September 2024 ~ Matt Mitchell

Sunday, September 15, 2024

“Take Heart!” [Matt's Messages]

9/15/2024 10:45:00 AM baptism, Life in Jesus' Name, Matt's Messages, The Gospel of John 0 comments

“Take Heart!”

Life in Jesus’ Name - The Gospel of John

Lanse Evangelical Free Church

September 15, 2024 :: John 16:25-33

“Take heart!”

Verse 33 has become, for me, one of the beloved verses in the whole Bible, especially since 2015 when I had my big surgery and when our church had to say goodbye to our friend Blair Murray.

That year, I latched onto John 16:33, and it has seen me through all the difficult days since then.

We’re going to make the last verse of John 16 our memory verse for the next few months. Let’s read it together. This is Jesus speaking to His disciples. John 16:33.

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

“Take heart!” Some of your translations might say, “Take courage.” Some of them say, “Be of good cheer.” In other words, fill your minds and hearts to the brim with the things that Jesus has been teaching here so that you are able to rejoice and able to be bold and courageous in the face of much hardship and even persecution. “Take heart!”

I love how honest and hopeful Jesus is in this section. Both completely honest about how hard things are going to be and completely hopeful about how things are going to turn out.

“Take heart!”

I think this is just about a perfect passage for those who are going public today as disciples of Jesus Christ. John and Kara, Alexis, and Cayli are telling the world this morning that they believe in Jesus Christ as their Lord and their Savior. And that in believing in Him they have life in His name (John 20:31).

John, Kara, Alexis, and Cayli, these words from Jesus are for you today.

“Take heart!”

In this short passage, Jesus makes many big promises that you can count on 100% so that you can “Take heart!” as His follower, no matter what comes. And that’s true, not just for John, Kara, Cayli, and Alexis, but for all of us here who are Jesus’ disciples, as well.

I have noted down at least 5 things that Jesus says that you and I can count on in these 9 verses. Five good reasons to take heart. And here’s the first one:

#1. CLARITY.

Jesus promises us enough clarity about the truth that, no matter what comes, we can take heart.

This is the very last paragraph of Jesus’ direct teaching in the Farewell Teachings. When we get to chapter 17, next week, Lord-willing, Jesus will turn to direct prayer, and John has captured what He prayed that night for us to learn from it. So it’s kind of part of the Farewell Teachings. But it’s us listening in to His conversation with God.

This paragraph (verses 25-33) are the last few words that Jesus directly taught His disciples on the night before the Cross. And that last verse of that last paragraph, verse 33, says why Jesus was doing all that teaching in the first place.

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace.”

What are the these things? It’s everything He’s taught them ever since He washed their feet. It’s chapter 13, 14, 15, and 16.

Jesus is going away, and He’s trying to get His disciples ready.

And, boy-howdy, are they having a hard time taking this in. They are troubled. They depressed. They are shocked. And they are confused. Jesus has even more things that He wanted to teach them, but they just couldn’t bear it. In fact, they couldn’t take what He did teach them.

So He’s been talking kind of obscurely. He’s been speaking kind of enigmatically. He’s given them everything they need, but almost with some vagueness that the Holy Spirit will have to fill in later.

Like that phrase, “a little while,” last week. Remember that? So obvious to us, but obscure for them. But a time is coming when all will be made plain. Look at verse 25.

Jesus says, “Though I have been speaking figuratively, a time is coming when I will no longer use this kind of language but will tell you plainly about my Father.”

When is that? I think it’s “after a little while.” It’s after the resurrection. Right now, this is kind of dark to them, but then the light of clarity will shine!

That’s what happened, right? Read Luke 24 this afternoon and see how, after the resurrection, Jesus explained everything that had happened to the disciples, and the lights really began to come on for them.

And even more after the Spirit of Truth came at Pentecost, and He guided them into all truth.

They got clarity! And that’s how we got our Bibles. So the obvious application for you and me is to read our Bibles and take heart. Not that every question we ever have is always answered how we want, but everything we need to know, we are plainly told in these pages. Read the word and take heart. Clarity.

John, Kara, Alexis, and Cayli, decide today as publicly-marked-out followers of Jesus that you are going to read your Bibles in the power of the Holy Spirit to clearly know what the Lord wants from you and wants for you and has promised you so that you can take heart. Clarity.

Jesus says that when that clarity comes, His disciples will pray in His name. Verse 26.

“In that day you will ask in my name.”

That’s been a big theme for the last few months, hasn’t it? Asking in Jesus’ name. Asking in the Person of Jesus. He’s told us that we can pray about “whatever” and ask for “anything” as long as we do it in His authorization, His reputation, His will, His Person, His name. After Jesus comes back from the dead, it will be the obvious thing to do. Of course, we’re going to pray in the name of the One Who returns from the dead! And we’re going to expect answers.

Now, in verse 26, Jesus clears up a possible misconception about what praying in His name means. Look at that. V.26

“I am not saying that I will ask the Father on your behalf. No, the Father himself loves you because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God.”

