Gospel of John, 14:23-31
John · Courtney Hemenway · Aug 10, 2008
Gospel of John (2008), No. 32
Holly Hills Bible Church
https://hollyhillsbiblechurch.org/teaching/messages/492619102623

Transcribed from the recording by SermonAudio, so expect the occasional misheard word.

We are on lesson 27. Does everybody have a 27? Let me get you one. 27. Anybody else for 27? Marilyn, do you have a 27? All right. So we are right at the beginning of this. This is going to be tough to get through because I love this part on peace in this section. All right, question one. Well, let me do my normal, which I like to kind of do a summary, and I'll read through it just so we have the whole context, the whole section of Scripture. We're in John 14, verses 23 through 31. I'll go ahead and read it, and just follow along on your own, or follow me on the I'm reading New American Standard.

Jesus answered and said to him, If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and will come to him and make our abode with him. He who does not love me does not keep my words, and the word which you hear is not mine, but the Father's who sent me. These things I have spoken to you while abiding with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.

Peace I leave with you. My 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 fearful. You heard that I said to you, I go away and I will come to you. If you loved me, you would have rejoiced because I go to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. Now I have told you before it happens, so that when it happens you may believe. I will not speak much more with you, for the ruler of the world is coming, and he has nothing in me. but so that the world may know that I love the Father, I do exactly as the Father commanded me.

Get up, let us go from here." Alright, from verse 23, this is, is this positional or conditional truth? And that's, Jesus answered and said to him, If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and will come to him and make our abode with him. Positional or conditional? Okay. Conditional. Conditional. Any positionals out there? Any brave folk out there with a positional truth? What is a positional truth? It's our position. What's rock solid?

We know it's true right now. It's true of us right now. And it's eternal. It can't be changed. There's nothing, no how, we can't do anything about it. It's true. And conditional? I don't know what we do. Yeah, it's up and down. If we're walking in the spirit. You were going to say something, Peggy? I think it is positional. Oh, okay. Tell me why. Because it says, if anyone loves me, he will keep my word. There's no way that the old man can keep his word. The new man is the only way. But, but, the if, if anyone.

Is it conditional? I see what you're saying. You're saying if anyone were able to keep conditioned on that. Does that mean you're always walking in the Spirit? No. So, there is a conditional on this. If we're walking by faith, we'll be obedient according to the new life we have. If we're walking in the Spirit, yes, this is one of those imperatives again, logical imperatives. If you love me, what will you do? Keep His Word. It's not a struggle, it's like breathing. If you're walking in the Spirit, you will keep His Word.

Because what would that mean in grace if it relied on us? I mean, what does it mean about grace? I guess from a position or a command. If it relied on us, what does that mean about grace? It's not effective. It's contrary to grace. What was all the stuff in grace? Unmerited. So if this was conditional, that we had to do this, and this is a result, cause and effect, then that wipes out grace. But if you make it a logical imperative, which means if you're walking in the Spirit, what will you do?

You abide by His word. It's not cause and effect. I always use Mike's dog. Mike's dog has been used between Mike's dog and the guy who lives across the street. They have been champions in the lessons for years around here. Neither one of them know it. And neither one of them know it. Someday I'm going to whisper in Trickster's ear and tell him that he's been used. And he probably won't bark at that point.

It's like breathing. I mean, if you are in the spirit, you'll abide by his word. It's just as you want to make it a positional. Yes, if you're walking, it's logical. You'll abide by his word. It isn't a struggle. Jack? Well, I think it's important to bring out the fact, too, that a little more technical is in view of the fact. Yeah, as far as the Greek tense or the mood. Yeah. Yeah. You know, if you believe.

You know, and when you get to the father's love, my father will love him. Again, that is future tense. It's active, so it's the father's action. And it's the indicative mood. It's certain. There's no question about it. Fact, reality. It's also called the article of a fulfilled condition. Yeah. So, you know, is there a question about it? No. About the Father's love? Yeah. Alright, question two.

Is there a difference between keeping his commandments, which is in verse 15, if you look back at that, and then keeping his word in verses 23 and 24? If so, what is the difference? So it says in 15, If you love me, keep my commandments, and I will pray the Father, and he will give you another helper or comforter, and he may abide with you forever. Verses, if anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and he will come to him and make our bode with him. He who does not love me does not keep my words, and the word which you hear is not mine, but the Father who sent me. So, two different things, commandments and words. So, is there a difference between keeping his commandments, in verse 15 and keeping his word in verses 23 and 24. Stunned silence again.

