Jesus just talked about (in the previous chapter) how they are going to hate us cause they hated him, persecute us cause they have persecuted him and will persecute him more, lie about us, etc... He is letting us know before it comes to pass so we can expect it, be prepared for it...
John 16 (cont.)
2 They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.
3 And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me.
The religious leaders and followers will kill Christians THINKING they are doing it for God... BECAUSE the religious ones did it to Jesus too unless we are talking about the one pure religion.
Check James 1
"27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world."
And I could safely say that most Christians do NOT walk in pure religion. Religions by a normal dictionary definition of religion are man-made systems and Christianity conflicts with them...
John 16 (cont.)
4 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.
The things that Jesus is telling them will be brought back to the remembrance at the proper time in the near future... God IS WITH HIS PEOPLE AND PREPARING HIS PEOPLE for what is ahead...
I would like to share one example with you so you will follow what I am saying better. I went bar witnessing for 7 years straight until the Lord released me, I was at 7 Seas, a bar in Nampa. I have been kicked out most of the time I go in to witness, I was sharing outside at this time. I have been doing this for a few years outside the bar with those going in or coming out. I was at this time sharing with a man and his wife or his woman, whichever. As I am talking with them, a Mexican comes out the door, I glance over at him and at that time, the Spirit of the Lord said to my spirit. "He is going to try and lay you out." I knew I was hearing from God, it is like your conscicnce except your conscience can't tell you things like that. I finish sharing with the two people and they go inside.
The Mexican guy is still standing close by. I offer him a pamphlet. He said he didn't want one and as we are talking I see that he has read some of my pamphlets before. He starts telling me that God the Father is Jehovah and I agree and I also tell him that Jesus Christ is also Jehovah God, they are the one God of the bible. He said, "NO that is not true" and started pounding my face with his fists. I let him know as I did some Mormon Samoans that was trying to teach me their truth the same way that you can't teach truth with your fists. That was not Jesus' way but they seemed to think it was. He kept hitting me, I would back up a little and let him swing some more. I was praying for him and that the Lord would not let me go down. I didn't but by the time he was tired of hitting, I was pretty bloody. He finally quit and went back inside. I thanked the Lord for keeping me standing. Some cops come by a few mintues later and asked me what happened. I told them some guy inside didn't like hearing truth. They told me that I should report it. I tell them I am alright. They go inside for a few minutes and then leave, the Mexican comes back outside a few minutes after the cops are gone. I see him and wave at him and he shakes his head and goes back in.
Anyway, the point is, "If they hated Jesus, they will hate us."
John 16 (cont.)
5 But now I go my way to him that sent me; and none of you asketh me, Whither goest thou?
6 But because I have said these things unto you, sorrow hath filled your heart.
THINK about this one, they put their life on the line to follow Jesus and NOW they are hearing that he is going away??? BUT even when he goes away he is NOT GONE, he will still take care of us... Watch the next verse...
John 16 (cont.)
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.
BUT Jesus has to go SO THEN he WILL send the Comforter, the Holy Ghost to them...AND...One member of the Triune God sticks out more than the others at different times, OT-Father, NT-Son, The Holy Ghost is teaching us through the Epistles and on through the church age...
John 16 (cont.) )
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.
The Holy Ghost WILL REPROVE the world of sin because they have rejected the Lord and don't believe on him, OF RIGHTEOUSNESS because he proved it by his lifestyle and his resurrection from the dead, wanting to make us the righteousness of God in him, and JUDGMENT because the devil has been judged and pronounced defeated...and he will be defeated in our lives as we walk in the Lord Jesus Christ...
John 16 (cont.)
12 I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.
All that Jesus is telling them NOW is overwhelming them, they can't comprehend that he is leaving them and OR he said before "dying for them"...
THIS REMINDS ME OF
Psa. 27:14 WHERE IT SAYS,
"14 Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD."
When the Lord tells us to wait then he gives us the ability and the desire as we look to him...BUT it is an active waiting, we are doing other things in his life, service as we wait on the answer to other problems, questions...
John 16 (cont.)
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 show you things to come.
14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you.
The Holy Ghost will take center stage and will teach the words that Jesus Christ taught in the flesh...
WATCH THE NEXT VERSE...
John 16 (cont.)
15 All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall show it unto you.
That is a powerful scripture, "...he shall take of mine,..." Think about it, so we see that the Holy Spirit is going to take of Jesus' words and reveal it to them but we ALSO see that all the Father has is Jesus'. Once again, we see the triunity of God at work...
John 16 (cont.)
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.
17 Then said some of his disciples among themselves, What is this that he saith unto us, A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me: and, Because I go to the Father?
