John 16:23-27 • Name-Dropping

One of my lifelong mentors is a widely known and well-regarded Christian leader. During a conversation I had with him several months ago, he urged me to introduce myself to one of the teaching pastors on staff at a large church near my home. He’d met the young man, was impressed by his sincere devotion to Jesus, and thought it would be good for me to become acquainted with him too. So, I messaged that pastor to see if we could arrange to get together for lunch sometime.

But I knew cold-calling that busy leader with no idea who I was would probably not result in a response, at least not a timely one. So, I name-dropped. Name-dropping is when you allude to a famous or respected person you know for the purpose of impressing others or gaining their attention. In the email I sent requesting the meeting, I mentioned my mentor’s name and said I was reaching out at his suggestion. And that did the trick. Although we’ve since developed a friendship that stands on its own, our initial lunch appointment was made based on our mutual respect for my mentor. So, in a way, you could say our relationship was formed in his name.

In a similar way, John 16:23-27 quotes our Savior declaring that his name would become the foundation for his followers having a direct relationship with God, the Father. Using the phrase, "In that day," to describe the fast-approaching time when the barrier of sin would be removed through his cross and resurrection coupled with their love for and faith in him, Jesus said his figurative language would give way to plain speaking, they would no longer bring their requests TO him but THROUGH him to the Father, and they would experience the joy of answered prayer.

But he wasn’t saying this would be the result of simply annunciating the collection of vowels and consonants that make up the word spelled J-E-S-U-S as though it possesses some kind of power in itself that impresses Father God, invokes his loving response, and unlocks his blessing. Even in the story I told a moment ago, it wasn’t my mentor’s moniker that gave me entrée with the young pastor. It was the shared honor we have for the kind of man he is, what he stands for, and what he’s accomplished.

When Jesus told his disciples, “Whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you,” he wasn’t describing some kind of spiritual incantation. He wasn’t saying that when they closed their prayers with the phrase, “In Jesus’ name,” it would guarantee a positive divine response. He wasn’t talking about the PHRASEOLOGY or how their requests were worded. He was talking about the PERONALITY or whose life was at the heart of their requests.

But this is not just about how we pray. It’s about all the ways we live as Jesus-followers. Scripture tells us we’re baptized in his name, receive the Holy Spirit who is sent in his name, gather together in his name, engage in acts of kindness in his name, minister to children in his name, speak and teach in his name, and cast out demons and work miracles in his name.

Doing so means positioning ourselves within the authority and standing made available to us by who Jesus IS and choosing to align ourselves with his will, not our own. It's only then that the potent promises revealed in this passage are realized.

So, my prayer for you today is that your life will be filled with the indescribable experience of direct access to Father God and the joys of answered prayer…in Jesus’ name.

John 16:16-22 • Right on Time

Last Christmas, instead of typical gifts, my wife and I gave our children and their families experiences we could enjoy with them. For instance, one of the families received a two-night stay at an indoor, waterpark resort near their home in the state of Oregon. But the trip wouldn’t take place for another six weeks. So, although our young grandkids were excited about the prospect of going there with us, helping them comprehend the time between the announcement of the gift as we gathered around the Christmas tree and its fulfillment a month and a half later proved a bit of a challenge.

When you’re as old as me, six weeks seems like no time at all. But for little ones, it can feel like forever. We often try to help them relate to the passage of time by describing it in terms of how many sleeps until a thing takes place. But if it’s any more than about three, their eyes usually glaze over, and they lose the thread. In this case, it would be forty-two sleeps, an unwieldy number for them to work out in their young minds.

So, along with their parents, we tried to find a way to explain it that would allow them to delight in a joyful anticipation while awaiting the arrival of the adventure, but they were just too young to see it in those terms. We had to satisfy ourselves with the knowledge that the eventual pleasure they would have when the day finally came would erase the disappointment of delay.

I don’t mean this to sound condescending, but John 16:16-22 describes an exchange between the disciples and Jesus that sounds similar. It was regarding an expression he used to help them measure the time between the announcement and fulfillment of two predictions he made. He told them a time was coming when he would depart from them and a time when they would see him again. He used the phrase, “a little while,” to describe how soon these events would take place, and the disciples wanted him to clarify how long that would be. But it was just not possible for them grasp it.

At first glance, it may seem he was being purposefully vague, but the Lord was being as precise as possible given the limitations of their understanding. He was speaking prophetically about two different departures (his death on the cross and his ascension) as well as two separate arrivals (his resurrection and his second coming) that would all be linked together in ways incomprehensible to them at the time. And to do so required using terminology from his timeless realm of eternity that went over their heads.

There was just no way to satisfy them. So instead, he turned their attention to the overwhelming joy they would ultimately experience when these things were fulfilled even if there was some short-term sorrow resulting from their lack of understanding. To do this, he used the illustration of a mother whose labor pains are completely erased when she gets to hold her baby. It’s as though she’s been emotionally transported directly from the promise of her pregnancy to its fulfillment, and in the happiness of that moment, every discomfort is forgotten.

We always think we can comprehend God’s timing. But the truth is his eternal perspective is more in every way than any of us can grasp. So, we often find ourselves insisting God provide us with greater clarity than we can actually handle. Instead, let’s be people who rest in the assurance of his faithfulness, refuse to be overtaken by the disappointment of delay, and live in the delight of the joyful anticipation that all God has promised us will come to pass right on time.

John 16:12-15 • The One Who Communicates

Communication is not easy.

When I have a thought, feeling, or message I want to convey to someone else, I first have to internally process it to the point where it’s coherent to me and I know what it is I actually want to say. Then, I have to wrap that up in some form of mutually understood expression – speech, text, sign language, braille, morse code, smoke signals – all of which have very deep insufficiencies. Then, when I attempt to communicate it, I have to find a way to make sure it carries the appropriate emotion and context so I’m not misunderstood. And that doesn’t even begin to outline the challenges faced on the listening side of the equation. The fact that any of us can accomplish this with any degree of effectiveness is truly miraculous.

So, pardon the pun, but I'm grateful beyond words that the Holy Spirit is a master communicator.

In John 16:12-15, after acknowledging his disciples were reaching a saturation point regarding all he wanted them to understand, Jesus said he’d be passing the baton to the Spirit who was coming to communicate three things in his absence. The Lord said to them, he will “guide you into all truth,” “tell you things to come,” and “glorify me.” And those phrases express a set of promises he was making not only to his original hearers but to all of us who’ve come after them.

