THE HOLY SPIRIT OUR HELPER

The Spirit sometimes convicts Christians toward repentance through our pangs of conscience, similar to the Christmas bells in The Polar Express. Those who believe in the spirit of Christmas can still hear its ring, but those who do not believe cannot hear it. We may feel guilty about a past action, but someone who does not know the Lord would not. The Spirit tunes our hearts to care about the things the Father cares about. We learn to love the things he loves and hate the things he hates. This prick of the conscience, like the ding of the bell, reminds us that the Spirit is at work in our hearts. Don’t turn your ears off to this bell. He is here as our helper but we must be Intune to His voice, His prick of our conscience, His work in our hearts.

Let us pray!

The Holy Spirit, Our Helper

John 16:7–14

Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you.

I. THE SAVIOR’S WORDS—v. 7 – Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.

A. Departure of the Savior—v. 7a. Christ would ascend to His home in heaven (John 14:1–3).

John 14:1-3 – “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.

This would be fulfilled in Acts 1:9–11. Christ knew the will of God and the plan for His life.

Acts 1:9–11 – And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”

B. Descent of the Spirit—v. 7b. If Christ did not go away, the Comforter (the Holy Spirit) would not come. – Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.

II. THE SPIRIT’S WORK—vv. 8–11

A. Reproving—v. 8. He would reprove: to express disapproval, convict and convince

1. Of sin – Judy 14b – 15 – “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of his holy ones, 15 to execute judgment on all and to convict all the ungodly of all their deeds of ungodliness that they have committed in such an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things that ungodly sinners have spoken against him.”

ACTS 2:37-38 – Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

1 Corinthians 7:9-10 – As it is, I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting. For you felt a godly grief, so that you suffered no loss through us.

10 For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.

Romans 2:5-6 – But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed.

6 He will render to each one according to his works:

2. Of righteousness and unrighteousness –

Romans 8:9 – You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.

1 John 2:29 – If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him.

Philippians 3:9 – And be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—

Romans 8:4-6 – In order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.

Romans 1:7 – For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”

Proverbs 13:6 – Righteousness guards him whose way is blameless, but sin overthrows the wicked.

3. Of judgment –

Romans 13:4 – For he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer.

1 Peter 4:7 – For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?

2 Corinthians 5:10 – For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.

1 Timothy 2:4 – Who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

John 3:18 – Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

Matthew 12:36 – I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak,

B. Rebuke—v. 9. Christ would judge sinners, because of their failure to accept His love and pardon. The Bible speaks of the final judgment in

Revelation 20:11–15 – Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. 12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. 13 And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. 14 Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15 And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

C. Righteousness—v. 10. Christ has gone to the Father. Righteousness is needed in our lives, in our churches, and in our nation.

Romans 3:22 – the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction

Abraham, through his faults and failures, trusted the Lord – Genesis 15:6 – And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness.

Psalm 7:17 – I will give to the Lord the thanks due to his righteousness, and I will sing praise to the name of the Lord, the Most High.

Psalm 18:20 – The Lord dealt with me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands he rewarded me.

In psalm 33 and 35 David writes that God loves righteousness and my tongue will tell of your righteousness all the day long.

Living a righteous life and talking about it are two different things, Jesus warns us in Matthew 6:1 – “Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.

2 Timothy 2:22 – So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.

D. Revealing—v. 11. The power of Satan will be destroyed.

Judgement on satan and demons and on those who reject Him was finalized at the cross. Satan’s power over us destroyed once and for all.

III. THE SPIRIT’S WAY—vv. 12–14

A. Spiritual ignorance—v. 12. There are things that are too overwhelming for men to know now that are understood by only the Lord and the Holy Spirit.

He understands that we do not the ability to take it all in at once

Holy Spirit as our helper teachers us and leads us as we are capable of more. It’s like math – we don’t introduce fractions until addition, subtraction, multiplication and division are functional.

I believe it is also important to note is that not only can we not understand it all – we cannot do it without the Holy Spirit.

His presence is important to the equation. Without Him, without His guidance and presence we cannot do it; I CANNOT DO IT!

B. Spirit’s impact—v. 13. The Holy Spirit will speak of certain things.

1. Guidance. He will guide men into all truth.

His guidance is intended to be towards a person who interested in traveling the road the Holy Spirit leads them down.

Luke 12:12 – For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.

1 John 2:27 – But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie—just as it has taught you, abide in him.

2. Unselfish. He will not speak for Himself.

Paul writes in Acts 20:23 – except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city that imprisonment and afflictions await me

John 16:13 – When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.

3. Revelation. He will speak what He hears from God.

1 Thessalonians 1:5 – because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake.

John 15:26 – But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me.

Hebrews 10:15-17 – And the Holy Spirit also bears witness to us; for after saying, “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws on their hearts, and write them on their minds,” then he adds, “I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.”

4. Prophecy. He will tell future events.

2 Peter 1:21 – For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

C. Spirit’s influence—v. 14 – He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you.

1. The Spirit will praise Christ. “He shall glorify Me.”

2. The Spirit will share Christ. “For He shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you.”

IV. THE SPIRIT CHANGES MEN

A. Attitudes. The Holy Spirit will change once unholy men to Christlike men as He is allowed to work in their lives.

1 John 3:24 – Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us.

Galatians 4:6 – And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!”

B. Ambitions. The Holy Spirit will give men goals that are pleasing to the Lord.

Ephesians 4:30 – And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

Galatians 5:22-23 – But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

1 Thessalonians 1:6 – And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit,

Ezekiel 36:27 – And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.

C. Affections. The Holy Spirit will help men to love Christ and others.

1 John 4:7 – Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.

1 John 4:18-21 – There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. 19 We love because he first loved us. 20 If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot[a] love God whom he has not seen. 21 And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.

D. Actions. The Holy Spirit will show men how to put their love for Christ and others into action.

Ephesians 4:15 – Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ,

1 John 3:16-18 – By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. 17 But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him? 18 Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.

When was the last time you felt the movement, working, pricking of conscience of the Holy Spirit in your life? Do you need to be retuned to His voice?

In Psalm 35:38 David write – Then my tongue shall tell of your righteousness and of your praise all the day long – can we say the same thing for ourselves or do we keep the Holy Spirit’s work to discussing it on Sundays and bible studies?

The Holy Spirit is to convince us and convict us of our sin. How do receive that from the Holy Spirit – talk to the hand? Or talk to the heart?

His righteousness is needed now more than ever in our lives, the community and the church – how do you pursue His righteousness over your own passions or desires?

We can no longer be ok being ignorant of the Holy Spirit – do you rely on Him for understanding and application or do you refuse – I don’t need to understand that – that’s the pastors job!

How are you allowing the Holy Spirit change you?

Is your attitude more Christlike or self-fulfilling?

Are your ambitions to please the Lord?

Are your affections towards others like Christ – loving others as Christ loved you?

Do your actions align with the work of the Holy Spirit? Are you putting God’s love for others into Action – are you putting your love for Jesus into action?

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