I think what He’s saying is that Jesus intercedes for us, yes, Jesus is our mediator, but He doesn’t take our words and mechanically report them to the Father. Like Kara says, “Jesus, will you tell your Father for me that I really would like this to happen?” and Jesus says, “Okay, Father, this is what I’m hearing from my disciple Kara. She says...” I think that’s what Jesus is saying it’s not like.

Like there’s some distance, some daylight, between us and the Father. Like it’s only the Son that loves us and not the Father, too. “I am not saying that I will ask the Father on your behalf. No, the Father himself loves you[!]...”

Do you need to hear that this morning?

“The Father Himself loves you...”

That’s the second of “these things” that are worthy of taking to heart.

#2. LOVE.

“The Father Himself loves you...” So you can expect answered prayers! There’s no daylight between you and God. Jesus has bridged the gap! He has closed in the space between you and the Father.

When we had our baptism classes for these 4, I drew a picture of us one side of a cliff and God on the other and great big chasm in between us. And I said that sin has caused that valley between us. And we try in our own efforts, in our own good works, to somehow the jump the valley. But it’s no good.

But God has bridged the gap for us in Jesus! And all we have to do is to cross over that bridge by faith.

Jesus says the Father Himself loves you. Not just the Son, but the Father. And here’s one of the things He loves about you: you love His Son and believe that He came to save you. Verse 27 again.

“...the Father himself loves you because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God.”

Notice that this is not saying that we loved God first. We did not. God loved us first. In fact, He loved us so much that He sent His One and Only Son. Verse 28.

“I came from the Father and entered the world; now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father.”

There’s the gospel right there, right? That’s the “main thing.” The Father sent the Son into the world. It’s John 1, right? And now He’s calling Him out of it. First in the crucifixion and after that the ascension. He came to save us. And one day He’s coming back to get us.

John, Kara, Alexis, and Cayli believe that gospel. They believe in the love of God for them.

How about you? Is verse 27 true for you? Do you know that you are loved by God the Father because you love Jesus God the Son and have believed that He came from the Father to save you?

If you believe that, then take heart!

That’s all you really need, isn’t it? They say, “All you need is love.” But it’s not romantic love that’s all we need. It’s divine love.

“The Father Himself loves you...” Take heart!

Now, sadly, the disciples, in verse 29, pretend that they understand what Jesus is talking about. They decide they’re going to play along. Verse 29.

“Then Jesus' disciples said, ‘Now you are speaking clearly and without figures of speech. Now we can see that you know all things and that you do not even need to have anyone ask you questions. This makes us believe that you came from God.’”

“Oh, we get it. Yeah. Sure.”

They don’t really “get it,” but they don’t want to appear clueless any longer. Sadly, it makes them appear even more clueless. One day soon they will not be clueless, but this is not that day. Jesus is almost sarcastic in verse 31.

“‘You believe at last!’ Jesus answered.” ‘’

It's probably a question in the original Greek. “You believe at last? You're picking up what I'm laying down? I doubt it.” V.32

“But a time is coming, and has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home. You will leave me all alone. Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me.”

Jesus knows what is about to happen. In just a matter of hours or even minutes, the Romans, led to Him by that traitor Judas, are going to arrest Jesus, and not one of these eleven men will stand by Him.

He will be alone. All alone. But He will not be alone in being alone. His Father will be with Him. And He’s going to do this thing. He’s going to go to the Cross. And He’s going to do it out of love.

And He’s told them all this so that they will have peace.

#3. PEACE.

Look at verse 33 again. “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace.”

Notice that “in me.” Our peace is found in Jesus or it’s not found at all.

No Jesus - No Peace

Know Jesus - Know Peace

We learned in chapter 14 that Jesus gives us His own peace. The peace we have is not just peace with God (which is awesome!) or peace with others or peace within. It’s peace from God that is from Jesus Himself. And it comes from knowing all the things that Jesus has been pouring out on the disciples in the Farewell Teachings.

If you know this truth, you can have peace, and take heart.

John, Kara, Alexis, Cayli, you can have peace. Sometimes it’s a peace that passes understanding. You don’t even know how you can be so peaceful. But there it is. And you’re going to need it. Because of the fourth thing that Jesus promises here in this paragraph. And that’s trouble.

#3. TROUBLE.

With a capital T. Look again at verse 33.

“In this world you will have trouble.”

Notice the contrast. In Jesus you will have peace. But in this world, you will have trouble. Affliction. Distress. Tribulation. Suffering. Hardship. Persecution.

Remember, the world will not always love you. In fact, the world hated Jesus first, so the world is going to hate you.

John, Kara, Alexis, Cayli, I have some bad news for you. The world is not going to love you for following Jesus. The world will not love you for being baptized today in Jesus’ name. In fact, the world may hate you for it. And you will have trouble.

I love that Jesus says that in verse. He does not sugarcoat things. He is so honest! He doesn’t tell us only what we want to hear. He tells His disciples that it’s going to be hard.

And not just persecution. There’s going to be sickness and death. There’s going to be conflict between Christians. There’s going to be natural disasters and all other kinds of trouble.

