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Sermon

Jesus Leaves Us His Peace

Speaker
David Capoccia
Scripture
John 14:18-31

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Note: This transcript and summary was autogenerated. It has not yet been proofread or edited by a human.

Summary

Jesus leaves his disciples—and all believers—his own divine peace, a peace fundamentally different from anything the world offers. In John 14:18-31, we find three final heavenly comforts for troubled hearts: Jesus appeared alive from the dead, God discloses himself to the obedient, and Jesus foretold and explained his departure. Together, these comforts form a comprehensive answer to every anxiety and fear believers face.

Key Lessons:

  1. Through union with Christ, believers share in Jesus’ own eternal life and resurrection—his life guarantees ours.
  2. God progressively discloses himself to those who demonstrate genuine love for Jesus through obedience, granting intimate fellowship with the entire Trinity.
  3. The Holy Spirit’s ministry of illumination enables believers today to understand and apply the completed revelation of Christ in Scripture.
  4. Jesus’ peace is not based on circumstances or worldly comforts, but on himself—his finished work, his promises, and his living presence through the Spirit.

Application: We are called to receive Jesus’ peace by faith—believing his promises in the face of trials, turning from unbelief, and choosing the word of the triune God over the misinformation of feelings, temptations, and confusing circumstances. We must also gently help one another find and maintain God’s peace.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Which of the heavenly comforts from John 14 most directly addresses a current struggle or anxiety in your life, and how can you actively believe that promise this week?
  2. Jesus says that the one who has his commandments and keeps them is the one who loves him. How does obedience relate to experiencing deeper fellowship with God, and where might you be hearing but not obeying?
  3. How does understanding union with Christ change the way you think about death, suffering, and the security of your salvation?

Scripture Focus: John 14:18-31 is the central passage, teaching that Jesus’ resurrection, the promise of the indwelling Trinity, and the gift of Jesus’ own peace are heavenly comforts for troubled hearts. Supporting passages include Ephesians 1:4 (union with Christ before creation), 2 Timothy 3:16 and 2 Peter 1:20-21 (the Spirit’s inspiration of Scripture), and Jeremiah 6:14 and Isaiah 48:22 (the failure of the world’s peace).

Outline

Introduction

Ask your pardon for my voice today. I am overcoming a bit of a cold, but I’m on the upswing. So, thank the Lord for that. But allow me to pray before we hear from God in his word.

God, we are very desirous to hear from you.

You have the words of eternal life.

The words that are life, that show us life, that allow us to experience life. God, cause us to hear these words today for our own joy and peace and for your glory. Amen.

Where’s the Peace?

As I prepared today’s message, I found myself thinking about a certain old Wendy’s commercial.

Back in 1984, Wendy’s ran a successful ad campaign centered on the phrase, “Where’s the beef?” Some of you are nodding. The main ad featured a group of old ladies admiring a very large burger.

However, they soon took off the top of the bun to uncover beneath a comically small burger patty.

One of the ladies then remarks in confused outrage, “Where’s the beef?” This was Wendy’s way of criticizing competitors burgers for lacking substance while promoting its own burgers as the real deal.

Now, we might ask a similar question as the original Wendy’s ad when we look at our world.

Not where’s the beef, but where’s the peace?

“Not where’s the beef, but where’s the peace?”

In this troubled world, everyone is either looking for peace or promising you that they found it.

And by peace, I don’t mean only a ceasefire, a temporary respit from trouble or conflict, but a biblical peace, a Hebrew shalom kind of peace that is a wholeness of soul, prosperity of spirit, a true and lasting contentment of heart. This kind of peace that banishes anxieties and cultivates harmonious relationships.

Where is this kind of peace?

Can you find it in a political leader?

In money, in entertainment, in drugs, in romance, in philosophy?

No. The world and everything in it can only offer a cheap imitation of true peace.

And this is why when you get a closer view of the lives of the world’s people, you don’t see peace.

And what about Christians?

Peace: A Theme of the New Testament

If you scan the pages of the New Testament, you will see that peace is an overwhelming theme. Almost every New Testament letter, whether written by Paul, Peter, or John, begins with the blessing, grace and peace to you from God.

The New Testament speaks of God as the God of peace who gives his people the peace of Christ. A peace that even surpasses all understanding.

Rightly could we say that the message of the New Testament indeed the message of all the Bible is fundamentally a message of peace.

“The message of all the Bible is fundamentally a message of peace.”

Nevertheless, when we see the lives of many Christians or maybe even when we look at our own lives, could we not rightly ask, “Where’s the peace?” Why are we Christians also too often marked not by peace, but by anxiety, by hopelessness, and by anger?

Why are we Christians frequently found to be complaining and turning to the same coping mechanisms that the world uses?

What about you this morning?

Do you have peace?

Do you have an abiding contentment and harmoniousness that is not based on easy circumstances, not based on you just getting whatever you want.

Rather, when you are in the middle of ongoing suffering, ongoing confusing circumstances, ongoing mistreatment from others, can you testify from the heart, it is well with my soul.

Truly, peace is the believer’s wonderful inheritance in Christ.

Yet we Christians frequently don’t know much about or don’t make much use of this inheritance that we have received.

So today as we finish up the next major section of Jesus farewell discourse in John 13-17, let’s listen closely to our Lord and let’s learn again how Jesus has bequeafd us believers his very own peace.

I’d like you to see this with your own eyes. So, please pick up a copy of the Bible and turn to the Gospel of John.

Our text today is John 14:18-31.

And our sermon title is Jesus Leaves Us His Peace. Jesus Leaves us his peace.

If you’re using the Bibles that we’ve provided, you can find our passage on a page, 178, John 14:18-31.

