“I Will Ask the Father” [Matt's Messages] ~ Matt Mitchell

“I Will Ask the Father”

Life in Jesus’ Name - The Gospel of John

Lanse Evangelical Free Church

July 14, 2024 :: John 14:16-24

The things that Jesus promises His disciples (and therefore you and me) in these nine verses are almost too good for words!

Yesterday, I struggled to put my astonishment and joy into clear sentences that would capture the glory of these promises. They are just so huge and so wonderful.

I’m sure that Jesus’ disciples were struggling to take them all in. Especially because they were still reeling from the shocking news that Jesus was leaving them. Jesus said that He was going away. And they couldn’t follow Him.

So they were troubled in their hearts. Who wouldn’t be?! But Jesus has been comforting them, strengthening them for the days ahead.

Jesus told them about His Father’s spacious house and how He is the way to get there. And He’s told them about His amazing oneness with His Father, and how when they look at Him they have seen the Father. And He’s promised them that they will continue to do great things in His name. And that He will answer their prayers about “whatever” and “anything.”

And He’s pointed out, as we saw last week in verse 15, that if they truly love Him, then they will faithfully obey His commands. Real love means real obedience. Which we’ll hear Him say again and again this week.

And then in our first verse today, Jesus explains from where the power will come to obey His commands.

Jesus says that He will pray that the Father will give us exactly what we need. In fact, Jesus says that He pray that the Father will give us exactly Whom we need.

“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever–the Spirit of truth.”

That is humongous. First off, just that Jesus promises to pray for His disciples to get this gift. “I will ask the Father.” How comforting that should be!

Yes, He’s going away, but He’s promising when He’s away to pray for His disciples. And you know that He’s doing that for us today, too, right?

“I will ask the Father.” And how do you think the Father is going to feel about the Son’s prayer request? How does the Father feel about the Son? He loves Him, right? Jesus is His beloved Son with whom He is well-pleased.

He will say, “Yes,” to this request!

Jesus says so. “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever–the Spirit of truth.” It’s going to happen!

Jesus hasn’t prayed it yet. He’s promised to ask the Father. He’s going to do that after His crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension. But He’s going to ask the Father, and the Father is going to give the disciples “another Counselor.”

Now that word translated “Counselor” is notoriously difficult to capture in English.

The Greek word is “paraclaytos,” and it’s only used a few times. All of them by John in the New Testament. We’ll see four of them in these Farewell Teachings of chapters 14, 15, and 16.

It comes from two Greek words that means “someone called alongside.”

“Para” - alongside. “Claytos” - one called. Often shortened to “Paraclete” in transliterated English.

Not Parakeet! Jesus hasn’t promised us all exotic birds, but instead Someone who has been called alongside of us. Paraclete.

But what does that mean?

The 1984 NIV that we have in our pews and that I tend preach from has “Counselor.” Which is pretty good. Because that captures how close and intimate this Person is. And we also use that word in a legal setting. Like we call lawyers, “counselors.” And this Greek word is often used for someone who stands next to you in court and advocates on your behalf.

In fact, some of your Bibles may have “Advocate” there in verse 16 for “paraclaytos.” That’s what the 2011 updated NIV has in verse 16.

So we shouldn’t get the idea that this Person is just a Psychologist or a Therapist kind of Counselor, but also a strong Advocate, even before a righteous judge.

That’s one of the reasons why “Comforter” is kind of lacking. Because we don’t call our Advocates, “Comforters.” It kind of sounds like a soft thing like a quilted bedsheet. This Person is not a quilted bedsheet.

Now if you use the old meaning of “comfort,” that is someone who gives you strength. Someone who not just consoles you and pats you the head but fortifies you, then Comforter is really good. “The Strengthener.”

Many other versions have the word “Helper” in verse 16 for “paraclaytos.” And that’s really good, too, because this Person is there to help!

Sometimes we use the word “helper” to indicate someone who only helps a little. Like “Mommy’s little helper?” So that can be problem if we get that idea in our mind when read verse 16. This kind of Helper is Helper with a capital H. He is not an inferior or a subordinate. He doesn’t come and obey us. But He does bring help. Boy, does He. The help He gives us is indispensable.

And the key word that can really get missed when you’re trying to translate “paraclaytos” is the word right before it. What kind of Counselor is the Promised Paraclate? V.16

“Another Counselor.”

