Better Off Without Jesus.

Well when I was a youth pastor, I’d ask this same question to the students and I’d hear all sorts of things but there was always at least one or two who were genuine but also wanted to come across as the spiritual elite and would say Jesus, I’d want to do ministry with Jesus. Now on the surface that would sound great right?

What If I told you Jesus had words to say about this, what if I told you, you are better off without Jesus. Interesting thought and if I fail to elaborate on this, the statement sounds like heresy.

If you are taking notes this morning I have titled the message “Better Off Without Jesus.”

If you have your Bibles lets see them… good.

Turn with me to and we’ll read vs5-16.

John 16:5–16 NKJV

“But now I go away 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 depart, I will send Him to you. And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they do not believe in Me; of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you. “A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me, because I go to the Father.”

Let’s Pray!

Today I believe the Lord has given me this message and a challenge to examine the question, Am I better off without Jesus? Sure His ministry was amazing and eternity shifting, thats the understatement of the Century, acknowledging that one would conclude that if Jesus were still here the ministry and spread of Christianity would be better than ever. What if I told you Jesus Said this is not the case.

Lets look at our passage, says a profound thought, Jesus say we have the advantage if he leaves us.

Why would He say this, surely the disciples where confused, the ministry was booming! But still Jesus said we are better off without Him.

now before we go any further, I want to make it clear we still need Jesus daily, He is still God, he will never leave nor forsake us, He makes intersession for us. All this is true, I say we are better off without Him to help us hone into what Jesus was getting at, what His purpose for you and I is.

back to the text...

John 16:5–16 NKJV

I want to look at four reasons we are better off without Jesus

1) Jesus’ Purpose for Leaving

2) Jesus’ Promise upon Leaving

3) Jesus’ Plan in Leaving

4) Jesus’ Position after Leaving

Let’s look at Jesus’ Purpose first...

John 16:7 NKJV

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 depart, I will send Him to you.

who is the helper? parakletos- the Holy spirit! Jesus said its better that He leave, we have the advantage if He does because He would send the Holy Spirit. In Jesus tells his disciple this.

What makes this so advantageous? Well in the old testament there were men and women who at times had the Spirit come upon them, but only at times, it was in these special occasions that they would prophecy, reveal truth, have super human power and in-depth knowledge about dreams or otherwise unknown phenomenon.

But Jesus tells his followers He would send the HS to reside and abide, to set up shop for good in the believer, Something unheard of, in fact Peter tells us that the prophet sought after this but that it was only revealed in Christ.

Acts 1:5–8 NKJV

for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Jesus’ Purpose was to empower the Church, empower for what, acts 1:8, … to do what Jesus did and with the same power He did it!

You see if Jesus never left, than there would only be one Spirit Filled and empowered witness, but because He left, that army can be endless and as many as the stars in the sky.

Jesus’ ministry was great but he said we are better off without him because our ministry could be great!

Which brings me to point #2.

Jesus’ Promise upon Leaving.

Jesus told the disciple to wait for the promise, that promise was and is the HS!

John 14:12 NKJV

“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.

Jesus gives us a promise and the promise is we will do greater, big and better, more when He leaves us here on earth. He goes on to elaborate on that in the following verses.

Now here is a gut punch, a challenge and a question...

If we are better off without Jesus, then why when we look at the ministry of the church are we mediocre at best when compared to Jesus?

Ouch, it hurts but its real, why are we not as effective?

We could ponder, philosophize read countless commentaries and self help books but I think Jesus gives us a couple clues.

First, , do we truly believe, faith! How is your faith? Do you believe?

Now I am not a name it and claim it, word of faith prosperity preachers by any means, but do we actually believe God?

Do we believe His Word, all of it? (examples)

Jesus says if we believe, greater things will we do...

Secondly, are we actively relying on the HS, do we operate in His power, Is He more than an it to us?

I don’t mean are we weird, I mean lets be honest, there is some weird stuff blamed on the HS that is probably just humans trying to be spiritual...

