Unshakable Peace! | John 13:30-14:30

INTRODUCTION

Are you troubled by the chaos and uncertainties of life? Do you find yourself searching for a peace that remains unshaken amidst life’s storms? In a world where peace often seems elusive, Jesus offers us an unshakable peace that transcends all circumstances. This peace is deeply rooted in His promises and abiding presence, providing a steady anchor for our souls.

John 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.

CONTEXT

Jesus time on earth with his disciples is now coming to an end. He is going to be departing from them.

John 13:1

It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.

Three disciples; Peter, Thomas, and Judas (not Judas Iscariot) question Jesus about his departure. Jesus’ reply from 13:38-14:30 is in response to that.

Jesus washes the feet of his disciples in an act of humble service. Judas leaves the group.

John 13:30-38

³⁰As soon as Judas had taken the bread, he went out. And it was night. (Judas has left and set in motion the events that will soon result in Jesus being crucified.)

Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial

³¹When he was gone, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man is glorified and God is glorified in him. ³²If God is glorified in him, God will glorify the Son in himself, and will glorify him at once. (Jesus again predicts his departure) ³³“My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come.

³⁴“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. ³⁵By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

³⁶Simon Peter asked him, “Lord, where are you going?”

Jesus replied, “Where I am going, you cannot follow now, but you will follow later.”

³⁷Peter asked, “Lord, why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.”

³⁸Then Jesus answered, “Will you really lay down your life for me? Very truly I tell you, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times!

John 14

¹“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. ²My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? ³And 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. ⁴You know the way to the place where I am going.”

Jesus the Way to the Father

⁵Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”

⁶Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. ⁷If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”

⁸Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.”

⁹Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? ¹⁰ Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. ¹¹Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves. ¹²Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. ¹³And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. ¹⁴You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.

Jesus Promises the Holy Spirit

¹⁵“If you love me, keep my commands. ¹⁶And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— ¹⁷the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. ¹⁸I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. ¹⁹Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. ²⁰On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. ²¹Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.”

²²Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, “But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?”

²³Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. ²⁴Anyone 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.

²⁵“All this I have spoken while still with you. ²⁶But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. ²⁷Peace 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.

²⁸“You heard me say, ‘I am going away and I am coming back to you.’ If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. ²⁹I have told you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe. ³⁰I will not say much more to you, for the prince of this world is coming. He has no hold over me, ³¹but he comes so that the world may learn that I love the Father and do exactly what my Father has commanded me.

“Come now; let us leave.

Jesus Emphasised The Importance Of His Departure.

John 7:33-34

³³Jesus said, “I am with you for only a short time, and then I am going to the one who sent me. ³⁴You will look for me, but you will not find me; and where I am, you cannot come.”

John 15:13

Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.

After all, he was only 33. Most of us view someone dying at the age of 33. But Jesus makes the point that this is not an accident. No one takes his life from him.

It Is Essential That Jesus Is Glorified Following His Suffering.

John 17:1, 5

¹Jesus looked to the heaven and prayed:” Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you.”

⁵And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.

He put aside his heavenly glory in order to assume this role as mediator. After his suffering, Jesus is going to the Father for his glorification. Before it all started, that glory constituted the inner Trinitarian fellowship of all-surpassing glory. Jesus is now re-entering it.

We must rejoice at his glorification. It is the crowning reward for his faithful obedience.

What Jesus is doing, he’s doing with complete deliberation and intentionality. He’s laying down his life for his disciples and doing so in exact accord with the will of the Father.

Jesus’ Return to the Father is Beneficial for His Disciples.

John 14:28

“You heard me say, ‘I am going away and I am coming back to you.’ If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I.

Incidentally, Jesus is not denying his divinity here. Remember when he talks to Philip,

John 14:9

Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?

I and the Father are one, he says on another occasion. Jesus is claiming to be the incarnate Son of God, God on earth. Nevertheless, with respect to his incarnation, his state in his incarnation is one of humiliation and servanthood.

Jesus is going back to his Father.

Jesus going is not a betrayal of love. In this life, many times people leave in a way that hurts, it is painful for other reasons than the fact that our friendship is getting interrupted. They leave to run away. Husbands leave wives and destroy the lives of those around them. Jesus is not abandoning his children. He’s not leaving us as orphans. In fact, what he’s doing is the supreme proof and validation of his love.

