April 29, 2018
Morning Service

In chapter 15 Jesus made us some more promises that at first don’t look very appealing.  He promised that God would “prune” us or chasten us to encourage our growth just as a vinedresser would his vines.  At first that doesn’t seem very pleasant and usually it isn’t.  However, when we realize God loves us and is continually working on us to grow in Him and then with the growth He equips us to serve Him in many different ways.  When we experience hard times, it makes us able to help others who are going through the same things.  The key point was that we “abide” with Christ (True Vine) or stay connected and rely on Him as our source of strength and nourishment.  The second promise was that the world would hate us just as it first hated Him.  That doesn’t sound very pleasurable either does it?  This actually is a part of the age old spiritual warfare that is continually going on between good and evil.  When we declare that we will be a follower of Jesus, we declare war on the devil.  He likewise declares war on us and will attack us from every direction possible.  Always keep in perspective that the hate is part of the spiritual battle we fight (Read Eph. 6) and we are called to answer with love.  Jesus is telling us the straight up truth about what we as His followers will face.  He now explains the reasoning behind this and even promises us further trials.

John 16:1-4  I have spoken these things to you so that you should not be made to stumble.  (2)  They shall put you out of the synagogue. But an hour is coming that everyone who kills you will think that he bears God service.  (3)  And they will do these things to you because they have not known the Father nor Me.  (4)  But I have told you these things so that when the hour shall come you may remember that I told you of them. And I did not say these things to you at the beginning because I was with you.

·        Jesus’ time on earth is winding down and He is busy trying to prepare these men to continue in the faith without their leader being present.  He tells them the uncensored truth so they will know before hand and not be overwhelmed so much that they stumble.  Many ministries today stand on the teachings that God has promised us a life of “health and wealth.”  When these trials come upon those, what do you think their reaction will be?  I would guess they would stumble.  We however are told the cold hard truth that trials and persecutions are coming and we need to be ready.

·        Jesus told the disciples that they would be removed from the synagogues.  At first to us that seems like a small problem except that there was only one synagogue in town and there was nowhere else to go.  The Jewish lifestyle revolved around the synagogue.  Their choice to follow would totally change their world.

·        He then tells them that anyone who kills them will feel they are doing God a service.  This immediately made me think of the Apostle Paul and what he was doing before Jesus met him on the road to Damascus.  All these persecutions will come because the persecutors don’t truly know God or His Son (spiritual warfare).

 

 

 

 

 

·        These persecutions are coming our way.  Christians are being lifted up as haters and intolerant when we stand by the truth of what the scriptures say about abortion and homosexuality.  California is seeking a ban on all Christian base books that contain anything negative about these subjects.  This persecution is escalating and we have all read in Revelations of what happens to those who refuse to follow what the world says is right.  Just as Jesus wanted His disciples prepared for the storm that is coming, He wants us to be aware and be ready when they come.  It is not “if but when.”  Jesus now again explains that we will not be going through these trials alone.

 

John 16:5-15 But now I go to Him who sent Me, and none of you asks Me, “Where do You go?”  (6)  But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart.  (7)  But I tell you the truth; it is expedient for you that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Comforter will not come to you. But if I depart, I will send Him to you.  (8)  And when that One comes, He will convict the world concerning sin, and concerning righteousness, and concerning judgment.  (9)  Concerning sin, because they do not believe on Me; (10) concerning righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; (11) concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.  (12)  I have yet many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.  (13)  However, when He, the Spirit of Truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth. For He shall not speak of Himself, but whatever He hears, He shall speak. And He will announce to you things to come.  (14)  He will glorify Me, for He will receive of Mine and will announce it to you. (15)  All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and will announce it to you.

·        The disciples were still in the dark about what Jesus’ death was going to mean to the world.  They only knew He was leaving them and that made them sorrowful.  Jesus’ DBR was the key to the giving of the Holy Spirit to all believers.  The Holy Spirit will guide us and keep us in the truth and give us the courage to stand against all this coming persecution.  He like Jesus will “guide you into truth.”

·        Notice it is His job to “convict the world concerning sin, righteousness and judgement.”  We often feel like we have to say the right words at the right times to be affective witnesses of the faith; but really it is the Spirit that does the work.  We are only tools in His hands.  Tools need only be ready and available to be used when needed.  The Holy Spirit will glorify the Father and the Son and use us in doing it.  That is a very freeing thought to me that all I have to do is be ready to share what Jesus has done for me and what He has taught me along the road we have walked together.

John 16:16-22  A little while and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me, because I go to the Father.  (17)  Then His disciples said to one another, “What is this that He says to us, “A little while and you will not see Me, and again a little and you will see Me?” And, “Because I go to the Father?”  (18)  Therefore they said, “What is this that He says, “A little while?” We do not know what He is saying.”  (19)  Then Jesus knew that they desired to ask Him, and said to them, “Do you seek answers with one another concerning this, because I said, A little while and you shall not see Me; and again a little while, and you shall see Me?  (20)  Truly, truly, I say to you that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. And you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy.  (21)  The woman has grief when she bears, because her hour has come. But when she brings forth the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, because of the joy that a man is born into the world.  (22)  And therefore you now have sorrow. But I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.”

·        We clearly see the confusion among the disciples and understandably so.  Jesus is trying to explain to them what is about to happen and it is too much for any human mind to absorb.  He does promise however that it will be much like a woman delivering a baby.  The pain will only be short lived until it turns to utter joy.  The disciples will experience a time of intense pain and suffering only to be filled with joy at seeing Him raised from the grave.

·        I love what verse 22 tells us (read).  He promised that they will have a joy that NO ONE will be able to take from them.  That joy will be strong enough to for these men to literally give their lives for it.  Their joy changed the world.  Satan himself could not steal it away from them.  This joy is also available to us.  At the time of our conversion the Holy Spirit will enter your life and give you that joy that NO ONE can take from you.  I am reminded of the blind man that was questioned about what happened to him.  He only knew the simple truth; I was blind but now I see.  Each of us has a story that only we can tell.  I was headed this direction when I met Jesus and now He has turned me all the way around for the better and no devil in hell can take that away from you.

 

Heavenly Father, please grant us the courage we need to face these persecutions and renew the joy in our souls to help carry us through.