Written ~ 04-23-2024
Read John Chapter Fourteen
John 14
In chapter thirteen, Jesus had just told His disciples that He was going to be betrayed. He went on to explain that He would soon return to the Father and for now they could not go where He was going. This proved to be quite troubling to the disciples because the very first thing Jesus says in John 14:1 is…
“Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in Me…”
When you are stressed over something, either something going on at home, work or any daily inconvenience… Do you let yourself get caught up in a whirlwind of emotion and anger? The King James Version (KJV) says, “Let not your heart be troubled.” Wouldn’t that be a great verses to have in your mind? Whenever you are feeling stressed or overwhelmed, anxiety has taken over, why not quote to yourself over and over again… Let not your heart be troubled.
Look at verses 14:2-3…
2 There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? 3 When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am.
These verses bring Hope to the believer. Yes, life can get messy, things may not go as planned, but Jesus is telling us not to allow our hearts to be troubled. How do we do that? By trusting in Him and our Father the Almighty God. They have everything under control. It may not seem like it sometimes, so what do we do, we go and try to handle things on our own and create a more devastating disaster! But what is the Hope that we have?? Jesus is preparing a place for us in Heaven, right now! As we live here on earth the Father and the Son are preparing the most wonderful, brain exploding place for us to live… for eternity! When everything is set and the Father says it’s time, Jesus will come back for us!
The disciples were thrust into a very troublesome time – to them… Jesus was saying some crazy things – about dying – about leaving them – about coming back! Jesus tries to calm the atmosphere that was in a flurry of anxiety…
In the next verse you would think what Jesus said would quiet their thoughts…
John 14:4…
“And you know the way to where I am going…”
But did it work? Not yet… look at the response Thomas gives as though also speaking the minds of all the others…
John 14:5…
5 “No, we don’t know, Lord,” Thomas said. “We have no idea where You are going, so how can we know the way?”
In the next set of verses, 14:6-11, you can almost tangibly feel the loving exasperation from the heart of Jesus. His patience with the disciples exudes through every word He speaks. When you and I question the words of the Lord, when troubles and anxiety are what fuel our doubts in the Lord’s abilities, His responses will always point us back to Himself and to the Father.
John 14:6-11…
6 Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through Me. 7 If you had really known Me, you would know who My Father is. From now on, you do know Him and have seen Him!”
8 Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.”
9 Jesus replied, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and yet you still don’t know who I am? Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father! So why are you asking Me to show Him to you? 10 Don’t you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me? The words I speak are not My own, but My Father who lives in Me does His work through Me. 11 Just believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me. Or at least believe because of the work you have seen Me do.”
When Thomas asked, “…how do we know the way?” What was Jesus’ reply? “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through Me.” When we ask the Lord, “What should I do in this time of stress and anxiety?” What is the response Jesus gives us? “Don’t let your hearts be troubled.” When we don’t know the way to turn for help, what is the Lord’s response? “I am the way…”
Jesus was with the disciples for three years. He showed them the Father, He did miraculous signs and wonders and yet He had to ask, “…you still don’t know who I am?” What does it take for you and me to know who Jesus is? Is what you read in the Bible enough? Or do you expect to see miraculous signs in your life before you believe?
When we believe in who Jesus is and we have accepted Him as Lord and Savior, guess what! We have His power within us! Do you realize this? When we expect Jesus to do great things in our lives, aren’t we supposed to call on His name and ask? Look at what Jesus says in the following verses…
John 14:12-14…
12 “I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in Me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father.
13 You can ask for anything in My Name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father.
14 Yes, ask Me for anything in My Name, and I will do it!”
Do you ask the Lord for anything? Probably… every day we ask for things. But do we ask with power and the will of God behind our words in the Name of Jesus? We can’t just go around asking the Lord to do things if they don’t fall within the guidelines given to us within the pages of Scripture. We must be adhering to the Word of God, obeying His commands and crying out with that knowledge behind each word.
