We Embrace the Father’s Love (14:19–24)

“The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost [Spirit] which is given unto us.” (Rom. 5:5). Orphans may feel unwanted and unloved, but our Father bestows His love upon us. Jesus spoke of a threefold manifestation of the love of God.

There was a previous revelation to the disciples (vv. 19–20). John 14:19 focuses on His resurrection and post-resurrection appearances to His disciples and other believers. The world saw Jesus last when Joseph and Nicodemus took Him down off the cross and laid Him in a tomb. He will come in power and magnificent glory to judge lost sinners when He comes the next time.

John 14:20 particularly emphasizes the coming Spirit at Pentecost and the unity of the believers with their Lord. Jesus ascended to heaven as the exalted Head of the church (Eph. 1:19–23). Then He sent forth His Spirit so that the members of the body might be united to their Head in a living union. Of course believers today did not see Jesus after His resurrection or His ascension, but we are joined to Him by the indwelling Holy Spirit.

There is a present revelation of Himself to believers (vv. 21, 23–24). Count the number of times love is repeated. If we love and obey His Word, the Father and Son will share their love and make their home in us. The word translated “abode” in John 14:23 means “make our home” and is related to “mansions” in John 14:2.

The moment the sinner trusts Christ, he is born again, and the Spirit at once enters his body and bears witness that he is a child of God.  The Spirit is here and will not go away. But the deeper the believer gives himself to the Father, loves the Word, prays, and obeys, the deeper is the relationship with the Father, Son, and Spirit. Salvation means we are going to heaven, but submission means heaven comes to us!

This truth is illustrated in the experiences of Abraham and Lot, recorded in Genesis 18 and 19. Jesus and the two angels came to Abraham’s tent and felt right at home. They even shared a meal, and Jesus had a private conversation with Abraham. But our Lord did not go to Sodom to see Lot because He did not feel at home there. However, He sent the two angels instead.

Our experience of God should deepen and deepen, and it will as we surrender to the Spirit of truth and let Him teach and lead us. If we love God and obey Him, day by day He will reveal His love to us in a more profound way.

There is a future revelation at the return of Jesus Christ (v. 19). Judas (not Iscariot) recalled that Jesus had said He would not reveal Himself to the world (John 14:22). But this appeared to contradict other things He had said, such as is recorded in Matthew 24:30. The question he asked was, 'What has happened that you are not going to show yourself to the world anymore?' Has the plan of God been changed?'

He could not show Himself to His own people, for they had rejected Him. Actually, it was mercy that He did not reveal Himself to the world, for that would have been judgment. He has revealed Himself to His church and left the church in the world as a witness of God’s love. He is waiting patiently. He is still granting lost sinners an opportunity to repent and be saved (2 Peter 3:1-10). And He shall return one day (Rev. 1:7), and the world shall see Him.

One of the best ways to soothe a troubled heart is to bathe it in the love of God. When you feel like an 'orphan,' let the Spirit of God show you God’s love in a more profound way. “Little faith will take your soul to heaven, but great faith will bring heaven to your soul,” said Charles Spurgeon. Then your heart can become a “heaven on earth” as you have fellowship with and worship the Lord.

"Comfort": We Have the Spirit (John 14:16–18)

In His Upper Room message, Jesus had a great deal to say about the Holy Spirit. Without the Spirit of God, we cannot live the Christian life as God intends. We must know who the Holy Spirit is, what He does, and how He does it.

Our Lord gave two special names to the Holy Spirit: “another Comforter" and “the Spirit of truth.” The Greek word translated “Comforter” is "parakletos," and it is used only by John (14:16, 26; 15:26; 16:7; 1 John 2:1). It means “summoned to help.” The Holy Spirit does not work for us or against us, but in us and through us.

The word "comfort" in English comes from two Latin words meaning “with strength.” We tend to think of “comfort” as soothing someone, comforting him or her, and this interpretation is, to some extent, correct. But real comfort provides us the strength to face life with courage and to keep going. It does not relieve us of responsibility or make it easy for us to surrender. Think of the Holy Spirit as "the Encourager," and that is a good choice. In 1 John 2:1, the word "parakletos" is translated as "advocate." An advocate is someone who supports you in court and argues your case.

The Holy Spirit is the “Spirit of Truth" and is associated with Jesus, the Truth, and the Word of God, which is the truth (John 14:6; 17:17). The Spirit inspired the Word and enlightens it so that we may understand it. Later in this message, Jesus will describe the ministry of the Holy Spirit to teach. Because He is the “Spirit of truth,” the Holy Spirit cannot lie or be associated with falsehood. He never leads us to do anything against the Word of God, for again, God’s Word is truth.

If we desire the Holy Spirit to work in our lives, we must seek to glorify Christ, and we must make much of the Word of God. If you compare Ephesians 5:18—6:9 with Colossians 3:16—4:1, you will see that both passages describe the same kind of Christian life—joyful, thankful, and submissive. Being Filled with the Spirit is the same as being controlled by the Word. The Spirit of truth leads us into the will and work of God through the Word of truth.

The Holy Spirit lives in the believer. He is a gift from the Father in response to the Son’s prayer. Jesus had led, protected, and taught His disciples during His earthly ministry, but now He was going away. Then the Spirit of God would come to them, live in them, and take the place of their Master. Jesus called the Spirit “another Comforter.” The Greek word translated “another” means “another of the same kind.” The Spirit of God is not different from the Son of God, for both are God. The Spirit of God had been with the disciples in the person of Jesus Christ. Now He would live in them.

Of course the Spirit of God had been on the earth before. He empowered Old Testament men and women to do the work of God. But in the Old Testament Age, the Spirit of God would come upon people and then leave them. God’s Spirit departed from King Saul (1 Sam. 16:14; 18:12), and David, confessing his sin, asked that the Spirit would not be taken from him (Ps. 51:11). When the Holy Spirit was given at Pentecost, He was given to God’s people to be with them always. We may indeed grieve the Spirit, but He will not leave us.

We treat the Holy Spirit as we treat the Lord Jesus Christ. The believer’s body is the temple of the Spirit (1 Cor. 6:19–20), and what he or she does with that body affects the indwelling Holy Spirit. The Spirit wrote the Word of God, and the way we treat the Bible is the way we treat the Spirit of God and the Son of God.

The world cannot receive the Spirit because the world walks by “sight” and not by faith. Moreover, the world knoweth not Jesus Christ, and you know not the Spirit except through the Son. The world rejected Jesus Christ, and the Spirit’s presence in this world is an indictment of it.
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The word translated as "comfortless" in John 14:18 means "orphans." We are not alone, abandoned, helpless, or hopeless! Why should we feel like orphans when the Spirit is with us wherever we go? No need for a troubled heart when you have the very Spirit of God living in you!