Dec. 10, 2017 PM Service Understood At Last by Pastor Josh Sheldon

Jesus’ Final Discourse and the Disciples’ Moment of Understanding

Where we come this afternoon to John chapter 16 and verses 25 to 33 of Jesus final discourse with his disciples at this point the 11 disciples and this the evening before his cross as the word of the Lord.

From the Lord. I've said these things to you in figures of speech. The hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures of speech. But we'll tell you plainly about the father. In that day you will ask him my name and I will not say to you that I will ask the father on your behalf.

For the father himself loves you because you have loved me and have believed that I come from God that I came from God. I Came from the father and have come into the world and now I'm leaving the world and going to the father.

His disciples said ah Now you are speaking plainly and not using figurative speech now. We know that you know all things and do not need to ask and do not need anyone to question you. This is why we believe that you came from God.

Jesus answered them. Do you now believe? Behold, the hour is coming. Indeed. It has come when you will be scattered each to his own home and will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone for the father is with me.

I've said these things to you that in me you may have peace in the world. You will have tribulation but take heart. I have overcome the world you know, there's sort of a contagion there and I'm sure many of us have experienced this that aha moment where you think everything has fallen into place and you just kind of get excited and maybe you're in class and you just learn something that brings months of lectures and reading and study together and the Instructor the professor the teacher gives you that one Hinge that brings all together you go.

Aha. Now I get it as that's a wonderful feeling when all these things these disparate facts suddenly Coalesce into something and you can wrap your mind around it. Have you ever felt like that? I know when I was in calculus based statistics in business school and After all the work and after all the lecture and I was fairly good in math in high school as well and also I saw what the professor was telling us about how you can calculate the instantaneous rate of change on a graph by doing a derivative and a function in calculus in your head and Also, I just clicked made sense and sort of with two or three others in the class.

We all go. Oh, I got it I've arrived. And I can almost see I can always remember now the professor's grin. When she told us that there's a lot more to go. But the Apostles here soon-to-be Apostles the disciples.

They they sort of did the same thing. It's like, okay now we get it plain language at last we have Graduated. Okay, Lord, we've got it. We're ready to go. It's all clear. Isn't that great? Have you ever had a feeling like that where someone tells you something that just puts it all together and you think okay I'm ready.

I get it. And you see they thought their faith had come to this point of maturity now they really knew what it meant that Jesus came from God because he's speaking in this what they're calling plain language and.

Christ’s Plain Speech and the Witness of Scripture

So all of a sudden the three and a half years of teaching and discipleship under him seemed to have found its focus. Now they knew Christ's all-encompassing knowledge and they knew his origins. The Lord doesn't so much dampen their enthusiasm here.

He moderates their zeal until they were able to wield it. He slows them down a bit. He gives them the provisions that they're going to need. To do what they had earlier claimed. Remember that when they said they would stay true if all run away, I will stay with you.

We will never leave you. I'm gonna go to the cross with you said Peter all these Commitments that they had made. Not ready. They think they're ready and they think with these few words from Jesus that they've got all they're going to need.

There's no more knowledge. They figured it all out or Jesus showed it to them and they've understood it. He had said to them just a moment before all this that God loved them because first they loved him.

They loved Jesus and second because they believe he had come from the Father. Which is the very thing that they now said they believed. Their self-confidence that they would follow him even to death was eventually proven true.

But not then. Not that next day either at that moment. When Jesus was speaking to them here the verses I just read to you at that moment. Where was their reliance? Well, they said aha. They said we get it.

We know where you're from. There's nothing else. We're ready to go. But what are they relying on? Still self. They're relying upon their self effort their self assurance. Their self and what they could do.

You know, I love seeing people get excited about the Lord when they first meet him that joy is a wonderful thing to behold. It's a reminder to us so-called seasoned Christians of the wide-eyed amazement that comes from meeting Christ for the first time.

