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Call to worship: Ezekiel 36:22-27

Text: John 14:15-31

Summary:

Jesus continues to offer relief to the troubled Christian heart. As our hallmark will be heartfelt obedience to the Word of Christ, a thing He knows to be beyond our natural reach, He introduces His disciples to several helps and motivations. He promises the Person and work of the Holy Spirit, assures us of the divine love, singles us out as a peculiar manifestation of Himself, settles us in the truth of His Word, blankets us in His peace, challenges our love, and leaves us an example of love and maxed-out obedience to the Father. By all of this, He means for us to rise and walk with Him in the good hope of heavenly help along the Way.

Sermon Outline:

1. The test of our love for Jesus: obedience to Jesus. (14:15)
2. The gift of His 'test-helps' for us. (14:16-31)
   • Jesus' answered prayer. (14:16-17)
   • Jesus' adoptive presence. (14:18-24)
   • Jesus' authoritative pen. (14:25-26)
   • Jesus' actual peace. (14:27-29)
   • Jesus' attesting piety. (14:30-31)

Prepare

Discussion Questions:

1. Read John 14:15-31.
2. Per 14:15, what is the test of our love for Jesus? Can love for Jesus be kept secret? What specifically does love for Jesus keep? Why might that induce trouble? What troubles come to mind? How does Jesus meet the difficulty of obedience---how does He suppose to secure our love?
3. What is His help in 14:16-17? Why might we, as opposed to the world, receive, know, and discern the ministry of the Spirit of truth? To what new stage in redemptive-history does Jesus allude? What is His help in 14:18-24? How is it that, while invisible to the world, He will manifest Himself to us? To what does a Word-centered church testify?
4. What is His help in 14:25-26? How is this help, both, specific to the apostles and to us? To what two ministries of the Holy Spirit is Jesus foretelling? How might that relieve and equip troubled Christian hearts? Likewise, what is His help in 14:27-29? How does His peace differ from that of the world? In what sense is the Father greater than Jesus? And why would that be cause, amongst other causes, for us (if we truly understand its benefits) to rejoice in Christ's departure?
5. What is His help in 14:30-31? What might the world (and even His disciples) think about Christ crucified? What instead does the cross preach? What does Christ's perfect obedience to the Father, to the point of death even on a cross, drive home to the world? And as for us, think on Hebrews 12:3-4. Having given these several helps for our heartfelt obedience to Him, how does Jesus close the section? How might that be an exhortation to us?