The Word that Sanctifies Us

“I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth” (John 17: 14-19).

How did Jesus give God’s word to His disciples? In word and deed Jesus was consecrated and sanctified for the ministry of sharing God’s word with the disciples… “For their sake I consecrate myself”. The word translated “consecrate” is the very same word translated “sanctified” in the same sentence… “That they also may be sanctified in truth”. It is the Greek word transliterated hagiazō and it means to hallow, make holy, purify, venerate, consecrate, or sanctify. Jesus fully expected that as He set His life apart by embodying the very word of God through His words and actions, the truth of God’s word would penetrate the hearts and transform the minds of His disciples, and as they embraced God’s truth they too would be set apart from the rest of the world just as He was… “They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world”. In this discourse Jesus reveals truth about the word that sanctifies us.

What was Jesus truly consecrated and set apart from? On the surface, it is obvious that Jesus was set apart from the physical, temporal world. He was virgin born… “Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 1:18). He lived a holy life above and untouched by the sin and temptation of this rebellious world… “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15).

There is truth in God’s word that can empower truth embracing disciples to fulfill the expectations of the Savior by living a consecrated and sanctified life just as He did. First, we too have a supernatural birth… “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God” (John 1:12-13). While we are not begotten of God like Jesus is, we are born of the Holy Spirit like He was at His incarnation… “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God” (John 3:5). Second, God’s word reveals truth that gives us victory over sin. Yes, we often lose the battle and succumb to temptation, but when we repent Jesus offers forgiveness and cleansing that leads to increasing victory over the sin of this world… “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). And one day we will enjoy ultimate and complete victory over sin because we will be like Him… “Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is” (1 John 3:2).

Now for the deeper truth... Jesus was not only set apart from this temporal world, He willingly consecrated Himself from something far greater. Jesus set Himself apart from heaven. He left the comfort, perfection, beauty, and glory of heaven to come into our world. We too are citizens of heaven… “Our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Philippians 3:20). But truth-embracing disciples are called to imitate Christ by leaving the comfort of our sometimes church filled and controlled lives to enter into the troubled lives of others in order to reveal God’s truth in our words and deeds… “Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me” (Matthew 25:40). Sometimes we are called to imitate Christ in revealing God’s glory by letting go of our comfortable life and clinging to His truth through suffering as He did at Calvary… “But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed” (1 Peter 4:13). Embracing God’s truth sets us apart for His work.

As we grow up into Christ we are more available to share His truth and glory as we are set apart by…

The Word that Sanctifies Us.

The Name that Keeps Us

“And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one. While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves” (John 17: 11-13).

Jesus continued preparing His disciples for His soon departure. He gave them something else to help them continue to grow as disciples and to be successful in sharing the gospel and building the church in the trying days to come. He gave them the name of His Father. He spoke in the context of a culture that attached great significance to name. To the Jewish people a name represented a person's whole personality and character. The Holy Spirit inspired David the psalmist to write… “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God” (Psalm 20:7). The Father gave His name to the Son and the Son kept and protected the disciples in the personality and character of the Father. Jesus was telling His disciples that the more they sought to know and reflect the attributes and character of God, the more they would experience holiness, unity, and joy in the midst of an unholy, divisive, and sorrowful world. When serious disciples need real power to live for Christ in this temporal world, we will find it in the name that keeps us.

If you are living a life that glorifies God I’m sure you have enjoyed His protection, provision, and peace. I’m also certain that from time to time you have experienced loneliness, fear, and sadness. The world is not our friend and sometimes living seriously for Jesus alienates us even from other believers. Making the tough choices to put Jesus first can leave us in some pretty scary and insecure situations. The rejection and hostility of others to the presence and glory of Christ in our lives can fill our hearts with sorrow. But we learn from Jesus’ prayer for His disciples that knowing and living in the name, or the personality and character of the Father as revealed in the Son will empower us to live a life that is in but not of this world… “They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world… As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world” (John 17:16-18).

The name of Christ keeps us holy. In this prayer Jesus called on His “Holy Father”. The word holy means set apart from sin, available to be used for God’s purposes. In the Old Testament, Aaron and his sons were set apart to be used exclusively in the tabernacle through sprinkling with blood. After this, they were forever tied to the holy name of God and were to pursue and reflect His holiness to the people.… “They shall be holy to their God and not profane the name of their God. For they offer the LORD’s food offerings, the bread of their God; therefore they shall be holy” (Leviticus 21:6). In the same way, Jesus’ disciples are set apart by His blood and called to share His life by being holy as He is holy… “As he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct” (1 Peter 1:15).

