Sunday School Lessons
January 3
Lesson 5 (KJV)
Called to Proclaim
Devotional Reading: Deuteronomy 8:1–11
Background Scripture: Luke 4
Luke 4:14–22a
14. And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about.
15. And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all.
16. And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.
17. And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,
18. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
19. To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
20. And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him.
21. And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.
22a. And all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth.
Key Verses
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord.—Luke 4:18–19
Lesson Aims
After participating in this lesson, each learner will be able to:
1. Identify the passage of Scripture Jesus read in the synagogue of Nazareth.
2. Explain the meaning and significance of Jesus’ declaration regarding that passage.
3. Make a list of ways he or she can continue to fulfill the tasks in the mission of Jesus.
HOW TO SAY IT
| Agabus | Ag-uh-bus. |
| Arabia | Uh-ray-bee-uh. |
| Corinthians | Ko-rin-thee-unz (th as in thin). |
| Barnabas | Bar-nuh-bus. |
| Capernaum | Kuh-per-nay-um. |
| Damascus | Duh-mass-kus. |
| Esaias | E-zay-us. |
| Galilee | Gal-uh-lee. |
| Isaiah | Eye-zay-uh. |
| Judea | Joo-dee-uh. |
| Messiah | Meh-sigh-uh. |
| Nazareth | Naz-uh-reth. |
| Nicanor | Nye-cay-nor. |
| Parmenas | Par-meh-nas. |
| Pentateuch | Pen-ta-teuk. |
| Pentecost | Pent-ih-kost. |
| Prochorus | Prock-uh-rus. |
| synagogue | sin-uh-gog. |
| Timon | Ty-mon. |
| Zacharias | Zack-uh-rye-us.[2] |
Introduction
A. Going Home
A memorable line from the classic film The Wizard of Oz is Dorothy’s declaration, “There’s no place like home.” Returning home can have different meanings for many people. For some, home can be a good place to get away from the busyness of life and relax. Others, however, can become anxious after a few days of vacation away from home—eager to return to comfortable routines and familiar surroundings.
College is a great way to begin an independent life. But it’s nice to return home to experience again the loving support of one’s parents and to connect with old friends. Even so, it eventually dawns on every college student that once he or she leaves for that first class of the freshman year, there’s a figurative sense of never returning home. Things are different when coming back on spring break. Family dynamics have changed permanently. The sense of a permanent break is heightened as the years go by, when people “back home” remember you only as you were, not acknowledging who you’ve turned out to be. Something similar was the case with Jesus.
B. Lesson Context
The Gospel of Luke, source of today’s study, is one of the three so-called synoptic Gospels, the other two being Matthew and Mark. The word synoptic means “presenting or taking the same or common view,” and that’s what these three Gospels generally do. The operative word here is generally since there are exceptions.
Today’s text is one of those exceptions. All three synoptic Gospels document Jesus’ baptism (Matthew 3:13–17; Mark 1:9–11; and Luke 3:21–22) and His testing in the wilderness, where the tempter’s proposed solutions to hunger, greed, and insecurity failed (Matthew 4:1–11; Mark 1:12–13; Luke 4:1–13). And all three make note of Jesus’ subsequent beginning of ministry in Galilee (Matthew 4:12; Mark 1:14; Luke 4:14). But we should note a gap of time between Luke 4:13 and our text for today, which begins at 4:14. That gap of several months includes the events recorded in John 1:19–4:42.
I. Power
(Luke 4:14–15)
A. Spirit-Filled Ministry (v. 14a)
14a. And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee.
The record of the presence of the Spirit in Jesus’ life in the early chapters of Luke is noteworthy: the Spirit had descended on Jesus at His baptism (Luke 3:22), had led Him into the wilderness for 40 days of preparation (4:1), and had contributed to His power as He began ministering in Galilee. Jesus undoubtedly walked along one or all of the three main roads that connect Galilee to the rest of the world: a road south to Jerusalem, a road east to Arabia, and a road connecting Egypt to Damascus.