But are speaking words of wisdom, declaring truth, praying without ceasing, having mercy the list goes on!

Are we living in the reason for our empowerment could be a third clue? What is the reason, / to be witnesses and teachers, to be disciple makers!

This leads to point #3… Jesus’ Plan in Leaving...

He had to have a plan right? Of course, look at Paul’s letters we are constantly admonished to be an extension of Christ on earth, empowered by the spirit. Look at Jesus’ letters to the seven Churches in Asia Minor, oh he has a plan! His plan was His commission, His plan is that we would carry out His will, His will was to do the will of the Father, to seek and save the Lost. His plan was for us to be mini versions of Him running around doing what he did!

Acts 11:26 NKJV

And when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. So it was that for a whole year they assembled with the church and taught a great many people. And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.

Acts

they were called Christians- Christianos- little christs...

are we?

Look earlier in that verse teaching many… sound familiar, /...

What do we teach?

“I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you.

Jesus says the HS will give the Words, and His primary way of doing so is trough The WORD!

2 Timothy 3:16 NKJV

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,

Just look at … Peter filled and the Word flowed out, and expository look at the scriptures and thousands were added. Signs and wonders followed but notice the power of the pure unadulterated Word.

I believe and I would suggest scriptures bares this out, that Jesus’ primary plan in leaving was to send the holy spirit to empower the believer to rightly divide the word of truth and to deliver it in the power and authority that jesus had to the converting of souls!

repeat this....

This is when we see greater things and thousands added to the church.

EC had it, look at Acts… from addition to multiplication!

That brings me to my last thought and a challenge to us all… Jesus’ Position after Leaving...

where is He, He says over and over again I’m going to sit at the right hand of the father.

He is sitting there ruling, mediating and intersessing on our behalf...

now check this out!!! This is so cool...

tell story of Stephen...

