Let's start this morning by rereading John 15:18-16:4. In these verses, Jesus describes our relationship to the world:
(18) If the world, you, it hates, know that me, before you, it has hated.
(19) If of/from the world, you were, the world would love its own.
Now, because of/from the world you are not,
but I picked you out from/of the world,-- for this reason the world hates you.
(20) Remember the word that I spoke to you: 'A slave isn't greater than his lord/master.'
If, me, they persecuted, also you, they will persecute. ["me" is focused]
If my word they kept/obeyed, also yours they will keep/obey, ["my word" is focused]
but all these things they will do to you
because they don't know The One Sending me.
(22) If I hadn't come and spoken to them, sin they wouldn't have.
Now, an excuse/pretext they now don't have concerning their sin. ["an excuse" is focused]
(23) The one hating me, also hates my Father.
(24) If the works I hadn't done among them that no other did, sin they wouldn't have. ["the works" is focused]
Now, they have now seen and they have hated both me and my Father,
(25) but [this happened] in order that the word would be fulfilled-- the one in their law being written--
'They hated me without cause.'
(26) When the Advocate/Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father-- the Spirit of truth, who from the Father comes out-- that one will testify concerning me.
Now, also you will testify,
because from the beginning, with me, you are. ["with me" is focused]
(16:1) These things I have said to you,
in order that you wouldn't be caused to sin/fall away.
Expelled from the synagogue, they will make you, ["expelled from the synagogue" is focused]
but an hour is coming,
when each one killing you will consider [it] a service to offer to God,
and these things they will do because they don't know the Father or me,
but these things I have said to you,
that when their hour comes, you shall remember them,
because I told you.
Jesus says, the hour is coming when the world will hate you, and persecute you. The world does this because it doesn't know the Father, or the Son.
However, in the midst of this hatred, Jesus has a job for you. Your job, verse 26, is to testify on Jesus' behalf (John 15:26). You are like John the Baptist. You point people to Jesus, and to the truth, and light, and life that he offers. And when you do this, you are not alone. The Holy Spirit also testifies to the world about Jesus. The Spirit works with us to testify about Jesus.
How does this happen? What does this look like?
Our passage continues this week, John 16:4:
Verses 4-7:
(4) Now, these things to you from the beginning, I didn't say, ["from the beginning" is focused]
because with you, I was. ["with you" is focused]
(5) Now, I am going now toward The One Sending me,
and no one from you asks me,
"Where are you going?",
(6) but because these things I have said to you, grief/sorrow has filled your heart,
(7) but I, the truth, I say to you, it is better for you that I go away. ["the truth" is focused]
For if I don't go away, the Advocate/Helper, will absolutely not come toward you.
Now, if I go, I will send him toward you,
Jesus is trying to prepare his disciples for the time after he is gone. They have an "hour" coming of suffering, and Jesus wants to make them ready for it. But all they can do, is grieve. They can't even function. Husbands, imagine that your wife is dying, leaving you with all the kids. Your wife knows that this is "her hour." She knows she's leaving you and the kids. She knows this is going to be rough for you. She knows there are lots of things that she has to explain to you. But you find yourself unable to really hear any of it. All you can think about is losing your wife.
That's basically where the disciples are at. There are things they need to hear. There are questions they ought to ask. But all they can hear, is that Jesus is leaving them. And this fills them with so much sorrow, that they can't function.
The truth, though, verse 7, is that they are better off if Jesus leaves. And the main reason that's true, is because the Advocate/Helper can't come, until/unless Jesus "goes away."
When you hear this, you should find yourselves asking two questions (make sure these are on the outline):
(1) When Jesus talks about "going away," what is he talking about?
(2) "Why can't the Holy Spirit come, until Jesus goes away?"
Let's keep reading, and see if we get our answer.
Verses 8-11:
(8) and when that one (the Holy Spirit) comes, he will convict/prove wrong/expose the world concerning sin and concerning righteousness and concerning judgment/condemnation:
(9) concerning sin, first of all,
in that they haven't given allegiance to me.