The first of these describes the Spirit’s assignment to draw from the vast resources of what the Son possesses in his relationship with the Father to help us comprehend spiritual truth. That process clearly includes his role of interpreting and applying what has been embedded for us in the words of Scripture. And according to Jesus in this passage, we can count on the Spirit to reveal ALL of it. That means he will insure we have ALL the understanding we need to live as God intends. So, whenever we find ourselves puzzled or confused by something we’ve encountered in the Bible, we can confidently invite the one Jesus called the Spirit of truth to guide us to clarity just as he promised.

Jesus also promised that the Holy Spirit would tell us about what’s coming. But that doesn’t mean he intends to turn us into fortune-tellers. It means that as we develop careful habits of listening for the voice of the Spirit, we never need to fear the future. He will supply the awareness and sensitivity we need to avoid the obstacles ahead and be prepared to take advantage of the opportunities that will present themselves.

Finally, the Lord said he is glorified when the Spirit gathers these riches of understanding and offers them to us. Everything he communicates will always honor Jesus. And that means the best way to build a life of worship is to learn to listen carefully to the Holy Spirit. All expressions of praise are ultimately sourced in the reverence that results from what he reveals to our souls.

So, let’s open that place in our hearts that holds the treasures deposited there by the one who communicates to us the words, will, and wonder of Jesus. And from there, let’s give full voice to the exaltation we long to communicate to him.

John 16:8-11 • The One Who Convinces

Having told the disciples his return to the Father would facilitate sending them the Holy Spirit, Jesus began to describe two aspects of the Spirit’s mission: convincing and communicating. John 16:8-11 contains the Lord’s description of the first of these.

Most English New Testament versions translate the Greek verb used to quote his description of this world-facing part of the Spirit’s work by using the word convict. But it can also be translated as convince, and I think that helps clarify its use in this context. The Lord said the Holy Spirit convinces the world of three things: sin, righteousness, and judgment.

He said the Spirit would convince the world of sin because of their unbelief. Saving faith must first be preceded by the moment when a person acknowledges their iniquity. And as someone who has benefited from this part of the Spirit’s mission, I’m extremely grateful for it but also thankful that the job of convincing others of their sinfulness is not up to me. It’s clear that as believers we have a role to play in the process, but it’s deeply comforting to be able to trust that work to him. He’s the only one who can expose the depth of someone’s spiritual depravity without condemnation and escort them over the threshold of faith through confession and repentance into the waiting arms of Christ’s redemption.

Next, the Lord taught the disciples that the Holy Spirit is the one who convinces the world of righteousness. That word means the character or quality of being right or just. He told them this part of the Spirit’s mission would be necessary because he was returning to the Father. And that meant he would no longer be visibly present to demonstrate by his holy life what righteousness looks like. The world is so severely corrupted by sin, all the cultural signposts pointing toward the path of right living have been torn down. It’s an unholy mess that can only be navigated by means of the convincing work of the Spirit. But he’s so good at it! He’s exceedingly able not only to illuminate the way of righteousness but to enable us to walk it with an increasingly confident stride.

And finally, Jesus said the Holy Spirit would convince the world of judgment. He told his followers this was needed because Satan, described as the ruler of this world, is judged. That means the case against him is closed, a verdict has been rendered, and a sentence has been handed down. As much as he may try to pretend otherwise, the devil has been utterly defeated.

It’s part of the Spirit’s mission to convince the world of the thoroughness of that judgment to dissuade those tempted to live in disobedience to God, but also to redirect every attempt of the adversary to cause believers to live under the weight of their own guilt. Those who willingly follow in Satan’s footsteps will come under the same judgement he has. But those who have repented of sin and placed their trust in the forgiveness of Jesus have been set free from judgment. Revelation 12:10 refers to the devil as the accuser of the brethren, and I think a lot of us know what it’s like to find ourselves sidelined in our faith because of the weight of shame resulting from his accusations. But it’s in those times, the voice of the Holy Spirit pierces that darkness to convince us of the liberty purchased for us in our Savior’s victory over Satan.

Hear him speaking to you today from Colossians 2:15-16. “Having disarmed principalities and powers, He <Jesus> made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it. So let no one judge you...”

John 16:5-7 • The Other Side of the Coin

Jesus had told his disciples he’d soon be leaving them and that his departure would expose them to persecution. These two things – anticipation of the loss of his physical presence along with the prospect of their personal suffering – had caused them to experience sorrow of heart according to Jesus in John 16:6.

But the previous verse quotes him scolding them for not asking where he was going. That was because answering that question, if sincerely asked, would have given him the opportunity to answer the more important question of why he was going there, and that would have allowed him to directly address the roots of their sadness.

It’s certain he remembered that both Peter and Thomas had previously asked the “where” question. But those queries were all about determining how they could go with him. None of them had bothered to ask the “why” question. They were so consumed with concern for how his departure would negatively impact their lives they hadn’t even considered there might be another side to the coin.

That’s why in verse 7, he told them that even though they weren’t asking, he wanted them to know the reason he would be departing. He said it was so he could send the Holy Spirit to them. His leaving would facilitate the Spirit’s coming, and he told them that was to their advantage.

But their context for relating to God had been completely centered in the living, breathing, touchable, fully human person of Jesus. So, the concept of an invisible Spirit being even a suitable substitute for their Master’s presence, let alone a far more valuable one, would have been hard for them to understand. Of course, that would dramatically change once they experienced the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost. But until then, all of this remained a mystery they didn’t appear to be too anxious to pursue.

And sadly, that describes some Christ-followers today. They’ve placed their faith in Jesus as savior, experienced his forgiveness, become students of his word, and sincerely offered him their worship. But they hesitate in their pursuit of the power of his Spirit. And whether that’s due to a lack of exposure to what the Bible teaches about him, a negative reaction to how some people have misrepresented him, or an uncertainty regarding how to engage him, to the extent it’s true, they simply can’t experience all God intends for them. It’s the presence, power, and guidance of the Holy Spirit that animates our faith and makes it pulsate with the life of Jesus. Without that, all we’re left with is a dry theology, a moral philosophy, and religious practices.

I want more than that, and I’m sure you do too. But more importantly, that’s what the Lord wants for us. In fact, Ephesians 5:18 commands us to “Be filled with the Spirit.” It’s not a suggestion. And the original word translated there as filled literally means to be as full as possible.

It’s our Lord’s intention that we experience an on-going fullness of the Holy Spirit, and he made clear how we can. Luke 11:13 says, “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”

So, let’s ask.

John 16:1-4 • A Light to My Path

It’s hard to stumble over something you can see. It’s the unknown, unexpected, hidden, and unobserved things that trip us up. When I was a kid at summer camp, our cabin leaders used to take us on flashlight hikes at night. And I learned that even in the dark on an unfamiliar trail with uneven terrain and many obstacles, I could maintain my footing if I just kept my light pointed straight ahead and my stride within its beam.

