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John 14.25-31 STUDY GUIDE

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John 14.25-31 STUDY GUIDE THE GOSPEL OF JOHN Small Group Discussion Guide Text: John 14:25-31 Theme/ Big Idea: Jesus is departing and giving final assurances and encouragement to his disciples. Context/ Background Information: In John 14:25-31, Jesus is departing and giving final instructions to his disciples. These instructions are meant to be comforting statements of assurance in order to give his disciples confidence after he departs. First, Jesus promises the gift of the Holy Spirit, who will comfort and instruct. Then, Jesus promises the gift his own infinite, enduring, and surpassing peace. And finally, Jesus reminds his disciples that though he will be betrayed and crucified, all things are working according to plan to the praise and glory of God. JESUS GIVES FINAL INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE THE STORM Jesus' earthly time is coming to a close, and he is giving final instructions. "While I am still with you," indicates he is clearly about to depart. His instruction, while still with them, is intended to give them confidence and confirmation after he departs. In verse 29, he says he told them these things while he was still with them "so that when it does take place, you may believe." He said something similar before Judas' betrayal (John 13:19). His instruction before the storm is meant to give comfort and peace in and through the storm. Jesus instruction before his betrayal and crucifixion is supposed to give the disciples confidence but also confirm all that Jesus said and did. Nothing that is about to occur in Jesus' betrayal and crucifixion happens by accident or by surprise. No, it will happen according to plan. Therefore, all that Jesus said and accomplished can be trusted. Jesus is the Son of God and really did die for our sins. God really did accept Jesus' offering. Jesus really is our righteousness, and he really does intercede on my behalf. And, in the immediate context, when these things come true, the disciples will know without a doubt that Jesus really does care for them though he is gone. THE HELPER WILL BRING JESUS' INSTRUCTION HOME TO THE HEART To bring Jesus' instruction home to their hearts, Jesus promised "the Helper, the Holy Spirit." For the first time, "the Helper" is directly identified as "the Holy Spirit." We are told the Holy Spirit will be sent in Jesus' name to teach and to call to mind all that Jesus taught. In other words, the Holy Spirit is being sent not to replace Jesus or his teaching but to point disciples directly to all that Jesus said, did, and is on their behalf. This indicates one of the Holy Spirit's primary roles, namely to teach, instruct, and point us to the words and works of Jesus. His instruction will be built upon the first Advocate and directed towards the first Advocate. As we learned in John 14:15-24 Jesus advocates for us before the Father, while the Holy Spirit will advocate to us regarding all that Jesus said and did and continues to do on our behalf. The Holy Spirit will plead Jesus' infinite gracious love when we doubt our own worthiness. He will plead Jesus' righteousness when we boast in our own. He will plead all of Jesus' work and words to us. Verse 26 also gives us clarity as to how the "uneducated" disciples (Acts 4:13) could be so well informed and clear on Jesus' person and works. It was the Holy Spirit that instructed them and called to memory all that Jesus said and did. This is how the Bible came to be, as "men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit" (2 Peter 1:21). JESUS GIVES PEACE IN THE MIDST OF CHAOS In light of his departure and the promise of the Holy Spirit, Jesus gives yet another promise and leaves them with yet another gift. Jesus promises to leave them with peace. In verse 27, Jesus says, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you." In this verse, Jesus tells the disciples what he is leaving them and how it can be experienced. First, consider what Jesus is leaving the disciples. This word "peace" means quietness and rest. Remember the context, Jesus is departing and his disciples are anxious. The specific word Jesus uses to describe their hearts in John 14:1 and again in verse 27 is "troubled," which describes water that is stirred up and agitated. He knows their hearts are stirred up with emotions and fear. In that context, Jesus offers them peace, quietness, and rest. But the peace Jesus leaves is not just any peace, quietness, and rest. No, Jesus is leaving them with his peace, quietness, and rest. Jesus is the Prince of Peace (Is 9:6-7). He is the promised Messiah full of peace (Num 6:26; Is 52:7, 57:19). He is not making an empty promise or leaving them with a hollow gift. He is promising to leave them with something that is his, that he knows personally and intimately. What is Jesus' peace? There is both a qualitative and quantitative aspect to the peace that Jesus gives to his disciples. First, consider the quality of the peace Jesus gives. It is total, complete, abundant, absolute peace. It is peace with God (Romans 5:1). Jesus' identity, comfort, and hope are anchored in the rock-solid assurance of the Father's love and acceptance. It is this quiet assurance and certain rest of acceptance before God that Jesus both secures and gives his disciples. Peace with God leads to and produces peace within ourselves. In the Fall, man was immediately alienated within himself and immersed in a sea of shame and guilt. Everything from that moment on has been a burdensome effort to cover ourselves, to justify our existence, to earn acceptance, to find meaning and purpose. Jesus offers all of that in the peace he gives. He invites us to lay down our burdensome toil and weary work and to find quiet rest in him (Matt 11:28-30; Heb 4:10). And finally, Jesus offers peace with others, "For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility…" (Eph 2:14). It is the natural overflow from vertical peace with God and inward peace within. What Jesus offers qualitatively is the complete reversal and reweaving of all that was broken in the Fall in Genesis 3. In other words, Jesus secures peace with God so that we can know the peace of God. But there is also a quantitative aspect to the peace Jesus gives to his disciples. The peace Jesus gives is immense, all-sufficient, eternal, and never-ending. It cannot be undone or lost. It is not temporary or momentary. It is secure and permanent. As Peter says, it is an inheritance that is "imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you" guarded by God's power (1 Peter 1:4-5). In both quality and quantity, the peace Jesus offers far exceeds and eclipses the peace of the world. There is no comparison. The peace the world offers is hollow, shallow, and empty. It is rooted in horizontal pleasures. The peace the world offers is temporary, momentary, and fleeting. It lasts as long as the horizontal earthly treasures last, and for that reason, it never satisfies. The peace Jesus offers brings true rest, true restoration, and true reconciliation. The peace Jesus offers is permanent, secure, and enduring. In addition to what Jesus offers, we also learn how this peace is secured, received, and experienced. He says, "Not as the world gives...I leave with you, I give to you." Consider the irony of how the world seeks peace. It is generally through power, struggle, effort and toil. Consider how the world offers peace. It is generally based on conditions and for a specified amount of time. Now consider how Jesus came to secure peace. He did not do it by might or by crushing power. No, Jesus came in humble submission to the Father, laying down his power. And why? Because Jesus did not come to overthrow Roman rule in order to secure political peace. He came giving up power to overthrow the "ruler of this world," reversing the curse, and giving us peace with God (John 14:30). How will he accomplish this? It will be through his own wounding and death on the cross. And how does Jesus offer this peace? It is given freely as a gift. Though subtle, the phrase "I leave with you" explains how we receive the peace Jesus offers. Jesus has announced his imminent death and departure and is now using inheritance language. In other words, true peace and true rest can only be experienced through his death. Indeed, Paul says, "we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" (Rom 5:1). Implied is that peace with God is through the life, death, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul is more explicit in Colossians 1:20, saying peace and reconciliation to God are made through "the blood of the cross." For all of these reasons, the depth and breadth of the peace Jesus offers and the means by which he secures it, Jesus can say imperatively, "let not your hearts be troubled (agitated and stirred up) neither let them be afraid." Why? Because they have a resource that is beyond anything, the world can give.
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