Apicontent

“When Jesus had finished saying these things, he looked upward to heaven and said, ‘Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, so that your Son may glorify you—just as you have given him authority over all humanity, so that he may give eternal life to everyone you have given him. Now this is eternal life—that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you sent.’” —John 17:1–3

None of our Lord’s prayers are recorded as fully and as richly as what is often referred to as His “High Priestly Prayer” which begins in our verses for today. It sets forth the wonderful pattern of intercession which Jesus as our great High Priest is ever carrying on for us in heaven. Here we have a prayer offered up by the Lord on an especially interesting occasion—just after the Lord’s Supper and prior to His betrayal and crucifixion.

Jesus fleshes out what He had taught the disciples in Mathew regarding prayer—He begins with “Father.” A term of endearment; an expression of closeness; a word that conveys freedom of access as well as great expectation. “The people of God are to model the new heaven and new earth, and by so doing awaken longings for what God will bring to pass.”—Philip Yancey

Jesus also tells us here that His appointed time has arrived—the fullness of time has come. The time for His sacrificial death is upon Him—the final accomplishment of His atonement for all mankind. The hour has arrived and the Sacrifice is ready. We see the redeeming work of Christ—his death, resurrection, and ascension into heaven—bringing glory to both the Father and the Son.

Daniel had prophesized regarding the Lord Jesus’ authority years before:

“I was watching in the night visions, and with the clouds of the sky one like a son of man was approaching. He went up to the Ancient of Days and was escorted before him. To him was given ruling authority, honor, and sovereignty. All peoples, nations, and language groups were serving him. His authority is eternal and will not pass away. His kingdom will not be destroyed.” —Daniel 7:13–14

When we read of the Father giving power to the Son, it is not as a superior giving authority to an inferior, rather it signifies the permanent arrangement in the everlasting Trinity. The intentions and purposes of Jesus’ authority were to lead people to salvation and a restored relationship with God.

Become More

Knowing about Jesus’ sacrificial death is more than mere head knowledge. This is the knowledge that dwells in our hearts and influences our lives! To know something at the heart level will direct our eyes and our tongues and our hands and our feet. We will act on what we truly know and believe. We must know God—His holiness, His purity, His hatred of sin—as well as Christ—His redemption, His love of sinners, and His mediation between God and man. To know God without Christ is to know a consuming fire that will fill us with fear. To know Christ without God is to not truly understand what the Savior has done on our behalf. We will fail to see the meaning of the cross.

“For the payoff of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” —Romans 6:23

Further Reflection

“Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven saying: ‘The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever.’” —Revelation 11:15

“Jesus replied, ‘Do you now believe? Look, a time is coming—and has come—when you will be scattered, each one to his own home, and I will be left alone. Yet I am not alone, because my Father is with me. I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. In the world you have trouble and suffering, but take courage—I have conquered the world.’” —John 16:31–33

Certainly, our Lord’s words to His disciples must have stung bitterly. They could not have imagined forsaking their Master. Over-confidence in our actions and abilities can be our downfall, can it not? Preoccupied, distracted, lacking focus, selfish indulgences, vain conceits, and fears all have a way of catching us off guard. Before we know it, we, like the disciples, find ourselves doing something we could never have possibly imagined doing. The disciples were sure of their stick-to-itiveness—seemingly unable to comprehend that they could forsake or flee from the One they so dearly loved. Paul tells us:

“These things happened to them as examples and were written for our instruction, on whom the ends of the ages have come. So let the one who thinks he is standing be careful that he does not fall. No trial has overtaken you that is not faced by others. And God is faithful: He will not let you be tried beyond what you are able to bear, but with the trial will also provide a way out so that you may be able to endure it.” —1 Corinthians 10:11–13

Even the most committed followers of our Lord know little of their own hearts—loudly professing loyalty yet scattering for cover as soon as difficulty strikes. The disciples simply did not know themselves—they were unaware of the shallowness of their convictions, the weakness of their flesh, and the depth of human depravity that was buried within their hearts. Scripture tells us:

“The human mind is more deceitful than anything else. It is incurably bad. Who can understand it?” —Jeremiah 17:9

We would do well to mark this in our memories—we are all capable of a fall.

