Are Christ’s Promises For You?

We're preaching through the gospel according to John, the fourth gospel.

Today our sermon text, it's the final words of Jesus while he's still in the upper room.

At the end of chapter 14, you see he calls his disciples out of there.

You could say this is the calm before the storm.

And the last words he gives his disciples in the quiet in that upper room

are the words that will remain with them until the Holy Spirit comes fulfilling everything he promises.

So as I read from John 14 beginning at verse 15,

remember this is God's inspired, inerrant, infallible, clear, and sufficient word.

It's God's very own word for you, his people.

If you believe that, if you receive it that way, I'll say this is the word of the Lord and we say thanks be to God.

John 14 starting at verse 15.

If you love me, keep my commandments.

And I will pray the Father and he shall give you another comforter,

that he may abide with you forever.

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.

I will not leave you comfortless.

I will come to you.

Yet a little while in the world shall see me no more, but ye shall see me.

Because I live, ye shall live also.

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

He that hath commandments and keepeth them,

He it is that loveth me, and he that loveth me shall be loved by my Father,

and I will love him, and I will manifest myself to him.

Judas saith unto him,

That's not as scary, O Lord.

How is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us and not unto the world?

Jesus answered and said unto him,

If a man love me, he will keep my words, and my Father will love him,

and he will come unto him and make our abode with him.

Verse 24,

He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings,

and the word which ye hear is not mine, but my Father's which sent me.

Verse 25,

These things I have spoken unto you, being yet present with you,

but the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, from the Father,

who he will send in my name,

he shall teach you all things, and shall bring all things to your remembrance.

Whatsoever I have said unto you,

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.

Ye have heard how I said unto you,

I go away and come again unto you.

If you love me,

you would rejoice,

because I said,

I go unto the Father,

for my Father is greater than I.

And now I have told you,

before it will come to pass,

that when it does come to pass,

you might believe.

This is the word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Thanks be to God indeed.

You may be seated.

Would you pray with me?

Would you pray with me?

Speak, O Lord,

until your church is built for your glory.

May your Holy Spirit with power

shed your light on these words, Father.

Give us understanding,

these words of life that Jesus Christ

has spoken to his disciples,

to his church.

Help us to receive your word with faith,

that our faith would be like an empty beggar's hand

holding on to Jesus Christ.

We pray, Lord,

that your Spirit will minister

and apply your truth,

that you will give us hearts to rejoice,

that you will comfort us, Lord,

that we will put our hope

in the finished work of Jesus.

By the power of the Spirit in us,

we ask.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

G.K. Chesterton once wrote,

The riddles of God

are more satisfying

than the solutions of man.

In this upper room,

our Lord Jesus is giving

some of the most glorious promises,

yet it's like they're bouncing off

the ears of his disciple like riddles.

What does Jesus mean?

I grasp that if I can understand

and receive what he says,

these are words of life.

But what does he mean?

These are difficult things you are saying, Lord.

And Judas, not as scary,

the other Judas,

he asked that question in verse 22.

Lord, how is it

that you're going to do this?

You said you will manifest yourself to us

and that the world won't see you any longer,

but we will know you

and we will have you.

How can this be?

How is it that you will manifest yourself

to us and not to the world?

Because if you have seen Jesus,

if you have ears to hear and eyes to see,

and you believe this promise

that he's given you,

you have life.

And Jesus says,

if you reject my words,

you're rejecting the Father.

He's the one who sent me

and gave me these words.

So if you receive these promises,

it means everything

for your life now and for eternity.

If you don't have ears to hear

and you reject the word

that Christ gives

and these promises,

then these promises

are not for you.

In the book of Revelation,

Jesus is depicted

not as what he will look like,

but as who he is.

And who is Jesus Christ?

From his mouth comes a sword.

And that sword is sharp

and it divides

between bone and marrow.

That's what the word of Jesus,

going out into all the world,

that's what it does.

Do you have ears to hear?

The most important thing

you can reflect on today

is whether or not

these promises are for you.

In this glorious passage,

Jesus says,

I will not leave you orphans.

But if these promises

are not for you,

you are alone.

Jesus says,

My Father will give you

another advocate in my name.

But if these promises

are not for you,

you don't have an advocate

before the holy, just God.

Jesus says,

I will come again for you.

But if these promises

are not for you,

then Christ will come

bringing the wrath of God

and the judgment of God.

