The Gospel of John: John 14.15-31

Read and meditate on John 14.29-31.
The promised Spirit of God will make all the difference for Jesus’ disciples. All His disciples.

                                  ²⁹“I’ve told this to
you now, before it comes to pass, that when
it comes to pass, you will believe it then.
³⁰I will no longer talk much with you, for
the ruler of this world is coming for
Me, though he nothing has in Me. ³¹But so
the world may know the love I ever show
unto the Father, I will do as He
commands. Arise now, let us go.”

- John 14.29-31

Reflect
1.  A good bit of Scripture is like that: God tells us something in advance of its happening, so that, when it does happen, we will believe Him Who told us. How many examples from the Old Testament relative to the life of Christ can you find to support this idea? Complete this prayer: Lord, throughout the Old Testament You point forward to Jesus, and as we see Jesus in the gospels, we see Your truth lived out. And You have done this so that we…

2.  Specifically, what Jesus seems to have been referring to was the coming of the Holy Spirit. Only after the Spirit came would the disciples fully and truly believe. How can you see that this is what happened on the first Christian Pentecost? How did their faith change at that time? I believe, Lord, help me to believe You more as I…

3.  The “ruler of this world” refers to the devil, who was coming for Jesus. He would interrupt Jesus’ converse with His disciples. What do you make of Jesus saying, “and he has nothing in me”? What did Jesus mean by that? Lord, if the rule of this world has nothing in You, then he has nothing in…

4.  Jesus intimated that what He was about to do was so that the world wuld know that He loves the Father, because He would keep the Father’s commandment. How does Jesus embody both of the great commandments (Matt. 22.34-40) through His death on the cross? What should we learn from His example? I want to love You, Father, as Jesus did, and I know this means laying down my life. So please help me to…

5.  Jesus and His disciples left the upper room, and as they did, they were singing a hymn (Matt. 26.30). That hymn was probably Psalm 118, which scholars tell us was sung at this time during the Passover celebration. Read through this psalm. How can you see that it would have very important and comforting for Jesus? How would it have helped to keep Him focused on what the Father had commanded Him? Is there a suggestion in this about the role of hymns in the life of faith? Bring together into one your prayers from questions 1-4.

Summary
“For they who now trembled and feared, after they had received the Spirit sprang into the midst of dangers and stripped themselves for the contest against steel, and fire, and wild beasts, and seas, and every kind of punishment. And they, the unlettered and ignorant, spoke so boldly as to astonish their hearers. For the Spirit made them men of iron instead of men of clay, gave them wings and allowed them to be cast down by nothing human. For such is that grace: if it finds despondency, it disperses it; if evil desires, it consumes them; if cowardice, it casts it out and does not allow one who has partaken of it to be afterward a mere person but, as it were removing him to heaven itself, causes him to imagine to himself all that is there.” John Chrysostom (344-407 AD)

Jesus has spoken many great and precious promises to us His followers, but we must believe them if we are to know Him as God’s Son and our Savior. And believing them, we must keep focused on Jesus and the work He has given us to do. How does this work out in your daily experience?

Closing Prayer
The LORD is my strength and song,
And He has become my salvation.
The voice of rejoicing and salvation
Is in the tents of the righteous;
The right hand of the LORD does valiantly.
The right hand of the LORD is exalted;
The right hand of the LORD does valiantly.
I shall not die, but live,
And declare the works of the LORD.
The LORD has chastened me severely,
But He has not given me over to death.
Open to me the gates of righteousness;
I will go through them,
And I will praise the LORD.
This is the gate of the LORD,
Through which the righteous shall enter.
I will praise You,
For You have answered me,
And have become my salvation.
The stone which the builders rejected
Has become the chief cornerstone.
This was the LORD’s doing;
It is marvelous in our eyes.
This is the day the LORDhas made;
We will rejoice and be glad in it.
Save now, I pray, O LORD;
O LORD, I pray, send now prosperity.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD!
We have blessed you from the house of the LORD.
God is the LORD,
And He has given us light;
Bind the sacrifice with cords to the horns of the altar.
You are my God, and I will praise You;
You are my God, I will exalt You.
Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good!
For His mercy endures forever.

Psalm 118.14-29

Psalm 118.14-29 (St. George’s Windsor: Come, Ye Thankful People, Come )
In the Savior we are strong! He is all our strength and song!
To His grace now raise your voice; in His righteousness rejoice!
For the Lord does valiantly; we shall live eternally.
Praise His works with all your breath, you whom He redeems from death.

All who know Christ’s righteousness His great Name now thank and bless!
Though His gate full righteous is, He our saving mercy is.
Cast aside and left alone, Christ is now our Cornerstone!
God has made His Son and Word our salvation: Praise the Lord!

Blest are they who in His Name come and Jesus’ grace proclaim.
God His light upon us shines in the Savior’s sacrifice.
Praise and thanks to You, O Lord; we extol Your holy Word!
Thanks to You for You are good! Thanks to our great loving God!T. M. Moore

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Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. All psalms for singing adapted from The Ailbe Psalter. All quotations from Church Fathers from Ancient Christian Commentary Series IV a and b: John, edited by Joel C. Elowsky, General Editor Thomas C. Oden (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2006. Verse translation of John by T. M. Moore.