The following is from OBC’s daily devotional for today:
Jesus continued teaching the disciples the night before his betrayal as they walked to the Garden of Gethsemane.
Jesus would leave the disciples and they would be persecuted, but the Holy Spirit would supernaturally cause them to remember Jesus’ teaching (vv. 1-15). Thus they would be enabled to persevere and effectively minister for God’s glory (note vv. 8-11).
Jesus would die and unbelievers (“the world”) would be happy about that, while the disciples would weep (vv. 16-24). Yet they would see him again (vv. 16, 22) because he will rise from the dead and they will then rejoice.
In verses 25-33 Jesus told the disciples that because of his death they would [1] know and understand his truths (v. 25), [2] pray to and be heard by the Father, and [3] they would have peace in troubled times.
Truths to Nail Down and Meditate On
- “The Holy Spirit will guide you into all truth” is Jesus’ promise to his disciples (the apostles) that would result in their faithful ministry as the foundation of the church (Eph 2:20), resulting in the NT books. The Holy Spirit does help Christians learn and know the truth, but through the Scriptures—not miraculously—especially the NT which the apostles wrote.
- True joy and happiness is found only in knowing Jesus. Jesus is only known through the Scriptures. Believing, grasping, and resting in such truths only happens by the Spirit’s work through the Scriptures. Along this line, meditate on and memorize verse 33.
- Jesus is alive! He paid sin’s debt and broke its power! Christian, every trouble and difficult in the world is because of sin, and what did Jesus do about that? Always seek and depend on Jesus!!