Ministry of the Spirit
John 16:7-15
A)If
I am one of the disciples – I am thinking – Little
Children- Lord look at my face – Full Beard – Look at my Muscles
B)
What did Jesus mean – Little Children? Obviously – Term of affection { Brian – Rob my Son -
C)
More than a term of AFFECTION : But it was also a declaration – sending a
message – to be my followers – you need to be
like children
A)Simplicity
– trust and obey For there is no other way to be
happy in Jesus than to trust and obey
B) Stages in a Child’s life {Little Kids – father can do no wrong – his word is as
gold – { He has an S under his shirt -
Superman
1)
Father knows best – King / Supreme- Can’t do anything Wrong!!!
C) Then comes Adolescence –Father can’t do anything /
Right
1)
Father doesn’t know anything – find my own way – learn the hard way
D) Adult:
Father knows a lot – should have listened better { Hey dad can you help
me w/ this – seeking advice -
As Christians the best place to be is at
that Little Children Stage in our relationship w/ God –
Simplicity – also dependency
A)Dad
I need help – Dad I can’t do this alone
B)Now
I want you to keep that in mind as we move into ch.16 tonight
1)
First quick review of all hard things he has told them this night
1) John 13:34 – new command – love as I
have loved you
D)
Deny forsake / betray
Indwelling
- v.26 – helper: teach and bring to remembrance
A)Again
v.12 – love as I have loved you
1)
15:26 – helper: testify of me and help
you be witnesses
Strengthen and comfort -
C)
Ministry of the HS – sort of like rock climbing – pulled up – assurance not
fall
A)v.7
– It is to your advantage that I go away -
[with them together vs. in them
apart]
B)
v.8-11We see the work of the HS in the World at large:
8 And when He has come, He will
convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
C)What does the Spirit do to the blinded eye, to the
hardened heart?
1) He convicts it of sin, of righteousness, of
judgment.
9 of sin,
because they do not believe in Me;
A)#1 Thing the Spirit seeks to do is to Convict men
of their need to put their faith in Christ
B) The one and only sin the Holy Spirit will convict
an unbeliever of is that of not believing in Jesus.
1)
He
doesn’t convict people of smoking. He doesn’t speak to them about their swearing, drinking or partying — only of their
unbelief in Jesus.
C) And this is what makes being a believer, a
minister so incredible.
1) We get to share with people the good news that no
matter what they’ve done or where they’ve been, if they believe in Jesus, they
are forgiven of all sin
D)Doesn’t
the Holy Spirit convict us of sin once we’re Christians? Yes, He does.
1)
CONVICTION VS CONDEMNATION
10 of
righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more;
A)The Spirit also convicts of righteousness in that He
points to the only righteous One. ‘Because I go to
My Father, you see Me no more,’ said Jesus.
B)‘I’m OK,’ you say. ‘I Treat people good – I don’t
cheat on my taxes – Voluntter for the Red Cross I’m pretty righteous.’
B)Oh? Righteous enough that
death can’t hold you? So righteous that when you die you’ll rise again?
1)Did Ghandi? Did Mohammed? Did Confucius? Did
Buddha?
C) Unlike any other figure in history, Jesus Christ
alone rose from the dead and ascended to the Father.
1)
Thus,
He is the only Righteous One to Whom the Spirit points, of Whom the Spirit
convicts.
D) Our Righteousness – needs to match that of Jesus
– Make it into heaven on our own merit
11 of
judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.
A)When Jesus died on the Cross, the ruler of this
world was judged, and his power was permanently broken.
It’s not
we who were judged.
B) No, the one who held you in his grasp, the one
who made you miserable, the one who caused you problems has been judged. That’s
Good News!
C) Assurance –
In Christ – Free from that Judgment { Not for me you
are against me – you reject Christ – Share in Satan’s Judgment
Now Jesus
preceeds to discuss the Spirit’s work in the life of the believer v.12-15
A)v.13
– guide you into all truth- What is right
B)
revelation of things to come – Understand Prophecy
C)
v.14 – goal – glorify Jesus
1)
Sometimes the problem in Pentecostal circles – glorify gifts - glorify the instrument
D)
True spirit filled assembly -
glorifying Jesus
Now here is the thing I want you to see
in the mist of Hard sayings – Jesus talked about – HS – { INDWELLING}
A)Chpt.14 v.26 – Helper: called alongside to strengthen and comfort
B)Chpt.15:
v26 Testify of Jesus – bear witness heart – discernment
C)
CH.16 Convicting the world of sin
1) Guiding you into truth/ Revealing things to come/ Glorifying Jesus
D)
That in a nutshell is ministry of Holy Spirit
A)John
20 – Still not ready
B)
Acts 2: Go wait - Power – empower you to live for Christ
1)
Power
to Be a witness –
C)
But how is that power – unleashed – made available
1)
Initially thru asking – Luke Promise of the father - ask
How develop sensitivity: to be led and taught – guided – know the
voice of spirit in my heart{ Gets back to those 2 keys words Dependency / Simplicity
A)Dependency – little kid – looking over shoulder for
approval – not in a crippling way – never want to do anything wrong
B)
But in a way of saying – Lord I want to Know I am doing what you want !!!!
C) Simplicity – Minding the things of the spirit – Romans 8- Great Chapter on the HS
Dwells
– at home / Leads / Groans / Helps
1)
Cries Abba
C)
V.5 – Key: Mind the things of the Spirit