You're on question two? Yeah. Bad question or chicken? We are, according to the New Life, sanctified unto obedience. Okay? So, commands versus word. That's what I'm looking for. And that sanctified unto, and I mentioned before that word unto signifies result. So if you are sanctified unto obedience, obedience if you're sanctified is the result. Okay, so to a commandment, which is these logical imperatives, or to his word?

That would be both, right, for you? It wouldn't make any difference? See, it's whether he said to his commandments and to his word. Is there a difference between them? I guess that's the first question. Anybody? Commandments and word. Is that two different things? Same thing? I said, keeping the commandments is abiding in Him, but if we love Him, we keep His word.

But to me, that's kind of all the same, but yet I really didn't totally understand. Okay. I had... Do you want to... See, some of these questions are from him, and I modified some of them, too. So I changed it from what you had. So let me hear your answer, because I... Because that changes it from what you were telling me.

I think his word, as opposed to his commandments, his word is, like Grant said, is broader. Because we don't live under a law system, if you violate the law, you violate a statute, and it's open rebellion. His word is more encompassing than the law. And so therefore, it's like a relationship in a marriage. You can take vows with your wife and have the refrigerator list on how you're going to live, or you can live by intimacy with each other. You know what's pleasing and not pleasing to the other party, and that's kind of what their word is. And so you operate based on intimacy and affection rather than statute and obedience.

Not that you don't obey, you do. But what you find is that I think the Lord begins to delight in the one who is sensitive to the Word of God. I had a couple different ones. In the commandment, there's an expression of God's direct will. Like in 1 John 2, 15. Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in it.

That's a direct logical command. So that's a command. But as Mike says, it's a broader one. The one I had then, I don't know if I picked this up or made this up. I can't remember. This would be like your mom saying, do not go outside. It is a direct command.

However, later as you get ready for dinner, you've heard your mom has said how she likes help preparing dinner. And this is instance you help with the dinner because you've heard your mom talk about this, not because she commanded help. So it's more, you kind of know what's going on in your mind. She didn't say, you have to help me. She just knows you need help. So you go and do it. Because you've heard her say this, and it's not a direct command. But, you know, do not go outside. That's the command. Don't go outside. So there's a difference between command and word.

And love is the power. Yeah, oh yeah. Definitely. And it's, again, our position and condition, too. You know, loving, if we're walking the spirit, you know, commandments or word, it doesn't matter. whether a logical command or just his general word, the broader scope of his word, you'll do it because that's who you are in Christ.

In the second instance, the word is different than in 15. It's logos, the logos. The word. And who is the word? He is. Exactly. Similarly, keeping God's word is different. It is responding to who God is by his word, not a direct commandment. From John Darby, we may remark that the scripture employs two different words here, commandments and word. Both have their importance in that the first speaks of authority and obedience, the second of attention to what the Lord says, each having thus a special bearing. To the soul that has the commandments and keeps them, the Lord manifests Himself, and it is the fruit of obedience. But the blessedness of the abiding of the Father and the Son in the heart is the fruit of the Word of Jesus, exercising its rightful influence in the heart.

So again, it's a blending. There are commands, but if you're in the Spirit, if you're walking by the Spirit, His word is who you are. So it is two different things. There's a direct command, but the broader is His word. And both are manifest in there. If you love Him, you'll keep His commandments. If you love Him, you'll keep His word. Could you say that keeping the commandment is more demanding than or more lawful or something like that? I thought about that. It goes back to that first one of positional and conditional and stuff.

If you're walking the spirit, a command and the word are almost the same. I don't know how much more burdensome a logical command is versus his general word. Because if I'm walking the spirit, is a logical command difficult? So abiding by His word is a difficult. I don't think there's really anything more burdensome between a command and His word if you're in the Spirit.

If you're conditionally walking by the Spirit, I don't think there's any burdensome on either one. Question three. In verse 25, what is the subtle truth revealed by Jesus about his relationship with the disciples compared to the Holy Spirit's relationship to the disciples? In verse 25, these things I have spoken to you while abiding with you.

What does he indicate what's going to happen? He's going to go away. He's going away. He just told him that. And he's telling him again that he would not be abiding with them much longer. OK? So he's telling them. Again, he just keeps revealing more and more, repeating, repeating, repeating, I'm going away.

