To your advantage -Pt. I

Words oftentimes bring us comfort and they can also bring warnings. Our passage tonight will start with a warning and then some comfort to the advantages of the coming Holy Spirit.

Our passage

John 16:1–2 NASB95

1 “These things I have spoken to you so that you may be kept from stumbling. 2 “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.

John 16:3–4 NASB95

3 “These things they will do because they have not known the Father or Me. 4 “But these things I have spoken to you, so that when their hour comes, you may remember that I told you of them. These things I did not say to you at the beginning, because I was with you.

John 16:5–7 NASB95

5 “But now I am going to Him who sent Me; and none of you asks Me, ‘Where are You going?’ 6 “But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. 7 “But I tell you the truth, 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.

Any general observations, or anything stick out?

What was the purpose of the words spoken to them (v.1)?

To be kept from stumbling

What was the reason given (vv.2-4)?

You are going to be made outcasts

you are going to be thrown out of the synagogue

People who will kill you will think they are serving God.

In my words (v.4) so you will not be surprised, caught off guard when these things happen.

What does Jesus know about their heart because of His words (v.6)?

Sorrow has filled their heart.

What does Jesus promise to them to bring comfort to them (v.7)?

It is to your advantage that I go away.

If I go the Helper, the Holy Spirit will come. I will send Him!

Persecution coming

There was certain persecution coming (Jn15:18-19, 21, 26-27)

John 15:18–19 NASB95

18 “If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. 19 “If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you.

Jesus was already preparing them for what was to come.

John 15:21 NASB95

21 “But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know the One who sent Me.

The people doing it will be doing it because of Jesus, because they do not know the One who sent Him, the Father.

John 16:1–2 NKJV

1 “These things I have spoken to you, that you should not be made to stumble. 2 They will put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service.

Don’t be surprised by this, don’t let the persecution stumble you. Remember what he had just said previously too

John 15:26–27 NASB95

26 “When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify about Me, 27 and you will testify also, because you have been with Me from the beginning.

Jesus knew upon His departure they would return to some of the life they knew, return to synagogues, so He tells them they will be made outcasts, or be outcast from the synagogue.

Greek for tonight. The word stumble is “skandalethron” Tasker in his explaining put it like this:

“Skandalethron was not a stumbling-block which might trip you up . . . It is used of the spring of a trap which might ‘go off’ when you were least expecting it.”

Look again at (v.2)

John 16:2 NKJV

2 They will put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service.

There was a time coming when put out, killed all believing in God’s service

Can you think of a time when this happened (Act8:1-3; 22:9-11)

Yes at the hand of Saul of Tarsus

Acts 8:1–3 NASB95

1 Saul was in hearty agreement with putting him to death. And on that day a great persecution began against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. 2 Some devout men buried Stephen, and made loud lamentation over him. 3 But Saul began ravaging the church, entering house after house, and dragging off men and women, he would put them in prison.

Many have been persecuted, martyred for the name of Jesus all thinking it was for God’s service and glory.

Speaking of “is offering service to God.” Barclay says this:

“The Word Jesus uses for service is ‘lateria,’ which is the normal word for the service that a priest rendered at the altar in the Temple of God and is the standard word for religious service.”

So, when the time comes (v.4) remember I told you (Jn14:28-29).

Also note, Jesus did not tell them what was to come at the beginning of His ministry for He was with them. Remember he provided, protected, and taught them. But now He was leaving to return to the Father (Jn14:28-29)

John 14:28–29 NASB95

28 “You heard that I said to you, ‘I go away, and I will come to you.’ If you loved Me, you would have rejoiced because I go to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. 29 “Now I have told you before it happens, so that when it happens, you may believe.

There will be advantages to My departure.

What benefits/advantages do you know came from Jesus departure, return to the Father?

John 16:5–7 NKJV

5 “But now I go away to Him who sent Me, and none of you asks Me, ‘Where are You going?’ 6 But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. 7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth. 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 depart, I will send Him to you.

Peter (Jn13:36) and Thomas (Jn14:5) asked Jesus where He was going. Jesus is getting to the heart of the matter.

They asked for a destination. One they could not truly comprehend yet. Jesus addresses the heart of the matter

The words of His departure brought trouble to their heart and as we see here sorrow (v.6).

Whereas they had sorrow now for they did not understand. The departure would be for their advantage (v.7)

What advantage does Jesus tell them (v.7)?

The coming of the Holy Spirit.

The promise (Jn14:15-17) would be fulfilled. Without Him going there is no coming.

Now we have an advantage they did not have, we have hindsight for we hold the whole counsel of God in our hands.

We know that Holy Spirit came to

Empower the apostles (Act1:8) to take commission out (Mt28:20) and to write the scripture (1Tim3:16-17)

Birth the Church (Act2)

To seal the church (Eph1:13)

To empower, gift the church to accomplish the work of the Lord (1Cor12)

Came to intercede in our prayers (Rom8)

I read an interesting thought, let me summarize it for you.

(summary) the Holy Spirit did not come to the unbelievers, He came to the believers. The Holy Spirit does not speak to the lost, YOU DO. The Holy Spirit works within those who are His to love one another, to share the hope that is in you. to gift you so you can share that gift with the others that they too may come to know the hope you have.

The Holy Spirit came to bring the word, the word brings conviction, conviction brings conversion, conversion brings being conformed to the image of the Son by being transformed by the renewing of your mind.

Have you been at the bedside of someone suffering in the last breaths of life? Said “it is better for them to go, to stop suffering.” And that is true, but that is not what Jesus is saying.

John 16:7 GNB

7 But I am telling you the truth: it is better for you that I go away, because if I do not go, the Helper will not come to you. But if I do go away, then I will send him to you.

Better that Jesus be handed over and arrested.

Better that Jesus is beaten, mocked, sentenced to crucifixion

Better that He was nailed to the cross among criminals

Better He be laid in a borrowed tomb

Yes, better!

Dods said” The withdrawal of the bodily presence of Christ was the essential condition of His universal spiritual presence.”

Better so that the Holy Spirit of promise would come and never leave

Better so that the message could go worldwide at the spreading of the gospel through the words of the apostles and the prophets. From one person (Jesus) locally to the world wide belief we have today.

Paul put it like this

2 Corinthians 5:16–17 NASB95

16 Therefore from now on we recognize no one according to the flesh; even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him in this way no longer. 17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.

Yes, better so that we can walk by faith being in Him and He in us.

Guzik said:

“Before Jesus left the disciples were confused, thick headed, afraid, selfish and self-centered. After Jesus left and after the Helper had come they were wise, surrendered, bold, and giving!

Yes, better!

(summary)

Jesus told them do not be surprised when this happens for it is going ot happen.

Whereas there is sorrow in your heart now, it is to your advantage I go

When I go, let me remind you I am sending the Helper!

(Prayer) (Exit)

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