Let’s read the passage and then we’ll review the context.

So starting in verse 18 of John 14, Jesus is speaking, he says, “I will not leave you as orphans. I will come to you. After a little while, the world will no longer see me, but you will see me. Because I live, you will live also. In that day, you will know that I am in my father and you in me and I in you.

He who has my commandments and keeps them is the one who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my father, and I will love him and will disclose myself to him. Judas, not a scariat, said to him, Lord, what then has happened that you are going to disclose yourself to us and not to the world?

Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my father will love him, and we will come to him and make our abode with him. He who does not love me does not keep my words, and the word which you hear is not mine, but the fathers who sent me. These things I have spoken to you while abiding with you.

But the helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.

Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.

You heard that I said to you, I go away and I will come to you. If you loved me, you would have rejoiced because I go to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. Now I have told you before it happens, so that when it happens, you may believe. I will not speak much more with you for the ruler of the world is coming and he has nothing in me but so that the world may know that I love the father and I do exactly as the father commanded me. Get up. Let us go from here.

Context: Jesus’ Farewell Discourse

We are back in Jerusalem during Passover in the upper room with Jesus and his 11 disciples. Judas has already left to arrange Jesus betrayal and Jesus will be crucified in a matter of hours.

Knowing that the time is short and that his disciples are greatly troubled at all that is happening, Jesus delivers to the 11 his farewell discourse, a final conversation of final set of comfort and instruction.

In John 14 in particular, Jesus provides his disciples with a series of comforts to answer their worried questions and to calm their shaken up hearts. And this is where we have been recently in our investigation. Recall again in verse one how Jesus begins this whole section.

John 14:1, “Do not let your heart be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me.” And then we’ve seen so far in John 14 five of the eight heavenly comforts that Jesus has for his disciples. Even heavenly comforts for the troubled heart to embrace by faith.

In verse two, quick review here. In verse two, we saw comfort number one. Jesus prepared a home for us. Verse three, we saw comfort number two. Jesus is coming again for us. Verses four to six, we saw comfort number three.

We already know God’s only way. In verses 7 to 11, this is last week now. We saw comfort number four, we already see the invisible father. And then in verses 12 to 17, we saw comfort number five. We will do Jesus greater works.

“Jesus provides his disciples with a series of comforts to calm their shaken up hearts.”

He will empower us to that.

Now, in the final verses of this chapter, we see three more heavenly comforts. Well, the last comfort serving really as a summary of what Jesus has said in this whole chapter.

So then here’s my my thesis, my my main point for today. In verses 18 to 31, we’re looking at three final heavenly comforts for the troubled heart to embrace by faith and then no longer be troubled. Three final heavenly comforts for the troubled heart to embrace by faith.

Comfort #6: Jesus Appeared Alive from the Dead

Now let’s take a look at the sixth comfort that Jesus provides his original disciples and us which we see in verses 18 to 20. Verses 18 to 20. Comfort number six. Jesus appeared alive from the dead.

Take comfort. Jesus appeared alive from the dead. We’ll read reread these verses al together. Verses 18 to 20.

I will not leave you as orphans. I will come to you. After a little while, the world will no longer see me, but you will see me. Because I live, you will live also. In that day, you will know that I am in my father and you in me and I in you.

John 14:18: “I will not leave you as orphans. I will come to you.”

Notice immediately here in verse 18 how Jesus puts his finger on his disciples feelings. Exactly. They feel like with their Lord and teacher suddenly leaving them that they’re being orphaned.

Now Jesus of course has already clarified that while he is indeed leaving them, he will continue to care for them from afar. He’ll actually care for them better than if he were right there physically with them.

But here Jesus says more. Says, “I won’t leave you orphaned. I will come back to you.” Now once again we’re faced with this question of which coming Jesus is speaking of when he says, “I will come to you.” because there’s multiple even here in this discourse from Jesus. Is he speaking again of the rapture?

Is he speaking again of the coming of Jesus spirit? Is he speaking of his resurrection? Or maybe all of them at the same time.

The Resurrection Confirmed

Sound Bible interpreters have taken different positions in answering this question, but the best answer is that Jesus speaks specifically of his soon to take place resurrection.

For notice in the beginning of verse 19, Jesus speaks of a reality that will take place in just a little while. In just a little while, less than 24 hours from when Jesus speaks, the world or that’s people in general will no longer see Jesus. They no longer see him physically. But he says his disciples will. And again, only after a little while. It’s going to end up being just three days.

Furthermore, notice that at the end of verse 19, Jesus speaks of his living as the basis of his disciples also living in the future. Now, how could Jesus say this if he’s about to die? Well, that’s because Jesus will shortly rise again. Proving that his disciples also will rise and live forever when they die. So again, that point fits with the idea of speaking of his resurrection.

“Jesus will shortly rise again, proving that his disciples also will rise and live forever.”

Finally, the language of verses 18 and 19 here is very similar to what we see later on in the discourse in John 16.

John 16 to 16 to22. And we read that passage earlier in the service. In John 16, Jesus speaks again of his departure and of his disciples seeing him again.

And he says that this will take place after only a little while. That phrase returns.

Jesus also describes his disciples seeing him again after that little while as an event that will take away their grief and replace it with lasting joy.

And if we read on in the Gospel of John, that’s exactly what happens when Jesus appears after his resurrection. John 20, it says they were filled with joy.

So as I said, we should understand John 14:18 to20 as referring specifically to Jesus return and his resurrection.

In that sense, he will not leave them as orphans.

Now notice in verse 20, Jesus declares that there’s something that his disciples will know in that day. That is the day of his resurrection appearance to them. What will they know?

