John 16.5-33

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It’s really good news that Jesus isn’t here tonight.

It’s really good news Jesus isn’t with us today.

I hope I’ve got your attention - sounds shocking doesn’t it? But that is exactly what Jesus says in this passage today. He says it is really good… and it is really good for us that he has gone back to his Father in heaven, and that he is not walking, bodily, with us here on earth.

You can see it right there in v7 SLIDE

John 16:7 NIV

7 But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.

Having (hopefully) got your attention…. park that thought - amongst other things we’re coming back to that… - (y’know) Why does Jesus say it is for our good he’s gone… ? Why would Jesus say something that sounds so shocking. PAUSE - BREAK OFF

Well it’s not the first shocking thing we’ve heard Jesus say in this part of John’s gospel. Remember where we left off last week with Caelan - Jesus has said very clearly that in the world, that in life…. there are just two groups of people…. two ways to live (if you like). You can either be FOR the WORLD…. or FOR JESUS. (with the world, or with Jesus).

Camp World… or Camp Jesus (Caelan called them)

But Jesus has emphasised that truth for a specific REASON - to help equip the disciples for the difficulties that lie ahead… they need to have RIGHT EXPECTATIONS about hardships to come.

So (foreexample) he said to them…. SLIDE

John 15:20 NIV

20 Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also.

BREAK OFF TO ILL

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One of the things I really appreciate about the Christianity Explored course is that the final session…. the call to become a Christian…. that session (in the course) is entitled “COME AND DIE”.

It’s based on Jesus’ words, of course, take up your cross and follow me.

But it’s so crucial to be clear on that…. the call to follow Christ is not a call to an easy life. Its joy, it’s peace, it’s purpose, it’s adventure, it’s MANY things…. but we’re not promised EASE. In fact, if anything, as we saw last week with Caelan in chapter 15 we’re promised that the world will give us a tough ride.

It’s so important to set expectations right isn’t it? If you’re bracing yourself and equipping yourself for a long and difficult journey you’ll probably find the trip passes pretty well.

If you kid yourself something will be quick and easy…. when it turns out not to be you may well through in the towel.

And so Jesus is preparing the disciples…. managing expectations (if you will) about the joys (yes) but also the challenges that lie ahead of them.

And something very similar is happening here in this section.

If you cast your eye down to v33 you’ll see that Jesus tells us what his big point is here in this section.

By the way, there’s your hint when you’re reading a passage of scripture and trying to work out what the big idea is… or what the main point is…. just occasionally the Bible writers will feed you that on a plate. v33…

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John 16:33 NIV

33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

So all that these 12 apostles are about to hear from Jesus is designed to bring them peace (in Christ) despite the fact that the world IS GOING bring them trouble. He’s preparing them for what is to come.

REPEAT V33

One final comment before we begin to walk through the passage. It’s crucial today to remember WHO Jesus is speaking to. Whenever we read the Bible it’s awfully tempting to thing that WE are the centre of the story. We want to place OURSELVES at the heart of the passage and imagine that Jesus is speaking these words DIRECTLY to us. But he isn’t. He is speaking to the 12 - the disciples…. the apostles.

Now of course we’re going to see what the verses mean for US…. but remembering who they were first spoken to will help us avoid several pitfalls.

PASUE / QUICKER - SUMMARISING

So Jesus is talking to his disciples…. all he’s going to say is to help them as they move forward… to bring them peace despite the trouble and difficulty they’re about to face.

I think the passage has three ‘movements’… three sections if you like - and you’ll see they’re our headings…. first we hear word of a…

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1. Departure then Arrival

So read from v5 SLIDE

John 16:5–7 NIV

5 but now I am going to him who sent me. None of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ 6 Rather, you are filled with grief because I have said these things. 7 But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.

The disciples are filled with Grief - Jesus is telling them he’s leaving. And grief makes you confused - the disciples seem confused. Earlier on in John’ gospel they were full of Questions - famously when Jesus says he’s going to prepare a place for them Thomas blurts out “Lord we don’t know where you’re going, how can we know the way” - and of course Jesus replies with those famous words - I am the way, the truth and the Life…

SO before the disciples asked penetrating questions… now they just seem grief-filled and umb-founded.

