John Chapter 16 - Lesson
Jesus' conversation with his own 11 disciples continue. There is no break. He has been speaking to them in Chapter 15 about how the world will hate them and they will persecute them, but He encourages them that it is to their advantage that He go away, because He will then send THE HOLY SPIRIT, the Spirit of Truth, that will comfort that and guide them into all truth. He is called the HELPER, or the ADVOCATE.
In John 16:1, continuing the conversation, He says ...
"These things I have spoken to you, that you may be kept from stumbling. They will make you outcasts from the synagogue, but an hour is coming for everyone who kills you to think that he is offering service to God. And these things they will do because they have not known the Father, or Me.......But these things I have spoken to you, that when their hour comes, YOU MAY REMEMBER that I told you of them. And these things I did not say to you at the beginning, because I was with you."
When we are going through things that seem unfair to us. If we go through being rejected or facing grave situation, the first thing we believe for some reason is that GOD doesn't love us, He doesn't care, He is nowhere near us! If we could realize that He has told us in ADVANCE that these things are part of being identified with Jesus Christ, would it help us NOT to stumble in our faith, but to be stronger in our faith? The source is the enemies of God, whether spiritual demonic enemies or people who are not true believers who attack us and cast us out, and yes, many a missionary in our modern days and Christians who would not deny their Lord, have been killed for their faith in Christ. Jesus knows that this is not easy to hear and certainly not easy to walk through for His disciples. The disciples will be kicked out of the synagogues of Jewish worship, but it is true that as the Christians who followed Christ were killed, the Jewish leaders believed they were doing service to God in the zeal of their religion.
Listen to the apostle Paul's words in his testimony:
Acts 26:2-11 ....
"In regard to all the things of which I am accused by the Jews, I consider myself fortunate, King Agrippa, that I am about to make my defense before you today; especially because you are an expert in all customs and questions among the Jews; therefore I beg you to listen to me patiently.
So then, all Jews know my manner of life from my youth up, which from the beginning was spent among my own nation and at Jerusalem; since they have known about me for a long time previously, if they are willing to testify, that I lived as a PHARISEE according to the strictest sect of our religion.
And now I am standing on trial for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers; the promise to which our twelve tribes hope to attain, as they earnestly serve God night and day. And for this hope, O King, I am being accused by Jews. Why is it considered incredible among you people if God does raise the dead?
So then, I thought to myself that I HAD TO DO MANY THINGS HOSTILE TO THE NAME OF JESUS OF NAZARATH. And this is just what I did in Jerusalem; not only did I LOCK UP MANY OF THE SAINTS IN PRISONS, having received authority from the chief priests, but also when they were being put to DEATH I cast my vote against them.
And as I PUNISHED them often in all the synagogues, I tried to FORCE them TO BLASPHEME; and being furiously enraged at them, I kept PURSUING them even to foreign cities.........(vs. 12 - he goes on to tell of how the Lord saved him on the road to Damascus.......)
So, this shows us just how the Christians were PERSECUTED AND KILLED by the Jews (Paul was a Pharisee) - after Jesus left the earth. Jesus is speaking to them NOW so that WHEN it happens, they won't be caught off guard.
But NOW He is going to Him (God) who sent Him (Jesus) and none of them are asking "Where are you going?".
Jesus tells them
"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 go, I will send HIM to you."
When the Holy Spirit is present in the world, what does He convict people of?
1)convict the world of sin .Why?
2) show the world what has God's approval. Why?
3) convince the world that god does judge it . Why?
He has many more things to say to them, but he know they cannot bear them right now. But He says "When He the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into ALL THE TRUTH; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you WHAT IS TO COME.
The New Testament Gospels, Church Letters, and the Revelation that is given to John - they are all written by men who the Holy Spirit breathed God's Words through. When He came, He gave them remembrance of all the things that Jesus had spoken and in the case of the Prophecies John was given in The Revelation, the Holy Spirit revealed to John what was to COME!
Did these men follow cleverly devised tales?
No, Peter says "We were eyewitnesses of His majesty - and so we have the prophetic word made more sure....." (2 Peter 1:16-19)
What else are we told about the Scriptures?
What are they inspired (breathed by God) to do in our lives? See 2 Timothy 3:16,17 -
So, what is OUR responsibility regarding the teachings that have been handed down to us by those who were chosen to write them? 2 Timothy 2:15 -
Back to John, Chapter 16......
(That is pretty important - the Holy Spirit does not want the attention on Himself - His purpose is to glorify the LORD JESUS CHRIST!) Jesus now must prepare the disciples for His death. He tells them in a little while, they will no longer see Him. Yet, He gives them the hope that in a little while following that, they will see Him again!
They are complexed about His sayings.
Jesus understands their feelings and He gives them a picture to help them understand. He compares it to a woman being in labor and having sorrow UNTIL the child is born and then the JOY OF THE CHILD replaces any pain and sorrow she endured....that is what He wants them to remember when they are going through the suffering they are going to face........
What will their grief turn into? (write out John 16:20)
Who can take their JOY away from them that they will experience once He resurrects and they have the Helper, the Holy Spirit inside them? John 16:22
Jesus begins to tell them how the Holy Spirit's presence within them is going to impact their PRAYERS!
Who are we to address (ask things from)? (vs.23)
Whose Name do we ask in?
If we ask it in the Name (the Character of.... the nature of...the will of.....) Jesus, what will the Father do in regard to that prayer?
Until that time, the disciples had Jesus with them all the time. They had not needed to ask the Father anything in His Name. Now He would leave them and send the Holy Spirit to indwell them.
They will receive the answers to their prayers, their dependence on God the Father, in Jesus' Name, so that what would be FULL in their lives?
The disciples made a confession of faith in Who Jesus was in verse 30.
Jesus answered them,"Do you now believe?"
"Behold, an hour is coming, and has already come, for YOU to be SCATTERED, each to his own home, and to LEAVE ME ALONE; and yet I AM NOT ALONE, because the FATHER IS WITH ME."
They are going to forsake the Lord when the arrest happens. They will fear for their own lives and they will leave Him. He knows this will happen, and He tells them the Father will not leave Him.
He then comforts them again......
Why has he spoken all these things to them? (John 16:33)
What do we have IN THIS WORLD?
Then how can we make it?
What gives us the courage?
Who gives us help?
John 16 - Conclusion
Can you summarize what you learned today?
Do you have a verse you want to commit to memory in your heart from today?
What is your final thoughts and or prayers concerning this chapter?
Created For RTB msn group by B. LeMoine, used by permission only. Please join us at www.read-the-bible.webs.com
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