We must remember that we can do nothing of eternal value apart from Christ. It is only when we are weak in the estimation of our own abilities that we are strong in God’s perfect all-achieving power. Paul tells us:

“But he said to me, ‘My grace is enough for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ So then, I will boast most gladly about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may reside in me. Therefore I am content with weaknesses, with insults, with troubles, with persecutions and difficulties for the sake of Christ, for whenever I am weak, then I am strong.” —2 Corinthians 12:9–10

Life is difficult. We can expect trouble and hardship. The word that Jesus uses for “trouble” in our verses for today is translated from the Greek word thlipsis meaning “to crush, press, compress, squeeze; tribulation, trouble, affliction; conveys the picture of something being crushed or squeezed as from a great weight; used to denote grievous physical affliction or mental and spiritual distress” (Hebrew-Greek Key Word Study Bible New Testament Lexical Aids). Yet, Jesus goes on to say that in Him we can have His perfect peace amid the turmoil, trials, and testings of this life. He is our only sure and continuous fountain of true and lasting comfort.

Paul tells us:

“For he is our peace, the one who made both groups into one and who destroyed the middle wall of partition, the hostility.” —Ephesians 2:14

Become More

Jesus said: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you; I do not give it to you as the world does. Do not let your hearts be distressed or lacking in courage.” —John 14:27

As we live in close communion with the Lord—with a steadfast mind and focus on the Prince of Peace and His achieving power, we are able, like the eagle, to soar above the storm clouds. This does not mean that we will not feel the pain or the loss or hurt, rather our pain can be seen with a view of “the big picture.” Whatever God allows can ultimately be used for our good and His glory.

“And we know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.” —Romans 8:28

Further Reflections

“They had not rightly estimated the weakness of the flesh, the power of the devil, the feebleness of their own resolutions, the shallowness of their own faith. All this they had yet to learn by painful experience. Like young recruits, they had yet to learn that it is one thing to know the soldiers drill and wear the uniform, and quite another thing to be steadfast in the day of battle.” —John Charles Ryle

“In the Kingdom, there are no great men of God, just humble men whom God has chosen to use greatly. How do we know when we are humble? When God speaks, we tremble. God is looking for a man who trembles at His word. Such a man will find the Spirit of God resting upon him; he will become a dwelling place for the Almighty. God asks for nothing but ourselves.” —Francis Frangipane

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you; I do not give it to you as the world does. Do not let your hearts be distressed or lacking in courage.” —John 14:27

True peace does not come from circumstances, people, or things; true peace is given to us by God. Christ’s peace is peculiarly His to give as He purchased it with His precious blood, His being the substitution for a perishing world. Jesus was commissioned to bring peace to mankind.

The peace Jesus offers is precious and costly compared to the world’s peace. The world gives temporary satisfaction in all things. The excitement that gratifies our passions and affections and pride for a season always leaves us longing for more. The world is unable to offer what Christ’s peace gives for the world does not have peace to give—there is no rest with the world. Indeed, what Jesus bestows, the world cannot offer at all—peace of heart, peace of conscience, and a peace that comes from knowing our sin is forgiven. The peace Jesus gives results in an inward calm and rest for the soul amidst even the greatest trials and tribulations when circumstances become stern and severe. Those who possess the peace of Jesus experience strength and hope.

Our Lord is neither unwilling nor sparing in the distribution of His precious peace to those who believe—amazingly, being far more willing to give than the world is to receive.