The Benefits of Jesus’ Departure

1. The Promise of Resurrection Life.

John 14:1-4

¹“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. ²My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? ³And 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. ⁴You know the way to the place where I am going.”

The King James Version says, “In my father’s house are many mansions.”

NIV: Rooms.

However, the meaning and idea here is of John 15:4 – Remain. We remain in Christ and Christ remains in us.

John 14:3

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.

It is a remaining place, an abiding place, a dwelling place.

John 14:23

Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.

John 14:18

¹⁸I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.

14:23. It is the Father and Jesus coming to us and dwelling with us. See 14:18

Coming of the Spirit is coming of Jesus to the disciples. The ways that Jesus promises to come to them and not leave them as orphans. Not to abandon them but to continue his relationship with them.

John 14-16 can refer to three different ways the disciples experience life in Jesus.

• Jesus comes personally after the resurrection (post-resurrection appearances).
• Jesus comes in the Spirit after the resurrection (spiritual presence).
• Jesus comes personally at the end of the age (resurrection and judgement).

John 14:19

….because I live, you also will live.

Promise of Resurrection Life.

He begins by stressing the advantage to us in terms of eternal life.

This is a promise of the resurrection life here and now and also for the future.

2. The Promise of Answer to Prayers.

Two times in our passage, Jesus challenges his followers to ask.

John 14:13-14

¹³And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. ¹⁴You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.

We can now ask anything in his name, and he will do it. Does that mean that we can ask anything and Jesus will answer us? What are the criteria for asking?

Remain in Jesus.

John 15:7

If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

Ask According to His will.

1 John 5:14

This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, he will hear us.

Ask with the Right Motive

James 4:2b-3

^2bYou do not have because you do not ask. ³When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.

Are you asking? I suspect the day will come when you and I are looking back on this life from the perspective of eternity, we will be wondering back ‘why we didn’t ask more.’ Whether it’s asking for the needs of the church universal, outreach of missions, our own lives, or that of our brothers and sisters, let’s ask.

3. The Promise of the Presence of His Spirit.

John 14:16-18

¹⁶And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever ¹⁷the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. ¹⁸I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.

This contrasts sharply with our experience of leaving. When family members leave, you know, there is a sense of abandonment sometimes. When those who mean so much to us leave from this life to the next, especially if they’re parents, that’s when we’re orphans, isn’t it?

But Jesus leaves, and now all of a sudden the reason he’s leaving is so we won’t be orphans. In fact, the advantage of his leaving is that now he’s going to be with us even more than he was able to be when he was right there in the flesh. When he was in the flesh, he was limited to one place and a group of people. Now thousands, literally everyone, everywhere can have fellowship moment by moment. We can have the undivided attention of a Saviour who is now promising in our passage to make his home in our hearts.

So what we have here is a promise of his own presence. You see, it’s a promise-filled life, with the promise being supremely Jesus making his home right in your heart.

John 14:23

Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.

The coming of the Spirit is the coming of Jesus to the disciples. We get to live in fellowship with Christ.

Holy Spirit

“Paraclete” – “Helper” is a good way to understand this word.

John 14:16-18

¹⁶And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— ¹⁷the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. ¹⁸I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. ¹⁹Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live.

The Holy Spirit is the Disciple’s Helper.

(he will give you another advocate to help you.) Jesus has been their advocate until this point. So he is providing for them another advocate, someone who will continue what he has already done. He is coming to help them. In general, the Spirit will be their helper.

The Holy Spirit Is Intimately engaged with the Disciples.

The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth.

(..the Spirit of truth.) The Holy Spirit will continue to reveal God to the disciples. Holy Spirit reveals the truth of God to is.

The Holy Spirit Lives in Us and Will be With Us.

(…for he lives with you and will be in you.) The Holy Spirit was not absent from the disciples until this point. Yes, the Holy Spirit had not yet been given as in the day of Pentecost, but that does not mean that the Holy Spirit did not have a ministry and activity or presence with the disciples.

The Holy Spirit is Jesus’ Ministry in Our Lives Through the Spirit.

(I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.) The Spirit is Christ-centric. The coming of the Spirit means that Jesus himself is coming to them in the Spirit. The Spirit is not a free agent. The Spirit is there to make us all the more devoted to Christ.