Three profound realities according to Jesus. They will know that Jesus is in the father. The disciples are in Jesus.

And Jesus is in his disciples.

Now the first of these three realities we’ve already heard about in verses 10 and 11 of our chapter.

Talked about this recently. When Jesus rises bodily from the dead, the disciples will know with even greater certainty that which Jesus words and works up to this point have already proved.

That is the excuse me, the mutual indwelling of God the Father and God the Son, the mysterious trinitarian relationship of God the Father and God the Son. They will see that confirmed because Jesus has risen from the dead.

But the latter two realities that Jesus mentions here are new, though they parallel what Jesus has just said about the father. Just as Jesus is in the father and the father is in Jesus, so Jesus says the disciples will know on that resurrection day that Jesus is in them and they are in Jesus.

Union with Christ

Okay, what is Jesus talking about here?

It’s actually a reality he’s already broached in this gospel. John 6 56 to 57. That’s when Jesus was talking about heating his flesh and drinking his blood. And he said this is going to result in you being in me and I being in you. Didn’t further explain there but he uses that same terminology again. And it’s because he’s referring to the same reality. That is the reality of mutual indwelling of believers and Jesus. Or what theologians call more simply the doctrine of union with Christ.

Brethren, why is it or how is it that Jesus eternal life and resurrection guarantee your own eternal life and resurrection?

How does that happen?

It is because by Jesus finished salvation work and by the faith that God granted you to have in Jesus, you’ve become spiritually joined to God the Son.

Therefore, the son’s own eternal life is now in you.

It’s union with Christ. Union with Christ is the means by which you receive eternal life. It’s the mechanism. It’s the way it happens. And indeed that’s how you receive every salvation blessing from God. It is by union with Christ with union with Christ. The blessings really all belong to him as God and as the son of God. But because you are joined to him in a kind of spiritual marriage, they all pass to you. You get to enjoy them as well.

“Because you are joined to him in a kind of spiritual marriage, all his blessings pass to you.”

Union with Christ Before the Foundation of the World

Now, when according to the Bible, were you placed into union with Christ so that your spirit is in him and his spirit is in you?

Well, one sense, the union happened when you believed and were saved. I mean, that’s that would seem the obvious answer, but in another more profound sense, this union happened before the foundation of the world. Say, how can that be? Well, I’m just reporting what the scripture says. Ephesians 1:4, for example, says, “Regarding the Father’s election of believers, your choice by God unto salvation, Ephesians 1:4 says, “Just as he, the Father, chose us in him before the foundation of the world.” Chosen him. Chosen whom?

Chose in Christ.

We were placed into Christ. If you’re a believer, you were placed into Christ before time began.

“If you’re a believer, you were placed into Christ before time began.”

Now, of course, we do not experience our union with Christ with all its benefits until conversion, until we actually repent and believe and the spirit of Christ actually indwells us.

Nevertheless, amazingly, the fact of our union with Christ, at least from God’s perspective, was true before creation, true from eternity.

This is why the Bible can speak of our experiencing certain events with Christ.

Even though you and I were not yet physically alive, much less spiritually alive when they happened. The Bible says we were crucified with Christ. We were buried with Christ. We were raised alive with Christ and we were seated in the heavenly places in Christ.

With Christ.

Now, back to John 14:20.

Why does Jesus say on that day on the day of his resurrection appearance the disciples will know that they have saving spiritual union with him?

It’s not because the mediating Holy Spirit will indwell believers that same day. Though Jesus does symbolically breathe the spirit onto his disciples on that day in pledge, which is what we read about in John 20 22.

It is instead because the disciples on that day will see for themselves what the indwelling spirit will also affirm when the spirit comes. That is that salvation has been wholly accomplished for believers in Jesus.

Which means eternally, judicially and spiritually their life is in him and his life is in them.

This Comfort Is for You

Of course, brethren, I’m not just speaking about theoretical disciples out there. I’m speaking about you.

If you believe in Jesus, this comfort is for you. In verses 18 to 20, unlike the original disciples, you did not have Jesus visit you in a post-resurrection appearance.

But you did receive a trustworthy God breathed record of such appearances in the Bible which proves true or I should say proving that what was true for the original disciples is true for you too.

Jesus your Messiah, your savior rose bodily from the dead.

That means that you have unbreakable spiritual union with him. And that union includes eternal life.

“Jesus your Savior rose bodily from the dead. You have unbreakable spiritual union with him.”

Unless Jesus comes soon, you will die and your body will go into the grave.

But as Jesus says, because he lives, you will live also.

Comfort #7: God Discloses Himself to the Obedient

The seventh heavenly comfort that Jesus provides his original disciples and us appears in verses 21 to 26. Comfort number seven is God discloses himself to the obedient.

God, not just Jesus. God discloses himself to the obedient. Look at verse 21.

He who has my commandments and keeps them is the one who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my father, and I will love him and will disclose myself to him.

Notice there’s a shift here in verse 21.

Jesus returns to a concept that he mentioned back in verse 15. That connection between loving Jesus as your Lord and keeping his commands.

I mentioned to you last time that this is a prominent theme in Jesus farewell discourse and Jesus returns to it here in verse 21.

Pardon me again.

Love and Obedience

Notice here that Jesus in his restatement of this concept, he refers to someone who both has Jesus commands commandments and keeps them.

That is to say, someone who both hears and understands Jesus commands and obeys them.

Now, there are plenty of people who don’t do both, right? There are plenty of people who hear and affirm Jesus teaching as good, but then they don’t obey them.

Such persons may think that merely having the commands it shows that they love God and are saved. But Jesus says no. These hearers and hvers they are not the ones that love Jesus. It is the keepers. It is the doers who actually love Jesus.

