I Love It When The Lord Shows Up..It Is, Something Beautiful
John Chapter 14
Jesus Said, “Do not let your hearts be troubled…..” It is always (I refuse to use the word amazing..again), Something Beautiful when The Scripture “makes me smile”. That may sound really weird to you, but the revealed Word “makes me smile”. All through the Gospel of John, I have felt Jesus calling me into a ‘Deeper Belief’, a closer ‘Follow’ and a ‘Willing Heart’ to ‘Receive’ all He has for me.
I started this post on Thursday of last week (while on ‘Gals Only’ retreat). Somehow I got side tracked…..see my blog post for today…. http://butterflybiblestudies.blogspot.com/2010/03/im-back.html
Anyway…I’m back, and have missed being immersed into the Word! Through all the business of the last week, the intimate conversation of ‘Gals Only’ and being with my family (that I love..they are so very important to me), I find BELIEF and COMFORT (Rest) and HAPPINESS in the Word. I cannot impress upon you enough, that the Word can change us and fill us with joy, peace and comfort. We can always trust the Lord to ‘show up’ in the Word. He is always here for us. The Word is just one way in which we are accustom to, for the Lord to ‘show up’ and ‘reveal’ Himself to us. As for the Disciples, they were accustom to Jesus being ‘physically’ with them. I know that they must have been confused and frightened when Jesus spoke to them of leaving. We will see later, that Jesus ‘showed up’, in the way the Disciples were accustom to, to give them further comfort.
For now, in Chapter 14, Jesus is revealing more of Himself to the Disciples. He tells them, “Do not let your hearts be troubled…I am going to prepare a place for you, to be with me…you really do know the way..” Thomas again shows his allegiance (although confused) to Jesus when he says, “how can we know the way“. Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know Him and have seen Him”. Then Philip questions Jesus’ statement. We would have probably been confused, as well. The following is one of my favorite ‘dissertations’ spoken by Jesus.
“The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least (at the very least) believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves. I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.” John 14:10-14
Matthew Henry’s Commentary says, “Whatever we ask in Christ’s name, that shall be for our good, and suitable state, he shall give it to us. To ask in Christ’s name, is to plead his merit (deserving reward, honor or esteem) and intercession, and to depend upon that plea.”
In John 14:15-26, Jesus promises the ‘Holy Spirit’. Jesus says, “if you love me, you will obey what I command. And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Counselor to be with you forever~the Spirit of truth…and because you know him, he lives with you and will be with you…I will not leave you as orphans (deprived of a parent); I will come to you”. Jesus further states, that He WILL show Himself to those who obey His teaching and the Father will love them and come to them….and we will make ’OUR’ home with them. How BEAUTIFUL is that!!!! (statement~not a question)
Jesus said, “The Holy Spirit (the Counselor), whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and remind you of everything I have said to you”. John 14:26
Then after Jesus offers comfort to His Disciples he tells them again, that He must leave them. The perfect ‘parental’ dissertation (exposing Jesus’ principles on the subject). Teaching and Comfort….Comfort and Teaching!
Thought to Ponder: If Christ is preparing a place for us, He will prepare us for that place.
Scripture to Ponder: John 14:31 “The world must learn that I love the Father and that I do exactly what my Father has commanded me.”
SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL
Tomorrow, Chapters 15 & 16
This entry was posted on Monday, March 15th, 2010 at 7:24 pm and is filed under Bible Studies. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
