The Spirit at Work: Convicting the World, Counseling the Church

We are celebrating a most special day in the life of the Church - Pentecost - the birthday of the Church!

As we celebrate this special day in the life of the Church, we will plan to study the scripture that records the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the believers praying in the upper room.

However, we have been studying through the Gospel of John for some time now in our morning services. And, the scripture passage that we have come to next is incredibly appropriate for this special day, as Jesus taught in John 16:5-15 about how the Spirit would work in the world and the Church.

So, we will plan this evening to study Acts 2, but this morning, let us look at how the Spirit is at work today - in our world and in the Church.

Wesley Duewel, in his book Touch the World Through Prayer, writes this about the famous evangelist of yesteryear, Charles G. Finney:

Finney wrote how God gave him mighty infillings of the Holy Spirit "that went through me, as it seemed, body and soul. I immediately found myself endued with such power from on high that a few words dropped here and there to individuals were the means of their immediate conversion. My words seemed to fasten like barbed arrows in the souls of men. They cut like a sword. They broke the heart like a hammer. Multitudes can attest to this...Sometimes I would find myself in a great measure empty of this power. I would go and visit, and find that I made no saving impression. I would exhort and pray with the same results. I would they set apart a day for private fasting and prayer...after humbling myself and crying out for help, the power would return upon me with all its freshness. This has been the experience of my life."  

W. Duewel, Touch the World Through Prayer, OMS, p. 232.

In our scripture today, Jesus shares a little about how the Spirit works in the world and the Church. Would you read these verses with me?

John 16:5–15 ESV

But now I am going to him who sent me, and none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. 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. 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. “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.

John 14-17 record a powerful teaching time Jesus had with his disciples on the night before his betrayal, arrest, and death on the Cross. Judas Iscariot had already gone out into the night. Supper was over.

Jesus began teaching by telling them he would leave them, but they knew the way to him. Not only that, but Jesus would ask the Father to send them another Helper, Comforter, Counselor, Advocate.

As Jesus continued to teach, we find four promises of the Holy Spirit. Our text today contains Jesus’ fourth promise of the Holy Spirit.

At the end of John 14, Jesus told his disciples to get up, for they were going to the Mount of Olives where Jesus would spend the night in prayer. John 15-17 may have been taught as the disciples stood around the table… or maybe as they walked to the Garden of Gethsemane.

One of the key themes that we find in these chapters, especially beginning with John 15 is that of the mission to which Jesus was calling his disciples and all of us since who have responded to God’s call of grace.

Jesus is the True Vine and we are branches of him. Our purpose is to bear fruit, indeed, abundant fruit. The Father prunes us so that we might continue to bear more and more fruit.

The world, of course, opposes Jesus and his mission in the world. By extension, the world also hates us, but the Helper will bear witness of Jesus, as we also will.

(pause)

As Jesus spoke of the opposition the disciples would face, it must have seemed like a thick cloud covered the moon that night. Things seemed extremely dark. Jesus recognized their discouraged spirits and said:

John 16:5–6 ESV

But now I am going to him who sent me, and none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart.

Of course, they had asked Jesus earlier where he was going, but the point Jesus was making was that in their sorrow, they were concerned only about what would happen to them. They were not thinking about what going away would mean for Jesus.

Jesus then said something that must have puzzled them.

John 16:7 ESV

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.

Someone has written:

Unless I go away, the Counsellor (the Holy Spirit) will not come to you (7) is a crucial saying for an understanding of the Spirit’s work. Jesus is not implying that the two persons of the Godhead cannot be co-present.

The triunity of God means that both (all three) persons are always co-present. The crucial phrase is go away. This is not so much a spatial movement as a spiritual exaltation.

Jesus will now ‘go away’ through death and resurrection to the glory of the Father’s presence! It is this going away which will make the ministry of the Spirit possible, and, in default of this going away, the Spirit’s ministry is rendered impossible.

The ministry of the Spirit is accordingly not a vague impartation of spiritual energy, but the specific ministry of proclaiming, and applying to the disciple community, the triumphant procession of Jesus through death and resurrection to the right hand of the Father.

The ministry of the Spirit is the unleashing of the powers of the promised kingdom of God in the world. The effects of the kingdom’s coming are clear in the Old Testament. These realities will now be actualized through them in the world. It therefore is for your good that Jesus departs, since his departure will obtain these promised blessings.

Milne, B. (1993). The message of John: here is your king!: with study guide (p. 229). InterVarsity Press.

Big Idea: The Spirit unleashes the power of God's kingdom in the world.