(10) second, concerning righteousness,
in that toward the Father I am going,
and no longer you will see me.
(11) third, concerning judgment/condemnation,
in that the ruler of this world has been judged/condemned.
When we think about the Holy Spirit, and his ministry, we tend to think about what the Holy Spirit does for us. The Spirit guides us, and walks in step with us, and fills us. But the Holy Spirit also has a three-part ministry toward the world.
(1) The Spirit proves the world wrong concerning sin. The world/Judeans have decided that Jesus is a sinner. They think he's blaspheming, claiming too much for himself. They think he's disobedient, because he's working on the Sabbath. But the Spirit will prove the world wrong about all of this. What sin actually is, is refusing to give your allegiance to Jesus. It might be that you are sympathetic toward Jesus. It might be that you are actively rejecting Jesus. But if you don't "come to" Jesus, and become his disciples, you are sinning. This is "the" sin in John (John 9:40-41 helps here). And the Spirit will prove the world guilty about this.
(2) The Spirit proves the world wrong concerning righteousness. Probably, this is talking about Jesus' righteousness. The Judeans have decided that Jesus is a sinner, rejected by God. But Jesus is someone who always does what his Father does, who always does what his Father asks. And proof that Jesus is righteous, is that Jesus will rise from the dead, and go toward the Father. God will "vindicate" him-- God will prove that Jesus is righteous. If Jesus was a sinner, and not righteous, God would let him rot.
(3) The Spirit convicts the world concerning judgment/condemnation. There's a sense in which the entire gospel of John is like a giant court case. On one side, as prosecutors, we've seen the Judeans bringing two main charges against Jesus: (1) that he is a sinner, and (2) that he "makes himself" [equal to] God. They bring these charges against him, with the goal of condemning him. They want Jesus killed. And if you look at Jesus' life from a lower, earthly, human perspective, it's going to look like the Judeans are successful. Jesus is going to end up on the cross, dying a criminal's death. He will look like just one more failed messianic pretender.
But if we look at all of this "from above," from a heavenly perspective, what do we see? Jesus is the one who always acts rightly toward his Father. He obeys his Father in everything, saying only what his Father tells him to say, doing only what his Father tells him to do. And Jesus died, in obedience to his Father. His death on the cross, is proof that he is righteous.
So who is it, really, who stands judged/condemned at the end of the book? The world, for one. People who reject Jesus bring themselves under judgment/condemnation (John 3:18). And second, Satan. Satan made his big play through Judas, and he wickedly put Jesus to death. And Satan is the one who stands condemned in God's/Jesus' (John 5:27-29) judgment.
At this point, we need to step back, and ask ourselves a question: How does this all of this relate to the Holy Spirit?
There are three things that the world could very easily get wrong. If the world looks at Jesus from a lower, earthly, human perspective, it will misunderstand "sin," "righteousness," and "judgment." But the Holy Spirit will expose the truth about these three things, and it will prove the world wrong about these things. The Spirit will give people the heavenly perspective about these three things.
And I assume that the Holy Spirit does this in connection with our faithful testimony about Jesus. Let's reread John 15:26:
(26) When the Advocate/Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father-- the Spirit of truth, who from the Father comes out-- that one will testify concerning me.
Now, also you will testify,
because from the beginning, with me, you are. ["with me" is focused]
When you are obeying Jesus' words, testifying about him to the world, understand that you are not working alone. The Spirit is at work alongside you, working inside of the people you are talking to, working through your testimony to Jesus.
Let's stop at this point, and think about our two questions from earlier:
(1) When Jesus talks about "going away," what is he talking about?
(2) "Why can't the Holy Spirit come, until Jesus goes away?"
The first question isn't that hard, right? Jesus is going three places. First, he is going to the cross. Second, he is rising from the grave. And third, he is returning to his Father. All of these are necessary. Jesus has to do go the cross to die as God's lamb, for our sins. He couldn't save the world, without dying for it. Second, he had to rise from the grave, to be vindicated-- "proven righteous." And third, Jesus had to return to his Father. That's where his home is. And it's in heaven, where Jesus reigns.
