Sermon Tone Analysis

in short while we will gather around the Lord’s Table to remember our Lord Jesus and proclaim his death

in many respects it is a table of love

is a tremendously encouraging account of the love our Lord Jesus expressed for his disciples

knowing the appointed time for him to suffer and die and be resurrected and raised to sit at the right hand of God he is eager to comfort and strengthen and his disciples

in spite of their weak to non-existent faith, their slowness to understand his teaching, their prideful jockeying for position and prestige and knowing they would for the most part abandon him in his greatest suffering, Jesus loved them deeply, fully and eternally!

over and over again in these chapters the love of Jesus for his disciples is gloriously displayed!

he told them it would hate them,

because it hated Jesus (15:18) and his Father (15:23, 24)

because they were taken out of the world (15:19)

because they did not know God (15:21)

the passage we are going to look at this morning begins with Jesus’ statement at the end of v.4

“… I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you.”

at our last Lord’s Table we considered Jesus’ loving care for them in warning them of the hatred of the world

“I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you.

he told them it would hate them,

because it hated Jesus (15:18) and his Father (15:23, 24)

because they were taken out of the world (15:19)

because they did not know God (15:21)

he kept these things from them until it was time for him to leave them because,

he did this, because,

As long as Jesus was with them they were safe and protected from the hatred of the world.

as long as Jesus was with them the hatred of the world was directed toward him

culminated in his being unjustly convicted, tortured and put to death in the most horrible and cruel way the Romans knew how

when Jesus ascended into heaven and the Apostles and disciples took up the Great Commission the hatred and persecution directed at Christ was refocused on them

this has always been the case for believers

the prospect of Jesus’ complete and permanent departure fill them with sorrow and dread

loved by God, lavished with promises, blessed beyond measure yet hated the world

Jesus to his disciples: “the world will hate you but I love you, the world will consider you its enemies but I call you friends”

knowing this we can endure the hatred of the world’s because we have our Saviour’s love

the world will be our enemy but Jesus will be our friend

the world will persecute us but Jesus will provide for all our needs

the world will trouble us but Jesus will give us peace

the world will cause us sadness but Jesus will give us joy

the world is under the power of Satan but we are under the power of God

“I have told you these things to keep you from falling away”

“I have told you these things to keep you from falling away”

Jesus knew that they would be tempted to fall away if he were not with them and they were not prepared for the world’s hatred, opposition and persecution.

this was borne out when Jesus told his disciples that Satan had demanded to have them that he might sift them like wheat

when Jesus was arrested, tortured and crucified they scattered in fear

Jesus addressed Peter personally knowing that as the leader of the 12 he was a specific target for Satan’s attack

Jesus prayed for him that his faith would not fail!

this is often our experience is it not?

even though we know that persecution is our lot as Christians, when it happens we often stumble and fall into fear, doubt and sometimes even sin

we forget that persecution is normal

we fail to remember that Jesus told us to expect this

we neglect to think upon all of the promises he has given because he loves us

the persecution started almost immediately after Peter and John started preaching Christ

- they were charged not to speak and were threatened - so they prayed for boldness

- they were beaten and left rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer

in both cases they did not stop!

having answered Peter’s and Thomas’ questions by telling them that he was going away to prepare a place for them and that he would come back for them they were still sorrowful that he was leaving them

both Peter and Thomas had previously asked this question and Jesus had carefully answered it for them

Aware of their sorrow Jesus told them that it would be better for the Holy Spirit to be in them than that he remain with them!

- you will follow me afterward - in my Father’s house ....

- I am the way, the truth and the life

John 16:6

“these things”

Jesus was about to about to leave them and that they could not follow him and the world would persecute them

how did Jesus console them?

Jesus was saying that it would be better for the HS to be in them than that he be with them!

up to this point the HS had been with them through Jesus presence

when Jesus left them the HS would take up residence within them forever

that could not happen though until Jesus ascended into heaven

the HS is the Father’s gift as a result of Jesus’ completed work on the cross

having taken on flesh Jesus was no longer able to be in more than one place at once

the advantage: the HS is able to be in more than one place at once

as long as Jesus was with them they did not need the HS

indwells each and every individual when they are saved

the advantages of the coming HS:

the advantage: the HS is able to be in more than one place at once

the HS will come to them as their Helper

he will be just like Jesus: always with them, always loving them, always teaching them

Jesus had not yet given them the Great Commission but when he did their assignment would be to go their separate ways and spread the Gospel throughout the whole world!

When the disciples went out and spread the Gospel they faced all kinds of challenging situations and opposition and persecution where they needed the Holy Spirit’s help, often at the same time!

surely, if the Great Commission had depended on the disciples’ own strength and ability they would have failed!

Jesus anticipated this when he told them not to be afraid when they were dragged in front of authorities because the HS would give them the right words to say (; ; )

Jesus spoke of this when he told them not to be afraid when they were dragged in front of authorities because the HS would give them the right words (; ; )

“he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment” (8-11)

scriptures clearly teach that apart from the grace of God

people love their sin and hate to be told they are wrong (John 3:19-20)

apart from the grace of God people love their sin and hate to be told they are wrong

sinners are dead in their sins ()

they suppress the truth and exchange it for a lie (Rom 1:18,25)

they are hostile to God, will not submit to God’s law and cannot please God ()

they love their sin and hate to be told they are wrong ()

they are hostile to God, will not submit to God’s law and cannot please God ()

they do not seek after God but go their own way (Rom 3:10-12)

they cannot understand the gospel because it is foolishness to them ()

he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment (8-11)

apart from the convicting work of the Spirit the ministry of the witness of the disciples would have been fruitless and hopeless!

apart from the convicting work of the Spirit the ministry of the disciples would have been fruitless and hopeless!

another advantage of the coming of the HS: he would tell them “the things that are to come”

he would tell them what Christ could not because they weren’t ready

specifically “the things that are to come”

Who is The Helper?

manifested most clearly at Pentecost

He is the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is the third person (; ; ) of the Trinity, co-equal with the Father and the Son.

(; )

Who is the Helper?

... the Helper, the Holy Spirit ...