The works of the Holy Spirit

I. Introduction (vv. 1-7)

Maybe you don’t realize the Spirit’s power in your life because you aren’t busy doing things only he can accomplish.

• Without the Spirit’s help you can love people who are like you.

• Without the Spirit’s help you can give an hour and a half a week to sit in a service.

• Without the Spirit’s help you can attend a Sunday seminar or community group.

• Without the Spirit’s help you can put money in the offering plate.

• Without the Spirit’s help you can talk about the gospel.

But do you know what you can’t do without the Spirit’s help?

• Without the Spirit’s help you can’t love someone who is antagonistic to you and your family.

• Without the Spirit’s help you can’t be on call 24–7 for a person in need.

• Without the Spirit’s help you can’t meet weekly with a brother or sister to bear each other’s burdens.

• Without the Spirit’s help you can’t give your hard-earned money when little is left.

• Without the Spirit’s help you can’t plead with your unbelieving friends and neighbors to repent and believe.

• Without the Spirit’s help you can’t move your family around the world for the sake of the gospel.

For you to be faithful to the mission to which Jesus has called you, you need the Spirit’s help.

vv 1-4 - It will not be easy.

v. 5 Where are you going?

Peter - John 13:36

Thomas - John 14:5

v. 7 - it is to your advantage…Helper will not come. (Answer at close)

II. The Holy Spirit convicts (vv. 8-11)

Sin (expose)

Rightesousness (convince)

Judgement (convict) John 7:24

III. The Holy Spirit guides you in “truth”

John 14:6

Jesus spoke on God’s initiative

Disclose John 14:21

Exalting Jesus in John The Holy Spirit Will Guide the Disciples into Truth (16:12–15)

I wonder if the reason we don’t read the Bible more often is because we don’t want to be guided by the Spirit. Too often we want people to agree with us, to rubber-stamp the decisions we’ve already made. The Holy Spirit is no rubber stamp. He’s a sword-wielding, flame-throwing God. We need to come to him humbly and beg him to tell us what to do. Instead we often open our Bibles and treat the Spirit’s words like a buffet table, taking what we like and passing by the rest.

IV. Conclusion

v. 7 - Why our advantage? Why couldn’t He come?

John 7:39 NASB95

39 But this He spoke of the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive; for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

Ezekiel 36:27 NASB95

27 “I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances.

Exalting Jesus in John Their Mission Requires Supernatural Help (John 16:7–15)

Imagine an ancient king deciding to take a trip to visit one of his cities on the far side of the country. He sends his trusted lieutenant ahead of him to get everything ready for the trip. The day of the trip comes, and his caravan starts out. When he arrives at the city, nothing is prepared for him. No lodging, no food, no meetings, nothing. He calls his lieutenant and asks what happened. His lieutenant says, “I came to help them, and they wouldn’t listen to me. I told them what you wanted, and I offered to assist them. I assured them I had the authority and resources to accomplish it, but they ignored me. The few times they spoke to me, it was to ask me to do something for them. It wasn’t to do what you asked but to do what they wanted.” How would the king respond?