Do you remember that for yourself? When the scriptures suddenly opened up for you showed you Jesus Christ. You repented of your sins and you knew by faith you were forgiven. And you followed Christ you remember what a wonderful feeling that was.

Just how joyful it is and then we get to see it in others when God so blesses us. And it reminds us. Yes. I was that wide-eyed child a baby if you will at one point. And maybe should return to that and be that again.

You are now speaking plainly or now you are speaking plainly. So they say now now you speak now we understand it. Now all the mystery has been taken away. Well. Except for the parables and that odd case where prophecy is fulfilled when God's truth is hidden behind figures of speech.

You remember in Matthew 13 to you it's given to understand but not to them. And then he quotes the Isaiah prophecy to show why God is obscuring the truth to some but opening the eyes of others. But except for that odd case there in the other Gospels Jesus always spoke plainly.

He didn't obscure his speech. He wasn't clever in his words or give you something that you had to go home and think about and get a headache trying to Parse it out and figure out what he meant. No Jesus always spoke plainly speaking the truth of God.

So that the people to whom he spoke and the people to whom by his spirit He speaks today through his word and by his spirit can understand him. The Word of God in The words we have in our scripture the Word of God in Christ the Word of God become flesh.

Was meant to be understood. They say now you're speaking plainly. As Peter put it we did not follow cleverly devised myths we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. But we were witnesses of his majesty they said.

Now you're speaking plainly, but he had always spoken that way. Plain speech had informed them that he was from God. But Jesus had been saying this for some time. Just give Some really quick examples.

Just read these to you. John 10 38 believe the works that you may know and believe that the Father is in me and I in him. John 14 10 through 11 the Father who dwells in me does the works believe me that I am in the Father and the Father in me or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves.

John 8 42 Jesus said to them if God were your father you would love me for I proceed forth and came from God. Nor have I come of myself, but he sent me. John 3 13 no one is ascended to heaven, but he who came down from heaven.

That is the Son of Man who is in heaven just one more. John 6 51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven. He's been saying this for a long time. They said that he knows all things he said. Now we know that you know all things.

There's no need that anyone should question you in other words questioning you to find out if you really do to pose a question. Do you see if we can get something that would if not make you unable to answer at least get you to pause for one?

No, there's no need for anybody to question him because now they understand and believe and have proof if you will that he knows all things. They meant that now they believe that his knowledge of the father was so complete that there was no need to question him about him about the father.

They meant that now it's better to just listen to simply believe what he what he says. But Jesus had spoken to this too for a long time 828 and John Jesus said to them when you lift up the Son of Man.

Then you will know that I am he and that I do nothing of myself. But as the as my father taught me I speak these things. John 10 15 as the father knows me. Even so I know the father and I lay down my life for the sheep.

John 12 49 for I have not spoken on my own Authority, but the father who sent me gave me a command what I should say and what I should speak and finally. Therefore whatever I speak just as the father told me so I speak.

You know. This is really very important to us and very important to our salvation because absent this truth You cannot be saved. Because if Christ didn't come from God. Just as he says he did if he didn't come from God.

He's no Savior. If he didn't proceed from God he's not the eternal Son of God and therefore Cannot save anyone. He said in 821 to 24. I'm going away and you will seek me and will die in your sin. Where I go you cannot come so the Jews said will he kill himself because he says where you where I go.

You cannot come and he said to them you are from beneath. I am from above you are of this world. I am NOT of this world. Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins for if you do not believe that I am he you will die in your sins.

There's a cardinal point of faith here's a truth a propositional truth that must be believed as Part and parcel with our salvation that Jesus Christ came from the father that he was sent by the father.

That all the father knows he knows and that all he spoke was in direct compliance with the father's will for what he would speak word for syllable for point of Punctuation. Perfectly reflecting the father in his holiness in his life in it as that in his ethics and in his words.

Here is plain speaking. Believe that Jesus is from God or die in your sins. Believe that he is from God or die in your sins not created by God. Not put together and sent by God. That would say he had a beginning and he doesn't have a beginning.

