JOHN 14:22-27b
The Other Teacher
Prepared by Dr. John E. Marshall
John 14:22-23 (Holman) Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, Lord, how is it Youre going to reveal Yourself to us and not to the world? Jesus answered, If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word. My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.
Home, the same word translated dwelling places in verse 2, refers to a permanent residence. People who love Jesus will live in Heaven with Him permanently because He already lives permanently in their hearts. The intermingling of our lives with His is already underway.
In the here and now, our love responds to His love, assuring us He lives in us. Sadly, Christ-followers too often have a more vivid faith in Christ’s past work on Earth for them than in Christ’s present work on Earth in them.
John 14:24a The one who doesnt love Me will not keep My words.”
People do not have to do anything overt to cut themselves off from God. Doing nothing, not loving Jesus, not keeping his words, by itself condemns. The ones who don’t love Jesus, who reject Him, will be forever separated from Him.
John 14:24b-26 The word that you hear is not Mine but is from the Father who sent Me. I have spoken these things to you while I remain with you. But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit the Father will send Him in My name will teach you all things and remind you of everything I have told you.
For three years Jesus had been the disciples’ Teacher, a role Someone Else would soon fill. In the future, Christs words would continue to be the disciples’ primary curriculum, but the Holy Spirit would become their main Teacher.
After Jesus ascended, the Spirit aided the disciples’ memory and became their Illuminator. The Spirit reminded the disciples of words they had heard Jesus speak, and clarified concepts they had previously found hard to understand.
The Holy Spirits dual works of Illumination and aiding memory made our New Testament possible. It is the ultimate proof God fulfilled the promise Jesus made here. The Gospel could have been written only after the Holy Spirit helped the disciples better understand and precisely remember Christs words.
The New Testament’s authority is based on the fact it is the Holy Spirits book. We agree with Paul; all Scripture is God-breathed (2 Timothy 3:16).
We still need the Holy Spirit to do His wonderful work of illuminating us and reminding us of Jesus’ words. The Holy Spirit helps us remember by prompting us to read the Bible. To illuminate us, He works in our spirit, giving us wisdom and understanding.
We need the Holy Spirit to illuminate Scripture for us. Our knowledge of God’s Word always stays ahead of our inward and outward conformity to it.
We know more than we do. Our lives prove reading and knowing truth are inadequate. Complying with the truth we claim to believe in can be a slow and tedious process.
In the New Testament we find truth. Jesus spoke it; the disciples wrote it. Our ultimate need is for someone to illuminate our will as well as our cognitive functions, to drive home in us the meaning of the truth were reading.
John 14:27a Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you.
By the world’s standards, Jesus left a small inheritance. He died the poorest of the poor. He left His clothes to soldiers, His mother to John, His spirit to the Father, and His body to Joseph of Arimethea.
The question was, would Jesus have anything to leave for His disciples, the men who had left all to follow Him? Yes, He did leave them an inheritance. He bequeathed them neither money nor earthly possessions, but something infinitely better: His peace.
John 14: 27b I do not give to you as the world gives . . .
Jesus warned the disciples to beware false peace. Satan counterfeits every gift of God, including peace. The worlds peace can never be the real thing, for several reasons. One, it is shallow.
People’s use of the common greeting, “Peace to you,” is usually hollow and meaningless. At best it may be a heartfelt wish, or actually a prayer. However, even when given with the best intentions, there is no way any person can convey inner peace to another.
It is sad how little we can actually do for one anothers tranquility. When Im sad, Ruth loves and helps me, but even she cannot touch my innermost being. In each of us dwells a part alone a little island floating on an isolated sea.
When people try to give true deep down peace to another, they can only wish and pray. Jesus, though, gives. If He says Peace to you, it is conveyed, whether the object is a storm or a human heart.
In the midst of troubles, we can be serene because Jesus speaks peace to us. He reaches in deep enough to touch us where no one else can reach.
Two, the worlds peace is counterfeit because it is actually escapism. The world defines peace as ignoring troubles, pretending they don’t exist, refusing to face life head-on.
Counterfeit peace tries to deflect our thoughts, to keep our minds occupied – day-dreams, pleasures, amusements, jobs, busyness, noise, friends.
Some people don’t dare be quiet because their minds, when still, are troubled. Quiet moments are often filled with ghosts of worry and fear.
True peace is a God-given tranquil mind rising from assurance we are right with the Sovereign God. It is an inner calmness steadying us, whatever trial we face, due to our belief the God holding our hand also controls the storms.
Three, Satans peace is counterfeit because it never fully satisfies. People are always planning to be at peace someday, to be happy one of these days.
Apart from Jesus, this mirage is unending: always beginning to live, intending to live, but never living. Our dream to sit down in contentment is never fulfilled. This worlds peace always leaves a void aching for more.
Four, the worlds peace is counterfeit because it is temporary. What little satisfaction it does render is never permanent. The world can only give spicy, titillating excitements to replace the last thrill it gave, which quickly turned flat and stale. It can briefly excite and tantalize us, but only Jesus can permanently calm us in the storms of life.
The worlds peace can enable us to live life with relatively little interference for short periods of time, but eventually the thrill winds down. The world’s peace gives pleasure only in this life, but Christ’s peace enriches the spirit for eternity.
Five, the world’s peace is counterfeit because it ends bad. The worlds peace gives its best pleasures at first, and then goes downhill. Christs peace begins unpretentiously, but ends well, growing in power and blessing.
The worlds peace is self-deception, a false security, saying things will work out okay in the end. Beware. Sinners at peace with their sins are deluded.
The devil works hard to destroy people through the drug of indifference. He puts them in an unconscious stupor with his poison of procrastination.
Never equate a dead conscience with a conscience at peace with God. The former condemns, the latter brings life.
Jesus has given us an unspeakable, immeasurable treasure: His peace, a peace that is not shallow, not escapism, fully satisfies, is permanent, and ends well. No wonder John Bunyan, when he became a believer, wanted to tell what he had experienced to the crows flocking the fields along his path.