The Ten Promises of Christ (John 13-16)
This sermon delves into ten profound promises Jesus made to his disciples in the Upper Room, found in John chapters 13 through 16. It illuminates how these promises offer a foundation for thankfulness, revealing the lavish grace bestowed upon believers.
This sermon explores ten specific promises Jesus gave His disciples in the Upper Room discourse (John 13-16), emphasizing that these are present realities for believers that should inspire profound thankfulness.
Overview
The sermon opens by setting the context in John 13, where Jesus is preparing to depart and assures His disciples of His unending, sacrificial love. This foundational promise addresses any doubts about His affection as He faces His death and return to the Father.
The preacher then systematically outlines nine more promises from John 13-16. These include the promise of eternal fellowship in heaven, spiritual influence for believers to do 'greater works' in volume, and divine provision for prayers consistent with God's will. Central to these is the promise of the Holy Spirit, who is described as 'another Comforter' of the same kind as Christ, dwelling within believers and convicting the world.
Further promises discussed encompass the Holy Spirit's guidance into all truth, resulting in the inerrant Bible, and both objective peace with God and subjective peace amidst life's trials. The sermon also highlights the promise of fruit in a believer's life, the refining work of the world's hatred and persecution, and ultimately, the promise of full and everlasting joy.
Concluding with Colossians 2, the sermon asserts that these astonishing promises are not future hopes but the present property and privilege of all true believers, encouraging a deep sense of thankfulness for the 'heaven on earth' experienced in Christ.
Key points
- Jesus loves His own with a sacrificial love that will never end, even to the maximum capacity of God to love (John 13:1).
- Believers are promised eternal fellowship with Christ in the heaven of heavens, the Father's massive house (John 14:1-3).
- Disciples will have spiritual influence to do 'greater works' than Jesus in volume, such as the regeneration of souls (John 14:11-12).
- Divine provision is guaranteed for anything asked in Christ's name, meaning consistent with His purpose, nature, and glory (John 14:13-14, 16:23-24).
- The Holy Spirit, 'another helper' of the same kind as Christ, is sent to dwell with and in believers forever, convicting the world (John 14:16-18, 16:7-11).
- The Spirit of Truth guides believers into all truth, revealing scripture and glorifying Christ, resulting in an inerrant Bible (John 14:17, 14:26, 16:13-14).
- Christ gives His peace, both objective peace with God and subjective peace that tranquilizes the heart amidst trials (John 14:27, 16:33).
- Believers are promised to bear much spiritual fruit (attitude and behavior) as they abide in Christ, glorifying the Father (John 15:5, 15:8).
- The world's hatred and persecution are promises of refining, working to perfect and develop believers (John 15:18-25).
- Believers are promised a fullness of joy that grief will be turned into, an everlasting joy no one can take away (John 15:10-11, 16:20-22).
- These promises are not for the future; they are the present property and privilege of true believers because Christ is theirs (Colossians 2:2-3).
In John MacArthur's words
“I love you to death and then I love you to life.”
“This is the gift that makes all other promises possible.”
“Having Christ is having all these promises.”
Outline
- I. The Basis for Thankfulness: Christ's Promises (John 13-16)
- A. Christ's Departure and Unending Love (John 13:1)
- II. Ten Promises Given to His Own
- A. Promise 1: Sacrificial Love that Will Never End (John 13:1)
- B. Promise 2: Eternal Fellowship in Heaven (John 14:1-3)
- C. Promise 3: Spiritual Influence and "Greater Works" (John 14:11-12)
- D. Promise 4: Divine Provision (John 14:13-14, 16:23-24)
- 1. Praying "in My Name" defined
- E. Promise 5: The Holy Spirit (John 14:16-18, 16:7-11)
- 1. "Another Helper" of the same kind
- 2. The Spirit's work on both believers and the world
- F. Promise 6: Truth and Biblical Revelation (John 14:17, 14:26, 16:13-14)
- G. Promise 7: Peace (John 14:27, 16:33)
- 1. Objective peace with God and subjective peace in trials
- H. Promise 8: Fruit (John 15:5, 15:8)
- 1. Biblical fruit as attitude and action
- I. Promise 9: Refining Through Worldly Hatred and Persecution (John 15:18-25)
- J. Promise 10: Fullness of Joy (John 15:10-11, 16:20-22)
- III. Conclusion: These Promises are the Present Reality for Believers (Colossians 2:2-3)
Scripture references
- John 13:1
- John 14:1
- John 14:11
- John 14:13
- John 16:23
- Philippians 4:19
- John 14:16
- John 14:17
- John 14:18
- Acts 1:8
- John 16:8
- John 14:26
- John 16:13
- John 14:27
- John 16:33
- John 15:5
- John 15:8
- John 15:18
- John 15:25
- John 15:10
- John 16:20
- Colossians 2:2-3
1 Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.
1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
11 Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works’ sake.
13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
23 And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.
19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
18 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.
25 But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause.
10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.
20 Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy.
2 That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ;
3 In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
Insights
Christ's love extends completely, embracing us to the very end of all things.
Our future with God is a promised eternal fellowship, not just a distant hope.
The Holy Spirit empowers believers for spiritual influence, even beyond what Jesus physically did.
Questions & answers
What is the main theme of this sermon?
This sermon identifies and explores ten promises Jesus made to His disciples in the Upper Room discourse (John 13-16), presenting them as profound reasons for thankfulness among believers.
How does Jesus demonstrate His 'love to the end'?
Jesus' 'love to the end' signifies His sacrificial love that extends to His death and then to life, embracing believers completely and to the maximum capacity of God's love.
What does the sermon mean by believers doing 'greater works' than Jesus?
The sermon clarifies that 'greater works' refers to a greater *volume* of spiritual influence, such as the mass regeneration of souls, not miracles that are more powerful or supernatural than those Jesus performed.
What does it mean to pray 'in my name' according to this sermon?
To pray 'in my name' means to pray in a way that is consistent with Christ's kingdom purposes, His divine nature, and ultimately, contributes to His glory.
Who is the 'another helper' Jesus promises to send?
The 'another helper' is the Holy Spirit, described as 'another of the same kind' as Christ, who dwells with and within believers as a supernatural divine comforter.
What kind of peace does Christ offer in this sermon?
Christ offers both objective peace with God, as believers are no longer at war with Him, and subjective peace that tranquilizes the heart even amidst the severest trials.
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