Faith, Perseverance, and the Gift of Peace

His goings forth goings and comings are from of old. From everlasting says the prophet Micah Micah. The Lord responds gently. He doesn't belittle them. He doesn't really agree with them. He gives them this common question.

He says do you now believe? The sense here is not at last you believe as if he were exasperated, but rather do you this moment believe? We he's warning them. He's cautioning them that their elation will vanish when it's placed under fire.

The excitement they have now is going to pass. He says the hour is coming. Yes has now come that you will be scattered each to his own and leave me alone. And yet I am not alone because the father is with me.

Now he certainly their faith had grown over the last three and a half years. But the time was at hand When it would be put to the test and as we all know from having read the gospel so many times. They will fail the test.

They will deny the Lord. Ten disciples ran away which is denying the Lord. One disciple Peter with words Said I do not know him. Their faith would fail them. We all fail at one time or another don't we?

We all fail to speak for the Lord to say yes, I am Jesus. I believe he's the Son of God. I believe he's the eternal second person of the Trinity who died for my sins and God raised him from the dead. We've all failed to make that testimony at one time or another or in other ways to speak for or stand for God.

But understand that if every collapse meant that our faith was gone and needed to be reestablished until it was reestablished. We go from life to death. Well life would be unbearably hard. I Would call that myself a neurotic kind of Christianity because you'd never really know.

Did my faith completely fail and God has now taken me out of salvation? Or did I feel just a little bit and I need to be rebuked and chastised. If every collapse meant that our faith was gone and had to be restored and then it could go again.

And we have to get it back in that scenario faith is a transient thing. Not really a gift of God. But alone from God and God becomes a capricious Greek type of God who gives and takes just to test just to test us to kind of toy with us.

But this is not the case. This is not the God we worship in this place. This is not the God of the Psalms that we use to begin our morning and afternoon worship. This is not the God who sent Jesus Christ to die for your sins and give you a faith to secure you in him to know That your sins have been forgiven.

That's not our God who would Yank us around that other way. Faith is God's gift and he does not renege. He doesn't take back what he gives. The wages of sin is death says the Apostle in Romans 6 23. But the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Not something God gives as if the effect of the cross could be taken away from you and then added back to you and then taken away and added back and I hammer this point a bit because of two reasons. One is there are those out there call themselves Christians who explicitly believe That you can lose your faith regain it and lose it and regain it and Some of them even teach that you can't know which state you're in at any point.

Well, that's not true Christianity. I'm not saying that we here at Providence Bible Church are the paradigm setters and we figured it all out. But we do believe that God does not renege on his promises that we continue in the Lord.

Not because we're afraid he's gonna take it away but we continue in the Lord because God perseveres in us and Carries us through and that our faith when tested no matter what the ups and downs are within that particular test.

We come out the other side still in Christ and Get through it because throughout the trial, whatever that trial may be. We were during that time in Christ. Here's what Jesus is telling them will happen.

Their attachment to him. Broken their fellowship with each other gone the next day. They're all gonna run one so quickly. He's going to forget his clothes Peter. We just mentioned he's going to not deny him three times.

John the author of this gospel is probably the disciple who is known to the high priest. He's the one who went in the courtyard where Jesus was first questioned but not a word is recorded in Scripture Escaping from his lips during all this time.

The only words we have are the ones I referred to from Peter. Which were words that haunted him and caused him to weep get weep bitterly. It wasn't just Peter who was brash and boasting of the courage.

He'd show under fire in Marks. In Matthews gospel, excuse me, 26 35 Peter said to Jesus even if I have to die with you I will not deny you and so said all the disciples. But they would all run. Like the times Israel's was defeated is the Bible says that each man fled to his own tent.

You've read that expression many times. All that means is that they fled the field of battle and they just ran home as quick as they could they ran to safety. No more fighting just quaking at home and praying that the victors wouldn't find them and that's the illusion that Jesus is making here.