Later in the book of Acts, the author Luke recorded something similar from Peter’s sermon on the Day of Pentecost, when Peter spoke of “how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power” (Acts 10:38).
Luke emphasizes the presence and power of the Spirit in the lives of others as well. These include John the Baptist (Luke 1:15–17), Mary (1:35), Elisabeth (1:41), Zacharias (1:67), and Simeon (2:25). In Acts, the presence and power of the Spirit was evident in the lives of Peter (Acts 4:8; 11:12); the seven men chosen to oversee an important benevolence program (namely, Stephen, Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas per 6:3–5; 7:55; 8:29, 39); Barnabas (11:22–24); Agabus (11:28); and Paul (13:9).
B. Successful Ministry (vv. 14b–15)
14b–15. And there went out a fame of him through all the region round about. And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all.
Jesus’ three-and-a-half-year ministry is often described today in terms of the rough time segments in the outline at the bottom of page 158. The depiction also offers some insight into the time gap discussed in the Lesson Context. Therefore, Jesus’ fame that the verse before us notes has been building over several months by this point.
The region of Galilee was an area administratively distinct from Judea to the south. At this time, Galilee was ruled by Herod Antipas (see Matthew 14:1–12).
While in this area, Jesus was given opportunities to speak in their synagogues, and He was successful in so doing. Everyone was talking about Jesus (Luke 4:15, 37)! Ideally, the place to worship was the temple in Jerusalem. But wherever a certain number of Jewish families lived, there could be a synagogue. That Greek word means “place of gathering,” and these became centers of communal religious life. The concept developed when worship in the temple became impossible after its destruction in 586 BC or soon after the Jews’ returned to Judea from captivity.
Luke does not give the substance of Jesus’ teaching at this time. Later, when Jesus was in Capernaum, Luke noted that the people were “astonished at his doctrine: for his word was with power” (Luke 4:31–32). The Gospel of John adds that Galileans welcomed Jesus because they had seen what He had done while He was in Jerusalem (John 4:45); many believed in Him when they saw the miracles He performed (2:23).
II. Preaching
(Luke 4:16–17)
A. In Nazareth (v. 16)
16a. And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up.
Part of Jesus’ teaching and preaching tour of Galilee involved a stop in His boyhood home of Nazareth. The Gospel writer spoke briefly in Luke 2 of Jesus’ upbringing there, indicating that Jesus grew up in a typical Jewish family. He was circumcised in accordance with the Law of Moses and attended the yearly Passover celebration with His parents—standard things for Jewish boys at the time. Nazareth itself was a village on the lower slopes of Galilee. A topographical feature was that of “the brow of the hill whereon their city was built” (Luke 4:29).
16b. And, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.
The phrase as his custom was indicates a regular practice of teaching and/or preaching in synagogues (compare similar practice of Paul in Acts 17:1–2). This hints at a habit of faithful Sabbath Day attendance developed during boyhood days. There were many practices and attitudes of synagogue leadership that Jesus found lacking (Luke 13:14–16; etc.), but such people did not dissuade Him from His own faithful attendance.
What Do You Think?
How does Jesus’ regular attendance (“as his custom was”) at weekly worship challenge your own practice in that regard?
Digging Deeper
What does Hebrews 10:25 add to that challenge?
Mention of the sabbath day is a reminder of God’s creative work. The word Sabbath, meaning “rest, cessation from labor,” first appears in Exodus 16:23–30. That text served to remind the covenant people of the requirement for a day of rest, echoing God’s own rest after six days of creating (Exodus 20:8–11; compare Genesis 2:2–3). Sabbath observance is a sign of faithfulness to the covenant between God and Israel. “Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the Lord that doth sanctify you” (Exodus 31:13).
After Jesus’ death and resurrection, there is a transition from Saturday (the seventh day of the week) to Sunday (the first day of the week). Nine of the Ten Commandments are based on the nature of God; and since His nature never changes, neither does the application of those nine. The one commandment that is based on God’s work rather than His nature is the one on keeping the Sabbath. After Jesus’ resurrection, a shift occurs away from focus on the old creation to focus on the new creation available in Christ. The result is corporate worship on the first day of the week in light of His resurrection on that day (Luke 24:1–7; compare Acts 20:7; 1 Corinthians 16:2; Revelation 1:10).
