John 14

1. Jesus said, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God and trust in Me.

This is God's cure for heart trouble -trust Him! It is very hard to be friends with someone if you cannot trust them. If you are always wondering what they are doing behind your back, you will never be good friends. One of the most important things in the Bible is that God wants to know if we trust Him or if we are always thinking that He is doing something wrong. The first thing the devil said to Eve was, “Maybe God cannot be trusted?” Genesis 3:1 – 5

2 – 3

There are many places in My Father's house. I would not tell you this if it were not true. I am going there to prepare a new body for you. After I go and prepare a new body for you, I will come back. Then I will take you to be with Me so that you may be where I am.

In the Jewish culture, the bridegroom goes away to prepare a house for his bride. Some people believe that Jesus is saying that He goes to heaven to make a big house for each one of us to live in. The Bible teaches that when our spirit leaves our old body we will go to live in a new body.

For we know that when this earthly body we live in is taken down (that is, when we die and leave this earthly body), we will have a new body in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God Himself and not by human hands. 2 Corinthians 5:1

While we live in these earthly bodies, we groan and sigh, it is not because we want to die and get rid of these bodies. But we want to put on our new bodies so that these dying bodies will be swallowed up by life. 2 Corinthians 5:4

4 – 6

“You know the road to the place where I am going.” Thomas said to Jesus, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. So how can we know the way?” Jesus answered, “I am the road. And I am the truth and the life. The only way to the Father is through Me.”

The religions of the world say that they know some ways to get to God. The life of Jesus shows us that the way to God is by believing that Jesus is the Son of God, who died for us and rose again to give us new life. If we believe this and live as He lived, we will have a good life on earth and eternal life in heaven.

7 – 9

If you really knew Me, then you would know My Father, too. But now you do know Him, and you have seen Him.” Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father. That is all we need.”

Jesus answered, “I have been with you a long time now. Do you still not know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father. So why do you say, ‘Show us the Father'?

Jesus came to earth, not only to die but to show us what God is like. The world thinks of God as an angry person who wants to send everybody to hell. Jesus showed us how God cares for people and wants the best for them. We can show people what God is like if we live this way also.

10. Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me? The words I say to you do not come from Me. The Father lives in Me, and He is doing his own work.

We show the world what God is like by only doing what He shows us to do. We can only know this through His Word. People are watching us and they say bad things about God when we do not do what He shows us to do.

11. Believe Me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me. Or believe because of the miracles I have done.

Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors through the prophets. And now in these final days, He has spoken to us through His Son. Hebrews 1:1-2

12. I tell you the truth. He who believes in Me will do the same things that I do. He will do even greater things than these because I am going to the Father.

We can do the same things that Jesus did if we are walking closely with Him. He will use us to heal the sick and to lift up those who have fallen down. We will go to places that He did not visit when he was on earth.

13 – 14

And if you ask for anything in My name, I will do it for you. Then the Father's glory will be shown through the Son. If you ask me for anything in My name , I will do it.

If your boss gave you a list of things to buy for him you would go to the store and say, “I am buying this for the boss, he will pay you.”

You would not be buying these things in your name but in the name of the boss. They will give these things to you because of his name. This is why we pray in Jesus' name not in our own name. We are asking God to give us what He wants, not what we want.

People who disagree with this say that the reason you do not get a new car or some more money is because you do not have enough faith. Jesus did not say, “If you have enough faith.” What He said was, “If you ask in My name.”

People who do disagree will say that God wants you to live rich in this world. The book of James says something different:

Even when you ask, you do not get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure. James 4:3

15. “If you love Me, you will do the things I command.”

We say to each other, “I show that I love Him by loving you.”

16 – 17

I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper. He will give you this Helper to be with you forever. The Helper is the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept Him because it does not see Him or know Him. But you know Him. He lives with you and He will be in you.

Jesus did not come to start a new religion. He came to bring men back to God. He knows that we are weak and cannot live in this world without His help. He puts His Spirit inside of us when we give our lives to Him. All we have to do is listen closely to Him and we will know how to live in this world.

18 – 21

“I will not leave you all alone like orphans. I will come back to you. In a little while the world will not see Me anymore, but you will see Me. Because I live, you will live, too.

On that day you will know that I am in My Father. You will know that you are in Me and I am in you. He who knows my commands and obeys them is the one who loves Me. And My Father will love him who loves Me. I will love Him and will show Myself to him.”

Who will God show Himself to? How will they know that He is with them? The one is who is listening to His words will know.

22. Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, “But, Lord, why do You plan to show yourself to us, but not to the world?”

The Lord shows us things in our spirit. The world cannot see what is inside of us.

23. Jesus answered, “If anyone loves Me, then He will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.

Is the Lord comfortable living in your home? Does he see things there that make Him not comfortable? Is there anything you could do to make Him more comfortable?

24 – 26

He who does not love Me does not obey My teaching. This teaching that you hear is not really mine. It is from My Father, who sent Me. “I have told you all these things while I am with you.

But the Helper will teach you everything. He will cause you to remember all the things I told you. This Helper is the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in My name.

The promise that they would remember these things came true when they saw the empty tomb.

The Son of Man must be betrayed into the hands of sinful men and be crucified, and that He would rise again on the third day.” Then they remembered that He had said this. Luke 24:7 – 8

27. I leave you peace. My peace I give you. I do not give it to you as the world does. So do not let your hearts be troubled. Do not be afraid.

The world tries to give us a fake peace. His peace is a gift. You do not have to beg for it.

28 – 29

You heard Me say to you, ‘I am going, but I am coming back to you.' If you loved Me, you should be happy that I am going back to the Father because He is greater than I am. I have told you this now, before it happens. Then when it happens, you will believe.

The Lord shows His people what is going to happen. If we are in the Word then the world cannot take us by surprise. Unbelievers do not have this gift.

30. I will not talk with you much longer. The ruler of this world is coming. He continues to have no power over Me.

The original language here shows us that the devil came back many times to make trouble for Jesus. The devil does the same to us. Telling us lies is the only weapon he has. If we fill ourselves with the truth of God's Word we will know when a lie is being told to us.

When the devil had finished tempting Jesus, he left him until the next opportunity came. Luke 4:13

31. The world needs to know that I love the Father, so I do exactly what the Father told Me to do. Come now, let us go.

Jesus set an example to you -to do all the things that the Father tells you.