John 14:22

John 14:22 says, Judas saith unto Him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that Thou wilt manifest Thyself unto us, and not unto the world?  I am sure that this Judas did not think much about his name at this time, but shortly, he would be glad to have the qualifier, not Iscariot.  We never want to be misidentified as someone who is noted for committing a terrible sin.  Judas asked a good question.  How does God manifest Himself to us when the world doesn't know Him.  Verse twenty-three adds, Jesus answered and said unto the man, If a man love Me, he will keep My words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto Him, and make our abode with him.  Jesus gave Judas and us the answer here.  God makes Himself manifest unto His followers because we believe His words, and He comes to us and indwells us with the Holy Spirit. We need to see that in this verse, Jesus spoke of Himself and the Father coming to abide in His followers.  Verse twenty-four continues, He that loveth Me not keepth not My sayings: and the word ye hear is not mine, but the Father which sent Me.  That is why Jesus was not manifested to the world.  The world, those who are not God's people, did not believe the word of God. Nothing has changed since.  Either you believe the word of God, or you don't, and if you don't, then God cannot be manifested to you.  It is all a matter of believing in the Word of God, and the salvation He gives the world through Christ Jesus.  God even gives us the faith to believe. So, if a person cannot see God manifested in the world today, it is their choice to not believe. 

John 14:19

John 14:19 says, Yet a little while, and the world seeth Me no more; but ye see Me: because I live, ye shall live also.  After His death, the world would no longer see Jesus.  His earthly ministry would be over, but the salvation of the world would have just begun, and those who are His followers would indeed see Him.  Have I seen Jesus physically?  No, but we see Him through the Holy Spirit.  Some people did indeed see Jesus physically after His crucifixion and before His ascension, but we see Him through the presence of the Holy Spirit. We see Him through faith.  Verse twenty adds, At that day ye shall know that I am in My Father, and ye in Me, and I in you.   Jesus had said He was the Son of God, and after the crucifixion and resurrection, this would be proven true. We may not always see the evidence of God's work until after the fact as we continue on in faith.  The disciples were definitely about to have a crisis in faith, but Jesus assured them that just as He was in the Father, so were they in Him.  The world does not see Jesus.  If they acknowledge Him at all, it as a historical figure like any other historical figure.  We, as His followers, see Him through faith in Him, by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.  By faith, we live in Him as He lived in the Father.  His followers would continue to see Him by faith, and so will we.  Verse twenty-one continues, He that hath My commandments, and keepeth them he it is that loveth Me: and He that loveth Me shall be loved of My Father, and I will love him, and manifest Myself to Him.  If we don't see God working in our lives today, maybe we are not keeping His commandments.  We should remember that Jesus said that He gave us a greater commandment that we love one another.  If we do not love everyone in this lost and dying world as Jesus loves them, then we are not and cannot keep His commandments. 

John 14:15

John 14:15 says, If ye love me, keep my commandments.  This verse contains what we might call the prime directive for Christians.  Jesus had just told them that He gave them a new commandment that they love one another as Jesus loved them.  I know that is not the only commandment, but it the one that Jesus had most recently given them.  The Ten Commandments served to point people to God, but the Commandments would now serve to show our faith in Christ.  How effectively do we keep the Commandments, especially the one to love one another?  Again, this was not just fellow Christians we were to love, but all people.  We might say this is impossible, but Jesus also had just said anything we ask in His name He will do.  Verse sixteen adds, And I will pray to the Father, and He will give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you forever.  Jesus told them that even though He was going away, He was not leaving them alone.  He was asking the Heavenly Father to send them a Comforter, the Holy Spirit.  When we feel that something is impossible to do, we need to remember that as His followers, we have the Holy Spirit indwelling and empowering us. That is why we can do anything that God calls us to do.  We do not operate under our own power, but the power of the Holy Spirit.  There is never going to be a time when the Holy Spirit deserts us, if we are keeping God's commandments.  Verse seventeen continues, 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 in you, and shall be in you.  Jesus did not say when the Holy Spirit came that He would be in some, but instead in all who believed in Christ.  Verse eighteen concludes, I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.  Jesus was leaving His earthly ministry, but He was coming to them through the Holy Spirit.  We will never be left comfortless if we follow Him. 

John 14:11

John 14:11 says. Believe me, that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me: or else believe Me for the very works sake.  Jesus began to discuss His works and the works of His followers.  Even if they did not fully understand Jesus' relationship to the Father, they could not deny His works.  No ordinary man could give sight to the blind, cause the lame to walk, or raise the dead.  The miracles that Jesus performed were not just a witness to the world, but to His disciples especially.  Even if the world does not recognize the work of God through His followers today, we certainly must if we are truly His followers.  Verse twelve adds, Verily, verily I say unto you, he that believeth on Me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto My Father.  So, does that mean that ordinary men and women will do greater works than Jesus did?  No, it means that through the power of the Holy Spirit, Who came when Jesus was crucified, will do greater works through ordinary people.  The notable exception is salvation.  Jesus alone could do this work.  We also must realize that all is done in the will of God for the glory of God.  Verse thirteen continues, And whatsoever ye shall ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.  I believe people often misinterpret this verse to mean we can ask anything of God through the use of the name of Jesus and as His people, and He will give it to us.  Adding in Jesus name to the end of a prayer does not mean we are asking in submission to His will.  If we are truly asking in His name, it will be that we live in obedience to Him.  Verse fourteen concludes, If ye shall ask anything in My name, I will do it.  These verses lead many to a name it and claim it religion. The reason that is not what it says is that when we ask in His name, we are asking in total obedience to His will and leadership, and it will always be for the glory of God. 