He will not come

to rescue you

if you are outside

of his salvation.

Jesus says in this passage,

I will dwell with you

by my spirit.

But if these promises

are not for you,

you do not have

the Holy Spirit

dwelling in you.

God is not making

his home in you.

Jesus Christ is promising

comfort,

peace,

rejoicing

to all those

who receive

his promises.

Are these promises

for you?

How can you know

whether or not

these promises

are for you?

My objective today,

what I've been praying for,

is that by walking

through seven conditions

that Jesus gives

attached to his promises,

you'll be able to

ask the Spirit

to search you

and reflect

and discern.

Yes,

these promises

are for me

and I receive them.

And if not,

that the Lord

would take away

any false assurance

that his Spirit

would convict you

of your need

for your Savior

and that you would

run to the cross

of Jesus Christ

today.

So number one,

Christ's promises

are for you

if you love him.

Look at verse 15.

Jesus says,

if you love me,

you will keep

my commandments.

Well,

how do I know

if I love God?

His promises

are only for me

if I love him.

And he says

in the Bible,

look at the fruit

and you'll know the tree.

Is it a good tree

or a bad tree?

See,

this is very different

than saying

your good behavior

is what saves you.

This is saying

if you are grafted

into Christ,

his good fruit

will begin

to be born

in your life.

So the promises

are not for you

if you are defiant

toward King Jesus.

If you're still

holding on

to your self-righteousness

or trying to muster up

good deeds

to prove yourself worthy,

then his promises

are not for you

or for me.

This same apostle John

in 1 John 2,

he wrote to the church

and he said,

my little children,

I am writing you

these things

that you may not sin.

I'm reminding you

of the gospel

and it will play out

in its life,

in your life.

See,

God is love

and the love of God

is not a distant love.

Love is action.

Love initiates.

While we were yet sinners,

God sent his son

to save us.

If you look at

two different families,

you can peek into

a living room

this afternoon.

Can you tell

whether a dad

loves his little baby?

Well,

you can tell

by the way

they show it,

right?

Love is action.

If you see a dad

who doesn't have

the time

to spend with his family,

love is action.

You see the dad

who pinches his nose

and changes

yet another poopy diaper,

love is action.

He's showing

he loves his son.

If you love God,

it'll show up

as fruit in your life,

as action.

It will not be

resisting the moral

law of God.

It will be asking

for more and more

and more of his spirit

working out that fruit

of his law

in your life.

Think of the Ten Commandments

as a description

of what this looks like.

If you love God,

number one,

you will show

your love

by worshiping him.

You're not

too worried

about what's going on

on TV right now.

You are here

to worship

the creator

of the universe.

Number two,

you will be humble

and joyful

to worship

the way God

has appointed

and how he's shown you

to do that

the best you can.

And throughout a lifetime,

we will be reforming

more and more and more

to conform with his word.

Number three,

you will hallow his name.

The name of our Lord

Jesus Christ,

Father, Son, and Spirit

will be precious to you.

You will hallow his name.

Number four,

you will long

for his kingdom

to come.

And you will delight

to rest in his finished work

in a special way

on the Lord's day.

We need this.

Our souls and our bodies

need to rest in him.

Number five,

you will honor

the authorities above you.

Number six,

you will defend

human life

and flourishing.

Number seven,

you will treat your body

as the holy vessel

where the Spirit dwells.

Number eight,

you will labor

diligently

as a steward

of everything God

has put in your hands

for now.

Number nine,

you will love

to promote truth

and when you do lie,

you will confess

and you will ask the Lord

to tame your tongue

and refine you

to be more like Christ.

Number ten,

you will be content

in him.

The world can be

upside down.

Your work,

your relationships

can be on the rocks,

but you will find

deep contentment

for your soul.

Even if it means

praying Psalm 77

in the middle of the night

on your knees,

your soul

is content

with the Lord.

In 1 John 2.1,

he goes on to say,

I wrote so you won't sin,

but if anyone,

any one of you Christians

does sin

because if a Christian

thinks he is without sin,

he deceives himself,

we have an advocate

with the Father,

Jesus Christ,

our Lord.

He is the righteousness

that advocates

on our behalf.

The reason I highlight

this verse now

is because you need to know

who is your first advocate

before you appreciate

the promise of

another advocate.

You have an advocate.

It is God the Son

at the right hand

of the Father.

