Biblical Discipleship Pt. 31 Discipleship: A Threefold Mission For the Holy Spirit

Jesus spoke additional words of warning to His disciples at the beginning of John 16. Then, our Lord turned His focus to more fully explaining what the Spirit of Truth was going to do in and through the disciples.

Jesus is the ever compassionate Good Shepherd.

John 16:4-6  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. 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.

Jesus demonstrated His compassionate care for the well being of His disciples. This follows the additional warnings He gave to the eleven. 

Christ's purpose in sharing these things is because when the events (hatred from the world) occur, they will remember that Jesus forewarned them. This is the idea of settling their souls so they can faithfully pursue the Great Commission ministry entrusted to them by Christ. 

Jesus reminded them while He ministered to them and with them for 3 plus years, He did not teach this truth. Only as His hour to die on the cross drew very close did Jesus share what would happen when they preached the gospel. 

By telling His disciples that He is going His way, Jesus is referring to the way of the cross, that leads to His death, burial and His resurrection. He joyfully completed His saving work knowing that He opened a new and living way for repentant sinners to come to the Father through faith in the Son. 

The reality of what Jesus said to them sank into the hearts of His disciples and Jesus noted their sorrow. The word "sorrow" means being filled with grief, heavy sadness and affliction of soul. 

It is good for Jesus to leave and send the Spirit.

John 16:7  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. 

Jesus was not about to leave these faithful followers feeling overcome with grief at His eminent departure. Therefore, He more fully expounded upon the ministry of the Spirit of God. 

Why? Because the New Testament ministry of the Spirit of God was going to be vastly different than His working in the Old Testament. 

Christ's departure was absolutely necessary for the Comforter to come. Jesus Christ saw a need to assert this truth with great solemnity. 

"I tell you the truth"  Christ declared and no doubt His disciples reflected that Jesus always told them the truth during their time together. 

The truth Jesus declared was that the Comforter would not come if He did not first return to His Father. 

The word "expedient" is translated "Good, better, profit or profitable" 10 times and translated "expedient" 7 times. The word means a bringing together things that are valuable, profitable or good for us. 

The word "expedient" is defined by Webster's 1828 dictionary as a hastening forward with a sense of urgency to promote the primary object. The primary object is sending the Spirit of Truth so that the gospel can spread throughout the world. 

Jesus would never leave them without supplying any required supports for the mission of evangelization. Though Jesus departed, He sent the Comforter, the Spirit of Truth. 

Jesus knew that when He left and sent the Comforter to them, the New Testament church would be birthed, the apostles would become God's spokesmen and the gospel would be preached throughout the world (See Acts 2, for example).

This is why Jesus told His disciples that it was a very good thing for Him to return to the Father. His departure meant that the Spirit of God could begin His mighty ministry on earth that still is ongoing today. 

We see a another beautiful example of God always doing all things in a decent and orderly manner. When the redemptive work of Jesus Christ was complete, our Lord began a new, priestly ministry in heaven as our intercessor, advocate and High Priest. 

The three fold mission of the Spirit of God. 

John 16:8  And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 

Now the wonderful details of the Comforter's ministry to mankind begin to spill out from Jesus. The Spirit of going to reprove the world about three things. 

The word "reprove" has the idea of strongly admonishing someone, rebuking them for some act that they have committed. The word also means convicting the soul by bringing the guilt and shame of someone's sin to the forefront of their mind. 

It means to "convict" in the legal sense, so that this person knows they have sinned against God and are worthy of judgment, death and hell. 

It means to "convince" in the sense of moving a sinner to repentant faith in Christ. He will "convince" sinners that the gospel record is true. 

He will "convince" sinners that Jesus fully paid for their sins, voluntarily died in their place on the cross, and that He rose from the dead, as proof of God's sincere offer of salvation.

The Spirit's ministry is broad in that He will be doing His work of admonishing, rebuking, convicting and convincing men wherever the gospel is preached in the world.

He will convict sinners about their sins. The word "sin" refers to shooting an arrow and badly missing the intended target. It means that He will show the sinner where he or she violated God's holy standard. He brings the weight of Divine condemnation upon each sinner in order to convict them regarding their sins. 

The Spirit of God will convince sinners about the righteousness of Jesus Christ. 

He alone, lived a perfect life and overturned the wrong choice Adam made to sin. Christ alone, perfectly satisfied every righteous demand found in the law of God, something that we cannot do. 

Christ alone took the wages of our sins upon Himself when He died on the cross. Christ alone rose from the dead as proof that His blood satisfied the Father in heaven, and all who believe on Him will be saved.  

Specific details of the Holy Spirit's work.

John 16:9-11  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. 

