The Prayer Life of the Messiah

Jesus Prayed for His Disciples

Book of John Chapter 17:1-26

The Apostle Paul was writing to the Corinthian Church and he gave us this piece of Scripture by the Holy Spirit.

1Co_2:16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

It is a fact that we cannot know everything of the mind of the Lord but today in Chapter 17 of the Book of the Apostle John, we get to take a look into the deep thoughts of our Savior.

*****Joh 17:1 These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee:

Joh 17:2 As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.

At this time these 11 disciples of Christ Jesus are with Him in transit to the Garden of Gethsemane. It would only be a few hours before Jesus would be taken into custody and this same day He would be murdered by Crucifixion, the Capitol death of the Roman Government.

Jesus clearly understood all these things, yet His thoughts were still upon the souls His Father had given to Him!

Jesus was praying directly unto God the Father, but He was within hearing range of His disciples.

Jesus knew that His time had come.

The time of the birth of Jesus had been set by His Father:

Gal 4:4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,

Gal 4:5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.

Now the time of His death was set by His Father, and Jesus had known these things all along.

Most of us when we pray, we bow in humility, but Jesus lifted up His eyes. We must always remember when we approach the Throne of God, we must remember who is sitting upon that throne.

It is the Almighty Living God!

Psa 89:7 God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him.

Psa 89:8 O LORD God of hosts, who is a strong LORD like unto thee? or to thy faithfulness round about thee?

We must have a reverend fear of God but not a fear of "bondage" but the fear of "adoption". Romans 8:15

We must be clear in our minds that true prayer must be based upon "faith in" the promises of God.

We live and die by the promises of God.

Our hope lies in the promises of God and even God the Son respected the promises that God the Father had given to Him. Again our example!

We know that Jesus, the Messiah is the same one who walked with Adam and was Captain of the host that help Joshua, but until Jesus came as the Messiah, no one really knew Him.

It was nearly time for Jesus to return to Heaven as High Priest of the Church.

It is our High Priest that represents all believers to God the Father.

Jesus Christ is forever our Intercessor.

Heb 7:25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

Heb 7:26 For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;

Heb 7:27 Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.

It is Jesus Christ who now holds the power over all flesh.

Since Jesus did come, we now know more about the Triune God. God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.

*****Joh 17:3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

Joh 17:4 I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.

How is eternal life obtained? By knowing the only true God and that by Jesus Christ!

Jesus had done His part. He had laid down the foundation of the Church. Jesus had made us all aware of God the Father. When Jesus got back to Heaven, He would dispatch the Holy Spirit to keep the Church moving in the right direction.

It would soon be time for God to do His part. God would have to glorify God the Son by raising Him from that death He had sent Him to do!

We will notice as we go through this prayer that Jesus uses the term Father 6 times. Not "My Father", not "Our Father" but "Father".

Everything Jesus did upon this earth was the most important thing that could have happened for us but the one thing that was the most important was the death of our Savior. Let that sink in for a moment!

Jesus was truly the Messiah, the immortal God but He was also man and His man side need to be encouraged and strengthened and He had to realize that only in His death would there be victory.

The whole purpose of God coming to this earth was to provide to mankind the only means of eternal life.

Jesus Christ was glorified by God giving Him the power and authority over all flesh.

Joh 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

Joh 5:25 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.

True life can come from only one direction, it is the life of God instilled into each believer.

It is in God's energy.

It is in God's life force.

It is in God's being.

It is in God's essence.

It is in God's principle.

It is in God's power over all life!

It is impossible to live in eternal life upon this place called earth.

Eternal life comes by perfection and perfection comes only by the Lord Jesus Christ!

1Jn 5:11 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.

1Jn 5:12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.

1Jn 5:13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

Jesus Christ had glorified His Father by completing the work God the Father had given Him to do!

It is the same for each of us. We will have glorified God when we have finished the work the Lord has given us to do!

Glorified also means, we honor God, we exalt God, we give God the glory for the things we accomplish in His name.

1Pe_4:14 If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.

Verse 5

*****Joh 17:5 And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.

Joh 17:6 I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word.