The name of Christ keeps us unified. If we are all seeking to know and glorify the personality and character of Jesus, then we are all moving in the same direction with the same purpose… “The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one (John 17:22).

The name of Christ keeps us joyful. Jesus prayed specifically that His disciples would be filled with nothing less than His very own joy… “That they may have my joy”. In knowing and reflecting the name and life of Christ there is joy beyond the empty, temporary happiness of the world. In fact, in Christ there is supernatural joy that empowers us to glorify God in any trial… “May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy” (Colossians 1:11).

As we grow up into Christ striving to know and reflect His personality and character we discover the holiness, unity, and joy of living in…

The Name that Keeps Us.

Life that Glorifies Christ

“I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you. For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me.  I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them” (John 17: 6-10).

Jesus came to the world to manifest, illuminate, highlight, and reveal the name of God. The whole character of God is contained in His name. Throughout the scriptures, the written word of God, the Holy Spirit declares the various names and characteristics of God. Throughout His brief time on earth the Son, the Living Word of God, declared the same… “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory… No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known” (John 1:14, 18). But not everyone got it. Only “the people whom you gave me out of the world” got the revelation Jesus manifested. The rest of the world rejected the name and character of God. Jesus did not even include the rejecting world in His prayer. Instead He prayed for a special group He called disciples and friends… “No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you” (John 15:15). These had taken a step of faith away from the crowds of followers and embraced the truth Jesus taught and revealed through His ministry on earth. He was commissioning them now to carry on His ministry after His departure, and He began this commissioning prayer by identifying them to His Father and asking Him to empower them to live a life that glorifies Christ.

What are you facing today? What’s on your agenda? At the end of the day, what will make you feel really good about today? Are you excited about the potential or frightened by the unknown of this day? Are you hopeful about the promise or anxious about the worries of the day? If your expectations are based on your own plans for this day, you may be greatly disappointed by the day’s end. But if your goal is to glorify Christ, then no matter what comes your way, it can be a great day! Today we see that Jesus prayed for disciples that live to glorify Him, so let’s see what we can learn and imitate from them.

They were chosen by God. They believed God made them with intentional purpose. They got up and got to work every day because they believed God had a special plan for each day, and these disciples did not want to miss a moment of the exciting life God called them to… “Only let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him. This is my rule in all the churches” (1 Corinthians 7:17). They believed God’s call was bigger than anything in this life because it originated in the heart of God and was securely predestined by His perfect will… “In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will” (Ephesians 1:11). Finally, these disciples and friends of Jesus were convinced there were lasting blessings for loving God and pursing the call He had placed on their lives… “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28). They glorified Christ by fulfilling His call upon their lives.

They received and kept God’s word. Jesus often confronted followers with truth from God’s word. The Spirit teaches that God’s truth leads us to salvation… “Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures” (James 1:18). The truth of God’s word gives us victory over sin and keeps us separated from the world… “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth” (John 17:17). Jesus’ disciples abided in His word… “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples” (John 8:31) and they knew how to study and share His word… “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). They glorified Christ by loving and sharing His truth.

As we grow up into Christ fulfilling His call and embracing His truth we will better live and reflect a…

Life that Glorifies Christ

Glory that Leads to Eternal Life

When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed” (John 17: 1-5).

Jesus made a request of His Father even though He was one with the Father… “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30). In making this request Jesus showed that the Son of God was fully submitted to the authority and the will of His Father… “For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me” (John 6:38). He asked for some glory. He knew that as the Son was glorified, the Father would be glorified. This was the Son’s chief goal, bringing glory to His Father. The hour He spoke of was the hour of the cross. It was through His work on the cross that the Father and the Son would be glorified and made known to those the Father had given to the Son. The result was and always will be eternal life for those who respond in faith to the revelation of the Father and Son in Calvary’s cross… “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life” (John 3:14-15). The glory revealed in the crucifixion of the Son of God was unlike any glory ever seen since “before the world existed”. The glory of the cross confirmed the unity of purpose that existed between the Father and the Son from before the beginning of time. And above all, the glory of the cross is the glory that leads to eternal life.