That’s the imagery that comes to mind when I consider the quote contained in verse 1 of John 16. Jesus had just been preparing his disciples for the inevitability of the persecution they would face. And that preparation included a reminder that they would not face it alone. The Holy Spirit would be with them. But then, before elaborating more fully on the power and scope of the Spirit’s ministry, he paused to give them another powerful promise. He said the things he’d spoken to them would keep them from stumbling.

He was assuring them that no matter how dark the circumstances, how treacherous the conditions, or how cleaver the strategies arranged against them, his words would be sufficient to enable them to keep their feet. The things he’d taught them over their three years together were not just a random assortment of nouns and verbs. Each syllable was strategically arranged to provide the bright light that would secure their steps over the path ahead.

In the next 2 verses, he reiterated the certainty and severity of the opposition they would face as well as why they would face it. But then in verse 4, he encouraged them once again that they had been fully prepared to deal it by all he’d taught them.

And this is true for all believers. The words of Jesus combined with the full array of divine commands, guidance, and wisdom contained in Holy Scripture – what the Apostle Paul described in Acts 20:27 as “the whole counsel of God” – provide all the light we need to illuminate and secure our way over, around, and through any demonic scheme to topple us.

The Bible is not just a collection of unrelated stories, sayings, and requirements. It’s a highly focused compilation of WORDS (plural) that become an incredibly powerful WORD (singular) irradiating the darkness around us. Psalm 119:105 says “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” And as we carefully keep that light pointed straight ahead and our stride within its beam, the Lord’s promise to his disciples at the start of John 16 becomes ours too.

That’s why it’s critically important for Jesus-people to develop an ever-growing hunger for and knowledge of the Bible – the word of God. Our spiritual lives literally depend on it. So, please let this be a reminder not to allow another day to get away from you without spending some time in the book. Implementing a defined reading plan is a great way to approach it. But don’t allow your lack of one to intimidate you. Just open to any page, start absorbing what the Lord’s embedded there for you to discover, and ask him to reveal more of himself to you through it. He will!

Let me close by declaring over you Jude 24 to 25: “Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, to God our Savior, who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. Amen.”

John 15:18-27 • His Witness-Bearers

In my opinion, the word hate is the strongest in the English language for expressing negative emotion. There are others such as detest, abhor, and loathe, but these and similar terms are usually reserved to communicate an intensity a step or two below full-blown hatred. Once it reaches that level, the emotion dial has no more stops. And it can often erupt in extreme action. That’s what makes this word dangerous. So, when John quotes Jesus using its Greek equivalent seven times in the final ten verses of chapter 15, it grabs our attention.

Jesus NEVER exaggerated. He wasn’t being hyperbolic when he told his disciples in verse 19, “The world HATES you.” But he didn’t mean that every person on Earth would be their enemy. The word translated as world in this passage refers to the way it’s arranged or the system behind it like the way a reporter might use the word Washington to describe the U.S. government not all citizens of the District of Columbia. He wanted to make sure his followers weren’t surprised when the satanic system operating in the shadows of this sin-scarred world would burst out from behind the scenes and manifest itself in open hostility toward them as his representatives.

He explained that they would be targeted specifically because his words and works had exposed the sin at the heart of this system. And that’s what he was referring to in verse 21 when he said, “They do not KNOW him who sent me.” But the word translated as know is not the one that would be used for the beginning of a pursuit of knowledge. He wasn’t describing someone who hadn’t yet had a chance to get to know him. John captured his meaning by using a word that describes a fullness of knowledge that has already been gained. In other words, Jesus was making clear that at the core of the world’s hatred of him was a REJECTION of the knowledge of his Father. Romans 1:20-21 puts it this way: “They are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God.”

So, Jesus was warning the disciples to EXPECT fierce opposition. And I think it’s clear he was speaking beyond them to all of us who follow in their footsteps. Like that first group of Jesus-people, we’ve been called out of the world to reflect God’s glory back into it. And as we do, we WILL attract the hateful response of a system arrayed in purposeful opposition to HIM. And that response can manifest in many unpleasant ways. When life feels like you’re under attack, you probably are.

But it’s important for us to remain clear about where that opposition comes from. It’s the satanic structure behind the scenes of this world not its people. Our God is deeply in love with its people. They’re not our enemy. They’re our mission. Ephesians 6:12 says, “We do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against...spiritual hosts of wickedness.” If we get confused about who we’re wrestling with, we can find ourselves at odds with our calling and attempting to confront a spiritual enemy using political, rhetorical, or material weaponry that targets the very people Jesus is seeking to save.

We need to confront our spiritual adversary with spiritual weaponry. 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 says, "The weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for...casting down...every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God." That’s why when Jesus brought this passage to a climax, he reiterated his promise to send us the Helper – the Holy Spirit – who would lead the way in testifying of him in the face of the world’s hostility. And in the light of that glorious promise, he was able to make one more. And although addressed to his disciples, it’s one we can confidently claim as well. In the power of the Spirit, we will be enabled to withstand the world’s hate and become his witness-bearers.

Let’s trust him to fulfill that promise in and through our lives today.

John 15:16-17 • Chosenness

Have you ever been part of a schoolyard pick? That’s the process where a group of people are divided into teams by those who’ve been designated as leaders. It can be either a traumatic experience or an exhilarating one depending on how early you’re chosen. Turns are taken and selections made based on assessments of potential value to the teams until one person is left to be assigned by default. And that person is keenly aware of not really being chosen at all.

On the other hand, if you’re the first selected, it’s a huge esteem-boost to know you were wanted, REALLY wanted.

I know there can’t be a true comparison but imagine the thunderous impact of the Lord’s words to his disciples recorded in John 15:16 when they heard their master say, “I chose you.” Add to that their awareness that unlike what happens in a schoolyard, this choice was made with full knowledge of their inadequacy. It wasn’t based on an evaluation of what they could offer. That would have meant it carried an unbearable weight of expectation none of them could possibly fulfill. It even preceded their choosing him. Their state of chosenness rested solely on the Savior’s unconditional and unchanging love.

Their hearts must have been ready to burst!

If this wasn’t already more than their souls could take in, Jesus went on to say that beyond anything they could aspire to, they had been 𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥. And this is a translation of a Greek word about placement. The Lord used it to make clear he had positioned them to experience sustained and lasting spiritual fruitfulness alongside an aligning of their desires with the will of the Father that would result in consistently answered prayers.

