“ ‘Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.’ “ John 16:7 By way of introducing the subject of this message it is very important to understand the background of why Jesus had to leave and go to His Father in order for the Holy Spirit to be sent to His disciples. And it is also very important to understand the importance of the Holy Spirit’s mission to Jesus’ disciples and to the world. Having said that let us read what Jesus said to His disciples in John 15:17-27, and then we will have a better understanding of the Holy Spirit’s mission to the world. John 15:17-27 “17 ‘These things I command you, that ye love one another. 18 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. 19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. 20 Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. 21 But all these things will they do unto you for my names sake, because they know not him that sent me. 22 If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloak for their sin. 23 He that hateth me hateth my Father also. 24 If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father. 25 But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause. 26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me: 27 And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning.’ ” Jesus would soon be crucified for He knew that His time to be sacrificed for the sins of the world was close and He also knew that this would have a devastating effect on His disciples that He loved and chose. He knew the pain of their sorrow even before they knew it and for that reason He shared with them that when His time came to be sacrificed and He was taken from them, returning to His Father in heaven, He gave them the good news of the Comforter that would be sent to them to be with them and teach them all of things that Jesus said unto them, for the Comforter, i.e., the Holy Spirit would testify of Jesus. Jesus said, “But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me: And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning.’ “ Jesus’ disciples would and did bear witness of the life, sacrifice, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ, which was of the utmost importance in the Church Era, the Kingdom of God. But the Holy Spirit had a another mission to the world and that is what we want to concentrate on in this lesson. Let us now read John 16:6-16 John 16:6-16 “6 ‘But because I have said these things unto you, sorrow hath filled your heart. 7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. 8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9 Of sin, because they believe not on me; 10 Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; 11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged. 12 I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. 13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. 14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. 15 All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you. 16 A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me, because I go to the Father.’ “ The sorrow that filled the hearts of the disciples was what Jesus told them would happen to them because the Jewish leaders would put them out of the synagogues because they hated Jesus and would kill them because they thought they were doing God’s service. Jesus said, “These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended. They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service. And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me. But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you. But now I go my way to him that sent me; and none of you asketh me, Whither goest thou? But because I have said these things unto you, sorrow hath filled your heart.’ “ John 16:1-6 Paul who was called Saul at the time when he persecuted Christians called “the way”, Acts 9:12, before his conversion to Jesus Christ recorded in Acts 9:3-18. But the disciples sorrow would be turned into joy when they witnessed the resurrection of Jesus Christ and His ascension into heaven. Now let us turn our attention to the work of the Holy Spirit to the world. The four points we are going to study are these; “And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment”, and “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.’ “ Let us begin with our first point. I. The Comforter, i.e., the Holy Spirit was sent by the Father in heaven to “reprove the world of sin”. A. To better understand the Holy Spirit’s mission, let us define what it means to “reprove”. “Reprove” means, “to convict, refute, confute, generally with a suggestion of the shame of the person convicted, according to Thayer’s Lexicon, a dictionary that defines what the Biblical Greek language says in English, of the New Testament. “Confute” means, “1. to overwhelm in argument “, according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary. Jesus said the Comforter, i.e., the Holy Spirit, when the Father would send Him to His disciples, would “convict, refute, and confute”, “overwhelm the world of their shame, their sins. And this the Holy Spirit did in the disciples days and does today. Paul, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, filled with the Holy Spirit, said this, “Which things also we speak, not in the words which mans wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.” 