In short, only those who characteristically and in an increasing way obey Jesus’ commands, they are the ones that demonstrate that they really love Jesus and believe in him.

“Only those who characteristically and increasingly obey Jesus’ commands demonstrate that they really love him.”

And Jesus promises some striking outcomes to those who demonstrate this kind of love.

Excuse me.

The Promise of Divine Fellowship

As in verse 20, we again get a pack of three profound realities. Jesus says the father will love that person. Jesus will love that person and Jesus will disclose himself to that person.

And you might ask, what’s with these promises that the father and son will love the one who obeys? Isn’t that a little mercenary? Or worse, isn’t that basically work salvation?

Oh no, I better obey or else I will lose the love of the father and the son.

No, Jesus is not affirming salvation by works or maintained love by obedience.

Rather, Jesus is describing the ongoing close relationship that God promises to those who come to fundamentally love and believe in Jesus.

Those who actually believe in Jesus, they in that belief are repenting. They are laying aside the old way, the old sins to actually follow and obey Jesus. Jesus is just describing that faith that produces fruit.

True faith always results in new obedience.

So true faith always comes with the guarantee of God’s ongoing love.

“True faith always results in new obedience. So true faith always comes with the guarantee of God’s ongoing love.”

And brethren, if you love Jesus with that kind of faith, then this promise again is for you too. Jesus says, “God the father and God the son love you.

You have entered into a close love relationship with the father and the son. More than that, Jesus promises to disclose himself further to you as an obedience-seeking believer.” Now, what’s that all about? Well, before I answer that question, we should note that one of Jesus disciples has a question along the same lines, which is what we see in verse 22.

Judas’ Question and Jesus’ Answer

Judas, not a scariot, said to him, “Lord, what then has happened that you’re going to disclose yourself to us and not to the world?” Here we get a question from the other Judas, not Judas the Scariot, Judas, the son of James, also known as Thaddius in the Bible. His question is about the apparent exclusivity of what Jesus just said.

Isn’t the Messiah meant to reveal himself to the whole world? Why the change of course? What happened? How did this change take place?

“Isn’t the Messiah meant to reveal himself to the whole world? Why the change of course?”

Well, Jesus answers in verses 23 and 24.

Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my father will love him, and we will come to him and make our abode with him.

He who does not love me does not keep my words and the words which you hear the word which you hear is not mine but the fathers who sent me.

You may notice in these verses that Jesus doesn’t directly answer Judith’s question. Rather Jesus more or less repeats what he’s already said in verse 21 though with a few different and some more words.

Notice now though that Jesus has made more explicit that his promise promises are available to all.

He says if anyone loves me and anyone could be anyone.

The invitation to come to Jesus and enjoy a close love relationship with God is extended to all.

But you must actually accept the invitation according to the terms to receive the promise.

You must turn from loving sin, loving false gods, loving the treasures of the world to love Jesus. Can’t do both at the same time. And if your love is real, real, what will it result in? As Jesus says, keeping Jesus word.

That is obeying his teaching. Keeping the revelation and commands he gave.

Only then will you experience the blessed outcome Jesus describes. And Jesus repeats it in a slightly different way, but again a three-fold way. He says, “The father will love you. The father and son will come to you. And the father and son will make their abode with you.” So you see the invitation to divine fellowship to divine love it is both inclusive and exclusive at the same time offered to all but the terms they are pretty exclusive.

“The invitation to divine fellowship is both inclusive and exclusive—offered to all, but the terms are exclusive.”

Many most will not accept those terms.

The Father and Son Making Their Abode

Now what’s this about the father and son coming and making an abode with the believer?

Interestingly, the word translated abode in the New American Standard 95 translation, it is literally staying place or dwelling place. The same word as we saw back in verse two when Jesus says, “I go to make a dwelling place in my father’s house for you.” But that’s a little bit weird, isn’t it? I thought Jesus was preparing a dwelling place in the father’s house. That’s where we were going to go fellowship with Jesus. But now, father and son are coming to make a dwelling place with us. What’s going on?

Well, Jesus is just explaining more of what he meant by promising further disclosure in verse 21.

Let me tie some of these things together.

Excuse me.

If a person refuses to love Jesus and thus does not keep Jesus words, then that person despite whatever religiosity or love for God he pretends he has rejected God himself. For Jesus words are only the father’s words.

This son and father rejector therefore will gain no further revelation from God, no further disclosure from God. For such one has already rejected the revelation or disclosure given.

But for those who love Jesus and thus love the father, they will be given further revelation of both the father and the son.

This further revelation comes in the resurrection appearances of Jesus which notably were never given to unbelievers except for the apostle Paul who got saved soon afterwards.

Intimate Fellowship with the Whole Trinity

And this further revelation comes even more prominently in the fathers and the sons indwelling believers by the holy spirit.

I told you last time that the mutual indwelling of the members of the trinity means that the holy spirit’s dwelling in us believers it includes the fathers and the sons dwelling in us as well.

Really by the Holy Spirit’s indwelling and by union with Christ which we’ve already discussed.

Believers enjoy intimate spiritual fellowship with the whole trinity. It’s not like we got the spirit but father and son they’re kind of distant. No, it’s every person of the godhead in intimate spiritual fellowship with you.

“By the Holy Spirit’s indwelling, believers enjoy intimate spiritual fellowship with the whole Trinity.”

You in them and they in you. Actually, the scripture says this explicitly, maybe in some ways that surprise us. We see here the father said, the father said that he’s going to make his dwelling with us, even in us.

