John 14:15-21
15 "If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate, to be with you forever. 17 This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, because he abides with you, and he will be in you.
18 "I will not leave you orphaned; I am coming to you. 19 In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me; because I live, you also will live. 20 On that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you.
21 They who have my commandments and keep them are those who love me; and those who love me will be loved by my Father, and I will love them and reveal myself to them."
John's Gospel
Although John doesn't have a year in the Revised Common Lectionary, every year during Easter most of the gospel readings come from John. John is the gospel of God's abiding presence in Jesus Christ. This good news we received from the community gathered around Jesus' beloved disciple John offers ways for us to live faithfully and fruitfully with speech and action that make a difference in the world through the gift of the Holy Spirit we receive in baptism.
The Sixth Sunday of Easter
This sixth Sunday of Easter is day 36 of 50 of the Great Fifty Days of Easter. The third of the church's great trinitarian festivals, the Day of Pentecost, is the fiftieth day of Easter.
• Chapters 13 through 17 of John sometimes are called the Farewell Discourses.
We're well into the season of Easter, but today's gospel account happens in the upper room of Maundy Thursday after Jesus washed the disciples' feet! In this passage, Jesus promises to send "another advocate." Jesus says anyone who loves him will keep the commandments; Jesus promises to love and reveal himself to those who love him. In today's text Jesus promises the gift of the Holy Spirit, but on the second Sunday of Easter four weeks ago John's gospel told us about Jesus bestowing the Holy Spirit on the evening of the first Easter Day: John 20:19-23
Have You Heard this Story?
When Grandma couldn't get to church one Sunday, she asked her granddaughter to listen carefully and tell her what the pastor preached. When granddaughter got home, grandma asked what the pastor talked about. Grandkid replied, "Don't worry! You will get your quilt!"
Paraclete / Advocate
John 14:16 "I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate, to be with you forever."
Jesus promises to send the advocate or paraclete, a word for the Holy Spirit that's unique to John. Para means beside, next to, alongside. Clesis /clete means call, called. Paraclete in Greek is the same as advocate in Latin: ad means beside; vocare means call, called.
Jesus was the original called-along-side, so he promises to send "another," additional one.
Paraclete / advocate has a legal dimension as public defender, defense attorney. Just as here and now, in Jesus' day if you went to trial and didn't have your own attorney, the court would appoint one. Beyond the legal definition, paraclete is about general comfort, protection, counsel, and guidance—all wrapped up in God's presence the way a cozy quilt or comforter wraps us up.
Relating. Accompanying.
Translations/interpretations include comforter, helper, advocate, counselor, solicitor, attorney… The Message reads "another friend." Friend implies unranked equality, intimacy, a relationship in which one person knows what the other one does. Common English Bible [CEB] says companion, someone we break bread with. Ever notice what a leveling experience sharing a meal or a snack with a person is? How it's often the start of real friendship?
Like a keyboard accompaniment to a vocal or instrumental solo or choir anthem, the Holy Spirit accompanies us. Similar to breaking bread along side a companion (with+bread=com+panion).
• The Comforter will stay with us forever: what does comforter and forever mean for us?
• As people who receive the Holy Spirit at baptism, God calls us to comfort, help, advocate for others. What are some ways that happens? How can we be a cozy blanket or quilt without hovering too closely and smothering the person?
John 17, 18, 19: Worlds and Orphans
Two different New Testament words typically get translated as "world." Here in John 14:17, 19 world/cosmos means this planet, a physical space; it also can refer to people, institutions, and structures that do not know or obey God. John 14:18 – when Jesus promises not to leave us orphans, the Greek is the same as our word for orphan. Orphan is another legal term: a minor without living parents, or someone whose parents have abandoned them.
• What does Jesus promise not to abandon us feel like to you?
Keeping the Commandments
Today's scripture begins and ends with love, commandments, and obedience. The fulfillment of God's promises depends on God's free, unearned gifts of grace; they also depend on our obedience.
John 14:15 If you love me, you will keep my commandments.
verses 15, 21 love, love, loved, love = agape, the word for love the NT uses for God's unconditional love. verse 21 appear, make manifest, reveal = same as epiphany
• What does Jesus mean when he tells us he and the Father will love and reveal themselves to those who love him?
• "If you love me…" What is the connection between love and obedience?
You Will Get Your Quilt
We could call today's gospel reading, "You will get your quilt!" Jesus promises to send the paraclete to journey alongside us. Translations include comforter, advocate, counselor, solicitor, attorney… all wrapped up in the assurance of God's presence in the same way a cozy quilt, comforter, or blanket wraps us up.
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