Now, there are those who would argue that the Lord’s statements here were directed to the eleven remaining disciples and were exclusively describing their call to represent him as apostles. But I disagree for many reasons not least of which is that this verse is a continuation of a passage that includes many things Jesus clearly meant to apply universally to all Jesus-followers. I don’t think you can disconnect verse 16 from that context which also includes verse 17 where Jesus wrapped up this section of his instructions saying, “These things I command you, that you love one another.” It’s inconceivable to imagine that command not pertaining to all believers.

I’m convinced Jesus meant that all who cross the threshold from doubt into faith should then encounter the stunning reality that before we chose him, he chose us. And although I know this butts right up against hundreds of years of theological controversy, I’m totally comfortable leaving others more knowledgeable than me to debate predestination, foreknowledge, and free will while I simply enjoy the indescribable peace, security, and fulfillment found within the mysteries of chosenness and appointment.

I invite you to join me there. If you’ve felt as though Jesus just ended up with you by default, think again. You are wanted, REALLY wanted. Hear him speaking life into your soul with those three beautiful and life-changing words, “I chose you.”

John 15:12-15 • An important Reminder

At one point years ago, I needed to support my family while planting a new church, and I got a job as an accountant for a large tech company. It was during one of the information economy’s boom cycles, and the pace was crazy. There was so much work to do it became difficult to keep track of it all including remembering to pick up documents I’d send to the printer down the hall. As soon as I’d hit the print button on my computer, something else would need my attention and I’d forget to retrieve the copy. So, I came up with the idea of sticking a post-it note to my shirt before getting interrupted. That way, even if I got distracted and forgot about the print job, eventually someone would see the note on my chest and ask what it was for. And that would remind me to go to the printer.

Since then, I’ve become grateful for reminders. And we encounter an important one in the four-verse section that begins with John 15:12. Jesus revisited what he’d previously described in chapter 13 as a NEW commandment. But this time he emphasized its importance by saying it was HIS. It belonged to and flowed from his OWN sacrificial love and would be the new standard for how his followers would bear his image in this world. And he chose to remind them of this amid his invitation to abide in him as branches rooted in a vine because their ability to fulfill it would be completely dependent on having a deep connectedness to HIM.

He told them there’s no greater way of expressing this kind of love than to lay down one’s life. And although he was certainly prefiguring what he was about to do on the cross, I don’t think he meant them to understand dying in someone’s place as the only way to demonstrate it. The Greek word used to describe this laying-down is not specifically about dying. At its core, it describes something’s placement or how it’s positioned. I believe Jesus was saying that those who follow him will express his love by how they posture their lives in relation to others. Instead of pursuing a position above them, they will devote themselves, as he did, to coming under them.

Along with this, he clarified to whom they were to offer this love. He did this by his use of the word translated into English as friends. It can be used as a noun to identify a group of people who one is close to, but it’s primarily an adjective that describes the way someone is valued and treated. Jesus was calling his followers to see everyone as someone to be loved like a friend.

Then, the Lord used this word in a way that seems contrary to that. It sounds as though the only people he considers friends are those who do what he commands. But the conditional particle in this sentence rendered with the English word if can also mean when. And considering Jesus was specifically referring to his new commandment, the verse could easily be paraphrased as, “You demonstrate OUR friendship WHEN you love others this way.” And he immediately confirmed this by saying, “I HAVE called you friends,” not “I WILL call you friends IF you keep my commands.”

Jesus also drew a stark contrast between servants and friends. He was emphatic that he did NOT think of his disciples as servants. And this was essential to their ability to live out his commandment. They would never be able to invite others into friendship with the Savior if they hadn’t first experienced him in that way.

That’s not possible for us either. If we’re going to be the kind of Jesus-people who live out HIS commandment, we also need to embrace the full impact of the unimaginable grace that has been extended to us within which he calls us friends.

John 15:11 • Joy

My wife and I live near the Disneyland Resort in Southern California and have annual passes to its theme parks. We usually spend one full day a month there. And that might reasonably make you wonder why a retired couple would want to spend so much time at a place designed for families with young kids? Well, we genuinely enjoy going on the rides and love the scenery, the food, and being surrounded by the sounds of families having fun together. So, the answer to the question is…it makes us happy.

The desire for happiness is a very human thing. In fact, I live in a country that described the pursuit of happiness in its Declaration of Independence as an unalienable right. But as wonderful as happiness can be, it can’t compare to joy. And it’s joy that Jesus calls us to in John 15:11.

The chapter opens with Jesus’ words, “I am the true vine.” And then it records him teaching his disciples that abiding or remaining tightly and vitally connected to him in a relationship of welcome to his life-giving words and submission to his loving commands is the key to a blessed and fruitful life. That’s a lot to chew on, and he could have easily ended this part of their training right there. But he went a step further and revealed the ultimate purpose behind his invitation to abide. He told them it was all about his desire that they experience joy.

He described it as HIS joy. Distinct from any other source, this joy is a gift that flows from himself. He said his joy remains. It’s not the temporary or transient kind that comes and goes. And he also said it fills us up. The original Greek here expresses the concept of a container as full as it can possibly be, unable to contain even a single drop more. And if Jesus wants us to have joy like that, how can we possibly go on settling for mere happiness instead.

Don’t get me wrong. Happiness is great! I love being happy. But joy and happiness are two very different things. Although they can produce similar feelings, they come from completely different places and play entirely different roles in our lives.

Happiness is a reaction to something outside us. Its source is external. We experience it as delight when we’re in the presence of someone we love, engaged in a pleasurable activity, recalling a cherished memory, or having a delicious meal. It serves to provide a temporary lift to our outlook.

Joy is a state of wellbeing within us. Its source is internal. We experience it as a steadying peace when we’re facing heartbreak, confronted by challenges, approaching an uncertain future, or dealing with disappointment. It serves to provide a different and better outlook altogether.

Happiness flavors life, but joy sustains it. That’s why Jesus invites us to draw near and remain close to him. Beyond the shallow and narrow scope of happiness, he wants us to know the overflowing fullness of his sustaining joy from a well that’s deep and wide.

What an awesome invitation! Let’s respond by choosing with fresh passion to pursue and press into him with everything we’ve got, so that as he said, our "joy may be full."

John 15:9-10 • An After-Visit Plan

Lately, I’ve found myself less than enthused about seeing my doctor. Why? Because in this stage of my life, those visits almost always conclude with him telling me how much more I should exercise and how much less I should eat. And I tend to walk out of those appointments feeling like I’ve disappointed him. But the after-visit plan he prints out and hands to me when I leave his office is not designed to increase the quality of my relationship with him, it’s purpose is to help me live longer and better. And that thought helps me comprehend the treasure contained in John 15:9-10.