But other scriptures speak of us being in the father or dwelling in the father. John 17:21, Jesus will say this in his pastoral prayer or his high priestly prayer. In 1 Thessalonians 1:1, Paul says to the saints, “In the father and in the son.”

So this promise of Jesus for true obedient believers is further disclosure, further revelation, further fellowship with the entire Godhead by the spirit. For those who don’t believe and thus won’t obey, no further disclosure. But for those who do, further disclosure with the whole trinity.

The Holy Spirit’s Teaching Ministry

Now, perhaps unsurprisingly, Jesus then continues to speak about the spirit in the next two verses. Look at verses 25 and 26.

These things I have spoken to you while abiding with you. But the helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.

Now, once again, Jesus is speaking in his farewell discourse about the new ministry of the spirit. Here’s another prominent theme of John 13:17.

But Jesus words here clarify how the spirit will further reveal God to God’s people.

It’s not by giving totally new revelation, but by recalling and further explaining the final revelation of Christ. Jesus is the final revealer of God. You can’t get any better revealer of God than God.

Even the the only beloved who dwells in the bosom of the father, as John 1 says, he’s the explainer of God. He has the final revelation. So all the spirit does is take that revelation, recall it to mind and further explain it.

“The Spirit takes Christ’s final revelation, recalls it to mind, and further explains it.”

Notice in verse 26 that the spirit is again called the helper. We explored this term last time. It comes from the Greek paracletos. We transliterate that as periclete. It means the one being called alongside to give aid. Spirit gives any kind of aid that the believer needs. But the one that Jesus focuses on is his aid in teaching. Say more about that in a second.

Spirit, notice, is also called the Holy Spirit here. That’s the title that we most commonly use for the spirit. It’s not the only one in scripture, though.

The Holy Spirit title. It means that the spirit is fundamentally set apart, holy, perfectly clean, and ultimately divine.

Because God is holy, he’s fundamentally set apart. Well, surely his spirit would be holy. And only that which is truly holy can be God.

Notice again in verse 26 how father and son work in harmony to send the spirit.

Jesus talked about this previously but this time Jesus says that the father will send the spirit in the son’s name.

That is according to the son’s authority the son’s request the son’s desire.

And what will the spirit come to do for believers? As I said specifically he comes to teach. Jesus says he will teach the disciples all things and bring to remembrance all things that Jesus said to them. All that Jesus said to the disciples.

Now this this announcement in context surely must have been some measure of relief to the disciples. For the last few verses have repeatedly stressed the need for Jesus followers to obey his word.

But what if the disciples didn’t remember all of Jesus’ words or misunderstood some of those words? They would be held to account for things they couldn’t even remember or couldn’t remember correctly.

Trusting the New Testament

But not to worry, Jesus says, “The Holy Spirit will remind you and further teach you about all that I said.” Phew. That’s great news for them, but it’s also great news for us. And why is that? Because this promise from Jesus related to the Holy Spirit means that we can trust the writings of the apostles.

We can trust the New Testament. We can trust this gospel as the word of God.

You see, the apostles were eyewitnesses of Jesus. And that’s important. But by itself, that fact could not guarantee the accuracy or the authority of the words that they wrote the New Testament because what if the disciples merely forgot something or they misunderstood something that Jesus had said?

But the spirit specifically came to teach them and remind them of all of Jesus word. Not most of it, not the important parts, all of Jesus word.

“The Spirit came to teach them and remind them of all of Jesus’ word—not most, all.”

That being the case, we now know that what the apostles wrote or what they directed their associates to write.

Whatever they said about the father, the son, the spirit is correct. When Jesus says, “I’m going to further disclose the trinity to you,” the apostles did it by the spirit. We can trust that disclosure. And the apostles claim this themselves in other scriptures. Some of these verses. 2 Timothy 3:16. 2 Timothy 3:16. All scripture is inspired by God or literally God breathed and profitable for teaching, for reprove, for correction, for training in righteousness.

Second Peter 1:20-21.

2 Peter 1 20-21. But know this first of all, that no prophecy of scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation.

For no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.

So these verses verses 21- 26 they in a fundamental sense they affirm the New Testament as God’s word and the disclosure the revelation there as accurate and authoritative.

Inspiration vs. Illumination

But are believers today promised the same internal teaching ministry of the Holy Spirit as these disciples?

No. Not the same ministry, but a similar ministry.

The apostles operated under the Holy Spirit’s ministry of inspiration.

God was breathing his word into what they wrote and granted them the understanding to write it. We operate under the Holy Spirit’s ministry of illumination, not inspiration, but illumination. What’s the difference?

Again, the apostles by the spirit were remembering and gaining further insight into Jesus revelation so they could write it down as perfect scripture.

We on the other hand are not gaining or recording new revelation from Jesus.

Rather, the spirit is granting us more and more understanding of what Jesus scriptures say and how to apply them to our lives. So, we’re not writing further revelation from Jesus. We’re granted understanding of what has already been given.

“The Spirit grants us more and more understanding of what Jesus’ Scriptures say and how to apply them.”

1 Corinthians 2:1-12. 1 Corinthians 2:1-12 famously says that God has given us believers his spirit so that we may know the things freely given to us by God, even the thoughts of God and welcome them. If you don’t have the Holy Spirit, you cannot understand fully and certainly you cannot welcome the revelation of Jesus. You cannot accept it because it is spiritually discerned.

But God has granted us his spirit.

God has granted us his spirit so that we can understand. And in that sense, the spirit continues to teach teach even us.

Very happy to be in church. Glad to see that.

In multiple ways, then we take comfort in how God discloses himself further to the obedient. He does that for you. If you are in Christ, he opens himself to you by his spirit through the scriptures so you can fellowship and know him even more.

