John 14:1-31, If a man loves me, he will obey me: we will abide with him.

The context is that Jesus has come to the end of his ministry, Jesus was comforting his disciples. This chapter is an account of an excellent connection between God and his people. I think that, this a very important chapter in the gospel of John.

Paradise, Heaven; Tabernacle, Jerusalem.

"John 14:1 Let not your heart be troubled:" Jesus was comforting his disciples at the end of his life on earth. But, in the last two chapters we saw that he himself needed comfort, because he was also a man with limitations. Yet, he was the master, he was leaving his disciples, and so he had to comfort them. "ye believe in God, believe also in me." He tells them to believe what he says. "2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you." Here, Jesus was telling about two places. There are many mansions exist already in heaven. They are in paradise. Then he said that he goes to prepare a place for them. That is, he is going to make them something new and more glorious in heaven. "3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself;" Christians commonly refer this as the second coming; and as rapture. Jesus Christ will personally come for this great event to take his people to heaven. At rapture, these people will receive glory, almost as equal to the glory of Jesus Christ. The scripture says that these people will look like him. There will be two groups among these people. They are the Sons of God and the Bride of the Lamb. The Sons of God will go to the place prepared for them, and Jesus Christ will receive the Bride unto himself. Jesus Christ will be the temple in heaven and so the Bride will be in the temple, that is him. He says. "where I am, there ye may be also." So, in heaven, the Sons will be with Jesus Christ in heaven; and the Bride will be in the temple, and Jesus Christ is the temple. So also, believers will be in the mansions in paradise, and the servants of God will be in the tabernacle in paradise. 

Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

Jesus said, "4 And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. 5 Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?" The disciples were already in distress. Jesus says that he is going, and they know the way. They got panic. Thomas responded and sounded the alarm. "6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." Did they understand what Jesus has said? Every Christian say that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. Do they know what it is? Most of them do not know. If he is the way, we must walk in him; if he is the truth, we must live by him; and if he is life, we must be in him to live, or we die. To repeat these clichés is easy. But, if you are not in the Spirit, you neither understand it, nor can do it. It is spiritual reality. If you have received the holy spirit, live by the spirit. If you do not have the holy spirit in you, repent and ask Jesus Christ; and he will give the Spirit to you. 

We see God by seeing what He does

Then Jesus told them; "7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him." Jesus could have told this purposely, to teach them spiritual reality. "8 Philip saith unto him, Lord, show us the Father, and it sufficeth us." Philip was desperate. Jesus was going. He could not grasp what Jesus was telling. He did not have anybody else. So, if he could get a hold of God the Father, it would be nice. That was the motive of him asking for God the Father. "9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Show us the Father?" Now Philip is totally confused. Jesus was not referring to his flesh body; but he was teaching the spiritual reality. "10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works." Jesus says that the word he was speaking and the miracles he was doing, were not by him, but they were by the Father. So, they must know that God the Father was in Jesus. They must see God the Father, who is Spirit, not in a physical body, but in the works that he does and in the doctrine he speaks. We can also see God in his manifestations. "11 Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake." Jesus was telling him to look at the works, that are miracles that a man cannot do. So, the supernatural manifestations are very important for us to see God.

Baptizes with Holy Ghost and Power.

"12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father." As some of us do, we must not pluck out this verse alone and teach what it says. It must be studied with its context. Jesus was teaching his disciples about the presence of God in him through his word and miracles. This verse is the continuation of that. If the disciples believe in what the master says, they will follow his steps, and God the Father will speak through them and will do the works also, as he was doing with Jesus. We cannot pull this verse to suit us to fit our ministry. "13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it." It is still the continuation, given to the disciples. After his resurrection, Jesus Christ will also do it for them, since he will be in the omnipotent Spirit, as God. But just because we have read this verse, and if we ask in his name, nothing will happen. Preachers try this, then out of desperation they fake it, and invent new doctrines and new methods. These are not from God.

If ye love me, keep my commandments.

The word of God must be taught to repented believers in churches, but not in streets. If believers backslide, we must preach them also to repent. Most believers do not know when they backslide. They proclaim that salvation is not by obeying the law or commandments. At the same breath they sing the song; "oh! how I love Jesus." Let us look at this verse. "15 If ye love me, keep my commandments." So, if we love Jesus, before you sing the song, obey his commandments. "16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;" If we obey Jesus, he will give us the Holy Ghost to comfort us and to abide with us. "17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you." The Holy Ghost is the Spirit of truth. He teaches the truth of Jesus, since Jesus is the Truth. But the worldly Christians cannot receive the Holy Ghost, since they have not accepted the truth, or seen his manifestations. Only the true believers can receive the Holy Ghost. As a foot note, I like to add that the disciples were born again, have received the holy spirit in them, were led by the spirit and so on; and that is why the Holy Ghost was with them, and now the Holy Ghost is going to be in them. This is abiding.

Raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you

"Acts 3:26 Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities. Matthew 28:18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world." Resurrected Jesus Christ tells them that he is in the omnipotent Spirit with all power, and he will be with them till the end of the world. This is what he tells in John 14 also: "18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. 19 Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also." He tells about the abiding of himself as God with his true disciples. "20 At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you." It is one thing to study about the spiritual things, and it is entirely another level to experience the spiritual delight.

How God the 'Three in One' manifest to us?

Jesus tells his main points. "21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him." It is by keeping his commandments. "22 Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? The answer is simple. The worldly Christians will not obey his commandments. So he will not manifest to them. 23 Jesus answered and said unto him, 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." Jesus says that if we obey him, all the three persons in God, will abide in us. "24 He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings:" That is, those who do not obey God, has no love for God. But they could be very religious and be the main wheels in churches. "and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me. 25 These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you." These are the words of God the Father, even though Jesus Christ tells them. 

The main theme of the Holy Ghost ministry

"26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom 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." This is very important for Christians to remember. The main ministry of the Holy Ghost is to teach the words of Jesus, which was taught when he was a man, and help the true believers to follow the ways of God. This is the ministry of the Holy Ghost, besides the gift manifestations. He gives gifts even to the rebellious, to gather people together; but that will not lead them in holiness and righteousness. But, the revelation of the words of Jesus will lead people in godliness. "27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. 28 Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I." He comforts them from the position of a man, but he will come back as God. The Holy Ghost and Lord Jesus Christ are in the world now. As God, Jesus Christ turns his people away from their sins. The Holy Ghost reveals his words.

The prince of this world has nothing in me

"29 And now I have told you before it come to pass, that, when it is come to pass, ye might believe. 30 Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me." Satan is called the prince of this world. He is thrown down from heaven, soon after Jesus was crucified. He will have no more access to heaven. His angels were also thrown down to earth. However, the ministry of the Holy Ghost and the Lord Jesus Christ is on earth, with all power. "31 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." Jesus loved the Father by his obedience. Jesus Christ emphasizes this, to love him by our obedience. Let us obey our Lord Jesus Christ and show him that we love him.