You know, and they're still struggling, trying to figure out all this stuff, which we'll get later in this passage. You'll see again, you know, as he says, I gave you the Holy Spirit. You don't understand now, but I tell you these things, so afterwards, you'll understand these things.

So, you know, they're still trying to comprehend, where are you going? Remember he asked, where are you going? Where are you going? What are you doing? A lot of them think the Messiah. Aren't you going to rule and reign right now? They're struggling through all these things.

What does this also reveal about the differences with his relationship with the disciples and the coming of the Holy Spirit? I have two different things from verse 16 and 17. What was different? 16 and 17? Yeah, I think it was 16 and 17. What does it say in verse 16?

And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another comforter, that He may abide with you forever. The Spirit of truth whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. But you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. So what two things are expressed there about the Holy Spirit?

Two important things. Very important. He'll be with us forever. Forever. What did Jesus just tell him? See ya. I'm leaving. And we'll get to it. That's a better thing. But, see ya. But what I'm going to give you is the Holy Spirit who will be with you what? Forever. Forever. Okay, so the Spirit will be forever. What about the other thing? He's the Spirit of Truth. Spirit of Truth. What about the relationship? Very important. Bingo. In you. Very important difference between Jesus and the Holy Spirit is that Christ couldn't be in them.

He could abide with them. And the Holy Spirit will abide with us, but what does it say also? He's going to abide with us, but not only abide with us, but in us. Completely different relationships. Two very important things about the Holy Spirit. That the Holy Spirit was going to be with us forever, which Jesus wasn't, and then Jesus would just abide with us, but the Holy Spirit will abide in us.

So a lot of things in the relationship about the Holy Spirit's being revealed here. And these things I've spoken to you while abiding with you. So he's saying, I'm going to tell you these things now because I'm leaving, but the Holy Spirit, what have I promised you? He's going to be with you forever and He's going to be in you. So a lot of important things about the Holy Spirit are being revealed here.

In question four from verse 26, what do we learn about the Holy Spirit's ministry? But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you." So, where does the Holy Spirit come from? From the Father. The Holy Spirit will be sent from the Father.

What does it mean when the Holy Spirit will be sent in Jesus' name? We say that a lot. In His name. In fact, it appears thirteen times in the Gospel of John. What does it mean that the Holy Spirit will be sent in Jesus' name? What does that phrase mean? Thirteen times in the Gospel of John? Either in His name or in Jesus' name? Which verse are you looking at? 26, I believe it is, yeah. Whom the Father will send in my name. So what if I go in the name, we have the Olympics right now. And I go as a U.S. Olympian. Is it to honor him?

In place of? Representing? Authority? There you go. That's more in line. He comes with the authority of Christ. It's more representative. I mean, you know, I guess it's kind of like an ambassador, you know, somewhat. I represent, you know, my country. I can only speak, you know, like for the press secretary, for the president. They can only speak what the president wants them to say.

He's a representative. He speaks in the authority of the president in a press conference. So he comes in the authority of whoever sent him. You might say that it would be more indicative of him being the president. Because the president is in Beijing right now, and he's representing the country. A man with authority. Right, he represents the United States. And that's why I say, or like with a press secretary to the president, the Holy Spirit would be like the press secretary. He can only say what the president gives him authority to say. So he represents the president. And so it's really the authority.

In his name means he's in the authority from who? Who sent him? In my name, actually. It's in my name. So he's saying, the Holy Spirit will come, and he has the authority of me. Also in John 1, it says the Lord Jesus came from the Father. Right. All through the beginning of John, the beginning. And then we get this 17, I in Him, we get all this unity, they're all together. In fact, we've just gone through that with the three of them. The Father, they show the unity. So when He's sent in the name of Jesus' name, He comes with the authority of Jesus. He represents Him.

Okay? What will the Holy Spirit do first? Teach us. Yeah. Teach us all things. Yeah, I love that. And words matter. He will teach us all things. Nah, just part of things. He'll just reveal just a little bit. He'll just teach us just a tiny bit. You know, I go and I was reading this and I was saying, all things. All things? That's like in Ephesians, you know, we've been blessed with all spiritual blessings. What does that mean? All spiritual blessings?

