Jesus' Last Will and Testament - Part 2
Notes
Transcript
Sermon Tone Analysis
A
D
F
J
S
Emotion
A
C
T
Language
O
C
E
A
E
Social
Jesus is in the midst of his farewell discourse - or his last will and testament.
Last week, we saw that Jesus is preparing his disciples for
what to expect in the near future - that he is leaving,
what Jesus expects of them - to believe and to work
what Jesus will give them - the Holy Spirit
As Jesus continues his discourse, we can learn that...
We demonstrate our love for Jesus by obeying his commandments
We demonstrate our love for Jesus by obeying his commandments
“If you love me, you will keep my commandments.
What are his commandments?
What are his commandments?
in John’s gospel - the only explicit commandment we have from Jesus is to love one another - and it’s spoken twice.
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.
And yet Jesus communicates commandments as a plural or as a multiple. There is a sense in which we could never reach an end of what Jesus expects of us as we are constantly growing in our understanding and in living out what being Jesus’ disciple means - making disciples, sharing with those in need. In fact, so much of the sermon on the mount in Matthew 5-7 is a re-application or re-interpretation of OT laws and traditions. In many ways, Jesus ramps up his expectations of us in that sermon.
But let’s just consider the commandment to love one another.
I’ve heard people say “I love church, it’s the people I can’t stand.” And yet, what is the church? The church is the people. It’s not the 501c3 status. It’s certainly not the buildings. Our church is made up of people who have come from all over- the north, the south, the west, the east, Africa, South America, Asia, Europe.
We come from a variety of -
family backgrounds - some wholesome, some dysfunctional.
Social backgrounds - some influential, some marginalized, many just average
Economic backgrounds - some with means, some barely making ends meet.
Educational backgrounds - some with degrees and honors - like summa cum laude - others barely by the skin of their teeth - to which they might say - thank the Lord (lawd)
Emotional backgrounds - failures, successes, hurts, and victories have left emotional marks on us
Jesus, and the salvation that we have received from him, is what unites us - what draws us together.
That doesn’t make it easy to love when some of those background factors have been so divisive in past. It doesn’t make it easy to love when our past mistakes and experiences have shaped us the way they have.
And yet - we are called to keep Jesus commandments - especially to love one another.
I was listening to a podcast about Lament and Racial Reconciliation the other day. It was quite good. In it, one of the speakers noted that the ancient city of Antioch was an ethnically segregated city. Its history had been filled with significant events of persecution against Jewish people by the gentiles. And yet, if we look at Acts 13:1, we get to see that some of the people who were significant in that church were from ethnically different backgrounds
Acts 13:1 (ESV)
Now there were in the church at Antioch prophets and teachers, Barnabas (Jewish), Simeon who was called Niger (likely African - dark skinned), Lucius of Cyrene (a North African city), Manaen (likely Greek) a lifelong friend of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.
In fact, it was in Antioch where disciples of Jesus were first called Christians (Acts 11:26).
So, imagine amidst all of the ethnic controversy - this group of believers gathering into a new community, totally confounding the status quo of the day - likely because of their love for one another - after all, in Act 13 - they were worshiping and fasting together.
So Jesus tells us right off the bat that if we are to demonstrate our love for him, then we will obey his commandments, which includes loving each other.
It seems, as Jesus walked with His disciples, he demonstrated the way that God would have us live. He came alongside and helped us - or at least helped the first disciples to follow.
But now that He is preparing the leave his disciples, what will they do? They are clearly troubled (John 14:1) and concerned.
Which brings us to a second thing to consider:
Jesus and the Father send Holy Spirit to help us obey and to instruct us in what Jesus has said.
Jesus and the Father send Holy Spirit to help us obey and to instruct us in what Jesus has said.
And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.
Several commentators have pointed out that when Jesus says “another” - he is not referring to another of a different kind, but rather another of the same kind. The Holy Spirit is God. He is divine. He is one of the three unique and yet integrated persons of the trinity. He’s not a mystical force or an impression, but is God.
What’s more, because Jesus goes back to the Father, he makes a way for the Spirit to come - to be both with us and in us.
still small voice
But the Spirit is not just a comforter or presence, but he is an instructor.
“These things I have spoken to you while I am still 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 have said to you.
