John 14:25-31

 Read: John 14 and 15; Sing: The Revelation Hymn (Lyrics here)

I want to stay here for the rest of the week, but, I know Easter is coming and to get through the Upper Room we must move on. Oh but the richness of these last verses in chapter 14. It is incredibly overwhelming. Lets jump in.

The Helper, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. The Helper, who is the Holy Spirit. Often we have made this out to be something more mystical or magical than it is, to try and wrap our brain around something we cannot. The Holy Spirit is a part of the Trinity. And it is through the Helper that we find our strength in Jesus Christ. It is through the Helper that we are convicted of sin. Fascinatingly here, we see how the New Testament is to be written. Through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit! HE would bring to mind to the disciples all that the Lord had taught them. 

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Peace is a fruit of the spirit. It is something that occurs when the Spirit dwells within us. Christ is gifting us a peace that surpasses all understanding when we trade our yoke for His. He promised that He would dwell in us in the previous verses, and He does.  We will see this reiterated in chapter 15 as we read about the vine and the branches. He in us and we in Him. Through this, we are able to experience peace that comes through Christ.  This is not a peace of the world. This is not something that comes from clearing your mind, or having a good day, or when all seems sunshine and roses; this is peace in the midst of a storm, peace when life doesn't make sense, and peace when we can't even breathe. This peace, is a gift from Christ. Trusting that He is sovereign over all. It is not easy, but through the power of the Holy Spirit we have the ability to live in this peace, we can not do it on our own.

Verse 31 " but I do as the Father commanded me, so that the world may know I love the Father." A blanket statement. I do as the Father commands, so the world may know I love the Father. For Christ in this very moment He knows His command is a death march to the Cross to bear the sins of the World. And He is walking steadily forward. Pausing to minister to His disciples moments before he literally bears the weight of the world. Jesus Christ came and lived a sinless life, died in our place, to atone for our sins. He bore our iniquity because we could never pay the price. Sister, you are not enough. Its true! We could never be enough, but through Christ, under His righteousness, we are under the banner of Christ's love...which is the perfect enough. JESUS IS ENOUGH. Do we believe that? Do we live as our Father commands, so that the world may know we love Him? What does our life say we love? If we are striving for worldly peace, worldly love, worldly ambition... we are telling the world we love them more. That the world will satisfy our needs and that the world will help us earn our way to heaven. RUN from this lie. There is nothing we add to our salvation other than sin and the need for a Savior. Jesus Christ. The perfect Son, came and died that we might live! 

The prophecies of the Old Testament are starting to crescendo here in this room! Everything that was promised is about to be fulfilled in Christ. The Promised Seed is about to crush the serpent's head.  This great and glorious God, steadfast in His love, is about to take away the sins of the world. May the world know we love Him today.