Mastering the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.

Learning to Serve- Sword Sharpening

Hilltop Church Men’sBible StudyFebruary 25th, 2008

Mastering the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.

I am the way,the truth, and the life

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John 14 Quick Review:

Last Monday: We started discussing the Upper Room Discourse…tonight we are continuing

Remember that Jesus has less than 24 hours in His earthly life

In verse 13:31, we saw that Judas “…when he was gone out…”, was betraying Jesus voluntarily God does not send people to hell, they send themselves God endorses the decisions they themselves make


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John 14 We will examine four (4) questions tonight:

Lord, Where Are You Going?(vs. 13:33, 36; 14:1 - 4)

How Can We Know the Way? (vs. 5 – 7) Will You Show Us The Father? (vs. 8 – 21) How Can You Manifest Yourself to Us and Not to

The World? (vs. 22 – 31)


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Lord, where are You going?13:33, 36; 14:1 - 4 13:33

13:36


“Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me: and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come;

so now I say to you.”

“Simon Peter said unto him, Lord, whither goest thou? Jesus answered him, Whither I go, thou canst not follow me now; but

thou shalt follow me afterwards.”

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V. 1 – A New Peace

Who’s comforting who? He’s the One facing tomorrow, and He’s comforting

them “Heart,” Cardia, seat of life (moral, intellectual,

volitional, emotional aspects – a very broad sense) Jesus had spoken about soul, spirit, and heart

(John 12:27; 13:21; 14:27) A troubled heart could eat away at faith; faith can calm a

troubled heart...faith is the key to overcoming(1 John 5:4) (recursion)


“Let not your heart be troubled:”

Lord, where are You going?

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What is theHeart?

What is thespirit?

What is thesoul?

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V. 1 “Believe,” Pisteuete, indicative (fact) or imperative

(command)? Most commentators lean to the imperative (command)

usage Jesus will soon be invisible to them

He wants them to rejoice!



“Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full

of glory: “1 Peter 1:8

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Lord, where are You going? V. 2 – A New Place “...my Fathers house”: Jesus often referred to the

Temple as His Father’s house; here He means His Father’s (real) house...Heaven

He disowned the temple in Matthew 23:38 “Mansions,” monai: Used only twice (14:2, 23)

A dwelling or an abode (we’ll talk in a moment about Isaiah 26:19)

Not necessarily a marble-columned dream


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Lord, where are You going? V. 2 We’re going to start thinking about the Rapture!

Two classic passages that talk about the Rapture: 1 Thessalonians 4:13 – 18 1 Corinthians 15 (the resurrection chapter), verse 51 - 57

The word rapture does not occur in the Bible, however, we get the word from the Latin Vulgate translation of the Bible, where we find the word “rapturo”

It is introduced here in John 14… But, let’s look at Isaiah 26:19 – 21 and Zephaniah 2:3


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Lord, where are You going? V. 2 “I go to prepare a place for you”: Four key facts:

(The Blessed Hope!) 1) Many mansions:

Preparing a place for us (every believer; individual abodes) He Will return for us We will be where He is…Forever!

2) Eden: He first planted a garden; then placed Adam in it (also Deut 6:10,11)


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Lord, where are You going? V. 2 3) New thing: a man in heaven...Redemption of the

purchased possession, in heaven, by better sacrifices (Heb 9:23; Eph 1:14; Col 1:20)

4) He will return for us: the “Rapture”: The phrase “come again” is used four times (4 different dimensions): Rapture 14:3 Spiritual presence :18 Indwelling the Believer :23 Post-resurrection ministry :28


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Lord, where are You going? V. 3 – A New Pledge


“And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am,

there ye may be also.”

“Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is

taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.”

Acts 1:11

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How Can We Know the Way?5 - 6

V. 5

V. 6

“I am,” eigo eimi


“…I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. ”

“Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?”

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With verse 6, Jesus answered the three greatest questions of the human heart


How Can We Know the Way?

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“How can I be saved?” (14:6a)

• “I am the way.”

“How can I be sure?” (14:6b)

• “I am the truth.”

“How can I be satisfied?” (14:6c)

• “I am the life.”



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V. 6 This talks about the exclusiveness of Christ!

