I. A Shift In Prayer Vs. 23, 24
A. Praying To The Father V. 23
1. V. 23- “In that day you will ask Me nothing”– After Jesus’ death, resurrection and ascension, the Holy Spirit would be sent into the souls of Believers to lead them into truth
a. Previously, the disciples went to Jesus for answers regarding faith, life, direction, etc.
b. In the future, the Disciples would be taught by The Holy Spirit. (See John 14:26, 16:13)
2. Previously, the Disciples would have asked Jesus directly when He was among them.
3. “In my name”- Because of what Jesus accomplished on the cross, the disciples would have full access to pray to the Father in heaven.
a. In my name, “In Jesus name”– not magical words that we add to the end of a prayer in order to get what we want.
b. To pray in Jesus’ name means to pray according to His heart, mind, and mission.
c. These words are prayed by a forgiven sinner who still recognizes that they can only approach the Father because of Jesus, the One who died for our sins. They agree with the words, “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done”. It isn’t selfish or shallow.
d. Jesus promised that when we pray in that way, the Father will grant those requests.
4. Faith in the sacrifice that Jesus made brings forgiveness and pardon to a sinner, and brings them into right standing with God. Formerly, the sinner is estranged from God because of sin; in Christ, we are forgiven of sin and have access to God
a. Ephesians 1:6 to the praise of the glory of His grace by which He has made us accepted in the Beloved.
b. Hebrews 4:14-16 “…we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need”.
B. Answered Prayer Is Connected To Fullness Of Joy V. 24
1. Jesus encouraged His disciples to move forward in this new dispensation with the Father.
2. He encouraged the Disciples to ask the Father in the name of Jesus.
3. The result would be fullness of joy as the Father granted those requests.
II. More Information About The Future Vs. 25-30
A. The Future Relationship With The Father
1. V. 25- Though Jesus was giving them more information, and was not speaking in parables, their fullest understanding of Him and the Father would come after the Spirit was poured out. When the Spirit was poured out, they would understand more clearly than ever before.
2. Vs. 26-28 The Bible does say that Jesus is our Mediator and Great High Priest. In the Old Testament, the priests stood between God and man, being the mediator or go between.
a. Romans 8:34 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession (pray) for us.
b. 1 John 2:1-2 My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate (one who pleads another’s case) with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 2 And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.
3. Jesus would not be praying to the Father to be willing to answer those prayers.
a. Jesus didn’t need to convince the Father to answer their prayers; the Father loved them.
b. Their faith in and love for Jesus connected them to the Father who loved the Son.
c. V. 27- The father loves (phileo/likes/is fond of) you because we love Jesus.
B. Increased But Incomplete Knowledge Vs. 29, 30
1. The Disciples now understand more.
2. They understood that Jesus came forth from the Father, and was going back to the Father.
3. But they were still a long way from complete understanding.
4. Their collective abandoning of Jesus in a few hours will show that to be true.
a. If they had complete knowledge, they would not have tried to stop the arrest or misunderstand Jesus’ crucifixion.
III. A Word Of Warning & A Word Of Comfort Vs. 31-33
A. A Word Of Warning Vs. 31, 32
1. V. 31– The disciples did have more understanding, but it was far from being complete.
a. Jesus challenges them in this wrong assumption.
2. V. 32– The increased understanding was not going to be enough for the Disciples to avoid abandoning Jesus in just a few hours. He warned them out of His love for them.
a. Though Jesus would be alone in terms of human companionship, He would still experience the companionship of His Father.
b. Nevertheless, something mysterious happened when Jesus hung on the cross.
Matthew 27:45-46 45 Now from the sixth hour until the ninth hour there was darkness over all the land. 46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”
B. A Word Of Comfort V. 33
1. The extended message of John 14-16 was intended to teach, encourage, and warn the Disciples about their near future and about the coming dispensation when the Spirit would be poured out and the Church would be born.
2. Jesus told them of the blessings and the hardship ahead of time so that they would have peace…but what would be their peace, and the source of their peace?
a. Peace- not an absence of conflict, but tranquility in the midst of conflict
3. Jesus told them that they would have tribulation in this world.
4. Jesus pointed to Himself as the reason for future good cheer.
a. The world system would turn itself against Jesus and brutally murder Him.
b. That same world system would kill all but one of the Disciples, and many Christians soon thereafter and up to the present day.
5. Be of good cheer– also means “Be of good courage”.
6. Their source of joy and ours is this: Jesus conquered the worst thing they could do to Him, which was to put Him to death.
a. Because Jesus conquered the worst they could do to Him, we also will enjoy the greatest victories possible.
b. Forgiveness of sin and eternal life both here and now, and then and there.
7. Matthew 10:28 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
Life Group Questions-
1. Jesus said that prayer to the Father in the name of Jesus would be answered, with the result being the fullness of joy. How have you ever experienced that? How did you grow into being a person that prayed like that? What are some common misunderstandings re. prayer?
2. V. 27– The Father loves/phileo us because we love Jesus. How should that truth affect our readiness and willingness to pray?
3. V. 33 is full of meaning and promise. How have you experienced peace in the midst of personal failure (like the disciples), or in the face of tribulation? What was your mindset and faith like?