Wow. You know, he will teach us most of the stuff about 99 and 9 tenths percent. Get a hold back a little. No. All. It's kind of interesting, like say when you start reading some of this and you start dissecting it, he will teach us all things. So, what do you have to worry about? about being taught. The biggest thing you have to worry about is getting in the old man and rebelling about the knowledge or fighting it or whatever. Yes. After Jesus was gone and the disciples started putting down what they knew about him, wasn't this an assurance to them that they would remember all that they needed to know?

We're about ready to get to that verse. It comes up. That's exactly it. And this is in part with that. And again, when you really start rolling this out, the more I study this, it's like a tidal wave getting more energy and bigger and larger, the revelation that's coming. From what we started in John 1 through 14 now, We just keep getting more and more. Through the first part, he's telling us a lot.

I'm the Word. But then he gets through this winnowing process. Who am I? And trying to get through this. Now, he's kind of established who he is. I am the Father. We're all together. We're one. You know where I come from. All these things. Where I've come from. Who sent me.

And now, he's gotten to the point where it's now, okay, the Holy Spirit. And now this crescendo keeps coming. Well, He'll teach you all things and bring to remembrance all things. So, I mean, this just keeps growing and growing, what these guys are being revealed, and to us. It's amazing, you know, all things, and He'll bring things to remembrance. You know, how much to the disciples and how much to us, but how many times have you, all of a sudden, just a scripture comes to your mind, or something in a pertinent conversation, You know, I think of bring remembrance, you know, all things, you know, I don't know what, you know, all of a sudden the Holy Spirit just, bam, here, you know, so I think this is, we'll get into more and more of this, but the first thing he'll do is teach us all things.

Is this what you need first for faith? Teaching. Say that again. I know I confuse you on this one. Is this what you need first for faith? Teaching. Teaching? Faith comes by hearing, hearing by the word of God. You need to know what you believe in. I guess it was my point. He's going to teach us all things. The initial faith, but as he reveals, he's going to reveal knowledge and then faith is by hearing. So, you know, this comes first.

And what does he tell? The first thing he's going to do is what? Teach you. So what? Your faith, your intimacy, all these things come. Because he's teaching you. He's telling about who you are in Christ. Alright, what is the next thing the Holy Spirit will do? Bring remembrance to all that he said to us.

Right. Okay. Again, the important thing to recognize is you first must know and then things can be brought to remembrance. So it's a very logical order. It isn't happenstance. He'll teach you and then he'll bring it to remembrance. You have to know first. Can you remember something you haven't been taught? Pretty much logical. He'll teach you all things and then he'll bring it to remembrance.

You stop to think how many years after the fact was John writing all of this down. And yet he remembered verbatim the things that Jesus actually said. That's just incredible. Well, it is the Holy Spirit. How many years later, all this stuff just... Do you remember what you did last week? Do you remember that conversation you had with Jack, when we talked at Bible Study on Tuesday, remember everything you talked about on Tuesday? I don't even know what I said this morning to my kids. I have no clue. So think about what that means. It isn't by happenstance. It is the inspired word of God.

I mean, they didn't have the laptop to put your notes in and remember. They didn't have the logbook. When they're walking around here, you don't see them. I don't think there's anything that says they're recording all this as they're walking around with them. No, but when you think of, okay, you have four different people, and each one is recording the same events, and they're almost verbatim his words. Well, the different aspects too. I love it.

What the different scriptures, who the audiences are for. Matthew, I think the Jews, and then Mark and Luke are Greeks. John is the one that is deity. And that's why I said, when you put it in perspective, he's after Paul's epistles. So what is his importance? He's trying to say, all those truths that Paul's saying, it relies on the fact that Christ was the Son of God. So John goes to great length to say about the deity of Christ. To put in my name and the authority of all what Paul was saying, he says, Christ was the Son of God.

So that's why we see so much in here. I think I had it in here too. Isn't this in concert with how we were blind to the scriptures before the Holy Spirit indwelt us? You know, how many times do you read, you know, before, a lot of us, I was older, I was in college coming to know the Lord, you know, up until then. And then once, you know, finding out about Christ and the Spirit working on me and then the new birth in Christ, Wow, I've got a new pair of glasses on. Look at that. It's in focus. It goes back to 1 Corinthians 2, verse 14.

But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. But he who is spiritual appraises all things. Yet he himself is appraised by no one. For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he will instruct him? But we have what? The mind of Christ. And who taught us that? The Holy Spirit.