He filled the world with powerful conviction when the apostles went into all the world, empowered by the Spirit to preach the gospel and expose mankind to the rich glories of Christ.

John 16:9 Of sin, because they believe not on me;

Reproving the world because of sin.

John 8:7-9  So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. 8) And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground. 9) And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. 

The Spirit of God will convict sinners about the certainty of future judgment for their sins. 

John recorded an incident where the Jews caught a woman in the act of adultery and brought her to Christ to see what He would say. They cited the law of Moses that said she should be stoned to death. 

Jesus replied that the man who had no sin could cast the first stone. 

John tells us that they were all convicted in their conscience by Spirit of God. He brought their own sins before them and they realized that they too, were sinners and could not rightly condemn this woman. 

Here is text from the constitution of the State of Pennsylvania. Almost every state constitution originally had similar language as this one. State leaders rightly thought that elected officials should be people of Christian integrity. 

The idea is that a Christian elected to public office will not act in a way that brings reproach upon the name of Christ. They will not pass legislation or make policies that are contradicted by the word of God. 

Pennsylvania's constitution references candidates needing to believe in the Godhead, and in a future day of judgment where believers will be rewarded and unbelievers will be condemned. This idea is traceable to the convicting, convincing work of the Spirit of God.

Article 1, section 4: “No person who acknowledges the being of a God and a future state of rewards and punishments shall, on account of his religious sentiments, be disqualified to hold any office or place of trust or profit under this Commonwealth.” 

The Spirit is sent to convince sinners of sin, not to politely tell them of it. In His convicting work there is more than this. He is going to prove their sins and force them to own it.

He convicts men of having a corrupt nature and shows that the fruit of sin, is death. The Spirit demonstrates the depravity and degeneracy of the whole world, showing that all the world is guilty before God.

Convicting the world because Christ is righteous. 

John 16:10  Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more;

Then, the Spirit of God convicts sinners about the perfect righteousness of Christ. All mankind is guilty of the death of Christ on the cross. 

Romans 3:19  Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.

He will hammer home the point that Jesus Christ is righteous, that He paid for all of humanities sins. He will show from scripture that the whole world stands guilty and condemned before God.

Yet, God in love will regenerate and save all who hear the gospel and turn to Christ in repentant faith. But, woe to all who reject the saving work and person of Jesus Christ. They are in danger of hell fire and eternal condemnation. 

The resurrection of Christ is final proof that God did what He said He would do in order to bring fallen mankind to Himself. The resurrection of Christ means that all who trust Him are fully forgiven, fully pardoned, fully justified and fully sanctified. 

These are some of the beautiful positional blessings we have when we are born again and placed into Christ (Ephesians 1:3). Practically, of course, we have to work these things out each day, so that we live a God honoring life until He calls us home. 

Convincing men that Satan's plans are defeated.

John 16:11  Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged. 

Last, the Spirit of God will convict sinners about Satan's defeat. 

Jesus gained the permanent victory over the devil when He laid His life down on the cross. 

This means that the entire world system has been judged and will be overthrown by God. This also means that all of our great enemy's plans and schemes are doomed. Satan will end up in the lake of fire, along with the false prophet and the antichrist. 

The devil, the prince of this world, was judged, was shown to be a great deceiver and destroyer. As such, judgment was entered against him, and execution of his sentence has been partially accomplished.

How? As the gospel was preached and people were converted, pagan temples lost many members and their finances took a major hit (Acts 19:21-41). 

It was partially enforced when the apostles cast demons out of many people in Christ's name. Satan's judgment falls upon him each time that a soul is converted to Christ.  

Revelation 20:10  And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. 

But, as Jesus said, the prince of the world is judged and condemned. He cannot escape his eternal destiny. 

Thoughts to Ponder....

Pastors, Parents and Parishioners must take heart, and happily share the truth about the things the Spirit addresses. 

Truths about the ministry of the Spirit of God can serve as a pattern for preaching in our churches, teaching in our homes to our children and for equipping believers to go out to do the work of ministry and evangelization wherever God has placed us. 

Thus, we take our Bible and open it up with the intent to show the wickedness of sin and it's fatal consequences. 

We share scripture to display the righteousness of our sinless Savior, Jesus Christ. 

We speak God's truth to make clear the impending final judgment awaiting all who refuse to hear and heed the gospel. 

1 Timothy 3:16  And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory. 

The Spirit of God will take the scripture truth that we share from the pulpit, from the kitchen table, from our break area at work, or from our backyard  with our neighbors. He will convict, convince and rebuke all who hear the Word about sin, righteousness and judgment. 

May we stay true to the ministry that God has called us to. May we be counted as faithful men and women who love our Lord and Savior, and who are willing witnesses to any who will listen.

Bob