John 14:25-31

John 14:25-31

“I have said these things to you all while remaining with you all.  But the Helper – the Holy Spirit – which my Father will send in my name, that one will teach you all and He will cause you all to remember all that I said to you all.  Peace I leave for you all.  My peace I give to you all.  Not just as the world gives do I give to you all.  Do not let your hearts be troubled.  Neither let them be afraid.  You all heard that I said to you all that I am going away and I am coming to you all.  If you all were loving me you all rejoiced that I go to the Father because the Father is my greatness.  And now I have said to you all before it became in order that when it should become you all should believe.  No longer will I speak many things with you all, for the ruler of this world comes.  And he does not have anything in me.  But in order that the world should know that I love the Father – and just as the Father commanded me – this I do.  Rise up, we should go from here.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

When Jesus speaks of peace, He speaks of it in conjunction with the Holy Spirit.  In this, Jesus tells us that the greater context of peace is relationship.  Think about it and it makes sense.  Paul tells us in Romans 5:10 that while we were enemies of God we were reconciled to Him by the death of Jesus.  We were enemies, but through Jesus we find peace.  We know peace through our relationship with Christ.  As Christ prepares to leave His disciples and ascend to the Father, He wants them to know that the relationship will continue.  The Holy Spirit will be with them.  The peace that we have with God will be sustained because we have relationship to Him through His Holy Spirit.

Have you ever thought about peace in the context of relationship?  Does this also carry over to human relationships?  When you are truly in relationship with someone, is peace extended between you and them?

Second Thought:

Jesus tells the disciples that He has told them ahead of time so that they might believe when it happens.  This is actually a tremendous display of grace.  Think about this for just a second.  The death and resurrection of Jesus is a mind-numbingly huge event.  It is incomprehensible.  The only way that human beings would be able to make sense of it is if Jesus tells the disciples beforehand.  In fact, the fact that the disciples don’t get it even after Jesus has been so clear with them is that it is such an incredibly huge event.  The only way that any human would be able to keep up with God is if in His grace He gives us full disclosure.  God wants us to keep up with Him.  He wants us to believe.  The almight Creator of the universe doesn’t just want to demonstrate His greatness; He wants His fallen creation to knowingly experience His greatness with Him.  That’s grace.

Where is grace evident in your life?  What has God done in your life that is unbelievable but true?

Third Thought:

As we conclude this passage, Jesus makes a bold confession that we already know.  He does the will of the Father.  He is obedient.  Jesus ties this obedience to love.  Jesus is obedient to the Father in order to demonstrate that He loves the Father.

Do you love the Father as Jesus models?  How do you demonstrate that love to Him through obedience?  How do you demonstrate that love to the world?

Passage for Tomorrow: John 15:1-5