JUNE 24, 2018
SEVEN WORDS OF COMFORT FOR CHRIST’S DISCIPLES (PART II, VERSES 12-17)
INTRODUCTION:
1. In this and the two following chapters, our Lord’s great object seems quite clear. He intended to comfort the hearts of His disciples whose hearts were troubled over some things that had been revealed earlier at the supper. (Ch. 13:21, 28, 33, 38)
2. No doubt that which troubled them most was their Lord’s announcement that he would soon be leaving them, and where He was going they could not come at this time. (Ch. 13:33, 36)
3. In Verses 1-27 of this chapter Jesus offers seven words of comfort for His disciples.
4. In Part I of this series, we considered Jesus’ first two words of encouragement. (Verses 1-11)
a) Heaven is sure for Christ’s disciples. (Verses 1-3)
b) The disciples have in Christ a certain way to heaven. (Verses 4-11)
5. Let us now consider His third and fourth words of comfort. (Verses 12-17)
a) Christ’s work will not cease after His departure. (Verses 12-14)
b) In Christ’s absence, the Holy Spirit will be given. (Verses 15-17)
III. THE THIRD WORD OF ENCOURAGEMENT IS THAT DISCIPLES NEED NOT FEAR THAT WITH THE DEPARTURE OF CHRIST HIS WORK SHALL CEASE. (VERSES 12-14) These verses are an example of our Lord’s tender consideration for the weakness of His disciples. He saw them troubled and faint-hearted at the prospect of being left alone in the world. He cheers them by two precious promises. First, that He would be continuing His work through them, and second, that His power would still be accessed and activated through prayer. Therefore, not only does their Lord’s work not cease, it increases and becomes even greater.
A. WE HAVE, FIRST, A STRIKING PROMISE ABOUT THE WORKS THAT CHRIST’S DISCIPLES MAY DO AFTER HIS DEPARTURE. (VERSE 12)
1. The full meaning of this promise is not to be sought in the miracles which the apostles did after Christ left the world.
a) That they were empowered to work miracles is indeed true, and that they did many miracles is also quite evident. (Matt. 10:7, 8; Acts 4:6, 7; 9:40; 14:8-10, etc.)
b) Yet, with respect to miracles, one could hardly argue that their works were greater than their Master’s either in volume or power. (John 20:30; 21:25; Ch. 11:43, 44)
2. What our Lord has in view seems to be the far greater number of conversions, and the far wider spread of the Gospel that would take place under their ministries than under His own teaching.
a) The Book of Acts bears this out. We read of no case when under Christ’s preaching three thousand souls were saved in one day.
b) There is no “greater work” possible than the conversion of souls.
3. We also can be encouraged by this promise, for it is just as true still today.
a) Christ’s bodily presence is not necessary for the ongoing of His work.
b) Since the days of the Apostles, the Gospel has gone out to the whole world.
c) As greater works than Christ did were done by His apostles (more numerous conversions) so also greater works than theirs have been done over the past 2,000 years.
4. Jesus explains why these “greater works” are possible. “…because I go unto my Father.”
a) His leaving, far from causing His works to cease, is key to their increase.
b) The reason for this truth is explained by the two promises which follow in Verses 13-17.
(1) Access to the throne of God through Jesus’ intercession.
(2) The sending of the Holy Spirit to abide with the church.
(3) He can help forward His cause on earth quite as much by sitting at the right hand of the Father and sending the Holy Spirit as by walking upon the earth.
c) Let us believe that there is nothing too hard or too great for believers to do, so long as our Lord intercedes for us in heaven.
d) Let us work on in faith and expect great things, though, like the disciples, we feel weak and lonely, and often troubled.
e) Our Lord is working with us and for us, though we cannot see Him.
f) It was only as Moses interceded on the hill that Joshua prevailed in the valley below. (Exod. 17:11)
B. WE HAVE, SECONDLY, A STRIKING PROMISE ABOUT THINGS THAT CHRIST’S DISCIPLES MAY GET BY PRAYER. (VERSES 13, 14)
1. These words are a direct encouragement to the simple, and yet great duty of praying.
a) The Lord says, “Whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do… If ye shall ask anything in my name, I will do it.”
b) Compare this text to a like promise in the next chapter. (Ch. 15:7, 8)
(1) The context of the two promises is the same: “Greater works…shall ye do.” (Ch. 14:12) “That ye bear much fruit.” (Ch. 15:8)
(2) The promise is the same: “Whatsoever ye shall ask…that will I do.” (Ch. 14:13); “Ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done.” (Ch. 15:17)
(3) The motive is the same: “that the Father may be glorified.” (Ch. 14:13); “Herein is my Father glorified.” (Ch. 15:8)
2. We have a Friend and Advocate in heaven.
a) Weak and imperfect as our supplications may be, so long as they are put in Christ’s hands, and offered in His Name, they shall be heard.
b) Of course, it takes for granted that the things for which we ask are for our soul’s good, and for the benefit Christ’s work through us.
