So, with that in mind, um, the these farewell discourses, if you were to expand that a couple of chapters, chapter 13 to 17, you have three basic things going on. The example of Jesus in washing his disciples' feet on the front end of this, words of comfort and commission in chapters 14, 15, and 16, and part of chapter 13 as well. And then sealing it all with prayer, perhaps the greatest prayer ever prayed in chapter 17. And all the while as this is unfolding, there are seven portraits of Jesus that one can unpack in chapters 13 through 17. There's so many pairings of
1:33 or groupings of seven in the Gospel according to John. Maybe it's fitting that you see seven different self-identifiers in these passages. He's a servant who stoops down and washes his disciples' feet. He says, "If I, your Lord and teacher, have done this, then you ought to do it for one another." He says, "I am the way, the truth, the life. No one comes to the Father but through me." Chapter 14:6. He is the great benefactor who will send a helper, the Holy Spirit, who will guide them beyond the time that he leaves them. He says, "I am the true vine. I am the
2:20 vine, you are the branches." Chapter 15. He's our best friend. And uh greater love has no one than this, than a man should lay down his life for his friends. Chapter 15 and verse 13. And he is the great intercessor who pours out his heart to almighty God the Father on behalf of these men who will continue his work beyond his departure from the earth in a physical way. There are less than 24 hours to go
3:06 before Jesus will die. These are his farewell words to the apostles. They need comfort. And they need empowerment. Comfort and commission, if you will. We sometimes put these men on something of a pedestal, and rightly so. They They were great men who accomplished some great things as delegates of Jesus, his personal ambassadors to continue his work in this wicked world. But we may forget that they were also human beings with human foibles,
3:55 human vulnerabilities. And they were about to lose the one who was nearest and dearest to them in a most graphic sort of a way. And like all of us, when we lose a dear loved one, it has a paralyzing effect. So, Jesus is trying to accomplish two things here. In chapters 13 through 16, he's rallying the troops, washing their feet, lifting their spirits, comforting them and empowering them, if you want to boil it down to two things. And then in chapter 17, he tops it off
4:41 by perhaps the most significant prayer ever prayed. And he's comforting those that um in many respects are going to go through the shock of losing him through a horrific death. And again, that that has a paralyzing effect on all of us. We go through stages of grief when we lose a a loved one. And people have written books about denial that gives way to anger that gives way to to bargaining that gives way to depression that ultimately gives way to acceptance.
5:27 And those stages of grief hit us with again with with such a significant loss. And they're not going to handle all this well. And Jesus knows in advance that they're not going to handle it well. In Luke's account, he will tell Peter basically that that Simon, Simon, Satan demanded to have you that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers. You have the parallel to that in in John's account expanded not only in regard to what he says to
6:14 Peter, but what he says to all 12 of these men or 11 of the 12 Judas is going to leave them at some point. And um he's going to comfort them in spite of the fact that he knows that they are going to disappoint him profoundly. One of the last things that he says to all of them in chapter 16 before he they go and and he prays this prayer he says um in verse 32 of chapter 16 behold the hour is coming indeed it has come when you will be scattered each to his own house and you will leave me alone.
7:04 It's hard enough to comfort someone who is by your side and remains with you through thick and through thin. Have you ever tried to comfort somebody knowing full well that they're about to disappoint you profoundly? But he knows that the abruptness of the loss will intensify the shock factor. The suddenness of it all will be a shock factor taking on extra dimensions in producing this numbing effect.
7:50 And what he's about to provide them is what I would call spiritual shock absorbers. They're about to ride out turbulence. It's going to going to be a very bumpy ride ahead and he knows it. And so he's going to do everything he can to help prepare them for it and to give them the tools to ride it out. It's extraordinary what's going on here. How does he do that? In short, he shifts the focus from what they will lose to what they will gain. It's a complete mental shift.
8:36 And if you're not reading chapters 13 through 16 that way, you're missing the essence of what he's doing. It all starts out in chapter 14 when he says, "Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, I would have told you. Or would I have told you that I go prepare a place for you?" Could be either statement or question depending on you which translation you have and how it's interpreted. He says, "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself that where I am you may also be.
9:23 And you know the way to where I'm going." Thomas said to him, "Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?" Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." So the where question that Thomas asks is reoriented to a who question. Listen to me carefully. Our spiritual GPS is less about geographical markers than about the personal guide that we're
10:09 following. If you are absorbed in an absolutely trustworthy guide, in this case Jesus Christ, then you kind of lose sight of all of the markers geographically along the way. Because this is someone you can absolutely trust who is leading the way and he'll get you there safely. That's the point. And his physical death won't change that.
