John 14:23-27 - Preparation for Separation - June 5, 2022

Preparation for separation. Is that how those of us with children think of parenting? Probably not. Being permanently separated from your children is not a pleasant thought. But it’s true nonetheless, isn’t it? Why do we teach our children how to read and write and add and subtract and balance a budget and, in general, deal with life in this world? In the end, because we’re preparing them for the day when we won’t be here to lead and guide and advise and care for them. And this isn’t only true of parents. This is true for all of us who are committed to sharing the saving Gospel with a world in desperate need of it. Why do we spend so much time and effort and money teaching the Gospel to the next generation and training pastors and teachers? Because the day will come when we won’t be around to do it; when preaching and teaching will be their job. We are preparing them for when we will be separated from them.

That’s what Jesus was doing in the upper room on Maundy Thursday. He was preparing his disciples for life after his crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension; preparing them for a new reality (the only reality we know): life without his physical, visible presence. Here’s the context: he’s just told them that he’s going away (John 13:33). And the disciples are shaken to the core. They’re troubled and confused. They’re full of questions. Peter wants to know why he can’t follow Jesus (John 13:37). Thomas asks Lord, we don’t know where you are going…so how can we know the way? (John 14:5) Judas, not the betrayer, asks Lord, what has happened that you are going to show yourself to us and not to the world? (John 14:22) In answering these questions, Jesus prepares his disciples and us for life separated from his visible presence.

As the first step in this preparation Jesus brings up the dreaded “d-word.” The word that many find to be dirty and divisive today. That word? Doctrine. If anyone loves me, he will hold on to my word…the one who does not love me does not hold on to my words. Why is Jesus’ teaching, his word, his doctrine, so important – to the extent that a person’s relationship to his word indicates either faith or unbelief? Because the word that you are hearing is not mine, but it is from the Father who sent me. And not only that, but the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and remind you of everything I told you.

Why was Jesus so adamant that his disciples hold onto his word when he was gone? Well, while Jesus was with them, he was their source of comfort and counsel; he revealed God to them. When some horrible tragedy happened in the news (Luke 13:1-5) Jesus interpreted its meaning for them. When the disciples were paralyzed with fear on the storm-tossed Sea of Galilee (Matthew 8:25), unable to understand his parables (Matthew 13:36), or worried about their daily needs (Matthew 6:25-34), Jesus personally counseled them. But now Jesus was returning to heaven. Troubling things would continue to happen. There would be tragedies, disasters, illnesses and deaths – and they would wonder what God thought about these things. Jesus here promises that they would never have to wonder what God is thinking because he would send the Holy Spirit to comfort and counsel them in his absence.

In the midst of problems, tragedies, sickness, when you don’t know what to think or where to turn for help, the Holy Spirit still brings Jesus’ comforting words to mind. Words like: come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28); seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well (Matthew 6:33); surely I am with you always until the end of the age (Matthew 28:20). We know these words. But the devil is always right there. He wants you to believe that Jesus’ words are insufficient; that Jesus’ words are “ok” but for real comfort you need to know what the Father thinks. He wants you to ask “did God really say?”; to doubt and dismiss the simple, clear, black and white words of Scripture and try to reach into heaven, into God’s unapproachable light (1 Timothy 6:16) to find out what he has to say, how he feels about you, what his plans are for you. This is why so many people are so drawn to preachers who claim a special connection to God, to books that claim to contain brand-new revelations, to searching for God in their hearts instead of their Bibles.

But what does Jesus say? How does he prepare us to deal with the temptation to separate God from his Word? He says, unequivocally, that his words are the Father’s words. Have you ever heard someone say that “God works in mysterious ways”? Did you know that that phrase is not in the Bible? Certainly, the Bible reveals that God’s ways and thoughts are far above our ways and thoughts (Isaiah 55:11) and it is true that God is hidden from our sight (Isaiah 45:15) – but the good news is that God has revealed himself, his heart, his mind, his thoughts, his will to us. Where? In Jesus! Jesus says the one who has seen me has seen the Father (John 14:9). God’s ways are only dark and mysterious if you ignore or disregard Jesus. So instead of speculating, feeling or trying to reason out what God is doing or thinking, bind yourself to Jesus’ words – because that’s exactly what the Father has done.

This truth is so important that it demands further examination. We’ve all heard of people who believe that God has spoken to them in some sort of dream or sign. Maybe you’ve wondered yourself: “What about my dream, my feeling, that coincidence in my life? Is that the Holy Spirit? If I don’t listen am I disobeying God?” Talk to anyone who has lived this way. This sort of thinking is downright demonic and leads to a fear-filled and anxious life. “If I don’t follow this hunch, this vision, this vague feeling I might miss out on God’s perfect plan for my life; or even worse, something awful might happen to me or someone I love!” That’s no way to live.

