Series: Conversations with Jesus
John 16:8-11
INTRO
You ever have a night you just want to write off—a sort of bad dream?
Maybe it was something like that for the disciples only much darker.
Jesus gathered them in this upper room and announced He was leaving and they may have thought—let’s just write this off
But Jesus wanted them to get perspective
-His leaving wasn’t such bad news
-His leaving made it possible to send the Spirit (read 16:7)
-something He announced earlier-chap 14
-they were about to enter the age of the Spirit
-Who would come to continue what Jesus did—A REVOLUTION!
-only He is coming to enter our lives as a permanent Resident-14:17
-to penetrate our evasions, defensive ploys, and indifference in order to make His home in us
-and once He does—teach us-14:26
-for truth is what He uses to transform us
-and conform us to the image of the resurrected Jesus
-for change is impossible on our own
-ONLY THE SPIRIT OF GOD CAN DO THE CHANGING
What we can do—must do—is yield, GET IN STEP with Him–submit to His filling
-position ourselves for this wind of God—which blows where it pleases–Jn 3:8
Illustration – sailing–in irons against the wind–positioning ourselves correctly for where He blows.
But Jesus expanded their understanding of the Spirit’s work
-Jesus declared that something bigger is at work in the Spirit’s coming—and they would need to understand this as well (read John 16:8-11)
A. The first thing we notice is that the Spirit is not about to be poured out for our
personal benefit alone
-this Agent of change is also coming to penetrate the self-deceptions, evasions,
defensive ploys, indifference-and REJECTION of the world
-in order to engage and draw it to Himself
-for again—we cannot do this—we cannot bring others to faith
-HE ALONE WILL CHANGE THE WORLD
B. The second thing we notice is the tenor of the language
-with us—it is residential, educational language-indwell, teach you
-with the world--it is courtroom language
-prosecution language
-He is coming as a legal counsel, a prosecuting attorney, an advocate in a
lawsuit
-to “convict”, confront, expose, cross-examine, prosecute, bring to account—all of
these acts are wrapped up in this term
-the Spirit is coming as a “troublesome voice” to “serve papers”, put the world on
notice
-and in the process--open the world to things it does not want to see
Three things in particular—
A. THE SPIRIT CONFRONTS THE WORLD REGARDING ITS UNBELIEF
-this is the Spirit’s intended work in every age
-to confront the world regarding its rejection of Jesus
-which if nothing changes is the unpardonable sin—there is no remedy for it
-Jn 3:18-whoever does not believe stands condemned
-God’s wrath is upon him-vs 36
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-the only hope out of this blindness is the convicting work of the Spirit—who
comes to press home the world’s propensity to sin—reject God
-the awareness of one’s lost condition
-convicting men of their guilt, of their tendencies to fill the hole with something
other than God-material things, addictive behaviors
-trapped in patterns of behavior that dishonor Him
There is something else—
B. THE SPIRIT EXPOSES THE WORLD TO RIGHTEOUSNESS
-more particularly—to its unrighteousness
-of its misguided assumptions of justice, ethics, morality
-for in the act of going to the Father
-living a life of holiness on this earth—going to the Cross
-Jesus redefined righteousness
-and exposed the feebleness of our assumed morality
-righteousness that might seem impressive to men—amounts to filthy rags, to
menstruous cloths in the eyes of God-Isa 64:5
-it is utterly unclean, unrighteous
-Paul came to grips with this convicting work of the Spirit
-and when he realized the true nature of righteousness—not of the hand—but
the heart
-He assessed his own acts of external righteousness as so much rubbish
(crap)-Phil 3:11
But the Spirit is not finished—
C. THE SPIRIT CONVICTS THE WORLD OF ITS JUDGMENT
-that if it refuses to receive the love and grace of God
-if it relies on its own standard of righteousness—there will be a day of
reckoning
-all of our good works will not get us there
-and there will be no help from the evil one
-who stands condemned—his works destroyed-I Jn 3:8
-who was judged and disarmed on the cross-Col 2:15
-who has no hold-no future-John 14:30
Ultimately—all of this is a grace work designed to open peoples’ eyes and see the hope
and love that is in Jesus
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-for this prosecutor’s work is rooted in LOVE—aimed at bringing people out of the
mire and mud of sin, personal failure
-because we are of immeasurable value to Him
APPLICATION
So what does all of this mean for us?
