Background

In chapter 13, Jesus drops a bomb on His most loyal followers, one of you is going to betray me. The whispers, accusations, and gossip had to start flowing like the wine. Peter, the rock, boldy exclaims that he would never betray Jesus. Jesus then looks and says, “Oh yeah…” What a downer. After Jesus washes their feet, shares the Passover meal, and connects with them over the table, Jesus trashes their own commitment to Him and the cause. Not only was this a buzz kill, it would have also crushed their sense of group identity, dashed hope to the ground.

Jesus then starts to rebuild their hope, not in their group identity, but their hope in Him, heaven, and their partner to come, the Holy Spirit. This is a section that Jesus uses to return hope to their hearts.

They were all eating the last supper in a large room that would have been one of many rooms surrounding a courtyard that several different families of one larger family would have inhabited. Jesus is not commenting on the size of our “mansions” as much as He is talking about how we will all be dwelling in a home with the Father.

Grasping the text

Read John 14:1-3

Why does Jesus now ask/command the disciples to trust Him?

How does “many rooms” provide comfort to the disciples and
us?

Do you think that the disciples would have grasped that He was talking about
heaven?

Where do you think they would have been thinking Jesus was
talking about?

How exactly was/is Jesus preparing a place for them/us?

Summarize what Jesus is saying?

Applying the text

Jesus told them to trust Him because He is inviting us to be
in His presence forever, and He will prepare the way for this to happen.

Is this enough for you to trust Jesus? Why or why not?

What is it that you put your hope in?

Is your hope more realized or expectant? Why?

What can you do to trust Jesus more today?

Journaling

Background

Jesus described why the disciples can trust Him in the previous verses: He is inviting us to be in His presence forever, and He will prepare the way for this to happen. The disciples, unfortunately, still don’t get it. In fact, Thomas and Philip ask two pretty dumb questions. They are questions that echo ones that the Pharisees and Jews had been asking Jesus before. There are several times that Jesus got frustrated with the disciples for their lack of faith and understanding. Jesus’ response to Philip had to be one of those moments.

This section gives us clear-cut understanding of who Jesus is and His identity. I appreciate Jesus’ patience with the disciples and my lack of understanding. He is a very difficult person to grasp; it’s almost as if He’s more than a person…

Grasping the text

Read John 14:4-14

Jesus response to Thomas’ question is interesting. Is the place that Jesus is talking about in
verse 2 a place or Himself?

Why does Philip ask to see the Father right after Jesus
essentially stated that He and the Father are one?

What is Jesus’ proof that He and the Father are one?

How is the Trinity essential to Christianity?

Applying the text

How do you think Philip’s question made Jesus feel?

Do you believe verse 12-14?

How come you haven’t seen this in your own prayer life?

How do you reconcile the two?

What can you do to put more faith in Christ today?

Journaling

Background

After Jesus confirms His role in the previous section, Jesus now returns to the idea that He began in the first part of the chapter. Jesus, knowing what is coming, not only to Him, but to His friends, the disciples as well. He comforts them with simple promises: if you are with me, you will be taken care of. I am not going to leave you in the dark, I will be taking care of you, even when I am gone. These promises provide comfort and hope; if only the disciples understood what Jesus was talking about.

Grasping the text

Read John 14:15-21

Verse 15 and 21 talk repeat the same idea, “if you love Me,
you will obey…” Is this more a statement
of duty or association?

What does it mean when it says in verse 18, “I will come to
you.” Is he talking about His short
return after the resurrection, His second coming, or His coming back through
the Holy Spirit? Explain.

Look ahead the resurrection of Christ in John, how is 18-20
fulfilled?

Applying the text

How do you read Jesus statements in verse 15 and 21?

How does your life reflect this?

What does the promise of the Counselor mean to you?

Do you ever feel like an orphan?

How do we remember that Jesus has and will taken care of us?

What can you do today to strengthen that bond?

Journaling

Background

OK first, who is the guy, Judas (Thaddeaus, not Iscariot)? Secondly, why is he asking this question? Did he not hear all the Jesus had been saying just moments ago? Has he forgotten all that Jesus had done and said over the past 3 years of ministry? I want to believe that his question was genuine. I really don’t just understand the timing of it.

Jesus’ answer might also be completely unsatisfying to Judas, but it is accurate. Jesus revealed the Father through His teaching. Loving Jesus is following His teachings, which are revelations from God the Father. It is a statement that actually affirms the disciples place with the Father while answering Judas’ question.

Grasping the text

Read John 14:22-24

Why did Judas ask that question then?

Dissect the pieces of Judas’ question.

Again, is Jesus’ statement, “if anyone loves me, he will
obey My teaching…” a statement of duty or association?

What comes first, loving Jesus or obeying His
commandments? Why?

Applying the text

What comes first to you, loving Jesus or obeying His
commandments?

Is that the way that you want it to be?

Reflect on the statement, “He who does not love me will not
obey my teaching.”

Noting that this is a statement of association more than
duty, reflect on the balance of love and obedience.

Journaling

Background

I feel like I have heard all this before. Oh wait, I have. This section summarizes and restates some of the things that Jesus has been saying so far this chapter. I feel the heart in this section. I see Jesus repeating Himself, saying again the things that He believes will provide the most comfort to the disciples. These are people that He cares all about and will carry on His messages after His time is done. He’s saying, “Pay attention guys, this is what you really need to hear. I wont be here much longer, and I want you know that I will take care of you.” By the way, anytime someone says, :do not be afraid,” I tend to brace myself.

Grasping the text

Read John 14:25-31

What are the two roles of the Holy Spirit? Cross reference John 15: 6-11.

By looking at this chapter, is Jesus’ comment in verse 28
that they would be glad that Jesus is going away, make sense to them? Do you think that they get it?

Do they remember these comments?

What is it that Jesus does that proves His obedience to the
Father’s commands?

Why does Jesus say it’s time to go and then keep on
teaching?

Applying the text

How have you seen the Holy Spirit work in your life as
outlined by Jesus?

Has what Jesus said helped your heart when it is
troubled? Why or why not?

What does it mean when Jesus says, My peace I leave you?

If the prince of this world has no hold on Jesus, what hold
does he have on us?

What can you focus on today from this text to restore peace
in your life?

Journaling

Chapter 14 Background

John 14 is a continuation of the Upper Room discourse, the section of John where Jesus teaches the disciples over the Last Supper. It encompasses a large part of John, chapters 13-17. This is Jesus’ last moments of teaching the disciples.

In chapter 13, Jesus washes the disciples’ feet and predicts both Judas and Peter’s denials. Now that that business is out of the way, Jesus begins to teach the disciples several key things. In the following chapters Jesus restates several things that He has said many times like: I and the Father are one, prayer, and His purpose and coming to the earth. All of these ideas, however, are made more personal and intimate. The promises are specific and immediate in these passages.

Chapter 14 talks about Jesus provision for his disciples and for us mainly in two areas: heaven and the Holy Spirit. He also introduces ideas that He will discuss in more detail in the following chapters. Some of those ideas are the Holy Spirit, prayer, rejection by the world, and Jesus’ plan.

This time that Jesus has with the disciples is His last before all that is going to happen surrounding His death. In this chapter we get the heart of Jesus as He reassures them that He is not going to abandon them. They don’t really get it, but He feels the need to comfort them. Twice Jesus will say, “do not be troubled.” This is a comfort passage for the disciple and a passage that we can go to see God’s plan on how He will comfort us as well.