1 Corinthians 2:13 The mission of the Holy Spirit was completed, convicting the world of sin, through Jesus’ apostles. For He taught the apostles what Jesus commanded them, Matthew 28:18-20, and the apostles wrote down what the Holy Spirit taught them of whatever Jesus commanded them to do. Paul was given a special revelation of Jesus Christ on the road to Damascus, where Paul, a persecutor of Christians, “trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.” Acts 9:6 When he went into the city of Damascus Ananias told him what He must do and Paul complied with what Ananias said, and Paul was filled with the Holy Spirit and and was baptized. Paul was certainly given everything that Jesus gave to his apostles who was with Him.,as Paul testified to how he received his knowledge from the Lord in Galatians 1:15-18. Let us read what Paul said in Galatians 1:15-18. Galatians 1:15-18 “15 But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mothers womb, and called me by his grace, 16 To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood: 17 Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus. 18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days.” So all of the apostles were equipped by the Holy Spirit who taught them all of what Jesus said and commanded. Jesus said, “ ‘But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.’ “ John 14:28 In Matthew 28:18-20, “And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, ‘All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.’ “ And for Paul, he said, “Which things also we speak, not in the words which mans wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.” 1 Corinthians 2:13 Therefore all of the apostles were on the same page with what Jesus taught and commanded them to do by the Holy Spirit. So what the apostles wrote down from what the Holy Spirit taught them for a recored, is to be preached and taught to all generations. The Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin every time the “Gospel of Jesus Christ” is preached and taught, bringing the good news of Jesus Christ that He is the way the truth and the life and He is the way to the Father in heaven. “Jesus saith unto him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.’ “ John 14:6 And the world receives the blessing of Jesus Christ because his apostles carried out what He said in Matthew 28:19-20, “ ‘Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.’ “ B. Jesus breathed on His disciples and they received the Holy Ghost, i.e., the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit‘s mission was underway, through Jesus’ disciples, to “remit sins” or “retain them”. Let us read what John, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, filled with the Holy Spirit, wrote in John 20:21-23. John 20:21-23 “21 Then said Jesus to them again, ‘Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. 22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: 23 Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.’ “ After Jesus was resurrected from the dead on the first day of the week, John 20:1 and 17, He appeared unto His disciples and sent them into into the world. In Matthew 28:18-20, Matthew recorded the commission of Jesus Christ to His apostles that relates to what John said that they were sent into the world. And after breathing on them, they received the Holy Spirit, with these words from Jesus, “ ‘Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.’ “ “Remit means” ‘to send away, ... to remit, forgive”, according to Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. From Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words, comes this explanation of “remit” and “retain; “Scripture makes it clear that the Lord’s words could not have been intended to bestow the exercise of absolution, which Scripture declares is the prerogative of God alone. There is no instance in the N T of this act on the part of the apostles. The words are to be understood in a ‘declarative’ sense; the statement has regard to the effects of their ministry of the gospel, with its twofold effects of ‘remission’ or retention.” No human being could ever or can now forgive sins, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God”, Romans 3:23. Jesus gave them the Holy Spirit so that the mission of the Holy Spirit to convict the world of sin would be through them. II. Jesus said the mission of the Holy Spirt is to ”reprove, i.e., “to convict, refute, confute, generally with a suggestion of the shame of the person convicted, “Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more”. A. Let us look at some passages of Scripture relating to the mission of the Holy Spirit to “convict“ the world of righteousness. Paul, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, filled with the Holy Spirit, said, “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” Paul wrote to the “church of God “ at Corinth, Greece, “with all the saints which” were in all Achaia”, at the time of Paul’s letter to them, 1 Corinthians 1:1, and told them in Jesus Christ they were made righteous. Let us reasd what Paul said to them in 1 Corinthians 1:17-21. 1 Corinthians 1:17-21 “17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. 20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christs stead, be ye reconciled to God. 21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. Every time a sinner is convicted of sin by the Holy Spirit, through the word of God, and becomes a Christian, every Christian is made the “righteousness of God” through Jesus Christ. The mission of the Holy Spirit is accomplished every time a sinner becomes a Christian. B. The Holy Spirit taught Paul this; “That no flesh should glory in his presence. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 1:29-31 “Made” means, “to become, i.e. to come into existence, begin to be, receive being”, according to Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. Therefore in Christ Jesus, “who of God brought “into existence” unto us, “wisdom”, “righteousness”, “sanctification”, and “redemption”. This is all in accordance with the mission of the Holy Spirit to “convict” the world of righteousness”. Without Jesus Christ and the work of the Holy Spirit, none are righteous, not even one. But in Jesus Christ we are “brought into existence by God, whereby by His wisdom we are made righteous, holy, and are redeemed from sin through the blood of Jesus Christ. III. Jesus said the mission of the Holy Spirt is to ”reprove, i.e., “to convict, refute, confute, generally with a suggestion of the shame of the person convicted, “Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.” John 16:7 The “prince of this world”, is Satan, i.e., the devil, and he “is judged. A. Let us look at some Scriptures concerning judgment that is the mission of the Holy Spirit.John said, “Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.” John 12:31 Before Jesus gave the mission of the Holy Spirit, in John 16:7, He said the “prince of this world be cast out.” Let us read the background of what Jesus said in John 12:27-33. In John 12:27-33, is the background for the decision made by Jesus that the ”prince”, i.e., the devil “is cast out”. “27 ‘Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour. 28 Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again. 29 The people therefore, that stood by, and heard it, said that it thundered: others said, An angel spake to him. 30 Jesus answered and said, This voice came not because of me, but for your sakes. 31 Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out. 32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. 33 This he said, signifying what death he should die.’ “ The crushing blow to the “prince of this world”, was the resurrection of Jesus Christ and because of His resurrection Jesus draws all men to Himself. B. The mission of the Holy Spirit to “convict” the world of judgment is all set in place. Let us read Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ said of the coming judgment. “ Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.” 2 Peter 3:6-8 Judgment is coming, it is just a matter of time. What the Holy Spirit taught and brought to Peter’s remembrance of all of what Jesus said, John 14:26, is set in place and when Jesus comes He will execute judgment upon the heavens and the earth. “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.” 2 Corinthians 5:10 The reference to “one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day”, shows that we are not to lose hope waiting for Jesus to come because, “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.” 2 Peter 3:9-10 All who reject Jesus Christ, God’s only begotten Son will be judged. “And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” Revelation 20:14-15 Peter gave this warning to Christians, “Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? 2 Peter 3:11-12 And then Peter gave this encouragement, “Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.” 2 Peter 3:13-14 IV. In conclusion, Jesus said, “Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: Of sin, because they believe not on me; Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.” John 16:7-11 Jesus kept His promise to His apostles and we are blessed by the work of the Holy Spirit in the lives of the apostles who preached the “Gospel of Jesus Christ” to the known world of their time, Paul himself made three missionary journeys, Acts 9-28. And then what they and others wrote is the record of all of what Jesus said and did that is to be taught to all generations down to us today. Jesus said this, concerning the work of the Holy Spirit, “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you. A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me, because I go to the Father.” It was a little while and they did not see Jesus for He was crucified and put in a tomb for three days and three nights and then on the first day of the week they saw Him again, when He was resurrected from the dead. And then Jesus returned to His Father in heaven. And the great news is this, “And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.” We will see Jesus when He comes whether in the grave or alive. The victory has already been won through Jesus Christ, for Paul said, “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 15:55-58 The mission of the Holy Spirit is alive and well today as He convicts the world “Of sin,” because they believe not on” Jesus Christ; “Of righteousness,” because Jesus went to be with His Father and the Holy Spirit brought to the remembrance of the apostles everything Jesus said, John 14:26, because the apostles saw Jesus no more; “Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.’ “ John 16:8-12 The mission of the Holy Spirit is seen in what Paul wrote in Galatians 6:10-18. Galatians 6:10-18 “10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. 11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; 15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: 18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;” the “armour’ the Spirit uses to convict the world of sin, of righteousness and of judgment is His “sword”, “which is the word of God”. Let us therefore be diligent to “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15 References: King James Version Bible Gateway - Thank you for public access to Bible verses. By Public Domain Vine’s Complete Expository of Old and New Testament Words - Published by Thomas Nelson Publishers - Copyright 1985 - Thank you for identifying the Biblical Greek words for “reprove”, and remit”, and for the explanation of “remit” and “retain”. Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament - Hendrickson Publishers Inc. - Tenth Printing - February 2012 - Printed in the United States of America - Thank you for the definitions of the Biblical Greek words for “reprove and “remit. Merriam-Webster Dictionary - Thank you for the definition of “confute”.
Posted on: Thu, 22 Jan 2015 01:12:53 +0000
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