When you put all this stuff together, they didn't have a computer to put this all together and try to make this up. That's why I say another from the divinely inspired. When you put this all together, it's a well-oiled machine that fits perfectly. And when you think, they couldn't have come together and generated all this stuff and fit it perfectly together.

So, the scripture just keeps coming more and more alive when you put it all together and then as he teaches you, your eyes get more and more. Five, what truths are revealed in verse 27 that are a result of the Lord Jesus leaving and the Holy Spirit coming? This is some of my favorite. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you, not as the world gives, do I give. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful. What was Jesus promising them and us? Peace. Peace.

Was this a new concept? New concept? Who don't think it was not a new concept? chickens. There are three that went for Pete. It's a new concept. Well, if you're under the law and the commands and all the commandments that the Jews had, I wouldn't think they'd be very peaceful because they said, well, I do that today, or, you know, I, I think you'd be in the turmoil all the time trying to figure out what you were supposed to have done. Okay. Do you think it's a new concept?

Yeah, I do, because Romans 5.1 says that we now have peace with God that nobody had before. But was it new that he was bringing them peace? Yes, because the peace has to be It just isn't a feeling of euphoria.

Oh, I know. It has to be based on, I think, it has to be based on man's relationship with God, and there is no relationship without the work of Christ. See, I said, and it's not that, yes, the peace came with him, undoubtedly, but I think it was foretold that he would bring peace. Think of Isaiah 9, 6.

For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us, and the government will rest on his shoulders, and his name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father." Prince of Peace. Prince of Peace. What about at Jesus' birth? What did the angels proclaim? Peace on earth.

Luke 2.13. And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men, whom he is pleased." Peace has come. At the cross, Colossians 119, For it is the Father's good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in him, and through him to reconcile all things to himself, having made peace through the blood of his cross. Through him, I say, whether things on earth or in heaven.

It just made my point. But foretold of him bringing peace. Foretold, yeah. See, that's what I was trying to get at. This was not a new concept that he would usher peace, that peace would come through him. It was foretold. There were a whole bunch of other scriptures I could look at. It said he was bringing peace. Yes, the physical peace was through him. That was new. This is all new. It came with Christ.

But it was foretold. The fact that peace would come. Peace would come through him. Don't you think too that people misunderstand that word peace? And everybody runs around and says, we have to have peace here on earth. Let's get along with everybody. No war. And no war.

Whereas this peace is not that peace. This peace is a personal relationship with God that brings you peace. You have peace in your relationship with Him. Yeah, I got a lot on this. I love this verse. Meryl Tenney said in regard to this particular use of peace in this verse, it's the calmness of confidence in God. That's how it should manifest. I'll get to what this piece is, because I think it's a two-fold piece too. Let's see. So there are other important facts about this piece. The piece that Jesus had, he said, I have it. He was leaving here on earth the same peace. So the peace that I have, Christ speaking, I'm going to give to you. What peace did he have? He and the Father were one. What do you worry about?

Could this be a positional and a conditional piece? Yes, yes. The foretold one would be the positional one. Yeah, in fact, I think there are many aspects to this piece, positional and conditional. You know, positional, we have the piece, and we'll get into that piece from knowing that God is propitiated. We have a piece with God now. That's positional. The piece also is conditional too, which is the piece we have here. Did you read Kenny on this? He made some interesting points.

He said, his peace did not consist in freedom from turmoil and suffering, but in a calm, undeviated devotion to the will of God. I like that a lot. And that's what I'm saying. The peace that he had, that's what I'm saying. The peace that he had. What peace did he have? He had a relationship with God. And we'll see in John 17, that intimacy with God, where did his peace come from? He and the Father were one. He did the will of the Father. Even when He was going to the cross, what was it? The joy set before me? Peace? And what did He do? He gave that same peace to us. What are we worried about? What are you worried about?

That's why I say peace, when you really understand the Scripture, you understand He's in control, You have peace. And this is all teachings of grace. Oh yeah, absolutely. Absolutely. So what distinction does Jesus make about his giving of peace to us? What's the difference? He said in verse, whatever we're on here,

27. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you. What? Not as the world. It's amazing. How does the world give? Not much. Here it is. Take it back. Forget it. That's fake. Over here. Conditional love. Or conditional. I'll do this if you do that. Can peace come from the world? No. No. That's like, come and I give you rest. Rest is another one of those words I love. Can the world give you rest? No. So if you're struggling, and you don't have peace, are you walking in the Spirit?

