²⁵ “I have said these things to you while I am still with you. ²⁶ But the Advocate,^[i] the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you. ²⁷ Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid. ²⁸ You heard me say to you, ‘I am going away, and I am coming to you.’ If you loved me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father, because the Father is greater than I. ²⁹ And now I have told you this before it occurs, so that when it does occur, you may believe. ³⁰ I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no power over me; ³¹ but I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father. Rise, let us be on our way.” John 14:25-31

I heard a retired preacher say one time in response to a question of what advice he would give to young people today, he said, “Live your life without fear.”  He was obviously referring to these words from John. Martin Luther writes in the Small Catechism, in response to the third article of the Apostles Creed, “I believe that by my own understanding or strength I cannot believe in Jesus Christ my Lord or come to him, but instead the Holy Spirit has called me through the gospel, enlightened me with his gifts, made me holy and kept me in the true faith…”  You see, it is the Holy Spirit that teaches us, that builds our faith, and calls us through the means of the Gospel, which is imparted to us through Word and Sacrament. It is through the presence of the Holy Spirit that we hear G-d’s word, where we are strengthened by G-d’s very essence through bread and wine, and then are strengthened to live a life in Christ.

Pastor Dave

“When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. ³² If God has been glorified in him,^[j] God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once. ³³ Little children, I am with you only a little longer. You will look for me; and as I said to the Jews so now I say to you, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’ ³⁴ I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. ³⁵ By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:31-35

The Gospel of John is probably the most difficult to understand, yet it brings us some of the most quotable teachings from Jesus. He teaches:“I give you a new commandment, that you love one another.  Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.  By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”  And again he brings words of comfort: “Do not let you hearts be troubled.  Believe in God, believe also in me.  In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places.  If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?”  And finally, “I am the way and the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.” 

Jesus teaches a Gospel of love, acceptance and life – abundant life now and life in the age to come. Loving one another while we rest in the assurance that Jesus is preparing a place for you and for me in the resurrection to the Kingdom of G-d, well, these are the bedrock of our beliefs as Christians. This is why the Gospel of John is so important to me.

Pastor Dave