Provision While I Am Gone - John 14:25-31

2:13And so I want to look at that this morning and just to bring you up to speed. And remember in chapter 13, Jesus has told his disciples that one of them is going to betray them. One of them is going to deny them. Their leader, one of their trusted leaders, is going to even deny knowing him. Jesus has said he was going to leave them. And so all of this hits them pretty hard. And I think they really get it at that point that something bad is about to happen in Jerusalem. Well, just a little while, just earlier, they were talking about who was going to be the greatest. And at this point, they understand, okay, something ominous is on the horizon. And so Jesus in chapter 14 begins to comfort them. Look at verse. 1, Do not let your heart be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me.

3:06And he begins to comfort them. And he first starts comforting them by saying, Look, I'm going, but my father, in my father's house, are many dwelling places. There's adequate room, and I'm going to prepare a place for you. And then if I go, I'm going to come back. So my going is actually the beginning of my coming back to take you into my father's house and to show you all that I want to share with you about my father and the dwelling place. And so, saying, Don't be troubled. And then there's several rounds of questions: one from Thomas, one from Philip, one from Judas, not Iscariot. And Jesus has comforted them throughout. He said, He's comforted them by saying, You do know the way of the Father. You do know the Father. You're still going to do greater things than I even did. My power is going to be with you. And not only that, you'll have whatever you ask in prayer in my name. So he is comforting them throughout. And he says, The Spirit of truth is going to be given to you, and I'm not going to leave you as orphans. And so, here in these final verses of chapter 14, as he rounds out this section of the upper room discourse, he assured them that they will be adequately provided for during his physical absence.

4:31And this, of course, is going to be a source of great comfort. So this is what I want us to look at this morning, four provisions that Christ has given his people, or that is for his people in his absence. The first provision is the Holy Spirit. Look back at verse 25. I'll just start reading there. These things, speaking to these things, and I take that to be what he has just spoken of, starting really at the beginning of chapter 14 and down. I don't think he's talking about just what is immediately preceding, nor do I think he's talking about the sum total of everything he's spoken while with him. He's speaking specifically about these events in the upper room. These things I have spoken to you while abiding with you. But the helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you. Now, there's a couple of observations you need to make here about the Holy Spirit. We want to understand the Holy Spirit like John understood the Holy Spirit. And so you see in these next few verses, next chapters, and certainly in these verses, you start seeing John's understanding of the role of the Holy Spirit and how he's going to play out, not only in the disciples' lives, but in all of the lives. Those who would follow Christ in subsequent generations. So, understanding the role and the work of the Holy Spirit is very important, and especially a good place to start is how John understood it. So, that's what we'll be doing now, and we'll keep hitting these verses as we go along.

6:22But, notice a few observations here, just from these, just from verse 26. First of all, the Holy Spirit is a person, he is not some force, he is a person. The pronouns, he, he, the person of the Holy Spirit. Second, notice that he is sent by the Father. The Holy Spirit is sent by the Father, He is the Father's gift to us. So, think about it as the provisions that are being made. There is a gift that comes to us from the Father Himself, the Holy Spirit.

7:06Now, you don't see this in the English, but the word for helper is paraklitos. And it's difficult to translate that. What is that? In fact, some words or some Translations have advocate based on the Latin, and then speaking of an individual that would advocate, oftentimes in a legal setting, comforter, the idea, the one that comes and gives strengths or the strengthener, a helper, as the New American Standard has it, a friend. The idea, in the very terminology, is one that's called to the side of another for the purpose of advancing their best interest. So the Holy Spirit, the helper, the Paracletos, is one that is called to the side of another to advance their well-being. It's the idea.

8:22And so, New American Standard, the helper, a helper is one who completes that which is lacking. And you can think about it: he's a supplier of that which is inadequate. He comes to help when there's inadequate resources. And you think about the whole idea of a backup in the police force, right? And if you've ever, I really appreciate a police. Especially when they're called into these dangerous settings, and sometimes there's an individual that shows up first, and he's got to take on and start dealing with mayhem. And oftentimes, they'll call for backup, right? Like, okay, this issue is over your head.