“Peace is Christ’s peculiar gift: not money, not worldly ease, not temporal prosperity. These are at best very questionable possessions. They often do more harm than good to the soul. They act as clogs and weights to our spiritual life. Inward peace of conscience, arising from a sense of pardoned sin and reconciliation with God, is a far greater blessing. This peace is the property of all believers, whether high or low, rich or poor.” —John Charles Ryle

There will never be lacking anything on Christ’s part for the believer’s anguish—when we come to Him. He provides every medicine for a troubled heart and provides it in abundance—always doing more than we can ask or imagine. Scripture tells us:

“Now to him who by the power that is working within us is able to do far beyond all that we ask or think, to him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” —Ephesians 3:20–21

This peace from Jesus is not a mere formality; it is a real and true blessing—enriching the soul eternally. This is sufficient reason for our hearts not to be burdened down with the troubles of this world when sickness and death, hunger and poverty, deceit and betrayal press down upon us as heavyweights.

Become More

Jesus tells us to be courageous:

“I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. In the world you have trouble and suffering, but take courage—I have conquered the world.” —John 16:33

The peace of Jesus provides calm in the midst of a storm. We are to be as a child in the comforting arms of our Father who remains with us. He enables us to soar above our circumstances as we take captive our thoughts in obedience to Jesus.

Further Reflection

“Grace remits sin and peace quiets the conscience. Sin and conscience torment us, but Christ has overcome these fiends now and forever. Only Christians possess this victorious knowledge given from above. These two terms, grace and peace, constitute Christianity. Grace involves the remission of sins, peace and a happy conscience. Sin is not canceled by lawful living, for no person is able to live up to the law … the fact is the more a person seeks credit for himself by his own efforts, the deeper he goes into debt. Nothing can take away sin except the grace of God. In actual living, however it is not so easy to persuade oneself that by grace alone, in opposition to every other means, we obtain the forgiveness of our sins and peace with God.”—Martin Luther

“I have spoken these things while staying with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and will cause you to remember everything I said to you.” —John 14:25–26

Sent from the Father, in the name of Jesus, every true believer in Christ receives the gift of the promised Counselor—the Comforter—the precious Holy Spirit. It is He who is promised to teach us all things and to remind us of all the things Jesus taught. What a blessed assurance for the followers of Jesus! Who among us does not have a weak memory when our spirits have become troubled or disheartened? Perhaps we even find ourselves fumbling and stumbling and losing our way. This Person—not influence—of the Holy Trinity is promised to abide within every believer of Jesus, teaching and enlightening all true lovers of the Lord in every age for all time. Shedding light on the truth and bringing back to our memories all those things that have been taught. It is the Holy Spirit’s special responsibility to open the eyes of our understanding—teaching, leading, and empowering us into all truth:

“But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. For he will not speak on his own authority, but will speak whatever he hears, and will tell you what is to come. He will glorify me, because he will receive from me what is mine and will tell it to you.” —John 16:13–14

Paul tells us:

“Instead we speak the wisdom of God, hidden in a mystery, that God determined before the ages for our glory. None of the rulers of this age understood it. If they had known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But just as it is written, ‘Things that no eye has seen, or ear heard, or mind imagined, are the things God has prepared for those who love him.’ God has revealed these to us by the Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who among men knows the things of a man except the man’s spirit within him? So too, no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God.” —1 Corinthians 2:7–11

What a needful promise this is! How many times do we, like the original disciples, stand scratching our heads in our lack of understanding, or find ourselves discouraged or shaking with fear for our lack of power? We need only listen to and heed the Spirit’s leading. Sometimes hearing His still small voice over the world’s megaphone is not easy. We must be still before the Lord and listen carefully for His voice.

Become More

“If a man is drawing on his own resources, he will soon run dry. It matters not what his powers may be, or how extensive his reading, or how vast his stores of information; if the Holy Spirit be not the spring and power of his ministry, it must, sooner or later, lose its freshness and its effectiveness. How important then, that all who minister (and live) in the gospel … should lean continually and exclusively on the power of the Holy Spirit. He knows what souls need, and He can supply it. But he must be trusted and used. It will not do to lean partly on self and partly on the Spirit.” —C H Macintosh

Further Reflections

“The Father in heaven loves to fill His children with His Holy Spirit.” —Andrew Murray

