The Spirit's Work

Introduction:

As we turn to our text this morning, we continue our journey through John’s gospel. Today, we find ourselves in chapter 6, beginning in verse 4. Last week, Andrew gave us a look at the Holy Spirit and His relation to witnessing. One key idea as Andrew took us through the end of chapter 15, is that the Spirit works out God’s will and purpose in the world. He does this through His bearing witness in us, so He can bear witness through us. As Jesus continues, we see Him building on this idea as He begins clarifying the work the Spirit is to do. He shares what the Spirit is to do in being a comfort to His disciples and bringing conviction to the world.

The Text:

John 16:4–11 ESV

4 But I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I told them to you. “I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you. 5 But now I am going to him who sent me, and none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ 6 But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. 7 Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. 8 And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; 10 concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; 11 concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.

Prayer:

Jesus has just told His disciples that they will be, and should be, hated by the world. That faithfulness will necessarily bring persecution. That they will be hated without cause as they hated Jesus and the Father. That a time will come when they will be killed under the guise of Godly service. Christ has given a hard word to His disciples and He now tells them again that He is going away, leaving them.

The disciples clearly don’t understand as Jesus then has to explain that they are not focused, or caught up in the wrong things. Rather than ask about where He is going, what He meant earlier by mansions and His Father’s house, or the peace and joy to be enjoyed there, Peter was confused in chapter 13 not knowing Jesus was talking about leaving this world and now they are filled with sorrow.

Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible: Complete and Unabridged in One Volume John 16:1–6

because he was himself with them to instruct, guide, and comfort them, and then they needed not the promise of the Spirit’s extraordinary presence.

Now Jesus, says…it is time.

John 16:4 ESV

4 But I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I told them to you. “I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you.

He’s going away and there is another helper coming…the paraclete.

Paraclete, like many Greek words, is hard to translate into English because there is no perfect English equivalent. Basically, a paraclete is “one who is called sent alongside”; the implication is that a paraclete gives support or help of some kind. Used only by the apostle John in his gospel and first epistle, the word paraclete here refers to the Holy Spirit (John 14:16, 26; 15:26; and 16:7). In each case, the word can be translated as “Helper,” “Counselor,” “Comforter,” or “Advocate.” Translating the word as “Helper,” as the ESV and NKJV do in the gospel passages, provides a more encompassing term for the different aspects of the Holy Spirit’s ministries. He does more than comfort but certainly not less, after all; He also guides, seals, baptizes, regenerates, sanctifies, and convicts.

I. Comfort God’s People.

English Standard Version (Chapter 14)

16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, 17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.

English Standard Version (Chapter 14)

25 “These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. 26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

English Standard Version (Chapter 15)

26 “But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me. 27 And you also will bear witness, because you have been with me from the beginning.

English Standard Version (Chapter 16)

7 Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.

It was to the advantage of the first disciples that Jesus leave and this Helper come. This should have been a great comfort. Jesus confirms the greatness of this truth. Though Jesus says He will be leaving...

John, Volumes 1 & 2 (Chapter 104: The Spirit’s Ministry to the World (John 16:4–11))

The choice is not between Christ present and Christ absent, but between Christ present in body and Christ present in the Holy Spirit. The latter is far better, Jesus said, explaining that when the Spirit came, he would “convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment” (John 16:8).

Acts 2:1–4 (ESV): 2 When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.

God’s Indwelling Presence: The Holy Spirit in the Old & New Testaments (Conviction in John 16:7–11)

The Paraclete’s ministry of convicting the world (16:8–11) seems to be the natural result of His testimony to Jesus (15:26). Just as the Paraclete replaces Jesus as the disciples’ teacher (14:25–26), He replaces Jesus as the witness against the world.

II. Convict the World

John, Volumes 1 & 2 The Spirit’s Convicting

This is why it is better for us that Jesus has departed for heaven: he has sent the Holy Spirit, who performs the work of conviction that is essential to any sinner’s salvation. While on earth, Jesus accomplished our salvation, chiefly by dying for our sins. But now he has gone to heaven to send the Spirit, who applies what Jesus achieved to the individual soul through the gift of faith.

John, Volumes 1 & 2 (The Spirit’s Convicting)

The--rit convicts the world of its error concerning sin, righteousness, and judgment, so as to convince people of Christ’s truth in such a way that many repent, believe, and are saved.

Sin

An Exposition of the New Testament, Volumes I–III Chapter 16

The sin here primarily intended, is that of the Jews, in disbelieving, rejecting, and crucifying Christ; and which the spirit of God, by Peter, charged upon them on the day of Pentecost, and fully proved against them

Acts 2

English Standard Version Chapter 2

22 “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know— 23 this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. 24 God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it.

English Standard Version Chapter 2

36 Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”

37 Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

English Standard Version Chapter 2

41 So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.

…because...

John 16:9 ESV

9 concerning sin, because they do not believe in me;

John, Volumes 1 & 2 (Convicting the World of Sin)

Sinners can be convicted in many ways, but Jesus says that the chief proof is “because they do not believe in me” (John 16:9). This is not to say that only unbelief in Jesus is sin, but rather that there is no better way to show man’s sin than to reveal the wickedness of unbelief in God’s Savior-Son. Jesus said

John 3:16–19 ESV

16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 19 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.

