This next chapter, John 14, is one of my favorites. It has a lot of good, Gospel Truths in it. We’ll take them one by one. They are true promises of God. And, we CAN be sure that God keeps ALL His promises! This is the Word of God and we can believe it. We can have faith in it. We can trust it.
What happens many times is that passages are read quickly without stopping to really take in their meaning. That’s why you need to STUDY the Bible, not just read it. There’s a lot to take in here in John chapter 14. Let’s dig in….
John 14
“Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. 2 There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? 3 When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am.
We can TRUST God! That’s what Jesus tells us to do right here! That’s God, not the world. We cannot put our trust in anything human-made. It will eventually fail us.
Jesus went to prepare a place in God’s heavenly mansion for YOU! Imagine the best, fanciest house you’ve ever seen on TV or in the movies. It’ll be grander than that! And it’s all for YOU! Jesus is up there preparing it all. When it’s all ready, He’s coming back to get you and me so we can be where HE IS! Yes, that means we are going to HIM. That, friend, is the Rapture. However, only God, the Father, knows when that will be. Nevertheless, we are living in the end times and we need to look for the Signs of the Times. Let’s go on….
4 And you know the way to where I am going.”
5 “No, we don’t know, Lord,” Thomas (that’s doubting Thomas, of which we’ll hear about later) said. “We have no idea where you are going, so how can we know the way?”
6 Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.
Notice that Jesus says that HE is THE Way, THE Truth and THE Life. Not, a way, a truth or a life. Jesus is the only way. No church, priest, pope, prayer, payment, sacrament, ritual, or religion can get you into Heaven. Only THROUGH Jesus. And we just covered in chapter 10 that Jesus is the Gate. Continuing…
7 If you had really known me, you would know who my Father is. From now on, you do know him and have seen him!”
8 Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.”
9 Jesus replied, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and yet you still don’t know who I am? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father! So why are you asking me to show him to you? 10 Don’t you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words I speak are not my own, but my Father who lives in me does his work through me. 11 Just believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me. Or at least believe because of the work you have seen me do.
12 “I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. 13 You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. 14 Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it!
Pray to JESUS! Not to Mary. Not to any of the Saints. JESUS! We are to bring glory to the Father. No one else. Onward…
Jesus Promises the Holy Spirit
15 “If you love me, obey my commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, (Comforter, or Encourager, or Counselor) who will never leave you. 17 He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you. (Acts 2) 18 No, I will not abandon you as orphans—I will come to you. 19 Soon the world will no longer see me, but you will see me. Since I live, you also will live. 20 When I am raised to life again, you will know that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. 21 Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal myself to each of them.”
Obey His commandments. That, friend, includes the 2nd and 3rd commandments to only have one God and not to worship any man-made idols, statues, or to idolize or venerate humans who were once living, and are now dead.
When Jesus left to be with the Father, (the Resurrection), He then sent the Holy Spirit to be with all born-again believers. We are not alone or abandoned. He is always with us 24/7! (Benefits of Salvation) There’s more!
22 Judas (not Judas Iscariot, but the other disciple with that name) said to him, “Lord, why are you going to reveal yourself only to us and not to the world at large?”
23 Jesus replied, “All who love me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and we will come and make our home with each of them. 24 Anyone who doesn’t love me will not obey me. And remember, my words are not my own. What I am telling you is from the Father who sent me. 25 I am telling you these things now while I am still with you. 26 But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.
27 “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid. 28 Remember what I told you: I am going away, but I will come back to you again. If you really loved me, you would be happy that I am going to the Father, who is greater than I am. 29 I have told you these things before they happen so that when they do happen, you will believe.
30 “I don’t have much more time to talk to you, because the ruler of this world approaches (That’s Satan). He has no power over me, 31 but I will do what the Father requires of me, so that the world will know that I love the Father. Come, let’s be going.”
How can believers feel good when today’s world is so dark and oppressive? It’s because of that GIFT that Jesus gives you when you become a true believer — peace of mind and heart. Nothing in this world can give you that. Only Jesus! Satan has no power over Jesus! And if you study the Bible — the Book of Revelation — you’ll know that Jesus wins the final battle in the end.
Don’t be Troubled or Afraid!
Jesus left this earth and is with God, the Father, in Heaven. The Holy Spirit is here on earth indwelling — living inside of — all true, born-again believers. He WILL come back to get us. That’s the Rapture and it can happen at any moment.
Do YOU want Jesus’ peace of mind and heart?
Then this is what you must do….
Believe. Repent. Be Baptized. Receive the Holy Spirit.
- Believe — have Faith — that Jesus is the Christ and He died taking your sins away forever and that He rose from the dead 3 days later.
- Repent of your sins — stop sinning! Do a complete 180-degree turn in your life and surrender your life to Him. When you ask Jesus to forgive you He will. ALL your sins will be wiped clean — past, present, and future! And All means ALL!
- Be Baptized by water baptism — show the world and yourself that you have died to your old life and are born again in Christ.
- Receive the gift of Holy Spirit in your heart.
Invite Jesus into Your Heart and Receive the Gift of Grace, Joy, Peace, and the Confident Hope of Eternal Life…
If you’re not sure if you’re saved or not, if you truly want to be born again and have the assurance of salvation, receive the Holy Spirit, feel His Shalom — a peace that surpasses all understanding, and get a 1-way, non-stop ticket to Heaven after you die, or that you won’t be left behind at the Rapture, which can happen at any moment, this is what you have to do…