Joh 17:7 Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee.

Notice Jesus did not say, "Our Father" that would have put Him on the same level as we are.

Jesus did not say "My Father" because this could have led to a belief of separation, not One God but three.

Jesus simply says "Father" as Jesus had confirmed the Holy Trinity.

What do we already know?

2Co 8:9 For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.

Php 2:7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

Php 2:8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

We know that Jesus had emptied Himself of His glory to take on flesh to do the work that God the Father had given Him to do.

Now Jesus is saying to restore that Glory to Him that He had had before the first day of creation.

God the Son was sent to restore the eternal life that Adam once had before sin entered into his life and Jesus would complete that work when He was nailed to that cross until He gave His life for us!

God the Son is distinct from God the Father, yet they are still One God, including God the Holy Spirit.

In His short time on this earth Jesus had shown the world the character and the nature of God.

Jesus also showed the world He was not about to beg people to believe, but only He had the truth and the world is full of lies.

Jesus taught us not to waste our time on those who were not receptive to His truth!

Mar 6:11 And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear you, when ye depart thence, shake off the dust under your feet for a testimony against them. Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment, than for that city.

It is God that calls those who are to be used.

It is the call of God that enables us to believe!

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.

But not everyone called of God will believe.

Mat_22:14 For many are called, but few are chosen.

We should understand this calling as the work of the Holy Spirit!

Joh 6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.

Joh 6:45 It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.

Joh 6:46 Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is of God, he hath seen the Father.

Joh 6:47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.

Then the truth comes by the Lord Jesus Christ.

Joh 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Verse 8

*****Joh 17:8 For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me.

Joh 17:9 I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.

We may sometimes question the faith of these 11 men but in this text, Jesus says they received His words by "Faith". Surely like us they did not understand many things but if Jesus says it then, it has to be the truth.

These 11 men had come out of the world to accept the Lord Jesus Christ.

These 11 men had truly become disciples, even though they were not perfect.

Let's consider that even when we were out in the world, we belonged to God because He is our Creator.

We are called and then chosen if we accept the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior and are therefore given to Jesus by our Creator.

One day in the near future, the Lord Jesus will present us back to our Creator our Father, as been made perfect and we can then spend eternity with our Heavenly Father.

Heb 3:14 For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end;

The key to these things taking place is the fact that we have place our "faith" in the promises of God's Dear Son!

At this point Jesus prays for these 11 men.

Jesus did not pray for the world at this minute because the world needed these men to be the chosen Apostles of the Lord Jesus Christ.

We already know that God had a great love for the world. (Hence John 3:16).

Jesus prayed for these 11 men because he was responsible for their welfare.

It is these 11 men plus the Apostle Paul who would turn this world upside down to form the Church!

*****Joh 17:10 And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them.

Joh 17:11 And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.

Joh 17:12 While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.

Again Jesus places Himself on the same level as our Heavenly Father. Every character trait that is in our Heavenly Father is also in God the Son and the same can be said of the Holy Spirit.

Another important fact we see here is that God the Father and God the Son have the same concern over all believers beginning with these men.

Joh 10:29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.

Joh 10:30 I and my Father are one.

We must understand that the mission of the Church, preaching the "Gospel" was given to these 11 men.

These were the first Ambassadors of Christ on this world!

Mat 28:18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

Mat 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

Mat 28:20 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.

If we have not seen by now, we live in a very divisive world. It was very important that these 11 men to not get caught up in this divisiveness.

They were to be the start of the Church and they dearly needed one another!

The Lord Jesus Christ had provided the foundation of the Church.

When Jesus returned to Heaven the responsibility of the Church would be handed over to the Holy Spirit.

Jesus prayed to His Heavenly Father that the believers would be as close to God, as God and His Son!

The Church is to be "One" in the same nature as God by being "Born Again" in the family of God.

The Church is to become a partaker of the "Divine Nature" of God.

The Church is to become the family of God.

The Church is to become the rebuilt Temple of God that cannot be destroyed.

The Church is to become the preferred race of people.

Eph 4:17 This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,

Eph 4:18 Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:

Eph 4:19 Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.