Skip down now and read what Jesus says in verses 23 through 26…
John 14:23-26…
23 Jesus replied, “All who love Me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and We will come and make Our home with each of them. 24 Anyone who doesn’t love Me will not obey Me. And remember, My words are not My own. What I am telling you is from the Father who sent Me. 25 I am telling you these things now while I am still with you. 26 But when the Father sends the Advocate as My representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—He will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.”
Do you ever feel overwhelmed? Do you ever look to the pages of your Bible but don’t know where to start? For those who have put their trust in the Lord and have invited Him into their hearts, He sends the Holy Spirit. We now have this spiritual being living within us. He’s there to help us. He’s there to guide us. He’s there to remind us. It’s difficult to remember everything we have read and heard. But the Holy Spirit will help us recall those things.
As you sit down to study the Word of God, do you first ask the Holy Spirit to come and fill your heart and mind with the wisdom and knowledge to understand the things you are reading? If not… why not start today! The Holy Spirit will begin to open your heart and mind to the truths laid out in Scripture like you have never experienced before! Verse 14:26b, “…the Holy Spirit – He will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.”
Look what Jesus says, in closing…
John 14:27-29…
27 “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid. 28 Remember what I told you: I am going away, but I will come back to you again. If you really loved Me, you would be happy that I am going to the Father, who is greater than I am. 29 I have told you these things before they happen so that when they do happen, you will believe.”
In verse 14:1, Jesus starts by saying, “Don’t let your hearts be troubled…” In verse 14:27 He says, “I am leaving you with a gift – peace of mind and heart…” And in verses 14:3 and 14:28 He gives us a wonderful promise… “I will come and get you… I am going away, but I will come back to you again…”
Jesus is speaking to our hearts in these verses. He is giving us a gentle command, “Don’t be troubled.” “Don’t be troubled and afraid.” “Don’t look to this world for peace.” Instead, come, here’s a gift, a precious gift, MY PEACE. My peace is going to give you rest. My peace is going to calm those anxious thoughts. My peace will quiet the turmoil of your emotions.
Here’s how the Amplified Bible (AMP) translates verse 14:27…
27 Peace I leave with you; My perfect 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 afraid. Let My perfect peace calm you in every circumstance and give you courage and strength for every challenge.
At the beginning of chapter 14, we feel the anxiety in the questions asked by the disciples, but by the time we get to verse 14:27, can you feel the love and peace of Jesus waft over you?
In a paraphrase of my own, verse 14:29 says this to me… “Jesus told you all of these things, everything happened just as He said they would, do you believe?”
The theme of this chapter can easily be, “Do you believe?” Jesus has told us He is the way, the truth and the life… He has given us the Holy Spirit for guidance, and He has gifted us with His PERFECT PEACE. When you realize that there is only one way to the Father, only one way to enter Heaven for eternity, only one way to receive the free gift of Salvation and the Lord’s peace… Will you believe?
Heavenly Father – I come to You humbly praising Your Name! Thank You for giving me Jesus. Thank You for choosing me as one of Your own. Father, I am forever in Your Arms and I am so, so grateful. I praise You Father God, I praise the Name of Jesus my Savior, I praise the Holy Spirit within me! Give me Your peace, Your perfect peace. Calm my spirit. Give me courage and strength to go about my day – walking in You – being the Light of Your peace. In strength I pray for Your presence to go before me. I pray that evil with its turmoil will have to flee. I want to stand firm in Your peace. Holy Spirit – as I begin my day – please fill me with Your presence, fill me with Your love, fill me with Your power and strength, fill me with Your courage. Remind me that Jesus is who I long for, Jesus is who makes me complete. I will not be troubled, I will not be afraid – You are with me! I give You all my praise – Thank You Jesus for giving me Your peace. I love You Lord God – remove from me those things that are not pleasing to You. Lift my head – remind me of Your Grace and Mercy – My life is Yours, help me not to forget that! Heavenly Father, I give You all my praise – all glory, all honor is Yours.
Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty – the One who always was, who is and who is still to come…
~AMEN and AMEN~