9:17You need someone to pick up your slack, so to speak, to be there to help you. Well, that's kind of the idea of a helper. He comes, and it's not just in confrontation setting, but it's whatever is lacking. The Holy Spirit is given to complete that, to come along the side and to help advance the best interests, even though their resources are inadequate. But also, notice: not only is he a person, not only is he sent by the Father, not only is he called the helper, but he is a spirit. He is a spirit. He is a spiritual being relating to spiritual beings. He is a spiritual being, and as such, he relates spiritually to spiritual beings. We are spiritual beings. We are. That is, yes, we are. We have a physical, material aspect to our being, but what drives us, what's happening, it's the unseen that gives expression to the seen.

10:22And John makes it, or Jesus made it clear in John 3:8 that you don't see the Holy Spirit, but like the Wind, you don't see the wind, but you see its effects, so it is with the Holy Spirit. And notice, He is holy, He is a Spirit, but He is holy. He is the Holy Spirit. And this is a description of His character. Now, earlier, just a few verses back in verse 17, He is called the Spirit of Truth, one that is all about the truth, one that is associated with the Truth. And the truth, Jesus said Himself, I am the truth. And so, this Spirit is the Holy Spirit is closely connected with Jesus in the truth, but also in character. He is holy. He is holy.

11:13It's not a description. You see, the Holy Spirit throughout the New Testament, this New Testament designation of God's Spirit, the Holy Spirit, isn't calling to attention his power so much as it is his character. He is by nature holy, just like the Father, just like the Son. So you can imagine if anyone's in relationship with the Holy Spirit, there is going to be a disposition and a characteristic of holiness. It's going to show up somewhere. But also notice he comes in Jesus' name. The Father will send him in my name. Understand that he comes with Jesus. Interest in mind. That's what it means. He comes in Jesus' name. He's not coming in somebody else's name. He's coming in Jesus' name with Jesus' interest and authority in mind.

12:17And he comes to forward Jesus' work that was not completed at this juncture. His work is not completed. It still isn't completed. Jesus is still at work. And it is His Holy Spirit, the Helper, who is sent by the Father to forward or to advance Jesus' work until it is completed. And listen, if you think about it, we need a helper, right? You think about the moral character that we are called to love each other like Christ loved the church, to embody his holiness. Think about the task that we are faced with, to make disciples from all the nations.

13:07Think about the task. Think about the character. Think about the standard. Yeah, we're inadequate, aren't we? But guess what? The Father knows that. And so he sent his helper, the Holy Spirit, to come alongside to complete that which was lacking. So that we can love him, obey him, follow him, because we cannot meet these standards on our own. We need help. And so the Holy Spirit's provision is necessary while Jesus is gone, or physically absent from us, I should say. And the timing of this is Pentecost.

13:58John 7:39, Jesus made that very clear. Pentecost is going to be the moment. So, second provision while Jesus is gone. I'm sorry, I'm not ready to go there yet. I've got, I didn't, I didn't finish the verse, did I? Look back. I mean, make sure I've preached the whole text, right? He will teach, look at the observations about the work of the Holy Spirit. We've looked at the person of the Holy Spirit, but now look at the work. And what will he do? He will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you. He will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you. So, two categories of his work: he has a teaching ministry and what I call a friendly reminder ministry. So, in Back in verse 17, the helping ministry of the Holy Spirit was to instill truth. He is the Spirit of truth. So he is given for the purpose of instilling truth in the minds of Jesus' followers. And so here, Jesus is describing his role as the teacher, as a teaching, as teaching. He will teach his disciples in and during his physical absence. And the teaching, so the teaching and ministry of Jesus is going to continue through the Holy Spirit who comes in his name. He is the advocate for Christ. He is the advocate for his disciples. He will convict. He will instruct.

