John 15:26-16:9
NIV: John 15:26
“When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me. 27And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning.
John 16:1 “All this I have told you so that you will not go astray. 2They will put you out of the synagogue; in fact, a time is coming when anyone who kills you will think he is offering a service to God. 3They will do such things because they have not known the Father or me. 4I have told you this, so that when the time comes you will remember that I warned you. I did not tell you this at first because I was with you. 5“Now I am going to him who sent me, yet none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ 6Because I have said these things, you are filled with grief. 7But 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. 8When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: 9in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me;
THE MESSAGE:
“When the Friend I plan to send you from the Father comes—the Spirit of Truth issuing from the Father—he will confirm everything about me. You, too, from your side must give your confirming evidence, since you are in this with me from the start. “I’ve told you these things to prepare you for rough times ahead. They are going to throw you out of the meeting places. There will even come a time when anyone who kills you will think he’s doing God a favor. They will do these things because they never really understood the Father. I’ve told you these things so that when the time comes and they start in on you, you’ll be well-warned and ready for them. “I didn’t tell you this earlier because I was with you every day. But now I am on my way to the One who sent me. Not one of you has asked, ‘Where are you going?’ Instead, the longer I’ve talked, the sadder you’ve become. So let me say it again, this truth: It’s better for you that I leave. If I don’t leave, the Friend won’t come. But if I go, I’ll send him to you. “When he comes, he’ll expose the error of the godless world’s view of sin, righteousness, and judgment: He’ll show them that their refusal to believe in me is their basic sin;
What is the Holy Spirit?
The Greek word that is translated Holy Spirit is PARACLETE. It means-
“to call alongside for the purpose of helping, to exhort, to console, to encourage”
Jesus called the Holy Spirit “another Paraclete” (Jn 14:16), which means that He too is a Paraclete. When Christ was on earth He was a helper to His followers. Christ continues to be our Paraclete in heaven, in the sense of our “advocate” with the Father if we should commit an act of sin
In Christ’s absence the Spirit carries on this work of helping.
With reference to the Spirit the word parakletos is rendered variously:
Comforter (KJV),
Helper (Williams, NASB, TEV),
Advocate (Weymouth, NEB),
Counselor (RSV).
Friend (Message)
What will the Holy Spirit not do?
Your Job of being a living witness
27 NIV - and you also must testify
27 Message - You, too, from your side must give your confirming evidence
Keep difficult things from happening to you
2They will put you out of the synagogue; in fact, a time is coming when anyone who kills you will think he is offering a service to God. 3They will do such things because they have not known the Father or me. 4I have told you this, so that when the time comes you will remember that I warned you
Burden
I believe all evangelicals have an incomplete Holy Spirit theology. It is my hope that this study will bring balance to the understanding of the work of the “Friend”.
Basic Truth
God is clear and concise in the mission of the Holy Spirit in the world
Burning Question
What is the job description of the Holy Spirit?
-To be a source of truth in this world of lies.
26b. the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father
There is a moral code written in the hearts of men. Genetics, human fallen nature and environmental conditions can play havoc with the code that is imprinted in our DNA, but it is there from the Creator.
Scientists have been playing around with the DNA of corn hoping to increase its resistance to disease and drought and at the same time to increase its productivity. The problem with this is that once the genetically altered corn leaves the laboratory all the corn on earth will forever be changed.
The truth of God is forever settled in heaven. It may be tweaked, altered or neutered, but it will not change.
It would be easier to change the laws of gravity than change the truth that is written in our hearts.
Life Applications:
#1. The truth can be found in any situation. It has been imprinted in your eternal spirit, and it has been recorded in the Word of God.
#2. You may be blinded to truth by situational ethics, bad advice, or by your own heart, but the truth that has gone out from the Father is in you.
#3. How does one seek that truth that is inside?
(a) In daily and continuous prayer
(b) By the development of the spiritual discipline of quietness
-To be a perpetual testimony of the redeeming work of the Father in the Son
26c he will testify about me.
The Holy Spirit has a burning mandate. He wants to talk about the work of redemption in Jesus. He is predisposed to inject Jesus into all human thought and activity. He may be involved in other humanitarian endeavors, but his default is set on Jesus.
As our staff is coming together we are learning to work together. We are finding each of us is wired up uniquely. This week we looked at a text in Mark. We were searching for a way to express the Central Truth of the text. Each of us found a different application to the truth because of our personality filters.
My personality filter is always set on the evangelism. I am predisposed to finding ways to reach seekers. I write sermons and teaching lessons with them in mind. Everything I do is centered on finding, and exposing pre-Christians to the greatest truth ever told.
What is so wonderful about the staff that God has assembled here is that each of us are wired to see a slightly different part of the ministry.
Life Application:
(1) Find your area of passion and expand it. The Holy Spirit is the source of the passion in your life.
(2) All of our passions for Christ has room for evangelism.
-To plant in the hearts of men the knowledge that how we live really matters
“When he comes, he’ll expose the error of the godless world’s view of sin, righteousness, and judgment:
There are various world views into which you may subscribe. Everyone has their own world view that they have wrestled into existence which allows their worlds to make sense.
There is a Godless world view on each of these issues: The Holy Spirit works perpetually to instruct us in Heavens world view
The Holy Spirit exposes (Convicts) all people of sin—
The Holy Spirit exposes our godless world view of righteousness
The Holy Spirit exposes our godless world view on judgment.
How many of you think that going out next weekend and killing deer is a good thing?
How many of you think it is a bad thing? Where did you get these differing world views? This is a minor issue to me either way, but there are some issues that God has planted in my heart that have been permanently tattooed-irreversible.
Life Application:
1. If you have recently discovered that you are a sinner it is because The Holy Spirit has revealed that to you.
2. If you have recently discovered that your view on how one is right with God has changed it is probably the Holy Spirit at work
3. If you have suddenly become vehemently aware that you will stand before God and have to explain your life and decisions—you are in the hand of the Holy Spirit.
What do I want you to know? There is really only one basic sin:
He’ll show them that their refusal to believe in me is their basic sin; that righteousness comes from above
What do I want you to do? End the internal deception and see the eternal unchanging truth. Jesus is your only hope in this world and in the world to come.
Then: Relinquish control of your life to the “Friend”, who will guide you into all truth
