Bible Studies

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The Gospels
John 14:23-29 – Holy Helper

Key Verses: (NCV)

• 23: "Jesus answered, 'If people love me, they will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.'" – Jesus has been teaching His disciples about His pending death. They are filled with questions like: What should we do? Or how will we know which way to go? He assures them that they will be filled with the peace of Christ, the love of God, and the wisdom of the Holy Spirit.
  
  
• 26: "But the Helper will teach you everything and will cause you to remember all that I told you. This Helper is the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my name." – There is nothing to fear. Anxiety, worry, and apprehension about the future can be set aside. The Holy Spirit is here to help.
  
  
• 27: "I leave you peace; my peace I give you. I do not give it to you as the world does. So don't let your hearts be troubled or afraid." – The peace that Christ offers in not simply an emptiness or absence of conflict. His peace fills our hearts with the Blessed Assurance that will carry us through any circumstance we face.
  
  
• 29: "I have told you this now, before it happens, so that when it happens, you will believe." – A promised fulfilled brings a depth of understanding that quiets a troubled spirit and instills a firm foundation of hope.
  

Points to Contemplate:

• Does the promise of an uncertain future fill you with anxiety or dread? Consider the feelings of the disciples as Jesus outlines His future and takes this time to say goodbye. Can you sense the heaviness of doubt filling their hearts? Do you see a darkness rolling in at the horizons of their life's view which suddenly cannot be penetrated by their visions and dreams? Do you feel their shortness of breath, racing pulse, or the beaded sweat gathering on their brows? Have you ever stood where they stand, on the edge of an unknown future, filled with apprehension, dread, and fear? What is the source of your hope? What helps you to move beyond these fears?
  
  
• What does true peace mean to you? Jesus senses the fear growing in His disciple's hearts. In response, He says: "I leave you peace; my peace I give you." How does this promise of peace help you through your life's struggles? Is it a promise you cling to as tightly as you can? Or, in times of stress, trial, fear, or tribulation, can you simply allow the peace of Christ to wash over you, relieving your tension, and filling you with His warmth? As a Christian, are you expected to create peace? Or is it a byproduct of your faith? How is Christ's peace recognizable in the world? Is it evident in situations that are void of conflict? Or is it found in the midst of life's struggles when we find that through our pain and suffering we have grown to become more like Christ and the disciples He is calling us to be?
  
  
• Do you rely on God's Helper? Jesus recognized that His disciples would not be able to go forward in ministry alone. In that sense, their fears, our fears, are real. This is why the gift of the Holy Spirit is so important. We are not expected to "go it alone." Do you feel alone in your struggles? Are you fighting, scratching, and grappling with life, anxiously trying to create a sense of wholeness and fulfillment? Do you recognize that the Holy Spirit is always with you ready to help in all circumstances? Are you willing to turn to Him more often and allow Him to guide you through the struggles you face? Can you ask Him to teach, inspire, comfort, guide, and protect you? He promises to be there, will you accept His help?
  

Promises of the Gospel:

Saying goodbye to loved ones can be a time filled with stress and anxiety. A new future of uncertainty and separation fills our hearts with dread and fear. Usually, it is a time of bitter-sweet sorrow. We cry. We try to drag out the departure as long as we can. We embrace and hold hands, clinging to the closeness that will soon be gone. We seek words that inadequately describe our feelings. Then the departure and emptiness fills our hearts. We tentatively take a step back into our lives with one more furtive glance over our shoulders at the now-empty horizon. We have all experienced the pain of separation but the promise from today's story teaches us that Jesus did not simply leave. He left behind a peace and knowledge of a beautiful future. We can be assured of this holy promise and when we forget, His Helper is with us to remind and guide us along the path of eternal peace.

FUMC Devotionals

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