Stop, Look, Listen Series

Text: St. John 16:7-13

Theme: Look, Listen and Learn

Humanly speaking, we love simple principles. We love it when someone takes something highly complex, and makes it simple. We love how to seminars, books and videos. There is a problem when we want more “how to” without having the corresponding “want to.”

Today we will look at part 2 of our series on unapplied truth. What is it in life that gets us into more trouble than anything else?

What is the main reason that we get a speeding ticket?

Why do we never stick to our New Year’s diet?

Why is it that the government can not build prisons fast enough?

Why is it that people by the millions will live their life rejecting God only to face Him in Judgement?

All these question has the same answer. Unapplied truth. We get into the most trouble when we ignore to apply truth.

Old Testament Israel was guilty of rejecting God the Father

New Testament, during Jesus’ time they were guilty of rejection God the Son

Today we are guilty of rejecting the God Holy Spirit

This series is aimed at helping us not only to identify those blind spot areas of our lives, but also to begin eliminating these areas.

John 16:7-13 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. 8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9 Of sin, because they believe not on me; 10 Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; 11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged

As we look at God’s agent of truth, the Holy Spirit we will look at His working two classes of people. This week we will look at His ministry to the world vv8-11.

HIS MINISTRY TO THE WORLD

John 16:7-13 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. 8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9 Of sin, because they believe not on me; 10 Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; 11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.

A. He will convict the world of SIN

John 16:9 Of sin, because they believe not on me;

Question 1 Why does He convict the world of sin? Without Jesus, this is where the world is

Convict – to expose one’s fault.

God’s word states that without Jesus Christ we are all sinners

Romans 5:6-9 When we were utterly helpless, with no way of escape, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners who had no use for him. 7 Even if we were good, we really wouldn’t expect anyone to die for us, though, of course, that might be barely possible. 8 But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. 9 And since by his blood he did all this for us as sinners, how much more will he do for us now that he has declared us not guilty? Now he will save us from all of God’s wrath to come.

ILLUS How does a worm get inside an apple? Perhaps you think the worm burrows in from the outside. No, scientists have discovered that the worm comes from inside. But how does he get in there? Simple! An insect lays an egg in the apple blossom. Sometime later, the worm hatches in the heart of the apple, then eats his way out. Sin, like the worn, begins in the heart and works out through a person’s thoughts, words, and actions.

 Truth: The Holy Spirit comes show the world (people without Christ) where they are IN SIN

B. He will convict the world of RIGHTEOUSNESS

Question 2 Why does the Holy Spirit convict the world of righteousness? This is where the world should be.

The Bible states that righteousness or right standing with God comes only through the person of Jesus Christ. This is a hard concept for the world to grasp seeing that most of the world rejects the idea of a righteous moral God.

ILLUS James Engel summarized the belief system and the presuppositions that commonly prevail among what he calls modern man:

 God, if He exists at all, is just an impersonal moral force.