And then Jesus drops another Bomb… not only is he going away, he says it’s GOOD and it’s GOOD FOR THE DISCIPLES that he does that!

That’s verse 7 again

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John 16:7 NIV

But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.

How can it be good that Jesus, after his death and resurrection, will go back to his Father? Simply put because then the Holy Spirit will come.

The Spirit here is called an Advocate. You can also translate it counsellor - it’s a legal word in origin… it’s one who comes alongside to guide, to help, to direct, to support.

Later we’ll see than the Holy Spirit will one and dwell in every believer. If you’re trusting Jesus the Holy Spirit has come alongside YOU.

But before we get off onto thinking about ourselves - remember Jesus is talking specifically to the disciples here. See what the Spirit will do for these 12 disciples specifically… look at v12

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John 16:12–13 NIV

“I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.

There is more the 12 disciples need to hear.. they cannot bear it or understand it now… but in while once Jesus has gone to the cross… and been raised… and ascended… and the Holy Spirit has come… these disciples will be guided into all truth.

And these 12 (we’ll of course it’ll be 11 because of what Judas will do)… although Judas is replaced by Matthias, and then there’s the Apostle Paul who is an unusual apostle (he calls himself one abnormally born)… but any way I digress… this handful of men… these Apostle’s will soon be transformed into the most powerful, truth-speaking missionary force in the world.

Think about it - they have such a KEY roll don’t they? They are the foundational eyewitnesses to the truth of the Christian faith… The Apostles are the authors of the New Testament.. THAT is the Truth that the Holy Spirit guides them into.

That is the work of the Spirit Jesus speaks of here… guiding the Apostles into all truth so they can become the foundational witnesses of Christ and he authors of the Scriptures.

That is why it is so important to remember that Jesus speaks these words, not directly to us, but initially, primarily, to the Apostles.

Otherwise we MIGHT think Jesus is saying that the Holy Spirit is going to go on revealing lots of new truth to us…

But the Scriptures are quite clear - nothing is to be added, and nothing taken away.

That is not to say that God the Holy Spirit isn’t active in US TODAY - he IS, wonderfully so. Indeed that is one reason why the departure of Jesus and the arrival of the HS is such good news.

But here’s the next question… what does the HS do in us? What is the focus of his work? V14 Jesu says…

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John 16:14 NIV

He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you.

He will glorify JESUS. The role of the Spirit is to highlight…. To glorify…. To shine a spotlight (if you like) on Jesus.

He leads us to faith in Jesus…. He helps us to follow Jesus…. He directs us to the word of Jesus.

The HS does not demand the spotlight but rather shines the spotlight on CHRIST.

That is one reason why we should be cautious about CHristians or church that seem to spend all their time talking about the HS… it’s not that the Spirit isn’t important HE IS, but his role, his desire, his mission, his aim… is to point to, to shine a spotlight on, glorify Jesus… (to direct people to Christ)

So we’re finding out about the work of the spirit in different groups…

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The Spirit’s work in the Apostles - to lead them into all truth as the authors of the Scriptures.

The Spirit’s work in US to come alongside as an advocate, to lead us to trust in the Son.

But what about the Holy Spirit’s work OUT THERE IN THE WORLD?

Well that’s v8

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John 16:8–10 NIV

When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: about sin, because people do not believe in me; about righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer;

These are slightly tricky verses - the experts in Biblical Greek tell us the Greek here is very compressed, it’s challenging to work out every fine point of detail.

What is clear is that the HS’s work in the world is to bring CONVICTION. The NIV translates it “prove the world wrong”… that is not a bad translation…. You could also say he “convicts”… The Greek word there is almost always used to mean bringing conviction of sin.

What work is the Spirit doing in the world? Showing the world to be in the wrong… Bringing conviction of sin.

Did you notice how the heart of sin is described here?