The righteousness of God

advocating for you.

So our Lord Jesus Christ

promises that

if you love him,

you will keep

his commandments

and this is a promise.

This is a promise.

It's not law

to save yourself.

It's his promise.

Your advocate telling you

if you love me,

you will want

to obey me.

It won't be fighting

each other.

He promises

you will obey him.

You will delight

in his law.

It will be a joy

and a blessing

to know him more

that way

and to submit

to the king

who saves you.

Number two,

Christ's promises

are for you

if his spirit

dwells in you.

Look at verse 16.

I will ask the Father

and he will give you

another helper,

another comforter,

another advocate

to be with you forever.

Verse 17,

Even 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

with you.

The Greek word

is paraclete.

Paraclete can be

translated helper,

comforter,

advocate.

When we think

of a lawyer now

we think someone

who knows the law

very well

and can be assigned

to defend you

or maybe just

to clarify a contract.

So lawyer

is a really broad term.

In the New Testament

a lawyer would be

like a teacher

of the law.

So it's more

of a scholarly

really technical job.

That's not

what's in mind here.

That's not

how the spirit

is described.

A paraclete

is more like

a trustworthy witness.

So if you have

to stand in court

and you're being accused

a paraclete

would be someone

that knew you

for much of your life

ever since you were a boy

and they could

advocate and say

I know the character

of this person.

I know that what

he's being accused of

does not match

what I've seen.

That's what a paraclete does.

The word another

it could mean

in English

a couple different things.

Sinclair Ferguson

gave a great illustration.

It could mean

I loved this chocolate

chip cookie

may I have another

please.

It's another

of the exact same kind.

I know this is what I want.

Or it could mean

I'm allergic to nuts

do you have another option?

You know

a different kind.

The way he's describing it here

the word is

another of the same kind.

So you have

another advocate.

The Lord Jesus Christ

knows you.

He called you

by name.

He is your good shepherd

who watches over

your entire life

and your soul.

And he's at the right hand

of the Father.

And you're saying

yes may I have another

please.

May I have a Holy Spirit

who will be dwelling in me

to advocate.

The same kind.

And this is why

Romans 8-9

calls the Holy Spirit

the Spirit of Christ.

It's not a different God.

It's the Son

in his glorified seat

at the right hand

of the Father

ruling over everything

all power and authority

in his hands

and the Holy Spirit

of Christ

the same God

ministering

advocating

on your behalf.

He says

I will ask

the Father

and he will give you

another advocate.

You might be thinking

why wait?

Why didn't that just happen

right then?

See Jesus had

a work to do.

He had a work

to do as God

incarnate

before he could

open up the floodgates

of the blessed presence

of God on the earth.

His work was not

yet finished.

This upper room

discourse is taking place

on the Thursday

before Good Friday.

In 24 hours or so

he would be hanging

on the cross

and he would say

now it is finished.

When the Father

raises him from the dead

he accepts that

finished work of Christ.

And when the Lord

Jesus ascends

the church gathers

on the Lord's day

and the Spirit

is poured out

like a tsunami

of water upon them

and it spills over

into every new region

until the glorious

presence of God

fills the earth

through his church.

In church history

there is a big debate

who is it

that sends the Spirit?

Is the Spirit

sent only by the Father?

And you can get that

because Jesus says

I will ask the Father

and he will send the Spirit.

But look down

at verse 26

how does the Father

send the Spirit?

That helper

that comforter

that paraclete

the Holy Spirit

the Father will send

what are the next

three words?

In my name.

So from this

we conclude

the doctrine

that the Holy Spirit

proceeds from both

the Father

and the Son.

It's the Father

and the Son

the finished work

of the Son

breathing out

the Holy Spirit

onto the church.

a Puritan

in the Netherlands

named Herman Witsius

he had some

very helpful

comments on this.

He said

the Holy Spirit

is called Spirit

because of the

distinct mode

of procession.

So Spirit

comes from the word

to spirate.

Think of other words

that have that Latin root

you know

to be inspired

or if something

expires

you know

breathed its last breath

and now is

spiritless.

So to be spirated

is to be breathed out.

The Father

God the Father

is the sender

of the Spirit.

God so loved the world

that he sent

his only begotten Son

and the Father

will send another helper.

That's the role

of the Father.

The Son

is God incarnate

the Word

that is Creator God

in John 1

that became flesh

and through his name

the Spirit

is now sent.

