The Promise of a Helper
“If ye love me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 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. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.” — John 14:15–18
I once heard a story about a very popular songwriter. I will not say his name because I would not encourage you to listen to his music from the pulpit, but the story has always stuck with me.
This songwriter grew up in deep poverty. His whole life had been defined by barely surviving. He had a passion for music, though, and as he began to write songs and perform them, his popularity exploded almost overnight. With that popularity came something he had never experienced before: great wealth.
In an interview he told a story about walking into a jewelry store and looking at some Rolex watches. He had never owned anything like that before, but he was fascinated by them. Standing there in the store, he thought to himself, Maybe I can finally afford one of these.
So he called his manager and asked, “Hey, I’m looking at these watches. I’d really like to buy one. Do you think I have enough money to afford it?”
His manager paused for a moment and said, “Buddy, if you wanted to, you could buy the whole store.”
That moment struck him deeply because it was the first time he realized the resources that were actually available to him.
When I heard that story, I could not help but think about believers. Spiritually speaking, we are rich beyond our ability to comprehend. Through Christ and through the Spirit He has given us, we have access to the very resources of heaven itself. There is no challenge we will face that we are not prepared to meet because of who is with us and what He has given to us.
Yet far too often we live like spiritual paupers. We fall into temptation, we crumble in spiritual conflict, we live day by day in worry and anxiety and fear, all while failing to realize the immeasurable spiritual resources that have been made available to us through the gift of God’s Son and through the Spirit He has sent to dwell within us.
Living Between Christ’s First and Second Coming
In John 14, Jesus is speaking His final words to His disciples before His crucifixion. They are gathered together at the Lord’s Supper. Judas has already left the room. Jesus has told him, “What you do, do quickly,” and Judas has gone out into the night.
Now Jesus turns to the disciples who remained faithful. These are the men upon whom He will build His church. And He knows what is coming.
Within twenty-four hours He will be dead. He will lie in the grave for three days. They will be confused and heartbroken. Then He will rise again, and their sorrow will turn to joy.
But only forty days later He will ascend into heaven. His physical presence will be gone, and they will remain here in a broken and frightening world.
As we have begun raising children, I have been amazed at something. Sometimes our kids will be in their beds while we are just down the hallway. They can hear us talking. They know we are there.
And yet sometimes they still want us to come into the room and lie beside them. They want to see us. They want to feel our presence.
Why? Because when fear sets in, nothing calms the heart like the presence of someone who loves you.
Jesus understood that His disciples had grown accustomed to His physical presence. For three years He had been right there with them. They had walked with Him, talked with Him, and watched Him perform miracles.
Now He was leaving.
But He wanted them to understand something crucial: though His physical body would no longer be present, they would not be alone.
Last week we talked about the great command that Jesus left with them. In His absence we are not without instruction. He has given us His Word. These are the very words of the Father given through the Son so that we may know how to live.
That is why Jesus said, “If you love me, keep my commandments.” Do not neglect them. Do not treat them lightly. Embrace them and let them shape your life.
But today we see something else in this passage: the great commitment that Christ has made to His people.
We live in the in-between. Christ has come, He has saved our souls, and one day He will return. When He comes again, His physical presence will fill the new heavens and the new earth. There will be no need for the sun or the stars because the glory of Christ Himself will be the light of that world.
But right now we live in His physical absence.
And yet His absence does not mean He has left us alone.
Another Comforter
Jesus says in verse 16, “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever.”
The word “another” is important. The disciples had already known a comforter. For three years Jesus Himself had comforted them, taught them, and guided them. He was Emmanuel — God with us.
But now He promises another Comforter.
The Greek word used here literally means one who is called alongside to help.
Jesus is saying that when He goes away, another helper will come. Someone will stand beside them in their times of need.
And that changes everything.
I remember when I first started going to the gym in college. I had no idea what I was doing, but I decided I was going to try bench pressing. I loaded some weight on the bar, laid down on the bench, lifted it up, and lowered it to my chest.
Then I tried to push it back up.
It did not move.