10:56 In fact, he's going to commission them to pick up where he leaves off. And he will tell them that they will do greater things than he has done. Collectively speaking, the apostles pick it up where he left leaves off and Christianity takes off as a result of what they accomplished through him. And on his coattails, if you will. Truly, truly I say to you, whoever believes in me, verse 12, will also do the works that I do, and greater works than these will he do because I'm going to the Father. So, far from handicapping them, he is equipping them and comforting them that yes, this will be paralyzing in its effects in many
11:43 ways, but you've got work to do. And you can't sit around for the rest of your lives feeling sorry for yourselves because I'm gone. You have work that needs to be done, and I'm going to equip you to do that work, and it's going to be great. In some ways, you haven't seen anything yet. And I'm not going to leave you as orphans. Verse 18. I will not leave you as orphans. I will come to you. Yet a little while in the world will see me no more no more, but you will see me because I live you will also live. In that day you will know that I am in the Father and you and me and I and you.
12:29 Oh, wow, we have all kinds of interconnections here. The bond will not be broken. It will take on new dimensions or as Andrew said last Wednesday night, it's sort of an upgrade that they will experience. They don't look at it that way at this point, but it will be. Chapter 14, beginning with verse 27. He says, "Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives to you, I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. You heard me say to you, I'm going away and I will come to you. If you loved me, you would have rejoiced because I'm going to the Father,
13:15 for the Father is greater than I. And now I've told you before it takes place so that when it does you when it does take place, you may believe." And so this bond again will not be broken. And um in verse 23 in verse 23, he says, "If anyone loves me, he will keep my word. My Father will love him and he will come to him and make our We will come to him and make our home with him." And so not only will the bond not be broken, but Jesus will take up permanent residence in their homes. And he'll take permanent residence in
14:01 your home by way of extension. Yes, there're going to be some things that are temporary in his physical presence before them would be temporary, but he would send the Holy Spirit and uh how long would that be? How long would that last for them? Verse 16 "Truly truly uh or verse 16 of chapter 14, "I will ask the Father, he will give you another helper to be with you And what's the last word there? Forever. Yes, you might be spiritually crumbled right now because I'm leaving you. But I'm coming back
14:47 and I'm sending the Holy Spirit, and he'll be with you forever. This will never change. No ruptures. This all will abide. Chapter 15, "I am the vine, you are the branches." Verse five, verse four says, "Abide in me and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me." Just because I'm leaving doesn't mean that this is irreparably broken. We're still going to have this deep and abiding inner connection. And I want you to
15:33 thrive in it. So, they would have to continue a relationship with Jesus that's much like the one that we have. I've never seen Jesus personally in the flesh. But the relationship that I can have with him now is the same relationship that they were going to have with him going forward. And it was going to be special like a vine and the branches. He would leave them that your joy may be in you or my joy may be in you and that
16:18 your joy might be full. He says in chapter 15 verse 11. And he promises them that there going to be bumpy times ahead, turbulence. If the world hates you, chapter 15 verse 18, know that it has hated me before it hates you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own, but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, a servant is not greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will persecute you. If they kept my word, they will keep yours also.
17:03 When the hour comes, remember. Not only will they persecute you, they'll even put you to death. 10 of the 11 remaining apostles would be martyred. And he told them in chapter 16 and verse two, they will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God. And they will do these things because they have not known the Father nor me. But I've said these things to you so that when the hour comes, you may remember that I told them to you. How did these 10 of 11 men who lost their lives for the sake of Christ? How would they face that moment of
17:49 martyrdom? I think every single one of them would have remembered Jesus promised this. And now it's happening. And rather than become unraveled, I can approach this moment with absolute confidence because he told me in advance it was going to happen. And he promised me that it's going to be okay. He promised. And I trust him. Sorrow turned to joy.
18:36 You'll be sorry temporarily. But that sorrow will turn to joy. And whatever you ask of the Father in my name, I'll give it to you. Verse 23 of chapter 16. And then verse 33. [clears throat] 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. It's going to be okay, and you're going to be okay. And I know this is tough bitter pill to swallow, but you're going to be okay.