How does the Spirit unleash the power of God’s kingdom in the world? First, we find that…

The Spirit Convicts the World, vv. 8-11.

What does it mean for the Spirit to convict the world?

(pause)

We should understand that John was NOT picturing the Holy Spirit as some “energy” that makes the world feel uncomfortable for its sinful ways.

As I shared from that quote a few moments ago… 

The ministry of the Spirit is accordingly not a vague impartation of spiritual energy, but the specific ministry of proclaiming, and applying to the disciple community, the triumphant procession of Jesus through death and resurrection to the right hand of the Father.

Milne, B. (1993). The message of John: here is your king!: with study guide (p. 229). InterVarsity Press.

Notice what Jesus said in verse seven:

John 16:7 ESV

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.

The Holy Spirit works through the witness of Christ’s followers - the Church! The Holy Spirit comes to us, and does not merely abide with us, but he fills us and empowers us.

This is not to say that the Holy Spirit does not or cannot work apart from the believer. But Jesus’ point is that the Holy Spirit comes to us and through our life and our spoken testimony, the Spirit convicts the world of three things.

1. He convicts the world of sin, v. 9.

John 16:9 ESV

concerning sin, because they do not believe in me;

When we consider the Spirit’s work of convicting the world of sin, we might think that the Holy Spirit convinces the world of how ugly various sins are.

We might think that the Spirit reveals how ugly hatred and racism is, how twisted and deceitful lying and gossip is, how unfair and wicked theft is - on and on.

(pause)

While I’m sure the Holy Spirit’s conviction of sin does accomplish this, Jesus specifically points to something else. Jesus points out the root of ALL sin:

The failure to believe in the Son is the ultimate sin.

Someone has written:

Unbelief is the condemning sin that closes the door to heaven and opens the door to hell. People do not go to hell because they smoke, drink, or curse but because they reject faith in Christ. Furthermore, this sin characterizes every unregenerate person. God is not looking for perfect people but people who are willing to accept atonement that he has already provided.

Gangel, K. O. (2000). John (Vol. 4, pp. 299–300). Broadman & Holman Publishers.

2. He convicts the world of righteousness, v. 10.

John 16:10 ESV

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

Often, our focus, our standard, is on a relative righteousness - our comparison of one person with another. One person who commits a whole variety of sins is seen to be very wicked. Another person who lives a mostly good life but still commits sin is seen as more righteousness.

But when we compare our relative righteousness with the absolute righteousness of Jesus, we recognize how sinful we ALL are, and how greatly we need a Savior!

How is the world convicted of righteousness because Jesus returned to the Father?

(pause)

Simply, the answer is that Jesus returned to the Father after dying on the Cross and then being raised from the dead. Jesus’ victory over death and sin proves his righteousness. Jesus committed no sin; therefore:

Acts 2:24 ESV

God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it.

Acts 2:32–36 ESV

This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing. For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says, “ ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.” ’ Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”

(pause)

The righteousness of God is gained only by faith in Christ, whose blood was shed on the Cross.

(pause)

The Holy Spirit also…

3. He convicts the world of judgment, v. 11.

John 16:11 ESV

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

Interestingly, Jesus did not say that the Holy Spirit would convince the world of its need of a Savior because the world would be judged some time in the future.

(pause)

Rather, Jesus said, “the ruler of this world is judged.”

(pause)

Satan, the prince of demons, had reigned over the world for many years. The world was lost in darkness and sin.

(pause)

When the Son of God entered the world, taking on human flesh in the form of a baby, Satan and his minions were terrified. They did their best to get rid of the Messiah, stirring up King Herod’s suspicion and rage. But the Father protected his son.

(pause)

Many years later, as Jesus fasted in the wilderness, preparing for his earthly ministry, Satan appeared to him and tempted Jesus to take shortcuts to realize God’s kingdom on earth. But Jesus refused him again and again.

(pause)

Throughout Jesus’ ministry, the devil used different people to oppose the Christ. Finally, Satan entered one of Jesus’ disciples to arrange his betrayal. Satan whispered lies in the ears of Sanhedrin, Pilate, Herod and the Roman soldiers.

(pause)

Jesus was taken to the hill of Golgotha and crucified between two thieves. Surely, Hell must have trembled with delight as Satan and all the other demons howled with pleasure.

(pause)

But as Jesus died and then rose again, victorious over death and sin, vindicated as the Holy One of God, we see that Satan’s supposed victory through the Cross was his ultimate defeat!