We do not get out of trouble by following Jesus. We get baptized into trouble! But He’s told us that in advance, so we are prepared. So that we have hope. And we can take heart.

“In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

#5. VICTORY.

The Greek word for “overcome” in verse 33 is “nenikayka” which comes from the Greek root word “Nike.” Have you ever heard that word before? I think there may be a shoe company named after that. It means “victory.” It means “conquering.”

Jesus says that He has won the victory over the world. Which is a pretty impressive thing for Him to say before He goes to the Cross! Jesus knows what’s going to happen. He is going to win. He knows it so much that He can declare it before He even dies! Remember what He just said in verses 22:

“Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy” (Jn. 16:20-22 NIVO).

Be of good cheer!

Take courage.

Take heart!

John, Kara, Alexis, Cayli, take heart! Jesus has overcome the world.

Because you have clarity about the truth. That Jesus is the Truth (Jn. 14:6).

Because you know you are loved by the Father Himself so that He sent His Son for you.

Because you know you have peace with God because of Him.

Because He died and rose again and is coming back for you some day soon.

You can be courageous right now even in the face of trouble and persecution. And bear witness to His work in your life and follow Him even to death.

Take heart!

***

Messages in this Series

01. "That You May Believe" - John 20:30-31
02. "In The Beginning Was the Word" - John 1:1-18
03. "John's Testimony" - John 1:19-34
04. "Come and See" - John 1:35-51
05. "The First of His Miraculous Signs" - John 2:1-11
06. "This Temple" - John 2:12-25
07. "You Must Be Born Again" - John 3:1-15
08. "God So Loved The World" - John 3:16-21
09. "Above All" - John 3:22-36
10. "Living Water" - John 4:1-26
11. "Ripe for the Harvest" - John 4:27-42
12. "Your Son Will Live" - John 4:43-54
13. "Pick Up Your Mat and Walk" - John 5:1-18
14. "To Your Amazement" - John 5:19-30
15. "Testimony About Me" - John 5:31-47
Christmas Eve Bonus: "The Astonishing Gift" - John 3:16 Again
Christmas Eve Bonus: "We Have Seen His Glory" - John 1:1-18 Again
16. "Enough Bread" - John 6:1-15
17. "You Are Looking for Me" - John 6:16-36
18. "I Am the Bread of Life" - John 6:35-71
Vision Meeting Bonus: "As I Have Loved You" - John 13:34-35
19. "At the Feast" - John 7:1-52
20. "I Am the Light of the World" - John 8:12-30
21. "Your Father" - John 8:31-59
22. "Now I See" - John 9:1-41
23. "I Am The Gate" - John 10:1-13
24. "I Am the Good Shepherd" - John 10:14-21
25. "I And The Father Are One" - John 10:22-42
26. "I Am the Resurrection and the Life" - John 11:1-53
27. "Expensive" - John 11:54-12:11
28. "The Hour Has Come" - John 12:12-26
29. "Father, Glorify Your Name!" - John 12:27-36
30. "Believe In Me" - John 12:37-50
31. "Do You Understand What I Have Done For You?" - John 13:1-17
32. "I Am Telling You Now Before It Happens” - John 13:18-38
2024 West Branch Baccalaureate: "The Way, The Truth, and The Life" - John 14:6
33. "I Am the Way and the Truth and the Life” - John 14:1-6
34. "Show Us the Father" - John 14:7-14
35. "If You Love Me" - John 14:15
36. "I Will Ask the Father" - John 14:16-24
37. "My Peace I Give You" - John 14:25 -31
38. "I Am the True Vine" - John 15:1-11
39. "You Are My Friends" - John 15:12-17
40. "If The World Hates You" - John 15:18-6:4
41. "When He Comes" - John 16:5-15
42. "After a Little While" - Joh 16:16-24

“After a Little While” [Matt's Messages]

9/08/2024 12:03:00 PM Life in Jesus' Name, Matt's Messages, The Gospel of John 0 comments

“After a Little While”

Life in Jesus’ Name - The Gospel of John

Lanse Evangelical Free Church

September 8, 2024 :: John 16:16-24

The disciples just had the hardest time understanding what Jesus meant by the phrase, “a little while.”

I think John uses the words “a little while” seven times in the first 4 verses! They are really tripped up by it. And it must be really important for Jesus to spend so much time undoing their confusion. “A Little While.”

Remember, this is the night before His crucifixion, and Jesus has been preparing His disciples for His departure. We call these section, “The Farewell Teachings of Jesus.” Chapters 13, 14, 15, 16, and 17.

Last week, we read about how Jesus said that it will be better for His disciples if He goes away because He will send the Holy Spirit to take His place. Remember this? Because when He comes, the Holy Spirit will convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment, and He will guide the church into all truth.

But before the Spirit comes, there is another important set of events that must occur. And that’s what Jesus is talking about, I think, in this section. In these verses, Jesus predicts what is going to happen in just “a little while.” And it will make all of the difference for everything forever for all of Jesus’ disciples including for you and me. Listen to what Jesus says in verse 16.

