Something “dawned” on me (or maybe I read it in a commentary somewhere) … Not a single MAN came to the empty tomb early Resurrection Morning! Only women! Yet of the named women who were early at the sepulcher … Mary of Bethany … was not one of them! That’s strange, Bethany being so close to Jerusalem, less than two miles. Then it occurred to me WHY Mary of Bethany did not come, or a possible reason anyway. SHE HAD ALREADY (BEFORE ANYONE ELSE) ANOINTED JESUS’ BODY FOR BURIAL! Read John 12:7 here for proof … “Then said Jesus, Let her alone: against the day of my burying hath she kept this.”

Wow!

I could have easily judged this Mary for having little faith, when in reality she had much faith! The point of all this … Jesus’ disciples (who were so “sure” in verse 30), were not sure at all Easter Sunday morning!

Also in our Text (verses 29-30) the Disciples talked about “God.” While Jesus talked about the “Father!” The latter Name is far more intimate than the former! How do YOU know Him? Growing faith eventually recognizes Him as “Our Father Which art in Heaven!”

Now let me say something good about the disciples, something positive. They did not absorb ALL of what Jesus said in that Upper Room, but they did get SOME of it!

And so it is with us!

These men were impacted by the very “fragrance” of Jesus’ Presence, Jesus’ Teaching, and Jesus’ Love for them and for the world! It reminds me of Job 14:8-9, the POWER of a sweet odor, of a “scent!” This is a Paragraph were an old, dead tree trunk is being discussed! “Though the root thereof wax old in the earth, and the stock thereof die in the ground; yet through the SCENT OF WATER it will bud, and bring forth boughs like a plant.”

Paul once said our very lives (and our testimonies) are “savors” (smells, aromas) of sweetness wherever we go! “For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ.”  2 Corinthians 2:15

Someone likened PRAYER to …

Noah’s dove returning with an olive branch in its mouth!

Moses’ rod bringing forth water!

Samson’s jawbone defeating the enemy!

David’s harp expelling evil spirits!

A Key that unlocks Heven’s treasures!

Word pictures, a powerful way to convey truth, God’s Truth!

I invite you to watch the whole class now …

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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In class I referred to the numerous times Jesus mentions prayer in this long Sermon. More specifically …

In the “Father” chapter, John 14 …

John 14:13 … “And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.”

John 14:14 … “If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.”

In the “Son” chapter, John 15 …

John 15:7 … “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.”

John 15:16 … “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.”

In the “Holy Spirit” chapter, John 16 …

John 16:23 … “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.”

John 16:24 … “Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.”

Notice … in John 14 it is the Son Who answers prayer. By John 16 it is the Father Who does so! (Preparation for Jesus’ Absence involves prayer, much prayer in fact!)

Praying for “whatsoever” … such a vast invitation …

Like Psalm 81:10 commands … “Open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it.”

Or Jeremiah 33:3 … “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.”

Luke 6:25 should have been added to the lesson. Wicked world, take note … “Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep.”(In light of verse 20!)

This too … In 1 Thessalonians 5:17-17 Paul commands … “Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing.” Herein is a Principle of God’s Ways … NO PRAYER, NO JOY! (The second act is the means of procuring the first act! Prayer provides joy!)

The disciples speaking here in John 16:17 interrupt a long section of the Sermon, a large Span with Jesus only teaching, preaching! The disciples have not voiced anything since John 14:22!

There is a spiritual dimension to Jesus’ “woman in travail” illustration in verse 21. Paul uses such a metaphor in Galatians 4:19. “My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you.”

The Cross of Calvary might be an example of such “labor, travail” as well. There Jesus, in agony, produces “children!” The Sinless Blood shed there at Golgotha “births” many into the kingdom of God! That’s why Isaiah 53:10 can say … “God, thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, HE SHALL SEE HIS SEED, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.”Meaning “seed” as children, converts!

The disciples well may have so negatively reacted to Jesus “going away” … because they still had visions of His immediately setting up His Kingdom and ruling over all the earth! With them enjoying the windfall ($$$) of course! Probably selfish motives, looks like!

A full lesson this time. Watch it if you can …

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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Our Passage …

12 I (Jesus) have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. 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. 14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. 15 All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.”

Verse `13 of our Text distinctly says of the Holy Spirit … “He shall not speak of Himself.”

