We're going to be reading from the Gospel of John, chapter 16, if you'd like to turn there.
We're going to be starting from the middle of verse 4, which is the start of the paragraph there.
And just a bit of context, we're going to be reading Jesus' words to his disciples the night before he's crucified.
John, chapter 16, starting halfway through verse 4.
I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you.
But now I am going to him who sent me, and none of you asks me, where are you going?
But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart.
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 go, I will send him to you.
And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment.
Concerning sin, because they do not believe in me.
Concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father and you will see me no longer.
Concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.
I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.
When the spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth.
For he will not speak on his own authority.
But whatever he hears, he will speak.
And he will declare to you the things that are to come.
He will glorify me.
For he will take what is mine and declare it to you.
All that the Father has is mine.
Therefore, I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.
Okay.
Voices have died down.
Why don't we make a start?
My name is Dave.
I'm one of the pastors here.
If you don't know me, thanks for being with us.
I'm going to pray before we look at God's word.
Would you pray with me?
Lord God, you are not silent, but you speak.
You are not distant, but you are with us.
And so we ask that you would speak to each of our hearts this morning.
Lord, I pray that you would give each of us ears to hear you,
minds to understand and hearts that actually cherish what you say.
We pray this in Jesus' name.
Amen.
Well, when we are stuck in our sin or paralyzed by discouragement
or feeling inadequate to do any good,
when our heart is more in love with what the world has to offer
rather than the joy and the peace that Jesus has to offer,
what hope do we have that we can change?
I reckon surely if Jesus was standing right in front of us,
in the flesh,
he could set us free from our sin.
His presence would renew us, encourage us, put us back on our feet.
His power would be visible,
and desire for him would trump whatever the world has to offer.
Surely if he was right here, that would help us, that would change us.
But the surprising thing that our Lord says to us this morning in our passage
is that it is to your advantage.
It is better for you that I go away.
How can that possibly be better?
When a family member doesn't want to believe in Jesus,
when they make you feel stupid,
perhaps even ashamed,
for believing what Jesus says,
how can it be better that Jesus isn't here?
When Christians and churches argue and distance themselves from one another
over small differences,
how can it be better that Jesus isn't here?
When you've got me and Rob and David to stand up here and preach,
how is it not better that Jesus isn't here preaching?
When we want all of Glendale and all university students
and all of Myanmar and PNG and Pillard to hear the good news
and believe and have eternal life,
how is it not better that Jesus isn't here?
During the days of the Reformation,
when Martin Luther was making a stand for the gospel
that we are saved by grace alone,
through faith alone,
in Christ alone,
by God's word alone,
but those with all the power in this world
were hunting him down to kill him,
how is it not better that Jesus wasn't here at that time?
When in the early days of the church
and Roman emperors who had all the power
sometimes systematically
attacked the Christians,
burning rare copies of the Bible,
killing church leaders,
and sometimes ordering an empire-wide,
everyone in the empire had to sacrifice the Roman gods
or be executed.
How is it not better at that time for the church
when it was just starting
for Jesus not to be here,
to protect it?
Or when the church began initially,
it was just 120 people,
less people than in this room,
and ordinary people,
alone and fearful in Jerusalem,
and yet they're tasked
to take the good news to the whole world.
How is it not better that Jesus
wasn't here?
How is it not better?
How is it not better that Jesus wasn't here?
Let's find out.
Let's listen to John 16.
In John 16,
we're in the upper room,
and in about 24 hours,
Jesus will be dead.
So like a commander,
he's preparing his troops
for the battle to come.
Up to this point,
he's been with them,
absorbing all the hostility upon himself,
with the disciples tucked safely behind him.
But he warns us,
this hostility won't stop once he's gone,
it's just going to be redirected to his people.
Don't be surprised.
Hold your ground.
Keep telling people the truth.
But the people of this world
aren't only lacking information about God.
If they were,
every single person who met Jesus
would have believed.
But that didn't happen.
What is the real problem?
What's the real obstacle?
John 3, verse 19 tells us,
and this is the judgment.
The light has come into the world,
and people loved the darkness
rather than the light
because their works were evil.
How do you like it when in the dark
someone turns the light on?
It's really annoying, isn't it?
How will Jesus' disciples have any success
in bringing people who love darkness
into the light of knowing God?
Jesus is saying,
get ready to take all the hits,
stand firm,
continue offering the world
what it doesn't want.
In the TV series,
Blackadder Goes Forth,
Rowan Atkinson plays Captain Blackadder,
and he's in the trenches during World War II,
and in one scene,
the army general pays a visit to the trenches
before the troops go over the top
and advance towards the enemies
with their machine guns.