“‘In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me.’”

Now, for you and me, it’s almost obvious what He means. It’s a straightforward prediction of what is going to happen that very weekend. That “little while” is going to happen in just...a little while!

But for the eleven disciples huddled with Him that night, it was anything but obvious. They just couldn’t understand what He was getting at. They didn’t have categories. They were confused. They were consternated. Look at verse 17.

“Some of his disciples said to one another, ‘What does he mean by saying, 'In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me,' and 'Because I am going to the Father'?’ They kept asking, ‘What does he mean by 'a little while'? We don't understand what he is saying.’”

“What’s He talking about? What’s this ‘little while’ thing? What does He mean by saying He’s going ‘to the Father?’”

Remember how last week Jesus said that He had much more to tell them, but they just couldn’t bear it? Well, they obviously couldn’t bear what He had already told them. How could He disappear and then reappear? What exactly is going to happen?

Well, you and I know. And Jesus knew. Jesus knew it the whole time. That’s what He was trying to get them prepared for. Look at verse 19.

“Jesus saw that they wanted to ask him about this, so he said to them, ‘Are you asking one another what I meant when I said, 'In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me'?” “Let me explain it to you.”

What does He mean? What was He referring to in verse 16? “In a little while you will see me no more...” What was that?

It was the crucifixion, wasn’t it? And His burial. In less than 24 hours, Jesus was going to be arrested, put on trial, tortured, mocked, and killed on a Cross. This time next day, He would be buried in His tomb. “In a little while you will see me no more...”

“....and then after a little while you will see me.'" What’s He talking about there? He’s talking about the resurrection! He’s not going to stay dead!!! No wonder they were confused. They were confused that He had to die. And they were confused that He was going to return from the dead. That generally does not happen!

And even though they had seen a kind of resurrection in Lazarus not that long ago, it was because of the power of Jesus. But if Jesus was going to die, where would the power come to resurrect Him? How could all this be true? What could it all mean? In just “a little while?”

And, of course, it didn’t feel like just “a little while,” I’m sure. The entire time Jesus was in the grave probably felt like forever. Whenever we go through something really hard, it can feel like it lasts forever. Right? There’s probably a lesson here in those words “a little while” referring to the difficult waiting periods of our lives, no matter how long they are (see also 1 Peter 1:6 and 5:10). But always worth it. Because of Jesus, always worth it.

I see Jesus teaching us two huge things that are going to happen to us because of what happened to Him between those two little whiles. And they are both incredible encouragements to our hearts. Here’s number one.

After a little while:

#1. YOUR SORROW WILL TURN INTO JOY.

Jesus tells it like it will be. Look at verse 20.

“I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices.”

That’s terrible. They are going to cry their eyes out. Theirs hearts are going to be torn in two. Their Lord and Teacher, their favorite person, their Rabbi, their Good Shepherd is going to be ripped away from them, stripped of all dignity, mocked, spit on, struck in the face, and whipped on His back and then nailed to a pole until He dies. “You will weep and mourn.”

And to make it worse, they will mourn “...while the world rejoices!” Remember the world is going to hate you. Jesus said, “It hated me first.”

You’re going to see it firsthand. The world is going to cheer.

“Crucify Him!”

“Yeah! They crucified Him! So much for that troublemaker. We should make this a holiday. Got rid of Jesus Day. What a Good Friday!”

I can’t hardly imagine how the disciples felt. But Jesus knew in advance. And He told them. So that when it happened, they had some categories to fall back on. And when the pain hit, to remember that Jesus said it would come...and then it would all go away! Verse 20 again.

“You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy.”

It’s going to hurt like nothing else, but then it’s going to get better. Unimaginably better. “After a little while” your sorrow will turn into joy.

Jesus has an illustration handy for this. He says it’s like a mom in labor. Look at verse 21.

“A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world.”

Ladies, is this true? Does it actually hurt to give birth? I’ve heard that it does. Yes, it does. And some moms are tempted to yell at their husbands, “What have you done to me?!” and vow to never have another child ever again. But then it all changes after the baby is born. Some moms even want to have another one...or three!

Jesus doesn’t mean that she totally forgets how much it hurt, but in comparison to the joy of the little girl or little boy being placed in her happy arms, it doesn’t matter any more. The pain and the heartache are totally worth it.

That’s what Jesus decided for Himself, isn’t it? He decided that the joy set before Him was worth enduring the Cross and scorning its shame. And He decided it worth it for His disciples to weep and mourn while the world rejoiced because, after that, His disciples would rejoice and never stop rejoicing. Verse 22.

“So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.”

Oh, I love that! “I will see you again.”

Death is not the end. “I will see you again.”

“And you will rejoice, and no one (not no one) will take away your joy.”

Your joy will be un-snatchable.

Your joy will be un-ending.

Your joy will be forever and ever and ever and ever.

This verse makes me think about what Paul said in 2 Corinthians 4. Which I often read at funerals, and, boy, there seems like there’s been a lot of funerals recently.

