John Chapter 16

                    (John: Chapter 16)

Jesus openly tells his disciples that they will suffer because he knows he will soon no longer be with them. After Jesus leaves, they will have to face persecution themselves. Jesus returns to the subject of his departure and prepares them for what is ahead.

(Life App)

In his last moments with his disciples, Jesus (1) warned them about further persecution; (2) told them where, when, and why he was going, and (3) assured them that they would not be left alone but that the spirit would come. Jesus knew what lay ahead, and he did not want the disciples faith shaken or destroyed. God wants you to know you are not alone. You have the Holy Spirit to comfort you, teach you truth, and help you. 

(Tony Evens 1-4)

Jesus had told his disciples these things to keep (them) from stumbling-that is, to keep them from abandoning the faith due to persecution. In the days to come, followers of Jesus would face being banned from the synagogues and put to death-often by those who would think they were serving God by doing so. However, such people haven't known the father or (Jesus). 

Jesus wanted them-and us-to be prepared. We should not be shocked when we experience some form of rejection or sensor for Christian beliefs and standards. This could come from family, friends, employers, customers, coworkers, the government and the list goes on. As Paul told Timothy.

 (2 Tim:3v12) “All who want to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted”.

But the Holy Spirit is available to empower us in our time of need.

(Life App)

Not many years after Jesus said these words, Saul (also known as Paul) under the authority of the high priest, went through the land hunting down and persecuting Christians, convinced that he was doing the right thing.

(Acts:9v1-2) says Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord's disciples. He went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem.

(Acts:26v9-11) says I too was convinced that I ought to do all that was possible to oppose the name of Jesus of Nazareth. And that is just what I did in Jerusalem. On the authority of the chief priests I put many of the Lord's people in prison, and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them. Many a time I went from one synagogue to another to have them punished, and I tried to force them to blaspheme. I was so obsessed with persecuting them that I even hunted them down in foreign cities.

(NIV App)

Sorrow has so swamped the disciples lives that they have forgotten that Jesus’s death is not the end of everything; it is rather the beginning. The point is the goal of his glorification-namely, his return to the father's presence. If he does not go away, then the spirit cannot come. In some fashion, then, it is mutually exclusive to have both this spirit and Jesus on earth. The spirit is a gift that must await the trigger of Jesus’s departure.

(Life App)

Unless Jesus did what he came to do, we would have no gospel. If he did not die, he could not remove our sins; he could not rise again and defeat death. If he did not go back to the father, the Holy Spirit would not have come. Jesus's presence on earth was limited to one place at a time, but his leaving meant he could be present to the whole world through the Holy Spirit.

(Tony Evens 16:8-11)

The holy spirit's role is to help people understand the truth by showing the world what sin is, what is right, and that judgment is coming. People would be convicted about sin because of their failure to believe in Jesus for forgiveness and the gift of eternal life. They would be convicted about righteousness because Jesus would no longer be physically present. The resurrection and ascension are proof of the righteousness of Christ because he was crucified as one who was unrighteous. With Jesus gone, people would think that his righteous standard no longer applied, but the spirit would demonstrate otherwise. Finally, the world would be convicted about judgment, because the ruler of this world-Satan-has been judged. Therefore, his followers will also be judged. The death of Christ condemned and defeated Satan, and-like a condemned criminal-he is waiting for his coming execution.

(Col:2v15) says And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.

(Rev:20v2) says He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for 1000 years.

(Rev:20v7-10) says When the 1000 years are over, Satan will be released from his prison, and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth-Gog and Magog-and to gather them for battle. In number they are like the sand on the seashore. They marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of God's people, the city he loves. But fire came down from heaven and devoured them. And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning Sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

(Life App)

To convict means “to convince” to expose the facts, or to refute or cross-examine. Three important convicting tasks of the Holy Spirit are (1) convincing people of their sinfulness to prepare them to seek repentance and God's mercy; (2) revealing the standard of God's righteousness to anyone who believes, because Jesus is no longer physically present on earth; and(3) demonstrating Jesus authority over Satan and his ultimate judgment and defeat of all evil. This conviction can convince us that what Jesus promises will come true and give us courage to live out our faith in a fallen world.

(According to Jesus not believing in him is a sin). Jesus's death on the cross made a personal relationship with God available to us. When we confess our sins, God declares us righteous and delivers us from judgment for it.

Jesus said the Holy Spirit would tell them 

“what is to come”-the nature of their mission, the opposition they would face, and the final outcome of their efforts. They didn't fully understand these promises until the Holy Spirit came, after Jesus’s death and resurrection. Then the Holy Spirit revealed truths to them that they wrote down in the books that now form the New Testament.

(Tony Evans 16:16-19)

The time of Jesus’s crucifixion was drawing near. In a little while, the disciples would no longer see him because he would be dead and buried. But in another little while, they would see him again when he rose from the grave. However, the disciples weren't getting it. They said quietly to one another, we don't know what he's talking about. Yet Jesus knew they were confused. They couldn't hide anything from him. He knows your private conversations and thoughts, too. Don't be upset when you don't understand what Jesus is doing in your life. After all, Jesus’s first disciples were confused, and they had Jesus right there with them! Choose to pursue him in the midst of your confusion.

