Incarnation 44 - Gospel of John - John 15:1-17

[00:00:20] As you know, we've been going through the Gospel of John for some time.

[00:00:23] And this is the point in the Gospel of John where Jesus turns inward and He talks to the people He knows best

[00:00:30] and that He has been with for the longest. They know Him best and He knows them best.

[00:00:36] And I want, if we can for today, if you can put yourselves into the feet or into the sandals of the disciples to whom Jesus is speaking.

[00:00:46] Because He does speak to us through His Word, of course, not just the people He's speaking to in that day.

[00:00:53] Because that's why we have the Scripture so that we can learn something from it.

[00:00:57] And so I don't want what we read today to be just some distant thing that happened.

[00:01:02] This is for you today.

[00:01:05] And so we find ourselves here with Jesus and the disciples on the last night of His life.

[00:01:11] Just after the Last Supper. On the night before He dies, the night that He was betrayed.

[00:01:15] We talked about that at communion time.

[00:01:18] And He is comforting His friends.

[00:01:21] He's going to face death the next day.

[00:01:24] And He's encouraging His friends.

[00:01:28] This discourse is a longer discourse and it spans about three or four chapters.

[00:01:33] It's called the Upper Room Discourse.

[00:01:34] This is where the disciples are seen in this room.

[00:01:39] And leading up to today's passage, you remember Jesus had washed the disciples' feet.

[00:01:44] And they didn't comprehend what that meant.

[00:01:47] And He told them again that He has to go away.

[00:01:51] And they didn't understand that either.

[00:01:55] And He told them that they can't come with Him.

[00:01:58] Not yet at least.

[00:02:00] And they were unclear about what that meant too.

[00:02:05] They were kind of in the dark.

[00:02:06] And they were confused.

[00:02:08] And they didn't understand what was happening.

[00:02:10] So many things happening at the same time.

[00:02:11] But Jesus comforts His friends.

[00:02:13] And He gives them hope.

[00:02:15] When He's facing the end of His life the next day.

[00:02:20] He knows they're worried and confused.

[00:02:22] And I think we all know what that can seem like sometimes.

[00:02:26] Even though we're Christians.

[00:02:28] And He tells them even so to believe in Him.

[00:02:32] Just trust me.

[00:02:33] I know you don't understand.

[00:02:34] Just trust me, He says.

[00:02:35] And so we pick up Jesus' conversation here with His disciples in John 14, verse 12.

[00:02:41] And I'm going to take us through the end of the chapter.

[00:02:44] And like I say, it's good to read longer passages of Scripture together because we don't do that enough.

[00:02:50] But we'll begin here in verse 12.

[00:02:54] Jesus speaking says to His disciples,

[00:02:56] Truly, truly, I say to you,

[00:02:58] Whoever believes in Me will also do the works that I do.

[00:03:01] And greater works than these he will do.

[00:03:04] Because I'm going to the Father.

[00:03:06] Whatever you ask in My name, this I will do.

[00:03:10] That the Father may be glorified in the Son.

[00:03:13] If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.

[00:03:16] If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.

[00:03:19] And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another helper to be with you forever.

[00:03:24] Even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him.

[00:03:30] You know Him.

[00:03:32] For He dwells with you, and I will be in you.

[00:03:35] And will be in you.

[00:03:37] I will not leave you as orphans.

[00:03:38] I will come to you.

[00:03:40] Yet a little while, and the world will see Me no more.

[00:03:42] But you will see Me.

[00:03:43] Because I live, you also will live.

[00:03:47] And that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you.

[00:03:52] Whoever has My commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves Me.

[00:03:56] And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father.

[00:03:59] And I will love him, and manifest Myself to him.

[00:04:04] Judas, not Iscariot, said to him,

[00:04:07] Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us and not to the world?

[00:04:12] Jesus answered him,

[00:04:13] If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word, and My Father will love him.

[00:04:18] And we will come to him and make our home with him.

[00:04:22] Whoever does not love Me does not keep My words.

[00:04:24] And the word that you hear is not Mine, but the Father's who sent Me.

[00:04:29] These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you.

[00:04:32] But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name,

[00:04:36] He will teach you all things and bring to you remembrance all that I have said to you.

[00:04:42] Peace I leave with you.

[00:04:44] My peace I give to you, not as the world gives do I give to you.

[00:04:47] Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

[00:04:52] You heard Me say to you, I am going away, and I will come to you.

[00:04:56] If you loved Me, you would have rejoiced, because I am going to the Father,

[00:05:00] for the Father is greater than I.

[00:05:02] And now I have told you before it takes place,

[00:05:04] so that when it does take place you may believe.

[00:05:07] I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming.

[00:05:12] He has no claim on Me, but I do as the Father has commanded Me,

[00:05:17] so that the world may know that I love the Father.

[00:05:20] Rise, let us go from here.

[00:05:24] These are the words of Jesus our Lord.

[00:05:27] Let's pray.

[00:05:29] Dear Lord Jesus,

[00:05:31] we just read Your words from a couple thousand years ago.

[00:05:35] Let them have the same power that they had when they fell upon the ears of the disciples.

[00:05:43] They changed the disciples' lives.

[00:05:45] Change our lives, Lord.

[00:05:48] For Your glory we pray in Jesus' name. Amen.

[00:05:53] You may know this person, Ellen.

[00:05:55] She had always been close to her father.

[00:05:58] Growing up, he was her hero.

[00:06:01] He was always there with a hug and a word of encouragement

[00:06:03] or a quiet look that reminded her that she was loved.

[00:06:07] She grew up under his gentle guidance, feeling safe and valued and understood.

[00:06:13] But then in her early twenties, her father was diagnosed with a rare illness.

[00:06:18] It was sudden and severe.

[00:06:20] And within months, he was in and out of hospitals,

[00:06:23] undergoing difficult treatments that seemed to sap his strength and spirit.

[00:06:29] One afternoon after another round of tests,

[00:06:32] Ellen and her father sat together in the hospital room

[00:06:34] watching the rain pat her against the window.

[00:06:37] She said she'd seen her father endure weeks of pain,

[00:06:41] physical therapy and difficult news,

[00:06:42] and her heart ached seeing him like this.

[00:06:47] And though she tried to stay strong for him,

[00:06:49] the questions and the frustration always bubbled under the surface.

[00:06:54] She wanted to scream,

[00:06:55] Why is this happening to him?

[00:06:57] He doesn't deserve this. None of this makes any sense.

