Gospel of John - The Upper Room Discourse - Part 1

       

The Upper Room Discourse - Part 1

John 14:1-11

Just hours before Jesus was to be betrayed by Judas to the Pharisees and chief priests, Jesus that day and evening encouraged and illuminated their minds to the full extent of his love and the will and purpose of God. He knew they were fearful, anxious, uncertain, and yet they were trusting in him to guide them in the way of the Father. Let’s look at the beginning of the text, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.

Jesus gave the disciples hope in his teaching, in his signs and wonders, and in the truth of God’s words. Jesus spoke with kindness and gentleness the very words of the Father. “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me.” 

Faith, believing in God the Father and His Son, Jesus, the Christ. It was this faith, hope, and love that were the elements that Jesus wanted the disciples to trust in and cling too. He knew them and their anxieties. It was their hearts Jesus was most concerned about, for he knew if Satan seeded fear and anxiety into their hearts, the disciples would fall. Jesus gave them his word, you have believed in me thus far, continue to believe in me. 

Peter had already expressed his anxiety earlier over not having anything to go back too. “Peter said to him, “We have left all we had to follow you!” “Truly I tell you,” Jesus said to them, “no one who has left home or wife or brothers or sisters or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God will fail to receive many times as much in this age, and in the age to come eternal life.” (Luke 18:28-30)

Jesus gave them a glimpse of the kingdom of God, “My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” Jesus literally promised them he would return for them and that he was going to prepare a place for them in his Father’s kingdom. 

Jesus had already compared his return as a bridegroom coming for his bride (Matt. 25:1-13, Jn. 3:29), the marriage supper (Matt:22:1-14), and Paul, by the Holy Spirit, later speaking of Jesus coming for His bride the Church in 1 Thes. 4:17. 

Jesus knew that the Jewish wedding was a type of His return for his church, the bride. The groom would secure marriage contract, Betroval, and the dowry for the bride (the sign of wedding contract in Jesus is the sacrificially giving of himself, blood contract), the preparation of a home in or near the groom’s father’s home, the catching up of the bride (the Bedeken), and the marriage ceremony under the canopy. All of this would have been understood by the jewish disciples. 

Application - It seems this verse in John is one of the most used verses for funerals in America. It is interesting though, the verse is all about hope for the believers in Christ Jesus. It is for the living as well as for those who have passed on. Today, Jesus is still and possibly near completing the preparation of the rooms in his Father’s house (kingdom). The timing is still an area of contention among believers in Jesus Christ, but we can stand firm on the truth, Jesus said he would return for every believer, and that we can totally believe and trust in him. 

In the scriptures, he told everyone to be ready like the virgins, that the groom’s arrival will come at an unannounced time with loud fanfare, and he will catch up his bride and carry her to the marriage venue (heaven) and to the marriage ceremonies, the marriage supper of the Lamb. (Rev. 19:6-9) Are we anxious and fearful over the times we live, or are we excitedly anticipating the coming of the bridegroom (Jesus) for his Bride (the Church)?

Next, Jesus knew the questions were coming from the disciple’s hearts, and he needed to reassure them. Let’s look at the next portion of the text,”You know the way to the place where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.” Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? 

First, Jesus told them I am going, and then that they knew the way. It was Thomas who said what everyone was thinking, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” 

Jesus then gave them the definitive direction and description of the way to God. Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Jesus had laid out the path of the way to where he was going, to His Father’s kingdom. Jesus used the name of God, I AM, in establishing finality in who he was. “I am the way…” Next, Jesus continues to lay the foundation of the way, I am the truth and the life. God is truth, he doesn’t lie (Num. 23:19, Titus 1:2, Heb. 6:18) and he is the giver of life, and that eternal, and Jesus and the Father are one. There is no other way, they couldn’t come to  the Father’s kingdom except through Jesus. He had told them he was the gate (Jn. 10:7-9) for all who would believe. Last, he states that he is the life. There is no other way to receive eternal life but by and through the name of Jesus, (Jn. 1:4; 6:27,38,48,51;10:10) “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)

Jesus had told them throughout their journey with him, he was the life. He told them “If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” The disciple’s knew that Jesus spent time in prayer with the Father, that all that he did was what the Father had told him to do and say. Now, he opens the fullness of the Father to his disciples, if they had known Jesus, they have known the Father, and they have seen the Father through Jesus. In a moment of mind blowing revelation, Philip speaks what is on the mind and heart of the rest of the disciples, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.” 