The second question is harder. "Why can't the Holy Spirit come, until Jesus goes away?" The answer is found, probably, in John 7:37-39:
(37) Now, on the last day-- the great one-- of the festival, Jesus stood,
and he cried out, saying,
"If anyone is thirsty, he must come toward me,
and he must drink.
The one giving allegiance to me,
just as it says-- Scripture--
"Rivers, from his belly, will flow of living water."
(39) Now, this he said concerning the Spirit,
who they were about to receive-- the ones giving allegiance to him.
For not yet was the Spirit,
because Jesus had not yet been glorified.
God's plan for the world has two parts, involving Jesus first, and the Holy Spirit second.
First, The Father sent his son Jesus. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the light. No one comes to the Father, except through him. And how Jesus made that way, was through the cross. This is the moment of his glory. This is how he draws people to himself.
Second, the Father (and the Son) sent the Holy Spirit. What the Spirit does, is serve as an extension of Jesus' ministry. Jesus, in the flesh, was limited by space and time. He could only be in one place, at one time. The Spirit, though, has no boundaries. The Spirit can convict the entire world of sin, and righteousness, and judgment, at the same time. The Spirit can testify to people, that Jesus is the way, and the truth, and the life. And the Spirit can do that, for 2,000 years. That's why it's better for us, that the Spirit come in Jesus' place.
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Lenski, R. C. H. (1961). The interpretation of St. John’s gospel (p. 1080). Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg Publishing House:
On the Paraclete see 14:16, also 15:26, including the question as to why the Spirit cannot come until Jesus departs to his Sender. The thought, of course, is not that, if Jesus does not go to heaven, he would not be there to send the Spirit; but that Jesus must complete his redemptive work by his death, resurrection, and ascension, so that the Spirit may take all his work and by means of the gospel spread its saving power to the ends of the earth; see 7:39.
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So this is what the Holy Spirit's ministry is toward the world. The Spirit convicts, or exposes, the world concerning sin, and righteousness, and judgment.
Now, Jesus is going to talk about the Spirit's ministry toward us-- toward the church.
Verses 12-15:
(12) Still many things I have to you to say,
but you aren't able to bear [them] now.
(13) Now, when that one comes-- the Spirit of truth-- he will guide you into all the truth.
For he will not speak from himself,
but whatever he hears, he will speak,
and the coming things, he will proclaim/make known to you.
(14) That one, me, he will glorify,
because from what is mine, he will take,
and he will proclaim/make known to you.
(15) Everything that the Father has, mine, it is. ["mine" is focused]
That's why I said, "From what is mine, he takes, and he will proclaim/make known to you."
In verse 12, Jesus says again that his disciples aren't able to bear what he is saying. Their sorrow is too great. There are many more things Jesus would like to say, but it's too much for them.
This, though, is okay. And the reason it's okay, is that we can still hear Jesus' words, in new and fresh ways, after Jesus returns to his Father. How does this happen?
Let's read the first part of verse 13. This is a famous verse, usually misunderstood:
(13) Now, when that one comes-- the Spirit of truth-- he will guide you into all the truth.
What is the "truth" Jesus is talking about here? Usually, in my experience, this verse is used to say that the Holy Spirit guides me into the correct interpretation of this book (the Bible). We think "the truth" means "making sure that I correctly understand Jesus, or Paul, or Peter, or whoever, in my personal devotions." And if you disagree with me, or I disagree with you, that means that one of us is better led by the Spirit than the other. Which is sort of awkward.
But none of this makes much sense in the gospel of John. "The truth" has to do with the truth about Jesus-- about where he is from, about who he is, about his mission, and about what he wants from us. Jesus is "the way and the truth and the life."
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Bay, E. C. (2010). Pastoral Perspective on John 16:12–15. In D. L. Bartlett & B. B. Taylor (Eds.), Feasting on the Word: Preaching the Revised Common Lectionary: Year C (Vol. 3, p. 44). Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press:
"The word “truth” will require interpretation by the preacher. Worshipers will be inclined to understand “truth” as the equivalent of “facts,” or perhaps as a reference to wisdom. But in John’s Gospel, “truth” is a reference to Jesus, who is “the truth” (14:6). So the “truth” into which the community is to be guided has to do with Jesus himself, providing both greater clarity about all that he has said and deeper conviction regarding who he is.