We all know charismatic people. They have wealth, experience, wisdom, or connections that enable them to draw attention and gather crowds. They exert great influence over others and become great leaders. In the world, charismatic people lead governments and shape cultures and economies. In the Church charismatic leaders build large fellowships and ministries. These gifted leaders change the course of history and influence culture for better or worse. Did you know that Jesus wants all of His disciples to be charismatic leaders? Jesus wants His disciples to influence and impact the hearts of others in an eternal way… “And he said to them, ‘Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned” (Mark 16:15-16). Do you have what it takes to influence the lives of others? What kind of impression do you leave upon the hearts and minds of the people that cross your path? Is the Lord using you to attract others to Christ and the eternal life He offers?

In His discourse with the disciples today Jesus talked about glory. The Greek word translated “glory” here is doxa and it means very apparent and obvious dignity, honor, praise, and worship. He spoke of a unique glory that He shared with His Father since before the beginning of time. He prophesied that this unique glory would be revealed in the hour of the cross in order that “the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent” might be revealed and made known so that truth seekers might receive eternal life through faith in Him. The glory of the cross made Jesus Christ the most influential, charismatic leader of all time. But if we let the Spirit of truth take us further into God’s word we note that Jesus gave this same glory to His disciples to share with the world after His departure… “The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me” (John 17:22-23). The Holy Spirit prompted question today is, who gets the glory from our lives? Who gets the glory for our victories and successes? Who gets the glory in our trials and temptations? If we’re truly becoming more like Christ, people will be seeing the glory of the cross in us more and more… “And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another” (2 Corinthians 3:18).

As we grow up into Christ and His Spirit makes us more like Him, our lives reflect more clearly the…

Glory that Leads to Eternal Life.

Faith that Overcomes the World

His disciples said, “Ah, now you are speaking plainly and not using figurative speech! Now we know that you know all things and do not need anyone to question you; this is why we believe that you came from God.” Jesus answered them, “Do you now believe? Behold, the hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home, and will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me. I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world” (John 16: 29-33).

The disciples thought they had finally arrived. They had it all figured out. They were certain of what they believed, that Jesus “came from God”. They even knew why they believed this, because Jesus knew ‘all things”. It’s as if they expected some kind of reward or recognition from the Teacher. Perhaps a diploma acknowledging their graduation from disciple school would have been appropriate. Instead, Jesus responded with a question… “Do you now believe?” While not denying their faith, He wanted them to see that it was a temporary, fleeting phenomenon. Their boldly declared faith was soon to be severely tested. Jesus knew the trying events of His passion and crucifixion would compel them to desert Him, to forsake the mission He gave them, and to return to the comfort and security of their former lives. Why was He telling them this? Because He was challenging His disciples to move on past their infantile belief that He is the Christ. He knew the coming days would challenge them to embrace the kind of faith that grows through trials and matures with experience. He wanted them to know the kind of maturing and enduring faith in Him that produces peace in the midst of tribulation and victory over every attack. Jesus wants His disciples in every age to grow into faith that overcomes the world.

Contrary to the prevalent teaching of the church here in the west, faith is not a one-time event. It’s not a final destination that you never venture beyond. It’s much more than a salvation prayer, a date noted in the front of our Bible, or an event memorialized in baptism. These are all important events, but just as a wedding only initiates but does not guarantee a fulfilled, successful marriage, so too a prayerful declaration of faith initiates but does not guarantee a fulfilled, successful life of discipleship and victory. Living in and overcoming the hostility of this inhospitable world as we live for the glory of God and advance His eternal kingdom requires a steadfast, maturing faith in Christ that grows in response to His revelation of Himself to us every day… “Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” (1 John 5:5). And this faith must endure the attacks of our Adversary and the world until we return to Jesus or He returns for us… “And you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved” (Matthew 10:22).

What are the characteristics of maturing, enduring faith that overcomes the world? Jesus reveals some of them in today’s discourse.  First, in predicting that His disciples would soon desert Him and the mission, Jesus acknowledged that failure can produce maturing and enduring faith. The Spirit echoed this truth… “The righteous falls seven times and rises again, but the wicked stumble in times of calamity” (Proverbs 24:16). The disciples fell, but they got back up and back in the race. All but John died as martyrs, the evidence that their faith matured beyond failure and exhortation to remember that failure is an event, not a person.

Second, in promising tribulation during their journey through this world Jesus taught that trials can sharpen and strengthen maturing and enduring faith. Again, the Spirit of truth echoes this word… “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing” (James 1:2-4). Tough times produce timeless faith.

