JULY 8 / JULY 15, 2018
SEVEN WORDS OF COMFORT FOR CHRIST’S DISCIPLES(PART III; VERSES 18-27)
INTRODUCTION:
1. Christ’s words to his disciples in chapter fourteen through sixteen of this Gospel were chiefly meant for their encouragement and instruction in light of the fact that He was soon to be going away. (See Ch. 13:33-38)
2. In Verses 1-27 of this chapter alone, Jesus gives seven words as grounds for their comfort. In parts I and II of this series, we looked into the first four of these powerful words. (Verses 1-17)
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)
c) Christ’s work will not cease after His departure. (Verses 12-14)
d) In Christ’s absence, the Holy Spirit will be given. (Verses 15-17)
3. Let us now consider His fifth, sixth, and seventh words of comfort. (Verses 18-27)
a) Christ will not leave His people forever but will come back again. (Verses 18-24)
b) The Holy Spirit will teach the disciples, and give them understanding. (Verses 25, 26)
c) The legacy of His peace will be left to cheer them in His absence. (Verse 27)
V. THE FIFTH WORD OF ENCOURAGMENT IS THAT CHRIST WILL NOT LEAVE HIS PEOPLE FOREVER, BUT WILL COME BACK AGAIN. (VERSES 18-24)
A. THE COMING OF JESUS CHRIST IS INDEED A GREAT COMFORT TO CHRISTIANS. (VERSE 18)
1. He says, “I will not leave you comfortless.”
a) The word rendered “comfortless” literally means “orphans,” and is so indicated in the marginal reading.
b) This pretty much describes the state of the disciples after His leaving; and in a very real sense, the condition of all Christians.
2. What is the “coming” here spoken of? Not all Christians agree on that point.
a) Some refer to it as our Lord’s coming to His disciples after the resurrection.
b) Many refer it to as His coming in the Person of the Holy Spirit, as had just before been promised. (Vrs. 16, 17)
(1) His invisible coming into the hearts of believers.
(2) His outpouring on the Day of Pentecost.
c) Perhaps most believe it refers to His Second Coming at the end of the world.
3. It is a wide sweeping promise intended for all believers in every age.
a) All believers are comparatively orphans until the Second Advent. Our best things are yet to come. We look for and love the Lord’s appearing. (II Tim. 4:8)
b) We have the sure promise that He shall return. (Acts 1:11; Rev. 22:20)
B. WE HAVE LIFE THROUGH AN INDISSOLUABLE UNION WITH CHRIST NOW AND FOREVER. (VERSE 19)
1. Being joined to Him by faith we have His life as members of His body. So long as the Head lives, the body lives also. We, who are so alive in Him, see him even now through the eyes of faith. “…but ye see me.”
2. “Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more.” (Rom. 4:9) We cannot die unless Christ can be removed from heaven and His life destroyed, but since Christ is very God that is totally impossible.
3. Christ’s life secures the continuance of spiritual life to His people. They shall persevere unto the end. The divine nature of which they are partakers shall not perish.
4. Christ’s life secures the resurrection life of His people. Just as Jesus rose again from the grave, so shall His believing members rise again in the resurrection at the last day. (I Cor. 15:20, 21, 23)
C. FULL AND PERFECT KNOWLEDGE OF DIVINE THINGS WILL NEVER BE ATTAINED BY BELIEVERS UNTIL THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST. (VERSE 20; I COR. 13:11, 12)
1. Even the best of saints know but little now. “We see through a glass darkly.” (I Cor. 13:12a)
2. But it is a blessed thought that when Christ comes, when we see “face to face,” all of the cloudiness shall vanish away, and we shall know even as also we are known. (I Cor. 13:12b)
3. These are very comforting, restful thoughts, especially when we see so many problems and divisions that arise fromignorance. “…we know in part…”
4. Jesus said, “At that day ye shall know…”
D. KEEPING CHRIST’S COMMANDMENTS IS THE BEST TEST OF LOVE TO CHRIST, WHICH ALSO ASSURES THAT WE ARE LOVED OF THE FATHER AND THE SON. (VERSE 21)
1. This truth is of vast importance, and one that needs to be pressed continually upon our conscience. The proof of love for Christ is not found in feelings, desires, or talking, but in obeying. (Verse 15)
2. Passive impressions which do not lead to actions, gradually deaden the heart. Living and doing are the only real evidence of grace.
3. Of course, such teaching must not be wrested and misunderstood. We are not to suppose for a moment that keeping Christ’s commandments can save us. (Eph. 2:8)
E. THERE ARE SPECIAL COMFORTS LAID UP FOR THOSE WHO LOVE CHRIST AND DEMONSTRATE THAT LOVE BY KEEPING HIS WORDS. (VERSES 22-24)
1. The Lord is again interrupted by yet another Apostle; this time it is Judas (elsewhere called Jude, Lebbeus, and Thaddeus), but not Judas Iscariot, as John clarifies.
a) Let us note that out of each saying of the three Apostles who interrupted our Lord’s discourse, a great truth was elicited for the benefit of the church. Thomas, Philip, and Jude drew out of our Lord’s mouth rich and precious sayings.
b) Here Jude would have Him explain how He would manifest Himself to the disciples and not to the world.