B. From Isaiah (v. 17)
17. And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written.
The ruler of the synagogue supervised the service to see that it was carried out in accordance with tradition (compare Luke 8:41; Acts 13:15; 18:8). There are distinct parts to Sabbath services: prayers, reading from the five books of Moses (the Pentateuch), reading from the Prophets, and a sermon or lesson.
The Scripture readings followed a definite cycle. In some synagogues, the entire Pentateuch was covered in one year, with each reading supplemented by a reading from the Prophets. If a distinguished visitor was present, he was asked to give the teaching. This procedure is seen in Acts 13:13–47, where Paul delivered the message after the readings from the Law and the Prophets.
In the Nazareth synagogue, Jesus was given the book of the prophet Esaias (Isaiah) to read. This was not a book as we normally think of one today. It was actually a scroll (sometimes called roll; example: Jeremiah 36:2). Scrolls for use in copying Scripture could be made from paper made from the papyrus plant, which grew along the Nile River in Egypt (compare the various translations “bulrushes” and “rush[s]” in Exodus 2:3; Job 8:11; Isaiah 18:2; 35:7). The scroll handed to Jesus, however, was more likely made from animal skin, which was more durable (contrast the ease with which a papyrus scroll was destroyed in Jeremiah 36:23).
The Great Isaiah Scroll, one of the Dead Sea Scrolls discovered in 1947, is 24 feet long and about 10 inches high. The scroll handed to Jesus may have been similar.
What Do You Think?
What percentage of your Bible study time should you devote to reading the Old Testament? Why?
Digging Deeper
How do Romans 15:4 and 1 Corinthians 10:1–11 guide your decision?
III. The Point
(Luke 4:18–22a)
A. Jesus’ Call (vv. 18–19)
18a. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor.
The place from which Jesus reads is Isaiah 61:1–2, which speaks of God’s servant being anointed with the Spirit and given several responsibilities. The servant’s work will be for the good of people, cities, and nations. God will use the servant to bring salvation and fulfill His covenant. The servant is to proclaim good news by saying that the situation will change. The words of Isaiah describe the current situation in Jesus’ ministry.
To be anointed refers to the act of pouring oil on someone’s head to symbolize being set apart to a special office, such as priest or king (example: 1 Samuel 16:13). Anointing also symbolized the endowment of the Holy Spirit on someone’s life. Together, these ideas indicate the consecration of Jesus to His messianic role and task.
To preach the gospel to the poor is exactly what Jesus was tasked to do—and did (Luke 6:20; 7:22; etc.). In Isaiah 66:2 God says, “To this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.” Those who are poor have nothing to offer God, but therein lies the opportunity to realize one’s need.
What Do You Think?
What guardrails can your church erect to ensure it maintains evangelistic focus on those who are poor in spirit while not neglecting to help those who are economically destitute?
Digging Deeper
How do texts such as Matthew 5:3; Romans 15:26; Galatians 2:10; James 2:1–7; and Revelation 3:17 help frame the task?
18b. He hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives.
The first phrase here does not appear in certain ancient manuscripts of the New Testament, although it does appear in Isaiah 61:1.
The word captives often refers to prisoners of war who are dragged into an exile of servitude by their conquerors (example: Isaiah 5:13); it is also used in contexts of those captives’ deliverance (52:2). Spiritually, the devil holds people captive with no hope of escape on their own (2 Timothy 2:26). Jesus came to set everyone free.
What Do You Think?
How do you resist those things that put you at greatest risk of reentering the captivity of sin?
Digging Deeper
Which is most helpful to you in that regard: remembering consequences of your past captivity “to the law of sin” (Romans 7:23) or focusing on the positive captivity of your obedience to Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5)? Why?
18c. And recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised.