15:49I think these principles, there's general principles here. He is a teacher and he is a reminder, and that is true of him and his disposition for all generations, even though there are some unique applications to the disciples here, specifically in the upper room. That is who he is speaking to. But notice he says all things. Now, one of the principles, when you see all things, you've got to be careful of just automatically thinking absolute. We do that when we're talking about the atonement. We do that about other things. But here, he says he will teach you all things. Now, he's not talking. In an absolute sense, that he will teach you every fact of the universe. That's not what he's saying. He's saying, He will teach you all things necessary for you to know. So be comforted. Remember, this whole section is about comfort. He will teach them all things that is necessary for them to know for their spiritual well-being. And especially, you can see what he's going to bring to their remembrance, is all that I said to you. Now, here's the historic situation. Jesus had been walking with the disciples for many years. He had said a lot of things to them. And so he is going to bring to remembrance all that I said to you. There is a historic data point here. The words that Jesus said to his disciples. And that's going to be the corpus of his teaching ministry and his friendly reminder ministry. Look, and he will, so the Holy Spirit is going to have a teaching role and he's going to have a memory recalling role.

17:42I don't know about you, but that's a real comforting thought. And you can, you know, I was with somebody the other day, somebody said, will you please do something for me? And the person is, absolutely, but you better send me a text. Otherwise, I'm acquitted from my promise. In other words, you send me a reminder, or I'm not, because I know that I may quickly forget that I made this promise to you. I may forget what you said, I may forget this whole encounter. So it's up to you to remind me, or I'm off the hook. You guys ever been there? We know the dependency. Yeah, I'll do it. Just remind me.

18:25Well, you can imagine what it would have felt like in that upper room after hearing the words of verse 21. Look back at verse 21. He who has my commandments and keeps them is the one who loves me. If I'm sitting there, I'm going to think, oh, panic, right? Rats. Okay, what were those? Because I know I'm going to forget them, right? If it's all dependent upon me to even remember them, I'm going to forget. And yet, Jesus knows his disciples, and he knows us. He knows that we have trouble recalling the right information. And so the Holy Spirit was sent by the Father to make sure his disciples remember his words. Right?

19:21Remember, look back to John. I'll just read this to you: John chapter 2, verse 22. You see, real, you see, This is borne out in several places, but you remember after he was talking about, you know, destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up again. But he was speaking to them of the temple of his body. And then in 2:22, here's these words. So when he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he said this, and they believed the scripture and the word which Jesus had spoken. He does that again in chapter 12 and 16, verse 16. But the idea is he brought back to memory some things that they had experienced, some things they had heard, but they didn't understand the significance of it all. But then afterwards, start connecting the dots. In fact, I would venture to say you can compare the teaching and remembering, or remembering and teaching ministry of the Holy Spirit as kind of the connect the dots type ministry. It's like the data is there, the information is there, but you're not quite sure how all this relates. And then as the Holy Spirit illumines their mind, then all of a sudden what was hidden, which even though they knew the facts, all of a sudden they could associate them properly. And that is the illuminating work of the Holy Spirit, the recollection, calling to mind. So obedience is dependent upon recollection, right? On recall.

21:02And so we need friendly reminders. And so this was certainly true of the disciples. I mean, you can imagine they're needing to be comforted right there, right? I mean, it would be very comforting to know: okay, don't worry, the Holy Spirit is coming, and He's going to bring to you your mind the remembrances. He's going to be the one responsible for reminding you of these things. Well, that takes a bit of a load off right there, right? That He obedience is necessary, or remembering the commands of Christ is necessary to obeying them. And so, but notice, notice what the Holy Spirit will cause the disciples to remember. Look back at that last clause of verse 26: all that I said to you.