And the general asks the soldier,
Baldrick,
are you looking forward to the big push?
to which Baldrick replies,
no, sir,
I'm absolutely terrified.
The general laughs,
ah,
the healthy humour of the honest Tommy,
don't worry, my boy,
if you should falter,
remember I am right behind you.
To which Rowan Atkinson says,
yes,
about 35 miles behind you.
The disciples are filled with sorrow
in their heart.
And it seems reasonable, doesn't it?
Our King is leaving us.
Have you ever felt disillusioned
with the local church?
discouraged from not seeing any fruit?
Perhaps you've even experienced
the sting of hostile friends and families
who are trying to turn off the light.
But is it right for the apostles then
and for us now to be filled with sorrow?
Is it right?
Jesus doesn't think so.
He draws the disciples' attention
to the fact that none of you ask me
where I'm going.
Why should they be focused on that?
And didn't Peter just hours before
ask that very question?
I think when Peter asked it,
he wasn't focused on the actual answer.
But like a child who expects
to spend the day with their dad
and their dad is called in to work
for an emergency
and the child asks the dad,
where are you going?
It's an expression of feeling abandoned.
Why are you leaving me?
The disciples aren't focused
on where Jesus is going.
They're focused on the hardships
that his leaving will mean for them.
So why should they
and why should we
be focused on where Jesus is going?
Sometimes I can get into this
self-pitying headspace
where woe is me.
All I can think about
is the negative impacts on me
and Emma has to put up with me.
I don't know if you've experienced this,
but what do I need
at that point in time
to put my attention to?
What's going to refresh my perspective
and give me new strength?
I need to remember
why Jesus left.
I need to remember where he is
and how he's giving me,
he's giving us all we need
to face the circumstances
that we're in.
Our king
is not
35 miles
behind us.
The king
we serve,
he went alone
into the battle
that won the war.
He took upon himself
the full force
of the hatred of the world.
He let Satan
have his hour over him.
He took our sin
and he ran straight
towards the wrath
and judgment of God.
He did it for us.
Without him leaving,
I would still love
the darkness.
But now he is raised
to the Father's side
in all authority
and he's raised us
with him.
we no longer belong
to the world
but we are
the eternal children
of God.
And you and I
right here and now
have all the authority
of heaven
at work
to help us
in every single moment
that we face.
That's not reason
for sorrow,
that's reason
for rejoicing.
But even at this
late hour,
the apostles
still don't get
what Jesus
is about to do
for them.
They have the truth
sitting right across
from them
but the truth
hasn't gripped
their hearts yet.
Jesus is going
to win
the decisive battle
but even when
he's gone,
it's still better
for the church
that he isn't here.
while we represent
him on earth.
So why is it better?
Verse 7,
have a look.
For if I do not
go away,
the helper
will not come
to you
but if I go,
I will send
him to you.
We're not told
why the Holy Spirit
can't be sent
until Jesus
is gone.
It could be
because
it's only once
Christ gets
the victory
that the Holy Spirit
can apply
that victory
into our hearts
but whatever
the reason,
Jesus says
it's better
that he leaves
and the Spirit
comes
and he explains
why.
He doesn't leave
it at that.
He helps us
understand why.
The Spirit's
going to do
two things.
Notice the Spirit's
two names.
They tell us
what his two works
will be.
In verses
8 to 11
he's the helper
which doesn't
mean he's
a personal
assistant.
The word
doesn't have
an exact
translation
for English
but it's
more like
a legal
prosecutor
who argues
for the truth
convicting
unbelieving
hostile hearts
of the truth
of Christ.
And in
verses 12
to 15
he's called
the Spirit
of Truth
because he
guides Christ's
people
into all
truth
by speaking
on behalf
of Christ
and about
Christ.
So let's
take a closer
look at each
of these.
First
the prosecutor.
Verse 8
Now these
verses are
difficult.
When I first
read them
I was so
confused.
I was like
what is
going on?
But once
we look at
them it's
really
encouraging.
We don't
have time to
go through
all the
detail of
the verses
so let me
just highlight
the overall
flow of
what's being
said here.
When the
Spirit's
work is
mentioned in
the New
Testament
it's nearly
always in
Christians,
among
Christians.
But here
the Spirit
will be
working in
the unbelieving
world.
So picture
an average
Australian
happy in
their
materialistic
self-centered
lifestyle.
not
interested in
God
because
they're
convinced
the
universe
created
itself
and yet
self-assured
that they
are a good
person.
So much
so that
there's not
even slight
fear that
God's
judgment
might be
coming.
What hope
of change
is there in
a heart
like that?
if we
really
polish our
church
services
and our
ministries
is that
going to
change?