As we grow up into Christ our failures and trials will produce a maturing and enduring…

Faith that Overcomes the World.

Prayer that Gets Whatever We Ask

“In that day you will ask nothing of me. Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you. Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full. I have said these things to you in figures of speech. The hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures of speech but will tell you plainly about the Father. In that day you will ask in my name, and I do not say to you that I will ask the Father on your behalf; for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God. I came from the Father and have come into the world, and now I am leaving the world and going to the Father” (John 16: 23-28).

Jesus did not just tell His disciples that He was going to His Father. He invited them to approach the Father too, through prayer. Until now, they did not ask the Father for anything. They had the Son with them, so they simply asked Jesus whenever they had a need. Because He was departing, Jesus taught the disciples how to approach and ask the Father for whatever they needed to be full of joy. Note, He did not promise that they should expect God to grant anything they wished for. Jesus promised that the Father would answer their prayers to restore the fullness of their joy as His disciples. Jesus also told them to stop asking Him and start asking the Father. He taught them to use His name when they prayed to the Father. He revealed the precious truth that the name of Jesus is very significant and powerful in the Father’s ears. In this brief but revealing discourse, Jesus taught that even in this inhospitable and hostile world if we ask from a right heart and in the right name, our Father will fill us with joy as we approach Him with prayer that gets whatever we ask.

Do you ever wonder why God doesn’t answer every prayer? If He can do anything we ask why doesn’t He do everything we ask? If you’re like me, you have a list of requests that you’re waiting for Him to answer. My list has things that would make life easier, healthier, and more fun. I’m even asking God for some things that will make Him look good and bring Him some glory as He blesses me. Today we read that Jesus promised… “Whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you”. But He included a definition… “That your joy may be full “. You see, as we mature as Christ’s disciples we become more like Him… “A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher” (Luke 6:40). Our expectations become more like His. Our definition of joy becomes less like the world and more like His. Jesus’s greatest joy came when He brought glory to His Father… “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you” (John 17:1). He lived and died to glorify God, and He called His disciples to do the same… “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). Today we learn that answered prayer that produces joyful discipleship requires a heart that seeks to glorify and enjoy God… “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31). When disciples seek to glorify God in their words and deeds, the Father promises to give them all they need to do so joyfully.

Jesus exhorted the disciples to go directly to the Father with their requests, but to approach the Father with the right name, Jesus. He taught that when the Father hears the name of the Son He is reminded that the petitioner loves and believes in the Son. It is through faith in the name of Jesus that we are saved… “And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). It is through faith in the name of Jesus that we become children of God… “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:12). Jesus taught that our Father loves to answer the prayers of His children… “If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!” (Matthew 7:11). Today we learn that answered prayer that produces joyful discipleship requires saving faith in the name of Jesus.

As we grow up into Christ glorifying God and praying in Jesus’ name, we will know the full joy of…

Prayer that Gets Whatever We Ask.

The Sorrow and the Joy of the Cross

“A little while, and you will see me no longer; and again a little while, and you will see me.” So some of his disciples said to one another, “What is this that he says to us, ‘A little while, and you will not see me, and again a little while, and you will see me’; and, ‘because I am going to the Father’?” So they were saying, “What does he mean by ‘a little while’? We do not know what he is talking about.” Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him, so he said to them, “Is this what you are asking yourselves, what I meant by saying, ‘A little while and you will not see me, and again a little while and you will see me’? Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy. When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you” (John 16: 16-22).

Jesus’ revelation that He will go and then return confuses the disciples. They are trying to understand all that Jesus said to them. They are wondering among themselves out of earshot of Jesus. Aware of their confusion, Jesus tells the disciples their sorrow will be turned into joy. The very event that plunges them into grief will soon lift them to joy. What is it that will overwhelm them with such sorrow? It is the cross. Jesus compares their coming experience with childbirth. Before the baby is born, there is pain and sorrow. But once the baby is born, the focus suddenly shifts from the pain to the joy of having a baby. The event is celebrated annually, not as a day of sorrow, but as a day of joy. The event did not change but the focus of the event did. The joy of the birthday overcomes the sorrow of the birthday. While the sorrow is temporary, the joy is lasting. Today we see that as Jesus prepared His disciples for His departure, He included a word about the promise of His return. In every age, maturing disciples who are acquainted with His suffering are also confidently anticipating His victorious return as we become more intimately familiar with the sorrow and the joy of the cross.

