Jesus: Creator, Savior, Lord and King #70 Jesus and Another Comforter

 

JCSLK 70 Jesus and Another Comforter

John 16:7-15

Introduction:

The Upper Room Discourse has several prominent themes that run together throughout the Lord’s teaching that final night before his arrest and trial. First is His going away, His death and coming again to take them to His Father’s house, Second is the new commandment of sacrificially loving one another as He has loved them. Third is the imperative of Abiding in Him, the Vine. The Fourth is probably the most prominent and that is the theme of Another Comforter.

The Comforter is mentioned by Christ 4 times in the Upper Room discourse, but that is just the use of His personal name Paracletos. Jesus teaches about the Holy Spirit for 10 – 12 verses from chapter 14 - 16. His role is most fully described in our text today, John 16.

We need to hear the exact teaching of Jesus on the Holy Spirit because today, there is a great deal of confusion, fantasy and outright lies when we talk about the Holy Spirit. Some see the Holy Spirit as a conduit of miracles straight to God, like a firehose. Just open the valve and watch miracles happen, when and where you want them. Others say that the Holy Spirit is just a name given to the energy or force of God. In fact there is no other persons in the Godhead, no trinity, just God and energy. Others say yes, there is no Holy Spirit at all but just a different mode of God. This heresy is called modalism, you may have heard it called “Jesus Only.” And it permeates the Pentecostal churches around the world.

To many people today the Holy Spirit there is no theology needed when it comes to the Holy Spirit, all that is involved is speaking gibberish and then dancing and running around the church building. To them this is being filled with the Holy Ghost.

The truth, as always, is found in God's word and that truth is not hard to understand. In John 16, Jesus clearly explains the gift, the work and the role of the Holy Spirit in relationship to us and to Him. Lets turn there

Spirit of Comfort and Truth

The Promise of The Paracletos

Jesus’ promise of the Comforter is one of the first things Jesus speaks of in the Upper Room. John 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;

14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

And that promise continues throughout the discourse. Notice John 15:26-27 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me: And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning.

John 16:7 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.

So let us begin by defining the word Comforter and then let Jesus describe His role.

The Comforter Defined and Described -

A.T. Robertson in NT Word Pictures says of the word Comforter or in the Greek Paracleto, “This (is an) old word from parakaleo, (it) was used for legal assistant, a pleader, an advocate, one who pleads another’s cause.”

It is a compound word derived from para, alongside and kaleo, to call. Its literal interpretation therefore would be “One called alongside to help.”

More modern translations use words like the Counselor, Helper, Advocate, Intercessor, Strengthener, Standby, but really no one word in English can fully capture all that it conveys. For that we need a description and that is what Jesus gives us in these chapters.

The King James translators used the word comforter because Jesus was assuring the apostles that in their grief of His leaving they would be comforted. There would be another comforter just like Jesus.

The Promise of The Spirit of Truth - Jesus first says the Holy Spirit would be the Spirit of Truth. This was because the Spirit will proceed from the Father and testify of Him. He also says that the apostles shall also bear witness, because they had been with Him from the beginning. The Holy Spirit would convey the truth from God to the disciples, and the disciples then would convey that same truth to others because they had experiential knowledge of Jesus, they knew him, walked with Him, learned of Him, while He was on the earth.

This would be a supernatural team up, the Spirit of God and the spirit of the apostles working together to bring the Gospel into a world that had not yet heard the Good News of Jesus.

This is how the New Testament was written. The Holy Spirit acted in the role of guide to the truth and using the memories, vocabularies and experiences of the Gospel writers inspired them to write it down and at the same time preserve them from all errors.

This is how the Roman Empire and beyond was saturated with the story of Jesus and the salvation that comes with faith in His atoning work. Ultimately, this is how the Gospel come to you and I and as the Lord tarries it will be this same supernatural teamwork that will see sinners saved, churches built, and missionaries sent until His return.

The Promise of Consolation

John 16:1-6 These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended. 2 They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service. 3 And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me. 4 But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you. 5 But now I go my way to him that sent me; and none of you asketh me, Whither goest thou? 6 But because I have said these things unto you, sorrow hath filled your heart.

Jesus told the disciples he was sharing these truths with them so they would not be offended, so that they would not stumble in the coming trials and persecutions and fall away from serving Him. To help them He promises the comforter, the Holy Spirit who would be with them, strengthen them and guide them. By relying on Him they would not fall away.

I think that many times when we fall, when we stumble in our service to God it is because we are not relying upon our Holy Spirit advocate. When it comes to salvation we believe in Jesus Christ, when it comes to creation, heaven, earth and eternity we believe in God the Father, and when it comes to service, sacrifice, forgiving and loving one another we must trust fully in Holy Spirit. For that which is happening today, moment by moment in our lives is where we need the power of the Comforter.

Listen to 2 Timothy 1:7  For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

Notice Paul says, “the spirit.” God has not given us the spirit of fear but He has given us the Spirit of power, The Spirit of Love, and the Spirit of a Sound Mind.”  That Spirit is the Holy Spirit. He has been given to us to overcome fear, doubt and even failure.

