seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
John 14:15 “If you love me, keep my commands. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. 21 Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.”
22 Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, “But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?”
23 Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. 24 Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.
25 “All this I have spoken while still with you. 26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
28 “You heard me say, ‘I am going away and I am coming back to you.’ If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. 29 I have told you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe. 30 I will not say much more to you, for the prince of this world is coming. He has no hold over me, 31 but he comes so that the world may learn that I love the Father and do exactly what my Father has commanded me.
“Come now; let us leave.
Just in case you forgot.... there were two men named Judas listed as disciples in Luke 6:12-16. There was the betrayer Judas Iscariot, and there was also Judas Son of James. According to the commentary, Judas was a popular name, apparently, so to keep them separate, Judas Son of James, was known as Thaddeus.The disciples just found out that Jesus was leaving them. Just when they thought they had joined the perfect resistance movement, just when they had amassed thousands of followers, Jesus said He was leaving them to go back to His Father. They don't understand that Judas Iscariot was on his way to betray Jesus. They thought he was gone to retrieve something for Jesus. The disciples had no clue what was going on.
I'm surprised no one answered Jesus with "Sure, now that you started this war of the Sabbath, you're taking off and leaving a stranger in charge?". They joined up because of Jesus. They had been looking for someone to run Rome out of Israel, and they thought Jesus was a natural. People flocked to Him. People loved to hear every word He said. He was a born leader.... a King of Kings! They were sure they had the right guy. Now He's taking off?????
That did not compute in the minds of the disciples.
Well, at least He didn't sneak out in the heat of battle. He told them He was going back to His Father. He told them over and over. They didn't understand. They were stuck on the King of Kings scenario. They expected Him to stay in Israel and be their King.
Tomorrow, God willing, I will get into John 15. It's as if while Jesus was walking these disciples to the Garden of Gethsemane, He continued to fill them in on what is going to happen next. The study guide says " “Anyone who has tried to get a group of a dozen or so to leave a particular place at a particular time will appreciate that it usually takes more than one brief exhortation to accomplish this.” We all know how people talk while leaving a meeting.
I hope you notice, I'm not trying to define the "Holy Spirit". I don't understand it any more than the disciples did back then. All I know is that Spirit is only going to comfort the Believers. It's another perk of being part of the Family of God. I've heard it said that we all have a God gene. It's the gene that allows us to be receptive to God.... it's the gene that makes us feel like we "need" something or someone. I think... now this is not proven or supported by authority... it's just my way of understanding.... I think the Holy Spirit flips the switch that allows God to light the room in our hearts. We'll flock to the light... like magpies once the switch is flipped... but we have to decide to be part of the Family first. These men were the original adoptees... right? They get to have their switch flipped!
I was going to title this "the Spirit of Truth" when I opened the online Bible this morning. But I still don't understand "the Spirit of Truth".
Jesus said, "If you love me, keep my commands.". If you love Him, do as you were told. Jesus said there were only two commands.
Love God with all your heart, sole, and mind.
Love your neighbor as yourself.
Keep God at the center and take care of each other.
