Contents
A single chapter of John contains the whole of our purpose.
Verses 1-3
1 LET not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God,1 believe also in me.2
2 In my Father’s house3 are many mansions:4 if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.5
3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again,6 and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.7
Points 1-7
1) Believe in God
JESUS was only sent to the Israelites during His earthly ministry of roughly three years. The rest of the time He was still ministering to people but not in His promised role as Son of God, the Messiah. The Israelites already had a belief in God and JESUS here would build on that.
2) Believe in JESUS
JESUS wants us to also believe in Him—in the capacity He ministered to the Israelites—God’s Son in the flesh.
3) God’s House
Because of JESUS’ favored status with God, i.e., His only son in the flesh (and other things), He had knowledge far beyond what any one of us can comprehend. An insight that He shared is that God lives in a particular location; in human terms, translators use the word “house”; the place where God–the Father resides.
4) Many Mansions
JESUS taught there was room there, where God dwells, for others to live.
5) JESUS Prepares Our Eternal Homes
JESUS taught, it is possible for us to to live in the next life where God dwells—in our own mansion, saying, He would even build one for each person and have it ready for after we die in this life (He did not say after we perfected ourselves through the process of reincarnation which excludes the purpose of His calling—grace).
6) JESUS Promised to Return
The most exciting thing for us who are alive right now is His promise that He would “return” to earth. Surely the apostles and early followers believed JESUS would return in their lifetime, and every generation since then has believed He would come during their lifetime; and during ours He will come.
7) We Can Live With JESUS
The promise that we can “live with JESUS” is of no small consequence. It means everything for those who have “eyes to see and ears to hear”:
18 Having eyes, see ye not? and having ears, hear ye not? and do ye not remember? (Mark 8)
By all accounts, not a single person who had a Near Death Experience and met JESUS, or was visited by JESUS in this dimension (or another) has ever reported He was not a nice fella to be around. In fact, they report that they WOULD GIVE ANYTHING or DO ANYTHING to be forever in His presence.
Also, anyone who had the similar experience of visiting Heaven—where Jesus lives, report that it is beautiful to all of the senses and they would be willing to GIVE ANYTHING or DO ANYTHING to be forever in that place.
The same cannot be said of those who encounter the opposite ruler and place of its domain—Hell. There is not a single report by those who experience either the place or the ruler that they were wonderful beyond imagination or that they would do anything to be near them. And yet so many in this life have been duped into believing the wild fantasies and outlandish promises made by a being who is a known LIAR AND THIEF. ONLY A FOOL WOULD BE SO RECKLESS AS TO BELIEVE THE PROMISES OF A THIEF AND A LIAR.
Verses 4-20
4 And whither I go ye know, and THE WAY ye know.8
5 Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?
6 Jesus saith unto him, I AM THE WAY, the truth, and the life:9 no man cometh unto the Father, BUT BY ME.10
7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.
8 Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us.
9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?
10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.11
11 Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works’ sake.
12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also;12 and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.13
16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
17 Even the Spirit of truth;14 whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.
19 Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.
20 At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me,15 and I in you. (John 14)
Points 8-15
8) The Way
JESUS told His disciples that they knew “the way” to God (v.4). The “way” for Christians, and what adequately defines who a “Christian” is has long been disputed. Christ-followers should not be as divided as they are, because the messages He gave were so plain.
JESUS did not say: “You do not fully know THE WAY yet, but after my ascension it will be given to the elders in Jerusalem”:
4 And as they went through the cities, they DELIVERED them the DECREES for TO KEEP, that were ordained of the apostles and ELDERS which were AT JERUSALEM and so were the CHURCHES ESTABLISHED (Acts 16)
JESUS said they ALREADY knew THE WAY—while He was still with them! Why is this important to comprehend? To draw a LINE OF DEMARCATION between what JESUS alone taught (which came by strict command from The Father, see v.10) and what the apostles and elders added.
9) JESUS Alone IS The Way
JESUS made it clear that He alone was THE WAY, and His way was in fact THE TRUTH, which alone would lead a person into ETERNAL LIFE. If anyone is teaching more than what Jesus said, and presenting it as a requirements(s) for salvation, THEY ARE NOT TEACHING CHRIST.
10) Come to the Father By JESUS
JESUS IS The Way, but not the final destination—it is God the Father. The Father created each one of us, He knows all and hopes for the best. Jesus carries us, cradles, teaches, guides, and stands in the gaps in our life. Thank you JESUS for being all we need, in times of need and for showing by Your words and actions how to make it safely back to our heavenly home.
11) Jesus Did Not Speak His Own Words
God the Father, the creator of our souls, IS IN US! Can you hear God? Can you feel God? God’s voice tells us WHO WE ARE and WARNS US when we are veering off the course.
12) Works of Jesus – Do They Exist Today?
Many churches and teachers cite the events on Pentecost as the point we all should be focusing on and replicating today. But is anyone doing that? No, that was for them, and this is now. What Jesus taught and performed is for all times and will work every time IF we have been living in obedience to what He alone taught; i.e., His gospel as taught under strict command from The Father.