“There is to be communication of the Holy Spirit with the individual Christian in the present life, and in a sense the Holy Spirit’s communication carries with it the entire Trinity. In a sense the Spirit is the Trinity’s agent in communicating with us humans. If I am going to walk in this present life according to my high calling as a Christian, I need a strength higher than my own strength. I need the power of Christ. How is this power of Christ to be mine? It’s not enough just to imagine that I have this power. It’s not even enough to take the second step and reckon myself dead to sin and alive to Christ. There must also be a communication of the power of Christ to me through the agency of the Holy Spirit who indwells me.” —Francis Schaeffer

“If you love me, you will obey my commandments. Then I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you forever—the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot accept, because it does not see him or know him. But you know him, because he resides with you and will be in you.” —John 14:15–17

Our Lord Jesus came to this earth modeling a love and obedience for the Father that His disciples were and are expected to follow. Love and obedience do not spring from flowing a legalistic set of rules, but flow freely from a life of love for our Lord—all that He is, and all that He has done, and all that He continues to do for us. The Bible tells us: “But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and will cause you to remember everything I said to you.” —John 14:26

“And we have come to know and to believe the love that God has in us. God is love, and the one who resides in love resides in God, and God resides in him. By this love is perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment, because just as Jesus is, so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears punishment has not been perfected in love. We love because he loved us first. If anyone says “I love God” and yet hates his fellow Christian, he is a liar, because the one who does not love his fellow Christian whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And the commandment we have from him is this: that the one who loves God should love his fellow Christian too.” —1 John 4:16–21

Jesus desired for His disciples upon His departure to demonstrate their love for Him not through lamenting grief but through loving obedience to His commands. Throughout the Bible, this message is reiterated. I am reminded of one such passage in the Old Testament:

“The Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel says to the people of Judah: ‘You might as well go ahead and add the meat of your burnt offerings to that of the other sacrifices and eat it, too! Consider this: When I spoke to your ancestors after I brought them out of Egypt, I did not merely give them commands about burnt offerings and sacrifices. I also explicitly commanded them: “Obey me. If you do, I will be your God and you will be my people. Live exactly the way I tell you and things will go well with you.” But they did not listen to me or pay any attention to me. They followed the stubborn inclinations of their own wicked hearts. They acted worse and worse instead of better.’”—Jeremiah 7:21–24

Obedience to God is grounded in our trust that He has our best interest at heart. It is a faith that is based on a firm knowledge of who He is and a solid understanding of His ways. The more we know Him, the more we will love Him, and the more we love Him, the more we will trust Him and desire to be obedient to His will.

“Now by this we know that we have come to know God: if we keep his commandments. The one who says ‘I have come to know God’ and yet does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in such a person. But whoever obeys his word, truly in this person the love of God has been perfected. By this we know that we are in him. The one who says he resides in God ought himself to walk just as Jesus walked.” —1 John 2:3–6

It is when we go our own way, leaning upon our own flawed understanding and abilities that we stumble and fall.

In our verses for today, Jesus gives the disciples this great and glorious promise—as long as He is in heaven, they shall never want for a fresh supply of grace and comfort, wisdom and strength—given to them by the precious Holy Spirit. They shall never know the lack of a Comforter. This blessed promise was not only sure for them but also for every believer in Jesus thereafter. The Holy Spirit will never depart from a believer in Christ. We are sealed until He returns. The promise remains that He will never depart from us. Paul writes that the Holy Spirit is our identification of ownership to God as well as our authentication and approval—our certification of genuineness so to speak:

“And when you heard the word of truth (the gospel of your salvation)—when you believed in Christ—you were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit, who is the down payment of our inheritance, until the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of his glory.” —Ephesians 1:13–14

Become More

The Spirit is poured out upon us, equipping us to be like our Lord—not just outwardly but inwardly as well. The presence of God in this world is to be the Spirit indwelling in the heart of every believer. 

