John 16 - Introduction

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

In chapter fourteen Jesus promised the person of the Holy Spirit to the apostles, both in a miraculous outward manifestation which would be given according to the purposes and will of the Father and an indwelling presence received conditionally and in proportion to the love, obedience and spiritual growth of each disciple. In chapter fifteen Jesus elaborated on the relationship of the disciple to the Master and the indwelling help of the divine Helper. And now, in chapter sixteen, Jesus speaks of the work of the Holy Spirit in the world convicting and convincing and completing the revelation of God's plan of redemption.

The key to the entire discourse of these three Chapter s is found in John 14:18, I will not leave you desolate, I will come to you. These last precious hours of the Passover midnight are filled with heart-tugging emotion as a Father attempts to strengthen and prepare His bewildered and childish children for the coming hours of despair, shame, separation and persecution. He must leave the little flock and they will become sheep among the wolves. But they will not be left desolate and without help. They will soon know and feel His divine presence among them again in the Personality known as the Holy Spirit.

The Spirit of Christ living in them and working through them in the Word will be equally as powerful and real as the Incarnate Word was among them and will bring to glorious completion and perfection what the Incarnate Word was not commissioned to do!
The private, personal instruction of the Master to the disciples is coming to an end. The appointed time for His voluntary sacrifice is imminent and He must commune with the Father. His final instructions pertain to the revelatory work of the Spirit. He introduces this work by speaking of what He had already taught them. He then proceeds to speak of the progressive nature of God's revelation. When the Spirit comes He will reveal even more than the Son has been able to tell themnot because of the inability of Son, but because of the incapability of the disciples.
As A. B. Bruce puts it, when Jesus leaves them and goes to His Father, two elements of essential importance for the success of their work as apostles will be supplied. They will then have receptive hearers, and they, themselves, will be made competent to preach. Neither of these elements exist for the present. The world has rejected Him and His words; and they, though sincere, are very ignorant, and understand not what He has taught them. After His ascension, there will be a great alteration in both respects: the world will be more ready to hear the truth, and the disciples will be able to declare it intelligently.

Chapter sixteen might be titled, The Revelational Veil Will Be Rent, We believe the important message of this chapter for us today is that we may understand that what Jesus taught (which is recorded in the Gospels) was not the completed and perfected revelation of God's plan of salvation. What He taught before his going away could not be completely understood unless the going away be completed and the Spirit come to reveal what it all meant!
We continue in our outline of this great fourth gospel, the Gospel of Belief:
III.

The Word Manifested to The Disciples And Their Acceptance of Him, John 13:1, John 20:31

A.

Private Instructions and Encouragements, John 13:1, John 17:26 (cont-'d).

4.

The Revelational Veil Will Be Rent, John 16:1-33

a.

He is Teaching Them This Night Many Dark and Foreboding Things, John 16:1-11

(1)

To warn them and keep them from falling by showing His omniscience, John 16:1-4

(2)

To show them that the darkness is necessary to bring the greater blessing of the Spirit, John 16:5-7

(3)

To tell them what the work of the Spirit will be, John 16:8-11

b.

He Is Withholding Many Things Which He, in The Spirit, Will Reveal Later, John 16:12-24

(1)

There were many things they could not now understand, John 16:12

(2)

The Spirit would later reveal to them the complete glorification of the Father and the Son, John 16:13-15

(3)

The Spirit would later reveal to them the perfected plan of God which would make their joy full and complete, John 16:16-24

c.

He Is Speaking in Veiled Figures But Will Speak Plainly Later, John 16:25-33

(1)

Soon they will have free access to the Father Himself, John 16:25-28

(2)

Now they show their failure to comprehend, John 16:29-32

(3)

Soon they will know that He has overcome the world, John 16:33

SERMON NO. SIXTEEN (TOPICAL)

We have chosen to deviate from expository type sermons in this one instance in order to give our readers a topical sermon which covers briefly the whole scope of the Holy Spirit dwelling within the Christian.

CHRIST IN YOU THE HOPE OF GLORY

Text: Colossians 1:27

Introduction

I.

THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THE CHRISTIAN IS THE ONE IMPERATIVE

A.