In the previous passage, Jesus invited his disciples to abide in him. He warned them of the hazards encountered by those who don’t and described some of the rich benefits enjoyed by those who do. Then, he amplified this appeal by inviting them to abide in his LOVE. And he defined that love as the same kind the Father has for him.

Let’s just pause and stand in awe of that jaw-dropping truth for a moment.

When the hiking trail bursts out of the woods into a glorious meadow with a view of a majestic peak, you just have to stop and take in the beauty of the scene. And the Savior’s words here present us with such a stunning and humbling revelation we simply can’t go any further without reflecting on its magnitude.

You and I are loved by the Son of God with the same purity, intensity, and consistency that he is loved by the Father. The weight and impact of that realization is literally staggering. It’s so profound it should never cease to cause our knees to buckle with reverence.

So, how is it even possible that the Lord would need to follow that statement with an appeal to remain in his love? It’s heartbreaking to think we’re so fickle and full of ourselves we’d have to be reminded not to lose interest in the love of Jesus. But that’s the sad reality. And when we do, although his love for us remains steadfast, we cease to enjoy all that it offers. That’s why Jesus went on to say there’s a way to insure it doesn’t happen. He said if we keep his commandments, we’ll abide in his love.

It’s not that his affection is adjusted based on our levels of obedience. He doesn’t love us more when we follow his commands and less when we don’t. He loves us the same no matter what. Jeremiah 31:3 says, “I have loved you with an everlasting love.” And Romans 5:8 tells us, “God demonstrates His…love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

But being the object of Christ’s unchanging love is not the same as benefitting from it.

Obeying the Lord’s commands is not about proving our devotion to him by how consistently we adhere to a checklist of approved behaviors. It’s about entering the environment where we can flourish within his love. It’s only when we follow our Maker’s instructions for how life should be lived that everything actually works as he intends and results in our experiencing peace that passes understanding (Philippians 4:7), joy that’s inexpressible (1 Peter 1:8), and life more abundant (John 10:10).

And that’s what we all want, isn’t it? So, let’s think of these two precious verses as a kind of after-visit plan designed by the one who loves us more than we can ever know to help us fully benefit from that love.

John 15:4-8 • A Severe Mercy

Burnout. Jesus tried to warn me.

One morning, nine years into my first pastorate, I woke with a strong sense from the Lord that something in my life needed urgent attention. And that alert was accompanied with the impression that he would restrain its consequences for one year to give me time to cooperate with him in addressing it. I’d already suffered a case of shingles and seen my doctor about a chronic eye twitch, both of which can be brought on by stress. So, assuming the problem was related to overwork in my noble attempt to be a productive, modern pastor, I set about to make what I thought were appropriate adjustments.

But without first humbly seeking God regarding what was really wrong, I wasted precious time and energy addressing the wrong things. I concluded that what was required was changing the way our church was staffed, adjusting my work-life balance, and developing a hobby. But focusing on these kinds of things was like treating the symptoms while ignoring the disease. And eventually, the noisy racket from my self-help activity drowned out the Spirit’s cautioning voice.

Then, almost exactly one year later, I was taking a seminary course that required all the students to complete a personal spiritual assessment. The professor selected a few of them to review with the class, and mine happened to be the first chosen. He called my name and asked me to stand while he commented on my results. Thinking I was about to get some public affirmation, I confidently got to my feet and was completely unprepared for what happened next. He pointed his finger at me and said emphatically, “Unless you radically change how you’re living, you WILL lose your marriage, family, ministry, and health.”

That withering moment proved to be what author, Sheldon Vanauken, described as a “severe mercy,” and it changed the spiritual trajectory of my whole life. In an instant, all my efforts to fix myself were exposed as folly, and I immediately took a leave of absence from the church to desperately press into Jesus for his help.

This already-long story would become much longer if I described the details of the healing journey that resulted. But I’ll say this: I learned the importance and blessings of abiding. And that’s what John 15:4-8 records Jesus teaching his disciples.

The word translated as abide in this passage can also be rendered as stay or continue, and it points to the essential truth that the fruitful life we were created to enjoy will never be the result of our labors, however well-motivated. It can only be experienced by remaining deeply connected to Jesus. He told his followers that when a branch ceases to abide in the vine, it withers. And he said it’s the withered branches that get burned up.

That wasn’t a threat of punishment. It was a statement of fact that’s as true for people as it is for plants in a vineyard. Burnout, which can be defined as fatigue, frustration, stress, depression, and apathy wrapped in a profound sense of futility, is the inevitable result of failing to abide. Life cannot flow FROM us unless it’s first flowing INTO us. Fruitfulness begins with the vine not the branch and is the natural, effortless result of abiding. Stress is a check engine light on the dashboard of our souls sounding the alarm when vital connection to Jesus has been compromised.

But as much as these verses provide a strong word of caution, they also contain an astounding set of promises. Jesus pledged to abide in US as we abide in HIM and to unleash the fruitfulness he intends. He defined abiding as allowing his words to flow into us like life-giving nourishment from a vine, and that when we do, our desires will get reshaped and result in the kind of praying that gets answered. He also said the Father receives glory through our abiding and that it will identify us as his disciples.

I think you get the point. Staying plugged into Jesus matters. A lot. So, my prayer is that you won’t need to face your own moment of “severe mercy” before addressing the issue of abiding. Do it now.

John 15:1-3 • The Vinedresser’s Shears

My wife bought a pair of pruning shears the other day, and that act marked a significant turning point in her life. I’m not joking. It may not seem like a big deal to you, but anyone acquainted with the tenderness of that woman’s deeply sensitive heart would immediately recognize that the idea of cutting away part of a living thing, even to promote its greater fruitfulness, goes against her nature. So, for her to purchase and own something designed for that purpose is quite remarkable. But she was ultimately compelled to do it for love’s sake.

I don’t use that word lightly. She LOVES this world God created and everything that reflects his life within it including the plants in her flower and vegetable garden. And although that love struggles a bit with the concept of pruning, it’s also what ultimately caused her to order the shears. One of the tests of true love is its willingness to express itself in actions that are costly to the lover but benefit the loved.

And that’s what we encounter in the first three verses of John 15 as Jesus opens his parable of the vine and branches and introduces his disciples to a form of divine tough love. After identifying the story’s cast of characters – himself as the vine, the Father as the vinedresser, and his followers as the branches – the Lord described two truths about spiritual pruning.

