John16

 

“I have said all these things to you to keep you from falling away. 

2 They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God. 

3 And they will do these things because they have not known the Father, nor me. 

4 But I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I told them to you.

This is at times, a hard lesson (at least, it is for me): to continue to trust Jesus through even the slightest pressure of persecution. Yet, here he is, telling us ahead of time, that as his disciples - people who openly stand for Him - we will inevitably be persecuted: So that we will not be discouraged and fall away when this happens. Here is both an instruction and a warning that applies to us today. We cannot be friends with both this world and the Lord; there will come a point when we must choose - either one or the other. And for those who choose Him, the Lord has by no means left us without help: He has not left us at all…👇

The Work of the Holy Spirit

“I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you. 

5 But now I am going to him who sent me, and none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ 

6 But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. 

7 Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. 

In other words: If Jesus does not sacrifice himself on the Cross, there will be no atonement (no blood covering) for sin, no forgiveness and no Salvation; and the Lord through His Spirit, will not be able to dwell among us and within us.

7 (b) But if I go, I will send him to you. 

Once Jesus has made atonement (covering) for our sin and shame, and sat down triumphant at His Father’s right Hand, God, through His Spirit, will make his home in us! (Genesis 3:21)

“I will not leave you as orphans - I will come to you.”

8 And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: 

9 concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; {See Ch.3:18 - there is only one thing that can cover our sins and save us from God’s wrath: The perfect blood of Jesus.} 

10 concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer;

11 concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.

What is Jesus saying here?

vs. 9 

That to refuse to believe or accept that I have sinned - and the price that Christ paid for my sin - is the ONLYreal sin:

vs. 10  

But to fully trust that Christ, the Firstborn from the dead, has opened the Way to Heaven, through His Sacrifice for my sin - even though I do not see Him (Faith) is the ONLY Way to Righteousness. 

Scriptures:

Romans 4:3

Hebrews 11:6

John 20:29

John 6:29

However, if we refuse this offer of salvation from sin and eternal Punishment…if we refuse the scarlet thread of Redemption that the Lord has thrown to us, we will stand condemned, just as the “prince of this world” does. (see vs.11)

There is no middle ground: We either stand on the side of the Lord (Salvation) or on the side of the devil (judgment)

This is the difference between Heaven and Hell!

How essential is this work of the Holy Spirit?

If there is no knowledge - no unveiling - of sin to the sinner - there can be no conviction…no godly sorrow - and without godly sorrow - there will be no repentance and no forgiveness from the Lord.(Romans 10:14-15; 2Corinthians 7:10)

12 “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 

13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. 

He - the Spirit of Jesus - the Holy Spirit of God - will speak at the right time, on behalf of the Father, the things that Jesus - God in human flesh, is unable to speak: The pain of the cross that all of them to some degree will have to bear, will, for the moment, be enough.

Why is He called the Spirit of Truth? Because it is only the Truth that will set the captive free: The Apostles, the Jews, the Gentiles - all of us, without exception, need to hear the Truth, if we are to be free from our captivity to sin. (Remember vs.8-11). Satan, the ruler of this world is also referred to by Jesus, in Ch.8:44 as “the father of lies” - indeed, it was through a blatant lie, that he deceived Eve into committing the original sin (See Genesis ch.3) - and he has been lying and setting multitudes on the road to Hell ever since. 

The Truth can be very hard to hear (again vs.8-11) - like any medicine, it can taste bitter at first - but once ingested, it is the only thing that can save us from the lie…that leads us into this sickness of sin…that leads to eternal death.

14 He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. 

“he will take what is mine…” These - the Lord’s gifts to us - are all wrapped up in His Truth: 

forgiveness, redemption, adoption, sanctification,  peace, joy, hope, Love… 

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places…” (See Ephesians Ch.1)…all of these are things that humanity desperately desires and strives for - but can only be obtained through ceasing to strive, receiving the Truth of Jesus’s one sacrifice on the cross and surrendering up our lives to it; and tragically, this, so many people do not want to do. 

This is why this truth - like medicine - can be hard to swallow. Our sin is a sickness unto Death, from which we cannot heal ourselves; the only Way to Life, being through Jesus Christ. To acknowledge this Truth and receive it, requires humility; but we are by our natural sinful nature, proud.