That means that this Counselor is fundamentally similar to another Counselor that they already know.

They already have someone who is their Helper, their Comforter, their Advocate, their Strengthener, their Comealongsider. Someone who has been standing by them the whole time. Who do you think that is?

It’s Jesus, right? He's been comforting them in this way even this very room this very night!

In fact, the Greek word here for “another” is a bit of a stronger word that means “another the same kind.” There’s another word for “another of a different kind.” This one is another of a similar kind.

Jesus is going away, but He’s going ask the Father to send this Person to take His place in His people’s lives.

Who are we talking about? Jesus calls Him here, “The Spirit of Truth.” He goes by a lot of names in the Bible, but we all know Him as the Holy Spirit. Jesus promises to ask the Father for the gift of the Holy Spirit.

And don’t miss this one other word in verse 16. He isn’t just coming for the weekend. He isn’t just coming temporarily. He is coming forever!

“I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever–the Spirit of truth."

#1. SPIRIT FOREVER.

This gift of the Spirit will be permanent. He’s not just going to come for Family Bible Week, make a guest appearance, and then head off for the hills or for another appointment. No, He’s going to come and take up permanent residence in Jesus’ disciples. That’s the big reveal of verse 17.

“The world cannot accept him [the Spirit of Truth], because it neither sees him nor knows him [doesn’t wanna]. But you [disciples] know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.”

That’s huge! The world hates the Spirit. He’s the Spirit of Truth, and the world loves Lies. But Jesus’ disciples love the Truth. Because Jesus is the Truth. He’s the Way, the Truth, and the Life!

And they know the Spirit. It’s not like they’ve never heard about the Spirit before. The Spirit has been God from all eternity [the Third Person of the Trinity!], and He was present at creation, and He has guided God’s people throughout history, and He’s come upon God’s people to great things in the Old and New Testaments–anointing prophets, priests, and kings!

The Spirit has always been around blowing wherever He pleases. Like Jesus told “Nick at Nite.” They know Him. Better than they probably realize. They know Him.

But they don’t know Him like they’re going to know Him.

Jesus is going to ask the Father, and the Father will give them another Alongsider to be with them forever–the Spirit of truth–and He’s not just going to be with them, but inside of them!

He’s going to stand so close alongside them that He will actually be inside of them.

And never leave.

And “The Comforter Has Come,” right? Jesus did ask the Father, and the Father said, “Yes,” and the Helper was poured out at Pentecost. And He’s come to dwell inside of each and every one of Jesus’ people!

You know what that means, Christian? It means that you are not alone.

You are not alone.

You are never alone. Never. And you never will be. The Spirit is with you. He’s so with you that He’s in you. And He’s not going anywhere. You are not alone. And you never will be.

Help is here.

Do you see how this would be encouraging and (comforting!) and strengthening for the disciples, once this sunk in? Yes, Jesus is going away, but, in some ways, He’s giving them something even better by giving them the Spirit. And the Spirit will help them to obey Jesus which is what you do if you love Jesus!

Now, Jesus will have more to say about the Spirit of Truth in these chapters. He uses that title for Him three times. The Spirit is going to be a Teacher of Truth to the disciples. But here the emphasis is on His presence. His in-dwelling. And a new level of intimacy that we can enjoy with the Spirit and will forever.

#2. LIFE FOREVER.

But that’s not all that Jesus promises! [That would be enough, wouldn’t it?!] But Jesus promises not just the Spirit forever, but life forever. Look at verses 18 and 19.

“I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live.”

Now, what’s He talking about there? Some people think He’s still talking about the coming of the Spirit, and that’s possible. He’d be saying that He’ll come to them through the Spirit and be with them like, “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matt. 28:20 NIVO). But I don’t think that’s the most natural way to read it.

Some people think He’s talking about His second coming like He did at the beginning of the chapter, “I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am” (Jn. 14:3 NIVO). That’s possible, too. And it’s the end result of the whole thing!

I think, however, He’s just talking again about what’s going to happen this weekend. He’s going away. “Before long, the world will not see me anymore...” Jesus is going to die on the Cross and be buried in the Tomb. But He’s not going to say dead. He’s coming back on Sunday morning from the dead. He’s walking out of the Tomb and walking back into their lives.