Summary Comfort: Jesus Foretold and Explained His Departure

Now Jesus has one more heavenly comfort to share with his disciples which as I said is more of a summary of what Jesus has already said than a totally new comfort. So we come to the final point of my sermon outline today which covers verses 27 to31 and it reads summary comfort. Jesus foretold and explained his departure.

This is really what Jesus has been doing the whole time, but he summarizes it in certain ways in these final verses.

Jesus foretold and explained his departure. Look first at just verse 27.

Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled nor let it be fearful.

Jesus returns to where he began in this section of the discourse with the application.

Do not let your hearts be troubled, he says. Or more literally, do not let your heart be disturbed or shaken together.

Do not let your heart be fearful, Jesus says. Or more literally, do not let your heart be cowardly.

Why not? Essentially, Jesus replies, because look at what I’ve left you. I’ve not left you orphaned. I’ve left you peace.

Again, we should understand the peace Jesus is talking about from the context of the Old Testament. Jesus is talking about something way better than a few easy moments, a chance to breathe in the troubles of your life. No, he’s talking about a shalom type of peace, wholeness, rest, contentment, harmony. Jesus says,”I leaving such peace to you as my parting gift so that you need never be troubled in heart.” And notice Jesus says further, he’s not just leaving any peace, but his peace. A peace that he says that is fundamentally different from any peace offered by the world.

“Jesus is talking about shalom—wholeness, rest, contentment, harmony—as his parting gift.”

Jesus’ Peace vs. the World’s Peace

Now, think about it with me for a second. Why does the world’s peace inevitably fail?

Why does any wholeness, rest, contentment or harmony offered by the world ultimately fall short?

Because either the peace is false based on lies and ignorance, or the piece is shallow, only dealing with surface issues, or the peace is short-lived, quickly disappearing into smoke.

This is why the scriptures can solemnly declare, “For the people of the world, Jeremiah 6:14, Jeremiah 6:14, they have healed the brokenness of my people superficially, saying, “Peace, peace, but there is no peace.” Isaiah 48:22 Isaiah 48:22 says, even more bluntly, “There is no peace for the wicked, says the Lord, or says Yahweh.

The world cannot arrive at true peace.

Cannot give it.

Yet Jesus declares explicitly that he does not give peace like the world attempts to give peace. His peace is based on truth. It goes down deep and it lasts forever.

How can Jesus give such peace?

Because his peace is not based on anything in the world. See, that’s the problem with the world’s peace. It’s was always centered on something in the world, something imperfect and broken.

But Jesus peace is not based on anything in the world, but on what? On himself.

“Jesus’ peace is not based on anything in the world, but on himself.”

It is the very peace that Jesus himself enjoys in his essence as God. And Jesus says, “I give you this peace, my peace.” And give is present tense. I’m giving it to you now. It’s available to you right now. Receive it right now.

Receiving Peace by Faith

Now, you may say, “That sounds great, but how do I receive that peace?” Well, what do you think the answer is?

It’s by faith. It’s by faith. After all, what did Jesus say in the beginning of this chapter? Believe in God. Believe also in me. Do not let your heart be troubled. Believe in God. Believe also in me.

Brethren, if you believe in Jesus and believe in his promises, you will receive the Lord’s own peace.

“If you believe in Jesus and believe in his promises, you will receive the Lord’s own peace.”

You say, “Which promises of Jesus must I believe?” How about the promises of this chapter?

The Heavenly Comforts Answer Every Concern

Indeed, what concern might you have in your heart that is not covered by the heavenly comforts that Jesus has given in John 14?

My sins are so many and severe.

Jesus says, I prepared a home in heaven for you once and for all by my work on the cross.

I feel so alone.

Jesus says, I’ve sent you my spirit and I’m coming again to get you soon.

I’m afraid I’m going to miss out on some treasure of the world. Jesus says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. If you have me, you’re not missing anything.

Life’s trials and tasks and people are just too much for me.” Jesus says, “I will answer your every prayer and empower you for every good work.

But I’m afraid of death.” Jesus says, “You are in union with me.

As I live, so you will live.

But I just don’t know what to do.

Jesus says, “My spirit will teach you and guide you by my word.” Do you see what a comprehensive pack of comforts Jesus has delivered to his believers?

But if we hear all of these or read all of these and still ask dejectedly, “Where’s the peace?” The appropriate answer is just another question.

Where’s the faith? Where’s the faith?

“If we still ask ‘Where’s the peace?’ the appropriate answer is: Where’s the faith?”

Christian, these comforts, Jesus peace, they are your generous inheritance. But the only key to the treasure vault is faith.

If you would only believe, oh, how the crushing burdens of your soul might be lifted. Your circumstances may not be changed, but you will experience peace.

So, won’t you believe today? Won’t you receive the Lord’s peace by faith? By believing in him and by believing in his promises.

Won’t you choose faith in the son’s word, which is the father’s word, which is the spirit’s word, over the misinformation of your own feelings, of sinful temptations, and of the circumstances that puzzle you so much in your life. Will you believe the word of the triune God over the misinformation that you are presented today? If you’ve not yet come to know Jesus Christ, turn from your sin. Trust in Jesus alone to save you by his perfect life, death, and resurrection.

And this peace can be yours. Again, it’s just granted by faith. It could be yours today if you don’t know Jesus.

If you do know Jesus, well then turn again. Turn again from your sin. Turn again from your unbelief that you’ve slid into. Believe in Jesus. Believe in Jesus word. And discover his peace again in a new and deeper way than you did before. Again, it’s available to you by faith.