(Acts 4:12; 1 Corinthians 3:11; 1 Timothy 2:6) Gethsemane – 3 times He prays…

If there was any other way, God didn’t answer His prayer He died in vain



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V. 6 “The way,” hodos: road, highway, the highway to

heaven “The Way” becomes the label for the Christian way

of life It is mentioned six times in the book of Acts (Acts 9:2;

19:9,23; 22:4; 24:14,22) plus here in John How many times is that?



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V. 6 The word “Zodiac” from the Sanskrit sodi

“the way” Hebrew word is Mazzeroth Psalm 19 If you learn the names of the constellations in

Hebrew and the names of the stars in Hebrew...you see the plan of salvation

This may be how Adam and others taught their children the plan of God

(long story for another night)



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V. 6 Adam, before sin, enjoyed communion with his

Maker, he knew Him, and he possessed spiritual life In “the day thou eatest...” Adam had a three-fold

need: reconciliation, illumination, and regeneration The Way (reconciliation):

vs. Cain’s; “wanderers” Proverbs 14:12Romans 3:12



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Maker; he knew Him, and he possessed spiritual life In “the day thou eatest...” Adam had a three-fold

need: reconciliation, illumination, and regeneration The Truth (illumination):

vs. Pilate: “What is truth?” Proverbs 4:19 John 18:38Ephesians 4:18 Ecclesiastes 7:29Romans 3:11 Colossians 2:3



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Maker; he knew Him, and he possessed spiritual life In “the day thou eatest...” Adam had a three-fold

need: reconciliation, illumination, and regeneration The Life (regeneration):

vs. Prodigal Son: “dead, andis alive again”

Luke 15:24John 3:36; 5:24



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There are 3 ways to see The Father: The Father Revealed Through Jesus’ Words and

Works(John 14:9-11; Hebrews 1:1-4; Isaiah 40:5; John 1:14)

The Father Revealed Through Believers(John 14:12-15)

The Father Revealed Through the Indwelling Spirit (John 14:16-21)


Will You Show Us The Father?7 - 21

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V. 9 The Father Revealed Through Jesus’ Words

and Works “Know,” Egnokas: perceive. There are always new

things to learn about; know Christ (Phil 3:10-14); always a need to continue growing

“You know the Father,” The Trinity; a mystery Beware of “modalism”(“Jesus Only” - 3 modes of

the same person) “Being One” refers to a spiritual union and not

claiming they were same person (cf. 1:1,2)


Will You Show Us The Father?

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V. 11 The Father Revealed Through Jesus’ Words

and Works “Believe,” Pisteuete, plural verb Philip’s request reflected the other disciples’

thoughts



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V. 12 The Father Revealed Through Believers

“Works,” Erga, used in this gospel and never refers to miracles; but messianic works

Greater (Meizona) works refer to quantity, not quality: Conversion of greater numbers of sinners, the greatest work in the world “I go to my Father”: Isa 53:10



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V. 13 The Father Revealed Through Believers

“...in my name”: On the basis of His credibilityWhat comfort! “Believe in me.” Not just simply a prayer ending! Prayer in the name of Jesus must be in accord

with the Lord’s changeless purpose of bringing glory to the Father

It is useless to offer a prayer full of self-will, add the formula “in Christ’s name,” and expect the Lord to respond affirmatively to it



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V. 15 The Father Revealed Through Believers “...keep my commandments”: Teresete, future active

verb Love that expresses itself in obedience The One who wrote the commandments upon the

tables of stone is none other than the One who died on the cross

(John 8 – Source of the voice of the burning bush)



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The Father Revealed Through the Indwelling Spirit In the context of answers to prayer, He reveals the

greatest thing for which we may ask: the presence and power of the Holy Spirit in our lives

It was only after the coming of the Holy Spirit that the apostles’ faith was established, power communicated, and love purified and deepened



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V. 16 The Father Revealed Through the Indwelling

Spirit “Comforter,” Parakleton, “one summoned along

side to help.” Appears 4X in John’s Gospel (John 14:16,26;

15:26; 16:7) and is used one time as a title of Christ (“Advocate”) in 1 John 2:1

The Holy Spirit is the subject of considerable OT revelation, beginning with the second verse in the Bible!