John doesn't quote it here. But in Matthew 26 31 it is quoted then Jesus said to them all of you will be made to stumble because of me this night. For it is written Excuse me. I will strike the shepherd and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.

Now this might seem an odd response to you for a confident assertion of faith. I can you imagine if someone a friend a brother or sister someone like that came to you that you've been discipling or Testifying to for a long while and they came to faith and you said You know, you're gonna stumble tonight or tomorrow or something like that something it would sound deflating, wouldn't it?

And the odd response most of us would be glad for anyone to voice a determined loyalty. But of course, we're not Jesus. We don't like Jesus know all things. He knows he knew what was about to happen. Jesus tells of their coming defections not to discourage them but to encourage and to strengthen them and this happens in a couple of ways.

First when they look back and remember Jesus is perfect knowledge of the future. Even just from that day to a few days. Hence, they'd be encouraged in what that he truly is Lord that their affirmation that you know You came from God that you come from God has been again Fortified it's been strengthened.

They've given another piece of evidence for it and they'll look back and say yes. That's true. He is from God. Jesus said earlier that the very reason he told them things Told them things to come was to strengthen them during the hard time.

So when the hard time comes they could look and say yes, Jesus said about this. He told us John chapter 2 verse 12 how they understood about Jesus raising the temple, but when? Three days after his resurrection.

After the Holy Spirit Was given in John 13 19. It speaks of Judas's coming. Jesus speaks of Judas's coming defection. He says now I tell you before it comes and when it does come to pass you may believe that I am he.

So reason Jesus spoke these prophetic utterances so they can look back so that we can look back and know yes beforehand Jesus. Even as it says of God in Isaiah 40 Declaring the beginning from the end why so that you can know I am he.

So, you know, Jesus is Lord. He truly comes from God. There's that well-known exchange with Peter in John 13 Simon Peter said to him Lord. Where are you going? Where I'm going you cannot follow me now, but you shall follow me afterward.

Peter said to him Lord Why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for your sake. Jesus answered him. Will you lay down your life for my sake most assuredly? I say to you the rooster shall not crow until you have denied me three times and right after that Jesus says what?

Let not your heart be troubled. These words are not to ruin you. They're not to deflate you. They're not even to harm you words of encouragement. So that after that third denial Peter who wept bitterly can look and say but Jesus knew my Lord knows.

This Jesus is from God and of course heard Peter's repentance. Then there was this in John 14 29 the world's hatred now I tell you before it comes that when it does come to pass you may believe. It's why Jesus told them tells us what's coming.

So we know he's from God. So we know he's from from the father. We noted this morning in Matthew's genealogy stuff doesn't just happen. Not only does our Lord know all things past present future. They happen.

Why they happen because of his decree written in eternity past accomplished today in history. That's exactly what Romans 8 28 means when he says the Apostle writes and we know that for those who love God All things work together for good for those who are called according to his purpose.

Not just stuff happening and God figuring out. Okay. I know a way to make this not so bad or to make this pretty okay. Working for good because God declared them all from the beginning. We don't know Specifically what's going to happen tomorrow, but we do know that God knows and we do know that God Intended it and intends it for our good and this is exactly the kind of confidence and Encouragement Jesus is giving to the disciples that evening.

Is exactly what he gives us today. Something over 2 ,000 years later. That we know that he's from God that he knows all things and then nothing happens just because it happened. It happened if you're in Christ if your faith is in him it happened for your good because God before eternity.

Before time was even started Declared it and decreed it and meant it for your good or for my good. To bring us closer into the image of the Lord Jesus Christ. Well, they would falter. But Jesus would not.

He knew he said the father is with me. They would abandon him. But the father would not. At every point of man's weakness God's strength God's mercy are made all the more evident. You see as he's told the Apostle Paul.

My grace is made perfect in what in your abilities. In your strength and your intellect in your self-confidence. In your plans you know, of course not my strength is made perfect in your weakness. These things I spoken to you that you should know that I told you but also that you might have peace with a crucial qualification peace in me.