Paul is talking about how hard it is to live the Christian life. We all feel it. Our lives right now are marked by some weeping and mourning. Not because Jesus has died but because we are waiting for His return. And everything has not yet been made right.

So Paul writes to the Corinthians with this same logic of Jesus, “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles [“a little while”] are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. [There’s no comparison!] So [Paul says] we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal” (2 Cor. 4:16-18 NIVO). And that includes our joy.

“No one will take away your joy.”

The application of that is obvious. It’s to rejoice. To rejoice because Jesus is alive. To rejoice even because Jesus died. Because He died for our sins. And He paid the just penalty for them. It WAS a Good Friday! Because in a little while Jesus went to the Cross carrying our sins on His shoulders, and then He buried them far away from us. And then He walked out of that tomb on Sunday morning as alive as you and I are today. More alive, in fact!

Because He will never die. And neither will our joy!

Rejoice! Our weeping and wailing will turn into whooping.

Woohoo! And our whooping will never stop. So never stop whooping.

Are you rejoicing today? You cannot rejoice unless you have first repented. Because the Cross is not good news for you if you have not put your trust in Jesus. Remember it’s when we believe in Jesus that we get life in His name. Have you put your faith in Jesus? Then rejoice. And never stop.

Now, that doesn’t mean that we always feel happy. The disciples didn’t feel happy that night. And there would be more sorrow yet to come even after Jesus was raised from the dead. Because the world was going to come after them.

Persecution is on the way. But there is joy underneath, isn’t there? No matter what happens, we know that Jesus is alive and that nobody can take that from Him, and therefore nobody can take away our joy.

One of my most favorite passages in the whole Bible is Isaiah 35 with its prophetic prediction of the kingdom to come. Here’s the last verse.

Isaiah 35:36 says, “...and the ransomed of the LORD will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.”

After a little while, your sorrow will turn into joy.

#2. THE FATHER WILL ANSWER YOUR PRAYERS.

Look at verse 23.

“In that day you will no longer ask me anything. I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.”

Wow! I think that’s like the fourth time that Jesus has promised answered prayers in the Farewell Teachings. He may be going away, but that doesn’t mean that we are alone. We are still allowed to ask and to expect to receive.

“In that day you will no longer ask me anything...” Now, I don’t think He’s actually talking about prayer there. I think He’s saying that after the resurrection, all of these questions they have been asking will be cleared up. They will finally “get it.” And they will soon have the Holy Spirit to guide them into all truth. Their confusion will melt away, and the answers to their prayers will roll in.

“I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.”

Whatever. We are allowed to ask for whatever. Nothing is too difficult. We are invited to ask for anything. Provided...that we ask in Jesus’ name.

Remember, a name in the Bible refers not just the thing which you are called but to the thing signified by the thing by which you are called. The name stands for the whole person. Your reputation, your authority, your character, your will. So when we ask “in Jesus’ name” we are asking for God to do what Jesus would ask for.

It’s not just a talisman or some magic words to add efficacy to our prayers, “inJesusnameIprayamen.” No, but it is a powerful thing to pray in Jesus’ name. Especially because of what happened between “in a little while” and “after a little while.” Because of the Cross and the Empty Tomb. When we pray in the name of Jesus now, we are praying “in the Person” of the crucified and risen Son of God!

How do you think God the Father is going to feel about answering prayers that are prayed in that name?!

I think that’s what Jesus is getting at in verse 24.

“Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.”

It’s not that God didn’t delight in answering the prayers of His people in the Old Testament. Of course He did; just read it. But now what the Old Testament prefigured has been fulfilled! Jesus, the Word of God, has come and taken on flesh and, in His flesh, has died and come back to life.

That’s the name in which we can now pray. You can ask for God to do things in that day!

Praying to the Father, through the Spirit in the name of the crucified and risen Son.

“Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.”

That’s the application, isn’t it?

Ask!

And receive.

And rejoice once again.

What are you asking the Father these days?

What are you praying for?

Don’t bother praying for things you know that the crucified and risen Son would never authorize. But if you believe it is something He might get behind, then don’t stop asking in His name. Because the Father loves to pour out good gifts on His Son and those who are in His Son.

“Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.”

