We return this morning to the upper room for the final time. We will leave the upper room at the end of verse 31. And through Jesus' discourse here, which will continue for the next two chapters, Jesus is contrasting the disciples' growing fear and anxiety by explaining the response that they should have had to what Jesus is teaching. The disciples are hearing what Jesus is saying, but their response to what he has said is not what it should be. So we will read, beginning in verse 27, through the end of the chapter. And as is our custom, I will say, once we have completed our text, this is the word of the Lord. May he who gave it be praised. And I'll ask you to repeat with me, and may we who hear it obey. So John chapter number 14, beginning in verse 27. Jesus says, 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. You have heard how I said unto you, I go away and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said I go unto the Father. For my Father is greater than I, and now I have told you, before it come to pass, that when it is come to pass, ye might believe. Hereafter I will not talk much with you, for the Prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me. But that the world may know that I love the Father, and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do. Arise, let us go hence. This is the word of the Lord. May he who gave it be praised, and may we who hear it obey. Father, as we come before your word this morning, I pray that you would use it in our lives to grow us, to mature us, to challenge us, and to encourage us. May we leave here having heard from you. I pray that you would not allow my words and opinions to distort or distract from the truths that you have brought us here to receive. We thank you, Father, and we ask these things in your precious name. Amen. Well, in the mid-1600s, a terrible fire destroyed much of the city of London. Christopher Wrynn, a famous architect, was commissioned to rebuild St. Paul's Cathedral there in London. And on a hot day, as legend has it, Wren noticed three of his masons laying the stones for the cathedral wall. One was hunched over and grumbling as he worked. The second was doing his work with a bit of a slouch. The third was working with a spring in his step and a smile on his face. So the curious architect asked each man what he was doing. The first responded, I'm a bricklayer. I'm laying bricks, obviously. The second replied, I'm doing my best to provide for my family. I'm working hard to provide what my family needs. The third answered Sir Wren's question. Sir, we are building a glorious church for the glory of God. We'll worship for centuries to come. You see, the perspective that you have greatly affects the way in which you work and live. The world, it seems, is increasingly embracing a victim mentality. People believe that all of their problems and difficulties in life are simply results of the environment that they find themselves in. Well, if you knew what I'd been through, you would be just the same. We use it almost as an excuse to excuse away not dealing with the problems that we face. In fact, people often speak as if they are completely passive participants in their own lives. Well, you know, I'm trying to get ahead, but then it's just one thing after another. There's always more bills. The money runs out just as fast as I make it. As if we just always get bills for things. We had no idea we were accruing or occur those expenses. Truth be told, as purpose and ambition fade from our thinking in the midst of our trials or our tedious tasks, we quickly drift off course. We forget what the purpose is. This happens so often in a career or a job. You go in day after day after day and It's easy to begin thinking, what am I doing? What am I accomplishing? I'm doing the same thing every day and nothing is ever getting better. Think of this especially in a task like mowing the lawn or cleaning something. It's just gonna get dirty again. Well, what is the purpose? What is the goal? Why are you doing what you're doing in the first place? Both the answers of, well, that's just what needs to get done and that's just how I obtain what I need to survive. Neither of these provide lasting fulfillment in any way. But yet, that's what? we see all around in our culture is this idea, well, you can't judge me. And really, what we're saying is, don't tell me I need to change, because you don't know what I'm experiencing. And as I have been tempted to quip, though I try not to do it in an offensive way, obviously, so I share it as an illustration to all of you. I don't have to walk a mile in your shoes to know that they're untied. Sometimes you can easily see someone's life and think, here's one of the big problems. Someone says, I just don't have any money. And they say it while they're holding a $7 coffee in their hand, or whatever the case may be. or they say it and then are telling you in the next breath about the concert tickets that they spent $300 on this weekend. And you say, well, there's a reason you don't have any money. I'm not telling you how to run your life, but I'm just saying don't complain about things when you're putting yourself in those own situation and in that situation. or at the very least don't complain when people offer suggestions as to perhaps a pathway to improve whatever it is that you might be complaining about. But we don't have that perspective, right? It's very rare to see someone actually take even a well-meaning critique as a well-meaning bit of advice. So often that's because we have such a self-centered perspective. Well, the disciples in our text needed to be shown that as Jesus explained his approaching departure from them, that they had drifted into a very self-centered despair or giving way to fear and anxiety. You know, when we face difficulties, it's easy to lose sight of our true purpose. If we aren't intentional in our