15 All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.

Again we see a pattern here; and how perfectly and beautifully the triune Godhead work as One: The Spirit by speaking the Words of Jesus, brings glory to Jesus; in just the same way that Jesus, speaking on behalf of the Father, brings glory to the Father: Each One seeking and bringing glory to the other. (See 1Corinthians 15:24-27) How can they do this..? And yet remain totally together…perfectly One? The unsearchable mystery of the perfection of the LORD…

Your Sorrow Will Turn into Joy

16 “A little while, and you will see me no longer; and again a little while, and you will see me.”

For one final time, Jesus makes this mysterious statement; again implying that his absence - although painful, will not be permanent; 

17 So some of his disciples said to one another, “What is this that he says to us, ‘A little while, and you will not see me, and again a little while, and you will see me’; and, ‘because I am going to the Father’?” 

18 So they were saying, “What does he mean by ‘a little while’? We do not know what he is talking about.” 

19 Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him, so he said to them, “Is this what you are asking yourselves, what I meant by saying, ‘A little while and you will not see me, and again a little while and you will see me’? 

20 Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy.

Remember the resurrection of Lazarus in Ch.10?… Jesus’s words to Martha: “Your brother will rise again”…and “I am the resurrection and the life”? All this was to show the disciples that death was not the end; that Death had lost its sting - the grave had lost its victory.

The disciples grief will turn to Joy when, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, they realize this.

Lazarus was in the grave for four days: For the sake of his scattered, bewildered disciples, Jesus will be in the grave for even less time than that: for “just a little while…”

21 When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. 

22 So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.

{See Ch.3:3-8 & Matthew 9:15-17} Through Jesus’s resurrection, we are also alive again: We are reborn. Just as the Scripture says: “Weeping will endure only for a night - but joy comes in the morning” (Psalm 30:5) - Jesus is assuring his disciples: Now, is the night (Ch.13:30);  But…Morning is coming! Joy is coming…

23 In that day you will ask nothing of me. Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you.

This was why Jesus came: To open the Way to the Father; to “show us the Father” (Ch.14:8-9); that through the Son, we would know He who is our Father.

24 Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.

This is absolutely beautiful! Not since the garden of Eden, will there ever have been such open and unhindered dialogue with the Almighty God: For 4000 years humanity has been estranged from its Creator: That time is about to end…FOREVER!

I Have Overcome the World

25 “I have said these things to you in figures of speech. The hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures of speech but will tell you plainly about the Father. 

He will speak with his creation  - his children - face to face - and we - with unveiled faces - will at last, be able to sup with Him and know Him!

26 In that day you will ask in my name, and I do not say to you that I will ask the Father on your behalf; 

27 for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God.

Remember Jesus’s words to Philip? “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.” (Ch.14:9) It therefore stands to reason that whoever has loved Jesus , has also unknowingly loved the Father - and will be loved by the Father. (1John 2:23)

Also remember Romans 8:

14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 

15 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!” 

16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 

17 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.

28 I came from the Father and have come into the world, and now I am leaving the world and going to the Father.”

29 His disciples said, “Ah, now you are speaking plainly and not using figurative speech! 

30 Now we know that you know all things and do not need anyone to question you; this is why we believe that you came from God.” 

This profession of Faith in Christ Jesus and His Father, shows that they are now ready for the baptism of Fire that each of them must endure. What is this baptism? What will it look like? 👇

31 Jesus answered them, “Do you now believe?

32 Behold, the hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home, and will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me. 

33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

Through this baptism of fire…this tribulation…they will realize (as we also must) how utterly wretched they are in their own strength and how desperately they need the Lord’s mercy, forgiveness and intervention: 

Yet, how gratefully they will cleave to it once, through Jesus’s resurrection, they receive it. This Grace…this forgiveness…in the wake of their utter failure…will thoroughly, permanently and completely alter the lives of these disciples; to the point where they are willing to gladly lay them down. Because the one who has been forgiven much, loves much. (Luke 7:47). This is the heart of the Gospel…the Way to Salvation.

This is how we overcome…