[00:07:01] As they sat there in the silence, her father gently took her hand,

[00:07:06] his touch still warm and comforting despite his frail body.

[00:07:10] He looked into her eyes with that familiar calm.

[00:07:15] And before she could stop herself, the words burst out,

[00:07:17] Dad, I just don't understand.

[00:07:19] You've been faithful and kind your whole life.

[00:07:22] Why are you suffering like this?

[00:07:25] Her father looked at her, his eyes tired but filled with a quiet peace.

[00:07:30] He said, sometimes we're not given answers.

[00:07:34] I can't say why this is happening or how it will end,

[00:07:37] but I know who I'm trusting through it.

[00:07:42] Ellen felt tears welling up in her eyes.

[00:07:45] But aren't you afraid? She whispered.

[00:07:49] Don't you feel abandoned?

[00:07:51] Or lost?

[00:07:54] He squeezed her hand and smiled.

[00:07:57] With an unmistakable strength,

[00:07:59] I do feel lost sometimes.

[00:08:02] I'm afraid at times, yes.

[00:08:04] But when I don't understand,

[00:08:07] I remind myself of the promises of Jesus.

[00:08:11] I know he's here.

[00:08:14] Even when I can't feel it.

[00:08:15] Even when I can't see a way out.

[00:08:18] Just like I told you when you were little and we were afraid of the dark.

[00:08:22] I told you that I can't take away the dark.

[00:08:24] But I can promise you that you won't be alone in it.

[00:08:28] And that I'd be with you.

[00:08:31] In the same way, even though Jesus doesn't always take away the darkness we're walking through,

[00:08:36] he'll always be walking through it with us.

[00:08:42] And that's where we find the disciples on this night.

[00:08:46] They feel like they're in the dark.

[00:08:50] They feel like they don't have all the answers.

[00:08:53] And they don't.

[00:08:55] And he says, I know it's dark,

[00:08:57] but just trust me.

[00:08:59] You know the way because you know me.

[00:09:01] So as we begin today's passage,

[00:09:06] put yourself in these men's shoes.

[00:09:09] When they felt like they were being left in the dark.

[00:09:12] They represent you today.

[00:09:15] Many times in the scripture we can't really put ourselves into the story.

[00:09:20] But here I think Jesus' words transcend those 11 men that were left in that room to us.

[00:09:27] Because believers in Christ don't have all the answers.

[00:09:31] Can you relate to that?

[00:09:32] I know I can.

[00:09:35] So let's look at verse 12 to begin.

[00:09:37] Jesus says to them,

[00:09:38] Truly, truly, I say to you,

[00:09:40] whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do,

[00:09:43] and greater works than these he will do,

[00:09:46] because I'm going to the Father.

[00:09:49] These greater works are not greater as in more spectacular.

[00:09:55] How could they be?

[00:09:56] What could be greater than, say, walking on water?

[00:10:00] Or raising someone from the dead?

[00:10:01] Or raising multiple people from the dead?

[00:10:03] Or raising yourself from the dead?

[00:10:05] Can you think of anything greater than that?

[00:10:09] Jesus wasn't talking about greater as in more spectacular, more astonishing.

[00:10:14] But greater in number and extent.

[00:10:16] And we'll see.

[00:10:16] If you're taking notes today, your first note here says,

[00:10:18] By the empowering of the Holy Spirit, God's people are now doing the greater works that Jesus spoke about.

[00:10:26] How is that?

[00:10:28] I have a question for you.

[00:10:33] The question is, between the time of Jesus' death on the cross and his resurrection three days later,

[00:10:38] how many believers do you think there were during that dark span of time?

[00:10:42] When they just saw their Lord, their disciple, their teacher, their rabbi up on the cross,

[00:10:47] and the time that he rose?

[00:10:50] How many believers were there?

[00:10:52] We read in scripture his mother was there at the cross, the foot of the cross.

[00:10:56] John the apostle was there.

[00:10:59] So was his mother, his brother, the disciples, they were scattered.

[00:11:05] How many from the crowds that we heard about being fed,

[00:11:08] how many of those believed during those three days?

[00:11:12] Was it thousands, you think?

[00:11:15] Was it hundreds at least?

[00:11:18] Was it only dozens?

[00:11:22] Was it any?

[00:11:25] I've heard Bible commentators say that the faithful Israel,

[00:11:30] whether it's the nation or Christ himself,

[00:11:34] those numbers ebbed and flowed throughout the years.

[00:11:38] And I've heard Bible commentators say that it could have been

[00:11:42] that the number of the faithful Israel was whittled down to one on the day Christ died.

[00:11:51] Because they look up and he says, well, he's dead.

[00:11:57] When the world was destroyed by a flood, back in Genesis 6 and 7,

[00:12:03] there were only eight believers, only eight faithful in the world.

[00:12:08] And last week we talked about how the road to destruction is wide and it's easy.

[00:12:17] And many find it.

[00:12:20] But the road to life is hard and it's narrow and only few find that.

[00:12:25] And so here we see that potentially the faithful Israel is whittled down to just one on the cross.

[00:12:38] But, Jesus gives a reason here for this.

[00:12:45] He said that we would be able to do greater works than he did because he's going to the Father.

[00:12:54] And he had to go through that door of death.

[00:12:57] Jesus gives us the reason about why we are able to do these greater works

[00:13:03] is because of the fact that I'm going to ascend, I'm going to die.

[00:13:07] Why is that important? Because it was God's will.

[00:13:10] It was God's will that unless and until Jesus left through his sacrificial death,

[00:13:16] the Holy Spirit would not be sent.

[00:13:18] That was God's plan, his will.

[00:13:20] Well, why is that?

[00:13:21] How much can one physical human being do to spread the gospel message?

[00:13:27] Actually quite a bit because Jesus did a lot.

[00:13:30] But Jesus knew in his infinite wisdom, along with his Father,

[00:13:35] that if this same Spirit can go into all the believers,

[00:13:38] that multiplies exponentially, doesn't it?

[00:13:41] Now it's not just Jesus preaching, it's his 12 disciples preaching.

[00:13:45] And then when they gain followers to Christ,

[00:13:48] they're all going to be preaching and see how the numbers go up and up.

[00:13:52] Jesus says, well, I'm on earth.

[00:13:54] Yes, I'm God in human flesh, but I'm one human.

[00:13:57] When I go, it's going to be better for you because the same Spirit that is with me will be in you.

