Unfolding Disclosure

Wednesday night, I was sitting in my office praying about this message, and I looked up to see this picture. This is a picture of my dad and mom. When I looked at that picture, it brought back some memories of my dad. He became sick between my junior year and senior year of high school. Even though he lived for a few more years, I missed out on really knowing my dad. The relationship that you have with your dad as an adult is not the same relationship you have with him as a teenager. I never really got to know my dad. There are things about him I never knew. I never knew his deepest thoughts.

Mark Anthony is learning more about me than I knew of my dad. I don’t know if he knows it, but there are things that I talk to him about that I don’t discuss with others. I sometimes disclose to him what is really in my heart. He has some knowledge that others do not know. As he has matured, I have decided there are things that I can discuss with him that I would not have discussed with him as a teenager.

This is often how relationships are, they unfold. The more intimate relationship that you have with someone, the more they will disclose to you. They will unfold their heart for you.

The disciples are learning this about Jesus. In our text today, Jesus is going to unfold truth to them. He is going to disclose aspects of their future. Jesus will also tell them that He has more to disclose to them, but they are not ready yet. Remember, Jesus is preparing them for His departure. He is getting them ready for the events that will unfold in just a few hours. However, there will still be more to learn. Their complete ministry will not be disclosed until the days between His resurrection and His ascension. For now, that will have to wait.

This week, I listened to a podcast on anxiety. Here what John Henderson had to say, “Anxiety is one of the things that Jesus most often fleshed out from His disciples. He put them in situations, in storms, in boats, trapped to expose their anxiety. And in that context, shows something about himself that they needed to know.”

God allowed the Apostles to come to places in life where they faced fear. He allowed that so they could learn who He is and His care for them. We learn that Jesus reveals the heart of God to His Apostles. We then can learn the heart of God for us. He loves us. He is involved in the finite circumstances of our lives. He will show us His love for us in the details.

In our sermon today, the Apostles find themselves in one of those places where God allows them to come to a place where they will learn of Him.

The Need for the Comforter verse 7

We remember that Jesus told them earlier the Spirit can not come while He is present

The Comforter is coming. A repeated teaching. Jesus is driving the point home.

It is expedient for them that Jesus goes away. Expedient, profitable.

Profitable things in life are not always pleasant things. Taking medicine is not alway pleasant, but it is necessary.

The Spirit is Jesus. The Spirit is the 3rd person of the Godhead.

The Spirit expands the influence. Jesus is limited by His body.

The presence of the Spirit enables the presence of God with us today.

How does the presence of the Holy Spirit impact our everyday life?

The Holy Spirit is here to aid us in our walk with God. The Holy Spirit teaches us truth, reveals the Father,and teaches us how to walk in grace. When we experience difficult circumstances in life, the Holy Spirit helps us respond with grace, in a Christlike manner.

The Need for the Holy Spirit is that Jesus has difficult things to tell them, verse 12.

They can not bear them at the present. The Spirit will reveal them in due time. 1Ti_2:6  Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.

The Work of the Comforter

Reprove the world, verse 8

Reproving the world is convicting by proof.

Jesus has been doing this by exposing sin, defining sin, calling out the sins of the religious crowds.

Sin is missing the mark of God’s design. Sin is coming short of God’s holiness.

The Holy Spirit will reprove the world of sin by revealing the worlds departure from the truth of God’s Word.

The Holy Spirit works in the lives of God’s people to highlight the sin which so easily besets us. The Spirit uses the Word to point out sin. Sin separates between us and God. Therefore, we should be glad in the Spirit convinces us of sin. We can confess it, be cleansed from unrighteousness, have the joy of our salvation restored, and enjoy a renewed fellowship with the Father.

If sin is not called out, our relationship with the Father would remain broken.

The Holy Spirit will reprove the world of righteousness by exposing the lack of righteousness.

The Holy Spirit will convict the world of judgment by proving the prince of this world will be judged.

And, they are of their father the devil. John_8:44  Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do.

The Holy Spirit will guide in all truth. verse 13

Notice, the Holy Spirit will guide.

To guide is to lead. The Holy Spirit leads gradually. Jesus tells them he has much more to say, but not now, they aren’t ready. We are still learning Christ.

Do you seek the leadership of the Holy Spirit? Do you find times to seek the Word, and how it applies to your life? Do you ask the Holy Spirit to be active in your life? Do you take time to pray for wisdom? Do you take time to seek the Spirit’s empowerment to withstand the pressures of this world?

The Spirit will guide them according to truth, God’s Word is truth.

The Spirit will never lead contrary to the Scripture.

The Holy Spirit will not speak of himself, He always points to Jesus.

The Holy Spirit will speak what He hears.

The Spirit will show things to come, verse 13

Things to come after Pentecost.

“The emphasis may lie not so much on predictive prophecy, but rather in helping the believing community understand its present situation in light of Jesus’ by-then-past revelation of God.”

The Holy Spirit will glorify Jesus, verse 14

One of the greatest ways we can glorify God is by sharing how God has led us through difficulties. We can speak of peace in times of turmoil. We can speak of how we have followed the Word of Truth. We can share how honoring God with our finances has led us to the place of contentment.

The Holy Spirit will “receive” of mine and show it.

The Holy Spirit will reveal Christ to them. The Spirit will unfold the mysteries of Christ to them.

Word pictures in the NT explains that this means,interpreting Christ for them.

Now, I go my way verse 5

Jesus has been building this argument

John 7:33, John 13:36, John 14:4-5

What is the way?

The way back to the Father

Jesus has told them often He is returning to the Father, 14:12 & 14:28

The way back to the Father is the cross.

The way is NOW! His departure is not future, but now.

Earlier, Jesus said, in a little while, John 7

John 13, hereafter, yet a little while

Jesus goes “my way” so that He can become THE way.

The way is through condemnation. Mt. 20:18

Matthew 20:18 KJV 1900

Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be betrayed unto the chief priests and unto the scribes, and they shall condemn him to death,

Because the wages of sin is death

Jesus becomes the substitute (propitiation) for sin

Jesus dies so that His people might be made the righteousness of God in Him

Jesus dies so that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

No one asks Jesus where He is going.

Reality is setting in—they are beginning to understand what is about to take place.

Sorrow fills their heart

Shouldn’t that be the expectation? Shouldn’t they be sad that their friend is going away? Shouldn’t they be sad that Jesus is going to die?

This causes us to think about or own awareness of the presence of Jesus. Are you ever aware of the presence or absence of Jesus?

Jesus is unfolding the disclosure of himself to His apostles.

This unfolding is still happening today. The Power and Presence of the Holy Spirit is continually being unfolded to the followers of Jesus. Yes, the unfolding is sometimes difficult, but it is always profitable. Remember, Jesus is unfolded to His people. The world can’t see and doesn’t understand.

Also, remember, the unfolding takes place to those who are the closest. If God is revealing Christ to you through difficulty, be thankful. It is a sign of being His friend.

Have you come by the way of the cross? Are you still trying to find your own way?

What memory did the preacher recall when looking at the picture of his parents?

How does the preacher describe the relationship dynamics between him and his dad as a teenager versus adulthood?

What important teaching did Jesus convey about the coming of the Holy Spirit?

What role does the Holy Spirit play in the lives of believers according to the sermon?

What does the preacher imply about the necessity of difficult experiences in understanding Jesus?