John 17:1-8

1. We should notice what a glorious account they contain of our Lord Jesus Christ’s role and dignity.
2. We should notice what a gracious account they contain of our Lord Jesus Christ’s disciples.

"Forever let us thank God that the hope of a Christian rests on such a solid foundation as a divine Saviour. He to whom we are commanded to flee for pardon and in whom we are bid to rest for peace, is God as well as Man. To all who really think about their souls and are not careless and worldly, the thought is full of comfort."

"Wherever the gracious Saviour of sinners sees true faith in Himself, however feeble, He looks with compassion on many weaknesses and passes by many defects."

Questions:

1. These verses contain great truths about Jesus. As I read what Ryle lists once again, would you let your heart praise our great Savior for his mercy and grace? "We read that the Father has “given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life.” The keys of heaven are in Christ’s hands. The salvation of every soul is at His disposal. We read, furthermore, that “this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” The mere knowledge of God is not sufficient and saves no one. We must know the Son as well as the Father. God known without Christ is a Being whom we can only fear and dare not approach. It is “God in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself” who alone can give to the soul life and peace. We read, furthermore, that Christ has finished the work which the Father gave Him to do. He has finished the work of redemption and made out a perfect righteousness for His people. Unlike the first Adam, who failed to do God’s will and brought sin into the world, the second Adam has done all and left nothing undone that He came to do. Finally, we read that Christ had glory with the Father before the world was. Unlike Moses and David, He existed from all eternity, long before He came into the world and He shared glory with the Father, before He was made flesh and born of the Virgin Mary." Which of these great truths stands out to you and increases thanksgiving to His name, and why?
2. Ryle points out a number of the gracious sayings about the disciples. Jesus declares that they have kept his word, they believe Jesus has come from the Father, they have received the Father's words, and they believe that the Father sent Jesus. And all this from men who were quite weak and feeble! Ryle points out the life-giving truth that even the least degree of faith is very precious in God's sight, and that he looks with compassion on many weaknesses and passes by many defects. What does this truth do to your heart today?

John 16:25-33

1. We learn that clear knowledge of God the Father is one of the foundations of the Christian religion
2. We learn that our Lord Jesus Christ makes much of a little grace and speaks kindly of those who have it.
3. We learn that the best Christians know only a little of their own hearts.
4. We learn that Christ is the true source of peace.

"Let us beware of the mistake which some make, who speak of God as if there was no Christ, and the mistake which others make, who speak of Christ as if there was no God. Let us seek to know all three Persons in the blessed Trinity and give to each One the honour due to Him."

"The Saviour of sinners will not cast off those who believe in Him because they are babes in faith and knowledge."

"None of us, perhaps, have the least idea how much we might fall if placed suddenly under the influence of strong temptation. Happy are those who never forget that the one who thinks they are standing must beware of falling and, remembering our Lord’s disciples, prays daily: “Hold me up and I shall be safe.”

"Let us lean back our souls on these comforting words and take courage. The storms of trial and persecution may sometimes beat heavily on us, but let them only drive us closer to Christ. The sorrows, losses, crosses and disappointments of our life may often make us feel badly cast down, but let them only make us tighten our hold on Christ."

Questions:

1.Jesus declares that he will speak plainly about the Father. Ryle highlights that Christians must beware of the mistake of speaking of God without the Son, and the Son without the Father. We must seek to know all three Persons of the blessed Trinity and to give to each One the honor due his name. Is this a new concept for you? It was to me a number of years ago, but I was encouraged by a prayer by John Stott that highlights this well. It goes like this:

Father, give me grace to live before you and please you more and more.

Lord Jesus, give me grace to deny myself, take up the cross, and follow you.

Holy Spirit, fill me with yourself and cause your fruit to ripen in my life of love, joy,

peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

2.Jesus, knowing the weakness and soon abandonment of his disciples, speaks gracious words of the Father's love for them. Ryle points out that Jesus does not despise one of his children, no matter how weak and feeble, as long as their faith is true. What does this do to encourage your heart?

3.We learn that the disciples, though making genuine statements about their love for Christ, had yet to learn of the weakness of their own flesh, the power of the devil, the feebleness of their own resolutions, and the shallowness of their faith. Ryle points out that the true secret of spiritual strength is self-distrust and deep humility. How do we see ourselves? Do we know how weak we truly are? Are we quick to trust ourselves or do we know that we are weak and seek to be strong in the Lord?

4.Jesus promises tribulation and yet comfort that he has overcome the world. When faced with sorrows, losses, crosses, and disappointments, do we tighten our grip on Christ or are we tempted to doubt his goodness?

