š Heavenly Father ā Thank You for Your Word that speaks to us and brings clarity to Your will. Thank You for Your Son, Jesus, and His completed work to restore our relationship with You. And thank you for Your Spirit to protect and guide us through these remaining days. Amen.
16 āAll this I have told you so that you will not fall away. 2 They will put you out of the synagogue; in fact, the time is coming when anyone who kills you will think they are offering a service to God. 3 They will do such things because they have not known the Father or me. 4 I have told you this, so that when their time comes you will remember that I warned you about them. I did not tell you this from the beginning because I was with you, 5 but now I am going to him who sent me. None of you asks me, āWhere are you going?ā 6 Rather, you are filled with grief because I have said these things.
Points to Ponder:Ā Jesus is summarizing here what He explained in the last chapter about the world hating His disciples. At first, the disciples should expect rejection by the Jewish leaders. The synagogues will no longer welcome themā¦ that happened immediately.Ā But Jesus also speaks prophetically here and we are already in a time where radical beliefs include the killing of Christians.Ā This is happening worldwide with little to no consequences. We may be grieved to see these occur, but we are also consoled that Jesus, Himself, forewarned us.
7Ā But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the AdvocateĀ will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.Ā 8Ā When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment:Ā 9Ā about sin,Ā because people do not believe in me;Ā 10Ā about righteousness,Ā because I am going to the Father,Ā where you can see me no longer;Ā 11Ā and about judgment, because the prince of this worldĀ now stands condemned.
Points to Ponder:Ā Verse 8 shows the work of the Spirit, in confirming the redemptive work that was completed by Christ on the cross ā the power we have to see right from wrong in this new life with Jesus.Ā Scripture gives us the key points of this epic battle between Good and Evil that was unleashed in the Garden. God promised to defeat the serpent and Jesus completed that at the cross. What we experience now is just the thrashing of the snake until time as we know it will end and eternal life in the presence of God is restored.
12 āI have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear.
Points to Ponder:Ā Those first two sections are huge and the disciples needed to know that Jesus understood if they were confused.Ā Honestly, I had to take a break after reading them and wrestling with them.Ā I had to pray and ask the Spirit for confirmation for my convictions.Ā The only thing I know is Time is Short.Ā That could be personalā¦ nationalā¦ historical.Ā After a history of Church fighting over SIN and RIGHTEOUSNESS, have we lost sight of JUDGMENT?Ā
The head of the snake has been cut offā¦ it will thrash for a while, but not forever.Ā JUDGMENT IS COMING. Quit telling people what they want to hear and tell them what they need to hear.Ā Satan is the master manipulator, at some points in our lives we have learned from that masterā¦ we take a stand and say, no more. Truth is our weapon of choice.Ā
13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. 14 He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. 15 All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.ā
Points to Ponder: After chapters of claiming Jesusā identity combined with witnesses to the truth of His identity, I am comforted by the Spirit providing clarity to the truth. The Spirit guided these men to write the Gospels, Acts, Epistles, and Revelation ā for all humanity. The Spirit guides us as well to the truth of what has been written ā the fact that I begin see the truth of Jesusā teachings testifies to the Spirit. When I want to express my gratitude for āabidingā, I canāt even find the wordsā¦ yet they are here! š„°
The Disciplesā Grief Will Turn to Joy
16 Jesus went on to say, āIn a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me.ā
17 At this, some of his disciples said to one another, āWhat does he mean by saying, āIn a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me,ā and āBecause I am going to the Fatherā?ā 18 They kept asking, āWhat does he mean by āa little whileā? We donāt understand what he is saying.ā
19 Jesus saw that they wanted to ask him about this, so he said to them, āAre you asking one another what I meant when I said, āIn a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see meā?
Points to Ponder:Ā There is nothing hidden from Jesus!Ā They saw the resurrection of Lazarus, but if He means His own resurrection, thatās seems impossible.Ā If He means His Ascension and His Return, I donāt think that was even on their radar.Ā So, does He mean His Death/Resurrection or His Ascension/Return?Ā Yes! Ah, the brilliance of Scripture!Ā So thankful for the Holy Spirit to guide us!Ā When John wrote this Gospel, all this had already taken place, yet he captures the moment of ābeforeā, so brilliantly!
20Ā Very truly I tell you, you will weep and mournĀ while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy.Ā 21Ā A woman giving birth to a child has painĀ because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world.Ā 22Ā So with you: Now is your time of grief,Ā but I will see you againĀ and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.Ā 23Ā In that dayĀ you will no longer ask me anything. Very truly I tell you, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.Ā 24Ā Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive,Ā and your joy will be complete.
Points to Ponder:Ā A Christian always has weeping and mourning while living in a sinful world that rejects Jesus.Ā The early church struggled with persecution but found rejoicing in martyrdom ā CRAZY! I think Jesus is pointing more towards His return in these verses.Ā That early church thrived!Ā Consider weeping/mourning in this day vs. wailing and gnashing of teeth, forever! I look forward to complete clarity where I will no longer ask Him anything!!! Sometimes, in times of weeping, I need to pray/singā¦ Restore unto me the joy of Your salvation and renew a right spirit within meā¦ (Psalm 51:12)
25 āThough I have been speaking figuratively, a time is coming when I will no longer use this kind of language but will tell you plainly about my Father. 26 In that day you will ask in my name. I am not saying that I will ask the Father on your behalf. 27 No, the Father himself loves you because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God. 28 I came from the Father and entered the world; now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father.ā
29 Then Jesusā disciples said, āNow you are speaking clearly and without figures of speech. 30 Now we can see that you know all things and that you do not even need to have anyone ask you questions. This makes us believe that you came from God.ā
31 āDo you now believe?ā Jesus replied. 32 āA time is coming and in fact has come when you will be scattered, each to your own home. You will leave me all alone. Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me.