Jesus’ subsequent ministry resulted in several recorded instances of healings from physical blindness (Luke 7:22; etc.). Healing spiritual blindness proved to be more difficult because of unbelief (8:10). The original word behind the translation bruised carries the idea of “oppressed,” as it is translated in the old Greek version of Isaiah 58:6.
Blindsided
When I was 8 years old, I attended a basketball game with my parents. Throughout the evening, I frequently asked them to tell me the score. They repeatedly said, “The scoreboard is right there. Just look for yourself.” Finally, my parents realized that my vision was blurry since I couldn’t see the scoreboard. A few days later, they took me to the optometrist to buy my first pair of glasses. My vision needed correction.
Spiritual vision can also require correction. Reading the Bible like a rule book, hating yourself or others, or seeking fulfillment outside of your marriage can all indicate spiritual visual impairment.
Isaiah prophesied that the Messiah would restore sight to the blind, and on several occasions Jesus did so literally (example: John 9:1–7). He can fix your blind spots too. Will you invite the Lord to open your eyes and wipe away anything that blurs your spiritual vision?
—D. F.
What Do You Think?
How do Matthew 7:1–5; 23:13–36; John 8:7; 1 Timothy 4:6; 2 Timothy 2:25; and Titus 2 interact to prohibit you from pointing out someone else’s spiritual blind spots? How do those text require you to do so?
Digging Deeper
Under what circumstances, if any, would you encourage other Christians to point out to you your own spiritual blind spots?
19. To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
This refers to the Year of Jubilee, described in Leviticus 25. God instructed the nation of Israel that every seventh year the land was to rest (have a Sabbath). Then after seven such rests (49 years) was to be the year of jubilee. During this 50th year, slaves were to be set free, debts cancelled, etc. It was to be a time of great rejoicing.
B. Jesus’ Mission (vv. 20–22a)
20. And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him.
Each synagogue had a minister (an assistant) who took care of the building and called the people to the service. He was also responsible to hand the speaker the scroll and to return it to its proper place. Handing back the scroll and sitting down marked a transition to the next phase of the service. The fact that the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on Jesus implies a great sense of expectation. Today we might say, “You could hear a pin drop!”
21. And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.
This announcement means that the spiritual year of jubilee has come. Luke connects the ears with eyes (Luke 4:20, above). Jesus was and is the Messiah proclaimed by the prophet Isaiah.
As we see Luke connecting eyes with ears in these two verses, we note a sad contrast of the same connection in Acts 28:27: “Their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, … and should be converted.”
Today Is the Day
At 112 years old, Richard Overton was likely the oldest man in the United States when he died in December 2018. A military veteran, Richard had served his country during World War II. On Veterans Day in 2013, President Obama honored him in a ceremony. All that was well and good, but here’s the best part of the story: Mr. Overton accepted Christ and was baptized at age 107. He said “it was about time”!
Ministry Years of Jesus
(not including his final week)
Matthew
Mark
Luke
John
Ministry Begins
→3:13–4:22
1:9–34
3:19–23; 4:14–5:11
1:19–4:54
Popularity Rises
→4:23–9:34; 11:2–13:58
1:35–6:6
5:12–8:56
5:1–47
Opposition Increases
→9:35–11:1; 14:1–20:34
6:7–10:52
9:1–19:27
6:1–11:54
Jesus told the crowd in His hometown synagogue that He was fulfilling Isaiah’s messianic prophecy that very day. Hundreds of years had passed since Isaiah predicted that the Messiah would come to bring the good news and deliverance. After centuries of waiting, God’s plan was being fulfilled through Jesus right then and there.
Today is the day of salvation (2 Corinthians 6:2). What will you do to continue bringing the message of the gospel? Don’t put it off. Very few, if any, of the people you might speak to today will live to be 112.
—D. F.
22a. And all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth.
Jesus’ gracious words reflects the fact that “the grace of God was upon him” (Luke 2:40). Indeed, the gospel itself is “the gospel of the grace of God” (Acts 20:24; compare 20:32).