“By this we know that we love the children of God: whenever we love God and obey his commandments. For this is the love of God: that we keep his commandments. And his commandments do not weigh us down, because everyone who has been fathered by God conquers the world.”—1 John 5:2-4

“But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that the extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us. We are experiencing trouble on every side, but are not crushed; we are perplexed, but not driven to despair; we are persecuted, but not abandoned; we are knocked down, but not destroyed.” —2 Corinthians 4:7–9

The Spirit constantly abides within the believer—equipping and comforting, encouraging and strengthening.

Further Reflections

“Love for God and obedience to God are so completely involved in each other that either one of them implies the other too.” —F. F. Bruce

“Sanctification is a life of Christ-centered choices, made evident in loving obedience to God.” —Mel De Peal

“And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.” —John 14:13–14

Our Lord was constantly praying—He could be found both rising early as well as praying through the night. He certainly prayed prior to or at every major event of His life—His baptism, His choosing of the disciples, in the garden prior to His betrayal, and even on the cross—setting for us an example. Paul wrote to the Thessalonians:

“Pray continually.” —1 Thessalonians 5:17

James wrote:

“So confess your sins to one another and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great effectiveness.” —James 5:16

It is God’s desire for us to have continual communication with Him in the midst of our daily living.

In our verses for today, Jesus was telling His disciples how they would stay in touch with Him after His soon-to-be departure. They would derive power from Him through prayer after He left to go to His Father’s side. They would send forth their prayers and Jesus would communicate to them by the Spirit.

The Bible tells us that Jesus is our great High Priest who sits at the right hand of the Father to intercede for us:

“But he holds his priesthood permanently since he lives forever. So he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.” —Hebrews 7:24–25

“Therefore let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and find grace whenever we need help.” —Hebrews 4:16

Become More

Here are a few tips that I have found beneficial in my prayer life and they may be helpful to you! I find that there are many ways to offer prayer and all are necessary and important.

First of all, it is essential to have time alone with the Lord, pouring out our inmost thoughts and concerns. It is simply a matter of letting Him know of our deepest heart matters.

It is also important to pray with others. I find it helpful to pray with someone as soon as I receive a request from another or desire a request myself. This keeps me from forgetting to pray as well as giving me the privilege of corporate prayer. Again, Jesus tells us in God’s Word:

“I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven, and whatever you release on earth will have been released in heaven. Again, I tell you the truth, if two of you on earth agree about whatever you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you. For where two or three are assembled in my name, I am there among them.” —Matthew 18:19–20

At other times I simply pray throughout the day as thoughts come to me. Perhaps it is to praise Him or thank Him, perhaps He brings someone to mind for me to pray for. 

I also seek to pray God’s Word back to Him. He is always faithful to His promises. Hiding His Word in my heart helps keep it always at hand. Scripture is full of promises to pray for ourselves and for our families.

Remember to thank God for His answers. God enjoys it when we are thankful for what He gives us.

Journaling your prayer requests is an easy way to keep up and remember all the ways that God is answering your requests and also to record all of the things you are thankful for.

“In everything give thanks. For this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” —1 Thessalonians 5:18

Further Reflections

Fervent, focused prayer; seriously, is there anything more difficult? To go into a room and close the door and pray to the Father who is unseen sounds simple and blessedly rewarding enough, yet I find that it all too often takes more effort and skill to stay on task than I apparently possess. Something tells me I am not alone in this. Indeed, the disciples wanted the Lord Jesus to teach them the secret of His connection with His Father after observing Him model prayer.

“But whenever you pray, go into your inner room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you.” —Matthew 6:6

“The great tragedy of life is not unanswered prayer but unoffered prayer.” —F. B. Meyer

“Philip said, ‘Lord, show us the Father, and we will be content.’ Jesus replied, ‘Have I been with you for so long, and you have not known me, Philip? The person who has seen me has seen the Father! How can you say, “Show us the Father”? Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you, I do not speak on my own initiative, but the Father residing in me performs his miraculous deeds. Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father is in me, but if you do not believe me, believe because of the miraculous deeds themselves.’” —John 14:8–11

Our Lord’s words to Philip seem to be full of discouragement. Certainly, Philip should have known better. It appears that in every age there is a natural wish of man for some extraordinary revelation of the Father, an earnest desire for further light, a yearning for the miraculous. “Show us the Father” was Philip’s plea, yet this request reveals not only the weakness of his faith but also the lack of his understanding of God’s way of revealing himself. To see with earthly eyes is one thing, but to see with eyes of faith is quite another.