33 āI have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.
Points to Ponder:Ā See how v27 ties back to v9 ā SIN, in the Fatherās eyes, is not believing in Jesus. It also ties back to LOVE, beginning with John 14:15 If you love me, keep my commands.Ā I love the dialogue that is a precursor to āspiritual schizophreniaā!Ā The disciplesā assertion ofā¦ Oh, now we get it, now we believeā¦ followed by Jesusā responseā¦ Oh, really?Ā (LOLā¦ they see he knows all things, so they believe. He tells them what He knowsā¦ the time is coming up when they all run away!)Ā There are many times in the Gospels where Jesus fulfills the role of prophet. V28 is a clear statement that He is also our priest.
I have read a lot of books, but this?Ā You cannot make this up!Ā If the testimony in these Gospels doesnāt inspire a sense of awe and fear of God, as well as reignite the joy of your salvation, then beg someone to pray with you.Ā Beg the Spirit to groan on your behalf and help you step out of the weeds in your life, set you on the Rock, so you can embrace the truth of all the Jesus is offering in eternal life!
And in case you missed ALL that He taught, following Him in this world brings TROUBLE.Ā Sit with that for a minute and realize that He told us all these things so we would have PEACE!Ā What does it take for a Christian to stand tall and yet, peacefully, yell at the world, āBRING ITā?Ā We do it daily, Our Father, in Heaven, Holy is Your name! Thy kingdom come, thy will be doneā¦ (Lie flat on your face and TRUST)
Jesus Prays to Be Glorified
17 After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed:
āFather, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. 2 For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. 3 Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. 4 I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. 5 And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.
Points to Ponder:Ā In a single, whirlwind paragraph, we are transported back to The Beginning ā before the world and time began, to the cross, where everything changes, no matter when you approach it, and forward to the end of time, where eternity begins.Ā All this is made possible by the finished work of Jesus at the cross ā the work of the Father to complete the redemptive plan for mankind.Ā
Jesus Prays for His Disciples
6 āI have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. 7 Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. 8 For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me. 9 I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. 10 All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them. 11 I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one. 12 While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled.
13 āI am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. 14 I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. 15 My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. 17 Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. 19 For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.
Points to Ponder:Ā Jesus prays for His group of disciples before the hour comes, because He is sending them to build The Church. This hour, the resurrection, ends Jesusā earthly ministry. Jesus knows that they will, at Pentecost, usher in the Age of the Church.Ā The disciples or students will become apostles ā those He sent.Ā
Incredible ā there is no business plan or vision statement, the New Testament doesnāt exist, the Old Testament has been misinterpreted to the point of dividing the nation of Israel, and this band of disciples have no professional training, no status, no resources, no authority.Ā They are about to go to other nations with established religions, cultural differences, political oppositionā¦Ā in worldly theoretical models, there is nothing forecasted other than failure!
Sometimes we want to know the specific details of Godās plan for our lives.Ā Iām not sure I do.Ā
Jesus Prays for All Believers
20 āMy prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are oneā 23 I in them and you in meāso that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.
24 āFather, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.
25 āRighteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. 26 I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.ā
Points to Ponder: Jesus, Our Lord, prayed for us. JESUS!!! Almost two thousand years before I was born, knowing that a cruel, horrific punishment was imminent, Jesus took the time to pray for me. That kind of love, the world does not know. That kind of love, the world does not offer. Yet, that kind of love is what we all long for. The power of Jesusā prayer and Godās unconditional love is the only explanation I can provide for the miracle that explains my own salvation!!!
He prays for unity and community. Christian unity provides testimony to the truth of Jesus.Ā The Father in Jesus, Jesus in us ā reminds us to remain in the vine.Ā Without Him, we can do nothing.Ā I want to sit with v24 until all the elements of time in this world are removed and only His eternal love and Glory remain.
These last sections are so powerful.Ā He prays for His own return to Glory, which He knew before time began.Ā He prays for His chosen few ragtag followers that offer nothing of power, status, money, or popularity to explain the success of the early Church.Ā He prays for us ā the generations that followed. The ones that did not see Jesus, they knew not the apostles, yet they are still compelled to lay down their own earthly lives and pursue what God offers in exchange.Ā
Jesus prayed for Himself, who knew God the Father. He prayed for His disciples, who knew God the Son, and He prayed for the Church, who knows the Holy Spirit to help them know both Father and Son.Ā
Summary: The Gospel doesnāt promise an easy life, Jesus tells us to expect trouble, persecution, even death. But He also tells us that our grief will end in joy, so itās worth it! Itās counter-intuitive and counter-cultural, and yet, we canāt help ourselves!!! He chose us, and now we see the other options that the world has to offer for the deceptions that they really are. Our ability to do this is not ours, but the presence of the Holy Spirit works with us to truly see a spiritual reality far more consequential than the world around us.
š Heavenly Father ā we are so thankful for Your Word that has the power to bring life. We thank you for Your Spirit that enables us to see life. We thank You for Your answered prayers and we thank You for continuing to answer prayers. Amen.