... as a power hungry deity who demands obedience and submission. Some think God is not satisfied until we are groveling and feel terrible about ourselves and beg and crawl our way to him. That is not the God revealed in Jesus Christ. And that is not the God revealed in John 3:16. God loves you. You are his child. He created you. He wants you to be happy and whole. How much does God love you exactly? Take a look: “For God SO loved” To me this is one of the most overlooked words of this verse. Go SO! God SO ...
... the word of God, that comes from the heart of God. But Paul goes on to say in v.14, "But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." (John 16:14, NKJV) Anybody can read the Bible without the help of the Holy Spirit, but nobody can understand the Bible apart from the Holy Spirit. A little boy was writing a letter to a girl that he had a crush on. His mother said, "What are you doing?" He said ...
... coming was very very successfully accomplished. It was complete. He came all the way. He didn’t quit where most servants of humanity must. They do their best, and then they say goodbye, and death comes and takes them away. But not Jesus; he says, "I will see you again," (John 16:22) and death comes, but it doesn’t take him away; it brings him closer than he was before, and he says, "I am with you." For all the rest of us, death is the instance of our going, but for Jesus it was an aspect of his coming ...
... from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me.” As you see, the Revised Standard Version uses “counselor” as the word for parakletos. This version uses that translation throughout these chapters 14, 15, and 16 of John. It’s a descriptive word in this passage because of what Jesus says the Holy Spirit will do. He will teach, and He will remind us of what Jesus has said. Fred Morris was one of our United Methodist missionaries who was seized and ...
... ). Jesus anticipated difficult times for his disciples. He left the disciples with the words of, “I have said this to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” John 16:33 (RSV). What does this mean for our church today? People do come to church to see and experience Jesus’ care and compassion. In the opening illustration, many college students did return their coupons for the dollar bills. They were also welcomed by church ...
... another. Jesus was with the disciples at this point of the gospel narrative. However, he would go to his Father and the disciples would see him no longer (John 16:10 RSV). How does one “advocate for Jesus” — once he has departed? According to our gospel lesson, the advocate would teach the world about sin, righteousness, and judgment (John 16: 9-11 RSV). Whenever I conduct funerals, quite often the question is asked why their loved one died. I respond it is because of “sin.” The advocate reminds ...
... tell of the Last Supper, Jesus promises his disciples that he will never leave them desolate, that he will come to them in the Spirit, and teach them, and defend them. In fact, it is through the work of the Holy Spirit that Jesus will continue his work on earth (John 16:8-11). In writing Acts, Luke is very conscious of that gift. It is the Holy Spirit that guides Paul on his journeys, that brings conversions, and that opens the heart of Lydia to receive Paul's words and to be baptized in Philippi ...
... not go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you ... When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth ... He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. (John 16:7b, 13a, 14) Let me put this in some different words. Imagine Jesus saying the following: "I am to ascend to my Father. When I ascend to my Father, I will send the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit will make you the sons and daughters of my Father." If we ...
... God. To be Christian witnesses, we need God's guidance lest we do a good thing (witnessing) in the wrong way (self-righteously). Guide You In Life Jesus said, "... When he comes who is the Spirit of truth, he will guide you into all the truth" (John 16:13). The often neglected doctrine of guidance comes into play in our text and in our lives. Jesus promised guidance to his followers. He has never broken a promise. Jesus gives the guidance of the Holy Spirit through the Bible, God's special compass. He also ...
... the disciples. Jesus’ presence in the midst of his followers, the stark testimony of his crucified wounds, his promised gifts of peace and joy, have all been bestowed. Now the promised coming of the Spirit, John 16:7, is breathed out upon those whom he is sending into the world “as the Father sent him.” John’s testimony that Jesus fulfilled his final promise of the spirit to his disciples in that Upper Room does not make Luke’s day of Pentecost ancillary. It is rather the first public and powerful ...
... , and sanctified the disciples of Jesus Christ. That's also true for twenty-first-century disciples. After telling us how the Holy Spirit testifies to us about faith, Jesus says, "And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning" (John 15:27). In John 16:13 Jesus says, "But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth." In other words, the Advocate justifies us before God and sanctifies us as well. As sanctified sinners we are called to share faith with ...
... is always consistent with what Jesus taught about God the Father when he was here on this earth. That's the standard and the measuring stick. "All that the Father has is mine. For this reason I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you" (John 16:15). As for us, on this Trinity Sunday, we can rejoice in knowing that the Holy Spirit not only gets the message onto the page for us to read, but also gets it off the page and into our minds and hearts. That's how we experience this multitasking ...
