seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
John 15: 26 “When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me. 27 And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning.
John 16:1 “All this I have told you so that you will not fall away. 2 They will put you out of the synagogue; in fact, the time is coming when anyone who kills you will think they are offering a service to God. 3 They will do such things because they have not known the Father or me. 4 I have told you this, so that when their time comes you will remember that I warned you about them. I did not tell you this from the beginning because I was with you, 5 but now I am going to him who sent me. None of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ 6 Rather, you are filled with grief because I have said these things. 7 But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. 8 When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 about sin, because people do not believe in me; 10 about righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; 11 and about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.
12 “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. 13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. 14 He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. 15 All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.”
3212025321202532120253212025
Here's the first link to the commentary I read this morning.
And you also will bear witness: The disciples were not left in the world merely to endure the world’s hatred. Empowered by the Helper and His testimony about Jesus, they will bear witness of who Jesus is and what He did to rescue the world.
Because you have been with Me: The disciples were qualified to bear witness of Jesus because they trusted Him, had the Holy Spirit, and had simply been with Jesus — they were part of His life and He was part of their life.
Here's the second link to the commentary I read this morning.They will put you out of the synagogues: Jesus warned His disciples of coming opposition because He did not want them to be surprised and stumbled by it. He also did not expect that His disciples would immediately leave the synagogues, or leave them by their own choice. They would be forced out of the synagogues for Jesus’ sake.
Stumble: “A skandalethron was not a stumbling-block which might trip you up… It is used of the spring of a trap which might ‘go off’ when you were least expecting it.” (Tasker)
The time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service: That time quickly came, as the life of Saul of Tarsus before his conversion showed (Acts 8:1-3, 22:3-5, 26:9-11). Since then there have been many who persecute and kill the true followers of Jesus because they think God is pleased.
When the time comes, you may remember that I told you of them: Jesus did well to forewarn, because it comes as a great shock that a gospel so glorious is hated so passionately. He did not tell His disciples these things at the beginning, but He certainly told them.
None of you asks Me, “Where are You going”: Peter had asked this question earlier (John 13:36) and Thomas asked a similar question (John 14:5). Therefore Jesus must mean not only the words of the question, but the heart of it. Their previous asking was in the sense, what will happen to us when You leave, not in the sense Jesus meant here — what will happen to You when You leave.
It is to your advantage that I go away: This had to be difficult for the disciples to believe. When a loved one is near death we often think it is the best to let death take its course. We say, “It will be better for them to go, and to stop the suffering. It is to their advantage to go away.” But when someone we love is near death, we usually don’t think that it is to our advantage that they go. Yet Jesus here said that it wasn’t for His advantage, but to your advantage that I go away.
For if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you: Jesus had a plan, but they couldn’t understand it. With 2,000 years of hindsight we see that when Jesus went away He then sent the Spirit of God, which had and has a broader and more effective ministry in the entire world.
He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: Sin is the truth about man, righteousness is the truth about God, judgment is the inevitable combination of these two truths.
Of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged: The judgment of Satan himself means that there will be a final reckoning between God and His rebellious creature. The Holy Spirit warns the world of this coming judgment.
I still have many things to say to you: Jesus frankly admitted that His own teaching was incomplete, and anticipated the further instruction of the church by the Holy Spirit. This statement of Jesus leads us to anticipate the formation of the New Testament.
3212025321202532120253212025
Heavy stuff... huh! In the postings in the commentary, there is a The to mark the comment. I thought I was the only one who figures Paul was working for Satan, not for Jesus. It seems others have had the same notion and they have noted it along the way. Yay! I get to start the day with one less thing on my plate that labels me crazy. [Yes, I'm still "certified sane" but at least I don't have as many flood lights showing how crazy I am].
Now people think it's ok to hate Christians. It's ok to riot against Israel. It's ok to paint awful things on the walls of the church. It's ok to shoot up a prayer meeting. Will it become ok to murder a person and then use Christianity as a viable defense and argue "they deserved it".
I have to admit, the zealots and the pew warmers make it really hard to be an Irish Protestant Baptist in Arizona these days. What the "Christians" did to the Native Children out here is atrocious. Shame on us. We talk about reparations. The Natives should be the first to receive reparations. Most of the homes on those Reservations don't even have electricity or water! Some people stand on a soap box and talk about how bad they have it. At least they can go home to a warm home, turn on the lights, and watch some news to see if they made on the evening news. The Natives don't have electricity to run the TV or the heaters. On top of that.... "Christians" killed their babies! Just like the invading nations killed Israeli babies and "Christians" cry over it, people who called themselves "Christians" murdered Native babies so they wouldn't survive to have babies of their own. Zealots and pew warmers make it embarrassing to be an Irish Protestant Baptist in Arizona.
Jesus told the disciples He had to leave but He was going to send a Helper. He told the disciples the Helper would guide them. Now their part of the Mission would begin. It would be deadly for them.
If Jesus told them, in the beginning, that they would be hunted just for being associated with Him, would they have joined Him? Would Peter have denied Jesus quicker? What would Thomas have done? He looked just like Jesus. He would have been murdered because of his looks!
Let me give you a modern-day example of "what if they knew". Once a year I get my bloodwork done. The CEA [cancer numbers] numbers have been doing just terrific. I've made it 10 years since I was diagnosed. Only 2% of the people diagnosed with Colon Cancer survive 10 years. I'm a 2%er. Not only did I survive the original bought, I am also surviving the cancer that got loose. I'm still growing cancer... but it's not getting worse.
Yesterday I had to meet a Hematologist/Oncologist. My white cell count is too high and I'm not making healthy red blood cells. The PCP and the Oncologist want me to get "iron infusions" once a month for the next few months. Oh, I could take a pill, but if I did, it would constipate me and put me in the hospital because what's left of my gut just can't handle the iron. The Hematologist/Oncologist made a point of telling me the "iron infusion" would not constipate me nor would it put me in the hospital. Infusion puts it right into the bloodstream. It bypasses the gut issues. However, he did not mention the "Side Effects" of the infusion.
I've learned a little over the last ten years. When I got home, I discussed it with my husband. I looked up the "Side Effects". I'm a little sluggish. I already have headaches. I have fallen so many times after being blinded, I must have rattled what little brain I have because I'm taking Tylenol every 4 hours of every day. On top of that I'm so afraid of what else is going to happen, my blood pressure goes up when I get near the doctor's office. I really don't want the vomiting, rash, or chest pain associated with "iron infusions". I already had that crap during the chemo. Yes, chemo will wipe out the problem, but some chemo is worse than cancer.
Why is it Doctors always hype the cure but they leave out the crap you have to go through to get the cure?
Jesus did the same thing. If He had told the disciples what the "Side Effects" of being a disciple, would they have still followed Him?
Yes, Jesus is the Messiah, but this part of the Mission did not call for the mighty warrior that was going to take down Rome and the Temple first thing, as Peter and others were hoping.
If someone told me, back when I was twelve, that people would hate me because I'm a Christian, I would not have believed you. I am a Child of God so what harm could come to me? Turns out, I could still be murdered for praying in a church.
If I had known what I know now about chemo and cancer, I would have been more aware of the "Side Effects".
If the disciples knew they would be hunted just for being associated with Jesus and that Jesus would have to leave and come back to complete the Mission, would they have joined the Mission?
Funny how you find out about the Side Effects after you've swallowed the bitter pill.
Jesus sent someone to help with the bitter pill.
Physical death would be one of the "Side Effects" of being a Disciple of Jesus.