Given that the townspeople’s next words and actions were much less gracious, even deadly (Luke 4:22b–29; compare John 6:42), we wonder why the difference! Jesus gave a reason in Luke 4:24: “No prophet is accepted in his own country.” Jesus’ ministry was characterized not only by grace but also by truth (John 1:14, 17). The “hometown boy syndrome” had blinded them to reality.
Conclusion
A. Come Home
Messiah has come to set us free from the bondage of sin and death (Galatians 5:1). The whole purpose of Christ’s coming was to rescue us. To do so, He had to die that He “might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil” (Hebrews 2:14; compare 1 John 3:8).
Whoever we are, wherever we are physically or spiritually, God’s message is clear: He wants all to be rescued. He wants us to come home. The acronym COME reminds us of this fact. He wants children, old people, middle-aged, and everyone else to come back to Him. Jesus wrapped a robe of flesh around himself and came to die to pay sin’s price to make that possible. And He departed this world on the promise that He would prepare a place in Heaven for His disciples (John 14:1–3).
There is a star in the northern sky that never sets. The Phoenicians, Vikings, and sailors long ago used this star to get their bearings and to help them reach their destination. For thousands of years it has been a reliable guide for travelers. It is called the North Star. You can find it rather easily by using the stars in the handle of the Big Dipper (Ursa Major) as an imaginary line to point to it. As travelers can use that star yet today to guide them, how much more is Jesus still the only reliable light for our path to Heaven!
We can find our way home only by following Jesus and by following Jesus only. He is the light of the world to lead us all from the path of darkness into the light of the Father. Like Jesus did for His audience at Nazareth, Jesus calls us to Him.
B. Prayer
Father, we thank You for sending Jesus to die for our sin. May our eyes and ears be ever fixed on Him as we continue His mission. We pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.
C. Thought to Remember
Jesus, the Messiah, has come to set us free.
KID’S CORNER
Obeying God Is Not Optional
Sunday, January 3, 2021
John 14:8-14
John 14:15-23
(John 14:15) “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.
When we love someone, we want to do and say good and right things that will please them and make them happy. We will want to listen to them and do whatever we can that will promote what is best for them. As human beings, we do not do this perfectly, but we try. Likewise, if we love our heavenly Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, we will obey them and their commandments out of a desire to express our love for them and bring them happiness. We will also want to do for others and with others what we believe God would want us to say and do to promote what is best for them. Love for Jesus and others motivates believers in Jesus to tell and teach the good news about Jesus and His work to those who believe and those who do not. Notice: Jesus said, “keep my commandments.” The LORD, “I Am,” gave Moses the Ten Commandments. Jesus declared that His commandments were comparable with and equal to the Ten Commandments. Jesus told people to obey the Commandments of God and His Commandments. The Bible reveals all the truths about Jesus we need to know and all the necessary commands from Jesus for us to obey— including how we need to respect and obey rightful governing authorities.
(John 14:16) “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever;
Jesus did not restrict His promise to only the original disciples. Thousands rejoiced on the Day of Pentecost when they received the Holy Spirit, and millions of believers have received the Holy Spirit since then. When we love Jesus, we do what Jesus says, and as a result we can enjoy a relationship with another Advocate that the Father will send us, even as the Father sent His Son into the world with the Holy Spirit abiding in Him. Jesus Christ is the Advocate for all who believe in Him, and the Holy Spirit is “another” Advocate that Jesus gives to all who follow Him. In 1 John 2:1-2, John explained, “My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and he is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.” Jesus will make His request in our behalf and the Father will send us the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit will be with us forever. Among other things, the Holy Spirit will defend us, explain God’s truths to us, comfort us, guide us, grant us peace of heart and mind, fill us with joy in believing, and empower us to know and do the will of God in every situation. The Holy Spirit will never teach or lead us to disobey any of the Ten Commandments or the Commandments of Jesus. The Holy Spirit will never forsake us. He will remain with the followers of Jesus forever. Though believers in Jesus may sometimes sin, forsake, and grieve the Holy Spirit when they suppress His loving influence and the truths that He wants us to keep, they can return to Him and ask His forgiveness—He will forgive. As our Advocate, the Holy Spirit will come to our defense, as He came to the defense of Peter, John, and Paul when they were on trial before the enemies of Jesus.