The blessing

of dwelling with God

is only possible

by the work

of God the Son

the mediator.

And then the Spirit

is God

spired

or spirated.

He is the God

who has been breathed out

by the Father

through the name

of the Son.

Our Lord Jesus Christ

promises that

you now

have two advocates

through the work

of the Holy Spirit.

The Son

in Heaven

and the Holy Spirit

that dwells

in you

advocating

for you.

And if God

is for you

the Son

is for you

in Heaven

the Spirit

is for you

dwelling in you

who can be

against you?

So if Christ's promises

are for you

then you can know

that his Spirit

is dwelling in you.

Well what's that like?

Number three

Christ's promises

are for you

if he manifests

his life

in you.

How do I know

if the Holy Spirit

is dwelling in me?

He will manifest

himself to me.

Verse 18

Jesus says

I will not leave you

as orphans

I will come

to you

yet a little while

and the world

will see me no more

but you will see me

because I live

you also

will live.

In that day

you will know

that I am

in my Father

and you in me

and I in you.

You will know this.

He says

you will know this

in that day

when the Holy Spirit

ministers.

Verse 21

Whoever has my commandments

and keeps them

he it is

who loves me

and he who loves me

will be loved

by my Father

and I will love him

and manifest

myself

to him.

So how do you know

if the Holy Spirit

dwells in you?

Jesus Christ

is manifesting

himself

in your life.

That's the ministry

of the Holy Spirit.

Verse 20

the ministry

of the Holy Spirit

is to make you know

that Jesus

is in the Father.

Jesus Christ

is very God

of very God

in the Father

and you

by his shed blood

by his work

as mediator

you are in Jesus Christ

and Jesus Christ

is in you

by the ministry

of the Holy Spirit.

Verse 21

The Holy Spirit

manifests God

to you.

He will manifest it.

We want to see

this don't we?

We want to see

and know

that it is God

who is moving

in his people.

How do we see that?

Well Jesus keeps it

very simple.

He says

it will show up

by your life.

Do you love me?

Do you obey me?

That's how it will show up.

We want to see

a mighty moving

of the Holy Spirit.

We know that the Spirit

is represented

throughout Scripture

as a wind

and blowing

and life.

We take it all the way

back to Genesis 1-2

it's the Ruach

Spirit of God

that hovered.

You picture

the flapping wings

that hover.

It's generating wind

that from that

movement of the Spirit

the Word of God

created order

out of chaos

and light

out of darkness.

In John 3-8

Jesus told Nicodemus

that the wind blows

wherever it wishes

and you hear its sound

but you do not know

from where it comes

or where it goes

and so it is

with everyone

born of the Spirit.

There's that

pneuma

it's like we get

the word pneumonia

for the lungs

it's the breathing

it's the movement

you don't know

where it comes from

or where it's going next

but that's God

working into His people

the promises

that Christ

has secured for them.

In Acts 2

Acts 2:2

verse 2

listen to how this

is actually fulfilled.

Suddenly there came

from heaven

a sound

like a mighty

rushing wind

and it filled

the entire house

where the disciples

were sitting

and praying.

That's what it was like

to be filled

with the Holy Spirit.

And so the church

is set in motion

but how do we know

now if we have

the Holy Spirit?

Well we're told

that the Spirit

will bear this fruit

of obedience.

This is why

the righteousness

of Christ

working into our lives

is called

the fruit

of the Spirit.

It is God alone

who can bear

these fruits in us

and when you see

that in your life

never perfectly

but increasingly

and you see that

in one another

you know that God

is fulfilling

this promise

to dwell in you.

Like he said

in Colossians 3

12-14

therefore as God's

chosen people

holy and dearly loved

clothe yourselves

with compassion

kindness

humility

gentleness

and patience.

Bear with each other

and forgive

whatever grievances

you may have

against one another.

Forgive as the Lord

forgave you

and over all these things

bind them up

with love.

And so there it is

the picture of the church

being clothed

in Christ's righteousness

bound by his love.

How do you know

if you've been forgiven

if you're united to Christ?

Forgive as the Lord

forgave you.

You're forgiven

and it will show up

by how you forgive

your Christian brothers

and sisters.

Our Lord Jesus Christ

promises that

by the ministry

of his Spirit

you are not alone.

You are not left

orphans.