Righteousness

Worldly Righteousness (Moralism)

An Exposition of the New Testament, Volumes I–III Chapter 16

the spirit of God, convinces men of the insufficiency of their own righteousness for such purposes; that they have no righteousness that deserves the name of one, and that what they have will not justify them before God, and entitle them to heaven: and this he does, by shewing them the corruption of their nature, their daily sins and infirmities, in thought, word, and deed; the purity of the divine perfections, and the spirituality and extensiveness of the law of God; which when a man is thoroughly apprized of, he can never hope for and expect justification before God by his own righteousness: hence the spirit of God proceeds to convince men of the glory, excellency, fulness, and suitableness of the righteousness of Christ; which he does, by revealing it to them in the Gospel, setting it before them, and working faith in them to lay hold upon it; when they desire to be found in Christ, not having on their own, but his righteousness; which convictions appear by the mean thoughts they have of their own righteousness, by hungering after Christ’s, by disclaiming all but his, by their constant mention of it, dependence on it, and satisfaction in it; and thus to convince of it, is the peculiar work of the spirit, since naturally men are fond of their own righteousness, are ignorant of Christ’s, and set against it.

Christ’s Righteousness

The Bible Exposition Commentary Chapter Sixteen: What in the World Is the Spirit Doing? (John 15:18–16:16)

The righteousness of Jesus Christ, the perfect Lamb of God. The world would not receive the Son of God (John 1:10), so He has returned to the Father. When He was here on earth, He was accused by men of being a blasphemer, a lawbreaker, a deceiver, and even a demoniac.

John 1:10 ESV

10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him.

…because...

John 16:10 ESV

10 concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer;

God’s Indwelling Presence: The Holy Spirit in the Old & New Testaments (Conviction in John 16:7–11)

Jesus’ departure to the Father in one sense refers to the cross. Jesus goes to the Father, and the disciples will no longer see Him (16:10), then “again in a little while you will see me” (16:16). The disciples will see Jesus again after His resurrection, when their grief will be turned to joy (16:20). Conversely, at His death the world will rejoice (16:20).

The righteousness (or rather lack of righteousness) concerning which the world is convicted here is righteousness that is made known when Jesus goes to the Father and His disciples no longer see Him. Jesus’ departure to the Father is His glorification/exaltation, but in John, Jesus is glorified when He is crucified. Earlier in John Jesus declared, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I Am” (8:28). Here Jesus appears to say that when His enemies crucify Him, it will become apparent who He truly is.

Judgment

…because...

John 16:11 ESV

11 concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.

God’s Indwelling Presence: The Holy Spirit in the Old & New Testaments Conviction in John 16:7–11

Just after Jesus declared that the hour had come for the Son of Man to be glorified (12:23), He also declared, “Now is the judgment [krisis] of this world; now the ruler of this world [ho archōn tou kosmou toutou] shall be cast out” (12:31; see Rev 12:7–12). Based on the parallel expressions in John 12:31 and 16:11, the judgment in view in 16:11 appears to be the cross. At this judgment, the ruler of this world has been condemned (16:11) and cast out (12:31). Jesus triumphed over the ruler of this world at the cross, and the Paraclete will demonstrate to the world its culpability with reference to the cross. As Brown writes, “In condemning Jesus the world itself was judged.”

Colossians 2:15 ESV

15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.

John, Volumes 1 & 2 Convicting the World of Judgment

The progression outlined for the Spirit’s convicting ministry helps us to see the relevance of this final conviction for the lives of Christians. We are first convicted of our sin and guilt, and then of forgiveness and righteousness through Jesus Christ. What conviction do we then need as we live as Christ’s people in the world? We need the Spirit’s conviction that the reign of Satan really is over.

Conclusion:

For the church...

The Spirit has a work to do, He is a comfort and advantage to God’s people…the church. But through this people He means to do a work of convicting the world.

God’s Indwelling Presence: The Holy Spirit in the Old & New Testaments Conviction in John 16:7–11

These three prepositional phrases are therefore related as follows: the world’s chief sin is failure to believe in Jesus (3:18; 16:9); the world will be convicted by the display of the righteousness of God and Christ on the cross (16:19); the judgment in view is also the cross (16:11). The world stands condemned by the righteousness manifested in God’s judgment of sin at the cross because it has not believed in Jesus. The Paraclete will show the world its culpability—that it stands guilty for not believing in Jesus. The judgment at the cross typifies the judgment that is to come (see Rev 20:2, 10–15). If the world continues in its rejection of Jesus, it will face judgment on the last day and be condemned by the righteousness of God and Christ seen at the cross.

The Bible Exposition Commentary Chapter Sixteen: What in the World Is the Spirit Doing? (John 15:18–16:16)

The only person who can rescue him from such a horrible situation is Jesus Christ, the Son of God. There can be no conversion without conviction, and there can be no conviction apart from the Spirit of God using the Word of God and the witness of the child of God.

Witnessing is a great privilege, but it is also a serious responsibility

John, Volumes 1 & 2 Convicting the World of Judgment

It is not possible even to be a Christian and to be saved from God’s wrath without being convicted of sin and righteousness: we must confess our sins and seek refuge in Christ’s blood. But if we want to be greatly used by the Spirit today—and his work of conviction always takes place through the witness of Christ’s people—then we must also be convicted concerning the judgment of this world. Satan is defeated. The reign of sin is broken in Christ. The world’s siren song of death need not be heeded.

For the lost...

TWO Responses

Converted, out of the world.

Condemned, with the world.

In all things...

ONE Purpose

Christ Glorified