John 15:26-27

²⁶“When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me. ²⁷And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning.

The coming Spirit will be a Christ-centred Spirit from God.

He is called the Spirit of truth. The truth that the Spirit is teaching is Christ-centred truth.

The Holy Spirit is Our Teacher.

John 14:26

But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.

The Spirit is going to be teaching the church. The Spirit is going to be teaching you all things. All things is not computer science or medical science. Teaching of all things relate to life and godliness and how to be a disciple of Jesus. The Spirit will do that by remining us of everything that Jesus had said. So the Spirit, does not teach new things, but remind us of Jesus’ teaching, continue the teaching that Jesus has begun.

The Holy Spirit will Convict the World.

John 16:8-11

⁸When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: ⁹about sin, because people do not believe in me; ¹⁰ about righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; ¹¹and about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.

The Spirit will convict the world. It has to do with sin, righteousness and judgement. That has to do with people’s relationship to Jesus.

The Holy Spirit will Enable Us to Love One Another.

John 13:34-35

³⁴“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. ³⁵By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

Jesus will enable us to love one another through the ministry of the Spirit.

Jesus, Father, and the Holy Spirit

Jesus receives the Spirit from the Father; 1:32-33; 3:34; 6:27.

The Father (14:16-17, 26) and Jesus (1:33; 3:34; 7:37-29) send the Spirit to the disciples after the resurrection.

The Spirit ministers to the disciples as the continuing presence of Jesus (4:23-24; 7:37-39; 16:13).

The Spirit testifies about Jesus and convicts the world of sin (3:5-6, 8; 6:63; 15:26; 16:8-11).

It is not that Jesus has left us without his presence. Jesus has transformed the way in which he dwells within his people through the work of the Holy Spirit to the worldwide presence with the disciples, rather than just a couple of disciples.

How does the Spirit teach us all things? John 14:26

By prompting our intuition. This is not an adequate way. Just an intuition is not valid. This is too ambiguous. People always don’t get it right when they say that they heard from God.

By illuminating us as we study the Bible. This is better because we have the Bible involved now.

By illuminating the Bible. It is not just illumining us but it is illumining the Bible to us. This is a better way to say it than the second one. This is like in the road to Emmaus.

By the way, Jesus is talking to the disciples, so the focus of this passage is on them. So we can also say that the Spirit taught them to produce the NT. Or the Spirit guided the early church to produce the NT. This is the safest way of understanding. God is teaching the church through the scripture.

By guiding the apostolic circle to produce the New Testament canon for us.

These options will make us consider with wisdom what it means to be people of the Spirit, to be people who have the mind of the Spirit, to be people whose counsel is wise and help others follow the teaching of Christ through the scriptures.

4. The Promise of The Works of Christ for Us.

The empowered works.

John 14:12

Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.

This too is dramatically unlike our experience of leaving. For most of us, when we leave a job we feel that we are indispensable to the organization. The cemetery is filled with people who thought they had indispensable positions and jobs.

But it’s not so with Jesus. Jesus, as he anticipates his leaving, this is not the end of his work. This is the beginning of the multiplication of his work. This is not the end of all these wonderful miracles and the rest of it. Now will begin the beginning of greater works. He emphasizes this.

John 14:12

Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing (so his works are continuing), and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.

What are these greater things. Think of the works that Jesus himself did in his earthly ministry. There are astonishing works in the context that includes miracles right in the immediate background. He emphasizes how it is the miracles that attest to his actual identity as the Son of the Father.

John 14:11

Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves.

Jesus’ miracles were so astounding that they were unparalleled. Healing the blind and the lame, casting out demons, rising of the dead. Jesus miracles are unparallel and ultimately we have the miracle of his own resurrection. His disciples are likewise authorized to continue this ministry of miracles. The text where Paul says in

2 Corinthians 12:12

I persevered in demonstrating among you the marks of a true apostle, including signs, wonders and miracles.

Paul’s adversaries were attacking his apostleship, and he is making the point that, remember the miracles that were happening through my ministry.

Acts 19:11

God did extraordinary miracles through Paul…

He gets extraordinary miracles, like Jesus extraordinary miracles. Yes there is this emphasis in the ministry of Jesus and the apostles on miracles that are unparallel. The miraculous healing continued in the second century, the third century. Yes, miracles do continue, we are grateful for that but Jesus is promising even greater things.