God is with you

by his Spirit

right now

and you will know

that you are in Christ

and that he is in you.

Number four

Christ's promises

are for you

if God is making

his home

with you.

If God is making

the home of God

in your life

then you can know

that Christ's promises

are for you.

In verse 22

Judas

not Iscariot

asked the question

everybody's wanting

to understand.

Lord

how is it

that you will manifest

yourself to us

but not to the whole world?

That's a riddle.

Verse 23

Jesus answered him

if anyone loves me

he will keep my word

and the Father

will love him

and we will come to him

and make our home

with him.

Whoever does not love me

does not keep my words

and the word that you hear

is not mine

but the Father's

who sent me.

See Jesus

calls the whole world

to hear

his gospel truth.

He says

shake the bushes

go to the hedges

the byways

the highways

invite them all

to the banquet feast

call whoever has an ear

to repent

and to believe

so the gospel call

goes out universally

calling all men

to God

but it's a special work

of the Holy Spirit

it's an effectual call

that draws those

who will believe.

The whole world

is invited

to love Christ

and keep his commandment

but then the law

shows you

I can't

I have this burden

on my back

a guilty conscience

and it's the spirit

of God

that dwelling in you

takes the righteousness

of Christ

he frees you

of this burden

Christ paid it all

and he puts the love

that can only come

from God

into your heart.

See Judas' question

is getting at

exactly that

why won't everyone

believe?

How will you manifest

yourself to

your disciples

but yet the world

won't know

that you're alive?

Jesus' answer

is not direct

Jesus says

if anyone

loves me

because

only those

who love Christ

will want

to keep his word.

Do you want to know

if you are effectually

called?

Then repent.

That's what he calls

the world to do

but only those

who love Christ

will want to keep

his word

and Jesus says

in verse 23

if anyone loves me

he will

keep my word

that's a promise.

So you will know

that the Father

loves you

if you love

his Son.

Do you want

the Father

to love you

and forgive you?

Well search

your heart

that's the most

fundamental question

do you love Jesus?

Who is Jesus

to you?

In verse 23

Jesus says

he will keep

my word

my Father

will love him.

In John

John 1:14

chapter 1

verse 14

we were told

that the word

became flesh

and dwelt

among us.

See God

the Father

took on a body

and he identified

with those

who came

to save

for his life

and now

it's the same

spirit of God

who is dwelling

not physically

like Christ

did but

spiritually

with his people.

We have seen

his glory

John wrote

bearing witness

glory as of

the only Son

from the Father

full of grace

and truth

and though you

and I are called

to believe in Christ

and to see him

by faith

not by sight

we can say

that by the power

of the Holy Spirit

the same God

working in us

he is that

direct agent

that causes us

to behold

that same thing

the glory

of Jesus Christ

from the Father

full of grace

and truth.

Our Lord Jesus Christ

promises that

if he makes

his home with you

and you obey him

then that is because

God has loved you

and given you eyes

to behold him.