John 14:8

John 14:8 says, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us.  When we come to Jesus, we don't need any other proof that He is Who He says He is but His word.  We don't need to ask Him to show us anything else.  We simply have to accept Jesus by faith.  Verse nine adds, Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me Philip? He that hath seen Me hath seen the Father.  And how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father.  Jesus had been telling them this over and over, but they didn't understand.  We look back and wonder at their disbelief, but we are told over and over to put our total trust and obedience in God, and we ask for proof we can believe Him.  Then, if things don't go the way we want them to, we doubt God instead of doubting our faith.  Verse ten continues, Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me?  The words I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in Me, He doth the works.  Jesus was telling them again that the Father and He are One.  When we see the works of the Holy Spirit today, they are the works of the One and Only God.  We may not understand the Trinity, but we can never start believing in three separate gods, because if we do, we do not believe in the One God.  I wonder if God ever looks at us, those that are His followers or even those that profess to be His followers and says that He has been with us so long so how can we not understand Who He is.  If we continually question God or attempt to get Him to do things our way, I am sure He does.  The longer we are His followers, the less we should question His will for our life. 

John 14:1

In John 14:1, Jesus said to the disciples, Let not your hearts be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in Me.  The disciples were about to go through a terrible experience. They were going to see Jesus arrested, tried, and crucified. Jesus is the One they had left everything to follow, and in the eyes of the world, He was about to be a big failure.  Jesus was telling them not to let the things of the world trouble their hearts.  We, as His followers, are told not to worry, which would be letting our hearts be troubled.  We don't have to be concerned about the things of this world ever defeating us, no matter how bad they look.  Jesus said that if they believed in God they were to also believe in Him.  He wasn't just another man, but He was the Messiah.  Like then, today if we are to come to God, it must be through Jesus.  Verse two adds, 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.  The disciples were about to see Jesus crucified, but He told them He wasn't leaving them permanently but was going to prepare a place for them.  When we become followers of Jesus, He will never desert us.  There is debate today about whether Jesus said there were many mansions or many rooms in His Father's house.  That really doesn't matter. The real statement is that a place is prepared for us.  Some who want to say a room instead of a mansion in heaven feel that Jesus promised them a mansion here, where everything is just temporary.  As His followers, we need to realize that whether here or in Heaven, God is with us, and that is all we need.  Verse three continues, 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.  Jesus had told the disciples they couldn't go with Him where He was going but promised them He would return for them.  That promise is what we live for today.  Jesus has prepared a place for us to spend everlasting life, and our hearts should not be troubled as we are His.  He will come for His people when the time is right.  Verse four states, And whether I go ye know, and ye know the way.  The disciples may not have understood what Jesus meant at the time, but they came to understand that Jesus was returning to the Father, and that faith in Him was the way for them to get there.  This has always been the only way to salvation.  Verse five adds, Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whether though goest, and how can we know the way?  As just discussed, until after His death, burial and resurrection, the disciples really didn't know where Jesus was going nor how to get there.  Verse six continues, Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh to the Father but by me.  Jesus is still the only way to salvation.  Verse seven concludes, If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know, him and have seen him.  Jesus Christ came to earth as a man, but He was still fully God.  So if we have seen Jesus through faith in Him as our personal Savior and Lord, we have seen God. 

John 13:31

John 13:31 says, Therefore, after he was gone out, Jesus said, Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in Him.  From the time He began His ministry, Jesus knew that His time on earth was coming to an end.  Still, Jesus lived His life that the Father might be glorified.  When we are born again, the fact of our mortality does not change, but we still must live that God will be glorified.  Verse thirty-two adds, If God be glorified in Him, God shall also glorify Him in Himself, and shall straightway glorify Him.  Jesus was about to suffer a degrading death at the hands of the religious leaders, but He was doing so for the salvation of mankind and the glory of God, and for this He would be glorified.  Though we cannot die for the salvation of any, we can live a life devoted to God that He might be glorified.  Verse thirty-three continues, Little children yet a little while I am with you.  Ye shall seek me: and as I said unto the Jews, whether I go, ye cannot come, so now I say unto you, Verse thirty-four concludes, A new commandment give I unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.  Referring to them as little children, Jesus said again they couldn't go where He was going.  We cannot go to the cross to save anyone.  Jesus told the disciples, and us, what we can do, and that is to love one another.  This is something we can do, but we hear more about the Ten Commandments than we do of this one.  As with the Ten Commandments, it wasn't a suggestion.  Verse thirty-five says, By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if you love one another. Jesus said this was the way that people would know that we are His disciples, that we love one another.  When we treat people with hatred, this does not speak well of our relationship to God.  Verse thirty-six adds, Simon Peter said unto him, Lord, whither goest thou? Jesus answered him, Whither I go, thou canst not follow me now; but thou shalt follow me afterwards.  Peter wanted to know where Jesus was going that he couldn't go, and Jesus said Peter couldn't follow Him there yet, but that he would later.  Until Jesus went to the cross, we like Peter could not follow Him to salvation.  Verse thirty-seven continues, Peter said unto him, Lord, why cannot I follow thee now? I will lay down my life for thy sake.  Peter said he would follow Jesus to the death, still not realizing what he was promising.  We need to be willing to die for our faith in Jesus Christ today, realizing now what He did for us on the cross.  Verse thirty-eight concludes, Jesus answered him, Wilt thou lay down thy life for my sake? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, The cock shall not crow, till thou hast denied me thrice.  Jesus said not only would Peter not follow Him to death, but before the cock crowed, Peter would deny Jesus three times. We must be wary of self-pride or we too will fail.