11-22-2020 Standing in Christ Jesus
John 16:25-28
I’ve spoken
these things to you in proverbs, but the time will come when I will no longer
speak to you in proverbs but I will show you plainly about the Father.
In that day
you shall ask in My name and I’m not going to tell you that I will pray the
Father on your behalf
But the
Father, Himself, loves you because you have loved Me and believed that I came
from God.
I came from
the Father, coming into this world, and again, I leave the world to go (back)
to the Father.
Let’s take a
look at what this passage is saying.
Here Jesus
says that even His disciples didn’t fully understand what He was telling the
people. At another time He gave them a
reason why. Those who do not truly
seek Him might gain an imagery of salvation without their sins being
forgiven. “Lord, didn’t we do all these
wonderful things in Your name?” Jesus’
response “I never knew You.” (Matt. 7:21-23)
In other words, there would be no true commitment because their hearts
would not truly be changed, yet He was helping the disciples understanding
(Mark 4:11-12) for they already knew Him.
He wanted
their understanding to be solid and true.
He wanted their relationship to be firm.
He also told
them that when the Holy Ghost is come upon them, He would lead them (and us)
into all truth (John 16:13).
Look at the
words of our Lord. He says the time
would come when He would no longer pray on our behalf. Say what!
Jesus did say that whatsoever we do, ask in His name and He will do it
so the Father would be glorified (John 14”13).
Just as Father spoke the Word in the beginning, the Holy Ghost performed
it (Gen. 1:1-3). When Jesus died on the
cross, the veil to the Hholiest of holies was torn from top to bottom giving us
direct access to the throne of God (Matt. 27:50-51). Jesus doesn’t have to intercede because we
have become one with Him, making us one with the Father (through Him).
So how does Jesus accomplish this?
As we give
our hearts to Jesus we, then, start a journey of learning to walk closer with
Him. To help us in that journey, He
gives us the indwelling and infilling of the Holy Ghost.
While Jesus
still walked with His disciples He told them the authority He had given them
when He sent them out (Mark 6:7-13, Luke 10:1-17), and confirmed it when He
breathed upon them (after the resurrection) and said “Receive the Holy Ghost”
(John 20:21-23). Yet, it wasn’t until
the upper room before the disciples actually received power (Acts 1:4-8, Acts 2:1-4) to fulfill what Jesus had told them. Jesus physically walked with His disciples
and He was their (our) power and He gave them authority – over sickness, disease
and devils and He gives us that same authority and power through the active Holy
Ghost in our lives.
So Jesus
clarifies His relationship with the Father.
As we keep His commandments, He will give us another Comforter (the HG)
who is with us forever because He dwells in
us (John 14:13-21). In our heart!
We won’t
have to worry about what we say for the Holy Ghost will guide our speech (Luke
12:11-12). As we allow the Holy Spirit
of God to lead us, we know that we are God’s sons (and daughters – Rom.8:14)
and we know that the Holy Ghost helps our infirmities and our prayers for He
searches our hearts and minds (Rom. 8:26-27).
Jesus said
He will give us another comforter (John 14:16).
We know that the Comforter is the Holy Ghost. So who is the first Comforter? Jesus! And we know that Jesus is in the
Father and that the Holy Ghost proceeds from the Father and Son (John 15:26). In the
beginning was the Word, and was with God and the Word was God (John 1:1) and was made flesh whom we see as the only
begotten of the Father (John 1:14). When
God created all things, we know He spoke the Word and His Spirit moved upon the
face of the waters (Gen. 1:1-2). There
is unity in Father, Son and Holy Ghost and we call that unity the “Godhead”
(Col. 2:8-10).
The Gospel
of John is focused on the love of Christ and in it, Jesus declares He wants the
same unity with us which He shares with the Father (John 17:15-26).
So how do we attain this unity?
We are
redeemed and justified through the blood of Jesus (Rom. 3:25-26) for we have
believed and received Him into our heart (Rom. 10:9-10).
We are drawn
to Jesus because He shed His blood for us (Eph. 2:12-13) and the Spirit of God
beckons.
And, as we
read the scriptures, we realize that our sins are not taken away without the
blood of Jesus (Heb. 9:16-22).
So, as we
walk in the Light of Jesus, we are cleansed from all sin through His blood (1
John 1:7).
Peter calls
those who have received Jesus, the blood of Christ, the “elect” of God (1 Peter
1:2). We are special through our
‘salvation’!
Included
with our ‘salvation’ whatever we say or do should be done with thanksgiving and
in the name of Jesus (Col. 3:17) and Jesus will do it (John 14:13).
Therefore,
being covered in the blood of Jesus we may enter the holiest place (Hebrews
10:19-20) where, before, only the high priest could enter in (Heb. 9:6-7). Go back and read it. Before, only the high priest could enter the
Holy of Holies and even then only after a cleansing ritual and then to offer
atonement for the people’s sin (Heb. 9:7).
Jesus
reminds us that whosever does the will of the Father is His brother (Matt.
16:50).
We express
our love for Him by keeping His commandments (John 14:15).
We are
bought with a price (1 Corinth. 6:20), therefore, we live for Him (1 Corinth.
10:31).
God is Love,
therefore His will is to love (1 John 4:7-13).
Love God above all else, then channel that love to those around us (Mark
12:28-31). We are made in the image of
God (Gen. 1:27, 1 Corinth. 11:7) and God is love.
Standing
with the Lord? Receiving the blood of
Jesus into our hearts and allowing the Holy Ghost to operate within us, thus
living in His love AND then listening to His direction, is how we stand in
Jesus Christ, being an example of His love to those around us.
We are
obedient to His Word as we seek to abide in Him as He gives us the strength to
stand and say and do that which is right.
Amen
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