Once again, our Teacher, the Holy Spirit, confronts our preconceptions and expectations about what it means to be a true disciple of Jesus Christ. We’ve recently seen that Jesus taught that a true disciple is one who embraces and abides His truth… “So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, ‘If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free’” (John 8:31-32). A diligent disciple earnestly seeks out and applies the whole truth of God’s word. The truth about the cross is that it has a sorrowful as well as a joyful side. There are many churches and preachers today that emphasize only the joyful side of the cross. They can leave us feeling like we’re not really saved if we are not joyful all the time. They lead us to believe we must be sinning if we’re suffering. I often wonder what they would say to the disciples who suffered persecution, imprisonment, torture, and death for the sake of the cross. What does Jesus have to say to you and me in the midst of our sickness, persecution, struggle with temptation, and other such trials?

Today we see that Jesus did not deny the sorrow of the cross. He did not tell the disciples to deny the sorrow they were hiding from Him and He does not ask you to deny the sorrow you may be experiencing today. In fact, the Teacher inspired the prophet Isaiah to reveal that the incarnate Word of God was intimately familiar with our sorrow and grief… “He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief” (Isaiah 53:3). The Teacher exhorts us to follow Paul’s example and seek to experience both the sorrow of Christ’s suffering and the joy of His resurrection… “That I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead” (Philippians 3:10-11). Jesus encouraged His disciples to look past the sorrow of the cross where they would discover a truth so incredible, it would transform their sorrow into joy. He experienced this transforming truth Himself in the middle of His dying work on the cross… “Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame” (Hebrews 12:2).

As we grow up into Christ the sorrow and the joy of this life help us to better know and share…

The Sorrow and the Joy of the Cross.

The Spirit has Much to Say

“I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you” (John 16: 12-15).

Our Teacher, the Holy Spirit, inspired the apostle John to record some encouraging truth here for disciples who long to hear from Jesus. In the midst of His journey to the cross, as the hour of His departure drew nearer, Jesus still had much to tell His disciples. Those who remained by His side through the difficult times were blessed to hear and see truth that escaped the crowds of fickle followers. They could not handle the entire weight of the truth He wanted to share with them now so Jesus promised a Spokesman that would remain with them after His departure. “The Spirit of truth” would tell them everything the Father wanted them to know in the days ahead. Today, we learn that when it comes to speaking Christ’s truth to faithful disciples, the Spirit has much to say.

What an incredible truth! Jesus Christ is the Son of God and Creator of the universe… “For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him” (Colossians 1:16). He is the One who holds everything together… “And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together” (Colossians 1:17). He is sovereign over all things beginning with His Church… “And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent” (Colossians 1:18). The plain truth is Jesus Christ is very powerful and busy, yet He has “many things to say to you”. Above all the great and mighty things He is doing, Jesus wants to talk to you and me! He has much to tell us. Jesus wants so much to share His truth with us that He provided a personal Spokesperson, the Holy Spirit to speak to us whenever we want or need to hear from our Savior, 24/7. In light of whom He is and what He has to say, I do not want to miss one single word! But if we are going to hear all that Jesus wants to tell us, we must embrace some truth about His truth.

First, God’s truth is revealed by the Holy Spirit… “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth”. And God’s truth is revealed through His word… “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth” (John 17:17).  While these seem to be rather elementary truths, they prompt a reflective question. How much time do we spend immersed in the word of God and seeking and embracing the Holy Spirit’s revelation of truth? Here in the West our worldview is shaped by government run schools that do not touch God’s truth as they lead us in the study of God’s creation. How much time do we spend listening to all Jesus wants to tell us through the Spirit and the word versus what the world shouts at us via television, internet, and other culture-shaping media? What priority do we give to the truth we hear from God and the foolishness we hear from the world?... “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:2). The great truth that Jesus has much to say to us should prompt us to make sure we do not love anything in the world more than the great truth He longs to share with us… “Do not love the world or the things in the world… For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever” (1 John 2:15-17). While all the world has to say is about the world that is passing away, Jesus taught that what the Spirit has to say “will glorify me”. And glorifying Jesus Christ is the primary goal of every true disciple… “To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Thessalonians 1:11-12).

As we grow up into Christ we spend increasing time with the Spirit in God’s word because we know…

The Spirit has Much to Say.

His Plans are Always to Our Advantage

“But now I am going to him who sent me, and none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged” (John 16: 5-11).