***

Messages in this Series

01. "That You May Believe" - John 20:30-31
02. "In The Beginning Was the Word" - John 1:1-18
03. "John's Testimony" - John 1:19-34
04. "Come and See" - John 1:35-51
05. "The First of His Miraculous Signs" - John 2:1-11
06. "This Temple" - John 2:12-25
07. "You Must Be Born Again" - John 3:1-15
08. "God So Loved The World" - John 3:16-21
09. "Above All" - John 3:22-36
10. "Living Water" - John 4:1-26
11. "Ripe for the Harvest" - John 4:27-42
12. "Your Son Will Live" - John 4:43-54
13. "Pick Up Your Mat and Walk" - John 5:1-18
14. "To Your Amazement" - John 5:19-30
15. "Testimony About Me" - John 5:31-47
Christmas Eve Bonus: "The Astonishing Gift" - John 3:16 Again
Christmas Eve Bonus: "We Have Seen His Glory" - John 1:1-18 Again
16. "Enough Bread" - John 6:1-15
17. "You Are Looking for Me" - John 6:16-36
18. "I Am the Bread of Life" - John 6:35-71
Vision Meeting Bonus: "As I Have Loved You" - John 13:34-35
19. "At the Feast" - John 7:1-52
20. "I Am the Light of the World" - John 8:12-30
21. "Your Father" - John 8:31-59
22. "Now I See" - John 9:1-41
23. "I Am The Gate" - John 10:1-13
24. "I Am the Good Shepherd" - John 10:14-21
25. "I And The Father Are One" - John 10:22-42
26. "I Am the Resurrection and the Life" - John 11:1-53
27. "Expensive" - John 11:54-12:11
28. "The Hour Has Come" - John 12:12-26
29. "Father, Glorify Your Name!" - John 12:27-36
30. "Believe In Me" - John 12:37-50
31. "Do You Understand What I Have Done For You?" - John 13:1-17
32. "I Am Telling You Now Before It Happens” - John 13:18-38
2024 West Branch Baccalaureate: "The Way, The Truth, and The Life" - John 14:6
33. "I Am the Way and the Truth and the Life” - John 14:1-6
34. "Show Us the Father" - John 14:7-14
35. "If You Love Me" - John 14:15
36. "I Will Ask the Father" - John 14:16-24
37. "My Peace I Give You" - John 14:25 -31
38. "I Am the True Vine" - John 15:1-11
39. "You Are My Friends" - John 15:12-17
40. "If The World Hates You" - John 15:18-6:4

41. "When He Comes" - John 16:5-15

“When He Comes” [Matt's Messages]

9/01/2024 11:46:00 AM Life in Jesus' Name, Matt's Messages, The Gospel of John 0 comments

“When He Comes”

Life in Jesus’ Name - The Gospel of John

Lanse Evangelical Free Church

September 1, 2024 :: John 16:5-15

Jesus told His disciples that it would be better for them if He went away.

In this section of the Farewell Teachings, the Lord Jesus insisted to His followers that they will better off if He leaves them.

And that was very very hard for them to receive.

It’s the night that Jesus betrayed. Jesus has washed their feet and told them to love one another. Judas has slipped out in the dark to betray Jesus to the rulers. Jesus has told his closest followers that He is going away, and they are shaken to the core. He’s been comforting them and giving them big promises to sustain them while He’s away. But He’s also been telling them that it’s going to be hard.

Very hard. The world is going to hate them. That’s what we focused on last week. Jesus is going away, and the world is going to come after them. Jesus hadn’t said much about that because He’s been with them, but now He’s going away (v.4), so now He’s warning them.

And that has shaken them to the core. So much so that they aren’t even asking good questions about what this means this for Jesus or their future. Look with me at chapter 16, verse 5.

“Now I am going to him who sent me, yet none of you asks me, 'Where are you going?”

You aren’t even asking what this all means! Now, earlier this evening, Peter did ask Jesus where He was going (13:36), but he wasn’t asking for Jesus. Thomas did say, “We don’t know where you’re going...” (14:5), but he was focused on trying understand what Jesus meant by “You know the way...”

And they have probably left the upper room by now and walked through a vineyard on their way to the Garden of Gethsemane. And nobody is asking Jesus right now, “Where are you going?" They just can’t get over the fact that He’s leaving and how it makes them feel. V.6

“Because I have said these things, you are filled with grief.”

They are so distressed! Even more now because Jesus has said that the world is going to hate and attack them. How would you feel? How would you feel if Jesus said that He was going to leave you?

But there is kind of a rebuke here. Because Jesus has been assuring them that this is all part of His good plan. Not only are not thinking about Jesus and being concerned for what He is about to go through, but they are missing the bigger picture here.

Jesus is going to “him who sent” Him, and that will be better for the disciples and even for the world. Look at verse 7.

“But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.”

That is very important. Jesus says that it’s better for Him to go away, or they won’t get the “Paraclete.” NIV, “Counselor” also translated “Comforter” or “Advocate,” or “Helper.” We know Him by His main name in the Scripture, “The Holy Spirit.”

Here’s the plan. Jesus is going to die, come back from the dead, ascend to His Father, and ask His Father to send the Holy Spirit to be poured out in a special unprecedented way.

So the Holy Spirit will only come if Jesus goes away. Which is better? We sometimes get the idea that it would be better for us to have walked the dusty roads of Jerusalem with Jesus in the flesh. And that would have been awesome! But Jesus says that we have it even better now than they did then.

Because He went away, we got the Spirit! Because of the Cross and the Empty Tomb and the Ascension on high, we got Pentecost. And wildly, that brings Jesus even more closer to us! Because the Spirit is the Spirit of Jesus, so through the Spirit we have the presence of Jesus in our hearts. His leaving doesn’t really mean His absence from us, but in a deeper way, His presence with us! “And surely I am with you always...” And that’s why we can abide or remain or dwell in Him.