The writer of Hebrews tells us: “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for, being convinced of what we do not see. For by it the people of old received God’s commendation.” —Hebrews 11:1–2

Faith is not only having a surety and certainty regarding unseen realities and hopes, it is also to be the lens by which we view all of life’s experiences. It is not a blind hope; it is a firm grounding in the truth of the Lord Jesus. When Jesus was on earth, he prayed:

“Righteous Father, even if the world does not know you, I know you, and these men know that you sent me. I made known your name to them, and I will continue to make it known, so that the love you have loved me with may be in them, and I may be in them.” —John 17:25–26

Jesus tells His disciples to believe Him—based on the credibility and reliability of His Word and on His miraculous works. These two convincing truths point to the fact that to know Jesus is to know the Father as well.

Christ’s miracles were proof of His divine mission. His miracles—the finger marks of God—things too hard for man to do. Only God can make the blind miraculously see, the dead rise, and the insane sane. These signs were given both for the conviction of the unregenerate and for the confirmation of the faith of His disciples. Indisputable proofs—who but God could do such things as these?

“If I do not perform the deeds of my Father, do not believe me. But if I do them, even if you do not believe me, believe the deeds, so that you may come to know and understand that I am in the Father and the Father is in me.” —John 10:37–38

Become More

There is a close and mysterious unity between the three persons of the Trinity with which our finite minds can perhaps grasp but only a glimmer. How very little we realize the fullness of this unity! Jesus taught his disciples many things when he walked on this earth and of these, certain mighty truths simply passed right over their heads. It was not until afterwards that his words were remembered and became clearer.

“Want of trust is at the root of almost all our sins and all our weaknesses, and how shall we escape it but by looking to Him and observing His faithfulness. The man who holds God’s faithfulness will not be foolhardy or reckless, but will be ready for every emergency.” —Hudson Taylor

Further Reflections

I am supremely happy that God did not choose for me to live in Biblical times, simply because I have a nagging suspicion I would have ended up looking as unfavorably as some that we have read about recently. First, we have Peter demonstrating his presumption, next, Thomas his doubts, and now, Philip his lack of faith. Each one of these disciples bring their humanness to Scripture!

“I am not praying only on their behalf, but also on behalf of those who believe in me through their testimony, that they will all be one, just as you, Father, are in me and I am in you. I pray that they will be in us, so that the world will believe that you sent me. The glory you gave to me I have given to them, that they may be one just as we are one—I in them and you in me—that they may be completely one, so that the world will know that you sent me, and you have loved them just as you have loved me.” —John 17:20–23

“Jesus replied, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’” —John 14:6

In these verses we discover three glorious names which Jesus gives himself—He is the way, He is the truth, and He is the life. To be sure, He is the only way, the only truth, and the only life. Entirely exclusive, while all the while offering inclusivity, He offers the only way to all, the only truth to all, and the only life to all.

Jesus is the way: No one may come to the Father except through Him. He is not only the path, the journey, the manner of life or action we are to take, He is also the only door through which anyone may enter into the presence of the Father. Faith in Jesus is the key to heaven—it is also the key to the fullness of life in the here and now. The person that believes in the Lord is on the right road. Through His blood, we may draw close with boldness and have access with confidence into God’s presence.

Jesus is the truth: When we search for truth, we need to look no further than the truth that is in Jesus. He is absolute truth, ultimate truth, true truth. He satisfies every desire of the human mind. Being very God of very God, He is boundless and measureless in the depth of the riches of His wisdom and knowledge. He is truth, reality, and fact. Truth is not relative—truth is Jesus. We are to know Him, study Him, learn from Him, and follow Him. As his disciples, we are to bear His image. We grow in this process by studying and applying His Word to our lives and through prayer.