There is a sense in which the remembrance that the Holy Spirit brings is the written Word of God. After all, we read in 2 Tim. 3:16
All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,
The Spirit inspired the very writing of the revelation of God. So as John and the other NT authors sat down to recall what Jesus said and what happened when they walked with Jesus, it was the Spirit who was bringing to “remembrance all that [Jesus] said....”
In another sense however, there is the active way that the Spirit of God works in our lives. Even as we’re sitting here, I’m sharing thoughts that have come to my mind as I’ve been studying both the Scripture and commentaries. But there may be things that you glean from our time together that doesn’t even make it into the manuscript. There are thoughts that you’re thinking - possibly inspired by the Spirit, that will prompt you to learn or apply God’s Word in ways that God didn’t reveal to me. I believe the Holy Spirit helps us understand the truth of God’s Word in a way that is very personal and applicable.
Jonathan Edwards said, "the Holy Spirit, in his indwelling, influences and fruits, is the sum of all grace, holiness, comfort and joy, or in one word, of all the spiritual good Christ purchased for men in this world: and is also the sum of all perfection, glory and eternal joy, that he purchased for them in another world."
Milne, in his excellent commentary on the gospel of John, notes 6 “gifts” that we receive by having the Holy Spirit present in the disciples lives - in our lives.
“the Spirit imparts power for the service of Jesus (12–14)”
“the spirit will unite the disciples to the risen Jesus in a new intimacy of communion (17–21)”
“the spirit will also unite the disciples with the father, who will make his home with them (23)”
“the spirit will support them [the disciples] in their loving obedience to the teaching of Jesus (21–24)”
“the spirit will teach them (26)”
“the spirit will impart the gift of Jesus on peace (27)”
Speaking of peace - in the centuries when Rome ruled a large section of thew world, there was a motto that was frequently used to describe that rule - Pax Romana - Roman Peace. When you think about how Rome upheld peace, it was with swords and military might.
The peace Jesus brings by the Holy Spirit is peace which is different. It is peace which “passes all understanding” (Phil. 4:7). It is peace that can stand in the face of persecution and can remain confident in the face of trials. This is a peace which ultimately was purchased by Jesus on the cross. No longer do we have to fear eternal judgment because of our sin. Jesus took our sin on himself in order that we might have peace with God. As the Holy Spirit does his work of drawing us into a that relationship - opening our eyes and compelling us to respond - that peace is realized.
If you’ve not yet responded to the Spirit’s prompting - calling, invitation, then come to him today!
Closing thoughts
Closing thoughts
So, in this section of Jesus’ farewell discourse - or last will and testament - he urges his followers to
demonstrate their love for him by obeying his commandments, and then
promises to give the Holy Spirit to help them in that endeavor.
(possible tie in with missions - the Spirit leading some to go, providing peace amidst the uncertainties of life in another context)
Let’s pray
Benediction
Benediction
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
Sources:
Beeke, Joel R. and Paul M. Smalley. Reformed Systematic Theology Volume 3: Spirit and Salvation, Wheaton, IL. Crossway, 2021.
Burge, Gary M. The NIV Application Commentary: John. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2000.
Carson, D. A. The Gospel according to John. The Pillar New Testament Commentary. Leicester, England; Grand Rapids, MI: Inter-Varsity Press; W.B. Eerdmans, 1991.
Costanzo, Eric P. “Antioch of Syria.” Edited by John D. Barry, David Bomar, Derek R. Brown, Rachel Klippenstein, Douglas Mangum, Carrie Sinclair Wolcott, Lazarus Wentz, Elliot Ritzema, and Wendy Widder. The Lexham Bible Dictionary. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2016.
Crossway Bibles. The ESV Study Bible. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008.
Ellwell, Walter A. Evangelical Dictionary of Theology 2nd. Edition. Grand Rapids, MI. Baker Academic, 2001.
Gangel, Kenneth O. John. Vol. 4. Holman New Testament Commentary. Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2000.
Milne, Bruce. The Message of John (The Bible Speaks Today). Downers Grove, IL. Inter-Varsity Press, 1993
Neusner, Jacob. The Mishnah : A New Translation. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 1988.
Richards, Lawrence O. Expository Dictionary of Bible Words. Grand Rapids, MI. Zondervan, 1991.
Zuck, Roy B. A Biblical Theology of the New Testament. Electronic ed. Chicago: Moody Press, 1994.