(John 14:17) that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you.
Jesus declared that He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. As He spoke to His disciples, He was abiding with them and the Spirit of Truth was abiding with them too. They knew Jesus and the Holy Spirit, though not as fully as they would come to know them in days to come after the Spirit of Truth indwelt them. Jesus said that He was the Truth. The Spirit of Truth indwelt Jesus and would also indwell all who believe in Jesus as their Lord and Savior. The Holy Spirit, Jesus, and the Father are three divine Persons as one God, for each One is of the same divine spiritual nature and each One is in and abides with the other. The Advocate, the Holy Spirit, indwelt Jesus from eternity past and will do so for eternity future. Jesus told His disciples that soon (on the Day of Pentecost) the Holy Spirit would be with and within them as the Holy Spirit is with and within Jesus. When those of this world do not want to love and obey God, they will not see or know Jesus or the Advocate. They will not receive the Spirit of Truth.
(John 14:18) “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.
The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are one true God in three Persons; therefore, the Spirit of Truth loves each Person, relates to each Person, and abides in each Person. In His glorified human body, when Jesus ascended into heaven to sit at the right hand of His Father on the throne of God, Jesus did not abandon His disciples and other followers. He sent them the Spirit of Truth to remain in them, to Advocate for them, and to Comfort them. When Jesus did so, He also came in His Spirit with the Holy Spirit to abide within them. Previously, Jesus had been beside them or near them as He walked and talked with them. After they received the Holy Spirit, the disciples never complained that Jesus was not with them, for they knew Jesus better and were closer to Jesus than ever before—He remained in them! Jesus did not leave them orphaned as they must have felt when He died on the cross, for after His resurrection from the dead and ascension into heaven, the Father sent the Spirit of Jesus and the Spirit of Truth to indwell them—and the Father came with them to dwell in them too! Likewise, God fully dwells within all who believe in and love Jesus. As believers in Jesus, no one can separate us from the love of God or from the living presence of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, for They indwell us!
(John 14:19) “After a little while the world will no longer see Me, but you will see Me; because I live, you will live also.
After those of this world crucified and buried Jesus, they never saw Him again. After He rose from the dead, Jesus only appeared to His followers and miraculously to as many as 500 of His followers at one time. In 1 Corinthians 15:6, Paul wrote, “Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers and sisters at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died.” The disciples of Jesus saw Jesus exactly as He promised them. Because Jesus never died spiritually (only His physical human body died on the cross), He rose from the dead and all His followers will also live even after their physical bodies die. As believers in Jesus, we only live because He lives and gives us life—everlasting life with Him, for He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. As He promised, all believers in Jesus will live again on the earth when Jesus returns as visible and reigning King of kings.
(John 14:20) “In that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you.
The “day” refers to the day that they would receive the gift of the Father in full power and glory; that is, the gift of the Spirit of Truth or their Advocate on the Day of Pentecost. On Pentecost Sunday, they would receive additional evidence that Jesus could and would keep all His promises to believers. They would know by personal experience that Jesus is God, the Son of God, and He was within them. When the Spirit of Truth indwelt them, they would also experience the Person of Jesus within them—whose love and personality they very well knew. Jesus’ disciples and all who have followed Jesus in faith spiritually are so united with Him spiritually that He could say they would be in Him too. How this “works” the Bible does not explain; but John does teach us something about what this means for believers in 1 John 3:1-2, “See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and that is what we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we will be has not yet been revealed. What we do know is this: when he is revealed, we will be like him, for we will see him as he is.”
(John 14:21) “He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him.”