Christians are commanded be filled with the Spirit. Ephesians 5:18

B.

Christians are told plainly, ... if any man hath not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. Romans 8:9

C.

Jesus told Nicodemus, Except one be born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. John 3:5

FRIEND, IF YOU DO NOT KNOW THE HOLY SPIRIT IN YOUR LIFE YOU ARE NOT FULFILLING THE PURPOSE FOR WHICH GOD CALLED YOU THROUGH THE GOSPEL. AS Romans 8:9 SAYS, IF WE DO NOT HAVE THE HOLY SPIRIT, WE DO NOT BELONG TO CHRIST

D.

Now a person may have once received the Spirit and then resisted Him, quenched Him, done despite unto Him, lied unto Him, grieved Him

1.

ONE MAY HAVE ONCE RECEIVED HIM, AND BY INDIFFERENCE OR WILFUL RESISTANCE COMPLETELY CAST HIM OUT OF HIS LIFE!

THIS IS A MOST IMPORTANT THEME. ONE UPON WHICH CHRISTIAN PEOPLE OUGHT TO CONCENTRATE AND STUDY AND LIVE

II.

THERE IS SO MUCH CONFUSION IN THE RELIGIOUS WORLD TODAY ABOUT THE NATURE OF AND THE WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

A.

We are not talking about the special miraculous operation of the Holy Spirit

1.

This is the lesser and secondary work of the spirit anyway

B.

So many want to confuse this secondary work of the Spirit with the INDWELLING PRESENCE OF THE SPIRIT IN EVERY CHRISTIAN

THIS IS OUR SUBJECT THE INDWELLING PRESENCE OF THE SPIRIT WHICH IS THE MOST IMPORTANT WORK OF THE SPIRIT!
I DO NOT PROPOSE TO LEAD YOU TO A COMPLETE UNDERSTANDING OF THIS DIVINE PERSONALITY, THE HOLY SPIRIT IN ONE SERMON
IN FACT IN A WHOLE LIFE-TIME OF COMMUNION WITH HIM WE SHALL STILL NOT KNOW ALL THERE IS TO KNOW ABOUT HIM
BUT THIS PERSON HAS REVEALED ENOUGH OF HIMSELF IN HIS WORD THAT WE MIGHT KNOW HIM, LOVE HIM, BE HELPED BY HIM. EVEN MAKE HIM A PART OF US BY OUR CLOSE ASSOCIATION WITH HIM

Discussion

I.

WHO IS THIS PERSON?

A.

He is not a mere impersonal force or influence which we somehow get hold of and use; but He is a personal being; wise and holy, who is to get hold of us and use us. He is one with whom we may have the closest friendship or fellowship. He enters into our personalities, and we become new persons, with renewed minds, affections, desires and wills Philippians 2:1; 2 Corinthians 13:14. Seth Wilson

B.

He is called the Spirit of God, Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 6:11

1.

This is the Person who moved upon the face of the waters in the great creation of the world

2.

This is the Person who raised up Jesus from the dead

C.

He is called the Holy Spiritthe third Person of the Godhead

1.

This we accept on faith. we do not now understand how God can be 3 and 1.

D.

He is called the Spirit of Truth, John 15:26; John 16:13

1.

This speaks of His character and purpose as well as His personality

2.

His personality and purpose of bringing truth and light to man is contrasted with the spirit of darkness and error which is Satan

E.

He is called the Spirit of grace

1.

The law came by Moses but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ

F.

He is called the Spirit of Christ

1.

The two are equatedthis describes His personality better than any of the others. for we know what the personality of Christ is like!!!

2.

In fact, Jesus makes it plain that the Holy Spirit to come and live in the disciples will be Himself John 14:16-24 (Read)

WHO THEN IS THE HOLY SPIRIT? HE IS A PERSON WITH A MIND, WITH LOVE, COMPASSION, HOLY, SINLESS, A
PERSON WITH A WILL, ONE WHO SPEAKS WORDS. ONE WHO CAME AND DWELT IN A BODY OF FLESH AND DEMONSTRATED HIS PERSONALITY TO MAN!
II.

WHAT DOES THE INDWELLING SPIRIT OF CHRIST DO FOR US?