First, he said there’s a big difference between pruning and removing. He told his disciples that unfruitful branches are simply removed while the vinedresser’s careful work of pruning is reserved only for those branches that are already fruitful so they can be more so.

He was preparing them for those times when they would encounter the tender blade of the Father’s loving confrontation. Jesus wanted them to understand that there would be times when they would feel the pinch of God addressing attitudes, habits, and behaviors that need to be trimmed away because they constrict the flow of his life in them and hinder their fruitfulness. But he was assuring them that the short-term pain experienced in those times would be worth surrendering to.

Consider the Bible’s list of the fruit the vinedresser seeks to promote in the branches. Galatians 5:22-23 says, “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” And I ask you, who wouldn’t want to have more of those qualities flowing from their life?

God’s tender heart is certainly not insensitive to the trauma caused by the cutting away of those spiritually unproductive things we’ve allowed to take root in our lives. But his love compels him to employ his shears from time to time, and we should welcome him to do so.

The second truth about spiritual pruning revealed in this passage is that it’s the natural and unavoidable result of exposure to his words. He told his followers that without even knowing what was happening, the things he’d taught them had already produced in them a measure of cleansing. And in this context, that word is synonymous with pruning.

In other words, he was saying that the word of God, the Bible, among other things, is the vinedresser’s knife. It carefully reveals and deals with anything inhibiting our fruit-bearing. So, developing a regular habit of exposing ourselves to it causes the pruning we all want and need to become less often a painful confrontation and more of an expected and welcomed occurrence.

If you want to see more of the fruit of the Spirit produced in your life, do yourself a favor. Create a well-worn pathway to the Scriptures, submit to their pruning work, and rejoice in what begins to grow as a result.

John 14:30-31 • Let’s Do This!

I simply can’t consider John 14:30-31 without becoming emotional. The profound courage and determined sacrifice embedded in my Savior’s words recorded there always elicit a reaction from deep within my soul.

First, he told his disciples that the time for talk was nearing an end and the time for action was at hand. He said his consummate confrontation with the devil was on final approach. He referred to him as the “ruler of this world” – a title that results from the forfeiture by our sin of the dominion God originally gave humanity. And by identifying him that way, he was signaling what was at stake: sacrificially satisfying the consequences of mankind’s rebellion and restoring God’s intensions for his creation.

Next, Jesus declared, “He has nothing in me,” which meant that because of his sinless life Satan had no claim on him. The coming showdown would not be about securing anything for himself. He said it would be a demonstration of his loving obedience to the will of the Father.

Then, he followed this with a statement many commentators have taken to be Jesus simply concluding the Passover meal and inviting the disciples to join him on his journey to Gethsemane. This interpretation assumes that the content of the next three chapters unfolded along the way. But since those chapters end with John’s record of a lengthy prayer he plainly states Jesus finished before he and his disciples left for the garden, I think the phrase that closes chapter 14 and is rendered by the New King James Version as, “Arise, let us go from here,” was something far more significant.

The original Greek could properly be translated as, “Let’s do this!” And I think that colloquialism better captures the heart of Jesus in that moment. With full awareness of what was coming, why, how soon, and what it would cost him, instead of shrinking back or attempting to postpone it, he leaned in and gave voice to his determination to see it through to completion and the victory over sin it would accomplish for us all.

And although it’s a deeply flawed comparison, what I feel when I read these words is somewhat like the sense of grateful pride many of my countrymen experience when they recall the day in June of 1944 that our troops joined with those from Britain and Canada to storm the beaches of France’s Normandy coast and confront Hitler’s plan for world domination. Strictly speaking, it wasn’t our fight. It wasn’t our nation that was under threat from Nazi invasion. Still, our brave soldiers answered the call to advance into that arena of terrible suffering for the sake of others. And I can almost hear them cry out from their landing craft as they came ashore, “Let’s do this!”

Some friends of mine are currently traveling in Europe. And a much-anticipated part of their itinerary is a visit to the D-Day invasion sites. They’re going to what is often referred to as sacred ground to pause in silent reflection and honor the sacrifice of those who gave their lives there in defense of liberty.

How much more should we regularly visit the holy terrain at the foot of the cross in worship and there glorify the one who boldly determined out of his love for the Father to face head on, with immeasurable sacrifice, the suffering that purchased our spiritual freedom and gained for us his presence as our destiny. Eternally offering our praise from sincerely grateful hearts is the only appropriate response for so great a salvation. Let’s do this!

John 14:28-29 • Listen with Two Ears

I’ve reached the stage of life where my hearing is not as sharp as it was in my youth. More frequently than I’d like, I find I’m asking people to repeat themselves, and I sometimes have to turn up the volume on my TV to not miss passages of dialog. So, audiology is on my mind.

God designed us with two ears strategically located on opposite sides of our heads. This array provides our brains with a staggering amount of auditory information. It places us in a 360° sound stage within which our sense of hearing facilitates our interaction with the world around us. It also allows us to pinpoint the physical origin of noises in our environment through what’s known as sound localization and makes it possible for us to determine if an object is moving away from or coming toward us and how quickly. But if illness, injury, or aging causes a person to suffer single-sided deafness where hearing is lost in one ear, their brain can't receive the full spectrum of data required to assemble this complete picture.

There’s also something called selective hearing that can create a similar problem. This is when a person consciously or unconsciously chooses to only listen to what they think is relevant to them and ignore what isn’t. We’ve all experienced times when we’ve chosen to process only a select part of what we’ve heard. But when we do, we can miss important details and end up with an incomplete understanding.

We see this play out in John 14:28-29. While continuing the pre-crucifixion preparation of his disciples, Jesus reminded them of two things they’d previously heard him say. He’d told them he would be both departing from and returning to them. But it’s clear they chose to listen with only one ear, so to speak. They fixated on the part about him leaving, and their concerns about that deafened them to the hope-filled news that he’d be coming back.

As a result, they didn’t experience the benefit of these twin promises that were intended to provide them with both the emotional security they would need for their own souls and to make it possible for them to appreciate the joy a return to the Father meant for Jesus. Instead, all he could do was confront their lack of empathy and assure them that eventually their faith would benefit from what was about to happen.

But sadly, practicing selective hearing when it comes to the Word of God can not only cause us to miss out on intended benefits, it’s spiritually dangerous. In his farewell address to the Ephesian elders recorded in Acts 20, the Apostle Paul pointed to his practice of declaring “the whole counsel of God” as an example they should follow in caring for the church. That’s because when we pick and choose from God’s declared principles and precepts as though they were merely an assortment to select from, we can end up assembling an image of the will and ways of God that’s not only warped but contains nooks and crannies of error from which the devil can ensnare us.

