John 15:26-16:4
The Gospel According to John • Sermon • Submitted
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PRAY
PRAY
Let’s begin our time in God’s word with prayer. Heavenly Father, we thank you for this morning. We thank you for preserving us until this very day. We thank you for your Word. We ask that you would use it to make much of Christ in us and through us. May our time in your Word be honoring to you and may you accomplish all that you will through it; we know that your Word does not return void so please use it to build your people up in faith and to draw those who are not yet believers into your kingdom. We ask this in the name of Jesus, Amen.
SETUP
SETUP
Today’s sermon can be viewed as the first of a three part mini-series of sermons on God the Holy Spirit. Today we’re going to look at his “witness”, that is, that the Holy Spirit testifies concerning Jesus and his finished work. Next week we’ll look at his “work”, that is- what he has come to accomplish in the world and then the last sermon will be concerning his “words”, that is, the nature of God’s revelation of the Scriptures, which Pastor Lewis will cover.
In our text this morning we see the great doctrine known as “The Perseverance of the Saints”. This is, ofcourse, known as the last doctrine of the Calvinistic acronym known as “TULIP”- the “P” representing this truth that all those who truly are regenerate.....who truly are saved....will persevere in faith to the very end of their lives. This is, of course, taught in the Scriptures in various places- just to give you some examples....
John 10:27-29- Earlier on in John’s Gospel Jesus says these words concerning genuine disciples.
My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.
Philippians 1:6 - Paul in his letter to the church in Philippi reminds them of the work of God in their lives and how that work will endure til the “day of Jesus Christ”.....that is the day when they stand before him by means of their own death.
And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.
1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 - comforting the Thessalonians in their afflictions and suffering Paul writes....
Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.
2 Timothy 4:18 - Concerning his own preservation......Paul tells his pupil and disciple Timothy these words in his second letter...
The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
Romans 8:29-30 - and of course, these glorious words by Paul to the church in Rome…
For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.
And in our text....we are, yet again, reminded of this glorious doctrine in the following words in John 16:1.
“I have said all these things to you to keep you from falling away.
The phrase “falling away” literally means to “go astray”. In other words, Jesus knew the disciples would quickly abandon the faith and would fail to follow him beyond the grave given what they’d experience after his departure. So, Jesus’ words to his disciples are meant to preserve them in their faith after he leaves them.....Now, of course this begs the question.....what would cause them to “fall away” in the first place??? What could possibly give them reason to so quickly desert him to whom they’ve sworn their utmost allegiance? Remember, they left everything in their life to follow Jesus. They’ve left their businesses, their homes, their families, their communities.......everything to follow Jesus. They’re ALL IN. Right? So what would give them reason to back out?
If you recall, in our text last week we looked at the sobering fact that followers of Christ will be hated by the world. They will be hated because Jesus is hated. And Jesus tells them in John 15:21 these words...
But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me.
What will they do to the disciples? Well, exactly what Jesus says in John 16:2. He tells them this....
They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God.
“Put you out of the synagogues....” This is in itself a death sentence.... The disciples are told they will be cut off from the religious community that ties together their social and economic well-being. They will be ostracized. They will be excluded. They will be excommunicated. They will be hated........so much so that what? That those who are religious in society.....who are the “pious” and the “servants of God” will think they’re being faithful to God when they go out and “Kill” the disciples.
Let’s pause here for a minute....
Why are the disciples told that they can potentially fall away? Because of persecution and death. Let us, for a brief moment, adequately weigh the severity of the circumstances.... they will be killed for their faith. That’s what Jesus says....
Imagine if Jesus told you this today- He doesn’t tell you- “you’re grandma’s cat Lucy will die....” or “you’re boss will give you a hard time at work today...” or “you’ll spend 30 minutes longer in traffic than you usually do on your way to work this morning....”
He tells them they will be killed.....
It is my opinion that the most underrated, undervalued, and under-appreciated doctrine of the Christian faith today is the doctrine of the Perseverance of the Saints.... and the reason we do not value this doctrine is because we UNDERvalue and UNDER estimate our own proclivity and propensity towards falling away. Instead, we overestimate our own righteousness and underestimate our own depravity. Too often, we do not see the need for God’s preserving work in our lives because we do not value God’s saving work in our life. And the reason we do not value God’s saving work in our life is because we forget how prone we are to turn our backs on him....
And to take it a step further- the reason we do not think we’re prone to fall away from him is because we do not suffer. Not for our faith we don’t....