“About sin because people do not believe in me”. That’s the heart of sin, says Jesus - rejecting God as ruler… rejecting him as saviour…

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Sometimes you hear folk speaking about the Holy Spirit’s work in the world in other religions - have you heard that? The Spirit brings a certain degree of wisdom and revelation to Muslims… and a certain portion to Buddhists and so on. We may find that a “nice” thought in our pluralistic world… but I’m afraid to at that, according to Johns gospel that is nonesense. The only work the Spirit is doing out there in the world - be it in other religions or anywhere else - is bringing conviction of sin… showing Islam, and Buddhism, and atheism, and all other worldly or idolatrous thinking to be WRONG… bringing conviction of sin and drawing people to Christ.

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So… the Spirit reveals truth to the Aposltes… so if you want to hear the SPirit’s voice - look to Scripture!

The Spirit… directs the spotlight onto Jesus…. So if you want to be Spiritual filled… make much of JESUS.

The Spirit brings conviction in the world - pray for his work (321 etc).

So first Jesus speaks of a departure and an arrival. That was by far the longest point. Next we get work of grief which will be followed by Joy (that’s pint 2).

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2. Grief then Joy

Look now at verse 16

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John 16:16–18 NIV

Jesus went on to say, “In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me.” At this, some of his disciples said to one another, “What does he mean by saying, ‘In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me,’ and ‘Because I am going to the Father’?” They kept asking, “What does he mean by ‘a little while’? We don’t understand what he is saying.”

We’ve been told (v6) that the disciples are full of grief at Jesus saying he is going to death… going away.

Grief brings deep sorrow - some of you know that and feel that tonight.

But grief also brings a swirl of other emotions - including confusion -and you can sense their confusion here can’t you?

In a little while they’ll see Jesus no more…. And then they’ll see him again.

He’s talking, of course, about the cross… as Jesus goes to his death… one by one the disciples drift away… they will abandon him in grief and pain and confusion and fear. And Jesus will die… they will see him no more.

Until, of course, his resurrection… as he has repeatedly predicted… but they haven’t yet grasped…. Jesus will rise.

The grief and the sorrow of Jesus’ death - which will look like defeat and demise… will actually turn out to be glorious victory which brings in a whole new dawn. That’s how Jesus goes on… v20

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John 16:20–22 NIV

Very truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy. A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world. So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.

RIFF - sometimes we wish we lived when the Apostle’s did… NO! Our position is much more privileged - we live on the other side of the resurrection and of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. We live in this certainty - be glad you live NOW when we see the whole story and have the full power to take the gospel to the nations

Pattern remains - grief gives way to Joy.

Perhaps my favourite verse in the Psalms.

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Psalm 30:5 NIV

weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.

A departure and an arrival…

Grief to joy…. Finally…

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3. Metaphor then Clarity

Read on… it’s really a similar point but see how Jesus continues…

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John 16:25–28 NIV

“Though I have been speaking figuratively, a time is coming when I will no longer use this kind of language but will tell you plainly about my Father. In that day you will ask in my name. I am not saying that I will ask the Father on your behalf. No, the Father himself loves you because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God. I came from the Father and entered the world; now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father.”

The disciples know and understand… but only in part.

All that Jesus is ABOUT to do at the cross… in his death and resurrection will open up for them relationship with their Father God.

They will know God as Father…. Through the work of the Son…. And in the Power of the Holy Spirit.

Because of all that Jesus is about to do at the cross - in his death and resurrection… they (and in turn, we) can come home to the eternal love of family of God…. To know the Father… .through the Son…. In the Power of the Holy Spirit.

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In Christ… on this side of the cross… Shadows become reality….

In Christ… on this side of the cross… Figurative explanations become plain…

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It’s good Jesus is not here tonight (not physically at least).

It’s good he has returned to his Father… because it means he has sent the Holy Spirit… who has lead these first apostles into all truth… so they have given us the scriptures - Gods full and final word… so the Spirit can come along side us and help us apply that word… and lead us to faith in Jesus - who has overcome sin, and death, and satan and can welcome us home to the family of love that is the family of God.

I have told you these things so that you may have PEACE - in this world you will have trouble but TAKE HEART (says Jesus) - I have overcome the world.

Let’s pray