21:56So, the Holy Spirit, who comes in Jesus' name, is about calling to remind all that Jesus said to His disciples. Now, you can think about the you here is clearly the disciples, and the things that the Holy Spirit will cause to be remembered are the words that He spoke and taught, that Jesus spoke and taught to His disciples. And so, what this implies, you've heard me say, Well, I believe. The canon is finished, that we have a, that I consider myself a completionist, right? That the canon is finished. And I believe Jesus Himself envisioned that we would have a body, a book of his words that are specifically inspired by the Holy Spirit with the purpose of connecting future generations to the ministry of Jesus Christ and the significance of that. And so what he's saying, what the Holy Spirit is going to do, and especially as it applies uniquely into these disciples, he is going to bring to mind all of those episodes, those words, all that is necessary for their well-being, and all that is necessary for them to enscripturate. And only a few of the disciples are even going to write. But the work of the Holy Spirit is to lay down a means by which the future disciples, the future followers of Christ, would have access to Christ's words. The Holy Spirit is about calling to mind the historical reality, the historical teaching, the historical events of Jesus Christ.

23:53And so he brings to mind that first generation, he calls of mind, he writes them down, but he is still very. Much a teacher, and he is still very much has a reminding ministry. I love it sometimes when you just you're somewhere, and all of a sudden you're in the middle of a conversation, all of a sudden, certain scripture starts coming to your mind. You know, and that is the work, appropriate scripture being brought to mind at the appropriate time is part of the teaching and remembering ministry of Jesus Christ.

24:34And that's one of the provisions we have because without it, we're not going to be able to face what comes our way. We're inadequate for these things. But the Father knew that, and He gives His Holy Spirit. Second provision, while Jesus is physically absent from us, given to us is the peace of Jesus, the peace of Jesus. Look at verse 27. Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives, do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.

25:23So now, here's Jesus. Okay, so if the first gift is seen from the Father, providing something for Christ's followers, here is Jesus providing something for his followers, and that is his peace. Notice a couple things about it. This whole concept of peace, the idea of peace is not just the absence of war. That's more of a Greek idea, but the Greek word for peace is built upon the Hebrew word, or translate the Hebrew word shalom, which has a much fuller range, and that speaks not just the absence of war, but soundness, completeness, wholeness.

26:12I remember when I was growing up, my dad got this crazy idea that he could make money farming. And so I remember farming or learning farming in Arkansas, and I remember some of the people that were helping us. I remember this one big archie, Arkansas guy. And the conversation turned to heaven, and people were talking, what's heaven like? And this one big archie who had a deep voice said, I'll tell you what heaven's like. Everybody's going to have a Cadillac.

26:57Everybody's going to have a Cadillac. And the roads, they're not going to be like these dirt roads. They're going to be perfectly smooth. And whenever there's a pothole, well, the road's just going to mend itself. So that's what heaven's going to be like. Everybody's going to have a Cadillac on smooth roads. That's an Arkansas farmer's version of really the Hebrew notion of shalom, if you put it that way. It's smooth, it's taken care of, it's completeness, it's soundness, it's wholeness. That's the idea of shalom and peace. And here's Jesus giving his peace, leaving his peace, and he is giving that peace to his disciples. It's his personal possession. He says, I am giving to you my peace.

28:03And as you keep going through John 18, and you see Jesus before Pilate, you see a man in peace, right? It's like he is complete, he is sound, he knows his relationship is, he knows the ruler of the world has nothing in him. He is at peace. He knows he's doing the Father's will, and he is absolutely at peace in doing the Father's will, even though it's facing Crucifixion. He says, that's the peace I'm giving you.

28:38And then he contrasts it, look back, he contrasts it with the worldly kind of peace. I give to you, not as the world gives, do I give to you. In other words, the world gives a whole different kind of peace. And the only peace that the world can really give is circumstantial peace. That's what the world does. That's all it can give. But in this world, we're going to have difficult circumstances, right? And the whole worldly idea of peace is: let my circumstances be at ease. Put me at rest from my circumstances. Change my circumstances.

29:26But they're not anchored in eternal realities. And I know many of us are going through any number of trials at any kind of time, right? But what we need is a peace that transcends our circumstances. And oftentimes, our prayers are so laced with, God, help me in my circumstances, change my circumstances. But oftentimes, our prayers need to be, give me a peace in the midst of these trying circumstances. That's the peace that Christ gave and gives.