Jesus is the life: Those that believe in Jesus not only have eternal life, but also have access to the abundant life in the here and now as they walk in the power of the Spirit. Christ is the source of all life. Apart from Jesus, we can do nothing of eternal value because those works always lack life.

“I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in me—and I in him—bears much fruit, because apart from me you can accomplish nothing.” —John 15:5

Become More

Jesus clearly says in our verse for today that He is the only means of entrance to the Father—shutting out all other ways of access to the Father. He stresses that, contrary to what many might believe, salvation is not obtainable through any other means. Only one way exists, and it is through the purifying and redeeming blood of the Lord Jesus.

“It avails nothing that a man is clever, learned, highly gifted, amiable, charitable, kind-hearted, and zealous about some sort of religion. All this will not save his soul if he does not draw near to God by Christ’s atonement, and make use of God’s own Son as his Mediator and Saviour. God is so holy that all men are guilty and debtors in His sight. Sin is so sinful that no mortal man can make satisfaction for it. There must be a mediator, a ransom-payer, a redeemer, between ourselves and God, or else we can never be saved. —John Charles Ryle

Further Reflection

Therefore Jesus said again, “I tell you the truth, I am the door for the sheep. All who ever came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the door. If anyone enters through me, he will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture.” —John 10:7–9

“Do not let your hearts be distressed. You believe in God; believe also in me. There are many dwelling places in my Father’s house. Otherwise, I would have told you, because I am going away to make ready a place for you. And if I go and make ready a place for you, I will come again and take you to be with me, so that where I am you may be too.” —John 14:1–3

Ever experienced a heart that was stirred with agitation? More than likely Jesus looked into the faces of His disciples and saw anxiety heavy in their eyes. Our Lord, who sees the unrevealed sorrows and wounds that bleed inwardly, would certainly not have missed the many things troubling His disciples at this point. Jesus had just told them of His forthcoming departure which would occur with immense suffering. He had told them that one of their own would be a traitor and that Peter himself would deny Him three times.

Jesus would be leaving them and they could not come with Him. He was their leader. He was the One in whom they placed their hope. He was the One who was to deliver Israel! The weight of all these recent revelations must have greatly pressed upon them leaving them discouraged and depressed and feeling deserted and exposed.

In our verses for today, Jesus prescribes a sure and precious remedy for the disease of a troubled heart: Trust—both in God and in the Son. “Trust” used here means to be persuaded in the truthfulness of and to have total confidence in and reliance upon. Our trust in God and our Lord Jesus turns our troubled hearts into comforted ones, keeping us free from the agitation that confidence in our own abilities brings.

In the midst of our anxiety, we are not to be like the troubled sea when it cannot rest. Scripture encourages us with these words:

“Do not be anxious about anything. Instead, in every situation, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, tell your requests to God. And the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” —Philippians 4:6-7

The Great Shepherd, always knowing the condition of His sheep, sweetly begins to speak in their ears these wonderful words of encouragement—rich in precious truth:

“There are many dwelling places in my Father’s house. Otherwise, I would have told you, because I am going away to make ready a place for you.”

These words are certainly just as true for every believer in Christ as they were when they were first spoken to Jesus’ disciples. He would indeed be going, but in His going, He would be preparing a place for them (and for us) so that we all may always and forever be where He is.

Our assurance is built on the veracity of our Lord’s word as well as the sincere love and affection He has for all who follow Him.

It is important for us to remember that we are only travelers here—earth is not our home, heaven is! That is the promise of Scripture. Heaven is a house—not a tabernacle. Heaven is the Father’s house—my Father’s house, your Father’s house. It is a place of mansions—lasting, eternal, and permanent. A place where we will be settled—a place where we will be loved for our own sakes—not for our gifts or possessions. A place where we are always welcomed.