John 16:16-24

1. We learn that Christ’s absence from the earth will be a time of sorrow to believers, but of joy to the world.
2. We learn that Christ’s personal return will be a source of boundless joy to His believing people.
3. We learn that while Christ is absent believers must ask much in prayer.

"Christ’s personal absence must necessarily be a sorrow to all true-hearted believers. Faith is not sight. Hope is not certainty. Reading and hearing are not the same as beholding. Praying is not the same as speaking face to face. There is something, even in the hearts of the most eminent believers that will never be fully satisfied as long as they are on earth and Christ is in heaven."

"It is not enough that we look backward to the cross and rejoice in Christ dying for our sins, or upwards to the right hand of God and rejoice in Christ’s interceding for every believer. We must do more—we must look forward to Christ’s return from heaven to bless His people and to finish the work of redemption."

"Let prayer in the name of Jesus be a daily habit with us every morning and evening of our lives. Keeping up that habit, we shall find strength for duty, comfort in trouble, guidance in perplexity, hope in sickness and support in death. He is faithful who promised that your joy would be full and He will keep His word if we ask in prayer."

Questions:

1. We hear Christ declare that His leaving will not only cause the disciples sorrow, but will bring joy to the unbelieving world. The truth is, as Ryle says, that faith is not sight, and hope is not certainty, and reading and hearing are not the same as beholding, and praying is not speaking face-to-face. Do we resonate with this?
2. Jesus declares that when he does return that the heart of believers will be full. Ryle points out that all Christians, while looking back at his death, and looking up at his current intercession ought to include having our eyes fixed on this second coming. When is the last time we longed or asked for this? If too long, how will we seek to place this calling more front and center in our lives?
3. Jesus declares to his disciples, then and now, that if we ask in his name, we will receive that our joy may be full. Ryle encourages us that out of all Christian duties, none receives such promises as prayer. He exhorts us to keep up that habit and find strength for duty, comfort in trouble, guidance in perplexity, hope in sickness, and support in death. Do our lives declare that we are dependent upon God or dependent upon ourselves? What would it do to our trust in God to memorize this promise and take it to heart?

John 16:8-15

1. Our Lord probably meant to show us what the Holy Spirit would do to the world of unbelieving Jews. He would convince them “of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment.”
2. Our Lord probably meant to foretell what the Holy Spirit would do for the whole of humanity, both Gentiles as well as Jews.

"The difficulty of rightly explaining the sayings of our Lord in this place is undeniably very great. It may well be doubted whether the full meaning of His words has ever been entirely grasped by the human mind and whether there is not something at the bottom which has not been completely unfolded."

"Then let us never forget, in reading the Bible, to pray for the teaching of the Holy Spirit. We must not wonder if we find the Bible a dark and difficult book if we do not regularly seek light from Him by whom it was first inspired. In this, as in many other things, we do not have because we do not ask."

Questions:

1. Jesus declares that the Spirit will convict the world concerning sin, righteousness, and judgment. Ryle, admitting this to be a deep passage in which much is not fully understood, suggests that it speaks first about the Jews and then about the whole world. It is a deeply comforting thought that the Father and Son have sent the Spirit to remind us of all truth. Can we testify of this reality in our own lives? Has the Spirit brought light when reading Scripture and brought remembrance of truth when in conversation? Do we regularly pray for the Spirit to work in our lives?

John 16:1-7

1. We find our Lord delivering a remarkable prophecy.
2. We find our Lord explaining His special reason for delivering the prophecy just referred to, as well as all His discourse.
3. We find our Lord giving a special reason why it was expedient for Him to go away from His disciples: “if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.”

"Let it never surprise us to hear of true Christians being persecuted in one way or another, even in our own day. Human nature never changes. Grace is never really popular. The quantity of persecution which God’s children have to suffer in every rank of life, even now, if they confess their Master, is far greater than the thoughtless world supposes."

"We never can tell what is before us in life. But of one thing we may be very sure: we must carry the cross if we would wear the crown."

"He tells them that His departure, however painful it might seem, was not an evil, but a good. They would actually find it was not a loss, but a gain. His bodily absence would be more useful than His presence."

Questions:

1. Jesus promises his disciples persecution. Ryle points out that this prophecy, like all true prophecy, has been fulfilled to the very letter, and is still true today. Now, we may think that persecution means death threats and prison, but it can, as Jesus declares, include reviling and being spoken evil about on account of his name. Are we surprised when persecution comes? How may we gird ourselves even today for this truth?
2. The entire discourse Jesus is giving is done so that we would not stumble as we walk the narrow road that is the Christian life. Ryle points out that this is a great kindness from our Master, a kindness we must pass down to all new believers. Were we given such kind warnings to count the cost of following Jesus in our lives? Do we give such exhortations to others?
3. Jesus tells His disciples that it is good for him to go for then he will send the Holy Spirit to them. Ryle gives a number of reasons to consider this strange truth, the foremost being that the religion of the disciples had become an entirely new thing altogether after Pentecost. Do we believe that it is better that Jesus is in heaven so that the Spirit could dwell amongst and in us?