service for Christ, we can easily forget why we are truly here in the first place. Why we exist. Why we have been saved. What is our purpose on this earth? We have four points here this morning from this text. First of all, we will see that a proper focus brings peace. A proper focus brings peace. A right understanding of our purpose brings peace. Secondly, a proper focus loves others. A proper focus loves others. A proper focus requires faith. And then finally, a proper focus honors God. Let's see first. that a proper focus brings peace. Jesus says, 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. And as we consider the peace Jesus speaks of in this passage, it is important that we understand what Christ's peace truly is. John MacArthur states in verse 27 in his commentary, This verse reflects four features of divine peace, its nature, its source, its contrast, and its result, all here in verse 27. The first thing that we see is that true peace comes through Christ. It says, Peace I leave with you, Jesus speaking, of course. My peace I give unto you. Now throughout throughout the upper room discourse. The disciples are listening, and they offer a few questions that demonstrate they are struggling to grasp what Jesus is teaching them. Their minds are absorbed in the uncertainty introduced by Jesus' words just a few verses prior. Yet a little while am I with you, and where I am going you cannot come. Simply put, the disciples at this moment do not have true peace. It should not surprise us that having true peace is impossible for an unbeliever. If true peace comes from Christ, how could anyone obtain it without first being in Christ through faith in His saving work on the cross? True peace comes from Christ. From knowing who God is. but a true understanding of God rightly terrifies the unbeliever. There is nothing peaceful about recognizing you in your sin stand guilty before God. For the believer, our peace is rooted in our confidence for the future, not just in this life, but our ultimate destiny as well. But for the unbeliever, The knowledge of God reveals that he is headed for hell and destruction. Salvation, then, becomes a prerequisite for anyone who desires to receive divine peace. Now, the disciples, with the obvious exception of Judas, who had already left them, met this important condition. They believed Jesus was the Messiah, the Son of God, and their Lord. Yes, their understanding would certainly grow in the days and years following Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection, but they already possess the essential prerequisite of true peace, faith in Jesus Christ. Nevertheless, at this moment, they did not possess divine peace for themselves. So we see that even believing in Jesus Christ still allows us to struggle. to have this peace. Sometimes true believers have an improper focus and lack true peace. The second thing that we see here is that true peace defies the world's wisdom. This peace that Jesus offers defies worldly wisdom. Now since true peace is sourced in God, it shouldn't surprise us that such peace is vastly different from what the world calls peace. MacArthur again states in verse 27, the world only offers an experience of momentary fleeting tranquility through self-indulgence, materialism, love, romance, substance abuse, false religion, psychotherapy, or a whole host of other placebos. But the world's pseudo-peace is in reality the bliss of ignorance. If unbelievers understood the wrath of God and the agonizing unrelieved eternal torment awaiting them in hell, they would never enjoy a moment's peace in this life. And that's certainly true. If we understand the reality of hell and know that we're going there, how could you possibly enjoy this life? This is why We do not lead with the love of Jesus. We lead with the wrath of God. Until a person recognizes that they are guilty before God, there's no reason to seek a savior at all. Don't you want to be saved? Saved from what? I'm fine. That's the response. That's the mindset. that is produced by a gospel message that says, Jesus loves you, accept him into your heart. No, Jesus certainly does love, and he does wish to save us, but there must be some understanding of what we need to be saved from, and that is the wrath of God on sin. And the world develops numerous coping mechanisms in vain attempts to find peace, because we all see the effects of sin around us. We don't like to recognize our own sin, but it's obvious that there is sin in the world. We see devastating things take place all around us. So the world develops these coping mechanisms to try and find peace through life's struggles. but none of them can hold a candle to true divine peace which Christ provides to believers. Whether it's an appropriate pleasure of this life, which we look to for far more than it could possibly offer, or a sinful vice that we should abstain from entirely, you cannot find true peace in this life or the next apart from Jesus Christ. Scripture teaches us that worldly peace is no peace at all. Paul in Romans 3 describes the fallen humanity in no uncertain terms, but notice his conclusion to this thought. Romans 3 verses 11 through 17. Paul says, There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable. There is none that doeth good, no not one. Their throat is an open sepulcher. With their tongues they have used deceit. The poison of asps is under their lips, whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness. Their feet are swift to shed blood. Destruction and misery are in their ways. He says in verse 17, and the way of peace they have not known. In fact, scripture couldn't be any clearer than what we read in Isaiah 48 verse 22. There is no peace, saith the Lord, unto the wicked. True peace defies worldly wisdom, and what the world calls peace is a cheap and powerless substitute for true peace. We see as well that true peace eliminates