These things I have spoken to you, John 16:25-33

 

Imagine, we were there.

Remember the last meal we shared.

The last words of the Master, before, before…well, you know.

He washed our feet. All of us; the traitor, the denier…even mine.

In the final moments before His closing prayer, He told us to love. To love, like, He loves.

That’d be like trying to swim the ocean…with one hand tied behind my back.

Now, looking back, it seems so clear.

Over and over and over, dozens of times during that Upper Room Discourse, He kept pointing to His Words.

He kept saying things like:

Most assuredly, I say to you...

Verily verily, I tell you…

Now, I have told you…

One time He even said: You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.

And then, my favorite: These things I have spoken to you…

 These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you... John 15:11.

 These things I have spoken to you, that you should not be made to stumble. John 16:1.

These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. John 16:33.

He made it so obvious. How could I have missed it?

His Words. His powerful, purposeful, precious Words.

When tempted by the devil, Jesus used His Word like a sword and said: “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every Word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” Matthew 4:4; Deuteronomy 8:3.

And then with each temptation He countered with the Word, His Word.

That night, when we were getting ready to leave the Upper Room, just before He prayed for us. Before we went out into that cold, dark, bitter, night, something happened.

Suddenly His words made sense. We understood. We believed. Or so we thought. We even told Him so.

He just smiled, kind of a sad smile, nodded and said, “Do you believe…?”

Oh, if only I had it to do over.

I’d hang on His every word, every syllable. I’d take none for granted. I’d take all kinds of notes.  

 

²⁵ “These things I have spoken to you in figurative language…

There it is again, “These things I have spoken to you…”

This chapter begins and ends with that phrase.

John 16:1; These things I have spoken to you that you not stumble…

John 16:33; These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace.

 

God makes much of His Word. The universe was created by His Word. Hebrews 11:3.

The gospel of John starts with these words: In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:1. And then, it says: And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. John 1:14.

You know the Word that became flesh, is none other than Jesus Christ.

Romans 10:17 tells us: Faith comes by hearing and hearing the Word (Rhema) of Christ. Rhema is spoken Word.

Faith comes by hearing the spoken word of Christ.

What have we been discussing? What has Jesus been emphasizing? These things I have spoken… said…told…

A few days ago, on Sunday, we were in Genesis 15 and within the first four verses we read, “the Word of the Lord came…”

So, simultaneously, for several weeks now, we’ve witnessed the Word of the Lord come to Abram, repeatedly; and the Lord of the Word, come to the disciples, repeatedly.

Hebrews 4:12

For the word of God is quick (alive), and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Notice our text says: These things I have spoken to you in figurative language.

Figurative language, in your translation may say, proverb, or parable.

The Teacher uses parables, proverbs, analogies, figurative language, to paint the picture from different angles until the disciple finally sees the picture. 

Much of Jesus’ teaching remained a mystery until after the Holy Spirit came and taught them, brought the Word to remembrance, and illuminated their understanding.

You see, the Word, the Bible must be Spiritually discerned. 1 Cor. 2:14.

Only digesting His word intellectually, is like eating a picture of food, rather than the actual food.

 

but the time is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figurative language, but I will tell you plainly about the Father.

He is speaking of a time when, His Holy Spirit will dwell in them, (John 14:17) thus, He will no longer need to use parables, but will, communicate and illuminate, bring wisdom, understanding and remembrance, according to the depth of their spirit.

John 16:12, I have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. ¹³ However when He, she Spirit of Truth, has come, He will guide you into all Truth…

²⁶ In that day you will ask in My name, and I do not say to you that I shall pray the Father for you;

In that day...

The next day, in less than 24 hours, the veil in the temple will be torn asunder from top to bottom.

You see, Jesus will cry out from the cross, “It is finished.” The term He used was an accounting term that actually meant: Paid in full. The debt has been paid.  

God will accept, His own Son’s death, as payment in full for the sin debt of mankind. Then, perhaps by angelic hands, the huge veil in the temple representing man’s sin-separation from God, will be torn asunder from top to bottom.

