The Work of the Spirit

Find Joy in the Spirit (not circumstances) — vv.4-7

Have you ever had news so devastating that it made it hard to comprehend what was being said? That’s a bit of what the disciples are experiencing here. In what Robert Mounce calls this the “denouement” moment of Jesus’ ministry, that’s the resolving crescendo, the moment we’ve all been waiting for, Jesus is preparing to return to the Father.

The fact that the disciples showed little concern over what is about to happen invites a slight rebuke from Jesus as He points out that none have asked where He was going. While this question had been asked previously, no one is currently asking about it, showing little concern for the Master. The lack of concern seems to indicate that maybe the disciples fail to really grasp the fullness of Jesus’ ministry and teaching. Thankfully, He will remind them again of the Helper’s work.

Instead of showing concern for the mission of Christ (vs.5), the disciples respond with sorrow. Jesus has already made a distinction between a heart settled with joy and peace and a heart that is filled with trouble. His return to the Father was a cause for hope and joy, but the disciples are not responding accordingly.

Remember that as believers, we’re called to make the glory of God the all-consuming passion of our lives. This means we order our life around God’s purposes. And when we do this, by grace we know love, hope, and peace, giving joy even in troubled times because God has a purpose and plan. But, a life ordered and directed by our own desires and purposes will tend to produce doubt, trouble, and grief.

Even with this slight rebuke, Jesus reminds the disciples of this glorious truth: it is better to have the Spirit of God in us than the Son of God with us. His departure is not cause for sorrow, but benefit. Jesus tells them that the Helper will not be sent unless He (Jesus) goes away. Here are a few suggestions as to why the Spirit in us is better than Jesus beside us:

Christ, the unique God-man, is bound physically by space. The Holy Spirit can come unbound, able to minister the world over at all times.

The Spirit empowers believers to bear witness to Christ.

The Spirit produces the fruit of sanctification in the believer’s life.

The Spirit seals the believer as God places His “ownership claim” on us and preserving us for the day of redemption.

The Spirit enables faith in the believer, allowing Him to cry out in faith, “Abba! Father!”

If we want proof that the Spirit living in us is better, consider pre- and post- believers…they go from scattered and afraid to bold martyrs.

As believers, we can be discouraged because of our circumstances, or we can be invigorated with power through the indwelling Spirit. Misappropriations and characterizations of the Spirit tend to cause us to shy away from embracing Holy Spirit power. But, we will not “be with Jesus” apart from the Spirit, we will not become “like Jesus” without the Spirit, and we will not “do what Jesus did” without the Spirit. Further, if we intend to see any genuine type of revival, it will come because of our dependence upon the Spirit, not anything man brings to the table. The very nature of revival — rebirth — is a work reserved solely for the Spirit (Jn3:5-8).

Allow the Spirit to Work — vv.8-11

We’ve heard the spirit-isms before…let go and let God, pray like it depends on God, work like it depends on you! But, the overwhelming testimony of this passage, the thing that is emphasized is the work of the Spirit. Even the disciples’ call to both testimony and growth is small compared to the emphasis of the Spirit’s work even in those things. Here, Jesus fleshes out what the Spirit will do, particularly in relation to the world. John 16:8–11 “And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.”

The Spirit exposes sin and proves guilt, removing any shadow of doubt that God is wrong concerning what He says about sin and sinners. Yes, this serves as a guilty sentence, but the grace of God that exposes our sin is what brings us to repentance in the first place, revealing our need for a Savior.

The Spirit reveals righteousness, both in Jesus and His followers. He says that the Spirit uses Jesus’ return to the Father, a return that is only possible if Jesus actually fully obeyed God the Father in every way and at every turn. But, He also reveals righteousness in the lives of believers as they bear fruit, live out holiness, show love, joy, peace patience, etc. Remember that these are the highest of human virtues, yet they should come naturally for believers. And, the world rightly notices and calls us hypocrites when we are not marked by righteousness.

The Spirit convicts concerning judgment, both the reality of judgment for those who do not believe, and the comfort of the judgment of the enemy of this world through the final victory over Satan.

Let’s consider this a moment in our own lives.

Are we guilty? This first results in salvation, but the conviction over our sin continues in sanctification. This leads to question number 2:

Have we been made righteous, and are we living holy lives?

Finally, what hope do we have to continue to spur us on to love and good deeds? It is the hope of eternity and the death of sin and death.

Follow the Spirit’s Leadership — vv.12-15

There comes a point when teachers have to close the text book and end class because you’ve reached the point of exhaustion. It is futile for a teacher to teach more than his student can absorb. Even Mark 4:33 said that Jesus taught in parables “as (the disciples) were able to hear it.” Was Jesus’ instruction incomplete? No. He taught them what needed to be said. Here, it seems we catch a glimpse of Jesus’ humanity, as if to say, “There are so many more things I’d love to personally say, but my time has come.” And, His words here also hint at the fact that what He has taught them comes with a call to actually obey.

Just as Jesus only spoke What the Father revealed, so too the Spirit will only speak what whatever He hears. As He does, He will guide believers into all the truth. He both opens my mind to understand what is true, and He opens the Scriptures to reveal that truth. Remember that a disciple is meant to learn from the rabbi, and the Holy Spirit will continue the work of Teacher in the physical absence of Jesus.

The fact that the Spirit declares what He hears as a part of guiding believers into truth indicates that the Spirit is not unveiling new truth but clarifying ancient truths. Remember that “in these last days (God) has spoken to us by His Son, whom He appointed the heir of all things.” After the resurrection, the Spirit clarifies the full implication of Jesus and His mission.

He is the Son of God, sent from the Father.

His death is the atoning sacrifice for the sin of the world.

His resurrection gives new life to all who believe.

As the Spirit speaks whatever He hears, He’s taking what belongs to Jesus and declaring it to believers. This brings glory to Jesus. It’s impossible for us to grasp the full weight of spiritual truth apart from the Spirit’s work, so we must pray and deeply reflect on Scripture and focus on the Spirit’s leadership, and as we do, Christ is glorified. This is the primary concern for our life: the glory of God.

Jesus wraps up by saying that the things that are His are the Father’s as well. So, when the Spirit speaks, He speaks the truth of the Father, which is the truth of the Son. It’s a reminder that there is no deficiency in what the Spirit does when compared to the ministry of Jesus, and the work of revelation done by the Spirit will not come up short due to incomplete access to the Father’s truth. Jesus the Rabbi’s ministry will continue on earth — through the Helper that comes alongside the disciples as they continue the ministry of Jesus. And, the full weight of that ministry falls on the Spirit as the bulk of teaching in these verses centers on His ministry and work, not the disciples.

This passage starts with Jesus calling His disciples out of their emotional response where they’re just focused on their circumstances, reminding them that they can have joy and peace even in the hard times because the Spirit is coming. He will convict the world and guide the believers both to and through Christ’s word so that we can live lives that proclaim to the watching world that Jesus is absolutely what is most important to us.

Is your joy tied to circumstances this morning? This life is but a vapor. The things of this world do not last. Turn to Jesus, the One who keeps in perfect peace those whose minds are stayed upon Him.

Is there a sin that the Spirit is convicting you of? Then confess and be restored.

Is there righteousness that is missing in your life? Lay aside the things that hinder and obey the Spirit.

Let us pray.