Jesus made the ominous declaration about His departure once again. This time He included a revelation of the hearts of His disciples. They were not sorrowful about where He was going, but they were hurting only because He was leaving them. Their self-centered definition of the life of a disciple was shattered. In the place of close, intimate fellowship with Jesus there would be a painful void left by His absence. How could this be? Jesus had big plans for these precious disciples. He would purposely fill the void He purposely created in a marvelous way. The results would be profound, in a personal way for each diligent disciple, and in a life-changing way for those in the world around them. You see, for Christ followers who are willing to lay aside their preconceptions and become truth-embracing disciples of Christ, His plan is always to our advantage!

Do you remember some promises that were made to you by the person who led you to Jesus, or by the preacher who invited you to receive Christ? These promises set the stage for your first few weeks and months as a Christ follower by helping you to establish some expectations about your new life. Perhaps you were looking forward to a life of peace and joy now that you were part of the Church. Maybe you anticipated a life of victory and success now that you were a child of the King. Surely you expected to enjoy the very real presence of Jesus every day as you spent time in His word, in prayer, and in fellowship with other believers. But if you’re honest, you must admit that there are many days when you feel that God is very busy somewhere else and doesn’t even seem aware of your existence. Be encouraged, all disciples experience moments when God does not fulfill our limited expectations. In moments like this Jesus wants us to look to our Father and ask for the special gift of the Holy Spirit… “If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” (Luke 11:13). But we must set aside our temporal expectations and ask in faith… “But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.  For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways” (James 1:6-8). We must not ask selfishly for the gift of the Holy Spirit. God will not send Him just to make us feel better. In fact, Jesus promised that when the Helper comes He will cause a lot of discomfort in the world around us… “He will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment”. Because the Spirit lives in our hearts, the convicting work He does in the hearts of others will be through us… “Because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!’” (Galatians 4:6). As the Spirit leads us into and empowers us to live according to God’s truth, our Spirit-filled lives will convict and compel others to run to Jesus for forgiveness and salvation… “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” (Acts 16:30) or convict and incite them against us because we are His disciples… “When they heard this, they were enraged and wanted to kill them” (Acts 5:33). Either way, it is to our advantage because the Spirit helps us to be fully engaged in the kingdom-building work of God… “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8).

As we grow up into Christ the Spirit empowers us to be part of Christ’s plan, and we learn…

His Plan is Always to Our Advantage.

The Blessings of Persecution

“I have said all these things to you to keep you from falling away. They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God. And they will do these things because they have not known the Father, nor me. But I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I told them to you” (John 16: 1-4).

There it is again. Jesus repeated His warning about coming persecution. True disciples, that is those Christ followers that diligently seek and obey His words and earnestly share His gospel will bear Spiritual fruit that glorifies God and proves to the world around them that they are Christ’s disciples… “By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples” (John 15:8). While this kind of holy living will draw many to Christ, it will also incite the wrath of the unbelieving world and true disciples in every age will suffer persecution at the hands of those who hate God… “If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours” (John 15:20). With this warning, Jesus introduced some graphic details. He promised that fruit-bearing disciples will be put “out of the synagogues” and will be put to death by zealous but ignorant defenders of God who don’t know either the Father or the Son. This was not a conditional warning. Jesus was clear. It was not if they persecute you. It was “they will” persecute you. It was not if their hour comes, it was “when their hour comes”. Today the Holy Spirit leads us to precious truth about the blessings of persecution.

In the light of Jesus’ repeated warnings, if we are not suffering from some kind of persecution we ought to ask ourselves if we are truly living a fruit-bearing, Christ-embracing life… “Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Timothy 3:12). The consequences of persecution come in many forms. It may be the mild digs of close family and friends that just don’t get our radical faith. It may be constant harassment at work by peers or supervisors that don’t like our holier than thou attitude. It may be rejection and alienation from Christian friends who are put off by our determination to love and pursue truth and seek to put us out of our local church. Though it’s rare here in our affluent and comfortable western culture, holy living may provoke the threat of death. We must accept the truth that serious disciples will experience the serious consequences of persecution.