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V. 16 The Father Revealed Through the Indwelling Spirit

Com + Fortis = Comforter

“Com” - to be in company with “Fortis” - to strengthen Comforter = to strengthen by companionship

Noah == ComfortMastering the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.


31Mastering the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.

The Gospel in Genesis

Adam - Man

Seth – is appointed (Eve said, "For God hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew.")

Kenan – sorrow, dirge, or elegy

Mahalalel - Mahalal which means blessed or praise; and El, the name for God – The blessed God



Methuselah – his death shall bring. Apparently, Enoch received the prophecy of the Great Flood, and was told that as long as his son was alive, the judgment of the flood would be withheld. The year that Methuselah died, the flood came.

Noah - derived from nacham, to bring relief or comfort (as Lamech himself explains

in Genesis 5:29)



Adam

Seth

Enosh

Kenan

Mahalalel

Jared

Enoch

Methusaleh

Lamech

Noah

Man

is appointed

mortal

sorrow

the blessed God

shall come down

teaching

his death shall bring

despairing

relief or comfort

Manis appointed

mortalsorrow

(but the)blessed God

shall come downteaching

(that)His death shall

bring(the)

despairingcomfort!

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Spirit “...another” Two Greek words:

Allos, same kind Heteros, different kind (Acts 7:18)



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Spirit “...was “with” you”: Par humin = by your side;

shall be “in” you, epe “Whom the world cannot receive”: 1 John 2:16;

5:19; 1 Corinthians 2:14 Don’t expect the world to see what we “see” How is possible for the Holy Spirit to dwell where

sin is still present? On the grounds of atoning blood (Lev 16:16); “Oil” placed on the blood (Leviticus 8:24, 30; 14:14, 17)



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The Father Revealed Through the Indwelling Spirit

V. 18 I will not leave you orphanous, as fatherless

orphans; comfortless (James 1:27) V. 19

After His resurrection He appeared unto none but His own

V. 20 Explained in Chapter 15: vine + branches. “That

day” is PentecostMastering the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.


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V. 22 Judas = Thaddaeus, Lebbaeus

Only mention of this Judas in NT (low on the disciple totem pole?)

Not Judas Iscariot “How is it that”: Ti gegonen hoti, an expression of

surprise There are three ways:

By Fellowship (V. 23) By Indwelling Spirit (v. 24 – 26) By Inner Peace (V. 27 – 31)


How Can You Manifest Yourself to Usand Not to the World?

22 - 31

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V. 23 By Fellowship

We are the Temple, not only of the Holy Spirit, but also of the Father and the Son

I am in Christ! Eph 2:6Christ is in me! Gal 2:20

Faith does not destroy necessity for obedience; Readiness does not eliminate performance (2 Cor 8:11)


How Can You Manifest Yourself to Us And Not to the World?

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V. 26 By Indwelling Spirit

“He will teach you all things” Christ’s pre-authentication of the NT Jesus quoted frequently from all parts of the

Old Testament, which He regarded as the plenary, verbally inspired Word of God.

Now He is giving His authoritative endorsement to the (as yet unwritten) books of the New Testament



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V. 27 By Inner Peace (the theme of this chapter)

“Peace”: Not shalom, but eirenen; spiritual peace that only Christ can give Peace with God (Romans 5:1) Peace of God (Philippians 4:7) Judicial vs. experiential Reconciliation vs. Alienation Tranquility vs. Tumult

The Trinity is evident here: Equal in nature, separate in person, subservient in duties



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V. 27 “Not as the world giveth, give I unto you.”

The world talks about peace and prepares for war

The world has its disarmament conferences and invents new and more fearsome weapons

of doom

The world promisesa peace it cannot give



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The enmity of the Serpent being readied to vent on the Seed of the Woman...(coming in future chapters)

“…and hath nothing in me.” Jesus used a double negative for emphasis

ouk ouden



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“Arise...”: Did they leave the upper room? Not necessarily

“Let us go”: Agomen, armies going into battle to meet death; a motivational charge

Did they linger? Or go to intermediate places? John 18:1 says “crossed into the Garden...”



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We look at Calvary and see the sin offering; what the cross has wrought for us

Jesus looked at the cross and saw the burnt offering; what the

cross wrought for the Father



John 14


Mastering the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.

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