1.Luther how to think about “suffer” on John 14:1-14?
a.Everyone cannot avoid suffer (trial).
b.We need to distinguish in the heat of battle between the suggestions of Christ and those of the devil.
c.Anyone who wants to terrify and dishearten you is surely the devil’s messenger.
d.For whenever Christ frightens someone away from unbelief and a sinful life into penitence and conversion, it is of short duration.
2.Luther how to think about “faith” on John 14:1-14?
a.All our teaching and faith must revolve about Christ and be centered in this one Person.as St. Paul states, 1 Cor. 2:2.
b.By faith;this is a spiritual sight. For I do not recognize a Christian by his external appearance and mien,by the fact that he is baptized and has God’s Word.
c.On John 14:6 ,Luther think:“Hold to Christ in faith; thus you make the right beginning.With these words Christ wants to tear and turn our hearts from all trust in anything else and pin them to Himself alone.
d.Christ alone must be everything And though I experience many trials and much opposition on the part of the devil, the world, and my own conscience, and must suffer even death because of this, I will still take my stand here.
e.On John 14:13-14,Luther think: by telling His disciples to pray Christ wants to point out that of and among themselves they do not have the power to do such great things.They will experience weakness, all sorts of trouble.Then they will exercise their faith in Christ all the more by prayer and petition, and will experience His power in weakness and in suffering the more surely.St. Paul in 2 Cor. 12:9: “My power is made perfect in weakness.”
3. Luther how to think about “comfort” on John 14:1-14?
a.On John 14:1, Christ admonished and consoled for ours that we might also learn to apply this comfort to both present and future need .
b.Christ would comfort those whom the devil wants to frighten and dishearten, and, He would intimidate those whom the devil makes smug and presumptuous.What the devil ruins and destroys, Christ must build up and restore; and what the devil establishes, Christ destroys, as we read in 1 John 3:8: “The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.”
c.Our three comforts are the dwelling places,Christ’s power,and Christ’s return.
d.Christians have the Gospel, Baptism, and the Sacrament,With these they also comfort, strengthen, and preserve poor consciences that are saddened and troubled by the devil and others
e.On John 14:12, “going to the Father” ,Christ means that He is to be made Lord and placed on the royal chair at the right hand of the Father,in Matt. 28:18 .“You will get the power to perform such works because you are My members and believe in Me;I shall enjoy at the right hand of the Father I will work in you who believe in Me and who have My Word, Baptism, and Sacrament, and remain faithful to these.