In John’s Gospel, that revelation is given less to individuals and more to the community of Jesus’ disciples, and in verses 12–15 it is within the community that the Spirit works. In a culture of individualism, the preacher will need to emphasize that the promise of the text is not that the Spirit will enhance an individual’s mystical relationship with Jesus. The beneficiary of the Spirit’s activity is the community, which will be led “into all the truth” (v. 13)."
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So I think Jesus' words here are a promise to the church, that the Spirit will guide us into the whole truth about Jesus.
And when the Spirit does this, whose words is he speaking? The Spirit is Jesus' agent. He says, what Jesus tells him to say. His words, are Jesus' words.
Now, let's reread John 16:25:
(15) Everything that the Father has, mine, it is.
That's why I said, "From what is mine, he takes, and he will proclaim/make known to you."
In this verse, Jesus makes a larger point. Everything that the Father has, is Jesus.' Jesus is a faithful son, and the Father entrusts him with the estate. So all of God's resources, and power, and authority, and glory, also belong to Jesus. Jesus then says, the Spirit will take from all of this, and make it known to you. The Spirit will make sure we understand what we have, through our connection to Jesus.
When we hear this, I'm pretty sure we are supposed to find ourselves thinking about prayer, and healings, and signs, and wonders. Part of the Spirit's ministry toward us, is helping us understand everything that we have in Jesus.
Verses 16-33 I'm just going to read:
(16) A little time, and no longer you will see me,
and again a little time, and you will see me.
(17) Then, they said from his disciples toward one another,
"What is this that he is saying to us: 'A little time and you won't see me,
and again a little time, and you will see me,
and that/because I am going toward the Father.'
(18) Then, they were saying ,
"What is this that he saying [about] 'a little time.'
We don't know what he is talking about."
(19) Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him,
and he said to them,
"Concerning this, are you seeking/searching out with one another, because I said, 'A little time and you won't see me, and again a little time, and you will see me'?
(20) Truly, truly, I say to you, that you will weep
and you will mourn.
Now, the world will rejoice.
You will be sorrowful,
but your sorrow, to joy, it will become.
(21) The woman, when she gives birth, sorrow, she has, ["sorrow" is focused]
because her hour has come.
Now, when she gives birth to her child, no longer does she remember her affliction on account of her joy,
because a human was born into the world,
and so then, also you, now, on the one hand, sorrow you have.
Now, again I will see you,
and your heart will rejoice,
and your joy, no one will take away from you,
and on that day, me, you won't ask for anything. ["me" is focused]
Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father, He will give to you in my name.
(24) Until now, you haven't asked anything in my name.
Ask, and you will receive,
in order that your joy shall be fulfilled.
(25) These things in riddles, I have said to you.
An hour is coming, when no longer in riddles I will speak to you,
but plainly/openly concerning the Father, I will proclaim to you.
(26) On that day, in my name ask, ["in my name" is focused]
and I don't say to you that I will ask the Father concerning you.
For the Father himself loves you,
because you, me, you have loved,
and you have believed that I, from God, I came.
I have come from the Father,
and I have come into the world.
Again I am leaving the world,
and I am going toward the Father."
(29) His disciples said,
"LOOK! Now openly/plainly you speak, ["openly" is focused]
and not a riddle you are saying.
Now we know
that you know all things,
and need, you don't have,
that anyone would ask you [anything].
By this we believe that from God, you came."
(31) Jesus answered them,
"Now you believe?
LOOK! An hour is coming, and it has come,
that you will scattered-- each one to his own house,
and me, alone, you will leave, ["me" is a topical frame, and "alone" is focused]
and I am not alone,
because the Father, with me, He is. ["with me"]
(33) These things I have said to you,
in order that in me, peace, you would have.
In the world, affliction, you have, ["affliction" is focused]
but be brave.
