John 14

v1-3: We are to trust in God and trust in Christ.  What are we to trust God and Christ for?  We are to "trust them for a future happiness when this body and this world would no longer be in existence," and for a happiness which will last forever.  **This happiness is that there is particular place for us in heaven which Christ is now making ready for us.  There are many of these places, "because there are many sons and daughters to be brought to glory, and Christ knows their number exactly."

v4-11: Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. "As the truth, he is the guide of our way; as the life, he is the end of it.  He is the true and living way; there are truth and life along the way as well as at its destination and end.  He is the true way to life, the only true way; other ways may seem right, but the end of them is the way of death."

v12-14: We can ask for anything in Christ's name.  "If we ask in our own name, we cannot expect success, for, being strangers, we have no name in heaven; being sinners, we have a bad name there."  To ask in Christ's name is to ask on the basis of Christ's name which is "well known and very precious in heaven" and for whatever would bring glory to Him.

v15-17: "The One who gave the Son to be our Saviour would give his Spirit to be our Comforter."  The Spirit's role is to encourage and stir up Christ's followers to do their duty, and He will do that work just as effectively as Christ would, if He was with them in person.

v18-24: Those who keep Christ's commandments will be looked on and loved by Him.  "It is not those who have the greatest knowledge and who know how to speak for him, or who have the greatest wealth to spend for him" that He loves, "but those who keep his commandments."  Our love for Christ shows itself in obedience, in "conformity to the sovereign's will, and agreement with sovereign's wisdom."

v25-27: The Holy Spirit came as a Spirit of wisdom and revelation.  He taught the disciples all that they either needed to learn themselves or to teach others.  He brought to their minds what they had been taught by Christ so they could record it accurately, and He enabled them to understand this teaching.  The Spirit continues to teach God's people by granting understanding of what Christ's already said and by bringing to mind what they have already heard and know.

v28-31: When we forget that Christ will come again, we will be in danger of being overwhelmed by suffering, grief, fear, or worry.  We need to be reminded again and again about His second coming.