Heaven is a place where Christ is continually present. He will be in our midst forever. Christ is our reason for peace and our power for a calm and steadfast heart.

Become More

There are rooms in heaven, durable and lasting. Our heavenly estate is not for years, but rather for eternity. Jesus is not preparing our lodging in order for it to stand empty; neither are His preparations in vain. As He is preparing the place, He is also preparing us, his servants, so that in due time we will be put in possession of it.

Further Reflections

“Heart-trouble is the commonest thing in the world. No rank, or class, or condition is exempt from it. No bars, or bolts, or locks can keep it out. Partly from inward causes and partly from outward, partly from the body and partly from the mind, partly from what we love and partly from what we fear, the journey of life is full of trouble. Even the best of Christians have many bitter cups to drink between grace and glory. Even the holiest saints find the world a vale of tears.” —John Charles Ryle

“Our duty as Christians is always to keep heaven in our eye and earth under our feet.” —Matthew Henry

“For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a shout of command, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be suddenly caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words.” —1 Thessalonians 4:16–18

“I give you a new commandment—to love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. Everyone will know by this that you are my disciples—if you have love for one another.” —John 13:34–35

Just as Jesus was the embodiment of God’s love, we are to be the embodiment of His love. He now gives this charge to all of His followers … we must love one another!

Loving others is both a great duty and a high calling as it helps to strengthen those around us by encouraging and refreshing them along the way. It is a Christian grace that is not to be merely in our heads, but a practice in our lives. We must live out God’s love in our tempers and our words, in our being and in our doing. It must show in our behavior and conduct toward all, and in particular fellow believers, regarding them as brothers and sisters. There is nothing that the world needs more than the demonstration of pure Biblical love. People may not understand theology or doctrine but they can experience Christian love. True love will capture their attention and often their hearts. True love always points to Jesus. It is quite different from the emotional love that the world values. We will also discover that as we love and encourage others we will be strengthened as well.

Love is a fundamental and everlasting command of Christ. It is to be the badge of all our Lord’s disciples. It is His desire for us to be noticed for our love as a distinguishing trait of His family. Just as our earthly families have familial traits, love is to be our spiritual familial trait. This goes against the grain of the world, which touts an “every man for himself” mentality. This is not to be the way of the Christian! Scripture is filled with the call for love amongst Christian brothers and sisters. John writes in one of his letters that our love for one another is a sign that we are truly children of the King:

“We know that we have crossed over from death to life because we love our fellow Christians. The one who does not love remains in death.” —1 John 3:14

“In this is love: not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, if God so loved us, then we also ought to love one another. No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God resides in us, and his love is perfected in us.” —1 John 4:10–12

What exactly does the love of Christ look like? Paul gives us a clear description in 1 Corinthians. It is only through the Holy Spirit’s power equipping and enabling us that we are able to consistently live this out this kind of love. Biblical love does not come to us naturally. This is why when it is demonstrated in a life, it points to God and never fails to bear fruit. Paul writes:

“Love is patient, love is kind, it is not envious. Love does not brag, it is not puffed up. It is not rude, it is not self-serving, it is not easily angered or resentful. It is not glad about injustice, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. But if there are prophecies, they will be set aside; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be set aside.” —1 Corinthians 13:4–8

Become More

Paul says that if anything is done apart from the motivation of love—no matter how wonderful—it is worth nothing (1 Corinthians 13:1–3). He tells us that love it is greater than faith and hope (1 Corinthians 13:13). As Christians, we are to be a people known and marked by love.

Further Reflection

“Let us note how far from satisfactory is the state of those who are content with sound doctrinal opinions, and orthodox correct views of the Gospel, while in their daily life they give way to ill-temper, ill-nature, malice, envy, quarrelling, squabbling, bickering, surliness, passion, snappish language, and crossness of word and manner. Such persons, whether they know it or not, are daily proclaiming that they are not Christ’s disciples. It is nonsense to talk about justification, and regeneration, and election, and conversion, and the uselessness of works, unless people can see in us practical Christian love.” —John Charles Ryle