... , wanting joy? Take it from Jesus. “So you have sorrow now, but I will see you again and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you... hitherto you’ve asked nothing in my name; ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.” (John 16: 22, 24 RSV) That’s good news, isn’t it? Are you anxious, needing courage? Take Jesus seriously. “I have said this to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world ...
... life of one who truly was "a friend of God." Jesus promised the continuing presence of the Spirit. That promise is confirmed in our own experiences and relationships. II. The Spirit as Guide Jesus said the Spirit will "guide you into all the truth (John 16:13)." Truth is not always easily determined, particularly when it has been misrepresented. The government assures us that the tax dollars we provide are closely monitored and applied toward the cost of goods and services which are in our own best interest ...
... : The way of discipleship is not easy and not everybody is ready to accept it. Jesus warns us that this would be the case: "I am sending you out like sheep among wolves" (Matthew 10:16). "All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved" (Matthew 10:22). "In this world you will have trouble" (John 16:33). It has always been the case that discipleship is hard and it is never tentative. Just take a look at the martyrs from throughout the church's history, of whom it is said ...
... in love. I need some space." Or, when your life’s partner dies, life seems so drab, gray, pointless. Some lions are physical. A doctor says, "I’m not pleased with the results from your biopsy." Jesus anticipated that we would face these fearsome lions. So in John 16:33 he declared, "In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." He assured us that his grace "will be sufficient for you." (II Corinthians 12:9) The toughest lion we have to face is Satan, the evil one. We ...
... normative conduit for the Holy Spirit is the preached Word of God Sunday by Sunday in the local congregation. Now let us take a look at some other words of our Lord which may cast some light on the mission and purpose of the Holy Spirit. We read them in John 16:6-11: “....because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your hearts. Nevertheless I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will ...
... world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you. ‘A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also." John 16:33 – "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." Phil. 1:29 – "For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to ...
... me has seen the Father; how can you say, ‘Show us the Father?’ Don’t you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me?" To Thomas Jesus said, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life" (John 14:1-11). On several occasions the Lord testified to his Godhood. "I and the Father are one," he said (John 10:30). "All things that the Father has are mine," he added (John 16:15). And on the night before he died, he prayed, "Father, glorify me now with the glory which I had with you before the world was ...
... . The Old Testament emphasis on the name of the Lord (see Genesis 4:26b; Exodus 3:13-15, 20:7; 1 Kings 8:14-29; Psalm 113:3; Proverbs 18:10) and the New Testament emphasis on the name of Jesus (see Matthew 18:20; John 16:23-26; Philippians 2:9-11) illustrate the profound importance of God’s name. Earthly names, likewise, are vested with power and significance. Throughout the pages of the Old Testament, we see God’s people giving meaningful names to places — names, so often, that identify places ...
... reason to believe it will be for as Job quickly realized, "man is born to trouble as the sparks fly upward" (cf., Job 5:7 ESV). John puts this certainty in these words: "In the world you face persecution" (John 16:33). The plain truth is that we all should expect to face hard times. To understand what is happening as John 14 opens, we need to go back for a moment to John 13. This is one of the great pivotal moments in the life that Jesus and his disciples shared together. Jesus and his disciples have just ...
... has ever lived has known loneliness. Jesus understands what it is to be rejected. He can relate to that “nobody cares about me” feeling. John said about Jesus, “He came to His own and His own did not receive Him.” (Jn. 1:11) Think about this. Jesus was ... that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave Me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me.’” (John 16:31-32) If you are a child of God today you may be lonely, but it’s not because you’re alone. As a child of ...
... the life of faith and trying to be more like Christ. (CLIP) Luckily for us, we probably won't ever be locked in a car with a badger threatening to eat our face. But, we all know there are going to be problems in life. Jesus even said so. In John 16:33 (NIV) Jesus said, "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." B. Derek Jeter Not only has Jesus overcome the world, but He also promised us a companion ...
... of the Spirit is the promise of guidance. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. -- John 16:13 When present the Holy Spirit will lead. Life in the Spirit is never static, calm, or status quo. The presence of the Spirit means life, movement, activity, for that is the nature of the Spirit. Look at Jesus' words in ...
... Baptist—humility, courage. And a commitment to bear witness to the light of God. 1. Steve Biedermann, “How Do We Advance God’s Light in the World Today,” https://sbiedermann.wordpress.com/2012/01/29/john-16-819-28-sermon/. 2. The Collected Sermons of Fred B. Craddock (pp. 110-111). Presbyterian Publishing Corporation. Kindle Edition. 3. Adapted from a sermon by Dr. Derek Thomas, First Presbyterian Church, Jackson, MS, https://www.fpcjackson.org/resource-library/sermons/the-beginning-of-the-gospel ...