John 14-17 - Come Follow Me with Sam

 Welcome!

Okay, I'm not going to lie, this is my favorite part of the gospels - I really can't even do this justice. I'll write very short thoughts in hopes that it piques your curiosity, and also hopefully I can fill in more one day.

John 14

1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.

2 In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. 

Have you ever really thought that there is a place for you prepared!? and its made for you! Hope you strive for the best!

Also, this song captures it so perfectly down to that this comes down to your identity and Christ's identity

4 And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.

5 Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?

6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.

This is so true; Christ is THE way, and THE truth, and THE life. there is no separation between Christ and reality and glory and deliverance.

14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.

15 ¶ If ye love me, keep my commandments.

There is an implication that we know the name of Christ, or put in simpler terms, that we keep his commandments. Christ is emphasizing this or saying in otherwords, if you wish to follow me, then if ye ask anything in my name I will do it. if you really want to follow me, then do what I ask for this to happen.

16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;

17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

19 Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.

20 At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.

27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

This is not the world's peace! It's like no peace you have ever experienced until you have experienced this! Don't be decieved by any false mockery of the Peace of Christ and the Rest of God. Seek it until you find the real thing.

John 15

8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.

9 As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.

12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.

13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.

It may be that we take Christ's words out of context when we only say 'Love one another as I have loved you'. This entire chapter is about understanding that better.

18 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.

19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.

20 Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.

21 But all these things will they do unto you for my name’s sake, because they know not him that sent me.

22 If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloak for their sin.

23 He that hateth me hateth my Father also.

Getting persecuted for Christ hurts a lot but it also has its awesome side. We can be like Him in this little tiny way and we are abasing ourselves, showing that we do not think we are better than Jesus.

Also, give up your cloaks of lies. Christ is great at taking those away and you can finally be healed. So worth it. He'll help you through all of it, just keep holding onto Him.

John 16

1 These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended.

2 They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.

3 And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me.

This is a bit of a hard saying; I definitely have felt and observed this. Sometimes the people I know who do this are very good in their own way. I think there are the true snakes out there and then there are many simply blinded by men, like saul of tarsus. But it is very true that so many who claim to follow Jesus or be christian, or are virtuous would cast stones at Him again. 

Remember we come to Christ on Christ's terms, not our own. If we give up all our lying vanities, and become open to understanding Christ, we can get out of this pit we dug for ourselves. 

I found this quote last week that just knocked me completely over. If you can find the original french, I would be most greatful. Its from Sainte Therese de Lisieux:

“If you are willing to bear serenely the trial of being displeasing to yourself, then you will be for Jesus a pleasant place of shelter.”

12 I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.

see above

20 Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy.

33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

This could be the story of the next few years. If this is part of your story, hang on. The further light and knowledge comes after the trial of faith.

The intercessory prayer.

Everything in this prayer is so holy and so eternal and so merciful and so right. If there was ever a scripture that would give us even the littlest glimpse of the heavens, it would be this prayer right here.

I really don't feel like I can do this prayer justice, so I have only one verse that sums it up.

3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

Remember this is the goal. Everything else comes to this.