19:21 And I'll be with you every step of the way. That's amazing comfort that he's providing them. But he's also empowering them. Not only comforting them, but he's saying, "Okay, you've got this incredibly important work that you're going to have to do going forward." And he empowers them number one by telling them another helper will come. Yes, I'm leaving, but I'm going to send another helper. In chapter 14, 15 through 17, he says, "If you love me, you will keep my commandments, and I will ask the Father, and he will give you another helper to
20:07 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 in you, and he will be in you." What would that helper do for them? In 25 and 26, same chapter, he says, "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." I tend to be forgetful, but wow, supernatural powers of remembrance of every detail. They would have that.
20:52 And they would be able to represent the gospel message accurately, all that Jesus said and did that they had witnessed. Because he would give them powers of remembrance and also guide them into all the truth. So that they could be ambassadors and and chosen emissaries of of Jesus. In chapter 15, verses 13 through 16, he says, "Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I commanded you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant is uh uh does not do or does not know what the master is doing. But I have called you friends for all
21:38 that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. These things I command you so that you will love one another." And so, a team built on love and obedience to Jesus would go out and bear fruit. And their fruit would abide. It would remain. There will never be a day for the rest of Earth's history when someone is not benefiting
22:25 from what these 12 apostles would do. That will remain till the end of time. What you're doing is so important, it will last until I come again and bring this wicked world to a close. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away, he says in Matthew 24:35. The Holy Spirit would bear witness. Chapter 15:25 and uh 20 or 26 and 27. But when the Holy Spirit or the helper comes, he might will send to you from the Father
23:10 the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me, and you will also bear witness. Because you have been with me from the beginning. And then chapter 16:12 and 13. I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. But when the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth. For he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hear hears, he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are coming. So don't let anyone ever tell you that these these red letters are all that counts and the black letters don't mean anything. Or that's just the Apostle Paul, that's just the Apostle John or the Apostle Peter and and and and what they what
23:56 they're saying is just their own personal human opinion. No, they they were speaking as ambassadors of Jesus Christ. Guided by the Holy Spirit to all truth so that they could authoritatively reveal the will of Christ to us. Jesus did not write down any of these words. 21 of these 27 books were written by the apostles who would be guided into all truth by the Holy Spirit. The Through monumental conflict with the world in that day you will ask in my name. He will give you what you ask for because the Father loves you
24:41 and even though you will scatter from me, I am not alone. I'm going to the Father. The Father is with me. And then once again, finally in verse 33 of chapter 16, 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. This is This is amazing. What Jesus is accomplishing here again, in terms of of comfort and empowerment is just it's it's a work of art. It's incredible. And and yet, by way of extension, because he does it for them,
25:28 they're guided into all truth. They've left us this amazing message. And an amazing ability to connect with God on the same level that that they had aside from those things that were peculiar to apostles. So that in turn, he could not only bless them, but also bless those who would come to terms with him through their message as he prays in chapter 17. So this is what he does for you as well. He also comforts you. And he empowers you. And he does it through their message. You're not an apostle.
26:15 But you can obey the gospel that they revealed to the word world through Jesus and through the the Holy Spirit. You're not an apostle, but you can enjoy the same spiritual blessings in the heavenly places that they enjoyed. You're not an apostle, but you can still see the amazing work that God does in your life. So, through comforting and empowering them, Jesus leverages that and it has spillover effects that continue to bless us to this day. When the Apostle John is thinking about all of that, and he's
27:00 the one who wrote these words. And there are some commentators and Bible students who think that uh a little short letter was sent with the Gospel according to John to show how to practically apply some of the lessons. And I don't know if that's true, but I do know that the same apostle wrote this little leaflet, this little short epistle that we call First John. And in the opening lines of First John an apostle who had been on the receiving end of all of this comfort and all of this encouragement he says this to the rest of us.
27:46 That which was from the beginning that which we heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon and have touched with our hands concerning the word of life. The life was made manifest and we have seen it and testified to it and proclaim to you the eternal life which was with the Father and was made manifest to us, that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you so that you too may have fellowship with us, and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.
28:32 In the world, you will have tribulation. But, take heart. I have overcome the world. Through Jesus and through his apostles, with the help of the Holy Spirit, you can, too. You're subject to the invitation call of Jesus Christ revealed through these apostles. There's no better time to put your faith and trust in Jesus than now. No better time to obey the gospel than now. No better time to enjoy every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus than now. If we can encourage you, let's do that
29:19 in a song as we stand and sing together.