As we’ve discovered from this passage, brethren, if you are in Christ, the Trinity loves you.

Not with a dispassionate, indifferent kind of love. That’s a contradiction in terms. The Trinity has great affection for you.

Father, Son, and Holy Spirit wants you to know God’s peace.

You can if you believe.

Now, brethren, I know, and it’s important to remind you, I know that even true believers can struggle mightily to find the peace or joy of God at times.

Psalms 42 and 43, which we studied this past summer, they are clear evidence of this, as are the 11 disciples who, even after this magnificent word, they will remain depressed. They will remain depressed through the rest of the discourse.

As Jesus is patient with us in our struggle to grasp firm hold of his spectacular peace, so we are to be patient with one another. Don’t just say, “Have faith. What’s your problem?” We must gently help one another to find and maintain God’s peace.

That being said, let us not sell the Lord or his scriptures short. Jesus left us his peace. That is an amazing reality. Not to sigh after, but to appropriate and to enjoy.

Now, someone may say at this point, “Pastor Dave, sounds like you’re wrapping up your sermon, but you still got four verses to go.” That’s true. So, let me continue.

Let me continue looking at Jesus summary comfort by turning to the surprising word that Jesus says in verse 28.

Look at verse 28.

The Father Is Greater Than I

You heard that I said to you, I go away and I will come to you. If you loved me, you would have rejoiced because I go to the Father, for the Father is greater than I.

The beginning of verse 28 is another summary of what Jesus has said thus far.

By his substitutionary death on the cross, he is going away. But he also will come back by his resurrection, by his spirit, and by his second coming. He says, “You heard me say this. I did say that.” Yet notice Jesus now reproves his disciples for having for him an immature kind of love. A love that shortsightedly would rather keep Jesus on earth with them than let Jesus go back to heaven.

Jesus suggests that if the disciples really loved him, that is if they had a mature love for him, they would have been glad to see Jesus go back to the father. And the reason Jesus supplies for this rejoicing, this gladness is the simple fact that the father is greater than Jesus.

“If the disciples had a mature love for Jesus, they would have been glad to see him go back to the Father.”

Uhoh.

Did Jesus just admit that he is inferior to the father and therefore not God?

Many who seek to deny the deity of Christ have seized on the last phrase of this verse. See Jesus is not God. He’s just God. Small G.

But Jesus cannot mean that he is not God or that he is only a lesser God. Why not? Because the rest of the Bible, the rest of this gospel, and indeed many of the verses of this farewell discourse confirm the opposite.

I mean, how many times have we gone through the Gospel of John? I’m like, and here’s another thing that so is that Jesus is God. Jesus is accepting prayer. Jesus is accepting worship. Jesus said that he’s one with the father.

Clearly, John the Apostle believes that Jesus is God and he wants you to believe that, too. So, it’s not like the pen slipped and he’s like, “Oh, I don’t know how that verse got in there.” John 14:28.

No, Jesus cannot mean that he is not God.

So what does he mean? In what sense can Jesus say that the father is greater than Jesus is? Well, this is not a new question.

Pastors, preachers, church fathers have been answering this question for centuries. Most Trinitarian interpreters understand this verse as pointing to Jesus humiliation in his incarnation and or to the different but equal roles that exist in the Trinity. And I would give a similar type of answer. Here’s how I would explain it.

In Jesus becoming a man to save mankind, Jesus laid aside his divine glory. He didn’t lay aside his divinity. Didn’t stop being God, but he laid aside his divine glory and he made himself completely dependent on the father.

Jesus did this out of love to the father and in anticipation of the father’s exalting Jesus again.

The father indeed promised the son at the completion of the son’s salvation mission the highest honor, rule, and authority to be exercised on behalf of God’s people.

Jesus Returns to the Father for Our Blessing

Thus in returning to the father whose role and glory are greater than the sons during the son’s incarnation or rather the experience the manifestation of that glory. Jesus not only returns to glory but also to a greater position to serve his redeemed people.

Indeed Jesus return to the father is what secures for believers every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. That’s a phrase that comes from Ephesians 1. And as the men have been studying in Iron Man recently, those blessings, every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, who gives them?

The father does. But he gives them in Christ. They come to us by union with Christ. Jesus had to complete his mission. He had to go to the father and he had to ask saying, “I’ve completed what you told me to do.

Now fulfill your promise.” And God says, “All the blessings are now being outpoured.” Why then would any of Jesus’ disciples, if they truly loved him, and if they knew simply what was best for themselves, why would they seek to hold Jesus back from this?

No. No. Stay here, Jesus. Don’t go to the father. Even though that’s how we get all the blessings. That’s how Jesus will be exalted to the glory that he had and deserves forever.

Really, none of the heavenly comforts of this passage belong to believers unless Jesus goes to the father.

“None of the heavenly comforts of this passage belong to believers unless Jesus goes to the Father.”

Because Jesus temporarily is humbled in his incarnation mission.

His ability to minister to believers in a certain sense is limited. But when he goes back to the father, it will be unleashed in a much greater way.

Jesus continues in verse 29, “Now I’ve told you before it happens so that when it happens, you may believe.” Jesus said these almost same words back in John 13:19 when Jesus foretold that someone close to him would fulfill the scripture and betray him. Says, “I told you about it in advance.”

So when it happens, you will believe. You’ll believe that I am he. By using this phrase again, Jesus is again reassuring that his disciples reassuring his disciples that he is in complete control. All is proceeding according to the father’s good plan.

When the disciples see Jesus go away and see Jesus come back in fulfillment of all these promises, then the disciples will know and we through the disciples word will know with even greater certainty that Jesus is the Christ and the son of God and that in believing we have life in his name.

