John 14 (Two) Intimacy in Preparation

Good morning

For as long as it takes we are going to study the gospel of John chapters fourteen to seventeen. Some of it will be what I have already written and some will be new. Therefore it may sometimes appear that I leave off in the middle of a topic to be continued, since I have reached my daily word count limit. We will also return to placing a blog posting daily for the time being.

In order to follow this, you ought to have read from the first posting in the series - John 14 (One).

We concluded our last message by saying that Jesus’ preparation of the rooms in His Father’s house is continuous.

Father is holy and man not, so the preparation task of Jesus at the Father’s side involves first: “God exalted Him to his own right hand as Prince and Saviour that he might give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel” (Acts 5:31). And second: “Christ Jesus, who died - more than that, who was raised to life - is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us” (Romans 8:34). He has to see to it that man is saved and then, as the Holy Spirit prepares man for holiness, Jesus intercedes for man. Jesus sees to it that man is ready to come into the Father’s presence -- the place (house) where He (Jesus) is. Through the Holy Spirit He must see to it that man enters the Kingdom – “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven” (Mathew 7:21).

Usually the Father gives a command and the Holy Spirit converse it to man who is supposed to obey so God’s Kingdom can grow. When man does not do what the Spirit tells him to, Jesus intercedes for man while the Holy Spirit tries to convict man of his sin. The whole purpose of their effort, in their great love for man, is to keep man in right standing with the Father (righteousness) so man can be with God.

For what it’s worth, I would like to explain a revelation. I don’t make a doctrine of it, although it does make sense and answers some questions. I realise I have explained it before, but not everybody may have seen it.

I once said to the Lord I don’t think it's fair that all Christians go to the same heaven, for some live only a mediocre Christian life, being more concerned about their comfort than Kingdom issues, while others sacrifice their lives for the sake of the Kingdom, keeping nothing for themselves.

The Lord then showed me three passages in the Bible.

1. If you confess with your mouth that “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead you will be saved (Romans 10:9). This passage and a few similar ones in the New Testament indicate that to be saved, we need only to believe in Jesus.

2. “In reply Jesus declared, ‘I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.’ ⁵Jesus answered, ‘I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit,’” (John 3:3 and 5). This passage indicates that the only way to see or enter the Kingdom of God is by being born again, in other words the miraculous renewal of the spirit when one accepts Jesus as his Saviour.

3. “Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord,” (Hebrews 12:14).

 

In light of these passages, I believe I received a picture of Jerusalem, as it was in the Bible times, as an illustration of heaven. Farms and villages surrounded the city of Jerusalem. The king’s palace, with its buildings and gardens, was inside the city. In the centre of the palace were the king’s courts and throne room.

I believe the Lord revealed to me that some will simply believe, but will not show much interest in knowing the King. These will live in heaven's villages or the countryside as per the illustration. They will not see the King. Those who are born again will see and enter the palace (the Kingdom), but only those who pursued holiness, whilst on earth, will live in the courts of the King and see Him face to face. The degree of intimacy we have with God on earth, therefore, will determine how close we will be to Him in heaven.

In this final teaching of Jesus, as recorded in the book of John chapters 14 to 17, He gave intense attention to this aspect of closeness to the Father, because He knew that intimacy on earth will mean eternal intimacy.

Lord, please help me to be intimate with you.

Thank you Lord that your Word went out from your mouth, via your servant’s pen, and it will not return to you empty, but will accomplish what you desire and achieve the purpose for which you sent it.

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