You see outside of him is only false peace a worldly peace a temporary truth waiting to be broken. The peace Jesus speaks of is found in him by faith on by and by those who love him. And because of loving him are loved by the father.

It's a peace based not on ourselves not on our circumstance not on anything is happening, but in Jesus Christ and his promises and the certainty that Is happening because Jesus Christ decreed it and he knows of it and he is with us in it and through it.

Peace that comes from certainty that he has been raised from the dead that he lives forever that he's watching over us. He's ruling in our hearts. He's interceding for us. Against this peace is the tribulation to be found in the world.

World is usually. The word tribulation is used of trouble intentionally brought against someone specifically because they follow God. It's really the capstone on what he said earlier about How the world would for his sake hate his disciples.

Be of good cheer. He says I've overcome the world and that's meaning that means just what it sounds like. I have victory over the world. Be finalized the next day on the cross. But the course was at that point so certain that Jesus could speak of it as an accomplished feat or fact.

This is why he could tell them to be of good cheer. In other words be courageous keep a stiff upper lip as some would say this is the provision for their coming trial. Jesus suffering setting the example.

The Prince of Peace went quietly to the cross and there. The only words he spoke were words of comfort of forgiveness of love for the father whose plan and whose purposes he was fulfilling. When as Apostles they encountered hatred and tribulation and Persecution which they all did it was met with this peaceful equanimity.

Because they knew that Jesus was with them because they knew that Jesus had come from the father. Not because of their courage. When the soldiers came they ran like frightened sheep. We all know that but all that Was when it was before Jesus resurrection as ascension?

It was before the giving of the Spirit. I Can't believe what he said. He said do you now believe? No, you're not ready yet. You have the facts. But what pulls all that together for us what makes that powerful to live a life for Jesus Christ to stand for him to be courageous for him.

What makes anything possible in the Christian life to grow even the smallest increment from where we are now wherever you are? Closer to the image of the Lord Jesus Christ. How is that possible? It's exactly what Jesus is telling the Apostles they need to wait for that final provision that eternal provision.

The indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit of God was Jesus said we've covered this a few weeks ago here says I will send him and he will be with you and we will make our home in those who love me and The Holy Spirit will remind you what to say the Holy Spirit will empower you to stand for me.

The Holy Spirit will bring you closer to my image step-by-step. According to God's will and decree. It's a gift of God. That's the joy that cannot be taken away when he says They have to take cheer.

I have overcome the world. I've had victory over the world. And you may have this joy in me, this is what it is not just a happy feeling though. It does make us happy nothing against happy. But there's a deep-seated joy that overcomes and overlooks and overrides any circumstance.

Even if it was one as intensive as what the Apostles went through the next day. That's because we have in us The certainty of our faith the seal of the Holy Spirit indwelling us and giving us that power to persevere.

That's the gift of God. That's the joy that no one can take. That's a quality alien to us. That's something given as a gift to those who love Jesus. So in a sentence, it is mystical a spiritual experience inexplicable to those outside of Christ.

But more simply it's a peace that comes from knowing that all events are in God's sight and in God's control and under his decree. Jesus told them before it happened so that he could look back and have the peace that comes from complete confidence in their Savior in our Savior Jesus Christ.

William Hendrickson says here and I will close with this. The light is shining brightly now more brightly perhaps than ever before. Yet the confession which is here made will linger on in the realm of the subconscious until by and by when the Lord arises in triumph from his tomb and A little later pours out his Holy Spirit.

It will bear fruit of calm and steadfast assurance and this fruit will abide forever. Amen. Let's pray Heavenly Father we again. We thank you for calling us into your presence for bringing us together again as a body to worship you for your word that we can Hear from you and know your will for us.

Thank you father for these words from the Lord Jesus Christ. We thank you father for this assurance that he knows all things. And always has known and always will know all things and that he and all our trials is with us.

And we thank you for this assurance in Jesus name. Amen.