One commentator said

maybe you are

picturing your life

before you became

a Christian

or right after

you became a Christian

as a simple

little country cottage

two rooms

shared space

for a lot of

different things

very simple

well God has moved

into your little cottage

he has filled it

with his glory

and he has

much more in mind

for your life

than you ever knew

was possible

and it hurts sometimes

he busts out

an entire wall

and he is building

this amazing

wraparound deck

and he is filling

more and more

and more of your heart

the life that he is

dwelling in

he becomes the home maker

I will make my home

inside of you

so if the Lord

is doing that

and it hurts

and he is refining you

and purifying you

realize that he is

your loving father

he is expanding

your life

he is expanding

your heart and soul

he is increasing

his glory

in you

even by that work

of knocking out walls

and extending the foundation

and equipping you

to belong to his kingdom

the temple

in which he will dwell

and the spirit's job

is to make it

a beautiful dwelling

for the father

and the son

number five

Christ's promises

are for you

if

God's Holy Spirit

is teaching you

Christ's word

verse 25

Jesus says

these things

I have spoken to you

while I am still

with you

verse 26

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 have

said to you

are you understanding

God's word

more and more

do you understand

more of the glory

of God

from the Bible

now than you did

six months ago

then praise God

that's the ministry

of the Holy Spirit

that should give you

assurance

that the Spirit

is teaching you

all things

we get three things

here

that Spirit

number one

illuminates

God's word

it's closed

but the Lord

opened up

the scriptures

to us

and our hearts

burned within us

when he did that

that's the work

of the Spirit

to illuminate

God's word

number two

the Holy Spirit

applies God's word

he teaches you

all things

he tells Timothy

that Timothy

as you shepherd

this flock

you're not even

an apostle

you're a regular man

and you're sickly

but you will be

fully equipped

to minister

if you have

God's word

and the Holy Spirit

you have all

that you need

he will show you

how to apply

his word

in all things

and number three

the Holy Spirit

brings to memory

I think the

first application

is the disciples

would be

enabled by the Holy Spirit

to write down

the gospels

the Holy Spirit

would breathe out

to them

the true teaching

when the Lord

came back

from the resurrection

and walked them

through the scriptures

they are remembering

this by the help

of the Spirit

and giving it

to the church

for generations

to come

in the New Testament

that's the most

immediate application

but that same ministry

of the Holy Spirit

is true for every one

of us as well

even though we're

not apostles

he brings to our

memories

he helps us

remember his truth

you've had this

happen to you

haven't you

you out of nowhere

out of nowhere

you're in the middle

of a situation

you're in a conversation

and a phrase

or a Bible verse

comes to mind

and you're able

to find the comfort

of holding on

to that promise

you have

through a disciplined

study

had God's word

dwell richly in you

and the Spirit

brings it to your memory

and reminds you

of that

you could not do

that on your own

you and I

we're too broken

our flesh is too strong

but the Spirit

draws it back

to our memory

and he shows us

how to use his word

so that we are always

fully equipped

to walk with him

this is what we do

every week

as a congregation

when we gather

we just sing this

as a prayer

speak oh Lord

as we come to you

to receive the food

of your holy word

take your truth

plant it deep in us

shape and fashion us

in your likeness

that the light of Christ

might be seen today

in our acts of love

in our deeds of faith

speak oh Lord

and fulfill in us

all your purposes

for your glory

that's the ministry

of the Holy Spirit

with the church

so our Lord Jesus Christ

promises that his spirit

will help you

to learn Christ

the word of God

God's living word

the gospel

the person of the son

you will know him

you will learn him

he will teach you

Christ

and he'll do that

through his scripture

through the Bible

number six

Christ's promises

are for you

if you know

the heavenly peace

that only Christ

can give you

and that's really

the theme of this

entire chapter

chapter 14

we've seen how

the disciples

were troubled in heart

and Jesus tells them

let not your hearts

be troubled

and he repeats

that refrain here

at the end of this

passage as well

we saw that before that

Jesus was troubled

of heart

and he came into the world

to give the peace

of heaven

and he did that

by putting himself

in trouble

in verse 27

he tells them

peace

I leave with you

what kind of peace

my peace

I give to you

not as the world

gives do I give to you

that's why you can

let not your hearts

be troubled

and neither let them

be afraid

Jesus is about

to take the disciples

into the garden

of Gethsemane

this is the calm

before the storm

this is the quiet

gathering

the selah

the pause

before they go

to spiritual war

well how is the peace

of Christ

even in that moment

before his great work

leading up to

and finished on the cross

how is it different

than the world

of the peace

that this world

can offer

all that this world

can offer

is creaturely

it is dependent

and temporary

someone said

that the peace

of the world

is a fragile truce

that can be upended

at any time

by one single act

of violence

but the peace

that comes from heaven

it's not temporary

it is everlasting

untouchable

because it's the peace

from God himself

and there's no shadow

of turning in God

it is not dependent

and therefore

it will never

fade away

the Holy Spirit

came to take

that same peace

that Jesus Christ

