Gospel of John, Ch.16.

Gospel according to John, Chapter 16:  Read &/or listen from the Bible.

1/ Jesus Warns and Comforts His Disciples – Jn.16:1-4
2/ The Work of the Holy Spirit                             – Jn.16:5-15
3/ Sorrow Will Turn to Joy                                      – Jn.16:16-24
4/ Jesus Christ Has Overcome the World    – Jn.16:25-33

1/ Jesus Warns and Comforts His Disciples – Jn.16:1-4

“I have spoken these things to you so that you will not fall away. 2 They will put you out of the synagogues. Yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he is offering a service to God. 3 They will do these things to you, because they have not known the Father nor Me. 4 I have told you these things, so that when the time comes, you may remember that I told you about them.

Jesus knew that the trials could cause some people to stumble & He didn’t want the apostles to get hurt and lose faith because of the difficult times ahead of them. The Lord said that His followers even we are in the world, we would not belong to the world, and that the world would hate us. He made all that clear. He never said that it would be easy for us to follow him here on earth.

2/ The Work of the Holy Spirit   – Jn.16:5-15

“I did not tell you these things at the beginning, because I was with you. 5 But now I am going to Him who sent Me, and none of you asks Me, ‘Where are You going?’ 6 Rather, sorrow has filled your heart because I have told you these things. 7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth: It is expedient for you that I go away. For if I do not go away, the Counselor will not come to you. But if I go, I will send Him to you. 8 When He comes, He will convict the world of sin and of righteousness and of judgment: 9 of sin, because they do not believe in Me; 10 of righteousness, because I am going to My Father, and you will see Me no more; 11 and of judgment, because the ruler of this world stands condemned.

12 “I have yet many things to tell you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 But when the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth. For He will not speak on His own authority. But He will speak whatever He hears, and He will tell you things that are to come. 14 He will glorify Me, for He will receive from Me and will declare it to you. 15 All that the Father has is Mine. Therefore I said that He will take what is Mine and will declare it to you.

Jesus didn’t abandon us, He send the Holy Spirit to us, the counselor who will guide us, teach us, point us to Jesus & let us know of things to come. With the help of the Holy Spirit we will continue to grow in grace and in the knowledge of Him. We must also consider that the Holy Spirit must be our Teacher when we read the Word of God.
The Spirit of God is the Spirit of truth. Jesus said, “He will guide you into all truth.” He led the apostles just as the Lord said he would lead them, and we find these truths in the New Testament letters. The Spirit of God came upon these men on the day of Pentecost and guided them into the truth, both in their preaching and in their writing.
The ministry of the Holy Spirit has been to complete the teaching of the Lord Jesus Christ. The letters of the apostles glorify Christ and show him as the Head of the Church.

3/ Sorrow Will Turn to Joy   – Jn.16:16-24

16 “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 some of His disciples said among themselves, “What is this that He says to us, ‘A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me’; and, ‘because I go to the Father’?” 18 They said therefore, “What is this that He says, ‘A little while’? We do not know what He is saying.”

19 Now Jesus knew that they desired to ask Him, and He said to them, “Are you inquiring among yourselves about what I said, ‘A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me’? 20 Most assuredly, I say to you that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; and you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy. 21 A woman, when she is in labor, has sorrow because her hour has come; but as soon as she has given birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. 22 Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you.

23 “And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you. 24 Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.

This was the third time (& not the last) that Jesus spoke about asking in His name. (see Jn.14:13-14 & Jn.15:16). When we pray in His name we ask in accordance to His will “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us” 1 Jn.4:13-15. “Yet you do not have because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.” James 4:3.

4/ Jesus Christ Has Overcome the World    – Jn.16:25-33

25 “These things I have spoken to you in figurative language; but the time is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figurative language, but I will tell you plainly about the Father. 26 In that day you will ask in My name, and I do not say to you that I shall pray the Father for you; 27 for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me, and have believed that I came forth from God. 28 I came forth from the Father and have come into the world. Again, I leave the world and go to the Father.”

29 His disciples said to Him, “See, now You are speaking plainly, and using no figure of speech! 30 Now we are sure that You know all things, and have no need that anyone should question You. By this we believe that You came forth from God.”

31 Jesus answered them, “Do you now believe? 32 Indeed the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave Me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me. 33 These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

Our Lord said it clearly, in this world we will have tribulations. The world is full of problems & difficulties.  But, He has overcome the world! And His victory is our victory! When you and I learn to identify with Him & come to have a close relationship with Him, we will begin to experience the peace of God in our hearts , & despite the difficulties in our lives, we’ll have peace.