John 15:22-27

1. We should observe how our Lord speaks of the misuse of Christian privileges: it intensifies guilt and will increase condemnation.
2. We should observe how our Lord speaks of the Holy Spirit: He speaks of Him as a Person.
3. We should observe how our Lord speaks of the special role of the apostles: they were to be His witnesses in the world.

"Let us settle it down as a first principle of Christianity, that Christian privileges are in a certain sense very dangerous things. If they do not help us toward heaven they will only sink us deeper into hell."

"Let us take care that the work of the Spirit is not so buried under high views of the church, the ministry and the Sacraments that the real Holy Spirit of Scripture is completely put out of sight."

"We must not be ashamed to stand up for Christ’s cause, to speak out for Christ and to persist in maintaining the truth of Christ’s gospel. Wherever we live, in town or in country, in public or in private, abroad or at home, we must boldly confess our Master at every opportunity, So doing, we shall walk in the steps of the apostles. So doing, we shall please our Master and may hope at last that we will receive the apostles’ reward."

Questions:

1. Jesus declares that the Pharisees are guilty of sin because they heard him speak. Ryle points out that greater privileges will either help us on the road to heaven, or sink us deeper into the depths of hell. What are we doing with the knowledge we have been given in preaching and Bible studies and Bible reading?
2. Jesus speaks of the Holy Spirit as a Person, as the Helper, and as the One He and the Father will send. Ryle declares that we must take care that we have sound and Scriptural views of his nature, person, and work. He also warns that the work of the Spirit is not buried under high views of the church, the ministry, and the Sacraments. Are we guilty of not having Scriptural views of the Spirit or burying his work under other things?
3. Jesus calls his disciples witnesses. Ryle points out that this is not only the calling of the 11 apostles, but every Christian in every age whether in town or in country, in public or private, abroad or at home. In what ways are we bearing witness for Christ where we are currently placed?

John 15:17-21

1. We are shown what true Christians must expect to meet in this world: hatred and persecution.
2. We are shown two reasons for patience under the persecution of this world.

"Mere church attendance and outward profession are a cheap religion, of course, and cost nothing. But true living Christianity will always bring with it a cross."

"Let us consider that we are only walking in our Master’s footsteps and sharing our Master’s portion. Do we deserve to be better treated? Are we better than He?"

Questions:

1. Jesus declares that all who follow him will be persecuted. Ryle points out that this has been proven throughout church history and is still true today. Have we ever been ridiculed, mocked, slandered, or misrepresented for following Jesus? Are we currently at a place where such responses are a surprise to us?
2. Jesus gives two reasons to be patient under persecution: first, because Jesus suffered, and second, it is evidence that we are children of God. For those who haven't suffered, the consideration might bring a kind of bravado, but may those who think so guard against the thought. Only the grace of the Holy Spirit can sustain and keep us faithful in such times. Would we pray for that grace, first to live faithfully and secondly, to bear persecution with endurance and pity for those who persecute?

John 15:12-16

1. We should observe how our Lord speaks of the grace of brotherly love.
2. We should observe how our Lord speaks of the relation between Himself and true believers.
3. We should observe how our Lord speaks of the doctrine of election.

"Where there is no Christ-like love, there is no grace, no work of the Spirit and no reality in our faith."

"None so rich, so strong, so independent, so well off, so thoroughly provided for, as the one of whom Christ says, “This is my friend!”"

"Where there is no visible fruit of sanctification we may be sure there is no election."

Questions:

1. Jesus commands us to love as He has loved. We are called to love one another with an active, self-denying, self-sacrificing love, and to not do this or try to do this is to disobey Jesus Christ. Can it be said of us that we love others?
2. Jesus calls his disciples his friends. Ryle points out that this is a privilege of highest standing. How does this change how we go to the Father in prayer, knowing that Jesus who is our righteousness and Great High Priest is also our Friend?
3. Jesus speaks of choosing his disciples. Ryle points out that this is a passage that speaks to the doctrine of election, which he rightly declares must be received humbly and believed implicitly. What is helpful is seeing this doctrine tied to bearing fruit and Ryle's helpful comment, " Where there is no visible fruit of sanctification we may be sure there is no election." So, first, is the doctrine of election sweet, pleasant, and give you unspeakable comfort?" And second, how does it being tied to bearing fruit help you understanding of this doctrine?