Jesus Christ
Guaranteed Guidance
Book of John 16:1-15
When Jesus says
guaranteed guidance what does He mean?
We need to take
another look at a verse in last week’s lesson:
Joh 15:26 But when
the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father,
even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall
testify of me:
Every "Born
Again" child of God upon accepting Jesus as their Savior will
receive the Holy Spirit to live within them. This is the guaranteed
guidance we will receive as another free gift from our Heavenly
Father.
We should know that
the Holy Spirit will never lead us away from Jesus, but it is also
true that the Holy Spirit has free will to change us and to provide
gifts as He sees fit.
The one gift we will
all receive is the fruit of the Holy Spirit and notice it is fruit
single and not fruits plural.
Gal 5:22 But the
"fruit" of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering,
gentleness, goodness, faith,
Gal 5:23 Meekness,
temperance: against such there is no law.
Gal 5:24 And they
that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and
lusts.
Gal 5:25 If we live
in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
Eph 5:9 (For the
"fruit" of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness
and truth;)
Eph 5:10 Proving
what is acceptable unto the Lord.
Notice again that
"fruit" is single and not fruits plural.
Every child of God
will receive this fruit.
Any other gift of
the Holy Spirit comes as Holy Spirit decides!
We should also know
a physical talent is not a gift of the Holy Spirit even though He may
enhance that talent for God's use!
The Holy Spirit will
be our Guide throughout everything we face in our Christian life,
even when we go home to be with the Lord because once inside us, He
will never leave us!
*****Joh 16:1 These
things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended.
We live in a dark,
dreary, and evil world full of lies and immorality and this world
hates everything about the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Lord will test
our "faith" but most things that we confront will be
because the world hates Jesus Christ, so it will be to anyone who
represents Jesus Christ,
We will go through
many personal sorrows with our love ones and with dear friends, but
we must rest assured we will never be alone again because everywhere
we go, we carry with us God the Holy Spirit.
He is certainly a
Comforter, but He is also truly God, with all the power of God!
Jesus will explain
these things in our lesson today, so we will know to expect them, so
we can be prepared when they come to us!
Jesus is explaining
these things to His 11 remaining disciples, who are Jews, but these
things will also apply to every disciple from that point even into
our future and beyond.
*****Joh 16:2 They
shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that
whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.
Joh 16:3 And these
things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father,
nor me.
We know the Lord is
addressing these 11 men concerning false religion, using the Jewish
system as an example to us all. We need only remember Stephen and
Saul before he became a Christian to realize this truth.
Act 7:55 But he,
being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and
saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,
Act 7:56 And said,
Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the
right hand of God.
Act 7:57 Then they
cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him
with one accord,
Act 7:58 And cast
him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down
their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul.
Act 7:59 And they
stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my
spirit.
Act 7:60 And he
kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to
their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
Act 9:1 And Saul,
yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of
the Lord, went unto the high priest,
Act 9:2 And desired
of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of
this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound
unto Jerusalem.
Act 8:3 As for
Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and
haling men and women committed them to prison.
Act 8:4 Therefore
they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word.
It is the same for a
Hindu who converts to Christianity.
It is the same for a
Muslim who converts to Christianity.
It is the same for
most all false religionist who convert to Christianity
Even the Atheist,
the Agnostic, and the Non-believer, who persecute Christians today.
As God does, He will
take something bad and make use of it!
Act 8:4 Therefore
they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word.
These hardline Jews
felt like they were cleansing the Synagogue by cleansing it of, what
they called, evil Christians.
Religionists do not
see how there can only be one way to God so then Christ Jesus must be
a liar, when He is about the truth of God.
Religionists believe
goodness must be a trait recognized by God, but it is not.
Religionists believe
that Church membership accounts for something, but it does not.
Religionists believe
that Jesus was just a good man who was called to be prophet, but
Jesus was God in the flesh (Immanuel).
Jesus said they
would do these things, because they did not know God the Father in
Heaven. nor God the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Now if Jesus states
that Religionists have no idea of the truth of God, then it must be
true because Jesus cannot lie!