The Jews submitted Jesus to the process of a legal tribunal and sought to pass judgment upon him. The Spirit in testifying to the gospel shows that the one judged on the cross was Satan, and with him all who are his children and slaves (8:42–47). The devil ‘has no hold’ on Jesus (14:30) and so was ‘driven out’ (12:31) by the perfect obedience of Jesus. He now stands condemned, anticipating his final ‘driving out’ at the last judgment (Rev. 20:10).

Milne, B. (1993). The message of John: here is your king!: with study guide (p. 231). InterVarsity Press.

(pause) The ruler of this world has been judged guilty by Jesus' death on the Cross!

(pause)

Big Idea: The Spirit unleashes the power of God's kingdom in the world.

How does the Spirit unleash the power of God’s kingdom in the world Secondly, we see that…

The Spirit Counsels the Church, vv. 12-15.

First, we see that the Spirit counsels the Church because…

1. He guides us into all truth, vv. 12-13.

John 16:12–13 ESV

“I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.

This is a beautiful promise, but it does raise an interesting question. Throughout John’s gospel, Jesus is presented as the revelation of God’s truth.

John 1:14 ESV

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

John 14:6–7 ESV

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”

John 8:31–32 ESV

So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

Now that Jesus will leave his disciples and send the Holy Spirit in his stead who “will guide you into all the truth”, does that mean that the truth Jesus taught them was only partial?

(pause)

John 16:13 hastens to explain that the Holy Spirit…

John 16:13 ESV

…will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak…

John 16:14 further clarifies that all the Spirit teaches us comes from the Son.

John 16:14 ESV

He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you.

But that still leaves us with a question: did Jesus only teach us a partial truth of God?

(pause)

This idea that Jesus taught us some truth of God but that the Holy Spirit will reveal more may be attractive, but it is also dangerous.

Throughout history, we have seen various cults and false prophets arise who have taught that there is more truth beyond God’s Word that we can know - that they know.

(pause)

Rather, Jesus taught his disciples in John 15:15

John 15:15 ESV

… all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.

The Spirit’s role is not to teach us NEW truth, but rather to remind, explain, apply, and embed in us the truth that Jesus has revealed to us.

(pause)

The canon of scriptural truth is closed! We have no need for a new Bible or an extra Bible. Jesus, the Living Word of God, has revealed to us the Truth of God which has been recorded by men through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit in the Written Word of God, which the Holy Spirit works to apply to our lives.

John 14:26 ESV

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.

The Spirit counsels the Church by guiding us into all Truth, firstly, but he also…

2. He grants us understanding of God's Word, v. 13.

Note what Jesus said in the last part of verse 13.

John 16:13 ESV

When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.

(pause)

Is this saying that the Holy Spirit will actually reveal NEW truth to us?

As someone has written:

If we scan the Fourth Gospel’s account of Jesus’ ministry, we find that Jesus himself had indeed instructed His disciples about “things to come”: about a new worship without temples (4:21–24); a great evangelistic harvest (4:35–37); an ingathering of Gentiles together with Jews into His fold (10:16); highly effective prayer (15:16); persecution and hatred, possibly involving death or excommunication from synagogues (15:18–16:2); His final coming (21:22–23); a twofold resurrection (5:25–29); and the final judgment (5:25–29).

What picture of the Spirit’s ministry then emerges? The Spirit would assist the disciples in remembering, understanding, interpreting and applying the truth taught them by Jesus. The Spirit would guide them into all truth, but not “new” truth. Or to put it differently, the Spirit’s truth would be “new” insofar as He would unpack the “old” truth within new and ever-changing situations.

Dongell, J. (1997). John: a Bible commentary in the Wesleyan tradition (p. 195). Wesleyan Publishing House.

In other words, the Holy Spirit grants us understanding of God’s Word that is needed for today. The Holy Spirit applies the Truth of God’s Word from moment to moment and day to day.

Many have commented how it doesn’t matter how many times you may read God’s Word, God can impress something new to you every time you read the scriptures!

(pause) Let me take just a moment to stop and suggest a very practical way to experience this truth in your life.

(pause)

Have you ever felt like your daily time of Bible reading has become dry?

(pause)

Would you like to know a method of scripture study that can revitalize your spiritual life?

(pause)

Consider this method of Bible study called the HEAR Journal. HEAR is an acronym that stands for H - Highlight, E - Explain, A - Apply, and R - Respond.

As you read whatever portion of scripture you have planned for the day, look for 1 verse that you will either actually highlight in your Bible or at least copy verbatim in a notebook you set aside as your HEAR Journal.

Then, in 1-2 sentences, write down your explanation of what was happening in the verse that you highlighted. What is the story behind that verse? What is the context of the verse? Etc.