“[The world may not see me,] but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live.” Jesus is coming back to life to give life to His disciples. And that new life is going to be like His new life–indestructible, immortal, permanent, and unending. Life forever!

“Because I live, you also will live.”

Remember when He said, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?" (Jn. 11:25-26 NIVO).

Do you?

Christian, you are going to have life forever. Not because of anything good you have done, but because of what Jesus did for you. He died for our sins, for our forgiveness. And He came back to life to give us life forever. “Because I live, you also will live.” Do you believe this?

I invite you to believe right now. I invite you to trust Him for this right now. If you do, you get the Spirit forever, and you get life forever. And you get loved forever.

#3. LOVED FOREVER.

Look at what verse 20 says will happen next. After they see the resurrected Jesus, they will understand their relationship to Him in a whole new way. V.20

“On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.”

Wow! We just had our minds blown a couple of weeks ago thinking about how close the Father and the Son are. They are so close that they are in each other. "Their with-ness is so close because of their is-ness that we have to say that they have in-ness." And Jesus promises here that His disciples will grasp that in a new way after His resurrection.

And they will also understand that they are in Jesus, and Jesus is in them! Not in the exact same way, of course, as the Father and the Son (them both being God), but we will also have a kind of oneness, a kind of in-ness with Jesus, with the Son! Probably because of the Holy Spirit.

How’s that for mind-blowing?!

Christian, do you know that you are “in Jesus?”

The Apostle Paul’s favorite phrase to use in all of his letters is, “in Christ.” We call it the Doctrine of Union with Christ, and it’s so glorious. We’re going to learn a lot more about it when we get to chapter 15, but here it is right here in verse 20. “On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.”

And catch this: He likes it that way.

He likes being in us and us being in Him. Because He loves us! He doesn’t just tolerate us being connected to Him in this way, He loves it.

He loved us first! And He loves us last. And He loves us best.

And we love Him back. And you know how we know if we love Him? What did we learn last week? We obey His commands. Look at verse 21.

“Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. [Sounds familiar. Now listen.] He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him.’”

Wow! You see what I mean by there just aren’t enough words to capture how good this is?!

He loved us first.

We love Him back. We show that by our obedience.

We are loved by the Father.

And we are loved by the Son.

Guess Who else loves us? The Spirit! {See Romans 15:30, for example.}

And through the Spirit, the Son will show Himself to us.

He will reveal Himself to us.

He will disclose Himself to us.

And when you know the Son, guess who else you know?

The Father, right?!

We are loved by the Triune God!

And He’s revealing Himself to us out of love. And it’s not going to end.

So Judas (not that Judas, the other one) asks what is kind of reasonable question. He’s just heard this promise that Jesus is going to reveal Himself to them. And Judas (not that one) wants to know why Jesus isn’t going to reveal Himself to the whole world at this point. Look at verse 22.

“Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, ‘But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?’”

And Jesus just doesn’t answer him. He just side-steps the question. It’s not a bad question. There will be a time for Jesus to be revealed to the whole world. He’s said that already in this gospel. But that’s not what He’s talking about right now.

He’s talking about loving His people and living with them, forever. V.23

“Jesus replied, ‘If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. [You think that’s important to Jesus? He’s said it now 3 times in this chapter! We need to obey out of love. And look what we enjoy as we do!] My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. [The opposite is also true. V.24] He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me” (vv.23-24).

I can’t get over the words in verse 23, “My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.”

That’s a forever home. The Triune God plans to live with His people forever.

That word for make our “home” is the same root word as the “many rooms” back up in verse 2.

God the Father wants to live with you.

God the Son wants to live with you.

God the Spirit lives inside of you!

And they love it!

God doesn’t just tolerate you. He doesn’t just put up with you. God loves you.

Jesus just said, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms [it’s a big home]; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am” (Jn. 14:1-3 NIVO).

He wants to live with you forever! Make His home with you.

You are loved. Christian, you are loved.

If you belong to Jesus, you are not alone and you never will be.

And you are going to live forever.

And you’re going to live forever with the Triune God! Who loves you.

At the very end of the Bible, the Apostle John writes about the Day when all of this is fulfilled to the fullest.

And it says, “And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God” (Rev. 21:3 NIVO).

That’s what Jesus asked the Father for.

And He’s going to do it.

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