Thus, tearing down the wall of separation between God and man; making a Way, forever more, for those who choose to follow Him and give their lives to Him, to enter straight in to the Holy of Holies, the very presence of the Father. Ephesians 2:14.

 ²⁷ for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me, and have believed that I came forth from God.

Because you have loved and believed.

Saving faith, is more than intellectual acknowledgement, (devils do that; James 2:19).

In the original text the word used for love is phileó; this is the friendship kind of love. Not the God kind of love, agapaó.

God loves (agapaó) everyone. For God so loved (agapaó) the world… John 3:16.

However, He doesn’t like (phileó) everyone.

Whether He likes us or not, is up to us.

“for the Father Himself loves (phileó) you, because you have loved (phileó) Me, and have believed that I came forth from God.”

Important: He doesn’t allow everyone He loves, (agapaó) to enter His Kingdom.

Not everybody God loves, goes to heaven.

He wants them to. He chooses them, but they don’t choose Him.

John 14:23

²³ Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves (agapaó) Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love (agapaó) him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.

 

Saving faith produces internal passion, igniting external action.

²⁸ I came forth from the Father and have come into the world. Again, I leave the world and go to the Father.”

The ministry of Christ in a sentence.

He left His Home in Heaven, humbled Himself to the restrictions of man, lived a sinless life, yet gave His life to pay the penalty of sin (death). Thus, being sinless, death could not convict Him, so He was released from the death penalty, and returned to His Home in Heaven.

²⁹ His disciples said to Him, “See, now You are speaking plainly, and using no figure of speech! ³⁰ Now we are sure that You know all things, and have no need that anyone should question You. By this we believe that You came forth from God.”

Light comes on.

He’d been telling them these things for over three years, but finally, they get it…or at least they think they do.

 

³¹ Jesus answered them, “Do you now believe?

It’s a good question. Do you now believe?

Not like the devils. (James 2:19).

Do you now believe with saving faith; that inner passion that leads to external action that honors the Father?

That committed love that won’t quit, come hell or high water.

Do you really believe?

³² Indeed the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave Me alone.

Jesus is referring to a prophecy from, Zechariah 13:7; Strike the Shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.

Matthew colors in some more of this scene when he writes:

Matthew 26:31; “All of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night, for it is written: ‘I will strike the Shepherd, And the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’

The Greek word for stumble is skandalizó; where we get our word, scandal.

Skandalizó literally means, “to put a snare in the way.

Jesus said at the start of this chapter, “These things I have spoken to you that you should not be made to stumble.”

These things I’ve spoken to you, so you won’t get caught in the snares of the devil.

He knows they will stumble, will scatter, but it doesn’t stop Him from warning them, loving them…to the end.  

³² …And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me.

All may forsake Me, but I’m never alone. The Father is with Me.

John 8:29; He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him.”

The battle was real

Jesus had to resist temptation.

Hebrews 4:15; For we have not an High Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

He had to obey.

Hebrews 5:8; He learned obedience by the things which He suffered.

Knowing His Father was with Him made all the difference, for Him.

For us too.

It’s even written in the Christmas story; Immanuel.  

Matthew 1:23; Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel, which is translated, “God with us.”

 

³³ These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace.

Isaiah 9:6

6 For unto us a Child is born,

Unto us a Son is given;

And the government will be upon His shoulder.

And His name will be called

Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

IN Me is the key.

In Me, you will have peace.

In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

In Me is the key.

In Me, you will have peace.

In the world you will have tribulation.

2 Timothy 3:12; Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.

In the original text the word for cheer, is tharseó. It means to be of good courage; emboldened from within; unflinching courage – literally, to radiate warm confidence.

Romans 8:37; Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.

1 John 4:4; You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.

 

Let’s pray.

Father, thank You for Your agapaó. We receive Your love with grateful, humble, hearts.

Now, we have a request.

Lord, we’d also like to experience Your, phileó.

We want to walk with You, and talk with You, and most of all, to hear things spoken from You. To hear, to really hear, Your powerful, purposeful, precious Words.

We’d love to be Your friend. I guess, You can consider this prayer, our friend request.

We love You, forever.

Amen.

 

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