True faith in the true God and trust in what the Father and the Son have done through Jesus’ coming into the world should lead every true believer to love God the Father and God the Son. True love for them should also inspire and motivate us to want to do everything they have taught and commanded us to do. Our true love for God involves a happy mutual relationship, fellowship, and friendship between God and us—a family relationship as God’s children. As believers in Jesus, we find deep satisfaction in our relationship with our heavenly Father and with Jesus, and they find deep satisfaction in their relationship with us as we show them how much we love them by believing in them and living according to the truths they have revealed in the Bible. Our mutual love leads the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit to teach us more about themselves and to draw us closer to themselves. As a result, with increasing joy and thankfulness, we love to live day-by-day according to all the truths they teach us.
(John 14:22) Judas (not Iscariot) *said to Him, “Lord, what then has happened that You are going to disclose Yourself to us and not to the world?”
In Matthew 10:2-4, we learn the names of the twelve apostles: “first, Simon, also known as Peter, and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Cananaean, and Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed him.” Most believe that “Judas (not Iscariot)” was Thaddaeus or (Lebbaeus: KJV). Judas (or Thaddaeus) knew that wherever they went everyone could see Jesus heal people and hear Him teach. He did not understand how Jesus could be with them and they could see Him while at the same time those of the world could not see Jesus. He did not yet understand what the Scriptures taught about the crucifixion and death of Jesus and about the resurrection of Jesus, and that Jesus would only appear to His disciples as evidence that He had risen from the dead. He did not yet know what it meant for Jesus to send the Spirit of Truth to indwell him and all the disciples. He did not yet know how the Spirit of Truth would reveal Jesus to them and within them and be with them during their own ministry in the world. Jesus had to use outward physical descriptive words to reveal inward spiritual truths that they would later begin to understand by experience as Jesus fulfilled His prophecies and promises to them.
(John 14:23) Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him.”
Those of this world did not love the Father or Jesus, nor did they honor and seek to obey the Scriptures or Jesus. Instead, those of this world still try to distort the teachings of the Bible and mislead people away from God. Only those who love Jesus will cherish being with Him, listening to His teachings in the Bible, and treasure His commandments in their hearts with an intention to obey and follow Jesus wherever He leads. The Father will love those who love His Son; therefore, both will make their home with those who love Jesus. When the Holy Spirit indwells believers, the Father and the Son are present within them too. When the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit make their home within us, with their children, we know the love of God by experience for their love fills our hearts. We know peace with God by experience for their peace fills our minds—and our conscience approves our way of life. We know the joy of God by experience for His presence fills us with true happiness. In this saving relationship with God by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, we love to keep the word of God and we seek to show God how much we love living with the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit and seeking their approval through all we say and do.
Obeying God Is Not Optional
Sunday, January 3, 2021
John 14:8-14
Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him (John 14:23—KJV).
Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him” (John 14:23—NASB).
Jesus answered him, “Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them” (John 14:23—NRSV).
Some people believe that because Jesus Christ died for their sins that obeying God is now optional for Christians. They think the laws of God no longer apply to believers, because they are forgiven for all of their sins. Today, some people only follow the very general teachings of the Bible that seem consistent with the ideas of the most vocal in society. However, Jesus taught that His true followers would keep His commandments and heed His words, and they would obey Him because they loved Him. Jesus endorsed the 10 Commandments, and in His Sermon on the Mount Jesus applied the commandments of God to the desires and inclinations of our hearts and minds – not just to our outward behavior. Jesus called people to turn from their sins so He could forgive them and cleanse them from sin. Jesus promised that those who loved and obeyed Him would receive many blessings. He promised He would ask the Father to send the Spirit of truth, the Holy Spirit, to abide with or remain with His followers. The Holy Spirit would live in His followers. The Spirit of truth would teach them and remind them of what He said. Jesus explained that the world could not receive the Spirit of truth, because those of this world refuse to receive Him and know Him as God has revealed Him. The Bible still reveals Jesus Christ to the world, and those who love Him will obey Him; they will be indwelt by the Spirit of truth and God will make His home with them.