30:09Heard the word Pax Romana, Roman peace, right? What was the Roman peace? How did it come about? By the sword. That's how they established peace. And that was a worldly idea. Peace from the sword. But the Jewish version of Messiah was of the same nature. The worldly version of a Messiah is that he just has a bigger sword. But the concept is: put me at, change my circumstances. You know, we need a peace that settles our souls, that gives us a gentle and quiet spirit, even in the midst of great turmoil. Such is the gift that Jesus gives his people.

31:08Well, look at the exhortation that comes out of this peace. Verse 27, do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful. Don't let your heart be thrown into confusion. Don't let it become unstable. Don't let a storm within you be brewing. And so remember in the first few verses, he says this very same thing: do not let your heart be troubled. I'm going to prepare a place for you, and I'm going to come back for you. So he gives them a transcendent reality to fix their hope so that they aren't troubled.

31:52But here, something more what Christ is giving them personally. Not just giving you a future hope, I am giving you something that is substantially mine, something that's characteristically mine. I'm giving you, I'm leading you, and I am giving you my peace. And that is why we can see some saints of the earth that seem to just not only hold it all together but thrive even in the midst of trying circumstances is because what's at the heart of who they are is a settled soul. Shalom, peace, complete.

32:38And this is what he gives. This is what he gives humanity. It's not peace as the world gives it. That's a sham. Circumstantial. Only to advance someone's cause, but he gives a true inner peace. We need to move on. Third provision God gives while Jesus is gone is a source of eternal joy. A source of eternal joy. Look at verse 38. You heard that I said to you, I go away and I will come to you. If you loved me, you would have rejoiced because I go to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. Now, these are interesting words. You notice the if, then, right? If, then construction, if you love me, implying you really don't love me to the degree that you think you do, if you did, you would be rejoicing right now because I am going to the Father.

33:49He's saying, What I'm doing is really an occasion that brings about a state of rejoicing. And the problem isn't just that you aren't trusting or that you aren't understanding. The problem is you are not loving me. That's his words. I'd love to take some time and just explain to you how these words have been abused through the centuries by the first the Arians, later the Unitarians, to deny that Jesus has a complete divinity, that he is something less than God. There is clearly a A tension in the Gospel of John, where you see on one hand, Jesus is referred to as equal with God, chapter 1, chapter 5, chapter 10, chapter 20, and yet at the same time you see over and over again the subordination to the Father, chapter 4, chapter 5, chapter 8, chapter 12. And there is a tension there in John that he is perfectly, totally God, and yet he is perfectly, totally human.

35:01Arians denied that he is full deity. The Gnostics denied his full humanity. So they believed they elevated the subordination. The Arians elevated the subordination passages, and the Gnostics elevated the human or the equality verses. But you don't resolve the tension by denying the other. He is fully God. He is fully man. Jesus is not saying that the Father is greater than him in the sense that he is more God than he is. He is saying that in his humble, in incarnate state, the Father is greater, not that he is more God.

35:56In fact, the very cause for celebration that he is going to, the Father, Is an idea that speaks of his equality or his unity. But I'm going to leave that. Much more to say there. But keep in mind what's happening here. What Jesus is trying to bring to bear on the disciples is that you're losing focus. You're so caught up in what you are losing rather than what I am gaining. In other words, if you loved me, you would know I'm going to the Father, to the place of supreme glory. Human flesh has not been taken into the presence of the Father. I am being exalted, and if you have known me for very long, you know that I deserve that kind of glory.

36:53And if you weren't bogged down with your own introspection and focusing on your loss instead of the gain that is before me, you would be rejoicing. But you're not focusing on my exaltation. You are focusing on your loss. We can think of it. Jesus was about to go to the Father as a victor. You can think of it as one, you've heard the lunar landing, one small step for me, one giant step for humanity. Let me Tell you, Jesus took, I wouldn't call it a small step going through the crucifixion, but what happens is you talk about a large step for humanity. He is glorified human flesh in the presence of the Father. That is one step for, one giant step for humanity.

