Holy Spirit My Helper

Day 2

When There is a Change of Plan, God Prepares.

John 14:25–16:4

Jesus has told us He is leaving and giving us the Helper who will remind us of His words. We’ve heard these truths before, but now they burn with urgency. The shock of His departure colors everything.

“I give you peace not as the world gives…” (14:27)

Peace? The past weeks have been anything but peaceful—conflict with Pharisees, public tension, overturned tables in the Temple. The mood in Jerusalem is shifting.

“If you loved Me, you would rejoice that I go to the Father…” (14:28–29)

Rejoice? If we love You, we want You with us.

“The ruler of this world is coming… but so the world may know that I love the Father, I do exactly as He commanded.” (14:30–31)

We want more explanation, but You give us what we must remember.

Jesus’ Last Teachings: Spoken to Make His Joy Full (15:11)

Jesus the Vine / We the Branches

  1. Abide or you will shrivel. (15:6)
  2. Dry branches are taken away and burned. (15:2,6)
  3. Apart from Jesus we can do nothing. (15:4–5)
  4. Fruitful branches are pruned. (15:2)
  5. Abiding produces fruit. (15:6)
  6. Abide in Him and His Word—prayers answered. (15:7)
  7. Bearing much fruit glorifies God and proves discipleship. (15:8)
  8. Abide in His love as He abided in the Father. (15:9–10)

Jesus the Vine / We the Branches

  1. Love each other as Christ loved us. (15:12)
  2. Greatest love: lay down your life. (15:13)
  3. Friends obey Jesus. (15:14)
  4. No longer slaves—friends who know His plans. (15:15)
  5. He chose us. (15:16)
  6. Our fruit will remain. (15:16)
  7. The Father gives what we ask in Jesus’ name. (15:16)
  8. Commanded—not suggested—to love one another. (15:17)

The World

  1. The world hated Jesus first. (15:18)
  2. Because He chose us out of the world, it hates us. (15:19)
  3. The world loves its own. (15:19)
  4. It persecuted Him—will persecute us. (15:20)
  5. Some will receive our word as they received His. (15:20)
  6. The world does not know the Father. (15:21)
  7. Jesus’ teaching removes excuses. (15:22)
  8. Hating Jesus = hating the Father. (15:23)
  9. They rejected His works and the Father’s. (15:24)
  10. Fulfills Scripture: “They hated Me without a cause.” (15:25)

Our Mission

  1. When the Helper comes, He will testify of Jesus. (15:26)
  2. We testify because we have been with Him. (15:27)
  3. Be faithful through persecution; do not stumble. (16:1–3)

Questions:

  • How is Jesus’ peace different from the world’s?
  • Describe doing “all the stuff” without abiding.
  • How do you lay down your life for your brothers? Is this real in modern America?
  • Would the Spirit lead us to sell possessions, change jobs, or move to help others? How far does obedience go?
  • How do you view the world—friendly, hostile, lost, political, persecuting?
  • What has your mission been this past month? How often have you checked with the Spirit?

Ruth Farinha