fear and anxiety. Divine peace anchors us to Christ and our eternal hope through Him. We need not fear or despair in the trials of this life because our hope is secure in Christ. Priscilla Owens composed for her Sunday school children what has become a hymn beloved by the church in which the chorus states so wonderfully, we have an anchor that keeps the soul steadfast and sure while the billows roll, fastened to the rock which cannot move, grounded firm and deep in the Savior's love. Divine peace allows us to rest in Christ, confident that he will take care of us in perfect accordance with his will. And this is the biblical cure for depression, despair, anxiety, and the like. We read in Philippians 4, verses 6 and 7, Be careful for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God, and the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Jesus Christ. You see, the world can't even comprehend this divine peace. It is entirely beyond human understanding. This is, by the way, why Christians shouldn't put much stock in worldly counseling and psychiatry. And we should discern the limits of medicine as well. You cannot fix a broken leg by taping your Bible to it. That comes as a shock to no one, I'm sure. But you also cannot fix a spiritual problem by taking a pill. Too many are ignoring that simple fact today. When it comes to secular psychiatry and counseling, we understand that spiritually speaking, this is just another example of the blind leading the blind. Your unbelieving therapist, regardless of the letters on some plaque next to their name, can only offer a frail and fleeting pseudo-peace. only divine peace can actually break the hold of depression and anxiety that dominates so many in our world today. So if you're going to seek freedom from such issues, why on earth would you go to someone who doesn't even acknowledge the spiritual side of the equation? The world says pastors need to stay in their lane and let the professionals handle these things. But God teaches that the whole field of secular psychiatry treatment actually has no lane to begin with. You cannot begin to address the problem of people's souls when you deny the fact that they are created in God's image. It's how you end up with all the nonsense we have today. Oh, well, you know, you just don't feel comfortable in your body. You know what you need to do? You need to mutilate your body. You've got plenty of people with medical degrees that'll tell you, yeah, that's exactly what you should do. No pastor and no Christian, for that matter, worth his salt will tell you that's what you should do. Because it goes against the natural creation of God. The divine order. If you're a man, God made you a man. And you're not going to find peace or joy in pretending to be a woman. The same is true the other way around. It's absolute nonsense. Christ alone gives peace. Peace that can overcome our fears and our anxieties. Say, I just struggle with depression. Go to Christ. Not a bottle. Say, I struggle with fear. I don't know what's gonna happen. Run to Christ. Not the guy in the street corner. offering a cheap high. Secondly, this morning, we see a proper focus loves others. Our natural inclination is self-centered. In verse 28, Jesus says, you have heard how I said unto you, I go away and come again unto you. This is what is dominating the disciples mind. This is what they can't get over. He's saying lots of things, but their minds are still stuck on the fact he's leaving. You heard, I said to you, I go away and I will come back. Jesus explains that their response to His words reflected an inadequate love for Him. He says, if you loved Me, you would rejoice because I said, I go unto the Father, for My Father is greater than I am. This is the same logic that preachers often apply in a charge for greater faithfulness in evangelism. You see, if we know the vast majority of those around us are headed for eternal judgment under the wrath of God, and they are, and if we know that Jesus offers salvation to all who will repent, and He does, then when you connect those two truths, the only explanation for why we don't evangelize is that we just don't really care that much about the people around us. and the fact that they're headed for an eternity under God's judgment. You say, no, I do care about that. Really? Then you would do something about it. Why am I or anyone else to believe that we really care that much if we're more content to sit around and watch some TV show and go weeks, months, the average American Christian, the average American Christian admits they have not witnessed to someone in the past year. Should we dare ask how much time has been spent in personal entertainment or leisure? This is exactly what Jesus says to his disciples here. The same thing. You have two truths, and if you put them together, your response should be different. Because love prioritizes others. Love prioritizes others. Jesus had given the disciples the truth, and they believed Him, but they did not rejoice with Him because they were more focused on their fear than on Christ's glory. What are the truths that they knew? They knew that Jesus had just said He would be leaving them to return to His Father, and they knew that Jesus loved the Father. Jesus had given the disciples, all the information that they needed to rejoice with Him. But they didn't rejoice because they were more focused on their fear than on Christ's joy. Colin Cruz states that Jesus' words at the end of verse 28 enable us to see how much the return to the Father meant to Jesus Himself, and sadly, how little the disciples recognized this. They were so preoccupied with their own problems, they were unable to rejoice with Him in this matter. We see this at times. when a young person experiences a major milestone in life, whether it's a high school graduation, whether they're unpacking into a dorm room for the first time, perhaps