The best antidote for this sort of tortured existence is the sola Scriptura of biblical, confessional Lutheranism which forcefully declares: “We must firmly hold that God grants His Spirit or grace to no one except through or with the preceding outward Word (Galatians 3:2,5). This protects us from the enthusiasts (i.e., souls who boast that they have the Spirit without and before the Word)…Therefore, we must constantly maintain this point: God does not want to deal with us in any other way than through the spoken Word and the Sacraments. Whatever is praised as from the Spirit – without the Word and Sacraments – is the devil himself.” [1] You don’t have to search your feelings, the strange coincidences of life, or your dreams for God. In fact, you absolutely should not – because as Paul told the Galatians: if anyone preaches to you any gospel other than the one you received – a curse on him! (Galatians 1:9)

Isn’t that arrogant on our part, though? How can we be so dismissive of dreams and feelings and visionary preachers when so many Christians believe that’s how God works? How can we be sure that we aren’t the ones missing the Holy Spirit? Because of how Jesus describes the Holy Spirit and his work. Jesus calls the Holy Spirit the Counselor. (Literally “paraclete” – “one who stands beside.”) This word can also be translated “comforter.” The Holy Spirit wouldn’t be very good at his job if he communicates in ways that can be interpreted a thousand different ways. That dream, that feeling, that urge may just be the result of a fever, the consequence of a spicy Mexican meal, a side-effect of some medication, or even the devil himself – and how would you ever know the difference? Where is the comfort in that kind of uncertainty? It’s like letting a fortune cookie determine your future. (Not to mention that much of what people claim to “hear” from the Spirit is contrary to Scripture!)

So what do you say to the person who says “God spoke to me…”? Tell them what Jesus said: the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things. And what will he teach? Jesus says that he will remind you of everything I told you. The only time we can be sure it is the Holy Spirit speaking (and not a demonic imposter) is when he is leading us to remember and consider the definite, clear things Jesus said while he was on earth. Things like unless someone is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God (John 3:5) (Baptism); whenever you forgive people’s sins, they are forgiven. Whenever you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven (John 20:23) (Absolution); take, eat, this is my body…drink from it all of you, for this is my blood of the new testament, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins (Matthew 26:26-28) (Holy Communion). Jesus didn’t ascend into heaven to leave you mystified, struggling to decipher what God’s will for your life is. And so he promises to send the Spirit, the Counselor, to teach and counsel you with his own words.

The Spirit’s work leads directly to the second step in Jesus’ preparation for separation: his gift of peace. The peace Jesus gives is not of this world. The world equates “peace” to having what you want: money, family, health, home, security, etc. But we all know people who have all these things and yet still lack peace (for example: do Johnny Depp and Amber Heard – two of the richest and most famous people in the world – seem to be “at peace”?). And that’s good news for us – because that means that you could lack any or all of those things, you could be struggling financially, be laid off from your job, be sick or even near death and still have peace. The peace Jesus leaves is peace between God and sinners. Sin is our real problem, the reason we don’t have peace in our hearts and lives. Our sinfulness made us God’s enemies (Romans 8:7). Our sins separate us from him (Isaiah 59:2). But Jesus lived a perfect life in our place and died an atoning death to pay for our sins, to remove them from our record. By doing what God demanded and absorbing his wrath, Jesus has ended the war between heaven and earth; has restored peace between sinners like us and God (Romans 5:1).

If you’ve ever had someone mad at you – especially someone who has power over you – you know what this means. As long as they’re mad you’re looking over your shoulder, avoiding their presence, wondering and worrying if and when the other shoe will drop. That’s how many people view God. They believe that he’s angry, he’s bitter, he’s just looking for an excuse to crush them. By his crucifixion, resurrection and ascension Jesus guarantees that God is not angry anymore, he’s not looking to damn us – because Jesus was damned in our place. Because of Jesus you are in a right relationship with God right now; you stand justified and holy in his presence through faith. That’s the peace no one but Jesus can give and that no one and no circumstance of life can take from you.

That’s why Jesus says do not let your heart be troubled, and do not let it be afraid. It’s not a suggestion; it’s a command. Why do you think Jesus had to command us not to be troubled and afraid? Because we’re so slow to believe that he meant it when he said it is finished (John 19:30). Because Jesus knows that we still tend to picture an angry, mysterious, threatening God standing behind every medical issue, family problem and economic crisis; that we tend to be troubled because we still think the Gospel is too good to be true, that there’s no way God could ever forgive us for what we’ve done; or, we still imagine that there’s something we must do to earn a ticket to heaven. When we forget Jesus’ words and work we are robbed of peace. Thankfully Jesus sends the Holy Spirit in Word and Sacrament to remind us that because Jesus suffered, died and rose again we have peace with God.

Day after day and week after week the devil, the world and your own sinful nature will work together to give you a fearful and troubled heart. They will make you anxious that you are separated from Jesus. The good news is that God is greater than our hearts (1 John 3:20). And today Jesus has sent the Holy Spirit to remind you of his comforting words: peace I leave with you. My peace I give you…Do not let your heart be troubled, and do not let it be afraid. Amen.  

[1] SA VIII: 3, 10