When we are opposed by fear, by doubt, by sorrow or frustration in carrying out the work of the Gospel we need remember, the Spirit of God is in me. He is fearless, powerful and loving. He does not fail and as I trust Him I will not quit, walk away or surrender in my Gospel service or sacrifice.

I will remember what Jesus promised, John 14:16 “I will pray the Father and he will give you another Comforter, the He may abide with you forever.”

This is the word of Jesus and it is true and sure. If I will but believe Him, believe His promise then I will stand in the strength of my Strengthener, the Holy Spirit.

I like what William Barclay said about the Comforter. He said the word, "Paraclete" come from the term used for a person who accompanied a Greek army. Carrying no weapons, but being the encourager and advisor to the troops. When they lost a battle, it was the Paraclete’s  task to encourage the soldiers, he would tell them, "You have just lost the battle, but the entire war." The paraclete might also tell them after they won the battle, "You have just won a battle, but not the entire war."  

So, our Paracletos says to us, “The battles for the Gospel may be won or lost on our personal battlefield but the ultimate victory has been secured by the Savior. So, fight on, until King Jesus takes the field and sweeps away the last enemy.

The Paracletos is our Comforter, and The Sprit of Truth, but that is just the first glance of the full role of the Holy Spirit. Jesus goes on and tells us that the Spirit is a…

 Spirit of Conviction - John 16:7-12

The Promise of Expediency

John 16:7 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.

Jesus tells his followers it is expedient that He must leave them. The word expedient here means it is for the best, it is the best for you. Why would Jesus’ leaving be in any way best for the disciples? Because, only through Jesus leaving would the Holy Spirit be sent by Jesus to dwell in them. As Jesus fulfilled the Gospel by saving us on the day of the Crucifixion, so the Holy Spirit would carry the Gospel through us beginning on the Day of Pentecost. This aspect of the Holy Spirit’s work, couldn’t begin until Christ died, rose and ascended back to heaven.

The Promise of Conviction

Jesus then tells the disciples how the Holy Spirit in them would prove the Gospel of Jesus.

John 16:8-12 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.

The Reprover - Barnes in his NT notes says of the word reprove, “The word translated reprove means commonly to demonstrate by argument, to prove, to persuade anyone to do a thing by presenting reasons. It hence means also to convince of anything, and particularly to convince of crime. This is its meaning here. He will convince or convict the world of sin. That is, he will so apply the truths of God to men’s own minds as to convince them by fair and sufficient arguments that they are sinners and cause them to feel this. This is the nature of conviction always.”

This is what the Holy Spirit does when we share with sinners the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Three Points of Conviction - The Holy Spirit reproves or convinces and convicts in three areas, sin, righteousness and judgment.

First in vs. 9 of sin because they believe not on me.

The chief sin before all other sins will be the sin of rejecting Jesus Christ.

 This is the greatest proof of their disbelief; they reject the one sent to save them from sin. What could be greater evidence of being a sinner than not believe the one sent to to save you from sin? By denying Jesus they try to deny their sin. “I don’t need a savior if I’m not a sinner.”

Second in vs.10  Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more;

 Jesus Christ would after this very same night, stand trial before the Sanhedrian, Pilot and then all of Jerusalem. He would be falsely accused and falsely convicted by his own people of the worst charge they could bring against Him, the charge of blasphemy. Yet Jesus was innocent of any sin, He was holy, righteous and sinless. That truth would be proven to the Sanhedrin, the Jews and the world. When the tomb was opened and He is was not there, when the sky opened and He ascended back to the Father, then all the world would know this man, called Jesus of Nazereth was not just a prophet, or rabbi but was the Messiah, the Son of Man, the Son of God and He was righteous and sinless. Death could not hold Him for as Paul says in 1 Cor 15:56, “The sting of death is sin” but Jesus Christ had no sin and death could not hold Him.

Third in vs. 11  Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged. The word judgment means to stand condemned.  It is the guilty party standing before the judge convicted and only awaiting sentence.

 This is what Jesus did when He came forth from the kingdom of Satan, the Kingdom of Death. Christ entered Satan’s kingdom and deposed its king. The Prince of this World was overpowered and now he awaits the judgment that will sentence Him forever to the Lake of Fire.

The power of the Holy Spirit’s truth will drive these convictions into the hearts of all who hear the Gospel and they will know they are sinners, that Jesus is righteous and that judgment is coming.

The Promise of the Gospel

The work of the Holy Spirit is done through us preaching the Gospel, “We will also bear testimony.”

If we desire to see men reproved of sin, convicted of Jesus righteousness and convinced of Satan’s Judgment then we must preach the Gospel. We must share the Word of God for it is there that the Holy Spirit’s power begins and ends.

Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

The Gospel enacted, written and passed to us by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit is the power of God for the salvation of sinners. That good news story, when told by us to others, unleashes the Holy Spirit’s power to reprove, convict and convince the world of the truth of salvation through Jesus.