[00:14:03] And I'll empower you.

[00:14:04] Look at John 16.

[00:14:07] Jesus tells us, I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away.

[00:14:10] Remember, the disciples are in the dark.

[00:14:12] What do you mean you're leaving? You can't leave.

[00:14:14] He says, no, it's your advantage that I go away.

[00:14:16] For if I do not go away, the helper, the Spirit, will not come to you.

[00:14:21] But if I go, I will send him to you.

[00:14:24] So after Jesus died and ascended to the Father, we see things happening.

[00:14:29] And they're happening differently.

[00:14:30] The Holy Spirit was sent then on Pentecost, 50 days later.

[00:14:35] We read about some of these greater works when Peter, filled with the Spirit,

[00:14:38] remember this, in Acts 2, preached his sermon on the day of Pentecost.

[00:14:43] And we read in Acts 2, Luke speaking here,

[00:14:47] It says,

[00:14:48] Those who received his word were baptized and they were added that day about 3,000 souls.

[00:14:55] And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.

[00:15:00] Two chapters later in Acts 4 when Peter and John, again, full of the Spirit who had just been sent

[00:15:05] and now is indwelling them preaching the word to the crowd,

[00:15:08] before of course they were arrested like usual.

[00:15:11] Acts chapter 4, Luke writes again,

[00:15:16] Now that's just the men.

[00:15:21] Add one woman per man, we've got 10,000.

[00:15:23] Plus any adolescents that are believing.

[00:15:25] These numbers are big.

[00:15:27] On the cross might have just been one faithful Israel.

[00:15:31] Now that Jesus has gone and he sent the Spirit, look at these numbers.

[00:15:36] Those are greater works.

[00:15:38] Those are the beginning of the greater works.

[00:15:44] In the coming decades, the apostles would go out into the nations, not just Israel,

[00:15:49] and preach the gospel.

[00:15:51] And they'd plant churches and they'd evangelize all of Western Asia into Egypt and Africa, into Europe.

[00:15:58] Those are greater works.

[00:16:00] Greater works than Jesus did geographically and even numbers wise.

[00:16:07] These are the greater works.

[00:16:09] Many more, many, many more came to faith in Christ.

[00:16:13] Once Jesus left and sent the Holy Spirit to empower all of his believers.

[00:16:17] Your next note says,

[00:16:19] Jesus said that it was good that he went away because now the Spirit dwells within us.

[00:16:25] You'll see as we read through John 14 and the rest of it,

[00:16:29] the Holy Spirit is among the disciples.

[00:16:33] But he says, he'll be in you when I leave.

[00:16:38] Jesus said we would do greater works because he is going to the Father.

[00:16:44] And the Holy Spirit was then sent to empower God's people.

[00:16:48] To spread the gospel in greater ways than just one human being can do it.

[00:16:52] And God knew that.

[00:16:54] Today Christianity has reached every continent around the globe.

[00:16:59] And I would be confident to say every country of the almost 200 countries in the world.

[00:17:05] Over 2.2 billion people profess to be Christian.

[00:17:10] Today Christianity is the largest religion in the world.

[00:17:15] These are greater works.

[00:17:17] These are the greater works.

[00:17:23] Verse 13.

[00:17:25] Jesus says,

[00:17:27] Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do.

[00:17:30] That the Father may be glorified in the Son.

[00:17:32] If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.

[00:17:36] Yes and amen.

[00:17:37] Don't we love this verse?

[00:17:39] He'll do anything I ask him.

[00:17:41] Wait, wait, is that what it said?

[00:17:44] Let's slow down.

[00:17:46] We love this verse.

[00:17:47] We love what it says, but I don't think it means what so many people think it means.

[00:17:53] It doesn't mean what, that if you say some magic words at the end of a request that you'll have whatever you say before that.

[00:18:03] If you just say, in Jesus' name, after whatever you want, it's not an incantation.

[00:18:08] It's not like abracadabra, poof, and there we go.

[00:18:11] It's not what he's saying.

[00:18:13] It's not a magic formula.

[00:18:15] So what is Jesus saying?

[00:18:17] Well, what did he say?

[00:18:18] Look at the words.

[00:18:19] That the Father may be glorified in the Son.

[00:18:21] Now, we pray a lot of things according to our will, according to what I want.

[00:18:27] But if I just tack on a couple words at the end, that doesn't mean we're going to get that.

[00:18:32] Is what I'm asking for going to glorify the Father and the Son?

[00:18:35] Is it going to honor God?

[00:18:38] Well, I don't have to answer that.

[00:18:39] You know.

[00:18:40] You know your prayers.

[00:18:44] He also says, if you ask anything in my name, I will do it.

[00:18:46] What does that mean?

[00:18:49] Because I know that a lot of prayers we pray and we have prayed in our lives would probably glorify ourselves or honor ourselves.

[00:18:57] And if you want a brand new sports card, that would glorify you, but will glorify God.

[00:19:02] And then he goes on to say, if you ask anything in my name, I will do it.

[00:19:08] What does that mean?

[00:19:08] Your next note here says what it means.

[00:19:10] To ask for something in Jesus' name means to ask for something according to his character and his will.

[00:19:20] It means to ask something that he would ask for.

[00:19:25] You say, well, like they always say, think of Jesus being right next to you in the room.

[00:19:32] Because he is.

[00:19:33] He is next to you.

[00:19:34] You can't see him, but he's here with us.

[00:19:38] You might ask yourself next time you're on your knees in prayer about something you really want.

[00:19:42] Would Jesus ask his Father for this?

[00:19:45] Or not?

[00:19:46] It's a little litmus test to see, is this just me wanting this sensual thing?

[00:19:53] Or is it an honorable, glorifying, godly request?

[00:19:59] Because if you ask for something according to God's will, well, do you think he'll do it?

[00:20:05] Of course he will.

[00:20:06] It's his will.

[00:20:08] And this Christian journey that we're on is to be ever increasingly like Jesus, into the image of him, to be conformed into the image of him, and have his desires and his wants.

[00:20:20] Because you think of the first day you were a Christian, you probably have different desires and wants today, hopefully, because you've become more like Jesus now.

[00:20:27] And you're willing to go through more suffering and be patient in all those types of spiritual mature things than you were before when you were a baby Christian.

[00:20:35] Because now you've been seasoned and you have gained endurance because of those hard times.

[00:20:39] And now your prayers are probably different too.

