John 14:15-16. 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;
Is it not very sweet to think that the Spirit of God is given to the Church in answer to the prayer of Christ? Prayer is a holy exercise, for Jesus prayed; and what a powerful influence prayer has, for his prayer has brought to us «another Comforter,»
John 14:17. Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him:
This poor world will not receive anything which it cannot see. It is ruled by its senses; it is carnal and fleshly, and mindeth not the things that are unseen. It cannot discern them.
John 14:17-18. 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.
That expression, «I will not leave you comfortless,» might be rendered, «I will not leave you orphans.»
John 14:19. Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.
What a wealth of meaning these words contain! The sentences are very simple, but they are also sublime. The gorgeous language, in which some orators indulge, is, when the meaning of it is condensed, like great clouds of steam which produce but a few drops of water. But, here, you have vast baths pressed into a small compass, and those that seem most plain are really the most deep. «Because I live, ye shall live also.» As surely as Christ lives, so must his people. They cannot die, for he lives, to die no more, and they live in him.
John 14:20. At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.
Mysterious triple union, Christ in the Father, we in Christ, and Christ in us. This is a complete riddle to all who have never been taught of the Spirit of God.
John 14:21-22. He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world ?
He did really answer the question, though perhaps not directly. This is the process by which he manifests himself unto his people, and not unto the world:
John 14:23-24. Jesus answered and said unto him, 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. He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me.
There is Divine authority at the back of every word uttered by the Man Christ Jesus. His message comes not from himself alone, but from the Eternal Father as well.
John 14:25-28. These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. 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. Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.
And truly so he was, for Christ had, for a while, laid aside his own greatness, and taken the position of a servant.
John 14:29-30. And now I have told you before it come to pass, that, when it is come to pass, ye might believe. Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.
His words must come to an end, for he vies going to perform his mightiest deeds. He could converse no longer, for he was going from converse to conflict. He must meet his great enemy now and leave his dearest friends.
John 14:31. But that the world may know that I love the Father; and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do. Arise, let us go hence.
And so he went to the garden of Gethsemane, a brave, gentle, confident, victorious spirit, «straitened» till he had accomplished the great work of our redemption.