John 15:26-16:15

To Finish the Mission

I. Be Aware of the Persecution of the Church (John 16:1-5)

If they weren’t aware of it in advance, they might stumble (John 16:1, 4).

What if I told you that you that life as a Christian is super simple, it’s gonna be smooth sailing, easy peezy, hunky dory, like piece of cake?

And then...you found out (it won’t take long), it’s not.

You grew out of childhood bliss, you passed your honeymoon period, and found out that most people don’t see eye-to-eye with you, definitely not demons...and you’re in a war.

If you ever share Jesus with others, or they somehow find out you’re a Christian, they often push you away, ostracize you, criticize you, they despise you, in some places they try to kill you.

Unlike some of the church today, Jesus gives fair warning.

(Steve Camp, Carry Me, “There's a hard, hard place nobody ever told me of. All I ever heard about was peace and love. I was told that trouble couldn't touch a child of God. So when the trials came furiously...they nearly sucked the life out of me.”)

If Jesus told us life as a Christian was easy, this might make us stumble and fall, maybe even fall away.

You weren’t ready for that, you didn’t brace yourself, you might even think you’re doing something wrong.

So Jesus gave us a head’s up, He warned us many times...and so did His faithful followers.

2 Timothy 3:12 (NKJV) “Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.”

Here in John 16:2 we read about

A. Excommunication (16:2a)

(Synagogue history)

It’s a NewCovenant (not a branch, some sort of Jewish Sect)

B. Execution (16:2b)

Imagine someone thinking they’re doing God’s work by killing Christians!

But that’s the case in many places, not only with the Apostles then, but even today, there’s a Christian martyr somewhere around the world every 6 minutes, 90,000 put to death every year (link to article).

According to an article in Christianity today there have been 70 million Christians killed since the time of Christ (link to article).

Why do they do this? Because they’re not saved; they do not know the Lord (16:3). They’re under the influence of the Devil (John 8:44).

To Accomplish this Mission

I. Be Aware of the Persecution of the Church (16:1-5)

II. Be Filled with the Person of the Holy Spirit

If you’re a Christian, I hope you know, you’re not alone. And you don’t just have something with you, you have Someone with you, always.

He lives in you and longs to be upon you; the first is Presence, the second is Power.

Are you struggling unnecessarily?

D.L. Moody, “God commands us to be filled with the Spirit, and if we are not filled, it is because we are living beneath our privileges.”

A. His Titles

1. Helper (John 14:16, 26; 15:26; 16:7)

Par-ak’-le-tos - lit., "called to one's side," i.e., to one's aid is primarily a verbal adjective, and suggests the capability or adaptability for giving aid.

(Paramedic) (Paralegal)

It was used in a court of justice to denote a legal assistant, counsel for the defense, an advocate; then, generally, one who pleads another's cause, an intercessor, advocate, as in 1 John 2:1, of the Lord Jesus.

Life is hard; life as a committed Christian can be extremely hard...we need help, does anyone know that?

(Even the Beatles knew we need help)

We need to ask for help, be open to God’s help, cry out for help.

(Remember that Song? When I was younger so much younger than today; I never needed anybody's help in any way. But now those days are gone and I'm not so self-assured. And now I find I've changed my mind, and opened up the doors.)

Help me if you can, I'm feeling down, and I do appreciate you being 'round Help me get my feet back on the ground, won't you please, please help me

And not just your feet on the ground, next thing you know, you’ll be walking on water.

(Please pardon the parallel with another Beatle’s Song) I get by with a little helpfrom my friends; I get high with a little help from my friends – A lot of help from my friend - Ephesians 5:18)

2. Comforter

Our NKJ calls Him the Helper; the KJ calls Him the Comforter.

I wonder if there’s anyone here...who needs Help? If there’s anyone out there who could use some Comfort?

There’s pain in your heart.

The passing of a loved one.

If so, please know, help and comfort have been sent in the promise of the Person of the Holy Spirit.

And not only that, the Holy Spirit comforts us, so we can comfort others (God will sometimes use people to “help”).