[00:20:42] Instead of just saying, I need this, I need this, and you give Jesus your laundry list of needs, quote unquote, really wants.

[00:20:49] Now it's more like, help me to learn more patience.

[00:20:53] Help me to bite my tongue.

[00:20:55] Those types of prayers are different because they're becoming, your will is becoming more like Jesus' will.

[00:20:59] And that's what he wants for us.

[00:21:02] And we should want that as well.

[00:21:06] Same author here, 1 John.

[00:21:09] John reflects on this where he says in 1 John 5,

[00:21:13] And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.

[00:21:21] And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the request that we have asked of him.

[00:21:29] Same author again, 1 John.

[00:21:31] He's saying, I know that if I ask something according to his will, he'll hear us and he'll give that to us.

[00:21:38] He doesn't say, if I ask him for anything I want, that he'll give it to me.

[00:21:43] But that's what we like to hear sometimes.

[00:21:46] We pray for God's will to be done.

[00:21:49] And it will be done.

[00:21:50] And we pray for our wills to be aligned with God and his will.

[00:21:56] At least we should be.

[00:21:58] Romans 8, famous passage, we're told that we are to be increasingly conformed to the image of Christ.

[00:22:04] And that includes our will.

[00:22:06] We have to lay down our will to the Lord's will.

[00:22:10] And eventually our wills will be completely aligned with the will of God once we're in glory.

[00:22:15] And we see, we know what's best for us because he shows us.

[00:22:20] Right now we don't know.

[00:22:21] Right now it's dark for us.

[00:22:23] We see the truth, as Paul said, through a mirror dimly, through a dirty window.

[00:22:29] We can see the truth somehow, some way we rely on Jesus to show us the way.

[00:22:33] We don't know it all.

[00:22:35] So we trust him to show us what's best for us.

[00:22:39] And you know this is true.

[00:22:40] We pray for things we don't need.

[00:22:44] We pray for crazy things sometimes.

[00:22:46] If people could see what you pray for and you'd have to show us every week what you've prayed for,

[00:22:51] some would probably be pretty embarrassing prayers.

[00:22:54] Because we're so focused on us.

[00:22:57] Oh, I need this thing, this is so important.

[00:22:59] And in the larger scope, it means nothing.

[00:23:01] It's a distraction.

[00:23:03] And God knows that.

[00:23:05] And I don't think he's going to give you something that's going to hurt you.

[00:23:09] But I don't think sometimes we know those things are going to hurt us.

[00:23:12] We just see this flashy thing and we want this or we want this thing to happen.

[00:23:17] And we don't know if that does happen.

[00:23:19] It might look good for a week, but it's going to hurt you and your family in the long run.

[00:23:23] Maybe we don't even know that.

[00:23:24] So he does.

[00:23:27] We don't get that thing.

[00:23:29] We think, oh, that's really a bummer.

[00:23:30] It didn't work out.

[00:23:31] But he knows, no, I just blessed you.

[00:23:33] You just don't realize it.

[00:23:35] So we trust him.

[00:23:36] We don't know what to pray for, what's best for us, because we can't see the future.

[00:23:40] We don't know how these things are going to go.

[00:23:42] We don't know how this is going to impact that.

[00:23:45] We just can see what we can see.

[00:23:46] That's where he leaves that room for faith.

[00:23:49] If you knew it all, you wouldn't need to worry about what God has to say about anything.

[00:23:54] But he leaves that room for faith in him.

[00:24:00] We don't really know what the right thing is to pray.

[00:24:02] Overall, 100% of the time we don't, but God knows.

[00:24:04] God knows.

[00:24:05] And so your next note says, because of that, we are always safe to pray God's will to be done.

[00:24:12] We're always safe to pray that.

[00:24:14] How could you ever say, well, I want my will to be done over God's?

[00:24:19] I would never want to say that.

[00:24:23] We're always safe to pray for God's will to be done.

[00:24:28] From that famous passage, Romans 8, I'll read a verse or two here, 826.

[00:24:32] Romans, Paul's saying, the Spirit helps us in our weakness.

[00:24:35] One of the weaknesses we don't know what to pray for.

[00:24:39] He says, for we do not know what to pray for as we ought.

[00:24:42] But the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.

[00:24:47] And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit,

[00:24:50] because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

[00:24:57] We don't know what to pray for.

[00:24:59] We don't know how to pray.

[00:24:59] You know, you've been in situations like the girl Ellen at the hospital.

[00:25:05] Her father is slipping away.

[00:25:06] She doesn't know what to do.

[00:25:07] She can't.

[00:25:08] She's not a doctor.

[00:25:09] I can't really help that.

[00:25:10] They say, all I can do is pray.

[00:25:14] But what do I pray?

[00:25:17] We pray for healing.

[00:25:18] We pray for the doctors to understand what's happening.

[00:25:20] And we pray as much as we know to pray.

[00:25:23] But maybe in God's heart, he wants her to pray for understanding

[00:25:28] when understanding is impossible.

[00:25:32] And we only get that understanding to say, I don't understand.

[00:25:36] So lift your eyes and put them on Jesus.

[00:25:39] Trust me.

[00:25:40] In those dark times where you have no control, you have no understanding, he says, look at me.

[00:25:48] We're never going to get to the point where, okay, now I understand everything.

[00:25:52] We're not going to get there on this earth.

[00:25:55] So we're never going to get there.

[00:25:57] So just trust him all the way.

[00:25:59] And sometimes we have higher degrees of understanding and lower degrees of understanding in this issue.

[00:26:04] I really think I have a sense of how this is working out here.

[00:26:08] And maybe God wants you to have the most understanding in this issue

[00:26:11] because he wants you to be the one to help work it out.

[00:26:13] But over here, he wants to keep you a little ignorant about it because he wants to teach you something.

[00:26:19] Keep you humble.

[00:26:20] There's reasons for all those things.

[00:26:23] We're never going to understand everything.

[00:26:25] Just look up to him and have faith in him.

[00:26:29] We can't go wrong to pray God's will.

[00:26:32] Don't ever think you can.

[00:26:34] Look what he said in the Lord's Prayer, or some people call it the Disciples' Prayer.

[00:26:37] Jesus says, when you pray, pray this way.

[00:26:40] Matthew 6 says, our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.

[00:26:44] Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

[00:26:50] To pray in Jesus' name is to pray according to the will of God.

[00:26:56] God, this is what I want, but your will be done.

[00:26:59] And I think James, the brother of Jesus, gives us a great example here in James chapter 4.

