“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.” (John 14:1)
What great words of comfort Jesus speaks! He spoke then to His disciples at a point in his farewell discourse when He knew that the disciples felt confused and troubled. Jesus also knew that the events that were to follow would cause them even greater consternation so He allowed them to voice some of their questions. The answers that He gave should have made them realize that they had seen God because they had seen Him. He and the Father are one. This should have given them encouragement that would carry them through the dark hours ahead, but the still fell into great doubt and fear.
The disciples should have remembered that God always keeps His covenant. Though they were troubled they can have hope because all of Jesus’ promises would be fulfilled. He was preparing a place for them in the Kingdom. He was sending them the Holy Spirit who would strengthen, encourage and teach as well as fill them with boldness. With the power of the Spirit upon them they would perform greater works than Jesus. This is not to say that the works would be more spectacular in power, but would be greater in number. Jesus could minister primarily only to the Jews in Palestine. The disciples would preach to many more people all over the world, not just to Jews who were awaiting the Messiah but to Gentiles who knew nothing about Yahweh. They would bring thousands of corrupt, weak, repulsive and unworthy sinners into God’s Kingdom.
These promises of Jesus should be of great comfort to us all. They should give us strength and patience that will sustain us in our times of doubt and fear. Jesus promises never to leave or forsake us. And of greater comfort is the assurance that He is the only way to the Father because He and the Father are one. And because we are in Christ we have unity with the Father. This is an absolute truth we would do will to contemplate and cling to in the midst of the chaos, violence and malice of world today.