Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Prayer Meeting Lesson Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/pm/pm20000119.htm

JOHN: TRIUMPHING IN LIFE'S MOST CRITICAL ISSUE
Part IV: Presentation Of The Messenger Of Salvation
D. Christ's Credentials Revealed In His Preparations For The Cross
3. Christ's Credibility Seen In Encouraging His Disciples In VIEW Of His Coming Cross
a. Christ's Encouragement Offsetting The Sense Of Abandonment In His Disciples
(John 13:33-14:11)
  1. Introduction
    1. If Jesus is God's Son Who gave His life for man's redemption, it only follows that He would encourage His disciples before He died! After all, as God He would have KNOWN of His coming death and then CARED enough about His disciples to prepare them for this traumatic, difficult event!
    2. John 13:36-14:11 shows us how Jesus offset a sense of abandonment that His departure from the disciples by His death would produce in them. We examine this passage for insight into His credibility as a caring, omniscient God and make application to our own challenges of feeling abandoned by God in life's events:
  2. Christ's Encouragement Offsetting The Sense Of Abandonment In His Disciples, John 13:33-14:11.
    1. Jesus revealed the difficult news that He would depart, leaving the disciples without His presence, 13:33ff:
      1. The night of Christ's betrayal, He claimed He would depart to where His disciples could not come, 33.
      2. Peter was upset by what he felt was his being abandoned by Christ, and asked where He was going, 36a
      3. Christ responded that Peter could not follow Him in the near future though he would follow later, 36b.
      4. Still concerned at being abandoned, Peter wanted to know why he could not follow the Lord, and promised even to lay down his life for the Lord to be able to stay with Him, John 13:37.
      5. Jesus next revealed Peter would even deny Him before the cock crowed, showing Peter's promise of laying down his life for Jesus was itself an ineffective one, Jn. 13:38.
      6. Thus, the disciples were left mulling over the news that Jesus was about to depart to where they, in their best efforts, could not come. As seen in Peter's words, this left them feeling abandoned by Jesus.
    2. To offset this sense of abandonment, Jesus gave the following message of encouragement, John 14:1-11:
      1. Christ told His disciples not to be troubled in view of His departure from them, John 14:1a.
      2. They needed to trust Christ as they trusted in God that His parting would be only temporary, Jn. 14:1b.
      3. In fact, it was the Lord's plan for His disciples to be with Jesus forever in great spiritual fellowship:
        1. As thought the Jews of that day, there are apartments in Heaven much like what were built around the temple for the elderly, 14:2. Jesus' word that if this idea were not so He would have said so reveals the Jews had assumed something correct about Heaven's layout!
        2. He then claimed He was going to prepare a place for the disciples and return to take them unto Himself, that where He abode, they might live also, John 14:3. This news of the Church's rapture fit Jewish wedding customs with believers being the Bride and Christ the Bridegroom.
        3. Jesus then noted that His disciples knew of Heaven, and knew the way to get there, John 14:4.
      4. Through a brief discussion with the disciples, Jesus reiterated that by faith in Him His disciples were assured of entrance into this place prepared for them in His Father's heavenly home, Jn. 14:5-11:
        1. Thomas at first expressed his confusion as to the place Jesus mentioned, and how he could know the way to get to where Jesus was heading and of which He was speaking, John 14:5.
        2. Christ reiterated that He was the sole Way, Truth and Life of coming unto the Father, John 14:6. Knowing Him by faith was equivalent to believing in and knowing the Father, John 14:7-9.
        3. In fact, the very words Jesus spoke and the miraculous deeds and regular acts He performed were in complete harmony with and directed under the Father's oversight, John 14:10-11. Faith in Christ amounted to faith also in the Father because of their mutual deity qualities and mutuality of purpose.
Lesson: Jesus is the infinitely loving, caring God, for what APPEARED from the disciple's faulty view to be a lack of commitment on Jesus' part was actually a move to perfect His fellowship with them!

Application: (1) If we feel abandoned by God, that concept arises ONLY from OUR misunderstanding the DEPTH of His love and commitment TO us! What must CHANGE is OUR view of CHRIST! (2) We offset feelings of rejection by OTHERS by recalling tha t Christ loves us as His Beloved BRIDE!