[00:27:12] He says,

[00:27:25] You hear people say that a lot.

[00:27:34] Lord willing, I'll see you next week.

[00:27:37] That's what he's saying here.

[00:27:40] If you just say, well, I'll see you next week.

[00:27:42] James says it's more accurate if you say, Lord willing, I'll see you next week.

[00:27:46] He's just making that point because we don't know what tomorrow holds.

[00:27:54] We should yearn for the Lord's will to be done in our lives.

[00:28:00] Verse 15, Jesus says,

[00:28:01] If you love me, you'll keep my commandments.

[00:28:05] And I'll ask the Father and he will give you another helper to be with you forever.

[00:28:08] He's talking about the Holy Spirit here.

[00:28:11] He promises that if he goes away, that he's going to send someone else to help.

[00:28:16] The Holy Spirit.

[00:28:19] The Holy Spirit here is called the helper.

[00:28:21] And some translations will say the comforter, but it's really more than a comforter.

[00:28:24] This word is paracleton and it means one who comes alongside.

[00:28:30] You got God right next to you, right here.

[00:28:33] He's your helper.

[00:28:35] How's he going to help us?

[00:28:36] He's going to do everything Jesus did.

[00:28:38] He's going to comfort us and guide us into all truth and teach us and keep us calm in the storm.

[00:28:44] Show us the way.

[00:28:47] Jesus did all those things.

[00:28:49] We know that from Scripture, the Holy Spirit is a person.

[00:28:53] He's not just a spiritual force like in Star Wars.

[00:28:55] May the force be with you.

[00:28:57] He's a person.

[00:28:59] The Holy Spirit can be grieved.

[00:29:02] The Holy Spirit can be lied to.

[00:29:04] Remember Ananias and Sapphira?

[00:29:05] Sapphira?

[00:29:06] The Holy Spirit intercedes for us.

[00:29:08] These are things a person does.

[00:29:10] He guides us, teaches us, comforts us and so on.

[00:29:14] Jesus said he would send them another helper.

[00:29:17] And that word another is also distinct because in English we have one word for another and it is another.

[00:29:25] But in Greek there's two words.

[00:29:26] One means one of similar kind and the other word means one of the same kind.

[00:29:31] And here Jesus says, I'm giving you another helper, one of the same kind,

[00:29:36] just like me.

[00:29:37] He's not lesser or not as good because you can't see him.

[00:29:42] He's just like me.

[00:29:47] So, Jesus, he says in verse 17, he says, even the spirit of truth, he's saying, I'm going to send you the helper.

[00:29:52] It's the spirit of truth whom the world can't receive because it neither sees him nor knows him.

[00:29:58] I'm going to send you a helper, the spirit.

[00:30:01] The world can't receive him because they can't see him but they don't even know him.

[00:30:05] They can't know him.

[00:30:07] And Jesus makes another promise in verse 18, actually two promises in verse 18.

[00:30:12] He says, I will not leave you as orphans.

[00:30:14] Because when he says I have to go and you can't come, not yet.

[00:30:17] Of course, they're thinking we're going to be left alone now.

[00:30:19] He says, no, I'm not going to leave you as orphans.

[00:30:21] I'm not just going to desert you.

[00:30:23] Promise number one.

[00:30:25] Promise number two, the next line.

[00:30:27] I will come to you.

[00:30:31] So it's nice to hear when somebody is leaving that you love that they're going to be back.

[00:30:36] Right?

[00:30:38] That's why we say, see you later.

[00:30:40] You don't just say goodbye.

[00:30:42] Because if you know you're going to see someone later, you say, I'll see you next week.

[00:30:45] I'll see you later.

[00:30:48] But if you're not sure you're coming back, maybe you're going, I don't know where, but you say goodbye.

[00:30:54] And the disciples felt like Jesus was saying goodbye.

[00:30:58] But he was really just saying, I'll see you later.

[00:31:01] I'll come to you.

[00:31:05] And he said in verse 19, yet a little while and the world will see me no more.

[00:31:08] Why? Because he's going to be ascended.

[00:31:11] The tomb was empty.

[00:31:13] Remember, they couldn't find the body.

[00:31:15] And they started getting worried.

[00:31:17] The world will see me no more.

[00:31:20] But then when he ascends, the disciples won't see them, see him anymore.

[00:31:24] Not with their eyes.

[00:31:26] But he says, but you will see me.

[00:31:28] How?

[00:31:29] You're not going to be here.

[00:31:30] How can we see you?

[00:31:33] He says, because I live, you also will live.

[00:31:35] In that day, you will know that I am in my Father.

[00:31:38] And you're in me.

[00:31:39] And I'm in you.

[00:31:41] You see how intertwined this love and communion is with God and his people?

[00:31:46] I'm in you.

[00:31:47] You're in me.

[00:31:48] We're in him.

[00:31:50] We're so close.

[00:31:52] We're so close.

[00:31:53] He says, whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me.

[00:31:57] And who loves me will be loved by my Father.

[00:31:59] And I will love him.

[00:32:01] And I'll manifest myself to him.

[00:32:03] That's how you're going to see me.

[00:32:03] I'll show myself to you.

[00:32:05] How?

[00:32:06] With my eyes?

[00:32:07] No, not with your eyes.

[00:32:08] But I will manifest myself to you.

[00:32:10] I will show myself to you through my spirit.

[00:32:16] Yes, he is leaving.

[00:32:18] But he's not deserting.

[00:32:21] There's a big difference.

[00:32:23] I won't leave you alone.

[00:32:24] And I'll come to you.

[00:32:25] I'll come back.

[00:32:27] Those are encouraging words.

[00:32:29] Jesus in his last night of his life could have been focused on himself.

[00:32:32] And he could have said, you guys, just give me some time.

[00:32:35] I've got to deal with some things here.

[00:32:37] I'm going to die tomorrow.

[00:32:37] Don't you understand?

[00:32:39] And just sent him out.

[00:32:41] But that's when he brought them in.

[00:32:42] Remember, after dinner, they're just lounging and relaxing.

[00:32:46] And they're sharing and they're connecting.

[00:32:51] Your next note says, we are never alone when we are in Christ.

[00:32:55] You might feel alone.

[00:32:58] Like the man in the hospital bed.

[00:33:00] He might feel abandoned.

[00:33:01] He might have felt lost.

[00:33:02] You might feel lost.