Eph 4:20 But ye have not so learned Christ;

Eph 4:21 If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:

The Church is to have a single purpose, to spread the "Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ".

The Church is to have the "Joy of the Lord" in following in the ways of the Lord Jesus Christ!

*****Joh 17:13 And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves.

Joh 17:14 I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

That "Joy" comes because Jesus was going home to be with His Father and we are to have this same "Joy" as we will one day be going home to be with the Father!

Many believe that once saved God will deliver us through the trials of this world but that is not true.

The promise of God says He will deliver us through our trials and tribulations.

It means we will live a victorious life! We might ask, why not?

God will always answer the prayers of His Son!

God has given all believers to Jesus Christ.

No doubt the closer the relationship we have with the Lord and our Father in Heaven, the better off we are!

The truth is God will not allow anything to come between us and His Son.

Joh 6:39 And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.

Joh 6:40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

God does not forget the promises He makes!

Why is the Christian hated? We are those aliens that the world has been spending so much money trying find.

We are those peculiar people in a world of people who reject the truth.

Why does the Lord not take us out of this world when we are saved?

The Lord specifically asked Him not to, we have a work that needs to be accomplished.

*****Joh 17:15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.

Joh 17:16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

Joh 17:17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

You see Satan, the evil one, can only tempt the Christian, God will certainly keep us from his evil clutches.

These 11 men needed a protection that could come from no other source, just as we do today.

Just because of the message that the disciples of the Lord would bring, they would be hated, and this has not changed today.

1) God has given all His disciples the Word of God. Satan's disciples do not want to hear what God has to say.

2) God is Holy, the followers of Satan are immoral and depraved.

3) God the Son demands total allegiance and a commitment to God the Father, through God the Holy Spirit.

Jesus came out of Heaven to lay claim to all those that God will call and who God has chosen if they would have "faith".

All those who would be "Born Again" and would seek to be in the nature of God and not the sin nature of Adam.

The disciples were needed to begin the Church, the body of Christ, the Church, the home of God's messengers.

To sanctify is to be set apart for God's use!

Rom 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

Rom 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Jesus Christ did go to the Cross to pay our sin debt but that was only part of it.

Jesus knew that this must take place, so mankind could recover the purity and truth that God intended when Adam and Eve were made in innocence.

To be sanctified then could only take place by knowing the complete truth of God. The Written Word of God that we have today!

Psa 19:7 The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.

Psa 19:8 The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.

Psa 19:9 The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.

Psa 19:10 More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.

Jesus then says all disciples of Jesus Christ are to be missionaries and ambassadors for Christ.

*****Joh 17:18 As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.

Joh 17:19 And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.

It is a great privilege to be a part of God' plan for salvation for all those who will believe!

All disciples have the same ministry of Jesus the ministry of reconciliation.

2Co_5:18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;

2Co_5:19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

Heb_2:17 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.

How did Jesus say He sanctified Himself?

Psa 40:7 Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me,

Psa 40:8 I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.

Psa 40:9 I have preached righteousness in the great congregation: lo, I have not refrained my lips, O LORD, thou knowest.

Psa 40:10 I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart; I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation: I have not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truth from the great congregation.

Now then Jesus brings the Church into the picture.

*****Joh 17:20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;

Joh 17:21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.

Saving "Faith" can come only by the Word of God.

From the Word of God we learn of the "pardon".

We learn of "justification".

We learn of "adoption".

We learn of "sanctification".

All these through the Lord Jesus Christ!

Joh 20:31 But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.

Notice it is very clear, the benefits of Jesus Christ come only to those who believe in the work He has done for our salvation!

Jesus has prayed for each and every one who has "Faith" in the Lord Jesus Christ!

Notice we must not only believe upon the words written about Him, but we must believe on Him, the Living Son of God!

Here we also see the mistake of the modern Church. There is no new message. God has not changed anything to suit this modern world. To be a "Born Again" child of God we must believe the message of these 11 men plus the Apostle Paul and this message will never change because their message was the message that the Lord Jesus Christ gave to them!