37:49But all that to say, look, love for Jesus expresses itself, as we've already seen, by obeying his commands. It also manifests itself by rejoicing when he is exalted. You see, those who love the Son rejoice to see him exalted, even if they themselves may not be part of being the one to exalt them, right? Sometimes we want to get excited when we're used to exalt Christ, but we don't rejoice to the same degree when we see God exalted through others.

38:24Would that be any of you? Maybe it's just me. But sometimes we want to exalt him, or we want to be seen as exalting him, right? And we're not truly, our rejoicing isn't just the fact that he's exalted. It's what kind of role did you and I play in that exalting him? Well, we need to be praying and focusing on seeing him exalted. And when we see him exalted, regardless of where, it should be a cause of joy for us if we truly love him.

39:11And so those who love Jesus rejoice to see him exalted, even when their circumstances are less than they desire. Whether it has to do with your health, your success, your predicament, or whatever it may be. A source of eternal joy is the exaltation of Christ. And when you go through life dialing in on seeing Christ exalted and where he's exalted, it will be a source of transcendent joy because he is being exalted. But if we get so down and focused on ourselves and our loss and our circumstances, we are like the disciples. But it's really a love problem as much or more than an understanding or trust problem. Well, the fourth provision, to move on, fourth provision are keys to understanding the cross. So while Jesus is away or is leaving, the provisions he gives, number one, the Holy Spirit, Father gives, the peace of Jesus is given, he gives them a source of eternal joy.

40:31And then he gives them keys to understanding the cross. They need to understand the cross. There are three specific keys. We'll run through them really quickly here. Look at verse 29. Now I have told you before it happens, so that when it happens, you may believe. So, this first key is really a lesson for the disciples. Jesus was saying he intended to be crucified. Crucifixion is the means by which he is leaving them, but it is also the first step by which he is returning to them, bringing eternal life with him, and bringing with him the promise of eternal abode with God.

41:12What does he want them to believe? Well, look back. Believe what? Well, he wants them to believe that he is the I am. He's already said that in chapter 13, verse 19. He's already answered that. From now on, I'm telling you before it comes to pass, so that when it does occur, you may believe that I am. I am. I am he, insertion, but it's really I am. So just as the I am spoke to Moses in Exodus 3 and commissioned him to accomplish a task, so Jesus was there with his disciples and he wanted them to know that the I am is indeed their Messiah, went to the cross for them and had chosen them to love one another and to proclaim him to the world.

42:00And he told them this in advance so they would be able to connect the dots when it all happened. He wanted them to believe he knew what he was doing. He intended to be crucified. And they needed to understand that. As their Messiah, he intended the crucifixion. It wasn't some plan gone wrong. Second key is really a lesson for Satan and the world watching, of course. Look at verse 30. I will not speak much more with you, for the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in me. So, this lesson is really for Satan. He has nothing in Christ.

42:43You can see here's Jesus saying, okay, here, the ruler of this world, the author of every stitch of evil that has come along the horizon of this earth, the source of evil, the one that has held captive the world, who has brought about every evil, the source of evil, everything horrible that has ever happened, he is advancing. He is coming. He is obviously advancing. Judas is responsible. Through the religious leaders, they are responsible. The Romans are cohort, it is probably already making its way.

43:30But here he comes, the one who has captivated the whole earth, the one who is responsible for every evil thing that we see ever happening on the face of the earth. And boy, it's loud, and boy, and here he comes. He has assembled a mighty plan with all the forces he needs in place. And he's coming and he is advancing. He says, Let me at him. Let me at your beloved son, and he will deny you to your face. Let me at your beloved son.

44:06And so here he comes. I will find something in him. I will bring him down. And then we see our champion. He has nothing in me. You see, sin is what gives Satan a hold on people. Jesus had no sin, he's lamb without blemish. Satan had nothing that he could legally pin on Jesus and get a hold of him. So he killed an innocent man. But death had nothing to fasten a grip on him. And so this ruler is advancing. The ruler of the world is advancing to his own destruction. And it is here with a crushing of the head. Humanity will bear the image of God. There is a principle that humanity loves beyond the pattern of this world. And that is the Father himself.