[00:33:04] You might be feeling lost today because of stuff going on.

[00:33:08] Did God forget about me?

[00:33:10] I feel lost, abandoned.

[00:33:12] We're never alone when we're in Christ.

[00:33:16] One of the lines from this last song we sang said, I won't be led or driven by my emotions.

[00:33:23] I don't feel his presence, that kind of thing.

[00:33:27] If Jesus promises you that he will be in you and he will be with you and never leave you, do you believe him?

[00:33:36] Or do you just believe your feelings more than Jesus' words?

[00:33:43] He says, a little while.

[00:33:46] And the world will see me no more, but you will see me.

[00:33:50] How is that?

[00:33:52] What do you mean, Jesus?

[00:33:53] Remember, these are young guys.

[00:33:55] They would be probably wearing their heart on their sleeve.

[00:33:58] What do you mean we're going to see you?

[00:33:59] You're not going to be here.

[00:34:00] How?

[00:34:04] Because in the world, they'll say, seeing is believing.

[00:34:08] What do they say in Missouri?

[00:34:09] That's the show me state.

[00:34:10] You better show me something.

[00:34:13] Seeing is believing in the world.

[00:34:15] But in the Christian faith, it's upside down.

[00:34:17] Once you believe, then you can really see.

[00:34:21] Your eyes are open.

[00:34:22] So we could say, believing is seeing.

[00:34:25] When he opens your eyes, opens your heart, opens your mind to him,

[00:34:28] now you can see.

[00:34:31] Like you never could before.

[00:34:32] That's what he means when he says, the world won't be able to see me,

[00:34:36] but you will.

[00:34:37] You'll see me.

[00:34:39] Because we see something the world can't see.

[00:34:42] Because we have the spirit within us.

[00:34:43] Because we're believers.

[00:34:45] He says, I'm in the Father.

[00:34:47] And you are in me.

[00:34:48] And I am in you.

[00:34:51] We're so united in Christ.

[00:34:54] It's almost as if we can't be separated.

[00:34:56] Well, that's what Romans 8 says.

[00:34:58] Nothing can separate us from the love of God.

[00:35:00] Nothing.

[00:35:00] Nothing.

[00:35:01] Not your bad attitude either.

[00:35:04] Go ahead and try that.

[00:35:06] Jesus says, those who keep his commandments are the ones who love him.

[00:35:09] That's the evidence of those people who love the Lord.

[00:35:12] It doesn't mean that once you keep all my commandments, then you love me.

[00:35:16] That's not what it means.

[00:35:16] It means that the ones who are keeping my commandments,

[00:35:19] those are the ones who love me.

[00:35:20] Because why would you love?

[00:35:22] Why would you obey someone you don't love?

[00:35:25] Why would you keep the commands of Christ if you didn't love Christ?

[00:35:29] That's the evidence of who we are.

[00:35:31] The world doesn't do that.

[00:35:33] But God's people do that.

[00:35:37] And those are the ones who will be able to see him.

[00:35:39] Those are the ones whom he will manifest himself to.

[00:35:42] And you'll be able to see Jesus in your life, in the way things are working out.

[00:35:46] That's how you see the Lord moving in your life.

[00:35:49] And the world looks at some circumstances and they say, well, what a coincidence.

[00:35:53] Boy, you got lucky there.

[00:35:55] Boy, that was karma or whatever.

[00:35:57] And we don't see that.

[00:35:58] That's what they see.

[00:35:59] We say, no, that was the Lord deliberately working in my life.

[00:36:03] We see those things.

[00:36:05] That's what he means.

[00:36:08] Verse 22.

[00:36:11] Judas, not Iscariot, said to him, Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us and not to the world?

[00:36:17] See, he's asking these questions, simple questions.

[00:36:19] What do you mean the world can't see you, but we're going to see you.

[00:36:21] You're going to be gone.

[00:36:22] What do you mean?

[00:36:24] Jesus answered him, if anyone loves me, he'll keep my word.

[00:36:27] And my father will love him.

[00:36:30] And we will come to him and make our home with him.

[00:36:33] Whoever does not love me does not keep my words.

[00:36:36] And the word that you hear is not mine, but the father's who sent me.

[00:36:40] And I love this first verse here, verse 22, where John writes,

[00:36:46] Judas, not Iscariot.

[00:36:48] This is probably how this Judas, this was Thaddeus.

[00:36:52] He went by Judas, son of Simon.

[00:36:55] Sometimes he's called Judas.

[00:36:56] Sometimes he's called Thaddeus.

[00:36:57] Sometimes he's called a third name.

[00:36:58] It starts with an L.

[00:36:59] I can never remember it because it's only mentioned once, I think.

[00:37:02] But John says, Judas, not Iscariot, not the guy who just betrayed Jesus.

[00:37:06] The different Judas.

[00:37:07] This is probably how this man introduced himself the rest of his life, right?

[00:37:12] I'm Judas, not Iscariot though.

[00:37:13] Remember that guy?

[00:37:14] That wasn't me.

[00:37:16] He says, just like any of us would say, what do you mean you're going to go and no one's going to see but we are?

[00:37:21] He says, explain that.

[00:37:24] He says, if you keep my commands, you're proving to the world that you love me.

[00:37:29] And those are the people that me and my father will show ourselves to.

[00:37:35] That's how you're going to see me.

[00:37:38] The world doesn't have those eyes.

[00:37:39] Try to explain something spiritual to a person that is not a Christian,

[00:37:44] has no interest in Christianity or spiritual things.

[00:37:47] And you try to explain to them how the Lord worked in your life to get you a new vehicle last week or something.

[00:37:53] And you know in your heart, everything just literally worked out perfectly.

[00:37:57] The dollar amount, the time I needed it, it was taken care of.

[00:38:01] God provided all those things.

[00:38:02] Explain that to a person in the world that doesn't know the Lord.

[00:38:05] What is he going to say to you?

[00:38:08] That wasn't God.

[00:38:09] That was luck.

[00:38:10] Right?

[00:38:11] You're lucky.

[00:38:12] That's what they see.

[00:38:14] But he gives us the eyes to see otherwise.

[00:38:18] This is a real thing.

[00:38:20] Real sight that we have, the world does not.

[00:38:24] It's like when Jesus said, you already know the way.

[00:38:28] They said, no, we don't.

[00:38:29] We don't even know where you're going.

[00:38:30] How do we know the way?

[00:38:31] He says, I'm the way.

[00:38:33] You know me, you know how to get there.