Jesus taught that there is something far worse that being put out of our local church or losing our temporal life. The very reason for this lesson was revealed in His first words…  “I have said all these things to you to keep you from falling away”. Far worse than the worst the world can bring against true disciples are the consequences of “falling away” from Christ. The Greek word for “falling away” here is skandalizō and it means to scandalize, entrap, trip up, cause to stumble, entice to sin, apostasy or displeasure, to cause to offend. How revealing the Teacher is here! He makes it clear that our enemies, led by the schemes of our relentless adversary Satan, are not chiefly concerned with separating us from the local church or even with ending our physical lives. Their primary goal is to cause us to scandalize our Savior. They want us to be entrapped, tripped up, to stumble so badly that we bring reproach on the name of Christ. They want us to make Jesus offensive to others so they can justify their hatred for Him. But Jesus taught that the blessings of persecution are far greater than the consequences! Persecution is evidence that we are living a fruit-bearing life… “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matthew 5:11-12). The Holy Spirit echoes this truth through the pen of the apostle Peter… “If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you” (1 Peter 4:14).  Finally, persecution increases our intimacy and fellowship with our Savior… “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?” (Romans 8:35). When we look steadfastly to Him, the persecution incited against us to cause us to fall away from Christ will instead, produce blessings that drive us closer to Him!

As we grow up into Christ the hatred of our enemies will increase the opportunities for us to enjoy…

The Blessings of Persecution.

Our Precious Helper

“But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me. And you also will bear witness, because you have been with me from the beginning” (John 15: 26-27).

As He prepared His disciples for life and ministry after His departure, Jesus warned and comforted them. He exhorted them to obey and proclaim His word and do the kingdom-building work of God and He warned them that the world would reject and persecute them for it. He followed that warning with a word of encouragement. He promised them a Helper. He offered some very encouraging truth about this precious Helper. The Helper would come as a personal gift, sent by the Son from the presence of the Father. He would be called the Spirit of Truth. He would empower the disciples as Christ’s witnesses by bearing witness about Jesus to them and through them, to the world around them. For diligent disciples in every age who seek an intimate walk with Jesus and to share Him with the hostile world, the Spirit of Truth is indeed our precious Helper.

How is your relationship with the Holy Spirit? Do you feel His presence? Do others see the fruit of a growing, maturing fellowship with Him in your life? Are you aware of His leading? Are you sensitive to His convicting work? Are you growing in your knowledge of God’s word as He leads you into its truth? If you’re like me, a little reminder of just how indispensable this Helper is for maturing disciples will encourage you to become more familiar with and dependent on this precious gift of God.

Jesus taught that the Holy Spirit is sent by the Son from the Father. Jesus taught in another place that God loves to grant the gift of the Holy Spirit to His children liberally… “Everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion?  If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” (Luke 11:10-13). Notice, the only conditions for receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit are that we must be born again as God’s children… “Because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!’” (Galatians 4:6) and we must ask… “I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you” (Luke 11:9). Exercise your faith and ask God to fill you every day with the gift that He’s already given you, His Holy Spirit… “Do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18).

Jesus called the Holy Spirit our Helper. The Greek word translated Helper here is paraklētos and it means intercessor, consoler, advocate, and comforter. Jesus knows that diligent disciples will need this kind of help as we live and share the gospel with inhospitable unbelievers every day… “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8). Jesus called Him the Spirit of Truth. Jesus knows how much we need the Helper to lead us to and guide in God’s truth as we seek to live for Christ in this hostile and deceived world… “The great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him” (Revelation 12:9). Finally, Jesus taught that the Helper will bear witness about the Son through disciples who strive to bear witness through a close, life-long walk with Jesus Christ… “We are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him” (Acts 5:32). In those difficult witnessing moments when we don’t know exactly what to say or we don’t have the courage or strength to do what we need to do, our Helper, the Spirit goes to work in and through us to reveal Jesus Christ… “The Spirit is the one who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth” (1 John 5:6).

As we grow up into Christ living for and sharing Him we are ever more thankful for the gift of…

Our Precious Helper.

God's Word and Work Expose the Heart

“If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have been guilty of sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. Whoever hates me hates my Father also. If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin, but now they have seen and hated both me and my Father. But the word that is written in their Law must be fulfilled: ‘They hated me without a cause’” (John 15: 22-25).

In preparing His disciples for life in the inhospitable world and kingdom-building ministry among hostile people after His return to the Father, Jesus promised that as they obeyed His word and loved others as He had, they would be hated. He reminded them that it was really Jesus whom the world hated… “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you” (John 15:18) because as they made Him known in the world He brought glory to His Father… “By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples” (John 15:8). Today we see that Jesus went on to explain in more detail the rejection of those who hated Him and His Father. He taught the disciples that it was His word and His work that produced guilt in the hearts of those who hate God. This was a very important lesson for the early disciples to learn as they were about to lay the foundation of the Church and begin sharing the gospel of Christ. Serious, earnest disciples in every age should be constantly aware that God’s word and work expose the heart.