Acts 6–7 NKJV

Now in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a complaint against the Hebrews by the Hellenists, because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution. Then the twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said, “It is not desirable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables. Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business; but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” And the saying pleased the whole multitude. And they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch, whom they set before the apostles; and when they had prayed, they laid hands on them. Then the word of God spread, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith. And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and signs among the people. Then there arose some from what is called the Synagogue of the Freedmen (Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and those from Cilicia and Asia), disputing with Stephen. And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke. Then they secretly induced men to say, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.” And they stirred up the people, the elders, and the scribes; and they came upon him, seized him, and brought him to the council. They also set up false witnesses who said, “This man does not cease to speak blasphemous words against this holy place and the law; for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs which Moses delivered to us.” And all who sat in the council, looking steadfastly at him, saw his face as the face of an angel. Then the high priest said, “Are these things so?” And he said, “Brethren and fathers, listen: The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Haran, and said to him, ‘Get out of your country and from your relatives, and come to a land that I will show you.’ Then he came out of the land of the Chaldeans and dwelt in Haran. And from there, when his father was dead, He moved him to this land in which you now dwell. And God gave him no inheritance in it, not even enough to set his foot on. But even when Abraham had no child, He promised to give it to him for a possession, and to his descendants after him. But God spoke in this way: that his descendants would dwell in a foreign land, and that they would bring them into bondage and oppress them four hundred years. ‘And the nation to whom they will be in bondage I will judge,’ said God, ‘and after that they shall come out and serve Me in this place.’ Then He gave him the covenant of circumcision; and so Abraham begot Isaac and circumcised him on the eighth day; and Isaac begot Jacob, and Jacob begot the twelve patriarchs. “And the patriarchs, becoming envious, sold Joseph into Egypt. But God was with him and delivered him out of all his troubles, and gave him favor and wisdom in the presence of Pharaoh, king of Egypt; and he made him governor over Egypt and all his house. Now a famine and great trouble came over all the land of Egypt and Canaan, and our fathers found no sustenance. But when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent out our fathers first. And the second time Joseph was made known to his brothers, and Joseph’s family became known to the Pharaoh. Then Joseph sent and called his father Jacob and all his relatives to him, seventy-five people. So Jacob went down to Egypt; and he died, he and our fathers. And they were carried back to Shechem and laid in the tomb that Abraham bought for a sum of money from the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem. “But when the time of the promise drew near which God had sworn to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt till another king arose who did not know Joseph. This man dealt treacherously with our people, and oppressed our forefathers, making them expose their babies, so that they might not live. At this time Moses was born, and was well pleasing to God; and he was brought up in his father’s house for three months. But when he was set out, Pharaoh’s daughter took him away and brought him up as her own son. And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and deeds. “Now when he was forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren, the children of Israel. And seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended and avenged him who was oppressed, and struck down the Egyptian. For he supposed that his brethren would have understood that God would deliver them by his hand, but they did not understand. And the next day he appeared to two of them as they were fighting, and tried to reconcile them, saying, ‘Men, you are brethren; why do you wrong one another?’ But he who did his neighbor wrong pushed him away, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge over us? Do you want to kill me as you did the Egyptian yesterday?’ Then, at this saying, Moses fled and became a dweller in the land of Midian, where he had two sons. “And when forty years had passed, an Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire in a bush, in the wilderness of Mount Sinai. When Moses saw it, he marveled at the sight; and as he drew near to observe, the voice of the Lord came to him, saying, ‘I am the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ And Moses trembled and dared not look. ‘Then the Lord said to him, “Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground. I have surely seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt; I have heard their groaning and have come down to deliver them. And now come, I will send you to Egypt.” ’ “This Moses whom they rejected, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge?’ is the one God sent to be a ruler and a deliverer by the hand of the Angel who appeared to him in the bush. He brought them out, after he had shown wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, and in the Red Sea, and in the wilderness forty years. “This is that Moses who said to the children of Israel, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your brethren. Him you shall hear.’ “This is he who was in the congregation in the wilderness with the Angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our fathers, the one who received the living oracles to give to us, whom our fathers would not obey, but rejected. And in their hearts they turned back to Egypt, saying to Aaron, ‘Make us gods to go before us; as for this Moses who brought us out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.’ And they made a calf in those days, offered sacrifices to the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their own hands. Then God turned and gave them up to worship the host of heaven, as it is written in the book of the Prophets: ‘Did you offer Me slaughtered animals and sacrifices during forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel? You also took up the tabernacle of Moloch, And the star of your god Remphan, Images which you made to worship; And I will carry you away beyond Babylon.’ “Our fathers had the tabernacle of witness in the wilderness, as He appointed, instructing Moses to make it according to the pattern that he had seen, which our fathers, having received it in turn, also brought with Joshua into the land possessed by the Gentiles, whom God drove out before the face of our fathers until the days of David, who found favor before God and asked to find a dwelling for the God of Jacob. But Solomon built Him a house. “However, the Most High does not dwell in temples made with hands, as the prophet says: ‘Heaven is My throne, And earth is My footstool. What house will you build for Me? says the Lord, Or what is the place of My rest? Has My hand not made all these things?’ “You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you. Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who foretold the coming of the Just One, of whom you now have become the betrayers and murderers, who have received the law by the direction of angels and have not kept it.” When they heard these things they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth. But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and said, “Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!” Then they cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and ran at him with one accord; and they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul. And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not charge them with this sin.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

You see Acts says Steph was full of the holy spirit, living with his advantage, being better off with Jesus gone, He was selected to served and when accused he spoke the Word of God with boldness, just like Peter declaring truth allowing the HS to reveal Christ in the Word! and when he was done he said

Acts6

Acts 7:55–56 NKJV

But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and said, “Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!”

Acts 7:

Jesus’ postition was giving Stephen a standing ovation, standing ovation ops… Jesus is giving Him one! I want that, am I living in such a way that causes this?

Worship team return and play softly...

Prayer, in one accord, HS fill and empower anew...

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