From
culture to
culture the
expression of
this is going
to change.
From
person to
person the
expression of
this unbelief
is going to
change.
But what is
universal is
that humanly
speaking it is
impossible
that a
single heart
is changed.
And that's
why these
verses are
such good
news.
It's the
only reason
we're here
this morning.
There's only
one power
that gives
us any
hope.
The Holy
Spirit
convicting a
person's
heart of
the truth.
Notice
that this
conviction is
all centred
on Jesus
and what
he has
done.
about sin
because they
do not
believe in
me.
If Jesus
is the
exact measure
of what is
right and
good but
someone just
disregards
Jesus,
how can a
person even
see their
own sin
clearly?
They've
already
disregarded the
measure of
what's good.
The Spirit
must show
someone their
sin.
Otherwise
we're blind
to it.
Whenever
you see
your sin
that is
God's
grace.
About
righteousness
because I
go to the
Father and
you see me
no longer.
If you
ask someone
today are
you a good
person?
I think
most people
would say
yeah,
I'm pretty
good.
But what's
the measure
they're using
to evaluate
their own
righteousness?
While Jesus
was on
earth,
his righteousness
exposed every
false measure
of righteousness.
righteousness.
But since
Jesus goes
to the
Father,
he is
vindicated
as being
the only
true
righteous
one.
Even
though the
world condemned
him,
he is
righteous.
And when he
says we see
him no longer,
he's referring
to his
death.
He's leaving.
he's going
to die in
order to
give us
true
righteousness.
The
Holy Spirit
alone can
expose a
person's
false sense
of goodness
and also
convict a
person of
Jesus'
true
righteousness.
About
judgment.
Because the
ruler of
this world
is judged.
Despite
the world
deciding that
Jesus should
die,
what really
happened on
the cross
was that
Jesus judged
the ruler of
this world,
Satan,
and all who
belong to
him by
believing
lies.
The cross
of Jesus
tells the
world that
they stand
under God's
judgment.
A person
needs to be
convicted of
their wrong
assessment of
Jesus and
convicted that
they are in
danger of
God's
judgment.
This is
good news.
What hope is
there that
unbelieving,
hostile hearts
can change?
What hope is
there is that
the spirit
smashes through
unbelief and
presses the
truth into
someone's
heart?
If you
believe in
Jesus this
morning, you
didn't just
need information
to make an
informed choice.
You needed the
spirit to break
you down, to
get into your
heart, to
smash through
our unbelief,
expose your
sin, expose
your false
measure of
goodness,
expose that
you're in
danger of
the judgment
of God and
then show you
Christ and
how good he
is and that
he's able to
save us.
Praise God for
the spirit's work
in our hearts.
It is a
miracle if you
believe.
But by what
means does the
spirit usually do
this heart
convicting work?
The primary
instrument he
uses is the
witness of
Christ's people.
Notice that
although the
spirit works in
the world, that
the spirit is
given to you,
to the
disciples.
And at the
end of the
previous chapter,
the hostile
world will be
taken on by
the spirit
bearing witness
and the
church, the
disciples bearing
witness.
They're united in
doing that.
The spirit works
through the
witness of the
church.
As we live
for the truth,
as we speak
the truth, if
the spirit takes
that and works
it in a
person's heart,
how can our
witness fail to
achieve everything
that God wants
it to achieve?
You and I
can't get to a
person's heart.
I don't believe I
can, preaching
this morning.
I can't get to a
person's heart.
But that's not my
job.
That's not our
job.
That's not a
burden we should
carry.
That's the
spirit's job.
But the
spirit does use
us, his local
church, as his
primary instrument.
And that's why
the second work
of the Holy
Spirit in verses
12 to 15 is
just as critical
and exactly what
we need.
The apostles
couldn't handle
all that they were
hearing from Jesus.
It wasn't sinking
in.
Partly that's
because Jesus
hadn't died and
risen yet.
But it's also
probably because
like us all,
grasping the
truth is not a
one-time event.
It's an ongoing
process.
So this is what
the spirit does for
us.
Look at verse
14.
In an even
better way, the
church does have
Christ speaking
to us, but
speaking by the
spirit into our
hearts so that we
actually believe
what we hear.
like the
son only
speaking with
the authority
of the father,
so the spirit
will only speak
with the
authority of
the son.
In other
words, there
is no more
truth about God
to be found
that is outside
of Jesus.
It's all in
Jesus.
The spirit
places the
entire spotlight
on Christ.
Christ.
He wants
Christ to get
all the glory
in our hearts,
in the world.
He wants us
to know him,
believe him,
and love him.
The spirit
took what the
apostles saw
as they lived
with Jesus
through his
earthly ministry
the whole way
through.