I pushed with everything I had. Nothing happened. At that moment fear set in because I realized I was stuck under that bar.
But suddenly an older gentleman who had been watching came running over. He was absolutely jacked. He reached down, grabbed the bar, and lifted it up like it weighed nothing. He set it back in the rack and looked down at me and said, “You alright, buddy?”
I was very glad to see his face in that moment.
I had someone who came alongside me in my time of need.
That is the picture Jesus is giving here. As we serve Him, we will find ourselves under burdens heavier than we can carry. We will face trials that feel overwhelming. Sometimes we will not even know how to take the next step.
But Jesus says we will not face those moments alone.
The Spirit of Truth
Jesus continues, “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.”
Notice the tense here.
Jesus says the Spirit dwells with you — present tense — but will be in you — future tense.
The Holy Spirit did not come into existence at Pentecost. Genesis 1:2 tells us that the Spirit of God was moving over the face of the waters at creation. Throughout the Old Testament we see the Spirit coming upon people for specific purposes.
But Jesus says a new reality is coming.
The Spirit who has been with you will soon be in you.
The word “abide” in verse 16 means to make a home. It means to set up residence.
The Holy Spirit will not simply visit believers. He will dwell within them permanently.
And Jesus adds something incredible: He will abide with you forever.
Forever means forever.
If you are in Christ, God Himself has placed His Spirit inside of you. The very God of heaven is living within your soul, strengthening you, guiding you, and comforting you.
If you need truth, He is the Spirit of truth.
If you need help, He is the Comforter.
If you need strength, He is already there.
You do not have to ask Him to show up. He is present with you right now.
Brought into the Fellowship of God
Later in the passage Jesus says, “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me… and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.” (John 14:21)
Judas — not Iscariot — asks how Jesus will reveal Himself to them but not to the world.
Jesus answers, “If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.” (John 14:23)
Notice the language.
Jesus does not say I will make my abode with him.
He says we will.
The Father and the Son come to dwell with the believer through the Holy Spirit. In other words, believers are brought into the fellowship of the Trinity.
Think about that.
The perfect communion that has always existed between Father, Son, and Spirit now includes us.
That means wherever you are, you have access to God. You do not have to go to a temple. You do not have to enter a special building.
At two o’clock in the morning when you feel alone, God is there.
When you feel like nobody understands your pain, God is there.
You will never be alone again.
The Gift of Christ’s Peace
Jesus continues in verse 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.”
Notice what Jesus says carefully.
“Peace I leave with you.”
That is a promise.
But then He says something even more specific:
“My peace I give unto you.”
The world offers many kinds of peace. Financial peace. Emotional peace. Physical peace. The world claims that if you follow certain steps you can secure a peaceful life.
Yet the world itself is constantly filled with anxiety.
Why?
Because the world’s peace falls apart when circumstances change.
But Jesus gives His peace.
God is the most peaceful being in the universe. He knows the beginning from the end. Nothing surprises Him. Nothing catches Him off guard.
Wars may disturb us. Political upheaval may shake us. But none of it shakes God.
He has already written the story.
And Jesus says the same peace that belongs to Him is the peace He gives to His people.
Victory Over the Enemy
Near the end of the passage Jesus says, “The prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.” (John 14:30)
The prince of this world is Satan. Jesus knows that through Judas and the Roman authorities, Satan is about to drive Him toward the cross.
But Jesus says the enemy has nothing in Him.
In other words, Satan has no real power over Christ.
Yes, Jesus will go to the cross. But three days later He will rise again. And through that victory He will place His Spirit within believers as the guarantee of their victory.
Because the Spirit of God lives in us, we do not have to fear our adversary.
Greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world.
Living with Confidence in the In-Between
So many of us walked into church carrying burdens.
We feel tired.
We feel uncertain about the future.
We feel broken by the weight of life.
But this passage reminds us of something glorious.
If you belong to Christ, the Holy Spirit of God is inside of you right now.
You are not alone.
He is your helper.
He is your teacher.
He is your guide.
He is your peace.
He is your guarantee of victory.
And that is how we live faithfully in the in-between.
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