13) If Ye Love Me Keep My Commandments
This is simple to understand. We show by our actions how much we love God the Father, by how well we follow the teachings He gave through His Only Begotten Son in the flesh—JESUS.
14) Spirit of Truth
JESUS IS the Spirit of Truth. All truth resides in Him.
15) Ye in Me
What a crazy thing to say, but there it is. Was JESUS speaking the truth? God forbid we question Him. Yes, JESUS always spoke the truth, and most people cannot deal with the truth. How could we be “in” JESUS? Because JESUS is the creator of all things (except our souls which were created by God the Father). And as God the Creator (The Father is “God the Architect”) we are all connected to JESUS—ALL THE TIME.
Verses 13-14
12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also;16 and greater works17 than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name,18 that will I do,19 that the Father may be glorified in the Son.20
14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name,18 I will do it.19 (John 14)
Points 16-20
16) Do the Works of JESUS
It is sacrilige to believe that we can be like JESUS. He is both the Creator and Savior and we are unable to raise ourselves from the dead or conquer the tyrants in Hell. Yet, in addition to those unique acts by JESUS, He did live as a mortal, die as a mortal (though worse), and taught us how to live as mortals.
We have but three years of His recorded works and no doubt He performed many more before His ministry even began—like when His mother asked Him to turn water into wine (Jn.2:9):
25 And there are also MANY other THINGS which JESUS DID, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen. (John 21)
The works JESUS did flowed from God the Father, and JESUS said He had a finite amount of time to do them:
4 I MUST WORK the WORKS of HIM that sent me, WHILE IT IS DAY: the NIGHT cometh, when NO MAN CAN WORK. (John 9)
We are not saved by works alone:
8 For by GRACE are ye SAVED through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto GOOD WORKS, which God hath before ordained that we should WALK IN THEM. (Ephesians 2)
Nor are we saved by faith alone:
17 Even so FAITH, if it hath not WORKS, is dead, being alone. (James 2)
We must backup our thoughts, words, and good intentions by action:
18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy FAITH without thy WORKS, and I will shew thee my FAITH by my WORKS. (James 2)
Our rewards come in the next life and will be based on our works in this life:
12 If thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not; doth not he that pondereth the heart consider it? and he that keepeth thy soul, doth not he know it? and shall not he render to every man according to HIS WORKS? (Proverbs 24)
27 For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall REWARD every man according to HIS WORKS. (Matthew 16)
12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the BOOKS were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were JUDGED out of those things which were written in the books, ACCORDING TO THEIR WORKS. (Revelation 20)
17) Greater Works
The phrase “greater works than JESUS” reference in verse 12 has been misconstrued by some to mean “greater miracles…than JESUS. That is wrong. THERE ARE NO GREATER MIRACLES THAN WHAT JESUS PERFORMED (e.g., raising the dead after four days, etc.)! Nothing but an arrogant spirit would misinterpret that to mean “miracles.”
18) Ask in JESUS’ Name
God has given “all” power to JESUS:
18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, ALL POWER is given unto me IN HEAVEN and IN EARTH.
19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. (Matthew 28)
Jesus made that statement after His resurrection, and His rising from the grave was all the proof they needed to know it was true—ALL POWER had INDEED been given to JESUS. Thus, His holy name is ALL THE AUTHORITY any Believers need to perform miracles or to ask for favor.
19) That He Will Do
God is “true” and “faithful” to the promises in His Word:
5 Write, for these words are TRUE and FAITHFUL. (Revelation 21)
God keeps His promises. If a request has failed, then it’s on us for either being impatient, not having enough faith, or having asked “amiss”:
6 But without FAITH it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that DILIGENTLY seek him. (Hebrews 11)
3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ASK AMISS, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. (James 4)
20) That God May Be Glorified in JESUS
This is why it’s ALWAYS about JESUS, for God ordained it that way:
14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:
15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:
16 For BY HIM were ALL THINGS CREATED, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: ALL THINGS were CREATED BY HIM, and FOR HIM:
17 And he is BEFORE ALL THINGS, and by him ALL THINGS CONSIST.
19 For IT PLEASED THE FATHER THAT IN HIM SHOULD ALL FULNESS DWELL; (Colossians 1)
Going it alone in life without JESUS is like going against the tide; and going into the next life without Him is like jumping out of an airplane without a parachute—it won’t end well.
Conclusion
Our God, is a great God, full of mercy and love to the penitent, teachable, and humble:
18 The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and SAVETH such as be of a CONTRITE SPIRIT. (Psalms 34)
3 Seek ye the LORD, all ye MEEK of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek MEEKNESS: it may be YE SHALL BE HID in the day of the LORD’s anger. (Zephaniah 2)
3 BLESSED are the POOR IN SPIRIT: for THEIRS IS THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN.
5 BLESSED are the MEEK: for THEY SHALL INHERIT THE EARTH. (Matthew 5)