Questioning God

John 14.22-31
13.06.2010
Introduction

Describe my first sermon at theological college. What happened?

It started off fine with a funny story, but it soon started to unravel. I
think that there was one point of interest about half way through when
I talked about my job prior to Wycliffe, but that was that.

Where did I go wrong?

o I overloaded my preparation time with commentaries and never

managed to work through to a clear and helpful clarity
o I failed to appreciate the difference between an essay and a sermon
hence a frantic effort on the afternoon beforehand to transfer what
I had written on my Amstrad PCW to A6 index cards (not
altogether successfully)
o I agreed to preach on a passage from John 14-16 which is
notoriously difficult, albeit with a number of well known
highlights e.g. vv.27,28

Anyway it is sometimes good to be humbled as it causes you to do

better next time  Lets hope the same is true of England later in the
week?

As we turn to these chapters again, what I have come to see in the

intervening years is that, however difficult John is at times, and no one
should underestimate this, his Gospel is a must read because not only
does it stretch and deepen our faith, it provides so much of the shape
and content of the faith.
Shallow enough for a child to paddle in and deep enough for an elephant to
swim in
I. Jesus’ Promise
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"If you love me, keep my commands. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will
give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— 17 the Spirit of
truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him.
But you know him, for he lives with you and will be] in you. 18 I will not leave
you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 Before long, the world will not see me
anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 On that day
you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. 21
Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. Anyone
who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show
myself to them."

Most if us will have seen or at least heard of the film “Home Alone”
in which an inattentive family goes off on holiday failing to notice the
absence of one of their children – the sort of thing the Newman’s
would do. Left behind with only his ingenuity to defend him, the
young boy – played by - fends off a pair of bungling burglars
much to the audience’s amusement. In real life, though, being left on
one’s own in a dangerous situation, must rate as one of the life’s
greater challenges – think Rob Green at the end of last night’s match.
This was no comedy or mere game!

And so Jesus seeks to His followers and we can trace the

encouragement he gives from 14.1 through to 16. with 14.27
providing a significant ‘way point’. In the verses that were read to us
we have one of Jesus’ most important passages of teaching about the
work of the Holy Spirit – the advocate, counsellor, encourager – call
Him what you will.

vv.16, 17a
v.17b
v.18
v.19
v.20a
v.20b

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It was His ministry that was to make His departure not only more
tolerable, but positively advantageous and a different sermon would
spend time outlining the contours of what He would do.
II. Judas’ Question
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Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, "But, Lord, why do you intend to show
yourself to us and not to the world?"

And then Judas, identified for obvious reasons as not Judas Iscariot
(!), asks the final question in the series of questions we have been
looking at in our series – though I did notice that there is another one
in. John 16.17,18 – why do you intend to show yourself to us and not
to the world?

It’s a fairly sensible question given what the disciples knew about
Jesus’ identity and the significance of His mission. Something ‘big’
was going to happen why then was Jesus saying (v.20) that only His
followers be ‘in the know’ and not everyone else?

It is a not dissimilar from the question the one asked later in Acts 1.

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 III. Jesus’ Answer
23
Jesus replied, "Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will
love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. 24 Anyone
who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not
my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.

As is so often the case, particularly in John’s Gospel, Jesus’ does not

answer Judas’ question directly. Rather He develops the teaching
already imparted and so, in a roundabout sort of a way, provides His
answer.

The answer comes in several parts

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 i. the revelation of God

The ‘world’ in John Gospel is loaded term in John’s Gospel frequently

having a negative meaning
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The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. 10 He
was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did
not recognize him.

The ‘world’, then, is a way of describing those who have responded

negatively to God which, in a general sense, includes all of us, but in a
narrower sense includes those who witnessed the life and ministry of
Jesus of Nazareth, but to ignore or at least not to act upon the
information received.
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Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because
I live, you also will live.

The first reason, then, that Jesus will show Himself to His disciples
and not the world is that ‘the world’ has had its opportunity – it has
come face to face with God’s revelation in Jesus Christ – but has
chosen to ignore or reject Him. No further direct revelation will be
given to those in that position

This has important implications for us, for the situation is essentially
the same today. God has revealed Himself in Jesus Christ and on the
basis of that revelation calls people to either accept Him or reject. No
further revelation is to be given.
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We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so
that we do not drift away. 2 For since the message spoken through angels was
binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment, 3
how shall we escape if we ignore so great a salvation? Hebrews 2.1-3a

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How may people access God’s revelation of His Son? Through the
witness of the Apostles and their teaching in the bible which the Holy
Spirit would inspire.
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But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will
teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.

Note that the Holy Spirit is not to bring new revelation. Rather His
role is to remind of what has already been made known

c.f. the ‘spotlight’ ministry

Christianity is then not a secret club, it is open and accessible to all.