(1) Jude’s question may suggest that he was expecting Messiah’s Kingdom to be visible to the world. Thus he asked, “How is it (literally, “what has happened”) that thou wilt…”
(2) Or, the question may be expressing his deep affections, and the grateful sense he had of Christ’s distinguishing grace to them. “Lord, how is it…” (Compare II Sam. 7:18)
2. Jesus explains how it is that He will manifest Himself unto His own in a way that the world cannot know. (Vs. 23)
a) Christ’s manifesting Himself to His disciples is done in a distinguishing way – to them and not to the world that sits in darkness.
b) It is marvelous, and unaccountable, and must be attributed to free and sovereign grace.
c) Christ uniquely and wonderfully manifests Himself to His own in that He and the Father abide with them.
3. He gives a good reason both to cause us to observe the condition and encourage us to depend upon the promise. (Verse 24)
a) First, the duty is stressed in that the precept is the rule of Christ, which is binding upon us.
b) Secondly, the promise is not Christ’s Word alone, but the Father’s, which sent Him. To this purport He often spoke. (See Ch. 7:16; 8:28; and 12:44)
VI. THE SIXTH WORD OF ENCOURAGMENT IS THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT WILL TEACH THE DISCIPLES, AND SUPPLY THEIR LACK OF UNDERSTANDING. (VERSES 25, 26)
A. JESUS HAD TAUGHT MANY THINGS TO HIS DISCIPLES WHILE HE WAS PRESENT WITH THEM. (VERSE 25)
1. “These things,” may mean these recent teachings, or the expression may refer to all things which He had taught them over the past three years. The widest sense seems more likely.
2. Their hearts were perhaps troubled by the thought of how would they be able to remember, and also by the realization that they did not fully understand them.
3. To set their hearts at ease, He had some words of comfort.
B. THE HOLY SPIRIT, WHOM THE FATHER WILL SEND ON HIS ACCOUNT, THROUGH HIS INTERCESSION, SHALL SUPPLY ALL OF THEIR WANTS ALONG THAT LINE. (VERSE 26)
1. What a promise this is! And it is not for the eleven alone, but for all believers. The Holy Spirit opens to us the Scriptures so that we need not lack anything that is needful for us to know for our soul’s good. John wrote in his first epistle, “Ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.” (I John 2:20)
2. Upon Jesus’ departure, they are to expect another Teacher, equal in every way to Himself, Whom the Father will send on His account, “in my name,” even “the Spirit of Christ” to continue teaching them. “He shall teach you all things.”
3. Many a good lesson Christ had taught them, many of which they may have forgotten. How would they be able to recall them when they needed to know them? Many of His words had not been understood by them when spoken, and thus forgotten. What were they to do? “He shall bring all things to your remembrance.”
4. The teaching here promised will be fuller and more complete after our Lord’s ascension. No one can read the Bookof Acts without seeing that the eleven were different men after the Day of Pentecost. They saw and understood things that had been hidden from them before.
5. Yet, the teaching of the Holy Spirit will be perfectly consistent with Christ’s doctrine. “…whatsoever I have taught you.”
a) This is very important. They will not be confused with differing precepts.
b) The Holy Spirit never teaches or leads contrary to the revealed Word of God.
6. Some believe these words of promise apply exclusively to the eleven, but, though they had special application to those men, they belong also to all believers of every age.
a) It is a matter of experience with converts that they remember and understand things that they did not before.
b) Often believers experience the quickening of the memory to recall a particular word at just the right time.
c) All believers enjoy the teaching of the Holy Spirit as He guides us into truth, and opens up the Word of God to our understanding. What a precious Gift He is!!
VII. THE SEVENTH WORD OF ENCOURAGMENT IS THE LEGACY OF PEACE THAT THE MASTER LEAVES TO CHEER HEARTS IN HIS ABSENCE. (VERSE 27) Matthew Henry remarks here, “When Christ left the world He made His will. His soul He bequeathed to His Father, and His body to Joseph. His clothes fell to the soldiers. His mother He left to the care of John. But what should He leave to His poor disciples who had left all for Him? Silver and gold He had none; but He left them what was far better, His peace.”
A. HE BEQUEATHS THEM AS A LEGACY, “PEACE.” “PEACE I LEAVE WITH YOU.”
1. Not riches or worldly honor, but peace.
2. He leaves them peace; peace of heart, conscience, and of the inward man.
3. He leaves them peace – from a sense of pardoned sin, a living Savior, and a home in heaven.
B. THE EXPRESSION “MY PEACE” SEEMS TO INDICATE SOMETHING MOST SPECIAL AND PECULIAR IN THIS GIFT. “MY PEACE I GIVE UNTO YOU.”
1. Does it not mean a sense of peace with God which He purchased with His blood?
2. Does it not mean that inward calm, and rest of soul which faith in Christ procures for believers?
3. Does it not mean that peace which it is His special prerogative to give to His own?
C. HE CONTRASTS THIS WONDERFUL LEGACY OF PEACE WITH ANYTHING THE WORLD HAS TO OFFER. “NOT AS THE WORLD GIVETH…”
1. Not temporary, carnal satisfaction and gratification of passions and pride, etc.
2. Not the imperfect, defective, temporary peace that the world can give.
D. HE CONCLUDES WITH A REPETITION OF THOSE COMFORTING WORDS WITH WHICH HE BEGAN THE LONG LIST OF CONSOLATIONS IN THIS CHAPTER. “LET NOT YOUR HEART BE TROUBLED…”
1. His peace is the antidote for the troubled heart.
2. To the opening charge not to be “troubled,” He adds, “neither let it be afraid.”
a) Our Lord saw a frame of mind setting is with the disciples – one of fear. “Neither let it be afraid.”
b) These words have weight, coming from the Lord, Who can give “peace in the midst of the storm.”
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