We can never be "ONE" with Christ if we do not accept His Message!

*****Joh 17:22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:

Joh 17:23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.

A divided message is not a true message!

As believers we must be unified around the Word of God.

Just as a divided house cannot stand and a divided kingdom cannot stand then a divided Church cannot stand, and this is what we see today.

The church is more divided than it has ever been. A division that goes far beyond foolish denominations.

We must understand that it is not what we believe, it is what God has said!

The Word of God has been so twisted up deliberately by so many, that today many do not know the truth of the Word of God.

We can only give God the glory when we teach His truth!

God gave Jesus His message and sent Him to this earth with that message.

Jesus gave that same message to the Apostles.

The Apostle gave that same message to this world.

It’s time we listened to what God has to say without voicing our own opinion!

Col 1:25 Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God;

Col 1:26 Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:

Col 1:27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

We can never have the glory of God if we reject the glory of His Word!

*****Joh 17:24 Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.

Joh 17:25 O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me.

Joh 17:26 And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.

We find this Scripture in the Book of Hebrews:

Heb 1:8 But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.

God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit all share the same throne in Heaven because they are "One God".

With this thought in mind, it is the last will of a dyeing man, Jesus in the Flesh, and Jesus the Son of God, that all His disciples be with Him in Heaven.

Now everyone who goes home to be with the Lord, including those 12 Apostles are already with the Lord in Heaven and we will join them all at our death or at the "Rapture" of the Church which is the tool that will make the Jews jealous enough to realize that they have been wrong all these years.

1Jn_3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

Jesus now prays to His righteous Father who always does things the right way and Jesus says it is only right that the family comes back home.

It is just as obvious today as in these last days of Jesus on this earth, that the world still does not know the One True God and it does not look like the world cares.

We know that we have a loving Father in Heaven who not only loved this world enough to have a plan of salvation that cannot fail, but in the end, will accept every believer into His family in a totally new home.

The world says we are crazy, but it is actually in reverse. It is the world that is foolish.

The world we live in now will one day reach a point when all mankind are deliberately evil and the Lord will return to do as he did at the time off Noah, yet this time by fire but this will never take place until he has brought His children home.

It is all our job to declare to this world the name of God which is "LOVE" if we just look at His actions toward us!

It is impossible to love a God that we cannot know!

It is Jesus Christ who expresses the Love of God and shares that love with us!

There is no god like unto Jehovah, the "I AM" of the Bible.

Amen

Let's Pray!

At Peace With God

Jesus Promised Peace

Book of John 16:16-33

If we remember all the wonderful things of last week’s lesson, then we will continue knowing those this week.

We know that having "faith" in the work that the Lord Jesus did to provide our salvation then we know we will not get to Heaven without this knowledge.

Act 4:8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel,

Act 4:9 If we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by what means he is made whole;

Act 4:10 Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole.

Act 4:11 This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.

Act 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

It is now Thursday where at 6 PM Friday will begin.

Here we are less than a day before Jesus was to be crucified and Jesus was talking about having the peace of God by making peace with God!

Jesus takes this time to proclaim His resurrection and the effect His resurrection will have upon this world.

*****Joh 16:16 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.

In this lesson we will get to see the humanity of these 11 men. As Apostles they were mighty warriors for the Gospel and began the early church.

This day they were humans who did not understand what the Lord is saying, like many of us when we try to understand what God is saying.

If we hold on and pray, the same Scripture that caused confusion will be explained in another Scripture.

The Lord never tries to leave us with doubts!

Jesus Christ just revealed to these men that it was just a day before He would be taken away from them and He would die upon a cross.

Jesus had talked of these things but now they were about to become a reality.

Joh 7:33 Then said Jesus unto them, Yet a little while am I with you, and then I go unto him that sent me.

Joh 7:34 Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, thither ye cannot come.

Before these words even settle in, Jesus says and a little while after His death, they would see Him again.

This would be the three days He had taught them earlier!

Mat_12:40 For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

We know that these 3 days were from Friday to Sunday, the way that the Jews counted their days.

Then Jesus goes on to say that because they will see Him after His resurrection, our best information says for about 40 days, then He will go home to His Father who sent Him!