I mean, no matter what happens, this is a big thing, and people pound me for this, but in anything, the Lord is in control. If you know that, can't you have peace and rest in any situation, any circumstance? I think so. That's why, in my other one that I've always memorized, James, consider it all joy, my brethren. When you encounter what? Trials or blessings? No, trials. How do you have joy in trials? Peace. I give you my peace, he says. So what is the character of this peace? This is just one. I blindsided you on this one. But it surpasses all comprehension.

OK, from Philippians 4. Rejoice in the Lord always. Oops, always? Wow, those big words again. Those kind of either all or nothing, you know? Rejoice in the Lord always. And again, I will say rejoice. Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And what? and the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

I love that. Just a cute little trivia. Our daughter Janet used to have a lisp when she was little, and she learned that the peak that passeth under is the joy of my heart. She used to sing that. As long as she knows that verse, that's great. I have a lisp or not. How was the piece of pain by Jesus. The cross, the Father. Yeah, I mean, in some respects, I don't know, an attribute, it's... Yeah, yeah.

I don't think it's attributable to man, because the Lord said, unless a grain of wheat fall on the ground and die, it bides alone. So he had the peace himself. But unless he dies, there is no fruit bearing in terms of the peace to others. So the cross of Christ, in which, by the way, on the cross there is no peace between him and the Father. As a matter of fact, they become enemies. They are at enmity with one another. And he dies. But in the resurrection now, the more fruit included in that is the peace for those that belong to the Lord Jesus have the same relationship to the Father as he has.

I went to Colossians 1.19. Yeah, again, go on to that one. For it was the Father's good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in him, and through him to reconcile all things to himself. What?

Having made peace through what? The blood of the cross. The peace came through the blood of the cross. Through him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven. Okay, what is the result of us... Would that peace be different than the peace Adam and Eve had? Or would you think they had peace? What was the question? The peace of Adam and Eve. I don't think it's anywhere near it. I mean, they didn't have the same peace, I don't believe, that he would have with the father. Would you say they had peace? I don't know. Before the fall and all that, I don't know. I wonder if it wasn't peace of innocence. Yeah, I think that's a good representation. The innocence that they had before the fall. There is peace in that probably, in the innocence. But once the fall, it's no peace. No peace at all. And if it's really the same piece, this one again obtained through the cross too, it's definitely not the same piece spoken of there. So what is the result of us receiving this piece? In verse 27. I think it's 27 and 27. Untroubled hearts and no fear. Yeah. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful. To me, that's kind of one of those no-brainers.

If you have peace, will you have trouble? Can you have trouble and peace together? No. I have utmost peace, but I'm in trouble. I have a fearful heart, but I'm at peace. Mutually exclusive. So if we have the peace, do we have trouble and fear? No. So our conditional, if you know God's in control, His word is indwelling and all this. What are you to be fearful of? Nothing. Anything?

No. I think Merle Tenney, though, makes a good point here that this peace does not mean freedom from turmoil and suffering. Oh, no. There is a peace amongst the turmoil and the suffering that only a believer understands. Right. That's the James one. Consider it all joy, my brother. What? That you can have this, you know, glide down Lazy River? No, it's in trials. But what do you do? You consider it all joy. This is not peace and prosperity that a believer will walk merrily down the primrose path. It means in any situation, you have peace. In blessings or in trials. But that's the thing.

In anything, do you have fear? You know, does it have a sub-category here that says, in these conditions, be a little fearful. You know, you can be a little troubled if this happens. Is that what it says? No. See, and these are the things, one of these alls and these encompassing things. When you really start looking in the Word, and that's what this piece, if you're walking by the Spirit, should you be fearful and troubled in any situation? You have a medical, you have something with your family, anything that happens. It can be tough, but if you know he's in control, my favorite thing, does God say, oops? I didn't know that happened to you. Sorry. Does that happen? Never. Never.

So when you're going through a trial, I always think that when God spoke to Job, where were you? OK, you're so smart. Where were you when this happened? And he kind of gives them the old one-two of, you're smarter than I. So when a trial's going on, you don't like it, whatever. God's allowing it for some reason. So joyful. Do not be tripped. I knew I was going to get bogged down on this. Stay at rest. Stay at rest here. Stay at rest. It's just the bell. Yeah, it's just the bell.

