JESUS PROMISES THE HOLY SPIRIT (Outline)
May 22, 2011 -
Easter 5 -
JOHN 16:5-15
INTRO: Jesus speaks today’s words to his disciples before his suffering, death, and resurrection. The disciples of Jesus still have many questions concerning Jesus’ future. They wondered about the meaning of Jesus’ words. Jesus’ disciples had a limited knowledge and understanding of Jesus’ teachings. What they needed was an increased faith to believe God’s truth. They have learned much but still had a need of increased faith to believe Jesus. We are much like the disciples. We come to know and understand many, many things concerning Jesus. We have come to know some of the depth of the love of God. We also need an increased faith to fully comprehend God’s great love. "Beyond all question, the mystery of godliness is great: He appeared in a body, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was preached among the nations, was believed on in the world, was taken up in glory" (1 TIMOTHY 3:16).
JESUS PROMISES THE HOLY SPIRIT:
I. To convince the world of sin. II. To comfort the world by truth.
I. JESUS PROMISES THE HOLY SPIRIT TO CONVINCE THE WORLD OF SIN.
A. These words of Jesus are a continuation of Jesus’ words from chapter 14 and 15 in John’s gospel.
1. Verse 5. In chapter 14 the disciples did not know where Jesus was going. Now they did.
2. Verse 6. The disciples were sad that Jesus would go to Jerusalem to suffer, die, and be buried.
B. Verse 7. Jesus directs the disciples’ thoughts to his Ascension (40 days after Easter).
1. The Counselor or Advocate or Comforter or Paraclete all mean the Holy Spirit.
2. Jesus promises to send the Holy Spirit to open the eyes of faith of his disciples and the world.
C. Verse 8. The eyes of the world will be opened to begin to understand “sin, righteousness, judgment”.
1. Verse 9. Sin is still in the world. The unbelievers testify to that fact by their unbelief.
2. Verse 10. Jesus has returned to the right hand of God. Jesus is the Righteous One.
3. Verse 11. Satan does not have the power he thinks. Jesus overcame sin, death, and the devil.
D. When speaking of God’s mercy we also recall God’s judgment. God in his mercy sent his Son, Jesus to be our Savior. This meant that God in his judgment would condemn sin, death, and the devil. Satan would love to have everyone think of him as being very powerful. Satan would love to deceive everyone into being afraid of death. Neither case is what God wants or does. "Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death--that is, the devil" (HEBREWS 2:14). The devil is judged. God shows mankind his mercy.
E. In our nation today the word “sin” has almost been completely erased from our language. Very few will boldly proclaim that the world is wicked and evil because of sin. All too often all too many accept and even welcome those things that are wicked and evil. Many directly deny sin as outdated or even non-existent. Denying sin does not make it go away. Denying sin will not excuse sin. Simply put, there is death in this world because there is sin in this world. "For every living soul belongs to me, the father as well as the son--both alike belong to me. The soul who sins is the one who will die" (EZEKIEL 18:4).
F. How subtle Satan is when he weaves his web of deception around the very lives of humanity. The devil never, ever gives up on trying misleading all of mankind. But the devil will not fool those who are watching. The devil will not trap those who are aware of his trickery. This is why we hear God’s word, read God’s word, and study God’s word. By God’s word our faith grows. In God’s word is the gift of the Holy Spirit that Jesus promised. In God’s word we discover the strength of our faith. "Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith"(1 PETER 5:8, 9a). Our faith will rebuke Satan, “Get behind me!”
JESUS PROMISES THE HOLY SPIRIT.
The Holy Spirit convinces the world we are all sinners.
II. JESUS PROMISES THE HOLY SPIRIT TO COMFORT THE WORLD BY TRUTH.
A. Jesus’ disciples had grown a lot in their knowledge, understanding, and faith since chapters 14, 15.
1. Verse 12. The disciples could only comprehend so much in a short amount of time.
2. Jesus’ disciples would grow in faith. This growth would take time and patience.
B. Verse 13. “Spirit of truth” is the Holy Spirit. On Pentecost the disciples would believe even more.
1. 50 days after Easter there would be a special outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
2. Eyes of faith would be fully opened to know, understand, and believe the truths of Jesus.
3. Verse 14. The Holy Spirit would only reveal truths about Jesus and God and his word.
C. Verse 15. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are three persons yet one God. This is the Trinity.
D. The Holy Spirit is called the Comforter. There are many gifts of the Holy Spirit. First and foremost of those gifts is faith. The Holy Spirit brings comfort to believers because he provides the gift of faith. Without faith it is impossible to please God. Without faith it is impossible to know, understand or even believe anything about God. The world we live in grows more and wicked by the second. In the midst of this wickedness, rebellion, and sin we are not alone. This is our great comfort. "Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, ‘Abba, Father.’ So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir" (GALATIANS 4:6, 7). We are heirs of eternal life. Our loving Father holds us securely and safely in his hand.
E. God’s gift of faith through the Holy Spirit means everything to us and every believer everywhere. The world has less and less to offer people of faith. More than ever before people are coming to know and understand that nothing in this world is certain. This is not the case with believers. We know, believe, and confess the truth that God is with us. This is the firm foundation of the comfort of the Christian faith. Remember, when tempted to sin, that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit. "And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you"(ROMANS 8:11). Not only is God with us, God also lives in us – by faith. What a comfort of truth to know the power of our Christian faith.
F. By faith we know God’s word. By faith we understand the truth of God’s word. By faith we also believe in the power of God’s truth. God’s truth gives us the knowledge and understanding to know right from wrong. God’s truth also encourages us to believe and to do what is right in God’s sight. This is a great blessing from God himself: To believe and do what is right in God’s sight. Today’s society lives only to please themselves. Few care what is right or wrong. Many care even less about what is right in God’s sight. "We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood" (1 JOHN 4:6). Yes, believer you can and need to judge what is true from what is false, what is right in God’s sight.
CONC: Jesus’ disciples came to know and understand many things. They still needed to believe even more about Jesus. We know and understand great things about God. We live lives learning of our own need to believe more about Jesus. We truly only begin to scratch the surface of the great things our loving Lord would have us believe. "However, as it is written: ‘No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him’--but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God" (1 CORINTHIANS 2:9, 10). JESUS PROMISES THE HOLY SPIRIT. We are reminded of our sins. They are forgiven. We are comforted by God’s truth. Jesus is “the way and the truth and the life”! Amen. Pastor Timm O. Meyer
EASTER 5 rdgs: ACTS 17:1-12; 1 PETER 2:4-10; JOHN 14:1-12; (PSALM 33)
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