I have conquered the world.
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In this world, understand that you will be hated, and persecuted. You will suffer. But in the midst of this, Jesus gives you peace, and joy. And Jesus reassures you, that he has conquered. Jesus' death on the cross, is his moment of victory.
Your job, in all of this, is to serve as faithful witnesses to Jesus. You are like John the Baptist, pointing people to Jesus, testifying to the truth about who Jesus is. And you do this, in partnership with the Holy Spirit. The Spirit exposes and convicts the world concerning sin, and righteousness, and judgment.
This is your job.
And if you fully understand who Jesus is, and what he came to do, and the resources that he makes available to you... you will bear much fruit. You will be productive.
So be brave. Know who has won. Know how much your Father loves you. Know that your Father wants to say "yes," when you ask him for big things. Ask for more. [Keep your angel busy (John 1:51)].
And don't fall away, when things get tough (John 16:1).
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Bonus quote:
Bay, E. C. (2010). Pastoral Perspective on John 16:12–15. In D. L. Bartlett & B. B. Taylor (Eds.), Feasting on the Word: Preaching the Revised Common Lectionary: Year C (Vol. 3, p. 44). Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press.
"What the text wants most to do is encourage within the community an openness to fresh encounters with the revelation of Jesus. John intends to shape a community that is receptive to Spirit-guided growth. It is not that there will be new “truth” beyond that of “the Word made flesh”; John cannot imagine that. But he can and does imagine that the message of Jesus and the meaning of Jesus will require ongoing interpretation. John imagines a Christian community that is not locked into the past but understands what Jesus means for its own time. He anticipates that changing circumstances and the emergence of new questions—stem cell research, for example, or the ability to prolong life by artificial means, or growing religious pluralism—will require the community to think afresh.
John is confident that, relying on the guidance of “the Spirit of truth,” the community will be led where it needs to go. Where the community needs to go is not merely to a deeper intellectual understanding of Jesus’ revelation, but to a life of conformity with his life and teaching. The community John seeks to form is not only one that has the right understanding or is orthodox regarding what it believes, but one that corresponds morally and ethically with Jesus, cares about the things Jesus cares about, and carries out the kind of ministry that reflects Jesus’ ministry."
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On falling away (didn't put it in, but my thoughts on "eternal security"):
16 “All this I have told you so that you will not fall away.
on verse 1:
Maybe, you think that Jesus is wasting his breath here. You know that you won't fall away, and you know that you can't fall away. You know that God holds you safe in his hand, and nothing can separate you from God's love. And you wonder why Jesus doesn't know that. Why does Jesus warn you about something that's not possible?
Jesus knows that you abiding in him, and not falling away, is no sure thing. It's no automatic thing. And if you forget about theology, and Calvinism, for a minute, you will agree with him. Lots of Christians, when they are persecuted, fall away.
Now, maybe you tell yourself, when that happens, that those people were never really Christians.
But if or when you fall away, lots of people will say that about you. That you were never really a Christian. That your faith had some type of fatal flaw. That it wasn't real faith. And so they may tell you now, that you have "eternal security" with God, that nothing can change that. But those same people will also talk out of the other side of their mouth, and explain that if or when you do fall away, that this was never true for you specifically. If you leave, that's how those same people will talk about you. Even though they tell you, right now, that you are eternally secure.
People who hold to eternal security, will also, by definition, hold to the view that it's impossible to know if someone is truly saved right now. But they won't talk about that, until after you've left.
Where then does that leave us? Let's reread John 16:1:
16 “All this I have told you so that you will not fall away.
Jesus assumes that you need to be warned about the reality of falling away. He assumes that there is nothing automatic about you abiding. In this, he sounds like Paul (Acts 20:17-38), who warned the Ephesian church day and night, with tears (cf. 1 Cor. 6:9-11).
Jesus and Paul understood that there are lots of things that can cause you to drift from Jesus. Sin. Unbelief. Persecution. The world. And they understood, as ones who were sent by God, that part of their job is warning about this.
