Fifth Sunday of Easter (2024)

John 16.5-15

Our Lord and Savior speaks words of Comfort to the disciples and promises to them a helper even though he must leave them. Promises to send them the Paraclete, which is translated in our text simply as Helper but means so much more as we will find in our text. A helper in what we might ask? Which is good to know. For this same helper is with us still today, and is gifted to Christians that we might have a peace which surpasses all understanding.

The Paraclete

The word also means advocate, encourager, and comforter.

All of which can be included under the word helper, but is good for us to know, and to take to heart about why it is good that Jesus departs and sends to us the paraclete.

This Helper is the Holy Spirit.

I remember when I was young, I wondered why didn’t we spend as much time talking about the Holy Spirit, the 3rd person of the trinity, why is it that we focus so much on Jesus. Indeed Lutherans get accused of being Christocentric, we are always focused on Jesus. Hopefully you will understand how focusing on Jesus shows that the Holy Spirit is at work. If we call him a helper, encourager, advocate

Then why does Jesus say convict?

In our present language, if we hear convict, we don’t think of that as necessarily a positive thing, if someone is convicted, we typically think of a crime. Let’s separate that from the legal aspect and if I were to ask, what are your convictions, what do you firmly and faithfully believe. That is what Jesus is talking about. Firmly and faithfully held beliefs.

This will be done by the Word.

For that is where the Holy Spirit works. There are groups today that seek the Holy Spirit outside or apart from the Word of God, but the Spirit works through the Word.

Concerning Sin

The world focuses on the behavior.

They measure a person by what they can accomplish or do in this life. They will see that a person helps out the poor and the destitute, builds hospitals, keeps their word, defends their neighbor. These are all the things that pertain to how they treat those who are around them.

They look to the Law.

They think that this is what makes for a good person. However, they make one fatal mistake, they apply the law only to the body, what the hands do, what the lips say, etc.

God’s judges the heart.

It is not enough that a person’s body does what is right, they must also do it with a pure motive, with pure intentions, they must not be seeking their own gain, but earnestly and honestly seeking the benefit of their neighbor. This is why the Law condemns everyone, for while you can try to control the outer parts of our body, who can keep their hearts and their minds pure? This is why

Without faith in Jesus, there’s no salvation.

So even if you live a good and perfect life, if you lack faith, then there is no place for you in heaven. This is why at funerals, we don’t focus on the good life the person lead, for their goodness in the eyes of men, means nothing for their salvation, and offers no hope.

The world thinks this is unfair.

Why isn’t it enough to follow the last 7 commandments? The first 3 are just as important, why doesn’t it count? Who can control their thoughts, their minds, their feelings, who can keep them in perfect control and never sin? This is why the Scriptures say, Romans 3:20 “For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.”

Concerning Righteousness

Another word would be innocence before the Judge.

If the Holy Spirit first convicts you regarding your sin, that you are nothing but a poor miserable sinner in thought, word, and deed, then how could He convict us of our righteousness when there is nothing good inside of us?

The Spirit points you to Jesus.

For Jesus himself is your righteousness. What that means is that He fulfilled the demands of the Law for you. He did everything that you could not, He accomplished your salvation entirely and laid down His life for you at Calvary. There is nothing more for you to add. The Holy Spirit lays this conviction upon your heart that you might be brought into God’s Grace, not by works, but by faith, that is trust in Jesus’ work.

Salvation is extra nos, outside of us.

This is the important work of the Holy Spirit, who seeks to point us to Jesus not to ourselves. This is where the religions of the World make grievous mistakes. They think that salvation is to be found in the Law.

The Law looks inward.

And if you go looking for salvation inside of your heart, you will find every reason to despair, you will find more to do each and every day, but it will never be enough. This is why many fall into despair as they miss out on the precious teaching of the Gospel.

The Gospel points outward.

It fixes your eyes on Jesus who became sin for you, and clothed you in the robe of His righteousness in Holy Baptism, so that when God looks at you, He doesn’t see a sinner, but His only begotten Son, and shows you love and compassion. We might think this is too good to be true, surely we must do something to be saved? But the Holy Spirit teaches us that what Jesus covered all our sins, and won forgiveness for you. The final thing the Spirit does,

Concerning Judgment

Jesus’ judgment upon satan.

For not only did Jesus make full atonement for our sins, but He overthrew the power of the devil. Satan had held mankind enslaved for centuries, but Jesus overpowered him as our champion and won the victory for us.

This is a meant to alarm the world.

For many had worked in the service of satan for so long, but by Jesus’ resurrection Jesus showed that all of Satan’s powers are meaningless. Jesus revealed that all other religions in the world are meaningless, Christianity won, and the victory is ours.

For Christians, this is comfort.

For the Christians back then who were facing an onslaught of Satan’s forces as they tried to tear down the faith, and for us still today. For even though sin will lay us into the grave, all those who die with Christ will live again forever.

Satan has been defeated.

That ought to be a cause for joy! We are on the winning side of the greatest conflict that has ever happened. How joyful are we, when our favorite sports team wins, or we have the victory in any competition, and we are now more than conquerors through Christ who loves us.

The Presence of the Spirit

The Spirit is not found in our feelings.

People want to know if they have the Spirit at work within them. They will measure the presence of the Spirit by how they feel. Typically it is only with good feelings. How does it feel when the Law is laid upon your heart and your sins revealed? We don’t feel good then, we feel hopeful and comforted when we learn of Christ’s love for us. We feel joyful when we realize Satan is overthrown.

He isn’t found only with ecstatic speaking.

There are groups who focus on the gift of tongues from the day of Pentecost, but what you hear today isn’t what happened on the day of Pentecost. But they will claim that is how a person knows they have the Spirit and that makes you a true believer who will be saved. This leads many to fake it.

We are pointed to the Word and Baptism.

Quote 2 Timothy 3:16 “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,”)

What does the Word of God teach? Are you a sinner in thought word and deed? Did Jesus die for your sins and secure forgiveness and is he your righteousness? Has Jesus cast down the ruler of this world and that final day bring his kingdom to nothing? If you answered yes to these, then you have the Holy Spirit. If you are still anxious, then hear Peter on Pentecost.

(Quote Acts 2:38 “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.” )

Why do we baptize children? So that they might not only be forgiven, but also receive the Holy Spirit.

So my brothers and sisters in Christ, The same spirit that was given to the Apostles was given to you. He does more than this as the Scriptures tell us He also brings gifts and gives to each the proper measure, but these 3 works are the primary works that He does. He lays these convictions upon your heart, so that you a sinner might look to Jesus, your savior, and in Jesus’ victory find joy. In jesus name. Amen.