hearing the pronunciation. I now pronounce you husband and wife. A few tears are often present for the parents on those joyous occasions. But it would be wrong for the parents' sadness to become so pronounced that it overshadowed the excitement and joy for their child in those moments. Likewise, it is wrong for the disciples to be so distraught about their Lord returning to the Father. And it is wrong for us to lament the home going of God's blessed saints as well. Now I don't think that our loved ones in heaven are looking down at us as we come together for their funerals. I don't believe that's how that works. I don't think they really care that much. They have far better things to focus on in those moments. But if they did, If they did look down as we are gathering together for a funeral of a beloved saint now in heaven, I imagine that individual would think something to this effect. If you only knew, you'd only sorrow in the fact that you are not yet here in the presence of your Lord as well. We think, I wish we could just have a little more time with Him. I wish He could have just been here a little longer. And if they are truly in heaven this moment, they would say to us, in probably words, in a way that would kind of rattle us the wrong way, I wouldn't do that for anything! You want me to leave the side of my Savior? There's not a chance! In fact, what are you doing down there? Get up here. Don't do anything immoral, but get here as quick as you can. I thought I had had a good time at certain points down on Earth, down in my life. But it's so much better here. I wouldn't miss it for the world. That's the joy that Jesus is telling his disciples he's about to return to. And in that excitement, in his heart, he's surrounded by 11 disciples who are weeping at the fact that he's going to leave. No. We've all seen that. You've been really excited about something, but everybody around you is distraught by it? At least saddened by it. They want to be happy for you, but you can tell they're not happy. They're sad. There is no joy for the believer that can compare with that of entering the Father's presence at the end of this life. Nothing. This should have been the disciples' response to such news. To rejoice with Jesus in the thought of returning to the Father. Why? Because if they truly loved Him, if they had this genuine love for Jesus, they would have prioritized His joy over their own sorrow. Thirdly this morning, we see that a proper focus requires faith. Jesus says in verse 29, Now I have told you before it comes to pass, that when it is come to pass, you might believe. Hereafter I will not talk much with you, for the prince of this world cometh and hath nothing in me. We must trust Christ in His absence. Having just said that the disciples should have rejoiced in Jesus rejoicing, the fact remains that doing so is quite difficult. Such joy in the midst of their own uncertainty is only possible through faith in Jesus Christ. He wants them to be happy for Him that He is soon to return to the Father. But you know what? They can't. because it means that they will be separated from Him. The only thing that can empower them to actually have this proper perspective, this proper focus, is confidence in the second half of what He said. And I will come again for you. Jesus says, and returning to the Father. That is devastating news. But the hope that can give us faith is the promise, and if I go, I will return for you. See, the disciples are so focused on the first part, They're ignoring the promise that could allow them to have exercised this proper faith. For over three years, the disciples had been with Jesus, and during that time they had hardly left his side. They had learned to trust him while they walked beside him. But now the time had come for them to learn to trust him even as he leaves. Jesus tells His disciples what is going to happen so that they will remember as they face these things that Jesus knew the future in advance and loved them enough to warn them of the difficulties ahead. He tells them what would happen, that He would be taken from them, that He would be put to death. he would return to the father in that way and the reason that that is important is because those things were going to happen over the course the next three days but his return for them his ultimate return for them and for us was still much further off. So why do we trust that Jesus is truly going to take us to be with Him? Because the first part of what He said all happened. Because He did die on the cross for our sins, just as He said. And He did raise again three days later from the grave, just as He said. As we saw last week, Jesus would send the Holy Spirit to indwell His followers, and in doing so, give all believers a union with the Father, Son, and Spirit. I must trust Christ in His absence. And then, trust Christ when confronted by evil. The powers of darkness are at work throughout this fallen world. He says in verse 30 hereafter, I will not talk with you Talk much with you for the prince of this world cometh and hath nothing in me Jesus is saying in essence It's about time we're wrapping this up because the devil is coming after me It already entered Judas To design this betrayal that would happen shortly hereafter We know how it was all going to conclude. The powers of darkness are working in and through our world, all around us. And God sovereignly controls all things. We saw a clear example of that last night. You know, one of the reasons that we should not put our faith in politics is because God is in control of all of that as well. He can steer bullets. In fact, nothing, no ruler rises or falls apart from God's sovereign decree. Why would we put our faith in princes? And we could put our faith in the One Sovereign over all things. See, even when enemies who are clearly driven by demonic influences rise against us, we must trust Jesus