What is an even greater thing going to look like?

After all if Jesus fed the 5000 with five loaves and two fishes, does that mean that if we are now going to feed 50,000. If Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead after he had been dead four days should that mean that we pray for the dead and try our resurrection abilities on the dead?

I don’t think that is really what Jesus has in mind for us to do. We have to look at the miracles from his perspective. What is harder for God to do? What is hard for the Lord of the universe?

Mark 2:9

Which is easier: to say to this paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk’?

Everyone that was hearing Jesus thought, we know which is easier to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven’ who knows. So Jesus said fine I will say ‘Get up and walk and yes in fact the paralytic did instantly get healed and got up and walked, but Jesus said, “I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins; Mk. 2:10. That is the true miracle. The holy God looks at sinners such as we and says to them “you are forgiven, innocent of all charges.”

How can the Lord do this? He does it through the work of the atoning death of Christ where he demonstrates his justice at the present time so he can be both just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus. The wisdom of God has ordained a way for the love of God to deliver us from the wrath of God without compromising the justice of God and that brother and sister is a miracle. Jesus wants to point us to over and over again.

He fed the five thousand, but then he said:

John 6:35

Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.

He healed the man born blind, but then he said:

John 8:12

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

He raised Lazarus from the dead, then he said:

John 11:25-26

²⁵Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; ²⁶and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

One of the greatest miracles, God opened up our eyes even as Paul prayed for the Ephesians that they might know the incomparably great power in us who believe, that power is like the working of his mighty strength which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at the right hand of the heavenly realms.

Ephesians 2:1

As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins,

Ezekiel 36:26

I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.

Now he transforms our lives to make them like his.

1 Timothy 1:13, 15

¹³Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief.

¹⁵Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners of whom I am the worst.

Paul was a religious fanatic. He thought he knew all the answers. He thought he was doing God a favour by going after men, woman and children and having then arrested and prosecuted and then even stoned to death. That is the man that Jesus spoke to and turned them around on the road to Damascus to make him the one who formerly persecuted the church to become one who preached the faith he once tried to destroy.

Paul then talks about the conditions of those in the church at Corinth

1 Corinthians 6:10

¹⁰nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. ¹¹And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

Jesus turned you around and did what the world claims can’t be done and made you a follower of Christ, submitting that part of your life to him as well. Some of you were greedy, now he’s made you generous. Yet some of you were drunkards, now you are sober. He changes us.

2 Corinthians 5:17

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!

We’ve seen abusive husbands repent and become caring, self-controlled husbands. We have seen faithless marriages put back together. We have seen lazy people become diligent and hardworking and responsible.

“I am not what I ought to be, I am not what I want to be, I am not what I hope to be in another world; but still I am not what I once used to be, and by the grace of God I am what I am” ― John Newton (Anglican Cleric; slavery abolitionist; 1725-1807)

CONCLUSION

Jesus’ departure from this world was not a loss but a profound gain for His disciples and for us. Through His departure, He brings us unshakable peace, a peace that the world cannot give. This divine peace calms our fears and steadies our hearts, no matter the circumstances we face. We are assured of His constant presence through the Holy Spirit, who guides, comforts, and empowers us. We do not need to be afraid because Jesus, through the Holy Spirit, dwells within us, providing an ever-present help in times of trouble. Embrace His peace and live confidently in His promises, knowing that He is always with you, and His peace will guard your hearts and minds.

LIFE APPLICATION POINTS

Trust in Jesus’ Promise of Peace

Jesus promises peace not as the world gives, but a deeper, lasting peace. How can you experience this peace today? What situations in your life need the touch of Jesus’ peace?

Rely on the Holy Spirit’s Guidance

The Holy Spirit is our advocate and guide. How often do you seek His direction? In what areas of your life do you need the Holy Spirit’s guidance and comfort?

Pray with Confidence in His Name

Jesus invites us to ask anything in His name. Are your prayers aligned with His will and purpose? How can you ensure your prayers reflect Jesus’ heart and mission?

Live Out Jesus’ Command to Love

Jesus commands us to love one another as He loved us. How can we demonstrate this love? Who in your life needs to experience the love of Jesus through your actions today?