accomplished

and merited

not because he

lacked anything

but because we

lack everything

and the Spirit

takes the peace

that Jesus Christ

received from the Father

having finished his work

and the Spirit

applies it out

to the church now

see you and I

are in need

of peace

aren't we

and Jesus said

if you follow me

you're going to need

to take up your cross

daily

in this world

you will

have trouble

but I give you

my peace

he says

in verse 27

but God's peace

is not for everyone

who is it

that gets this peace

see peace

requires faith

and you and I

we need peace

and we need the faith

that comes before

that peace

Ephesians 2

says by grace

God has saved you

through faith

and even this

is not your own doing

it is the gift

of God

Jesus says

you have

this faith

of salvation

if you obey me

but you and I

we can't obey him

we need his help

to even obey him

and to know

whether we have

the saving faith

and it is the Spirit

your helper

we're told in

2 Corinthians 10

5

who will help you

take every thought

captive

to obey Christ

we need peace

he gives the peace

we need faith

he's the one

who gives the faith

we need to obey him

and he's the one

who helps us

to obey him

if you love me

you will obey me

Jesus says

and to obey

you need God's love

in 1 John 4

19

we don't even have

the love

that would make us

want to obey

but we love

because God

first

loved us

do you see

how our salvation

our sanctification

all the way

to the end

it begins with God

it ends in God

for the glory of God

from start to finish

so that no man

can boast

and even a small

aspect of it

all glory be

to God

our Lord Jesus Christ

was going to war

he was going to

march down the stairs

of that upper room

into the garden

he was going to

sweat blood

intense spiritual war

in moments

and he tells the disciples

I'm doing that

I'm walking that road

of the cross

so you

can have my peace

the peace

I have shared

for eternity

with my father

in heaven

my peace

I give you

independent of anything

on this earth

by the power

of God

through the Holy Spirit

everything

God has purposes

I will accomplish

for you my people

by the great

second advocate

that will come

in my name

to bring you

and prepare you

for heaven

so our Lord Jesus Christ

promises that

his spirit will give

a heavenly peace

in your heart

if you

love him

so that he gets

all the glory

number seven

Christ promises

are for you

if you rejoice

in the son's

submission

to the father

see in verse 28

Jesus says

you heard me say

to you

I am going away

and I will come

to you

and if you loved me

you would rejoice

because I am going

to the father

for the father

is greater than I

and now I have

told you

this

before it takes place

so that when it does

take place

you may believe

the disciples

are troubled

because Jesus is saying

he's going away

and they don't know

the way to where

he's going

how are we ever

going to see you again

and Jesus says

if you understood

I'm doing this

out of obedience

to my father

you would rejoice

that I'm going away

I'm going back to him

it means my work

is finished on this earth

the mission I came

to accomplish

is done

you won't

you won't rejoice

at Christ

going to the right

hand of the father

until you see

your need

for the great work

of God the father

God the son

and God the spirit

to save sinners

like you and me

when we see

our great need

and what God required

to satisfy his justice

we will see

that work of Christ

that march he takes

to the cross

and then his death

and burial

and his resurrection

and ascension

we will see that

and we will rejoice

that's how great

our need was

so that we can be

with our God

and we can have

his peace now

in this troubled world

because his work

is finished

the son

made himself

submissive to the father

so that you can rejoice

the son

declared to you

disciples

he says

the father is greater

than I

I came on a mission

to be the servant

I made myself

low for you

the son

took on

flesh

and he lived

and he rose

for you

the son

ascended

and took his place

as the prophet

priest

and king

of heaven

to minister

to you

to be your advocate

at the right hand

of the father

the son promises

he will come to earth

again

for you

who believe

for you

who receive

his promises

by faith

and you can rejoice

at his mission

accomplished

and you can rejoice

that every one

of these promises

are for you

because you put

your hope

in life

and in death

and the finished work

of Jesus Christ

in your place

the riddles

of God

are more satisfying

than the solutions

of man

as Chesterton

put it

do you hear

Christ today

does your soul

rejoice

within you

at his finished work

to save you

as you read

these passages

and understand

the ministry

of Christ

you hear the words

he spoke

do you believe

do you believe

in Jesus Christ

the only savior

if so

then all of the promises

fulfilled in Christ

are applied

to you

by his grace

the Holy Spirit

will cause you

to rejoice more

and to want

to obey him

more and more

and more

so that he will be

more glorified

in your life

we'll sing in a moment

oh for a thousand

tongues to sing

my great

redeemer's

praise

the glories

of my God

and King

the triumphs

of his grace

Jesus

the name

that charms

our fears

that bids

our sorrows

cease

tis music

to the sinner's ear

tis life

and health

and peace

our Lord Jesus Christ

promises

that if you believe him

then all

of his promises

are for you

by God's

steadfast

love

receive him

this way

let's pray

oh God

thank you

for sending

your son

Lord Jesus

thank you

for accomplishing

the mission

the father

gave you

and thank you

father and son

for breathing

out your spirit

onto your church

for drawing

us near

to you

for putting

your love

in our hearts

for giving us

the gift

of faith

cause us