Christ, the One who has all power to do exactly as the Father pleases. You know, you can put your faith in some human leader. But even as Abraham Lincoln said, my hope is that I am on the Lord's side. You know, there's only one person that you can put your faith in who is always on God's side, who you know God is never looking to judge and always looking to bless, and that is Jesus Christ His Son. Proper focus requires faith, and faith in Jesus Christ. Finally then, a proper focus honors God. Verse 31, but that the world may know that I love the Father, and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do. See, if we have this proper focus on Christ, we will love God more. If you are properly focusing on Christ in the midst of your trials, in the midst of your mundane tasks and routine, you will grow to love God more through it. When we begin to employ a biblical perspective, we will be driven by a greater and greater love for our God. Jesus loved, loved and loves the Father perfectly. And he sought to do his will above all else. He says, by this, by that, the world may know that I love the Father. What is he talking about? He's talking about the cross. He's talking about the cross, that He would go to the cross for sinners and that that would be a demonstration of His love for sinners. Well, it is that, but that's not what He says here. It would be a demonstration of Christ's love for the Father. Why? Because on the cross He purchased the redemption of all that the Father had chosen. God loved the world. What do we read in John 3, 16? He so loved the world that He gave God and Son. So who are we talking about in particular here? Who is the one that gives the Son? It's not a hard question. God. God who? Which person of the Triune Godhead gives the Son? The Father! Why? Because He, the Father, loves the world. But the Son, in perfect love for the Father, answers the call And for 33 years, He lives a sinless life in human flesh in order to accomplish what the Father sent Him here to do, to purchase the salvation for us through His death on the cross. This is our picture of love for God. to perfectly do what He calls us to do. Secondly, you will seek His glory. A proper focus honors God in that we will seek to glorify Him. Jesus, in His love for the Father, glorified the Father in His obedience, regardless of the cost to Himself. This is seen most vividly, of course, by going to the cross. Grant Osborne states here, the cross was an act of divine obedience, not a victory for Satan. In the final analysis, the world would know of Jesus' love for the Father. We see this truth even today. The cross should have become a symbol of Satan's victory because it is the instrument that he used to bring about Jesus' death. You can almost see Satan rejoicing with his demons on the night of the crucifixion as Christ dies. We've killed God. We use the Roman cross to do it. But in spite of Satan's plan, God accomplished his divine purpose, and in doing so, the cross becomes not a symbol of Satan's victory through death, but rather a symbol of Christ's victory over death. Which, by the way, is why our cross doesn't have a half-naked man hanging on it anymore. He's not there anymore. And don't pray to the dying saver, pray to the risen Lord. Amen? Because without the resurrection, there is no power. But because of the resurrection, we have every confidence that Christ was victorious. And if he could crush death itself, he can crush your sin. that we have considered this morning. The mostly negative example of the disciples, because their focus needed to be corrected. That's what Jesus was seeking to do. He was explaining to them that their perspective here was not proper. It was self-centered, as we said. It was focused on themselves, on the fact that he was leaving and that they would be left without knowing how to continue. But there was one other person in the room there with them, and he demonstrated a proper focus. I am, of course, speaking of the Lord Jesus. because though He was just hours away from being arrested and would be crucified the very next evening, Jesus speaks with tremendous peace, a humble love for His disciples, with complete confidence in the Father's plan, and as though His greatest desire is to fulfill His Father's will. That is how He can say he will be glorified when he's talking about his painful death. That is how he can say, you should rejoice with me! When between now and then comes a whole lot of physical and emotional and even spiritual pain. This is the model for Christians to follow. I realize I may be speaking this morning to someone who may never have trusted Christ. The gospel begins with the terrible news that we have all broken God's law and stand guilty before him, and that God demands complete holiness, purity. We have sinned. We've already read, as Scripture says, that none are righteous. But we see that Jesus, the very Son of God, came to this earth and died in our place to pay the penalty for our sin. Christ suffered the wrath of God in our place so that we could be clothed in His righteousness. To the unbeliever here this morning, I echo the words of the Apostles. Repent and trust in Jesus Christ. Impart because you'll never have a proper understanding of this life or the next without Jesus Christ. To believers, I charge you, be anchored to Christ through the knowledge of His Word and the power of the Holy Spirit. And if you are, you will find that peace, love, faith, and obedience begin to flow from your heart in new ways. In fact, it's almost as if another is working through you to accomplish God's will through your life and through your members. of course that's exactly what's happened as we know this is the role of the Holy Spirit in our lives that as we trust in Christ our perspective changes and our responses change and our actions change to reflect Christ more through the power of His Holy Spirit.