The heart is a very tricky thing. It is the seat of our emotion. The heart processes information we receive from the brain and moves us to action based on much more than what we know. Our behavior is guided and shaped by what we feel and believe about what we know. While it’s true that bad information can lead to bad behavior, more often it’s wrongly placed faith or damaged feelings that lead to the terrible consequences of wrong choices. Take a look back at the bad choices you’ve made in the past and you’ll see how often it was not what you knew but what you believed that steered you wrong.

Today we learn from the Master that what we believe and feel about God is hidden deep in our heart. Jesus teaches that when we hear His word, our heart is laid bare and our emotions are revealed. The Holy Spirit affirms this important truth about the power of God’s word to infiltrate and expose our heart… “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.  And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account” (Hebrews 4:12-13). Jesus warns His disciples that as we preach, teach, and live out His word, the true condition of the hearts of God haters around us will be revealed. But, at the same time, God lovers are attracted to the life-giving… “The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life” (John 6:63) ministry-equipping… “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17) word of God.

Jesus also warns His disciples that as we engage the world by doing His work, God haters will rise up against us. But again, it is the work of God that matures our faith… “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent” (John 6:29) and reveals the victorious, overcoming power of Christ to the world around us… “For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” (1 John 5:4-5). The existence of both God lovers and haters in our lives is strong evidence that we are faithfully immersed in His word and fully engaged in His work.

As we grow up into Christ we will encounter both God lovers and haters as we see that…

God’s Word and Work Expose the Heart.

Fruit-Bearing Disciples will Provoke Persecution

“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me” (John 15: 18-21).

Jesus prophesied that as His disciples were faithful to abide in Him, obey His word, keep His commandments, and love one another, they would bear much fruit, have the assurance that their prayers are answered, and be known as His friends (see John 15:1-17). As they remained rooted in Christ, God would be glorified in and through their lives… “By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples” (John 15:8). But there would be another consequence of their maturing discipleship. The growing, shining glory of God reflected from their lives would produce a reaction from the unbelieving world, and the disciples would bear the brunt of the world’s rejection of the glory of God. The world cannot remain neutral in the presence of God. People will either run to or away from the Lord when His real presence and glory is revealed in the words and deeds of His disciples. Jesus warned that the unbelieving world will hate maturing disciples specifically because their Spirit-filled lives reveal the God who sent Him, the God they do not want to know. Jesus promised that in every age, fruit-bearing disciples will provoke persecution.

We’ve discussed the chief goal of every true disciple, to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. Our Teacher, the Holy Spirit teaches this truth through the pen of the apostle Paul… “Whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31). Today, as we sit at the Savior’s feet, our hearts are challenged to do some more self-reflecting. What do unbelieving people think of our faith in Christ? Do they see us as different from them? Do we say things that convict their consciences? Do we do things that chastise their character? Does our confidence in Christ sentence their soul? Jesus taught that those who love and keep His word will love us, but those who hate Him will also hate us. Today we hear Jesus teach two important truths about the life that glorifies God. He teaches that as we mature in the faith and God receives more and more glory in and through our lives, the unbelieving world will recognize that we are different and they will hate and persecute us.

Living to glorify God will make us more like Jesus and therefore different from the world… “They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world” (John 17:16). As our hearts are filled with His word it replaces the deceptive, empty philosophy of the world with truth and we speak and act more like Christ, whom the unbelieving world hates… “I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world” (John 17:14). God’s word planted in our hearts produces spiritual fruit that the world envies… “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law” (Galatians 5:22-23). The unbelieving world is seeking the same qualities they see in us but they are unwilling to surrender to Jesus Christ, the source of our spiritual fruit. Therefore, they hate us because we have these qualities despite our circumstances and trials. But every time an unbeliever comes against us there is an opportunity to show them that Christ is the source of your confidence… “But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame” (1 Peter 3:14-16). Therefore, with every attack we are encouraged even more to live for Christ and to love others into His kingdom.

As we grow up into Christ we are not surprised, but encouraged by the truth that…

Fruit-Bearing Disciples will Provoke Persecution.