The Construction Plan
John 14:1-5 continues the sermon or discourse started at the end of John 13. In this passage is the classic and oft quoted verse declaring there are many mansions in God's house. While many preachers today have gone all out with ideas of contributing much to their work will ensure a large mansion in heaven, with some saying that when a particular rich person got to heaven and found they only had a hovel, they were incensed, but were told that they hadn't sent any building materials heavenward during their life. While a cute story, I'm not sure of the Biblical correctness of it. I'm pretty sure all that God cares about are souls won to Him, purified through the blood of Jesus Christ. Maybe you have been solely responsible for some, and maybe you jut helped. But who you've won or influenced for Christ is ultimately all that maters. I'd point out that your influence isn't just on the world as a whole. It's also present in how you support each other and your family and other friends and relatives. God's scales aren't just tipped by salvation, but by good things you do and say as well, to Christians or others.
But it should also be noted that the word that the KJV translates as mansions can also just be translated as rooms or dwelling places. In the only impression of heaven that I ever got, the dwelling places matched what the people were comfortable with - at least immediately. Those used to being outside had tents. Those used to apartments had rooms in large apartment buildings. But my impression wasn't that we hung out by ourselves in our own rooms for eternity. That'll be tough for an introvert like me. I do think that a translation of room is probably much closer to what was meant and removes the greed aspect that the word mansion implies.
The other big thing is that Jesus was going to prepare a place for His remaining disciples. You see, Jesus knew His disciples. He knew what they had given up for Him, along with their likes and dislikes, I'm sure. He went to prepare a place suitable for them where they would be comfortable, and promised that after He was gone, He would come back to eventually take them to their new abode where they could enjoy being together again. For all of the rest of us, just think how cool it will be to meet Christ, and all the other big names from Scripture. Maybe there's a waiting list. Maybe the big names hold monthly congregations for newly arrived folks. Or maybe we just are allowed to know each other or however much of each other we are willing to share and the meet and greets are a thing that dies out here. Regardless, Jesus declared that they new the way He was going and His destination.
Indwelling
This confused Thomas and he told Christ (John 14:5-9) that they didn't know where He was going, so they couldn't know the way. Jesus answers with the famous "I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." The destination is clearly fellowship or being in the presence of the Father Jehovah. And the only way to get there in good graces is through Christ himself. Clearly many will get there via the White Throne judgment, but it is too late for them at that point. Jesus has told many parables pointing to Him being the way over the course of His ministry, but this time is one where He directly says truth to the disciples.
He goes on to say that if they had been paying attention and truly knew Christ, then they would have also known the Father, and now that you've been told this, realize that you know Him because you know Me. You have seen Him because you have seen Me. Philip's head also couldn't grasp that, and asked to see the Father and they would be happy.
Jesus replies in exasperation (just a little bit) that He had been with them for a long time, and that they should have known Him fully by that point. Seeing Christ was the equivalent of seeing the Father, so what was Philip going off about saying rubbish like "show us the Father"?
This is a really powerful statement and one that each of us need to truly grasp. Jesus was full of the Holy Spirit. And more importantly, He allowed Himself to be guided on a daily, hourly, perhaps down to a second by second basis by the Holy Spirit. And the Holy Spirit reflected the thoughts of the Father to Jesus so that Jesus ultimately acted and responded and taught just as the Father would have done if He were there instead. Each of us needs to have as our goal that same unity with the Father. We need to have the same indwelling of the Spirit that Jesus had. We need to do what the Holy Spirit does and act the way God wants us to act all the time - 24 hours a day, seven days a week, week after week after week - and no messing around when daylight savings kicks in either! God would like each of us to be images of Christ in word and deed, showing His love and actions to everyone, just like Christ did. That's an awesome responsibility, and one that I don't live up to nearly as often as I should.
Christ did have the advantage of not being born with sin as He was begotten by God. So it would have been easier for Him than it is for us, born in sin. But the Bible does declare that Jesus was tempted in all manner like we are (Hebrews 4:15, 2:18; James 1:13-14).
Works
To answer Philip further, Jesus asks Philip the same question that had been debated by the Pharisees about the works He had done (John 14:9-14. Jesus literally asks how Philip cannot believe because of the words that He spoke that were lined up with Scripture and that I'm sure the Holy Spirit impressed on their hearts as they heard them. Jesus declares that what He has said came directly from the Father. He also says that the Father was the author of all the works that Jesus did while on the earth. Jesus told Philip to either believe based on Jesus words that He and the Father in-dwell or if the words didn't do it for Him, to believe because of all the works that Jesus had done in their midst.
Jesus then takes it one step further. He declares that it is His expectation that His disciples would do the same sort of works that He did, and even greater works because Christ was returning to God. He gives them the promise that anything they would ask in Jesus name, Jesus would do. It wouldn't be until Acts that the Holy Spirit was poured out in fullness on all the present believers, but Jesus gave them the promise now about what He would expect. And it bears repeating that His expectation was that due the the coming of the Holy Spirit and Christ's victory over Satan on the cross and His resurrection to sit with God, that the disciples would do bigger and better things than He did.