45:04And that's the good news. Humanity does have a future. Perfect humanity. And we see it in Christ, our champion. He had to learn, the ruler of this world, that he had no claim on Christ. That there is such a thing as perfect humanity. Third key is a lesson for the world. And that key is that Jesus loves the Father. Look at verse 31. But so that the world may know that I love the Father, I do exactly as the Father commanded me.

45:50The cross is not an accident. The cross is the Son's expression of the love for his Father. And what the world needs to know is that the Father is to be loved and trusted even facing crucifixion. And that's what the world needs to know about the relationship between the Father and the Son. That is perfect humanity, a complete trust, a complete love in the Father. And listen, before the world could be brought into this relationship with God, it stems from this love relationship with In the Trinity, a love between Father and Son, and it is only because of this that there can be a love between God and the world.

46:42The Son's self-sacrificing love is what overthrows the very selfish, sin-centered rebellion that condemned the world in the first place. And all the world will come to know this. I pray that you will come to know it by faith now rather than by bowing the knee later in eternity when every knee shall bow and every tongue confess and realize the Son indeed did everything because he loved the Father. So into verse 31, get up, let us be going from here as the concluding segment of this discourse.

47:34You know, my time's pretty much out, but I want to say a couple words just tying this together. You know, I really appreciate what some of our military personnel have to live through. I can only imagine what it's like to all of a sudden be called up and deployed, really. Without much, you know, at any moment you can be called up, you can be deployed. Can't really imagine what that's like. But suppose, and this is hypothetical, I'm trying to imagine how I would respond in a situation, similar situation. Suppose a matter of type priority comes up for the welfare of our nation, and all of a sudden my wife and I are caught up in the middle of it. Okay?

48:28I know, put on your thinking cap here. Imagination here. But suppose we were called away from our family for an extended period of time. We knew we'd be gone for a long time, many, many years. And my mission was necessary, not just for our well-being, but for the nation's well-being and our family's well-being. And it was my duty, it was our duty to do so. How would I prepare my children for my departure? Suppose I'm got unlimited resources and I can prepare them for our departure. What would I do? Well, one thing for two, I want to make sure their needs are supplied, necessary supplies are met. So I might set up a foundation, and I might even have a person who would steward that foundation so that whatever they had need, whatever they needed, it would be there for them. Second thing I would do is I. I would want to give them peace. I would want to make sure that they not only were promised my return or I would do whatever I could to set them at peace. I might even give them a, if funds were unlimited, I might even give them a retreat place that was completely taken care of to where that whenever the burdens of life got heavy or whatever, that they would have a place to retreat to where they could rest. So I'd want to make sure that they had the necessary supplies. I would want to make sure that they had peace in my absence. I would want to make sure also that they had joy, that they had a basis for celebration, not just going through life mourning, waiting for me to come back, but have a real reason to celebrate the whole time while I'm gone. I don't want them just going through life mourning. I want them to go through my departure and my absence celebrating.

50:31And fourth, I would love to give them the keys to understanding my departure. Now, I couldn't go into all the details, but I would certainly want them to understand the keys. And this is exactly what Jesus is doing with his disciples. He gives them the Holy Spirit, supplier. He gives them his peace. He gives them a source of eternal joy, and he gives them keys to understanding why he had to leave. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, as we stand in the face of these truths and the provisions that you have provided on your departure, not just for your disciples there, but for all your people who would come after you, you are with us. You have equipped us. You have equipped us adequately to face whatever we need to face in your absence. We thank you for your faithfulness to the disciples. We thank you for your faithfulness to each subsequent generation afterwards. Father, all the way down to us today, we rejoice in your supply and your peace and your joy and giving us an understanding to know why you came, why you went through the cross. Help us to apply these truths to our lives and respond as one who knows we are adequately equipped for whatever life may throw at us.