As an example, the passage before us contains a controversial quote from Jesus. In verse 28, while attempting to describe the indescribable – the anticipated joy of the Son’s return to the Father – he made the comment, “My Father is greater than I.”

There are those who insist, based on this, that Jesus meant for us to understand he was either not divine at all or lower down a hierarchy within the Trinity. And these false interpretations have formed the foundations for cults that have led many away from a saving relationship with Christ. But these positions can only be supported if you hear his statement with one ear and discount everything Jesus had previously said about his being equal with the Father.

So, let’s determine to always listen with both ears when it comes to what God has said. Let’s contend for an approach to the Scriptures that places a high value on embracing input from its entire sound stage.

John 14:27 • Peace is a Person

Years ago, I was in the process of preparing a Christmas message series, and I posed a question to my wife while we were out for a walk one evening. I asked her to consider all the people in her life – our family, our neighbors, her friends at work, the people in our congregation – and describe her sense of their deepest desire for that holiday season. Without the slightest hesitation, she answered, “peace.” She said, “They long for peace in their lives.”

I’ll bet you can relate to that longing. And although I’m tempted to think it must be more true for those of us dealing with the multiplying fears, stresses, uncertainties, and complexities of our time, I’d be wrong. The yearning for peace – personal, relational, political, and global – has defined humanity throughout history. And its pursuit has been the driving force behind most of the choices and actions – good and bad – of all people everywhere for all time.

And it was true for the disciples of Jesus as they wrestled with the unsettling news that he would be leaving them soon. That’s why John 14:27 contains the words of his very precious promise to leave them with the gift of peace. He carefully described it as, “my peace,” and lovingly assured them it wouldn’t be the shallow, transitory type the world offers.

His peace is not a mood, state of mind, feeling, or the result of a trouble-free life. It’s not contingent on internal or external conditions. It doesn’t come and go or ebb and flow. It’s a changeless extension of who Jesus is. In fact, the prophetic messianic birth announcement recorded in Isaiah 6:9 declared that the Promised One would be named, Prince of Peace.

So, when Jesus went on to tell the disciples not to allow their hearts to be troubled or become fearful, he wasn’t expecting them to create their own state of peacefulness. He wasn’t suggesting that they could experience it by any act of self-centering or adjustment of their circumstances. He was saying that the gift of his on-going presence in the person of the Holy Spirit would make it possible for them to live within the embrace of his peace as a choice.

And this was not a promise that applied only to those first disciples. Philippians 4:6-7 makes it clear that all Christ-followers can choose to live without anxiety by stepping under the canopy of his presence through prayer and enjoying the “peace of God” that defies explanation.

It can properly be said that peace is a person. The settled rest of mind and heart we all crave can be found only in a relationship with God through faith in Christ. If peace is not anchored to the unshakable security of the one who is unchangeable and immovable, any attempt to attain it will ultimately collapse in the shifting sands of circumstance.

So, if my wife was speaking for you while walking with me under stars that winter night when she said, “They long for peace,” it’s time to abandon everything that falsely promises to satisfy that longing. Instead, make the choice to trust the care of your troubled heart to the one who is peace personified. Hear him speaking to you from Matthew 11:28, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

John 14:25-26 • A Divine Tutor

Since 2004, I’ve had the privilege of teaching Bible students from around the world who travel to the nation of Taiwan for a five-month Discipleship Training School held there twice a year. I get to be with them for one week of their enrollment and conduct a three-hour, daily lecture.

Every day, before introducing new material, I review the previous day’s curriculum and try to address any questions that developed overnight as these students processed the instruction they’d received. They’re exposed to a lot of content during class, so I always look forward to this opportunity to repeat and revisit things I’ve taught that they didn’t fully grasp. But even then, I know there’s only so much they’ll be able to absorb.

That’s partly due to the limits of my communication skills, but also, because the deepest form of learning happens as information gets applied, and there’s really no shortcut to that process. It takes time. And when I conclude my week of teaching, I always find myself wishing there was a way I could stay with my students through their journey of application that only daily living can make possible.

So, I love what Jesus told the Twelve about the process of their spiritual development in John 14:25-26. Having just emphasized the importance of not only hearing his words but living them, he reminded his disciples they would not be abandoned to go it alone. He reiterated his promise from verses 15-18 that the Father would send the Holy Spirit to remain with them, reinforce his instructions, and enable them to recall what they’d been taught as their lives provided the opportunity to apply his teaching.

I believe you’re reading this because you want to be a faithful, diligent, and engaged student of the red ink – the color that many versions of the New Testament use to display the words of Jesus. But as you’ve probably already discovered, there’s a lot of it. And I know it may seem a bit overwhelming. You may even be tempted to feel shame or embarrassment about what you perceive to be your slowness to absorb and grasp the Lord’s instructions.

But don’t surrender to that. The Holy Spirit is a wise and patient teacher working within our uniqueness, enabling us to learn and live in the life-altering words of the Savior. As believers, each of us has access to a divine tutor guiding us in understanding and assimilating the truths Jesus taught. And he’s not limited to a week of lectures. The Holy Spirit is with us 24/7/365 to ensure we’re growing in the knowledge we need and can apply it in every circumstance we encounter.

And that’s not even close to the full measure of the Spirit’s mission in our lives. As we explore the next chapter of this Gospel, we’ll discover a much more expansive description of his role. But for now, let’s choose to soak in, with gratitude, the light of this one aspect of his ministry to us. With grateful and responsive hearts, let’s commit to being good students.

John 14:21-24 • Ask Away

My prayer life includes me asking a lot of questions. Many arise out of my Bible reading, and others just erupt from my daily experiences. But I’ve learned the importance of finding a quiet place and bringing them to the Lord in prayer even though I know some of them won’t be answered or at least not yet. In those cases, I know it’s not that the answers don’t exist or that God is deliberately withholding them from me. It’s usually because I don’t have the frame of reference required to comprehend the answers, like when a four-year-old asks where babies come from. Other times, it’s because I don’t even know how to ask the right questions. Still, even when I don’t get an answer to the question I've asked, the act of asking it helps deepen my relationship with Jesus and my understanding of his ways because it provides an opportunity for me to interact with him.

His goal is always deeper communion with us. And that’s why one of the things we learn about Jesus in the accounts of his life and ministry is that he welcomes queries and at times even intentionally raises them. So, not surprisingly, this is the approach Jesus used as he prepared the Twelve for his crucifixion. And after having fielded comments and questions from Peter, John, Thomas, and Philip earlier in these lessons, John 14:21-24 contains his response to a question from another of the disciples.