A.

ComfortsStrengthens

1.

By explaining many things such as

a.

Reason for suffering, Job, 2 Corinthians 1:1-24, Hebrews 12:1-29

b.

God's eternal purpose in history, Isa., Colossians, Rev.

c.

Examples of those who overcame, Hebrews 11:1-40.

2.

We can-'t get this comfort and strength apart from listening and believing the Spirit as He talks to us thru the Word

B.

He convicts John 16:7-11

1.

Because He is the spirit of truth His word convicts us of our sin, of what is right and of the judgment to come

2.

It is possible, however, to so cauterize one's conscience that one is not convicted by the Spirit (Romans 1:1-32: John 3:19-21) David. Felix. Herod

C.

He leads and guides us, Romans 8:12-14; Galatians 5:18

1.

He guided the apostles into all truth, John 16:13

2.

He revealed to them the mind of Christ, 1 Corinthians 2:1-16

3.

They recorded for us all that He had given them

4.

When the Holy Spirit speaks to our hearts through His word He is guiding us and leading us IN DIVINE WISDOM!

D.

He bears fruit in us and thru us, Galatians 5:22-25

1.

First the old man must die and the new man must be born John 12:24

2.

Then we must be cleansed periodically or constantly like a grape-vine is pruned, in order to bear more fruit John 15:2

3.

We must abide in Him. we must bear fruit to be His disciples

A TREE BEARS FRUIT AFTER ITS OWN KIND. A CHRISTIAN MAKES OTHER CHRISTIANS
HOW MUCH FRUIT HAVE YOU BORNE? WHY HAVEN-'T YOU? BECAUSE THE HOLY SPIRIT HAS NOT BEEN ALLOWED TO GET HOLD OF YOU AND RENEW YOUR MIND AND WILL!
WHAT DID JESUS DO TO THE FIG TREE WHICH BORE NO FRUIT?. OUTWARDLY IT WAS A FIG TREE AND OUTWARDLY IT GAVE THE APPEARANCE OF BEING REAL BUT IT HAD NO FRUIT

E.

He gives assurance, Romans 8:15-16

1.

The Spirit expresses His will in His Word, 1 Corinthians 2:1-16

2.

The New Will and Testament of God is the plan of salvation Hebrews 9:15

3.

When we know that we are complying with His will, then His spirit witnesses with our Spirit that we are the children of God.

John says: He that keepeth his commandments dwelleth ih Him, and he in him. And hereby, we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us. 1 John 3:24

These things have I written unto you, that ye may know that ye have eternal life, even unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God. 1 John 5:13

He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in him: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he hath not believed in the witness that God hath borne concerning his Son. 1 John 5:10

III.

HOW DOES THE SPIRIT COME TO US?

A.

Much confusion and erroneous teaching on this part

1.

Some believe He is irresistible

2.

Some believe one must have an experience (emotional, miraculous) before one can be sure they have Him in their lives

3.

We do not presume to say the Holy Spirit could not operate in such a way if He saw fit. We say He does not because such an operation would mean the Bible becomes obsolete, for such an operation would contradict the Bible

We firmly believe the Holy Spirit has operated miraculously in the past. BUT EVEN THEN THAT WAS NOT THE INDWELLING PRESENCE OF THE SPIRIT PROMISED TO ALL CHRISTIANS. THE MIRACULOUS GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT DID NOT KEEP PETER FROM SINNING. OR OTHERS! (the Corinthians, Galatians, Hebrews, etc.)

4.

How then does He indwell the Christian

a.

Do we absorb Him through the pores of our skin? Does He overwhelm us by some mystical, direct, irresistible saturation?

b.

How do we know that He is in usby some emotional thrill or ecstatic trance?

The Holy Spirit enters today into those who hear and obey the apostles-' written word even as He did into those who heard the oral word. The power of the Holy Spirit in the Christian life today is limited only by the lack of faith in the written word! The power of the H.S. will be manifest as the Christian saturates his very life and being with the precepts and principles taught in the Bible, which is the living voice of the Holy Spirit, and puts them into practice in His life. As the Christian has the mind to surrender to the instructions of the H.S. as He speaks through the written word, the H.S. possesses him, leads him and uses him and to just that extent W. Spratt

B.