Jesus is determined to not lose any that the Father gave him. And part of how he does this, is through warning his disciples about what's coming, and encouraging them to be faithful. So when you get to warning passages in the NT, or the "if" verses, take them seriously (Rom 6:16; 8:13; Gal. 5:19-21; Col. 1:23). Understand that you have a responsibility to persevere/abide.
[My hope is usually to push people to move from "eternal security" to "perseverance of the saints." You must persevere, and you will persevere. This is the classic Reformed position, far less dangerous than typical evangelical thought.]
Translation:
(4) Now, these things to you from the beginning, I didn't say,
because with you, I was.
(5) Now, I am going now toward The One Sending me,
and no one from you asks me,
"Where are you going?",
(6) but because these things I have said to you, grief/sorrow has filled your heart,
(7) but I, the truth, I say to you, it is better for you that I go away.
For if I don't go away, the Advocate/Helper, will absolutely not come toward you.
Now, if I go, I will send him toward you,
(8) and when that one (the Holy Spirit) comes, he will convict/prove wrong/expose the world concerning sin and concerning righteousness and concerning judgment/condemnation:
(9) concerning sin, first of all,
in that they haven't given allegiance to me.
(10) second, concerning righteousness,
in that toward the Father I am going,
and no longer you will see me.
(11) third, concerning judgment/condemnation,
in that the ruler of this world has been judged/condemned.
(12) Still many things I have to you to say,
but you aren't able to bear [them] now.
(13) Now, when that one comes-- the Spirit of truth-- he will guide you into every truth.
For he will not speak from himself,
but whatever he hears, he will speak,
and the coming things, he will proclaim/make known to you.
(14) That one, me, he will glorify,
because from what is mine, he will take,
and he will proclaim/make known to you.
(15) Everything that the Father has, mine, it is.
That's why I said, "From what is mine, he takes, and he will proclaim/make known to you."
(16) A little time, and no longer you will see me,
and again a little time, and you will see me.
(17) Then, they said from his disciples toward one another,
"What is this that he is saying to us: 'A little time and you won't see me,
and again a little time, and you will see me,
and that/because I am going toward the Father.'
(18) Then, they were saying ,
"What is this that he saying [about] 'a little time.'
We don't know what he is talking about."
(19) Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him,
and he said to them,
"Concerning this, are you seeking/searching out with one another, because I said, 'A little time and you won't see me, and again a little time, and you will see me'?
(20) Truly, truly, I say to you, that you will weep
and you will mourn.
Now, the world will rejoice.
You will be sorrowful,
but your sorrow, to joy, it will become.
(21) The woman, when she gives birth, sorrow, she has,
because her hour has come.
Now, when she gives birth to her child, no longer does she remember her affliction on account of the/her joy,
because a human was born into the world,
and so then, also you, now, on the one hand, sorrow you have.
Now, again I will see you,
and your heart will rejoice,
and your joy, no one will take away from you,
and on that day, me, you won't ask for anything.
Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father, He will give to you in my name.
(24) Until now, you haven't asked anything in my name.
Ask, and you will receive,
in order that your joy shall be fulfilled.
(25) These things in riddles, I have said to you.
An hour is coming, when no longer in riddles I will speak to you,
but plainly/openly concerning the Father, I will proclaim to you.
(26) On that day, in my name ask,
and I don't say to you that I will ask the Father concerning you.
For the Father himself loves you,
because you, me, you have loved,
and you have believed that I, from God, I came.
I have come from the Father,
and I have come into the world.
Again I am leaving the world,
and I am going toward the Father."
(29) His disciples said,
"LOOK! Now openly/plainly you speak,
and not a riddle you are saying.
Now we know
that you know all things,
and need, you don't have,
that anyone would ask you [anything].
By this we believe that from God, you came."
(31) Jesus answered them,
"Now you believe?
LOOK! An hour is coming, and it has come,
that you will scattered-- each one to his own house,
and me, alone, you will leave,
and I am not alone,
because the Father, with me, He is.
(33) These things I have said to you,
in order that in me, peace, you would have.
In the world, affliction, you have,
but be brave.
I have conquered the world.