“It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.”

And He did! And in the next few verses, Jesus explains what the Spirit will do when He comes. That’s our title for today’s message. “When He Comes.”

And the “He” there is not Jesus and His second coming, but the Spirit and His coming in the book of Acts. What will happen with the Holy Spirit comes? I see at least three things.

When He Comes...

#1. THE HOLY SPIRIT WILL CONVICT THE WORLD.

Look at verse 8.

“When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment...”

What does that mean? We proclaimed it together just a few minutes ago when we did our Worship in Unity with Joe in Article 6 of our statement of faith. “We believe that the Holy Spirit...convicts the world of its guilt.”

When the Spirit comes, He is going to act not just like an Advocate but like a Prosecutor. He’s going to make a case about the world, and convict the world of its guilt.

Now, remember, that word “world’ in the Gospel of John isn’t just talking about the big blue Earth, but the humans of the world-system united together in sinful rebellion against God. The Spirit is going to come and prove that they are guilty.

It’s not 100% clear to whom that is being proved. It could be just convicted before God. The Spirit will prosecute the world before the righteous Judge of all the Earth, and the world will be rightly condemned. That’s true! That will surely happen.

But I tend to think that it’s also talking about how the Spirit convicts individual hearts of some in the world that causes their hearts to change. He shows those in the world where they are wrong, and they repent and believe in Jesus. Look what He says in verse 9.

“When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me...”

Which is the fundamental sin, isn’t it? Humans who do not believe in Jesus are in sin. And sin will keep you from believing in Jesus. The Spirit is going to point that out. Nobody who rejects Jesus will get away with it before the Judge. But, for some, the Spirit will so move upon their hearts that they will wake up and say, “Oh. I’m a sinner! I have failed. I have fallen short of the glory of God. I have been rejecting Jesus. What must I do to be saved?”

And that’s exactly what happened when the Spirit came. Acts chapter 2?

The Spirit came at Pentecost–as promised, a rushing wind, flames of fire over the disciples, speaking in unlearned languages. The Apostle Peter getting up in front of the crowd and sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ.

And Peter ends his message:

“‘Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.’ [What happened then?]

When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, ‘Brothers, what shall we do?’ Peter replied, ‘Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

.... Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day. They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer” (Acts 2:36-42 NIVO). The church was born!

None of that would have happened unless Jesus went away. The Spirit convicted the world of guilt in regard to sin. And in regard to righteousness. Verse 10.

“...in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer;”

Now, this is the only place in the gospel of John that uses the word “righteousness.” That’s more of a Matthew-word or Paul-word than a John-word. But John reports here that Jesus said that the Spirit will convict the world in regard to righteousness.

That could be Jesus’ righteousness. That the world will come to see that Jesus was righteous, after they had rejected Him all along. Or it could be the world’s righteousness. That they had been pursuing their own brand of righteousness. We might call it self-righteousness. Like the Pharisees. Thinking that their good works were sufficient to justify them before God. The Spirit will dismantle that kind of false thinking. Their righteousness will not cut it.

But I tend to think that it’s more than that. I think the Spirit will convict the world that they need righteousness. That they don’t have it. They will wake up and not only say, “I am a sinner,” but say, “I need righteousness.” I need more than forgiveness, with my slate wiped clean. I need some moral goodness put on my account.

This happened to me when I was in junior high school. I heard an Methodist evangelist named Earl Bailey share the gospel. And I felt my sin like I never had before. And I saw my sinfulness. I felt it. And I felt that I need covered with a righteousness that I could achieve on my own. And when Earl Bailey told us about Jesus and what He had done for us on the Cross, I responded and the next day I told a friend about it.

You know Who I believe was speaking that night to my heart? The Holy Spirit, of course. The Counselor. The Advocate. The Helper. I couldn’t see Jesus. Jesus wasn’t there in the flesh, but the Holy Spirit was. Look at verse 11 again.

Convicted “...in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longe...”

But the Holy Spirit will be there, and He can bring the conviction.

Is He doing it right now in this room? He’s here in this room. Is He convicting you of your sin, of your un-righteousness and your need for Christ’s righteousness to be put on your account?

Is He convicting you in regard to judgment? That’s the third one in verse 8 and in verse 11.

Convicted by the Spirit, (v.11) “...in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.”

Now that could mean the world’s judgment about Jesus. Because they have been judging Him wrong.

All through this book, we’ve seen how the world has been judging Jesus wrongly. They have not believed that He is Who He says He is.

He is not the Bread of Life.

He is not the Light of the World.

He is not the Gate for the sheep.

He is not the Good Shepherd.

He is not the Resurrection and the Life.

He is not the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

He is not the True Vine.

That’s how the world judges Jesus, and the Spirit is going to show that they are all wrong about that.

But I tend to think that’s it more than that. I tend to think that the Spirit is going to show those in the world that their judgment is coming.

They are sinners.

They are unrighteous.

And they are in trouble.

And if they don’t repent, they will face the same fate as the Satan is going to face.