I think that it was pretty clear that the disciples lived up to many of these expectations. But as time has gone on, it seems that fewer and fewer are willing to make the sacrifice that was required of the disciples. With the exception of John, they were all martyred. Even many who joined later like Paul ended up giving their lives for Christianity. But the start they gave the church has propelled it to survive and grow for 2,000 years. That's a pretty good record. But I do think we need more of the closeness to God today that the disciples had. We need to understand the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit and seek the same baptism in the Holy Spirit for which Jesus asked His followers to wait.
I am cognizant that just the works of the Spirit won't sway every hardened soul. Many will see miracles happen right in front of their eyes and rationalize a way to ignore that it ever happened. I've seen it in my own family. But just because the power of the Holy Spirit can't affect everyone as it should doesn't mean we should not seek to maximize it for the glory of God as often as the Holy Spirit directs us. You need to understand that Jesus was successful in everything He did (whether that was inconsequential like turning water to wine or whether it was raising Lazarus from the dead) because He was in tune with the Holy Spirit who was in tune with God. He did the works He saw the Father wanting to do, as the Father wanted them to be done. He didn't give himself a helicopter and fuel to move His crew of disciples from place to place. He didn't miraculously become rich, although I'd say He did achieve the famous bit. The works that He says He will do for us will be ours without question if we are also moving exactly in lock step with the Father. If we pray for things we shouldn't, then James says we shouldn't expect an answer in the affirmative to those prayers. We are asking amiss (James 4:3). And really, knowing what Jesus went through, why should we even be asking for a lot of things we ask for in His name?
Promise of the Spirit
We then get the direct promise of the Spirit. He asks us to love Him, and keep His commandments. If they were to do that, He would ask the Father to baptize them in the Holy Spirit. And He goes on to promise that the Holy Spirit would abide with you for ever. Like the Joel passage where it is first prophesied (Joel 2:28).
John 14:15-21 continues about the Holy Spirit. It declares that the world isn't going to be able to receive the Holy Spirit in the fullness of the disciples because the world doesn't know God, Jesus, or the Holy Spirit personally. The Holy Spirit still works in every soul that hasn't shut the Spirit out to try to draw them to God and Christ for salvation, but that is less than the portion of the Spirit the disciples had then and less than what they would receive. Through the Holy Spirit, Christ promises that every bit of loneliness and despair they are going to feel in the next days would be banished because of Christ coming and interacting with them via the Holy Spirit.
Jesus also assured them that even though some of them hadn't understood the indwelling presence of God in Jesus and vice versa because they had not experienced the baptism of the Holy Spirit yet, when that time came, they would understand the meaning of what Christ was speaking of in this passage. They would see how God was in Christ, Christ was in the Father, and because Jesus went to the Father, Jesus would be alive in them as they would be alive in Christ. He promises that by keeping His commandments, each person would show their love for Christ and that would engender love from the Father. Jesus would make Himself real to those who loved and kept those commandments. If you don't feel the love of God or the love of Jesus in our lives, or haven't felt the baptism of the Holy Spirit, evaluate your life. Have you slipped away from following Christ's commandments? Draw close to Him, realizing that He is holy, and He will draw close to you.
Teaching and Remembrance
Judas then asked why Jesus was telling them all these things and wasn't telling the entire world that He was the Messiah (John 14:22-31). And this question would be hammered at Him by the Jewish leaders as well soon. Jesus just basically repeats what He has said. By following Christ's teachings, we are loved by the Father. The Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit will come in their marvelous way and abide with each individual who qualifies. Those who don't love Christ don't obey His teachings and His teachings were direct from God. Those of the world were seeking to follow other gods or no god in the case of the gentiles, or didn't obey Christ's teachings in the case of most of the Jewish people. Although He was manifested to all who saw Him locally, and His fame was widespread, most didn't accept Him as Messiah (or at least didn't for long).
Jesus then brings up one of the most important functions of the Holy Spirit for a believer. Jesus had told them many things. But, like most people, I'm betting that a lot of what was said didn't really stick in their minds. Their minds were probably busy processing what they had just seen in terms of miracles or instances of healing to grasp or remember all His words. But Jesus says that one of the functions of the Holy Spirit is to bring to your memory, when needed, the words of Jesus or other instruction that was Biblical that you have heard, or commentaries you have read, or the Bible which you should regularly read. Once the information is in your brain, the Holy Spirit can help you recall it on demand.
The chapter ends with Christ declaring that the disciples should be rejoicing because Jesus was going away. He declares peace as a gift to them, and not the peace the world knew which was full of war and strife. He told them not to be afraid. Remember that at this point, they weren't expecting Christ to be taken away shortly. But Jesus made sure to say the right words to each of them to try to prepare them for what was to come. He knew that once things went to pot, they would eventually remember these last few words that He left with them promising peach and a Comforter. I'm sure He knew that everything that was going to go on would shake them. But He repeated again that it was a good thing that He was going away. I'm sure that even after the baptism in the Holy Spirit in Acts they weren't really believing this fully. But as each went out to evangelize different cities or parts of the world, I think they got a little grasp of how good it was to have a Holy Spirit with each of them all the time wherever they were located.
And then they went, because Jesus knew that Satan was coming along with Judas and the rest to try to finish off Jesus.