Obviously, this was a lot of information for them to digest at this point in their relationship with the Lord.

Many of us had these same thoughts when the truth of Christ Jesus was revealed to us!

These 11 men confessed that these were things that they could not understand.

*****Joh 16:17 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?

Joh 16:18 They said therefore, What is this that he saith, A little while? we cannot tell what he saith.

Notice they were first too embarrassed to confront Jesus, so they talked among themselves. As we know, nothing can be hidden from the Lord!

We need to understand what puzzled these men.

In a little while, really just a few hours, the Lord Jesus Christ would take on all the sin of the world, past, present and future and He would take this sin to Hell where it belonged.

In another little while, 3 days by Jewish time, Jesus would raise from the dead, and these men would see Him and be with Him for about 40 days.

In fact there were more than 500 witnesses that saw Jesus after His death and His resurrection.

The theme of this passage may be that we all understand, that it is only a little while by Heavens time that the Lord will return, and we should be looking for His return!

Jesus not only triumphed over sin and Satan, but He also triumphed over death!

You see, we need to concentrate on our future and not our sinful past!

When we go to sleep at night, we can rest knowing our future is bright.

When did we know these things? Just like these 11 men, not until we received the Holy Spirit to live within us.

The main thing we need to understand is Jesus Christ did resurrect from the dead. His tomb is empty just like He said it would be!

If there was no resurrection, there would be no church!

The Holy Ghost has taken some time in the "Gospels" not only to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ, but also to show us the skepticism of these 11 men.

When we compare them before the resurrection to what we see after Pentecost when the Holy Spirit has awakened them to the truth, we see much difference.

They were fishers of fish who became fishers of men! The Gospels allow us to see this transition. They were "Born Again" just as we must be to understand the Word of God!

Mar 1:17 And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men

Of course Jesus knew their thoughts.

*****Joh 16:19 Now Jesus knew that they were desirous to ask him, and said unto them, Do ye enquire 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?

What we see next is that Jesus would not wait until they had enough courage to ask Jesus to clarify Himself.

Jesus never wants us to be confused in the Scriptures, so if will study we will see that best commentary of the Bible is the Bible itself!

Heb 4:13 Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.

Heb 4:14 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.

Then Jesus explains Himself:

***** Joh 16:20 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.

We must also not miss the patience of the Lord.

Jesus knows the only question that is not answered is the question that is not asked!

Besides these 11 men who would be the Apostles there were about 500 more who would weep for the Lord Jesus during His passion and His death.

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:

1Co 15:5 And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve:

1Co 15:6 After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.

1Co 15:7 After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.

1Co 15:8 And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.

The rest of the world rejoiced that Jesus had been murdered!

At this point in all their lives they had accepted Satan!

In the death of Jesus, these men lost their most dear, and most trusted friend!

They had still not realized what the Lord had taught them, and they were most disappointed in their own hopes.

They had looked forward to the Messianic Kingdom but when the time is right, they will not realize so much time has passed.

Just like when we meet our own loved ones already in Heaven, they will not realize that so much time has passed because they live in the land of no time.

When the resurrection of the Lord takes places joy will return to these men. At the ascension of the Lord they will begin to understand what the Lord was saying. When the Holy Spirit comes upon them at Pentecost, they will know why the Lord did all the things that He did!

The Lord Jesus gives us an example:

*****Joh 16:21 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.

There is a great contrast between sorrow over death and the joy of the resurrection.

Because of the curse placed on women, because of the disobedience of Eve, a woman suffers greatly for the biggest part of 9 months.

Gen 3:16 Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.

Eve had been disobedient to the Word of God given to her husband Adam and Adam had allowed her to do it!

At child birth she suffers the most and there is great pain but when that child appears all that sorrow and pain disappears!

The joy of the resurrection of Jesus Christ can only be poorly compared to the joy at the birth of a child!

Now Jesus did not say that the mother's sorrow and pain was replaced by joy but that it was transformed into joy.

The same baby that caused the pain also was the same baby that was the cause of joy!

The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the one greatest event in world history!