18 They said therefore, What is this that he saith, A little while? we cannot tell what he saith.
19 Now Jesus knew that they were desirous to ask him, and said unto them, Do ye inquire among yourselves of that I said, A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me?
20 Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy.
21 A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world.
22 And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you.
These are some awesome verses, Jesus is telling us that he is leaving and that he WILL return. Normally speaking, death is a no-return event... but not when the God-man is in charge... Then Jesus compares it to a woman in travail being in pain, those who are his will be in pain, agony since he will be killed but when he is raised from the dead, their sadness, pain, sorrow will be turned to joy... and then the joy that a child is born... and compare that with Jesus coming forth out of the tomb and seeing his disciples again...
I want to SHARE GAYLE'S TRAVAIL AND DELIVERY, well a little bit of it...baby in my hands, not believing it is true...Jesus in front of their eyes, the disciples not believing it is true...Thomas watching to see his nail prints and touch them or he wouldn't believe, I having the baby in my hands and still not knowing if I was dreaming or was it real... etc.
I kept telling Gayle, "Come on, you can do it..." Using my sanctified imagination I can hear Jesus telling his disciples, "Come on, watch me, I CAN DO IT!" and the grave was empty three days later, HE DID IT!)
I CAN IMAGINE THE DISCIPLES' SADNESS BETTER IN THIS SENSE NOW!)))
WELL-- the disciples' sadness is going to be turned to joy when they see the God-man Jesus Christ come back to them after his death in the tomb for three days and nights...
You talking about joy unspeakable, well that will be it...
John 16 (cont.) )
23 And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.
24 Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.
We are children of God because of what Jesus Christ did for us. Since we are now in the family of God then we can go boldly before our Father and he will hear us, we are in his family...
John 16 (cont.)
25 These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs: but the time cometh, when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall show you plainly of the Father.
We don't go to God intellectually but the faith way even though when you do go to him in faith then the intellect will certainly play a part as time goes on, we will understand the ways of God more and more as we grow in his grace and truth...
John 16 (cont.)
26 At that day ye shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you:
27 For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God.
28 I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father.
We can go directly to the Father God, Jesus is our mediator and intercessor and if you are in a religion that has a man or woman as a go between then you are in the wrong religion. Jesus is the only mediator between God and man...
I Tim. 2:5
"5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;"
John 16 (cont.)
29 His disciples said unto him, Lo, now speakest thou plainly, and speakest no proverb.
30 Now are we sure that thou knowest all things, and needest not that any man should ask thee: by this we believe that thou camest forth from God.
I want to deal with proverbs, (parables) for a second... Jesus spoke in parables to keep some from understanding his word since only those who came the faith way as did Abraham could really hear his words. We are first to believe God and then we will see what we need to see...
Matt. 13:13-16
"13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.
14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:
15 For this people's HEART IS WAXED GROSS, AND THEIR EARS ARE DULL OF HEARING, AND THEIR EYES THEY HAVE CLOSED; lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.
16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear." (Capitalization emphasis mine)
A contrite and broken heart, a broken spirit God will not despise... We must see ourselves as sinners before a just and holy God, have a need, a desire to know truth before we can truly hear or know...
Psa. 51:17 says,
"17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise."
In other words we need to come to this point to hear from the Lord God Almighty...If we think that we can do things in our strength, our ability then we have another "think" coming...
II Cor. 12:9
"9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me."
I Cor. 1:27
"27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;
28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:
29 That no flesh should glory in his presence."
John 16 (cont.)
31 Jesus answered them, Do ye now believe?
32 Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me.
Jesus has been walking with the disciples for a while at this point and time and he asks, "Do you NOW believe?"
I have been walking with the Lord Jesus Christ longer than the disciples have been at this point in their life with the Lord. And I hear his voice in my spirit at times saying, "Do you NOW believe?" whether it is to do with his provision, his watch care, his protection, or things in reference to walking in the life of God. We are so unbelieving at times but he remains faithful...
II Tim. 2:13
"13 If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself."
At times we don't believe the Lord's word, his promises to us and we prove it by our disobedience to step out when he tells us to.
John 16 (cont.)
33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
Jesus is with us and in us... He is the Lord God Almighty and he will never leave us or forsake us... Praise his holy name.
Matt. 28:20 says,
"20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen."
As I have shared before time and time again, he cares for his people, he is our Shepherd and we are his sheep. He gave his life for us so he won't hold back anything else that is good for us, that helps us, encourages us in this life that he has called us into.
Romans 8:32
"32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?"
AND
John 10:10-15
"10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
12 But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.
13 The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.
14 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.
15 As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep."
Since Jesus laid down his life for us then we also should lay our lives down for one another. Let the world see that we are different because he is on the throne of our lives...