The Holy Spirit as a new Person and a new Life is born within us through the Word of God

1.

This in itself is a miraclethere is a supernatural power in the supernatural word of God

2.

There must be a life-causing seed to generate this new life

a.

Luke 8:1-56. parable of sower. the seed is the Word of God

b.

1 Peter 1:23. begotten again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, through the word of God

c.

James 1:18. of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth

d.

We are born anew when we believe. belief cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of Christ

C.

He dwells in us through faith, Ephesians 3:17

1.

Galatians 2:20. It is no longer I that live, but Christ liveth in me: and that life which I now live in the flesh I live in faith, the faith which is in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself up for me.

2.

Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Galatians 3:2

3.

We might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith, Galatians 3:14

4.

For we are all sons of God by faith in Christ Jesus, for as many of you as were baptized into Christ, did put on Christ. Galatians 3:26-27

D.

Paul connects being filled with the Spirit directly up to understanding what the will of the Lord is (Ephesians 5:17-18)

The Spirit does not operate independent of His Will and Word in possessing a man and dwelling in him. Just as a father's personality penetrates and bears fruit in the lives of his children through the father's teaching and deeds, so the Personality of the Heavenly Father, His Spirit penetrates and bears fruit in the lives of His children through the Father's word and deeds as they are witnessed to in the Word of God.

E.

We are to PARTAKE of the divine nature

1.

2 Peter 1:2-4 Grace and peace be multiplied in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; seeing that his divine power hath granted unto as all things that pertain to life and godliness through the knowledge of him that called us by his own glory and virtue; whereby he hath granted unto us his precious and exceeding great promises; that through these ye may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world.

2.

If men desire eternal life they must partake of His flesh and blood (His very nature. BUT HOW?)

a.

Jesus answers, It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit and they are life. John 6:63

b.

If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink. He that believeth on me as the scripture hath said, from within him shall flow rivers of living water. But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believed on him were to receive; for the Spirit was not yet glorified. John 7:37-39

WHEN WE PARTAKE OF HIS DIVINE NATURE BY ASSIMILATING HIS WORD INTO OUR MIND AND HEART, WE HAVE HIS SPIRIT IN US!
The Holy Spirit is born and grows within us through constant communion with Him by knowing His will, obeying His will and doing His work!

F.

He comes to us when we love Him and keep His word, John 14:21; John 14:23

1.

To obey the Word is to be led by the Spirit

The man who obeys the gospel is a child of God.

2.

The only dependable agency available to man whereby he may be certain that he knows the H.S. or feels Him or that He controls him is obedience to the written will of the H.S. in His word!

3.

We may be sure we know Him if we keep His commandments 1 John 2:3

We abide in Him and He in us by keeping His commandments 1 John 3:24

Whoever knows the Spirit of God listens to the apostles-' doctrine and this is the only way man may know the difference between the spirit of truth and spirit of error (1 John 4:6). NOT EVEN OUR EMOTIONS ARE A SAFE GUIDE

If we love one another and confess Christ His Spirit abides in us, 1 John 4:12-15

Anyone who does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in this doctrine has both the Father and the Son, 2 John 1:9-10

G.

By opening the door Revelation 3:20

Conclusion

I.

YOU CAN HAVE THIS DIVINE PERSONALITY DWELL WITHIN YOU TODAY

A.

He is here in the world today. He dwells within the lives of many Christian people. I know for I have seen His divine nature working in their lives

He is here for His word has been preached

B.

He is promised to you upon your reception of His word as the seed into your heart

1.

He promises to take up a dwelling place in you upon your keeping of His word John 17:1-5

2.

The promise of Peter and the apostles Acts 2:38; Acts 5:32 is just as living and relevant and practical today as it was 2000 years ago

II.

WHAT CAN HE DO FOR YOU?

A.

He can do all that the scriptures promise

B.

He can satisfy the hunger and thirst of your soul

C.

He can give you assurance, peace, strength, happiness, purpose, fruitfulness IN YOUR EVERY DAY ACTIVITIES IF YOU WILL JUST SURRENDER TO HIM