2 Corinthians 1:3–4 (NKJV)“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.”

(Carlos, Christina, Nadine)

(Pastor Raul’s granddaughter, Monet)

3. Advocate (NIV, NLT, NET)

Most other translations, use the word “Advocate”

(Legal assistance)

“A person who publicly supports; a person who pleads on someone else's behalf,” like a lawyer in the court of law.

It’s actually the same word used of Jesus in:

1 John 2:1 (NKJV)“My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.”

Like Jesus, the Holy Spirit has come to be our Helper, Comforter, Advocate, Public Defender.

(*Zechariah 3:1-5)

4. Spirit of Truth (John 15:26)

He’s called the Helper, the Comforter, the Advocate...and another title Jesus uses here is the Spirit of Truth.

And I’ve told you a million times that in the land of lies, we’ve been given the Truth,all bound up in this beautiful Bible.

And Jesus emphasizes the fact that the Holy Spirit, who proceeds from the Father, would testify of Him, would testify of Jesus.

He would make clear the truth about Jesus, who He is and what He’s done.

He would tell the Apostles, and the Apostles would tell the world. (15:26-27)

(Quick Sidenote – did you notice the Holy Spirit is referred to as “He” – not “it” - - and not “her”) (Strange - How she loves us so)

B. His Tasks

It’s not a lie, it’s true, it’s to your advantage, Jesus says (16:5-7).

I have to finish My work. Redemption, Resurrection, and Ascension into Heaven.

This authorizes Me to send the Holy Spirit to you (the Helper, Comforter, Advocate) the personal presence of the Power of God.

You’re gonna need Him. If I don’t go, He can’t come. This is the best thing for you.

When Jesus was here on earth, physically, He emptied Himself of His Divine privileges (Philippians 2:5-7), He never ceased to be God, but He chose to limit Himself in order to save us as the God-Man.

Part of this limitation was for Him to be in His body.

But the sending of the Holy Spirit meant that this third Person of the Godhead could be with all of us, all around the world, simultaneously.

Now, that doesn’t mean Jesus isn’t with us now – He is – it’s just that each Person of the Godhead has their part in our salvation.

We were saved by the Father - chosen before the foundation of the world

We were saved by the Son, on the cross of Calvary

We were saved by the Holy Spirit, the moment we were born again.

I remember one person comparing it to the making of a movie:

The Father is the Executive Producer

The Holy Spirit is the Director

And Jesus Christ is the Superstar (what do we read in 15:26?)

1. Testify/Speak (John 15:26; 16:13-15)

Testify

Speak - Do you guys remember how Jesus didn’t say anything unless the Father told Him to?

The same is true of the Spirit.

2. Convict/Convince (John 16:8-11)

The Holy Spirit convicts the world:

Convict: To convince and bring to light; to refute and prove wrong, and often there’s shame involved, hence conviction.

(NIV – He will prove the world to be in the wrong; NET – He will prove the world wrong).

i. Sin

Of sin (a miracle – “with”) (John 14:17)

ii. Righteousness

Of righteousness – how can we be righteous before a perfect and Holy God?

He points people to Jesus.

iii. Judgment

What a difference it would make if people were thoroughly convinced, convicted that there IS a judgment to come!

Of judgment – what are we saved from?

The power and penalty of sin.

Why? – They don’t believe in Jesus!

If they follow the “ruler” of this world – they’re headed for judgment (Revelation 20:10, 15)

3. Guide/Glorify (John 16:13, 14)

Not just sometruth – all truth.

He will guide you into all truth (the completion of the Cannon of Scripture, even Prophecy).

They were not yet born-again under the new covenant.

The Holy Spirit was not living inside of them, the Holy Spirit was not upon them, so Jesus could only go so far with them...but after Acts everything would change.

The Holy Spirit would be in and upon, and the Spirit of Truth would guide them into all truth.

Anyone of you Christians out there need Help? Comfort? An Advocate?

Anyone out there not yet a Christian?

(Gathering a bride – Genesis 24:57-58)

(Marry Me, Follow Me)