INTRO

[2 Volunteers: Feed each other milk & cereal]

TENSION

Cooperation is important (Parents, teammates, etc).

Tonight, we’re talking about how we can cooperate with the Holy Spirit. (Review series)

Abiding in Jesus means cooperating with the Spirit of Jesus.

TRUTH

Scripture: John 16:5-15

  • Background
    • Very different from Matthew, Mark, and Luke (Synoptic gospels).
    • Eyewitness account written from the perspective of John, “The Disciple Whom Jesus Loved.”
    • Interpretive Key: “These are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God and that by believing you may have life in his name” (John 20:31).
  • Context
    • 13:31 began Jesus’ “Farewell Discourse.”
    • Jesus told them that, because he was leaving, they were to love one another (The Fresh Commandment)
    • The disciples, led by Peter, had a SQUIRRELL! Moment.
    • Immediate context: “Let not your hearts be troubled” (14:1, 27); “Whoever believes in me will do the works that I do” (14:12); “The Holy Spirit will help you” (14:16).
    • “Rise, let us go from here…(14:31).
    • Shift from loving one another to being hated by the world. Big contrast!

READ Scripture Passage

The disciples’ hearts were filled with sadness because Jesus was returning to the Father.

  • “None of you have asked me” – Although Peter asked in 13:36, he asked out of self-absorbed concern instead of genuine interest in the pain Jesus would face on the cross and the glory he would experience at his resurrection and ascension.
    • Are we moved by the passion of Jesus or the fringe benefits of our salvation?
    • Have we lost the wonder of the cross?
    • Let’s trade “How does it affect me” to “How did it affect him!?”
  • Sorrow has filled your heart – They took it personally.
    • Pleroō – Sorrow filled their heart the same way believers are filled with the Holy Spirit (Eph.5:18).

Jesus said: It’s your advantage that I leave. That means the Holy Spirit will come!

  • Vintage Jesus: He rebukes AND comforts.

What is God’s Holy Spirit doing today?

1. He’s convicting the world.

In the previous section, Jesus tells the disciples to be witnesses for him in a lost world. In this section, Jesus tells the disciples that the Holy Spirit will participate in that witness.

  • Conviction: elegchō – Not a patently legal term; Expose, convince, rebuke, bring to light

The Holy Spirit does not aim to produce a guilty verdict, but to personally convince people of their need for a Savior.

  • He convicts those who don’t believe of their need for salvation through Jesus.
  • He also convicts believers when they stray from the Jesus life.

Concerning sin. “What’s wrong?”

  • Sin breaks God’s heart, violates his law, and misses his mark of perfection.
  • The worst sin is the sin of unbelief.
    • He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:11-12).
  • Conviction can begin with a dissatisfaction about sin.
  • Conviction culminates with a strong conviction that this is wrong.
  • Conviction is relieved when your sins are forgiven by Jesus.

Is God’s Spirit convincing you that you have a sin problem in your life?

Concerning righteousness. “What’s right?”

  • Righteousness = right standing (positional) and conduct (practical) before God.
    • When you’re saved, your standing (position) before God is settled forever. Positionally, God sees the righteousness of Jesus when he looks at you.
    • After you’re saved, you cooperate with the Holy Spirit to conduct yourself (practice) in a way that’s more and more pleasing to God. This is called sanctification.
  • “Because I am going to the Father” – Jesus exposed unrighteousness wherever he went because he was righteous. The Holy Spirit continues that work today.
    • Often, he works through believers.
    • Are you cooperating with the Holy Spirit to be an example of righteous living?

Do you have self-righteousness, or Christ-righteousness? Is God convicting you in this area?

Concerning judgment. “What now?”

  • Judgment of Satan
    • “Now is the judgment of the world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself” (Cf. 12:31-32).
  • Judgment of people
    • “Since the ruler of the world stands condemned, his children can expect the same treatment unless they believe in Jesus (cf. 14:30)” – Dr. Thomas Constable
    • “It’s appointed for man to die once, and after that comes the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27).
    • “Only God can judge me.” – Okay, how will you fare when you stand before a holy God?”

Has God been convicting you lately? Conviction is more than a brain thing, it’s a spiritual thing.

2. He’s speaking to us.

The disciples can’t handle any more instruction until after the cross. The farewell discourse was not the end of Jesus’ instruction. The red letters should continue on after the gospels!

  • The Holy Spirit inspired those who lived with Jesus to write down what he commanded.
  • The Holy Spirit illuminates all believers to read, understand, and obey what he commanded.

He tells us what to do.

  • “I still have many things to say…”
  • He’s the “Spirit of Truth”
  • He speaks on the authority of God the Father – this book has authority!
  • He gives us the wisdom to apply the words of Jesus to our lives in sketchy situations.

He tells us what to expect.

  • “Things that are to come.” – More than just beasts and white horses
  • He prepares us to face opposition (remember last week?).
  • He gives us the hope of glory with God. The future is bright!

He tells us who to worship. [Illustration of the Trinity]

  • “He will glorify me…”
  • If the focus is on the Holy Spirit, it’s not Spirit-led.
  • The Holy Spirit is a spotlight-holder on to Jesus, and the cross of Jesus, and the salvation of Jesus, and the life of Jesus!
  • What’s the biggest sign of a move of the Holy Spirit? People respond to and worship Jesus. Period.

Abiding in Jesus means cooperating with the Spirit of Jesus.

APPLICATION – Are you cooperating with the Holy Spirit?

#1 – Will you cooperate with his witness of the Holy Spirit by holding a spotlight on Jesus?

#2 – Will you cooperate with his words by getting into the Bible?

#3 – Will you cooperate with his conviction by raising the white flag of surrender?

  • Confess sin (1 John 1:9).
  • Trust in Jesus as your Savior (John 21:30).