(Tony Evans 16:20-22)

Jesus foretold the great sorrow that they would soon experience at his crucifixion (while the world rejoiced), but he also foretold that their grief would turn to joy at his resurrection. To explain how they could go from morning to great joy in such a short span of time, he gave them an example. A woman experiencing labor goes through great pain. But when her child is born, her suffering is forgotten and replaced by rejoicing. In the same way, the disciple’s pain would lead to joy. And Jesus told them, no one will take away your joy from you. Why? Because it is rooted in the presence and work of Christ on the inside-not on the ever-changing circumstances of life (happiness).

(Tony Evans 16:23-24)

Once again, Jesus told them, anything you ask the father in my name, he will give you. No matter what sorrow you experience, remain in Jesus because God is still in the prayer-answering business when we love and seek to honor the son. In fact, Jesus encouraged his disciples to take advantage of the opportunity to ask of him so that they might experience joy. There's nothing like the joy that comes when the creator of the universe answers your personal prayer. This joy does not depend on what happens; rather, it can be chosen based on our confidence and the commitment to God.

(Tony Evans 16:25)

Jesus had been using figures of speech with them, (the vine, the woman in labor). But in time, he would tell them plainly about the father. There's a principal at work here for believers in Christ: God only explains what you are ready and able to handle. You may not understand the circumstances that you're experiencing, but God loves you and is taking you through a growth process. He calls for your trust and obedience now. Further understanding will come later, when you're prepared to receive it.

(Tony Evans 16:26-28)

On that day when the disciples would ask the father in Jesus’ name, they would not need Jesus to ask on their behalf. Why? Because the father himself loved them due to their relationship to his son. 

(Tony Evans 16:29-30)

After this the disciples affirmed their belief in Jesus. He had known and answered their private questions. They were certain that he was the Messiah who had come from God. However, Jesus knew them better then they knew themselves. He said, “Do you now believe? Indeed, an hour is coming, and has come, when each of you will be scattered…. And you will leave me alone. Translation: “you don't believe as strongly as you think you do. Now, while all is quiet and safe, this is easy for you to say. But very soon you're going to forget your fragile faith and run for your lives.”

Have you ever made a vow to God during a church service only to back away from it later-perhaps as quickly as when you left the church parking lot? It's easy to boast about our faith; it's harder to live it, as Peter would soon discover. This is one of the reasons why God causes us to experience challenges. Through them, we come to see how brittle our faith is and how mighty our savior is, and our faith is made a little stronger.

Though the disciples would abandon him, Jesus was not alone. His father was with him. He was “sent” from the father, is the father and” in the father”, and would return “to the father”. The son and the father “are one”.

(Tony Evans 16:33)

Jesus revealed all of these things to his disciples, not to fill them with fear, but so that they might have peace in him. Peace is not mere serenity and the absence of Christ. The peace that Jesus was talking about is something that only he can give, and it's something that believers can experience in a crisis. In reality, you can't know if you truly have peace until conflict strikes. A Christian’s peace is found in his or her connection to Jesus Christ based on his word.

No matter what suffering you endure in this life, Jesus encourages you to be courageous. How can we have courage to pursue God's agenda in the midst of tribulation? Jesus gave us the answer: I have conquered the world. Regardless of how the world beat you down, you have reason to live with bold faith because Jesus is the sovereign king over the world. He has defeated sin, Satan, and death. If you're a believer, your eternity is secure. And Jesus has the power to overrule your earthly circumstances. Knowing this truth and maintaining an intimate relationship with the Lord (in me) will radically change your perspective as you face whatever obstacles come your way. His peace gives you peace in the midst of life's crisis.

(Life App)

As Christians, we should expect continuing tension with an unbelieving world that is not in agreement with Jesus’s values and often bitterly hostile to him, his gospel, and his people. Some will face only astonishment or ridicule for what they believe. Others will face imprisonment and even martyrdom. But whatever we face, we can depend upon our relationship with Jesus to produce peace and comfort because we are In agreement with him.

(Life App)

Despite the inevitable struggles they would face, they would not be alone. Jesus does not abandon us to our struggles either. If we remember that the ultimate victory has already been won, we can claim the peace of Christ in the most troublesome times.

(NIV App)

The Holy Spirit helps each generation understand and apply Jesus’ teachings. He can also give the church fresh guidance for current situations, but this guidance will never contradict the Bible or take glory away from Jesus. The spirit helps teachers understand scripture more deeply and gives prophets messages that speak to the church and the world today.

(Jeremiah Bible Study)

Christianity is different from simply following a list of rules. God gives us his Holy Spirit to live in us and help us live the victorious life Jesus demonstrated. Because the spirit lives in US, we can have deep peace no matter what is happening around us.