Don’t Be Troubled
Pastor Roy Townsend
“I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.” John 14:18
Have you ever been troubled by something? A basic definition of troubled in the Oxford Dictionary is defined as being “beset by problems or conflict,” or “showing distress or anxiety.” In this section of Scripture, it is not a coincidence that Jesus Christ was telling His disciples to not be troubled. Jesus promises the Holy Spirit to work with those of us who believe and trust in Him. Jesus understands that the disciples are really concerned about Him leaving and in need of comfort.
John 14:16-18 reads, “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you. ‘I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.’”
Through these Scriptures, we are introduced to the doctrine or concept of being adopted into the family of God. Some translations use the word comfortless, but as I studied this Scripture the concept of being without a mother or father is more than without comfort in the context of this passage. We are taught that God is the Father, and through the Son’s sacrifice, we have been adopted.
In Romans 8:14-18, it reads, “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, ‘Abba! Father!’ The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs - heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.”
Longtime pastor and biblical scholar R. Kent Hughes writes, “God had fellowship with Jesus, and he has fellowship with us by virtue of our adoption.” This quote reflects the concept of being adopted and Christ states, “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.”
Who are these orphans? The disciples completely understood this concept. In New Testament times the orphan was in a particularly difficult spot. They did not have someone watching over them. They did not have someone caring for them. They did not have guidance from a parent, and there was not a good system to protect the orphans from the evils of this world. I can only imagine how comforting this statement was because the disciples did not have a full understanding and were shaken by Jesus’ comments that He was going to leave them. So they questioned Jesus, and He revealed the promise of the Holy Spirit to watch over, care for, and provide guidance.
In John 14:25-27, Jesus says, “These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”
Church, as we persevere through this world, let us remember that we are adopted children into the family of God and that God the Father and God the Son sent God the Holy Spirit to be our guidance and comforter. We are not orphans but adopted children. “Let not your hearts be troubled.”
Pastor Roy Townsend
“I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.” John 14:18
Have you ever been troubled by something? A basic definition of troubled in the Oxford Dictionary is defined as being “beset by problems or conflict,” or “showing distress or anxiety.” In this section of Scripture, it is not a coincidence that Jesus Christ was telling His disciples to not be troubled. Jesus promises the Holy Spirit to work with those of us who believe and trust in Him. Jesus understands that the disciples are really concerned about Him leaving and in need of comfort.
John 14:16-18 reads, “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you. ‘I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.’”
Through these Scriptures, we are introduced to the doctrine or concept of being adopted into the family of God. Some translations use the word comfortless, but as I studied this Scripture the concept of being without a mother or father is more than without comfort in the context of this passage. We are taught that God is the Father, and through the Son’s sacrifice, we have been adopted.
In Romans 8:14-18, it reads, “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, ‘Abba! Father!’ The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs - heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.”
Longtime pastor and biblical scholar R. Kent Hughes writes, “God had fellowship with Jesus, and he has fellowship with us by virtue of our adoption.” This quote reflects the concept of being adopted and Christ states, “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.”
Who are these orphans? The disciples completely understood this concept. In New Testament times the orphan was in a particularly difficult spot. They did not have someone watching over them. They did not have someone caring for them. They did not have guidance from a parent, and there was not a good system to protect the orphans from the evils of this world. I can only imagine how comforting this statement was because the disciples did not have a full understanding and were shaken by Jesus’ comments that He was going to leave them. So they questioned Jesus, and He revealed the promise of the Holy Spirit to watch over, care for, and provide guidance.
In John 14:25-27, Jesus says, “These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”
Church, as we persevere through this world, let us remember that we are adopted children into the family of God and that God the Father and God the Son sent God the Holy Spirit to be our guidance and comforter. We are not orphans but adopted children. “Let not your hearts be troubled.”
Posted in Upper Room
Recent
Archive
2023
January
Reach • Devotion 1Reach • Devotion 2Reach • Devotion 3Reach • Devotion 4Reach • Devotion 5Reach • Devotion 6Gather • Devotion 1Gather • Devotion 2Gather • Devotion 3Gather • Devotion 4Gather • Devotion 5Gather • Devotion 6Grow • Devotion 1Grow • Devotion 2Grow • Devotion 3Grow • Devotion 4Grow • Devotion 5Grow • Devotion 6Giving • Devotion 1Giving • Devotion 2Giving • Devotion 3Giving • Devotion 4Giving • Devotion 5Giving • Devotion 6Galatians 1Galatians 2
February
Galatians 3Galatians 4Galatians 5Galatians 6God’s Design in Marriage • Devotion 1God’s Design in Marriage • Devotion 2God’s Design in Marriage • Devotion 3God’s Design in Marriage • Devotion 4God’s Design in Marriage • Devotion 5God’s Design in Marriage • Devotion 6Sex: The Word vs. the World • Devotion 1Sex: The Word vs. the World • Devotion 2Sex: The Word vs. the World • Devotion 3Sex: The Word vs. the World • Devotion 4Sex: The Word vs. the World • Devotion 5Sex: The Word vs. the World • Devotion 6Dangers: Little Foxes • Devotion 1Dangers: Little Foxes • Devotion 2Dangers: Little Foxes • Devotion 3Dangers: Little Foxes • Devotion 4Dangers: Little Foxes • Devotion 5Dangers: Little Foxes • Devotion 6Delights • Devotion 1Delights • Devotion 2
March
Delights • Devotion 3Delights • Devotion 4Delights • Devotion 5Delights • Devotion 6Final Class • Devotion 1Final Class • Devotion 2Final Class • Devotion 3Final Class • Devotion 4Final Class • Devotion 5Final Class • Devotion 6A Place for You • Devotion 1A Place for You • Devotion 2A Place for You • Devotion 3A Place for You • Devotion 4A Place for You • Devotion 5A Place for You • Devotion 6The Helper • Devotion 1The Helper • Devotion 2The Helper • Devotion 3The Helper • Devotion 4The Helper • Devotion 5The Helper • Devotion 6True Vine • Devotion 1True Vine • Devotion 2True Vine • Devotion 3True Vine • Devotion 4True Vine • Devotion 5
April
True Vine • Devotion 6The World • Devotion 1The World • Devotion 2The World • Devotion 3The World • Devotion 4The World • Devotion 5The World • Devotion 6Peace • Devotion 1Peace • Devotion 2Peace • Devotion 3Peace • Devotion 4Peace • Devotion 5Peace • Devotion 6Focus on Jesus • Devotion 1Focus on Jesus • Devotion 2Focus on Jesus • Devotion 3Focus on Jesus • Devotion 4Focus on Jesus • Devotion 5Focus on Jesus • Devotion 6The Church at Ephesus • Devotion 1The Church at Ephesus • Devotion 2The Church at Ephesus • Devotion 3The Church at Ephesus • Devotion 4
Categories
Tags
no tags