I'm OK with this. And the piece, you know, we're talking about this, the aspects of the piece. I think there seems to be a twofold aspect of this piece. The first is that God has been propitiated. He is satisfied by the blood of the cross. Therefore we have peace with God. We now have peace with God because of what Christ did on the cross. The second aspect of the peace is that we have in this world something that the world cannot give. This peace comes from all that has been spoken of the Lord. by the Lord and of the Lord.

Some of these ones, you know, I just went back quickly, just what we've just gone through. What has He done? He's prepared mansions for us, dwellings for us. He will not leave us alone in that He's given us the Holy Spirit and His Word. Unlike when Jesus was physically here on earth, we can have the permanent indwelling of the Holy Spirit. And then what has He said? He will come back personally for us. when it's the Father's time.

I mean, those are just snippets of just what we learn. Remember all the 213 things we have positionally when we become new creatures in Christ? I mean, we have all this. So are we to be troubled or fearful? No. You know, this piece, I love this verse. Because when I'm struggling, I'm anxious, I'm whatever. That's my first key to go, wait a minute. Am I in the spirit or not? I can go through amazingly tough things if I know that he's in control. And does his love change? Never. Never. So I have the peace. I don't have to be troubled. I don't have to be fearful.

Question 6, in verse 28, what is Jesus telling the disciples and what is he relying on here? Verse 28, You heard that I said to you, I go away and I will come to you. If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I go to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. First, what is he telling them?

That he's leaving? He's leaving. He's telling the same thing again. How many times is he telling this? He's been saying during this whole discourse, he's leaving, he's going away. But more importantly, that he will personally come back for us. I will come for you.

I. First person. I will come for you. Not somebody else. I will personally come for you. Okay?

Secondly, what is he relying on with the disciples? their affections. He recognized that they were interested in where he was going, and because they understood and loved him, they would rejoice. You should rejoice. You know where I'm going. Where did I tell you I was going? You should rejoice. You should be happy. And they're going, where are you going? You're leaving us? And he's saying, you should rejoice. Where am I going? I'm going to be with the Father.

And another aspect of what Jesus was telling the disciples should be very important to us now, and it's found in the second half of the verse. So what is the important truth that can also give us that peace that surpasses all understanding? If you love me, you would rejoice because I go to the Father. How is that important to us? I should say this. Say it in relation to how. What is he saying to these guys, the disciples? Rejoice because I go to the Father. What happens when somebody, a believer, dies? So what is he telling them here? Rejoice because I go to the Father. What happens when a believer dies?

He's there. So what is it? Rejoice. You know, we can be, I mean, Hal, I tremendously respect the man, I miss him, but I rejoice. He's face to face right now. And I always love the question, do you think if he could come back, do you think he'd come back? No way. Not in a million years would he come back. But this is a joy for us and a comfort. Again, that peace that surpasses all understanding.

When we lose somebody who's a believer, even though we'll miss them and it's hard on the family and you help out and we're a one body, we help, but we should rejoice. I had a bunch of friends. Sam Dalton was just a tremendous evangelist who lived for years. And we rejoiced at his memorial. He finally, just like with Hal, He's with the one he's talked about his whole life, or his adult life. We should rejoice in that fact.

Just as he's telling the disciples here, what are you guys moping around? I just told you I'm going to the Father. You should be happy. You know, it's not anywhere similar, but I think, you know, I should be happy you guys are going on the cruise to Alaska. I shouldn't be jealous about that. I should be happy you're going on those cruises, you know? We're praying for you. Yeah. But I mean, you should rejoice because they're going to be with the father. Rejoice. All right, let's close.

Heavenly Father, we thank You for this time. We thank You for just the time to get in Your Word. We just thank You that, again, You haven't left us alone. You have left us with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, which we just thank You and Your Word.

Father, we just appreciate, day by day, the peace that surpasses all understanding. Father, we just realize that if we understand that, we won't be fearful, we won't be troubled, and that the Spirit teaches us all things, and the all things is what? Knowing your Son, the Lord Jesus. As we have that intimate knowledge of Him, the peace is magnified more and more. So Father, we just thank you again just for this time in your word. We do just uplift Vern as he prepares to give the message. Just prepare our hearts to receive that and we just commit this day to you. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.