-it would seem the task of the Spirit-filled church is clear
-Jesus is calling us, the church, to something—
-to position itself where the Spirit is blowing—
1. MOVE OUT INTO THE PUBLIC SQUARE
-to not insulate itself
-stay within the walls
-but engage in the courtroom of public opinion
-this is what Jesus commanded
-what the early apostles did
-Peter-Acts 2:14f
-Stephen-Acts 7:2f
-proclaim truth-out where the Spirit is at work
-out where there are arguments and opinions and conflict
-and we must—for the Spirit’s clear aim is to do it through us
-for just as the Son became flesh and blood—the Spirit wants to bring change
through flesh and blood
-through us
-for it is out of us God intends to pour life His giving power to others-7:38-39—
what Jesus referred to as the Spirit
2. BE A PROPHETIC VOICE
-a prosecuting voice
-a “troublesome” voice—after all—the Spirit came to unleash a prophetic
community-Acts 2:17
-as we must be--for the scale and scope of evil has never been so blatant,
powerful, destructive (Guiness, Unspeakable)
-as Peggy Noonan puts it—“we are barreling down a dark corridor”
-so we must not be afraid to follow the Spirit’s agenda
A. Speak about SIN
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-declare what is not popular—that there is truth and falsehood—good and
evil
-that alternative religions are ultimately deceitful
-that our great sin is rejecting Jesus
-letting people know we love Jesus and are not ashamed of the fact
B. Speak about RIGHTEOUSNESS
-that we are not all good at heart
-it is rather the opposite-we all have a propensity to go our own way
-there is a depth of evil that lurks in all of us-the greatest of which is to reject
God
-and relying on human good works is an empty thing
C. Speak about JUDGMENT
-in a manner that does not relish, desire punishment for anyone
-but like the Spirit—words of severity are matched by a soul that grieves-
Eph 4:30
-that like Paul—I wish I could be accursed for the sake of you
This then is not a call to be a haranguing, angry, abusive voice
-but a careful, compassionate voice-backed by a life of love and grace
And in all of this—we just may find ourselves in step with the Spirit
If you need a model-go to Acts 17—where Paul before Felix—“discoursed on faith in
Jesus, righteousness, and the judgment to come”
3. PREPARE FOR ONE OF THREE RESPONSES
A. REPENTENCE—which too is the work of the Spirit
-Acts 2:22, 37-they were cut to the heart
-I Cor 14:24-speaks of the powerful convicting work of the Spirit in the
context of worship—drawing one toward the mercy of God—an unbeliever to see his sin
But conviction does not inevitably lead to repentance—for the Spirit does not coerce conviction
-hence there are other responses—
B. EVASION—denial-which is to ignore or postpone the Spirit
-Felix and Paul—enough for now—but the convenient time never came-
Acts 24:25
C. RESISTANCE
-for sin develops elaborate resistances to anyone or anything that exposes its work
-though in these moments one might sense the intense work of conviction most powerfully
so in summing up this short passage is packed with Jesus’ explanation of the
Holy Spirit’s role as he comes to earth and Jesus departs to heaven. Three important actions that will transpire in his role are:
1. The Spirit will confront the world regarding its unbelief. No one will come to salvation in
Christ apart from this work.
2. The Spirit will expose the world to its unrighteousness. Although the world believes itself to be righteous, the Spirit will reveal that only Jesus was righteous and that all our righteousness is as filthy rags.
3. The Spirit will convict the world of its coming judgment. Consequences will happen if it does not focus its trust on Jesus Christ.
By promising this to the disciples and John recording it for us to read, what is Jesus saying to us?
The task of the Spirit-filled person or church is clear:
• We must not insulate ourselves rather move out into the square of the world.
• We must not take a defensive posture rather be willing to be a prophetic voice for God.
• We must prepare ourselves for whatever the response: conviction to repentance; passive evasion; or active resistance.
One summer evening during a violent thunderstorm a mother was tucking her small boy into bed. She was about to turn off the light when he asked with a tremor in his voice, "Mommy, will you sleep with me tonight?" The mother smiled and gave him a reassuring hug. "I can't, Dear," she said, "I have to sleep with your daddy." A long silence was broken at last by his shaky little voice: "The big sissy."
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