Religionists reject
anyone who makes demands on their lifestyle and a right to seek
freedom and their own desires instead of any God who makes demands of
them. They reject that any god should make demands on them period.
Rom 10:3 For they
being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish
their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the
righteousness of God.
Jesus told these
disciples before He was crucified, so that they could prepare
themselves after Pentecost.
We should not be
surprised when persecution comes to us!
*****Joh 16:4 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.
Because Jesus is God
the Son, He did not allow persecution to be a problem while He was
teaching these men.
Mat_23:37 O
Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest
them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy
children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her
wings, and ye would not!
When Jesus returns,
He will eliminate all those who have persecuted the Church!
We must understand,
that accepting the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior means we will see
some persecution, some much more than others.
It has been a
special blessing to be born in a Christian nation where persecution
has been minor compared to heathen nations though persecution is
making its way into our lives by false religion and crooked
politicians, who open the door to falsehood.
These 11 men needed
to know that the truth of the Scriptures, as was told by Daniel and
some others, would certainly take place.
Dan 9:25 Know
therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the
commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the
Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street
shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.
Dan 9:26 "And
after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off", but
not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall
destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with
a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.
Dan 9:27 And he
shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst
of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease,
and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate,
even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon
the desolate.
Jesus had to return
to Heaven, so the Holy Spirit could begin His new job of putting
together the Church, that has the foundation of Jesus Christ!
*****Joh 16:5 But
now I go my way to him that sent me; and none of you asketh me,
Whither goest thou?
Joh 16:6 But
because I have said these things unto you, sorrow hath filled your
heart.
What was another
reason Jesus had to go back to Heaven, in terms we can understand?
1Jn 2:1 My little
children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any
man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the
righteous:
Not only was the
Comforter sent by the Lord, but now the Lord at the right hand of
God, will plead our cause to God the Father.
Christ Jesus
exhorts, defends, comforts, and prays for us now, from the throne
room of God!
What is our job
besides being a witness for the Lord?
1Jn 2:5 But whoso
keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby
know we that we are in him.
1Jn 2:6 He that
saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he
walked.
God the Holy Spirit
becomes our comforter and sheds His gifts upon us to be able to do
the work of the Lord.
God the Son becomes
our "Advocate" in the throne room of God.
When we get to
Heaven and meet God the Father, He will already know more about us
than we know ourselves!
What is the truth?
If persecution causes our death, we gain, we do not lose. We go to
the Father in Heaven and begin our life in eternity.
We must not allow
persecution to cause us to lose our joy of knowing just how wonderful
Heaven will be!
As long as we are
alive, we will have God the Holy Spirit living within us to guide us
through all these things!
*****Joh 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.
Another reason we
can trust the Lord Jesus, He has never misled us in any way. He has
told us the truth of this thing called salvation!
In fact this is the
main message that Jesus has had to us all.
Yes Jesus loves us.
Yes Jesus died for
us.
If Jesus had not
given us His words of truth, that would be all we would have known
about salvation.
Even Caiaphas
understood salvation but loved his job of High Priests too much to
accept the Lord Jesus.
Joh 11:49 And one
of them, named Caiaphas, being the high priest that same year, said
unto them, Ye know nothing at all,
Joh 11:50 Nor
consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the
people, and that the whole nation perish not.
It amazes me
sometime what people will say and then refuse to believe what they
said.
We need to
understand that we live in a body of flesh that is going to die, but
this is not the end of life because our life is not in the flesh!
Our life is in our
"Soul" that is like a precious stone to our Heavenly
Father!
Our Heavenly Father
can give us a new body of flesh at any time, but we can have only one
"Soul"!
The Holy Spirit
could not do His new work until the Lord Jesus Christ ascended back
to Heaven, not like He came but in a "Glorified Body" that
He promises to us all!
You see we have no
reason to worry because the Holy Spirit is creating a glorified body
with every believer!
The Holy Spirit will
remain with us all the way to Heaven!
The Holy Spirit also
had another work to perform, while He is within us!
*****Joh 16:8 And
when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of
righteousness, and of judgment:
The fact remains
that even after we accept the gift of salvation by God's "Grace",
we are still sinners. In fact the only difference between a "Born
Again children of God and those who do not have a personal
relationship with the Lord, is the "Grace of God"!