3. How is it that many Christians have so little of the joy, peace, strength, and fruitfulness that we would desire?
a) The answer is simple. James says, “Ye have not because ye ask not.” Or it may be, says he, that “Ye ask and have not because ye ask amiss.”
b) Let us remember the words of the psalmist, “Open they mouth wide, and I will fill it.” (Psa. 81:10)
4. Those who do much for Christ and are abundant in good works and bear much fruit, will always prove to be those who pray much.
IV. THE FOURTH WORD OF ENCOURAGEMENT IS THAT IN THE ABSENCE OF CHRIST, HIS DISCIPLES WILL BE GIVEN THE HOLY SPIRIT. (VERSES 15-17) Notice, this is the first time the Holy Spirit is mentioned as Christ’s special gift to His people. Of course, we are not to think that He did dwell in the hearts of the Old Testament saints, but He was given in a peculiar influence and power to believers when the New Testament dispensation came in, and this is the special promise here. It is appropriate, seeing the troubled state of the Apostles, that Jesus here calls Him “Comforter.” The word is the same as translated “Advocate,” and applied to Christ Himself in I John 2:2. It is the Holy Spirit who is not only our comforter, but our advocate who pleads our cause, and makes intercession for us. (Rom. 8:26)
A. THE PROMISE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IS PRECEDED BY A DIRECT PRACTICAL EXHORTATION. (VERSE 15)
1. He essentially says, “If you really love Me, prove your love not by weeping and lamenting at My departure, but by striving to do My will when I am gone.” Doing is always the best proof of love.
2. The commandments here mentioned must include all the Lord’s moral teachings while on earth, especially the moral law as expounded in the Sermon on the Mount, and as lived before them by Him.
3. Notice, our Lord speaks of “My commandments.” We never hear of Moses or any other servant of God using such language. This is the speech of One who is One with God the Father, and has power to lay down laws and make statutes for His Church.
B. NOTICE, THE GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT WILL BE IN ANSWER TO THE SON’S PRAYER TO THE FATHER. (VERSE 16)
1. One principle point is the mention of all three persons of the Trinity – the Son praying, the Father giving, and the Spirit coming to abide.
2. When our Lord says, “I will pray the Father, and He shall give,” we are not to suppose that the gift that was determined in the counsel of the Trinity from eternity past was contingent on Christ’s asking. Moreover, in another place the Son says, “I will send,” (John 16:7) and here, He will go on to say, “I will come to you.” (Verse 18)
C. WE SHALL FIND IT USEFUL TO OBSERVE CLOSELY WHAT IS HERE SAID ABOUT THE HOLY SPIRIT. (VERSES 16, 17)
1. He is a Person. “Whom the world cannot receive…” (Verse 12) We are not talking about a mere influence or inward feeling.
2. He is called “The Spirit of truth.” (Verse 17a)
a) It is His special office to apply truth to the hearts of believers.
b) It is His work to guide us into all truth.c) It is His special function to sanctify us through the truth. (John 17:17)
3. The Holy Spirit is said to be one “whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not neither knoweth him.” (Verse 17)
a) His operations are foreign and foolish to the natural man. (I Cor. 2:14)
b) His inward works of conviction, repentance, faith, hope, fear and love, which He always produces, are precisely those things which the world cannot understand.
4. The Holy Spirit is said to “dwell in” believers, and to be intimately known by them. (Verse 17b)
a) In this way the disciples were to have a closer relationship to Christ than they had when He was with them bodily.
b) In this way, they would come to know the Holy Spirit truly. Who had dwelt WITH them, but would now be IN them. “For he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.”
CONCLUSION:
1. Surely these promises ought to have been most comforting to the disciples.
a) The work will go on after Christ’s departure, and even in a greater way than before.
b) They will have constant access to Him to whom belongs all power in heaven and in earth. All they need do is ask of Him whatsoever they will.
c) The Holy Spirit will be given to them, not only to dwell with them as their Lord had done, but He will abide in them forever.
2. Jesus will yet tell of other advantages that His leaving will bring because of the sending of the Holy Spirit in His place.
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