John 16:25-33

faithfulness/loyalty/perseverance vs. cowardice...

John 16:25-33

25 "Though I have been speaking figuratively*, a time is coming when I will no longer use this kind of language but will tell you plainly about my Father. 26 In that day you will ask in my name. I am not saying that I will ask the Father on your behalf. 27 No, the Father himself loves you because you have loved me* and have believed that I came from God. 28 I came from the Father and entered the world; now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father."* 29 Then Jesus' disciples said, "Now you are speaking clearly and without figures of speech. 30 Now we can see that you know all things and that you do not even need to have anyone ask you questions. This makes us believe that you came from God." 31 "You believe at last!"+ Jesus answered. 32 "But a time is coming, and has come, when you will be scattered,* each to his own home. You will leave me all alone. Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me. 33 "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace.* In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome* the world."

*16:25 = Mt 13:34 - Jesus spoke all these things to the crowd in parables; he did not say anything to them without using a parable.

*16:25 = Jn 10:6 - Jesus used this figure of speech, but they did not understand what he was telling them.

*16:27 = Jn 14:21, 23 - Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him." Jesus replied, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.

*16:28 = Jn 13:3 - Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God;

+16:31 Or "Do you now believe?"

*16:32 = Mt 26:31 - Then Jesus told them, "This very night you will all fall away on account of me, for it is written: "'I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.'

*16:33 = Jn 14:27 - Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

*16:33 = Ro 8:37 - No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

Jesus was faithful...He was honest about who He was, what He was about, what He intended to do, what God would do with and for and through Him, and every promise He made, He saw it through...we have no reason to doubt His spoken word (His teachings as recorded in the Bible) or His Word (the Bible as a whole)...we therefore have no reason to NOT step out in faith and cling to Him...our confidence should be complete and straitforward, as there is no concievable way for Him to fail us...Jesus is God, God is love, love never fails = you can count on His promises...

Hebrews 10:19-23

19 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.

God, on the other hand, has every reason imaginable to doubt US...

Mark 14:50

50 Then everyone deserted him and fled.

everyone deserted him and FLED...not just walked away and peeked over their shoulders to see if everyone was okay, but fled, ran for their lives, did everything possible to distance themselves from Him and His work, "nope, not me, i don't know the guy!"...how often we do that when confronted on issues of faith...it's quite disgusting when you think about it...every time the going gets rough, we drop God and all association of Him for our own reputation...so we can impress mortals humans whose opinions and thought on us will not last...we turn our backs on an eternally complete and truthful God to make nice with shifting immature people who would turn from us just as easily as we turned from Him...

but he loves us anyway...

would you keep a friend around who treats YOU the way YOU treat God?...

would you die for them?...