If we were not
endowed by the Holy Spirit, we would slip back into the misery of a
sinner!
The Greek word
"parakletos" is translated "comforter" in this
verse and "advocate" in another verse, which means One who
will plead our cause when we commit sin, which He will also convict
us of that sin.
This same
"Comforter" will also be with us through the miseries of
this world!
The Apostle Paul may
have never used the word Comforter nor Advocate but he understood the
work of God the Holy Spirit.
Rom 8:26 Likewise
the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we
should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh
intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
Rom 8:27 And he
that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit,
because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will
of God.
Rom 8:28 And we
know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to
them who are the called according to his purpose.
It is our job to
stand up for the Word of God, and God the Holy Spirit is our strength
to do so!
Why is our world
growing darker in sin? Because the Church has gotten lazy and just
wants to wait on the return of Christ when it is within our power,
because of the Holy Spirit, to make things better.
We should all be
ashamed of taking the Holy Spirit to places that grieves Him!
We hinder the power
of God!
Eph 1:17 That the
God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you
the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:
Eph 1:18 The eyes
of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the
hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his
inheritance in the saints,
Eph 1:19 And what
is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe,
according to the working of his mighty power,
Since Jesus went
back to Heaven, we have an Intercessor in the throne room of God!
Since Jesus
departed, we have the presence of the Holy Spirit with us at all
times. He will never leave us.
Since Jesus
departed, we now have the "Gospel", the "Good News"
sent down from Heaven from God the Father!
We should
understand, all the sin of man can be forgiven but one:
*****Joh 16:9 Of
sin, because they believe not on me;
Joh 16:10 Of
righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more;
Joh 16:11 Of
judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.
By now we know that
sin is the one thing that separates us from God and places our soul
in the jeopardy of Hell.
The Cross of Jesus
Christ was God's method of reconciliation.
When we reject the
truth of God, we are defying the love of our Supreme Creator!
It is sin that
convinces us that we need a Savior, a Deliverer.
It is the Holy
Spirit who first convicts us of sin and then convinces us that there
is a Remedy!
1Co 15:1 Moreover,
brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you,
which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
1Co 15:2 By which
also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you,
unless ye have believed in vain.
1Co 15:3 For I
delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that
Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
1Co 15:4 And that
he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the
scriptures:
We have no
righteousness ourselves, so the Holy Spirit brings the righteousness
of the Lord into our hearts and we will know the truth.
Isa 53:10 Yet it
pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou
shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he
shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in
his hand.
Isa 53:11 He shall
see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his
knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear
their iniquities.
Isa 53:12 Therefore
will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the
spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto
death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the
sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
After our salvation
and the gifts of God the Holy Spirit, there is one more thing that
has great importance:
The prince of this
world is judged, and he has no more dominion on those who believe
upon the works of Jesus.
Heb 2:14 Forasmuch
then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also
himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might
destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;
Heb 2:15 And
deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime
subject to bondage.
1Jn 3:8 He that
committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the
beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he
might destroy the works of the devil.
Col 2:13 And you,
being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he
quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;
Col 2:14 Blotting
out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was
contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;
Col 2:15 And having
spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly,
triumphing over them in it.
When Jesus took away
all the sin of the past, all the sin of the present, and all the sin
of the future by His death on the cross, Satan was eternally
defeated.
The only work he can
do now is to try to convince those who listen to him, that God is a
liar!
What is the truth?
My Savior can save anybody, anywhere, at any time and this drives
Satan crazy!
We could say Satan
is crazy now, but he can only do what God allows to the believer, but
God still allows him full access to the unbeliever!
2Ti_2:26 And that
they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are
taken captive by him at his will.
There were still
many things that Jesus needed to teach these 11 disciples, but He
could not at that time.
Many things we must
experience under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
For the believer we
now have the complete Word of God and Jesus will also talk to us
through our prayers!
*****Joh 16:12 I
have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.
Joh 16:13 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 shew you things to come.