He took
what the
apostles saw
and then
he made
them believe
it and
taught them
the implications
of all that
they saw,
how to live
the Christian
way.
So this work
of the spirit
is first
for the
apostles.
Then through
the teaching
of the
apostles,
the spirit
works all
truth into
the hearts
of the entire
church down
through the
ages,
from generation
to generation.
We only
know about
Christ because
of the
New Testament,
because of
God's word
showing us
the Old
Testament,
the promises
being fulfilled.
We only know
that through
the apostles'
testimony.
Through the
word of God,
the spirit
speaks into
our hearts.
And there's
so many
encouraging
implications
of this.
You and
I don't
need to go
searching for
God's voice
in our gut
feelings.
We don't
need to go
searching for
God's voice
in a random
lyric playing
on the radio.
We search
for God's
voice in
the truth
of God's
word.
Whenever you
read it,
whenever you
hear truthful
teaching,
when your
friend speaks
it to you,
you are
hearing the
spirit speak.
God's word
is not this
static textbook
that we
dissect and
analyze.
God's word
is alive and
active because
the spirit is
at work
speaking through
the word
to glorify
Christ.
God is
speaking.
Now some
truths will
grip us in
a penny
drop moment.
We'll just
say, oh wow,
I never saw
that before.
But I think
other truths
are just bit
by bit by bit
by bit,
like a stream
cutting away
the rock.
The spirit
is at work
speaking to
our hearts,
helping us
understand
Christ.
We are
not left
alone to
understand
Christ, to
believe Christ,
to live for
him.
The spirit
is among
us and in
us,
speaking.
Now I
don't think
this should
make us
lazy and
passive.
I think
this actually
gives us
confidence
that any
effort we
put in at
small group
discussion,
in Grace
Kids, over
the dinner
table, one
to ones, in
all our
conversations
with one
another, any
effort that we
put in to
help one
another know
Christ better,
this gives us
confidence that
the spirit is
taking that and
working it in
our hearts.
it's not
useless, he's
powerfully at
work.
So let's
return to our
original question,
how can it
possibly be
better that
Jesus leaves
his people?
Even though we
sometimes feel
abandoned, our
Lord has not
left us as
orphans in this
world.
It is
better that
Jesus left
because the
spirit is here
changing hearts,
convicting the
world and
guiding the
church into
truth.
Remember how
the church
began.
Just a
handful of
ordinary people
in one city
behind closed
doors,
probably afraid
for their own
lives,
intimidated by
the task
going to
the whole
world.
But when
the spirit
came,
Peter,
who had
once disowned
Christ publicly,
this time he
goes out into
the world and
he says,
let all the
house of
Israel therefore
know for
certain that
God has made
him both
Lord and
Christ, this
Jesus whom
you crucified.
And what
happened?
Now when they
heard this,
they were cut
to the heart.
And said to
Peter and the
rest of the
apostles,
brothers, what
shall we do?
And Peter said
to them, repent
and be baptized
every one of you
in the name of
Jesus Christ for
the forgiveness
of your sins and
you will receive
the gift of the
Holy Spirit.
For the promise is
for you and for
your children and
for all who are
far off, everyone
whom the Lord God
calls to himself.
So those who
received his word
were baptized and
there were added
that day about
3,000 souls and
they devoted
themselves to the
apostles' teaching
and the fellowship
to the breaking
of bread and the
prayers.
Instead of seeing
Jesus with our
eyes and hearing
him with our
ears, better
than that, we
have the Spirit
speaking the truth
with convicting
force into our
hearts.
That family
member who
humanly speaking
has no chance
of seeing their
sin and crying
out for a
saviour, when
you feel
threatened and
fearful and
alone in your
conversations with
them, remember
the Spirit can
change hearts.
So pray.
while ever as a
church and as
families and in
our own minds we
are constantly
seeking God's
voice through his
word, then we
can have every
confidence the
Spirit will change
our hearts to be
more and more
satisfied by the
truth.
It's better for us
because the Spirit
is here changing
our hearts.
Will you pray
with me?
Father, left to
ourselves we
would not
only not
understand the
gospel, we
would not be
attracted to
you.
We would want
to keep living
for ourselves.
Father, we
praise your
mercy for
sending Jesus
to die for
us and
sending your
Spirit to
change our
hearts, to
break through
our unbelief.
We are only
here this
morning because
of your mercy
alone.
Help us as a
church praise
your mercy
alone.
Father, help us
as a church to
seek after your
voice.
Thank you that
you're with us.
Thank you that
you have not
left us.
Keep speaking to
us, Lord, and
give us hearts
that listen.
In Jesus' name,
Amen.