[00:38:37] So, in salvation, if we know who our Lord is, that's all we need to know.

[00:38:42] We're on a need-to-know basis.

[00:38:45] Know me, know Jesus.

[00:38:47] He'll take care of the rest.

[00:38:48] It's like if you ask that person on the corner of the street for directions and he gives you all these lists of turns here and up the elevator and down the street,

[00:38:55] you're going to forget all that.

[00:38:56] But as long as I know that guy, he can get me there.

[00:38:59] It's the same idea.

[00:39:01] As long as I know that guy, as long as I know Jesus, he'll take care of the rest.

[00:39:06] So, the disciples are in their state of uncertainty and it's kind of getting darker here.

[00:39:11] Jesus is leaving.

[00:39:12] We don't understand.

[00:39:12] We can't go.

[00:39:13] Not yet.

[00:39:15] He's comforting them, encouraging them, giving them hope.

[00:39:19] Still, and in verse 25 he continues, he says, these things I've spoken to you while I'm still with you.

[00:39:24] I'm still here, guys.

[00:39:27] And I'm not saying goodbye.

[00:39:28] I'm saying I'll see you later.

[00:39:30] I'm coming back.

[00:39:32] Don't lose hope.

[00:39:35] He says, but the helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things.

[00:39:41] And I love this part.

[00:39:42] This goes into our Tuesday night apologetics.

[00:39:45] Here in verse 26.

[00:39:46] The helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things.

[00:39:50] Here it is.

[00:39:51] And bring to your remembrance all that I've said to you.

[00:39:55] How do you think the disciples, the apostles, the New Testament authors remembered all those things?

[00:40:02] When they wrote down the gospels and the epistles, 10, 20, 30, 40 years later after the events, some people will criticize the reliability of scripture because they'll say, well, Paul didn't write this until 30 years after it happened.

[00:40:16] So it's not reliable.

[00:40:20] And Jesus, from his own lips says, the Holy Spirit is your helper.

[00:40:25] He will teach you all things and he'll bring to your remembrance all the things I told you.

[00:40:32] God can preserve his word.

[00:40:33] Can he not?

[00:40:36] How does he do that now?

[00:40:37] Through his Holy Spirit.

[00:40:39] He sends the Spirit.

[00:40:41] And he caused those disciples to remember all those things that might have gotten fuzzy.

[00:40:48] The Spirit helps.

[00:40:49] Peter says the Spirit, the people that wrote the scriptures were carried along by the Spirit, Peter says.

[00:40:55] That's what he's referring to here.

[00:40:57] The Spirit is helping them along, writing the scripture.

[00:41:02] Jesus goes on, he says, peace I leave with you.

[00:41:06] My peace I give to you, he says.

[00:41:09] Not as the world gives do I give to you.

[00:41:12] But not your hearts be troubled.

[00:41:14] Neither let them be afraid.

[00:41:18] Jesus gives us a certain kind of peace that the world doesn't offer, can offer.

[00:41:22] Because the peace the world will give you, that's fleeting.

[00:41:29] It's fleeting.

[00:41:30] It's a vapor.

[00:41:33] We get the peace from the world that I paid all my bills this week.

[00:41:38] Or it's going to feel good for a weekend.

[00:41:42] But where's the peace that passes understanding?

[00:41:46] Like the woman sitting next to her father who's slipping away.

[00:41:49] How can she have peace in her heart?

[00:41:53] By the Holy Spirit.

[00:41:54] Jesus says, I give you my peace.

[00:41:56] Not like the world's peace.

[00:41:59] That can come and go and it's not reliable.

[00:42:02] Not like my peace.

[00:42:05] Verse 20, 80 says, you heard me say to you, I'm going away.

[00:42:10] And I will come to you.

[00:42:12] If you love me, you would have rejoiced because I'm going to the Father.

[00:42:16] For the Father is greater than I am.

[00:42:18] Now I have told you before it takes place.

[00:42:21] So that when it does take place, you may believe.

[00:42:24] I will no longer talk much with you.

[00:42:27] For the ruler of this world is coming.

[00:42:28] He has no claim on me.

[00:42:31] But I do as the Father has commanded me.

[00:42:33] So that the world may know that I love the Father.

[00:42:36] And he says, rise, let's go from here.

[00:42:39] Remember he told the disciples that he was leaving and they didn't understand.

[00:42:42] And he had to tell them, I think, so they would be calm when it happened.

[00:42:47] So they would expect it when he was arrested, when he was taken to be tried.

[00:42:53] And when he was convicted and finally killed.

[00:42:56] That's why he says in here, I'm telling you so that you will believe.

[00:42:59] I'm telling you these things before they happen so you'll believe.

[00:43:02] So you won't be taken off guard because I know your faith is already shaken as we speak, he's telling them.

[00:43:06] You don't understand what's happening.

[00:43:08] I'm going to give you this nugget to show you.

[00:43:11] I know what's happening.

[00:43:12] I know you don't, but I do.

[00:43:14] Here's what's going to happen.

[00:43:15] They're going to come and get me tomorrow morning, early.

[00:43:18] They're going to take me away, convicted, and I'm going to die.

[00:43:22] Don't be alarmed.

[00:43:24] Just trust me, I got this.

[00:43:27] Even though you don't.

[00:43:32] He's talking, remember, to his disciples, and we can put ourselves maybe into those sandals.

[00:43:39] He's talking to these specific people in that room.

[00:43:42] Some who will, in later years, write scripture.

[00:43:48] And he says the Holy Spirit will teach you all things and bring those things to your memory.

[00:43:53] He gives us a certain peace that passes all understanding.

[00:43:58] And he gives us a peace that the world cannot.

[00:44:02] You just can't.

[00:44:06] He says, don't be afraid.

[00:44:08] Yes, I'm leaving, but I'm coming back.

[00:44:11] And he loves these men.

[00:44:14] The Bible says there's a friend that sticks closer than a brother.

[00:44:18] He loves these men.

[00:44:20] I would say closer than brothers.

[00:44:22] Some of them were his brother.

[00:44:25] He loves them.

[00:44:27] And if you believe in him, he loves you that way too.

[00:44:34] Closer than a brother or sister.

[00:44:40] So the first portion of this long discourse shows us this divine love that our Lord has for his people.

[00:44:48] That's you.

[00:44:50] He won't leave us alone.

[00:44:51] He won't abandon us.

[00:44:53] Leave us as orphans.