“...because the prince of this world now stands condemned.”

That’s not how it seems. It seems like Jesus is going to stand condemned. In just a few hours, He will be condemned to death before Pontius Pilate. But He will not stay dead. That judgment will be overturned by the Great Judge through the resurrection. And He will ascend to sit at the right hand of the Majesty on High. And He will ask the Father, “Please send our Spirit.” And the Father will say, “Yes.” And the Spirit will come, and when He comes, He will convict the world in regard to judgment.

Is He doing it right now in this room? The Spirit is here. Is He pointing out your sin to you? Your unrighteousness? Your judgment that is awaiting if you do not repent and trust in Jesus? If He is, give in!

Isn’t good that Jesus went away so that the Spirit would come?! If He didn’t then we wouldn’t be saved. Nobody in this room would be saved.

And isn’t this good motivation to share the gospel with people out there in the world? Because we can’t save anybody. But the Spirit can. We can’t convince people on our own that they are sinners that need Jesus. But the Spirit can.

He can convince them that they have gotten Jesus all wrong up to till now, and that judgment is coming and coming soon. But Jesus took on the condemnation that we deserved so that we don’t have to.

The Spirit can drive it home in their hearts that “God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him” (Jn. 3:16-17 NIVO).

That gives us great motivation to tell people about Jesus! Because it’s not all up to us. We just tell them. The Spirit convicts them when He comes.

Notice, by the way, that the Holy Spirit is a “He.” He is not an it. He is a Person not just a Thing. I’ve heard Christians refer the Holy Spirit as an “it” from time to time, and it’s understandable because He often does impersonal things. He is poured out. We are baptized in Him. Like He is water or something.

But the Spirit is not just an impersonal power like the Force in Star Wars. The Spirit is a Person. He is the Third Person of the Trinity. He is not just the power of God. He is a Person of God.

And He speaks. He is the Spirit of Truth. Look at verse 12.

“‘I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come” (vv.12-13).

He speaks. And He speaks the truth.

When He comes...

#2. THE HOLY SPIRIT WILL GUIDE THE CHURCH.

And He will guide them into truth.

Jesus wants to tell His disciples even more. He has so much to share with them. The truth of chapters 13, 14, and 15, as great as it all is, is not all there is. He’s got more. Lots more. But they can’t handle it right now. They can’t comprehend it. They can’t wrap their minds around it. They are too scared right now to receive it. It’s more than they can bear. They can’t hardly handle what they have just been given.

But that’s okay. Because the Spirit of Truth is on His way. And when He comes, He’s going to guide the disciples into the truth.

He’s not going to take them in some weird new direction. He’s going to remind them what they have already heard and make sure they know all the rest of the stuff they need to get. And both for now and the future.

Isn’t that good news?! Aren’t you glad that the Spirit came?

Because this is what He gave us. He gave us the Bible. He led these 11 scared men to write down what they had learned. And He guided the rest of the authors of the New Testament to write down everything we need for life and godliness.

And He continues to guide the church into all truth.

I think one of the most obvious applications of that is we should prayerfully read our Bibles. If Jesus went away so that the Spirit of Truth would come so that we could have our full Bibles, probably we ought to read them!

It’s amazing to me how many Christians think they can get along just fine without a regular diet of Bible. And then they wonder why they don’t understand what’s going on in their world. Often, it’s because they have not prayerfully read what the Spirit is saying to the church. The same Spirit who inspired the Scriptures wants to help us to read and understand them.

“[W]hen he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth” (John 16:13).

And that will bring glory to Jesus.

When He Comes...

#3. THE HOLY SPIRIT WILL GLORIFY THE SON.

Look at verses 14 and 15.

“He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you” (John 16:14-15).

God the Spirit loves to shine the spotlight on the God the Son. He’s always doing it. That’s what we proclaimed in Article 6 of our EFCA Statement this morning: “We believe that the Holy Spirit, in all that He does, glorifies the Lord Jesus Christ.”

And, here He does it, by sharing what I call, “Trinity Truth.” The Spirit doesn’t take off on His own. He shares what belongs to the Son with the Church. Jesus says, “[He takes] from what is mine and [makes] it known to you.” What is that? In verse 15, He says that it’s what belongs to God the Father.

“All that belongs to the Father is mine.”

There is no daylight between them. They share everything! They are never at odds. They are always perfectly together. They are One God. There is only one truth of the one God. And that one God is triune. He is Three Persons. And what the Father has, the Son has, and the Spirit takes from that and shares it with us.

This is so mind-blowingly wonderful!!!! Think about truthful this truth is. God the Father knows all things, right? Including the future. God the Son says that He is the Truth, right? And God the Son says that He is going to send God the Spirit Whom He calls the Spirit of Truth. And that Spirit is going to take from the Father and the Son what is true and give it to...you and me???!!! How precious is that truth?!

Jesus told His disciples that it would be better for them if He went away. Because the Holy Spirit would glorify the Son by guiding the church into all truth. And even convict the world to leave the world and believe the truth.

When He came.

Glory be to God!