Quote by Dr James Kennedy, "The Gospel is the greatest story ever told, about the greatest offer ever made, by the greatest person who ever lived."

So, let the Holy Spirit do His job and quit trying to do it for Him. We must be aware of supplanting the power of the Gospel with man’s methods, and means. We cannot manufacture what God will only supplies through the Holy Spirit.  We must go back, time and time again to the story of Jesus, the glorious Gospel, and then we will see the Holy Spirit’s power in the lives of men.

The uneducated Shoe salesman

A man named Gregory Gooch applied for a job selling shoes wholesale. The HR rep was nervous because the man was not well educated and his resume was filled with misspelled words. He thought he would send him to a client that was known to be hostile and then fire the man when he couldn’t make the sell.

The newly-hired salesman stunned his superiors with his first report, He wrote, "I seen this here outfit who ain’t never bot a dimes worf of nuthin from us an sole them sum goods, about a hunet thousant or so." A few days later a second letter arrived. It read: "I came to Chicawgo an sole them haff a millyon."

The sales manager took the problem to the president of the company. “Sir, our newest employee, Gregory Gooch is representing us to many new clients and I thought you should know he’s not very educated. It might not reflect well upon your business.” He showed the president the man’s reports and left the decision about what to do with him.

The next day the staff was amazed to see the uneducated salesman's letters on the company bulletin board accompanied with this memo from the president himself. The president wrote: "We ben spendin two many much time tryin to spel insted of tryin to sell. I want everybody should read these fine letters from Gooch. He is adoin a grate job. Now you git out and do like he done did!"

The apostles in one generation turned the pagan world upside down. They did by relying on Jesus words about the power of the Holy Spirit. They told people the Gospel, Jesus living, dying and rising. Now we need to get out dere and do like they done did.

Jesus had one more aspect of the Spirits work to share with the Apostles its in vss. 12-15

 Spirit of Revelation - John 16:12-14

John 16:12-15 I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. 13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

The Promise of Future Truth

There were things that the disciples needed to learn but they were not ready or able yet. Until the events of the next few hours, days, weeks and even years took place there were truths that had to be left to the future guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus says, “He will guide you into all truth. He will shew you things to come. He will glorify me.”

This Bible that we hold in our hands, (if you bring your Bible instead of a smart phone) This supernatural book that we often take for granted, is the fulfillment of Jesus’ promise of new revelation after the Holy Spirit would come.

At the time of Jesus death not a single word of New Testament Scripture had been written down. The disciples weren’t keeping journals, there were no historians traveling with them recording their lives. This would all wait until the Holy Spirit would come and he would take Jesus words and give them to the disciples to write the wonderful word of God.

Not only that but there were writers of the New Testament who would infallibly record the truths of Jesus life, who were not even saved yet, like Luke.

There were also deep explanations of the truth that would wait until Paul would be inspired to write them in His epistles. But at this time, he was still Saul the Pharisee and opposed to the Gospel,

There were even new truths, unknown and unrevealed that must wait until John the apostle is the last apostle and at 100 years old and living a death sentence on a deserted island, would write in his great epistle, “The Revelation of Jesus Christ.”

All this the Holy Spirit would do, once He fully came on the Day of Pentecost.

The Promise of Guidance

Now let us think about this, Is this promise of the Comforter only for the disciples in the writing of Scripture or can we apply it to our own guidance today?

Turn to 2 Timothy 3:16 and notice that the same three works of the Holy Spirit can be seen. 2 Timothy 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

In fact, the word inspired means “breathed out.” Just as the Holy Spirit is the “pnuema, the breath of God” who worked in the writers of scripture to record the words of God to us, so today God’s Word in the power and guidance of the Holy Spirt breathes out guidance to us.

It is God’s written word that we turn to for guidance, not some emotional kick in our spiritual pants or some vague ethereal, mystical feelings. No, it is the God breathed, Holy Spirit empowered words of guidance and truth that lead us, inspire us, comfort us and strengthen us.

This is a supernatural book because its writers were inspired by the Holy Spirit and because when you read it the Holy Spirit then inspires you. Do you need the guidance, the power, the hope, the strength of the Holy Spirit in your life then pick up and read the book that unleashes it all. Look to the Word of God and the Holy Spirit will lead you to the truths of God to guide for your life.

Conclusion

The Promise of Glory

John 16:14-15 . 14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. 15 All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

The role of the Holy Spirit is to glorify Jesus, not himself, not some fame seeking, faith healing preacher, not some dancing in the spirit, speaking in tongues, poor misguided church goer. The Holy Spirit glorified Jesus. He alone is worthy of Glory. He let His throne, came to us as a child, lived in this sinful world and never sinned, He died in our place upon the a cross of shame and rose again showing the world His holiness and power. He alone is worthy of Glory. And aren’t we are also called to also glorify Him? Isn’t that what we as God’s children, as the born again, disciples of the Lord, want to do?

If that is our calling, then this is our course. Trust in the indwelling Spirit of God working in and through us and read, cherish and obey the Holy inspired Word of God that He has given to us.