Then, in 1-2 sentences, write down how you feel the Holy Spirit would like you to apply this verse to your life.

Finally, in 1-2 sentences write down a response - a prayer or maybe a commitment or even a to-do list - of how you will apply this scripture to your life.

(pause)

Many have testified how this simple devotional exercise has revitalized their spiritual life. But the point is - the Holy Spirit works to apply God’s truth to our lives.

(pause)

You know, sometimes, people act like God’s Word is boring. Sometimes, in Sunday School or even a worship service like this, people will hear a text and they will think to themselves, “Well, I know this story. I know this verse. I know it; there’s nothing more to learn.”

(pause)

The truth is that if we are willing and open to the Spirit’s voice, He can take any scripture and apply it to our lives in new, fresh, vital ways!

(pause)

I have tried to explain this to the Sunday School class I have been teaching. Yes, as we talk about the scripture that we are studying, there may be a number of things about the passage that we know.

(pause)

But God is wanting to speak to us to show us how to apply that scripture to our lives in fresh, new ways.

Are our ears tuned to the voice of the Holy Spirit?

(pause)

The Spirit guides us into all truth and grants us understanding of the Truth. But notice also that the Spirit…

3. He glorifies the Son, vv. 14-15.

John 16:14–15 ESV

He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.

In these verses, we see the beautiful triunity of the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit, despite his powerful work in our world and the Church, does not seek to bring glory to himself.

The Holy Spirit takes what Jesus has given to him and declares it to us. He seeks to glorify the Son. In a similar way, the Son sought to glorify the Father.

John 7:16–18 ESV

… “My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me. If anyone’s will is to do God’s will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority. The one who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory; but the one who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and in him there is no falsehood.

Yet it was the Father’s will to glorify the Son.

John 13:31–32 ESV

When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him. If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and glorify him at once.

Philippians 2:9–11 ESV

Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

In perfect unity and community, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit work together to accomplish God’s will. Equal yet distinct Persons of the Godhead, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit play different roles in the redemption story of humanity.

It is God’s will that at the name of Jesus every knee would bow and honor him as Lord of all. So the Holy Spirit teaches us, the Church, today to worship Jesus and lift his name above every other name!

There is a story that at some point years ago, the great evangelist, Dwight L. Moody…

… was to have a campaign in England. An elderly pastor protested, "Why do we need this 'Mr. Moody'? He's uneducated, inexperienced, etc. Who does he think he is anyway? Does he think he has a monopoly on the Holy Spirit?"

A younger, wiser pastor rose and responded, "No, but the Holy Spirit has a monopoly on Mr. Moody." 

Source Unknown.

Big Idea: The Spirit unleashes the power of God's kingdom in the world.

How is the Holy Spirit at work? The Holy Spirit works through us, the Church of God, to convict the world of the sin of disbelief in Jesus, the righteousness before God that can only come by faith in Jesus, and that all those opposed to Jesus are already judged by God.

The Holy Spirit works in us, counseling us, the Church of God, guiding us into all the truth revealed to us through Jesus, the Living Word, helping us how to apply the Word of God to our lives, and in everything glorifying the Son of God.

I believe we all desire to see the Holy Spirit at work in our lives, our church, and our world.

(pause)

God also desires to work through us to extend His kingdom here on earth.

(pause)

Wesley Duewel, in his book Ablaze for God, writes:

God wants us to receive anew the experience of God’s hand upon us, adding His divine dimension to our human best. God wants us to learn a new dependency upon His added enabling, His presence, and HIs power… .

Our whole culture and the spirit of our age tends to make us self-dependent rather than God-dependent. We do much of our Christian work with very little God-awareness.

If we would be ablaze for God we need to cultivate new God-dependence, God-consciousness, and God-imbued living. The leader as a man or woman of God must have a new dimension of God-involvement in his or her leadership.

We must become alive to God and to all of His holy influences and enablings. God must become all-essential to us. (p. 43)

A few pages later, Duewel asks:

How important is it to you to have the power of Christ, yes, more and more of the power tabernacling, resting, remaining upon you? What have you experienced of this holy power?

Not visions, not miracles, not gifts or manifestations - but the silent, all-pervading, all-crowning power of Christ upon you? Filled with that power, energized by that power, clothed with that power, endued for your ministry by that power.

That power is the Spirit; that power is Christ himself (1 Cor. 1:24) manifest through the Spirit (1 Peter 1:11). (p. 54)

(pause)

This is the question we must ask ourselves: the Holy Spirit longs to work through us changing our world and our church. Will we allow him full reign?