After saying that those who really love him naturally engage in keeping his commands as an expression of that love, he went on to promise that he would manifest himself to those who do as an expression of the love he and the Father have for them.

This prompted the question from Judas – not Judas Iscariot who would betray Jesus but the other disciple with the same name who was also known as Thaddaeus. He asked, “Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world?”

The text then says, “Jesus answered…” But the Greek word translated as answered here can also refer simply to a reply that follows a question, not necessarily the answer to it. Now, it’s unclear whether Judas was asking about the mechanics of how the Lord would be able to reveal himself to his followers without being seen by others or about the reason why he would do that. Either way, the Lord didn’t provide him an answer.

Instead, before clarifying the obvious – that those who don’t love him demonstrate that by choosing not to keep his commands – he reiterated what he’d just said about the importance of showing love for him by obeying his words. But this time around, rather than simply repeating his promise to manifest himself to those who do, he amplified it by saying he and the Father will make their home among them. This was a different facet of the same promise, but the Lord’s language here and its implications are even more profound.

So, even if Jesus was unable to answer Judas’ specific question, the interaction that ensued because he asked it resulted in him being offered a gift of understanding he wouldn’t even have known to ask for. And that’s been my experience too. A sincerely posed question to Jesus will always lead to rich engagement with him if we’re willing not to insist he answer the one we’re asking. And it can often escort us into unexpected revelation as well.

Please don’t deprive yourself of these blessings. Do you have questions for Jesus? Go ahead, find a quiet place, and ask away.

John 14:19-20 • Pardon Me

With his arrest in Gethsemane now just hours away, John 14:19-20 records Jesus telling his disciples they would soon experience three things. They would see what others don’t, come alive in a new way, and understand a mysterious reality.

First, he said people would be divided into two groups: those who see him and those who don’t. He said they would, and the world won’t, clarifying that belief would be the determining factor. But the word translated as see in this text is not the one for the physical experience of sight as when you just happen to see something. He used the word for the second glance you take to examine more fully something you’ve previously only casually observed. It involves intentionality and investigation. He clearly meant that even after he was no longer physically with them, there would still be much about him to be seen by those ready to explore with eyes of faith. Like a work of art that continues to reveal more of its beauty, meaning, and impact the longer you carefully consider it, their perspective on his stunning glory would keep expanding the more they gave themselves to pursuing the depth of his majesty.

Second, he said that because he lives (present tense) – not had lived (past tense) or would live (future tense) – they could experience life in a way they hadn’t yet. He wanted them to understand that although his imminent crucifixion would result in the death of his body, he would not cease to be. He would continue living the spiritual life that has belonged to him eternally. And once he’d paid the death penalty owed for human sin, in his resurrection, he’d be able to impart that life to them, a life of another kind, his kind.

Third, he said that once this happened, they would be able to grasp a truth he’d witnessed them struggle with. He told them, “You will know that I am in my Father.” And the word translated as know here is about the kind of understanding that results from relationship rather than instruction. So, what follows is significant because it describes the environment of relationship that would provide the understanding they needed. He said they would finally comprehend the mystery of his unity with the Father because they would be experiencing a similar oneness with himself. They would be in him, and he would be in them. Their lives would be entwined with his in a way similar to his with the Father’s.

So, what does all this have to do with us? Well, nothing if these words are just part of the historical record of some of the Lord’s final instructions to his original disciples. But if you believe, as I do, that Jesus was speaking beyond his inner circle gathered there that day to an audience that includes every Jesus-follower, then the impact for you and me is staggering.

Please, don’t miss this! He has invited us into a relationship with him that results in our eyes being opened to the deeper dimensions of who he is; in his eternal life transforming our mere material existence; and in an experiential knowledge of what it means to be in him as he is in the Father. And the magnitude of just these three aspects of the grace lavished upon us in Christ so overwhelms my ability to comprehend, I’m…I’m struggling to know how to finish this sentence. So, pardon me while I pause here, slip to my knees before him, and attempt to find some way to give voice to my gratitude.

John 14:16-18 • The Breath that is Reality

As they processed what he was teaching them in preparation for his cross, resurrection, and ascension, Jesus understood the fear of abandonment the disciples were confronting. So, in John 14:16-18, he lovingly assured them they would not be orphaned. And he began preparing them to embrace the presence of the one he said the Father would provide to remain with them when he was gone.

This initial introduction to the person and work of the Holy Spirit set the stage for the remainder of Christ’s final instructions to the Twelve. But since the indwelling and overflowing of the Holy Spirit are essential experiences in the life of every believer, all of us need to pay close attention to what Jesus meant when he used two richly significant phrases to describe him.

The first of these is found in verse 16 where Jesus called him 𝘢𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱𝘦𝘳. And each of the Greek words behind this English phrase is important to consider. The word translated as 𝘢𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 refers not only to a second person, but to a second person of the same sort as the first. The Lord was anticipating the hesitance his disciples might have for welcoming the Holy Spirit if they thought he would behave unpredictably. And that can be true for some of us today who are comfortable with Jesus but a little uncertain about the Spirit. So, this simple word that could be easily overlooked was intended to help all of us securely rest in the knowledge that everything we know about Jesus is also true of the Holy Spirit.

Then, with the word translated as 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱𝘦𝘳, Jesus introduced the unique ministry of the Holy Spirit. The original word means 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱. It’s used to describe someone who draws close to offer aid, provide comfort, or serve as an advocate. And that definition is packed with meaning for all Jesus-followers because the Holy Spirit is all of that to us. He’s the one who is always near, standing with us in every situation; the one who is our limitless resource, supplying whatever the need requires; the one who is our emotional shelter, assuaging our heartaches, bearing our burdens, and relieving our fears; and the one who is our defender, confronting and defeating every assault leveled against us.

The second of the phrases Jesus used to describe the Holy Spirit is found in verse 17 where he referred to him as the 𝘚𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘵𝘩. The literal meaning of the word translated as 𝘚𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘵 is 𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩. And the word for truth is less about a fact and more about the realty supporting that fact. So, a translation of the language behind this phrase could easily be 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺. And it reveals the Holy Spirit as not limited by the constraints of a physical body as Jesus’ messianic mission required. So, he can be fully present with each of us in every place all at the same time. But his invisible presence is anchored to a reality that can be experienced. Although unseen with human eyes, he's more substantial than anything we can observe.

If this happens to be one of those days when circumstances are tempting you to feel abandoned, I pray your heart will be encouraged with the truth that you have not been orphaned. And I pray you’ll sense the powerful presence of the one who comes alongside to help.