But Satan, the Devil … John 8:44 … “Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, HE SPEAKETH OF HIS OWN: for he is a liar, and the father of it.”

What a difference, complete opposites!

Our current Paragraph supplies us with Jesus’ last mention of the Holy Spirit in this great Upper Room Sermon. (The Spirit has been discussed by our Lord in each of the three chapters of this Discourse. John 14 and 15 and 16!)

Verse 12, where Jesus withholds any further information from the less than mature Disciples, reminds me of Proverbs 25:2. “It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter.” King James Version!

On the Spirit’s “guiding” us into all truth, us Christians … I would not be surprised if the Holy Ghost has “led” (“enlightened”) some of the great Christian inventors and scientists over the years as they presented us with their great life-changing innovations! “All truth!”

I suspect an ounce of Jesus’ Teaching would yield a ton of Christian Truth when exposited by the Holy Spirit!

I trust you are enjoying our Trip through the Gospel of John! And the best way to glean even more information is by watching the whole class …

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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Jesus is promising here, in reality, EVANGELISTIC (SOUL-WINNING) POWER! Because the dear Holy Spirit works through the Church! 

One Preacher said: Jesus’ “Career” (His Life and Person and Work) is the greatest RIGHT the planet has ever seen!

On the devil being “judged” … Colossians 2:15 says Jesus “spoiled” him at the Cross! This uses a verb that literally means “knocked his armor off!” (apo + ek + duo in Greek.)

In general, the Book of Acts well may outline the three parts of our Text! Sin being defined as unbelief in Jesus, Acts 3:13-14! Righteousness being defined as Jesus’ Life and Death, Acts 13:39! And judgment being defined as the defeat of the devil, Acts 26:18!

“The Comforter exposes the falsity of the world’s fundamental ideas!”

The only way to know God’s RIGHTEOUSNESS (JESUS) is by faith! And faith does not operate by sight! So Jesus explains … “and ye see Me no more!”

Jesus, when tried by Pilate and company, is THREE TIMES declared “not guilty!” No fault in This Man! A unique sequence that might explain the three parts of our Text! (In our Passage the world is declared guilty or wrong three times!)

I liked this quote … “UNBEILEF IN JESUS … the quintessential sin!”

Here in our Text the Holy Spirit is the prosecuting Attorney … exposing the world! Concerning us Christians, the Holy Spirit is the defense Attorney!

In sum, here in our Passage three ideas of this world have been redefined! Sin, Righteousness and Judgment!

Wow!

I invite you to watch this whole Lesson …

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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I think Jesus actually WANTED the Disciples to ask that question, “Where goest thou, Lord?”

Then I am wondering of myself, do I concentrate much on … Where He has gone? What He is doing? What He has next on His Schedule?

Don’t misunderstand me. I am not in any way minimizing Jesus’ three-year earthly Ministry. There occurs the Virgin Birth, Sinless Life, Vicarious Death, Literal Resurrection, the Essence of our eternal Salvation!

But John the Apostle began his great Gospel with 18 verses (the Prologue) that stretch back into eternity past when Jesus was “the Word” and was “with God the Father” and was “God!” (He still is God, never has ceased being God, never will!) Then John continues showing Jesus as “Creator!” Before He ever came to earth for His Public Ministry!

John also (but now in his Book of Revelation) looks into the future. Not only where Jesus is right now but what He is doing and plans yet to do! Bible Prophecy! “Lord, where goest Thou?”

Yes, our great Saviour has a PAST MINISTRY, a PRESENT MINISTRY, and a FUTURE MINISTRY! And we need to study Him in every Phase of His Being, His eternal Being!

He wants us to do so!

“But now I go my way to him that sent me; and none of you asketh me, Whither goest thou?” John 16:5

Further into our Text Jesus also promised His “Divine Delivery,” His sending the sweet Holy Spirit to earth! “Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.” Verse 7 of John 16, I loved that Term “Divine Delivery!”

Someone rightly said … “We experience Jesus Christ’s Presence in the Holy Spirit’s Presence!” In no other waycould our Lord have promised … “Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” Matthew 28:28

In class … the verse I mentioned that uses the Pauline expression “overmuch sorrow” is 2 Corinthians 2:7.

Best of all really … just watch the whole lesson …

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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