Dear Christian friends:

Often someone asks me this question: "Why don't others believe in Jesus?" That person sees that most people do not believe in Jesus. Perhaps he wonders, "Am I wrong? Are they right?"

I think that also you sometimes feel discouraged because you see that most deaf people do not believe in Jesus. Perhaps you ask yourself, "Am I dumb? Are others smart?"

Jesus' disciples wondered about that also. Jesus had just told them that He will soon leave them and go again to His Father in heaven. But He would not leave them without comfort and support. He would show Himself to them, but He would not show Himself to the world. (verses 16-21) Then one of His disciples asked Him, "Why will You reveal Yourself to us, and not to the world?" (verse 22)

That is a good question. It answers the question: "Why don't others believe in Jesus?" So let us consider that question today:


Jesus shows Himself only to those who love Him and keep His words. He does not show Himself to those who do not love Him and keep His words.

In our text Jesus says, "If a man love Me, he will keep My words, and My Father will love him and we will come to him and live in him. (verse 23) Jesus shows Himself to those people who love Him and keep His words. Also the Father loves them because they love Jesus and believe in Jesus. Both the Father and Jesus come to those people and live in them.

These people love Jesus and keep His words because they believe that He is the Savior who gives them eternal life. Same as the twelve disciples they believe what Jesus said that evening before He went to the Cross. Jesus said,"Let not your heart be troubled. You believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many mansions: if it were not true, I would have told you.

I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go, I will come again and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there you can be also. And where I go you know and the way you know. Thomas said to Him, "Lord, we know not where You go and how can we know the way? Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth and the life: no man comes to the Father, except through Me." (John 14:1-6)

Those who believe these words above and all His other words and promises love Him and keep His commandments. And as they believe Jesus' words and obey Him they experience the Father's love for them and receive His many blessings in their daily lives. They know that the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit live in their hearts to lead them and rule over them. They say with Paul, "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me." (Galatians 2:20)

Jesus shows Himself to all those who love Him and keep His words, but He does not show Himself to those who do not love Him. Jesus does not show Himself to the world because the world does not love Him and does not accept Him as the Savior the Father sent. In our text Jesus says, “Anyone that does not love Me, does not keep My sayings: and the word you hear is not Mine, but the Father's. He sent Me." (verse 24) The world is foolish and blind and going on the way to hell. The world does not love Jesus and refuses to believe Jesus' words. Therefore Jesus cannot show Himself to the world. And that is why the world does not believe in Jesus. The world loves darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil. The world loves sin and does not want to stop its sinful ways. Therefore the world says that Jesus' word in the Bible is not true. They find much fault with the Bible.

But in the Bible we have Jesus' words which can show Jesus to us. If a person does not accept the Bible, he cannot see Jesus and he cannot see God. In our text Jesus says, "The word you hear is not Mine, but the Father's. He sent Me." (verse 24b) Jesus' words shows the Father's good and kind will - His grace, forgiveness to sinners through the Cross of His Son Jesus Christ, and the new, eternal life in Christ. In His word in the Bible Jesus shows Himself and really God to anyone who will hear and believe. Don't despise Jesus' words in the Bible! The world doesn't believe because it rejects the Bible.

Also the world does not believe because a man needs the Holy Spirit to believe and the Holy Spirit comes through hearing Jesus’ words. In our text Jesus said to His disciples, “These things I have spoken to you, being still here with you. But when I am gone the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said to you." (verses 25-26) The Holy Spirit comes to our hearts when we hear Jesus' words and when we remember Jesus' words. The world does not believe because it receives not the Holy Spirit.

And because the world does not believe in Jesus it has not real peace. Real peace comes to those who love Jesus and keep His words. In our text Jesus said to His disciples, "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you. I do not give peace the same as the world gives peace. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." (verse 27)

In the world they do not have real peace. They stop fighting only because of the police, the judges the prisons or the soldiers. To have peace in the world they must use much force and often the peace fails. But Jesus gives those who love Him the real peace, the peace of God because of sins forgiven, the peace of heart and mind, the peace of heaven. Those who have Jesus' peace are not afraid of what's happening in the world: terrorism, wars, atomic power plant melt-downs or death. But the world is in fear because it has no real peace. It has rejected Jesus, the Prince of Peace. Jesus now does not show Himself to the world because the world does not love Him or His words. But on the Last Day Jesus will show Himself to the world, but it will be too late then.

Those who love Jesus have confidence and no fear because Jesus is now exalted and sitting at God's right hand. In our text Jesus says to His disciples, "You heard me tell you, 'I go away, and come again to you.' If you loved Me, you would rejoice, because I said, 'I go to the Father:' because My Father is greater than I." (verse 28) Those who love Jesus and keep His words rejoice and have confidence because He is Ruler over heaven and earth. Nothing happens without His permission. And He rules for the good of those who love Him. And He will come on the Last day to judge all.

Amen.