Satan Has Nothing in Jesus

Finally, in verses 30 to 31, we behold Jesus determination to bring all that he has promised to pass. Look at those final two verses. I will not speak much more with you, for the ruler of this world is coming and he has nothing in me. But so that the world may know that I love the father, I do exactly as the father commanded me. Get up. Let us go from here.

Again, in verse 30, Jesus warns his disciples that time is short and they must pay close attention therefore to what he is telling them.

Who does Jesus say is coming for Jesus?

Not Judas the Scariot, not the Jews, not the Romans, but the ruler of the world.

And that is a designation for Satan.

Of course, Satan is not the ultimate ruler of the world. God is. You can’t steal sovereignty from God. But God has permitted Satan to exercise authority over the world and over its rebellious people for a time.

That is why the world in various ways is a raid against God and against God’s people.

This is Satan’s usurping rebellious rule at work.

Jesus says here in verse 30 that Satan through evil men is coming for Jesus. The usurper is trying to destroy in a lasting way the real king.

Yet Jesus is not at all afraid. He is not really concerned. He actually says, “Satan has nothing in me.” What does that mean? This phrase probably means that Satan will find no vulnerability in Jesus. After all, Jesus is the perfectly righteous one, which means that Satan cannot succeed by using guilt or by parading some sort of temptation. Not going to work on the sun. And Jesus is also the powerful lifegiver, which means that Satan cannot succeed even with inflicting death.

“Satan will find no vulnerability in Jesus. He is the perfectly righteous one.”

In the battle to come, then Satan will emerge a crushed serpent while only bruising the son of God on his heel as Genesis 3 for foretold.

But will not the bruising be painful?

What is driving the sun so incessantly forward?

The answer is in verse 31.

Love for the Father Drives Obedience

And it’s love.

Love for the father.

Because the son loves the father and desires to testify of this fact to the whole world. Jesus says the son does exactly as the father commands him.

Does that sound familiar?

What do Jesus is again providing a pattern an example for us to follow? For did he just did he say not just a few verses earlier, if anyone loves me, he will keep my word.

The same thing with the son and the father. Because Jesus loves the father, he will exactly keep the father’s word.

He will fulfill every commandment. He will be perfectly obedient to the father because he loves the father and he enjoys a love relationship with the father.

“Because Jesus loves the Father, he will exactly keep the Father’s word—perfectly obedient because he loves the Father.”

Get Up—An Invitation to Obey

Jesus ends the section by telling his disciples, “Get up. Let us go from here.” Which is an intriguing statement because the discourse then continues for another three chapters.

Say, “I thought the conversation was ending. I thought they were leaving.” Or why does it keep going? Well, one of two explanations. Either Jesus continues the conversation on the way to the garden.

They’re walking through the streets of Jerusalem. They’re going down the steps towards the Kidron Valley. They’ll cross it at a certain point, but Jesus continues to talk with them on the way.

That’s totally possible. Or it could simply be what is often the case even in our own gettogethers today. Actually, we saw this in a hilarious way when we did the last dinners for eight. The people who gathered, I heard them say at least three or four times, “Okay, it’s time for us to leave, but nobody left. They just kept talking.” And it could be the same thing here. Jesus says, “All right, guys. Time to leave.” But they’re delaying or they don’t get up right away. And so, the conversation just continues. Either one of those things is true.

Either way, there is a kind of implicit invitation in these last words of Jesus in John 14. An implicit invitation.

Jesus was ready out of love for his father and a determination to obey to get up and face the cross.

He invites us also to make ready out of love for Jesus and from the peace that Jesus has left us to rise up and obey.

“Jesus invites us out of love for him and from the peace he left us to rise up and obey.”

May we do that. May we do that together as a church.

Closing Prayer

Let me close in a word of prayer.

Lord God, I’m often struck at the end of preaching that your word is so magnificent. I’m not even sure what to say.

I guess what I should say, Lord, is thank you. These are amazing comforts that you’ve given us in this passage.

They indeed, if we think through them and if we apply them the way that we ought, they answer every concern we might have in this life.

It is true, God, that you put in your mysterious, loving sovereignty. You put your people into some of the most difficult of troubles where we do have loved ones who pass away or we deal with extremely painful and debilitating illnesses or we love those who are dealing with those illnesses or we lose a job or we experience the hatred and the rejection of close family and friends when we try to minister your gospel to them.

You’re not ignorant of these things. You ordained these things. You decreed these things.

And it’s not because you want to take away our peace.

No God, you have a good purpose in these things to display your glory to the universe, but also to drive us to a much deeper peace than we have yet experienced.

A peace that is not based on the approval of others or things going well for us or being healthy but on knowing you experiencing the further disclosure of the father and son and holy spirit.

Oh God if we would realize what a treasure we have in simply knowing you and having everything promised and taken care of by you we would experience true peace. And God, we testify we have experienced that. We do know your peace, but we often drift from it and exchange it for a shallower kind of peace that the world offers.

So God, as you Jesus, have directed us to pray to you about every need, we ask you.

We ask you for your peace and we ask you that we would believe it.

We would believe in you and we would believe in every promise and comfort that you’ve given us so that when the trials come God though we experience the trouble of it ultimately our hearts are not troubled you will say later on Lord Jesus in this discourse in the world you will have trial and tribulation but be of good courage I have overcome the world Lord make us people of good courage and may that be part of the otherwise inexplicable in inexplicable testimony we present to the world. We are a people of peace and courage not because everything goes well for us but because it is well with our souls.

We know the triune God and we want them to know you as well.

Lord bless your people and let this word stick with us. Continue to be something we meditate on and share with others in Jesus name. Amen.

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