Thinking Further
Obeying God Is Not Optional
Sunday, January 3, 2021
John 14:8-14
Name ____________________________
1. What are some of the things you can do if you love Jesus?
2. Who is the Advocate and what will He do?
3. Why does the world not receive the Advocate?
4. Why do some people neglect or refuse to keep Jesus’ words?
5. What is the result of loving Jesus and keeping His word?
Discussion and Thinking Further
1. What are some of the things you can do if you love Jesus?
Obey Jesus.
Believe what Jesus taught.
Try to follow His example.
Tell others about Jesus and why they should trust Him too.
Love the Father and His Word, the Bible.
Love the Holy Spirit and not grieve the Holy Spirit.
Meet and worship with other Christians.
Support your church and world missions.
Other ideas?
2. Who is the Advocate and what will He do?
The Holy Spirit – the Spirit of Truth.
He will be with Jesus’ followers forever.
He will be within Jesus’ followers and never leave them.
He will teach believers what they need to know.
He will help believers understand and apply the Word of God, the Bible.
He will remind believers of what Jesus taught and what Jesus meant then and today.
Other ideas?
3. Why does the world not receive the Advocate?
The world cannot receive the Advocate, the Spirit of Truth, because the world does not see Him or know Him. The Advocate abides with Jesus’ disciples, because Jesus is filled with the Spirit of Truth, but the world does not see or know the Spirit of Truth in Jesus. The world does not want to obey the Scriptures or God, but the world rebels against God, His rule, and His commands.
4. Why do some people neglect or refuse to keep Jesus’ words? Because they do not love Jesus, they do not heed what Jesus said or obey Him. To keep Jesus’ words, believers need the help of the Holy Spirit.
5. What is the result of loving Jesus and keeping His word? The Father and the Son will love us and make their home with us. The Holy Spirit will be with us and in us forever. We will enjoy eternal life.
Word Search
Obeying God Is Not Optional
Sunday, January 3, 2021
John 14:8-14
Name _____________________________
E C R C P A Y I N K E M D P D
Q V H S O V N A Z V L H Q W L
C R I T Y M P O I H A S R B F
W L E E I Z M G T Y E B L G H
E T P H C G W A M H V T O U M
Q A R E T E J U N O E N L W B
R S D Y E A R S L D R R A S Y
J T Z V I K F T O C M Z N D L
D O K E O M L R S U S E J G H
W N W N D C E B I Y X D N K A
Y N S M Q V A H O Q G V F T U
L A J A E W T T B K U Y A Y S
O C N R H U N V E T I R I P S
V J O E R T D E N A H P R O V
E F V T W D L R O W S V S A X
Love
Keep
Commandments
Father
Give
Another
Advocate
Forever
Spirit
Truth
World
Cannot
Receive
Orphaned
Reveal
True and False Test
Obeying God Is Not Optional
Sunday, January 3, 2021
John 14:8-14
Name _____________________________
Circle the True or False answers. Correct the False statements by restating them.
1. Because Jesus loves you, you do not need to keep His commandments. True or False
2. If you love Jesus, you will keep His commandments. True or False
3. If you love Jesus, Jesus will ask the Father and the Father will give you another Advocate to be with you forever. True or False
4. The Advocate for believers in Jesus is the Spirit of truth. True or False
5. Unbelievers in the world do not need to believe in Jesus or the Father because they have the Spirit of truth as their advocate too. True or False
6. Jesus’ disciples knew the Advocate because He abided with them and He would be in them. True or False
7. Until Jesus returns at the Second Coming, all who believe in Him are orphans in this world. True or False
8. Those who have and keep Jesus’ commandments love Jesus, and His Father will love those who love Jesus, His only Son. True or False
9. Believers in Jesus will be in Jesus and Jesus will be in them. True or False
10. Jesus and the Father will make their home with those who love Jesus and keep His word. True or False
True and False Test Answers
- False
- True
- True
- True
- False
- True
- False
- True
- True
- True
Prayer
Father, we thank You for sending Jesus to die for our sin. May our eyes and ears be ever fixed on Him as we continue His mission. We pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.