John 16:1-15
Today’s Passage: John 16:1-15
We are still in the middle of Jesus’ farewell address to His disciples. He is giving them final thoughts, encouragement, and instruction before His death, burial and resurrection. Jesus started telling them about the Holy Spirit in John 14 but now circles back around to Him.
They are clearly sad that Jesus is going away. They are starting to understand, though no doubt they don’t fully understand what is about to take place. It is starting to set in. Sorrow has filled their hearts (v.6). In verse 7 though, Jesus says something that must have sounded crazy to them...
“Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away...”
This must have sounded off the wall to them! How could Jesus tell them that it was to their advantage that He goes away? Wasn’t He the fullness of God? Wasn’t He showing them the Father? Wasn’t He ushering in the Kingdom of God? Wasn’t He performing miracles? How would you have felt if you were the disciples? Surely we would have said to Jesus, “How can you say this?”
Jesus finishes His thought at the end of verse 7... “for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.”
When Jesus left He sent His Holy Spirit. Jesus told us that this Helper is better for us. It is to our advantage! Why? Because the Holy Spirit indwells us personally as followers of Jesus and connects us to God the Father through the death and resurrection of Jesus! Through the Holy Spirit we have direct access to God because of the gospel.
The Holy Spirit is so misunderstood. Sometimes we only look to Him, ignoring other members of the trinity, but way more often we ignore Him. He is FULLY GOD and understanding Him is VITAL to us following Jesus well.
Jesus teaches us a little about the Holy Spirit and what He does here:
1) The Holy Spirit Convicts the World (v.8-11)
The Holy Spirit brings conviction... of sin, righteousness, and judgment. Basically the Holy Spirit is working to convict us and the world of our sin and of the truth of the gospel. Praise God! Remember when you felt God drawing you to Himself? Remember when you felt the weight of sin that you handed to Jesus? That was the Holy Spirit. He is doing the same things in all sorts of people’s hearts today. We have to look for where God is working and join Him!
2) The Holy Spirit Guides Us In All Truth (v.12-13)
Jesus tells us the Holy Spirit guides us. He declares the truth of Jesus. He illuminates His Word (show us the meaning) and He applies His Word to our lives. Have you ever had these moments where the Holy Spirit used God’s Word to speak to you, your life circumstances, or to reinforce what God has already said? It is so cool! The Holy Spirit is moving and working.
3) The Holy Spirit Glorifies Jesus (v.14-15)
One of the primary jobs of the Holy Spirit is to glorify Jesus and point our hearts and affection to Him. He stirs in us a love for God. He continually points us back to Jesus. And I am so thankful! He is constantly recentering us to see Jesus and follow Jesus.
Here is my encouragement. Understand the Holy Spirit’s role in your life - we have great resources available for you at cpclex.org/discipelship. Walk in the Spirit yielding to Him. Give Him the remote control. Let Him drive the car.
16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.” // Galatians 5:16
Written By: Nick Parsons
We are still in the middle of Jesus’ farewell address to His disciples. He is giving them final thoughts, encouragement, and instruction before His death, burial and resurrection. Jesus started telling them about the Holy Spirit in John 14 but now circles back around to Him.
They are clearly sad that Jesus is going away. They are starting to understand, though no doubt they don’t fully understand what is about to take place. It is starting to set in. Sorrow has filled their hearts (v.6). In verse 7 though, Jesus says something that must have sounded crazy to them...
“Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away...”
This must have sounded off the wall to them! How could Jesus tell them that it was to their advantage that He goes away? Wasn’t He the fullness of God? Wasn’t He showing them the Father? Wasn’t He ushering in the Kingdom of God? Wasn’t He performing miracles? How would you have felt if you were the disciples? Surely we would have said to Jesus, “How can you say this?”
Jesus finishes His thought at the end of verse 7... “for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.”
When Jesus left He sent His Holy Spirit. Jesus told us that this Helper is better for us. It is to our advantage! Why? Because the Holy Spirit indwells us personally as followers of Jesus and connects us to God the Father through the death and resurrection of Jesus! Through the Holy Spirit we have direct access to God because of the gospel.
The Holy Spirit is so misunderstood. Sometimes we only look to Him, ignoring other members of the trinity, but way more often we ignore Him. He is FULLY GOD and understanding Him is VITAL to us following Jesus well.
Jesus teaches us a little about the Holy Spirit and what He does here:
1) The Holy Spirit Convicts the World (v.8-11)
The Holy Spirit brings conviction... of sin, righteousness, and judgment. Basically the Holy Spirit is working to convict us and the world of our sin and of the truth of the gospel. Praise God! Remember when you felt God drawing you to Himself? Remember when you felt the weight of sin that you handed to Jesus? That was the Holy Spirit. He is doing the same things in all sorts of people’s hearts today. We have to look for where God is working and join Him!
2) The Holy Spirit Guides Us In All Truth (v.12-13)
Jesus tells us the Holy Spirit guides us. He declares the truth of Jesus. He illuminates His Word (show us the meaning) and He applies His Word to our lives. Have you ever had these moments where the Holy Spirit used God’s Word to speak to you, your life circumstances, or to reinforce what God has already said? It is so cool! The Holy Spirit is moving and working.
3) The Holy Spirit Glorifies Jesus (v.14-15)
One of the primary jobs of the Holy Spirit is to glorify Jesus and point our hearts and affection to Him. He stirs in us a love for God. He continually points us back to Jesus. And I am so thankful! He is constantly recentering us to see Jesus and follow Jesus.
Here is my encouragement. Understand the Holy Spirit’s role in your life - we have great resources available for you at cpclex.org/discipelship. Walk in the Spirit yielding to Him. Give Him the remote control. Let Him drive the car.
16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.” // Galatians 5:16
Written By: Nick Parsons
1 Comment
Wonderful message about the Holy Spirit!