John chapter 14

vs 11

I blame February somehow.

The evidence of miracles is, to Jesus, the least convincing thing about his lordship. Fair enough too. I mean, people had done miracles before Jesus, but that did not make them the Son of God.

vs 12

And in fact, Jesus knows that even greater things will be done in God's name. Now, that is of course besides his own resurrection. I'm not saying that other resurrections don't happen, but Jesus' will always be superior, because no one else came and did it for him.

Jesus seems to suggest, too, that the reason more potent things will be doable is because he is going to the Father. I'm not quite sure how that works theologically, but the best explanation I would think is that it's just a timing thing - the time after Jesus' resurrection is more incredible than the time before.

vs 13

Well, there's another good reason - that if we do do incredible things in Jesus' name, then it brings glory to God. But I don't think it would be as glorifying to God if we all went around doing miracles or whatever before Jesus' death.

vs 14

That is a very unqualified statement. It's the kind of question we as Christians constantly find ourselves needing to disarm and fiddle with. Was it a promise only to the disciples? Is the period of miracle working over? Does it really mean that if we ask for anything that's already God's will, we will get it?

My experience has tended to be number three, but it does feel limiting. Perhaps we're just so unwilling to actually ask. Or perhaps we are unwilling to actually be doing what Jesus wants, so that he will give us anything.

vs 15

I think it's interesting that this sentence comes straight after the one where Jesus promises to do anything we ask. If we love Jesus, we will obey his commands. If we obey his commands, we will live a life directed by God. If we are living a life directed by God, then he probably will do whatever we ask.

vs 16

Jesus is a counsellor, but the Holy Spirit is the one that hangs around with us on earth while we wait for Jesus to get back.

vs 17

The Spirit is much maligned, and not just outside the church. Sometimes you could be forgiven for thinking that we believe in the binity. And yet the Spirit is perhaps for modern Christians the most important part of the trinity - we can't see Jesus, but we can see the work of the Spirit in our own lives and in the lives of others. It is with the Spirit that we have our closest union.

vs 18

Jesus isn't replacing himself with the Spirit - he promises he will return. But neither does he leave us empty-handed - just as the disciples were honoured to be in the presence of God through their dealings with Jesus Christ, so we should be honoured, because we are in the presence of God dwelling in us. That's quite a potent truth once you get your brain around it.

vs 19

I assume this is referring to the resurrection - the world rejects Christ, but the disciples will actually see him after he returns from the dead, and because he lives (after death) then so shall we all live. Jesus' resurrection really is the key to our eternal life. Without it, his death would have been a sad tragedy.

vs 20

The resurrection brings to light a whole lot of things - it really is the crux of Christianity. Like Paul says, if Christ did not resurrect, then we are all lost. Our hope is useless. But if Jesus did resurrect, then we have a serious truth to confront as humanity. For those of us who have accepted him, though, it means a realisation that Jesus is God, and that we abide in Christ, and also that he abides in us.

If anything, Jesus abiding in us is even more complex. I'm going to chicken out and say that, because of the triune nature of our God, Jesus does live within us because of the Holy Spirit living in us. But this could be just as much a statement regarding the inward nature of Christ being inside us and transforming us into Christ, if you know what I mean. Perhaps that's reading too much into it.