December 20

1 These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended. 2 They shall put you out of the synagogues; yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service. 3 And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me. 4 But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you. 5 But now I go my way to him that sent me; and none of you asketh me, Whither gist thou? 6 But because I have said these things unto you, sorrow hath shed your heart. 7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away; for if I go not away, the Confessor will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. 8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment. 9 Of sin, because they believe not on me; 10 Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; 11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.

12 I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. 13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth; for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall bear, that shall be speak; and he will shew you things to come. 14 He shall glorify me; for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. 15 All things that the Father hath are mine; therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you. 16 A little while, and ye shall not see me; and again, a little while, and ye shall see me, because I go to the Father. 17 Then said none of his disciples among themselves, What is this that he saith unto us, A little while, and ye shall not see me; and again, a little while, and ye shall see me; and, Because I go to the Father? 18 They said therefore, What is this that he saith, A little while? we cannot tell what he saith. 19 Now Jesus knew that they were desirous to ask him, and said unto them, Do ye inquire among yourselves of that I said, A little while, and ye shall not see me; and again, a little while, and ye shall see me? 20 Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall

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rejoice; and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy.

21 A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world.

22 And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you.

23 And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.

24 Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.

25 These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs: but the time cometh, when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall shew you plainly of the Father.

26 At that day ye shall ask in my name: and

I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you:

27 For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God.

28 I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world again, I leave the world, and go to the Father.

29 His disciples said unto him, Lo, now speakest thou plainly, and speakest no proverb.

30 Now are we sure that thou knowest all things, and needest not that any man should ask thee: by this we believe that thou camest forth from God.

31 Jesus answered them, Do ye now believe? 32 Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me.

33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

His going away seemed to His disciples the sum of all possible calamity. It was to this conviction of theirs He thus speaks: If I depart, I will more than compensate you, and the world, by the gift of "The Comforter."

"Uncalendered inheritance is ours in the Holy Comforter! Never were words so weighty in wondrous wealth and consequences as these (John xvi. 8-14; xiv. 16-26). He will convict unsaved men of the unbelief which rejects Christ. He will vindicate Christ's righteous method of salvation through His atoning blood. He will comfort, guide, illuminate, sanctify believers. He will show them things to come, reveal Christ, satisfy them by His truth, quicken the understanding and rule the heart, be the witness of their adoption and the earnest of their heaven (Rom. viii. 14-17)."—Rev. John Parker.

"Verily, verily I say unto you, whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in My name, He will give it you" (verse 23). Here is a double verily, if one will not do. Furthermore, the promise itself comes in with a blessed shall and will, and that not to any limited request or petition, but extended to a whatsoever, as if Jesus threw the reins of government into His people's hand. Jesus Himself doth, as it were, put into thine hand a blank paper for thee to fill in, having signed and set His own blessed and holy name at the bottom. Now what wilt thou write down? Thou hast nothing more to do, than to follow the Lord's example, and as He hath written His name in the promise, do thou also write Jesus, and Jesus only, on the whole paper. Ask of God thy Father to give thee Jesus: for in giving Him, in Him and with Him, He giveth all things. Lord, I would say, give me Thine own dear Son, and I need nothing more: Christ is all, and in all.

Closet Promise.—These things I have spoken unto you, that in Me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.—John xvi. 33

Accustom yourself to unreasonableness and injustice. Abide in peace in the presence of God, who sees all these evils more clearly than you do, and who permits them. Be content with doing with calmness the little which depends upon yourself, and let all else be to you as if it were not.—Fenelon.