We certainly cannot
know everything that Jesus could not tell these 11 men, but what we
do know that if Jesus had laid out every detail of His capture, and
His beating, and His crucifixion these 11 men would have been too
broken to heal.
A wise man once
said, a bar of gold is a wonderful thing to have but if you are too
weak to carry it, it will not do you much good.
It was the same for
the Lord's passion, these 11 men could not have bared that knowledge
until it was all over.
Jesus taught them
more about His resurrection, which they still did not understand,
until it also happened, and 11 men became so bold that nothing could
stop them from preaching the "Gospel" of Jesus Christ.
It would only be
when they were filled with the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, that these
men would understand all things.
Even today, the
Bible is a great history book and a book of great knowledge but when
the Holy Spirit moves in at salvation, the Bible then becomes the
Word of God that the entire world needs, and we can know the great
truths that are included in the Word of God!
What is the mark of
Satan?
Joh_7:18a "He
that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory": but he that
seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no
unrighteousness is in him.
Joh_8:44 Ye are of
your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He
was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth,
because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh
of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
What is the mark of
the Lord?
Joh_7:18b He that
speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: "but he that seeketh
his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is
in him".
Joh 12:49 For I
have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a
commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.
Joh 12:50 And I
know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak
therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak.
We must understand
that God the Father, God the Son (Christ Jesus), and God the Holy
Spirit dwell in each and every believer as our next passage teaches
us.
*****Joh 16:14 He
shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it
unto you.
Joh 16:15 All
things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall
take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.
It is impossible for
the Holy Spirit to put bad thoughts in our head as some believe.
It is only possible
for the Holy Spirit to lead us to the Lord Jesus Christ.
It is only possible
for the Holy Spirit to teach us the things of Jesus which were given
to Him by God the Father.
This is not hard to
follow. This is a simple truth which we dare not try to avoid!
Not only does the
Holy Spirit leads us the truth of salvation, He will also teach us of
the things to come!
We must also
remember we are taught by the same Spirit as these Apostles.
We are saved by the
same God the Son, Jesus Christ, as these Apostles.
We are to worship
the same God, Jehovah, as these Apostles.
The Holy Spirit will
glorify the Son, as the Son glorifies the Father.
None of this is so
hard that a child cannot understand!
Satan is the father
of all lies.
The Holy Spirit is
the guide to all truth!
The Holy Spirit(Holy
Ghost) is not to be feared, He is to be believed!
Joh 14:26 But the
Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my
name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your
remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
Another thing we
must understand is that if someone comes along teaching anything but
Jesus Christ our only Savior, then that person does not have the Holy
Spirit living within them and they do not know the salvation of the
Lord!
What did the Apostle
Paul preach?
Gal 1:6 I marvel
that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace
of Christ unto another gospel:
Gal 1:7 Which is
not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert
the gospel of Christ.
Gal 1:8 But though
we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than
that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
Gal 1:9 As we said
before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto
you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.
Gal 1:10 For do I
now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet
pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.
In truth if we feel
like Jesus is not speaking to us, then we are deaf and are not
listening, because the Holy Spirit is never silent unless we have
cause Him grief!
Solomon was wise in
the things of this world, remember, the half has not been told.
The words of Jesus
Christ contain all the wisdom of eternal life, all the truth has been
told!
Jesus Christ speaks
the wisdom of God because He is God!
Col 2:8 Beware lest
any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the
tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after
Christ.
Col 2:9 For in him
dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
Mat 11:27 All
things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the
Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the
Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.
Mat 11:28 Come unto
me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Mat 11:29 Take my
yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and
ye shall find rest unto your souls.
Mat 11:30 For my
yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
Today we live in a
materialistic age, our world is the kingdom of who has the most and
no one cares about another.
We know that the
love of the world is enmity with God.
The world is
unwilling to see its wrong!
The world is
unwilling to be corrected!
The world is
unwilling to be directed in the right manner.
The world says the
teaching of a Savior is too spiritual.
The world says a
Savior would demand too much from them.
The world says a
Savior would interfere with their sensuous desires.
We live in a foolish
world!
Amen
Let's Pray!