Philip and the others were still in the tangible world, and they hadn’t conceived the spiritual world yet. They still need the flesh to believe, but God is Spirit not flesh. Jesus in exasperation speaks to Philip but also to all the others, “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? There were probably some of the disciples who wanted to say to Philip, “Come on Philip, get with it, Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.” But deep in their hearts, they too had uncertainties, doubts, and tentativeness towards all that Jesus was revealing to them. Jesus knew their hearts and thoughts, he wanted them to see the Father was in the Son, and the Son in the Father. They are One.  “I and the Father are one.” Jn. 10:30

Application - When we first hear about Jesus, many have let it go in one ear and out the other. Then there are those who hear the truth about Jesus and then mix it along with other thoughts and practices, until they really don’t know who Jesus really is. Then there are those who hear and may go to church on holidays and special occasions. They have an interest in Jesus, but they don’t have the time to really spend reading his Word, or seeing His good works in all of creation around them. They are consumed with the rough realities of the life they live. But there are some who ponder sincerely, make some inquiry through the reading of the Bible, and then find that Jesus really is who he said he was. The Holy Spirit confirms their confession and they deepen in the way, the Truth, and the Life in Christ. They ask questions, and just as Jesus answered his disciples in the upper room, he speaks through the Holy Spirit inspired Word of God or through the Holy Spirit’s drawing them through God’s creative and miraculous works to answer their queries. As they continue the journey with Jesus they begin to understand the Father and the Son are One.

Last, Jesus wanted to give them the tangibleness of God. Let’s look at the last portion of the text, “The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work.  Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves.”

Jesus again reinforces that the Father has been in everything he had said and done. Every word he spoke were the words of God the Father, every miracle was from  working for and for the glory of God the Father. God the Father was living in and through Jesus to do the good works so that mankind would believe in the Son and the Father. The disciples knew from rabbinical teachings that God is one, “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.” (Deut. 6:4) The Shema. And now Jesus is revealing again to them that he and the Father are one. Jesus finally says, “at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves.”  

Application - Many say I won’t believe until I can see it for myself (Thomas after the resurrection). Everything needs to be tangible because we live in a world where we use our five senses to understand and believe. Though we can’t explain why everything in the universe has order, they’re still confined to the tangible world within their periphery.

The authority of God to just speak and it is, or happens just seems impossible, until they see, hear, touch, taste, or smell that which is beyond the reality and boundaries of their preconceived understanding. They see the evidence of Almighty God through the hearing and answering of unspoken thoughts and petitions. He reveals his eternal power and divine nature through his creative acts, “the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. Rom. 1:20

 When they hear the gospel, “it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last…” Finally, They believe that Jesus really is the way, the truth, and the life, and he is the only way to the Father. Just as Jesus and the Father are one, they are in Jesus and Jesus is in them by His Holy Spirit.

I’m again including the ABC’s of salvation (JD Farag). Please, Jesus, God the Son, came to this world to save all who would believe and trust in him. He desires to reveal himself to you, He is the Light that overcomes the darkness of this lawless world. He hears your prayers, and all authority in heaven and earth have been given to him. He will answer you if you will truly believe. If you haven’t asked him to be your Lord and Savior, today could be that day.

 First, A - Admit that you are a sinner. This is where that godly sorrow leads to genuine repentance for sinning against a righteous God and there is a change of heart, we change our mind and God changes our hearts and regenerates us from the inside out. Romans 3:10 - As it is written: "There is none righteous, no, not one." Romans 3:23 - For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (We are all born sinners which is why we must be born spiritually in order to enter the Kingdom of Heaven). Romans 6:23 - For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. The bad news is that the wages of sin is death, in other words our sin means that we have been given a death sentence, we have the death penalty hanging over our heads, that's the bad news. But here's the good news: The good news is that the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Ephesians 2:8-9 - For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith —and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. Second,

 B - Believe in your heart that Jesus Christ died for your sins, was buried, and that God raised Jesus from the dead. This is trusting with all of your heart that Jesus Christ is who he said he was. Romans 10:9-10 - That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. Third, 

C - Call upon the name of the Lord. Every single person who ever lived since Adam will bend their knee and confess with their mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord, the Lord of lords and the King of kings. Romans 14:11 - For it is written: "As I live, says the Lord, Every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall confess to God." Don't wait until later — do this now. Romans 10:13 - For "whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved." "O God, I am a sinner. I'm sorry for my sin. I want to turn from my sin. I believe Jesus Christ is Your Son; I believe that He died on the cross for my sin and that He was buried and You raised Him to life. I have decided to place my faith in Jesus Christ as my Savior, trusting only in His shed blood as sufficient to save my soul and to take me to heaven. Thank You, Lord Jesus, for saving me. Amen."

Please share this with someone this week, the Lord knows that we and they need it.

If you would like other lessons, please go to http://pmdinhisservice.blogspot.com 

Until next week, In His Service Mike Davis

I am developing a new webpage on Spiritual warfare. Please give it a look. I’m adding answers each week to questions that pertain to our time today.  Thank you

http://uss-warfare3.webnode.com