[00:44:54] Even when we can't physically see him.

[00:44:57] So we can't physically see him.

[00:44:58] But we can see him.

[00:44:59] Isn't that true?

[00:45:03] And we do that by the Spirit.

[00:45:06] He comforts those men in that room that night.

[00:45:09] And he's comforting you too today.

[00:45:11] In this room.

[00:45:13] He encourages those men because they don't know what's going on.

[00:45:18] But he's encouraging you too today, here in this room.

[00:45:21] By his words.

[00:45:24] He makes them promises.

[00:45:25] He says, I'm not going to leave you.

[00:45:26] I'm not going to leave you orphans.

[00:45:29] I'm coming back for you.

[00:45:30] Me and my Father will come to you and we'll manifest ourselves to you.

[00:45:35] And he's making you here today those promises as well.

[00:45:40] It's his words.

[00:45:41] His words aren't changing.

[00:45:46] I know and we all know that at times it's hard to find peace in our lives every single day.

[00:45:52] And some of you may not have peace right now with certain areas of your life.

[00:45:57] But Jesus didn't leave you.

[00:46:01] He didn't leave you as orphans, not for a minute.

[00:46:04] Well, it feels like he did.

[00:46:07] Well, he didn't.

[00:46:10] He didn't leave you alone.

[00:46:11] He promised he wouldn't do that.

[00:46:13] We have the Spirit.

[00:46:16] Your next note here says,

[00:46:18] Through all uncertainties.

[00:46:20] That's a lot.

[00:46:22] He gives his people his peace that surpasses understanding.

[00:46:26] What's the old song?

[00:46:29] A peace that passes understanding.

[00:46:33] What does that mean?

[00:46:34] Well, it means that I don't even understand how this works, but I have peace.

[00:46:37] In the midst of all these things, I'm sitting next to my dying father like that girl was doing.

[00:46:44] But I have peace in my heart because I know where he's going.

[00:46:46] I know his faith in the Lord.

[00:46:48] The world doesn't have that.

[00:46:50] The world doesn't offer that and it can't.

[00:46:52] Because if you're not in Christ, you don't know what happens after you die.

[00:46:57] Where do you find peace?

[00:46:59] I don't know.

[00:47:01] But we like to look for peace in all the wrong places, don't we?

[00:47:05] It can't be found outside of Christ.

[00:47:07] He takes care of us.

[00:47:09] Even though he leaves, he does not abandon us.

[00:47:13] He sends the Spirit.

[00:47:17] I like to read from Philippians 4 to close where Paul says,

[00:47:23] this is another verse they made a song after.

[00:47:27] Philippians 4, 4 says,

[00:47:28] Rejoice in the Lord always and again I will say rejoice.

[00:47:32] Let your reasonableness, and that means your gentleness, your steadiness, means your peace.

[00:47:39] Let your reasonableness be known to everyone.

[00:47:42] The Lord is at hand.

[00:47:44] Do not be anxious about anything.

[00:47:47] But in everything be by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving.

[00:47:50] Let your requests be made known to God.

[00:47:52] And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

[00:48:03] There's a peace that only comes from God.

[00:48:06] You can have peace in your house for five minutes if you just say, everybody be quiet.

[00:48:11] But that's not really peace.

[00:48:13] That's just silence.

[00:48:15] God's not silent with his people.

[00:48:17] We have shalom.

[00:48:19] That's a fulfilling peace.

[00:48:21] The peace of God.

[00:48:22] God, even when you're sitting next to someone who's going to die.

[00:48:26] Because we're all going to die.

[00:48:29] We know what happens after that.

[00:48:31] Because of the Spirit.

[00:48:33] Leads us in to all truth.

[00:48:36] So through these words to his disciples, our Lord is speaking to us today too.

[00:48:40] His message to them is his message to us.

[00:48:44] Don't worry.

[00:48:45] He would say, don't worry.

[00:48:46] Wouldn't he?

[00:48:47] Don't be anxious.

[00:48:49] He would say, let the world see your peaceful heart in the midst of all this trouble.

[00:48:54] We just read it in Philippians 4.

[00:48:55] Let your reasonableness, let your gentleness, let that way about you that's peaceful be seen by everyone.

[00:49:01] That's what Paul says.

[00:49:03] In the midst of the chaos, let them see you at peace.

[00:49:08] And by that, Christ is glorified.

[00:49:12] He would say to the disciples and us today, I'll never leave you alone.

[00:49:17] I'll never leave you alone.

[00:49:21] We have the Holy Spirit who lives within us because he sent the Holy Spirit to us.

[00:49:26] And we know that because Jesus promised that.

[00:49:29] And we can see him, though the world cannot, and we can do that by the Spirit that he sent.

[00:49:36] But because in the Christian faith, believing is seen.

[00:49:43] Believing is seen.

[00:49:45] And you, like the disciples, have opportunities to share the message of Christ

[00:49:51] and to be a part of those greater works, even today, that Jesus spoke about in that room that night.

[00:49:57] And you will do it all, if you're faithful to him, in the name of Jesus.

[00:50:03] We want our wills to be Jesus' will.

[00:50:08] And that's what it means to live and to pray in the name of Jesus.

[00:50:13] Amen.

[00:50:15] Amen.

[00:50:16] I hope and pray that Jesus Christ was glorified today by the reading of his words, literally his words.

[00:50:22] And so, with that in mind, please stand.

[00:50:25] We'll dismiss in prayer.

[00:50:26] Once again, dear Heavenly Father, the words of Jesus are so powerful,

[00:50:38] and there's so much there that can help us understand clearly what was said

[00:50:45] and clearly how we can live this out.

[00:50:48] Help us to never feel alone because we are in Christ.

[00:50:53] Show us that you're here within us, among us, and amongst us in our daily lives,

[00:51:00] the way you work things out.

[00:51:01] And give us those eyes to see, if we're in Christ and we haven't been paying attention to you,

[00:51:06] help us see those things that you're doing in our lives to strengthen our faith

[00:51:09] so that it can be strong for others who need it around us.

[00:51:13] Bless us all as we go.

[00:51:14] Pray that you keep us safe, keep us all healthy.

[00:51:16] Bless those who need a touch from you physically here

[00:51:19] and any other thing that needs to be done.

[00:51:22] We pray all these things, of course, in your will and according to your will.

[00:51:26] And we pray today in Jesus' name.

[00:51:28] Amen.

[00:51:29] Amen.