But neither is it a mystery religion whereby new revelations of the
divine are continuously being appropriated. The church is built, as
Paul tells us in Ephesians, on the foundation of the apostle’s and
prophets, which is why scripture and the teaching of the faith are so
important.

An old Arab proverb (quoted in Bridger p.139)

He who knows not, and knows not that he knows not, is a fool. Shun him.
He who knows not, and knows that he knows not is simple. Teach him.
He who knows, and knows not that he knows, is asleep. Wake him.
He who knows, and knows that he knows is wise. Follow him.

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 ii. the plan of God

Implicit in what Jesus had been teaching His disciples was thought
that the events which were now to unfold – that is, Jesus’ death and
resurrection and the sending of the Holy Spirit – were the climax of
the bible’s storyline. This was something BIG – why else spend so
long explaining what was about to happen?

To someone like Judas, therefore, Jesus would have appeared to be

taking about the end times – the expression used in v.20 was akin to
the way the OT prophets talked – and so it was natural that something
very public should be expected. But no, effectively, says Jesus, that’s
not the way it is going to be at least for a time. The day when the
Lord would reveal Himself to the world in the way that Judas intended
by his question was not yet.

The fact that the coming of God’s kingdom is a ‘two parter’ is

something that the first followers of Jesus and all those subsequently
have struggled to get their heads around.

If you read John’s Gospel’ and the Upper Room discourse in

particular, you will see that the situation is perhaps more fluid that we
imagine, not least because of the ministry of the Holy Spirit.
Nevertheless, the essential truth is clear, we live ‘between the times’
the time of the in breaking of the Kingdom of God as experienced in
the life of the disciples and those who, with them, would form the
church, and its consummation at the end of time as we know it.

This distinction, often visualised in terms of mountain ranges or D

Day and VE Day gives rise to two great challenges for the Christian

The challenge of the ‘now, but not yet’ when the cross and not the
crown is the dominating reality of our lives.
The challenge to prepare others for the end when it finally does come.
In other words, the challenge of mission which Jesus will go on to
detail in His great prayer ‘high priestly’ prayer of John 17.

iii.the character of God

Who is God and what is God like?

Poem from France

Why us and not the world? Because Thomas, God is who He is and as
such will not make Himself known to those whose lives are spoiled
and defaced by sin

Your eyes are too pure to look on evil; you cannot tolerate wrong.
Habukkak 4.13

Hence the importance of Jesus life, death and resurrection by which

the problem of sin is dealt with

He died that we might be forgiven

He died that we might be good
He died that we might go to heaven
saved by His precious blood

It is for this reason also that faith followed directly by obedience is

imperative

c.f. references scattered throughout this passage

v.15
v.21
v.23
v.24

Not, as Rob said last week, that such obedience earns for us the right
to know God - knowledge of and relationship with Him is by grace.
We must therefore say that love and not will is the source of our
obedience. But equally, obedience is the test of our love and, further,

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in the light of our argument, obedience is the key to our experience of
God.

We are not going to get very far in terms of our understanding of God
if we are not willing to listen to His voice when He calls to us.

c.f. Psalm 23

The first months and years of Christian experience…

It remains an ongoing challenge.

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 o the nature of God

The final and perhaps most definitive answer to Thomas’ question is

that God is personal. Not a thing or an it, but rather a ‘He’– though by
calling God a ‘He’ we must never imagine that He is a man, simply
that the masculine pronoun is used to refer to Him and mainly male
metaphors are used to describe Him, most notably Father.

It is because God is personal and must be related to in ways that are

personal that the word ‘love’ keeps appearing in this passage

v.15
v.21a
v.21b
v.23
v.24
v.28

God seeks not servants or slaves, but sons and daughters. He seeks
relationship and that necessitates a response

Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens
the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. Revelation 3.21

And to those who do respond what privilege is ours!

v.23 forms an inclusio with 14.1f

Jesus goes to prepare a place or dwelling for us… the Spirit comes
and prepares a place or dwelling for God

The only place in NT where Father and Son are said to dwell in the
believer

Quote Temple p.245, 246

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For this reason neither intellect – academic knowledge –
nor will – obedience – are sufficient in terms of one’s relation to God,
there must be love – that most personal and intimate of relations

Two areas which we need to give consideration to

The area of our own love for God. How far has this developed over
the years?

Not are we going to heaven, but has heaven come to us? CHS

c.f. the church at Laodicea

c.f. Bernard of Clairvaux

Oil well illustration

The area of church life. According to John, indeed the bible as a

whole, you can’t separate a knowledge of God from a knowledge of
others

To let our life together be ruled and regulated by a sense of

community

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