Jesus will send the Holy Spirit

John 16:5-11

‘I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you. 5 But now I am going to him who sent me; yet none of you asks me, “Where are you going?” 6 But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your hearts. 7 Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. 8 And when he comes, he will prove the world wrong about sin and righteousness and judgement: 9 about sin, because they do not believe in me; 10 about righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you will see me no longer; 11 about judgement, because the ruler of this world has been condemned.

Jesus’ comment in vs. 5 feels odd, because in John 14:5, Thomas had asked that question – “We do not know where you are going.” Here in chapter 16, I think Jesus is acknowledging that finally the disciples have figured out that he is going back to the Father and so they have stopped asking where he is going. Instead, the sorrow of his impending departure is filling their hearts.

But Jesus declares that his going “away” is necessary if the Holy Spirit is going to come, Jesus’ departure will trigger the Holy Spirit’s coming. Focussing just on this passage, the Holy Spirit will do three things:

First, the Holy Spirit will show the world that it is wrong about sin. Sin arises from not believing that Jesus is the Son of God and therefore not choosing to live the Jesus way.

Second, the Holy Spirit will also demonstrate to the world that righteousness – that is, being right with God – comes from being in relationship with Jesus Christ.

Third, the Holy Spirit will show the world that “the ruler of this world” (that is, Satan and the powers of sin and death and hell) have been judged and found guilty.

In many ways these three things overlap, the central truth being that there is a conflict going on between God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) and Satan, between the forces of good and the forces of evil, and that the Holy Spirit will declare to the world that Jesus Christ is king and that the forces of evil have been (will be) exposed for the destruction and despair they bring to the world. The ruler of this world (Satan) will be exposed for the lying destroyer that Satan is.

PRAYER:

Lord God, we thank you that Jesus has sent the Holy Spirit, and that the Spirit has declared the truth, has revealed the truth, and is in the process of exposing the destructive intentions of Satan and the forces of evil. We pray that the Spirit would reveal more of the truth, so that people will turn to your Son Jesus Christ, in whose name we pray. Amen.