John 14:15-31 - The Comforter Will Come

Before the Lord Jesus went to the cross, the Holy Spirit did not permanently dwell in his disciples.  The Holy Spirit gave them faith to believe, but he did not indwell them. In the old testament the Holy Spirit came upon people such as Elijah and David for specific tasks or as a sign of God's favor upon that person.   In the Psalms David prays that the Lord "take not thy holy spirit from me".  But since the Lord Jesus ascended to heaven,  the Holy Spirit now indwells those who by faith believe on Jesus as their Saviour and are saved by grace.  In John 14, after speaking about heaven and that He is the way to heaven, Jesus tells his disciples of the Comforter to come, the Holy Spirit.

V15-18 "If ye love me, keep my commandments.  And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; even the spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he........ shall be in you.  I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you."

Jesus' new commandment was for the disciples to love each other.  Not in a romantic way, but in an action way, of serving each other, helping each other, bearing each other's burdens, encouraging each other.  Jesus had  just finished telling the disciples that he was leaving them, and going to heaven.  During his earthly ministry, Jesus was a comfort to his disciples.  The one they loved, trusted, the one they believed on as the Son of God, the Christ, the promised Redeemer.  Now Jesus tells them that another Comforter would come, this being the Holy Spirit.  Jesus promises that the Holy Spirit will be in them, and in Acts 2 the Holy Spirit comes as with tongues of fire and "they were filled with the Holy Ghost." (Acts 2:4)  Jesus promises that his disciples would not be comfortless.  He says that "I will come to you."  the Holy Spirit will come, and Jesus will, as he has already said in V3, Jesus will come again to receive those who believe on Him.



V19-25 Jesus tells his disciples that in just a little while, the world will see him no more, but that because he lives, his disciples (and all those who believe on Jesus since then and into the future) will live also.....V23 Jesus said "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... these thing have I spoken unto you being yet present with you."

Believers who love the Lord Jesus are to keep his commandments, his words.  They are not to live their lives doing what they want to do, giving in to temptations, they are to commit each day to the Lord, living according to His will for them.  As much as possible, they are to live peaceably with all men.  When Jesus says that "we will come unto him, and make our abode with him" he is speaking of the Holy Spirit who indwells believers at the moment of their salvation.  Regarding "we",  1 John 5:7  says "there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one."  This is something that our finite minds cannot comprehend, but it is truth.

V26-27 "But the Comforter which is the Holy Ghost, who the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.  Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you:....Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."

The Lord Jesus is very specific here.  He tells his disciples that the Comforter will be sent by the Father in the name ofo the Lord Jesus.  Once again, our minds cannot comprehend this, but it is truth.   I can certainly attest that the Holy Spirit indwelling me is my best teacher.   Years ago I was always afraid of losing my salvation and so I prayed for the Lord to show me the truth from His word, the bible.  And the Holy Spirit has taught me things I never saw before in my bible.  Through him in daily readings verses speak to me, they comfort me, they teach me.  Though sometimes things get me so down that I become very depressed, yet the Holy Spirit is my Comforter and he lifts me up out of the depths.   The world cannot and will never understand the peace a Christian has.  Before Jesus had told his disciples "let not your heart be troubled" that they should believe in him as they believed in God.  Now he adds "let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid"  because it will be a natural thing for the disciples to fear when Jesus leaves them and they are alone, but the Holy Spirit will be their Comfort therefore as they trust in Christ, they should neither be troubled nor fearful.

V28-31 Jesus has told his disciples that he was going away and would come again unto them.  And now he says "If you loved me you would rejoice because I said I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I."  Jesus is telling them these things before they happen so that when he does leave them, they may believe that Jesus has gone to heaven, and that the Holy Spirit will come.  Then Jesus says that "the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me, but that the world may know that I love the Father, and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do.  Arise let us go hence."

The prince of this world is Satan who has indwelt Judas to carry out his betrayal of Jesus.  And Jesus will be arrested and go to the cross where those who look on will see the powerful works of God in the three hours of darkness.  They will hear the words of Jesus on the cross.  They will know that Jesus loves the Father.  Jesus says "arise let us go hence" to his betrayal, but first Jesus has many more things to say to them. 

Next is chapter 15, where Jesus teaches that he is the true vine, and that the world will hate those who believe on and follow Jesus.
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