1Co 15:20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.

1Co 15:21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.

1Co 15:22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

1Co 15:23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.

1Co 15:24 Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.

How is all this sorrow overcome, the Lord Jesus Christ did rise from His death, The Lord Jesus Christ did rise in His ascension and though world says no, the Lord Jesus Christ will return, first to get His Church and next to bring judgment on those who have rejected Him!

*****Joh 16:22 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.

Joh 16:23 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.

We go through a lot of things upon this earth, some good but much bad, but the day we meet Jesus in the air will be a day of great joy knowing our earthly life is over and we will be going home.

In fact, we must never think we will see the sorrow of these 11 men and some others. In fact we should never lose our peace, or love, know that we are the children of God.

Even now since Jesus went back to Heaven, He is our High Priest, but He is also our Mediator between us and God.

In fact Jesus is so confident that we are the Father's children that He says, Just ask your Father in the name of Jesus, and He will provide.

These things must be in the will of God for us, but to be in God's will is to be obedient to the Word of God and the Words of His Dear Son!

When we think we have not heard from God we must first see if we have been obedient children!

Joh 15:7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.

Joh 15:8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.

You see at the death of Christ Jesus, the veil was ripped into in the Jewish Temple signifying that only the High Priest could go beyond, the veil.

When Jesus ascended back to Heaven, He became our own High Priest and assumed the duties of the Jewish High Priests, not just for the Jews but for the Church.

1Jn 5:14 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:

1Jn 5:15 And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

1Jn 5:16 If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it.

1Jn 5:17 All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death.

1Jn 5:18 We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.

1Jn 5:19 And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.

I particularly like that part about; that wicked one(Satan) cannot touch us!

What else did Jesus say to these 11?

*****Joh 16:24 Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.

We just do not realize how much we have gained since Jesus Christ went back to Heaven!

There is an open door into the throne room of God that has been given to us!

1) The death of Christ has told us things that Jesus could not tell the Apostles.

2) The resurrection of Christ has cast His light upon all the dark places in this world.

3) The ascension of Christ has opened the door to Heaven for all God's children.

Jesus has already said that we know where He went, and we know how to get there!

These Apostles had been going directly to Jesus because He was with them, now they needed to go directly to the Father but through the name of Jesus Christ.

This is not so hard to understand, yet so many refuse to do it!

You cannot get to the Father in any way, form, or fashion, without going through the Lord Jesus Christ!

*****Joh 16:25 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 shew you plainly of the Father.

A proverb was an eastern method of teaching by similitudes and figures and parables because the people could connect to what was said.

A similitude is speaking of one thing that will awaken in you the meaning of a far greater thing.

Jesus used this method a lot to teach these disciples.

Mat 13:13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.

Mat 13:14 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:

Mar_4:34 But without a parable spake he not unto them: and when they were alone, he expounded all things to his disciples.

You see there is coming a time when we will not need parables and proverbs to teach us because we will get to see the real thing.

We should know the importance of what Jesus is saying!

*****Joh 16:26 At that day ye shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you:

Joh 16:27 For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God.

Joh 16:28 I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father.

Maybe the greatest gift Jesus has given to us, while we are yet upon this earth is "Prayer".

We can walk boldly into the throne of God and make our request be known of Him!

God wants us to pray because a prayer means we trust our Father.

Without faith we will never please our Father in Heaven and it is certain we will never get a prayer answered.

In its simplest fashion, prayer is having a conversation with our Creator!

The truth is that prayer can change the way God acts!

We can never change the plan of God in any way, but things that have no effect on the plan of God, He is willing to change!

Jas 4:2 Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.

Jas 4:3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.

1Jn 1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

1Jn 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

1Jn 1:10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

Besides "faith" that God can do as we ask, if we ask right, it is still out of reach if we do not end our prayer by saying in Jesus name!

We should also understand that God knows everything about us and everything we may need. We cannot hide anything from God and we are fools to try to. We need to describe our sin, so our Father will know that we understand what sin is.

The main thing to understand is, that our Heavenly Father loves us much more than we will ever understand while we live upon this earth!

Again Jesus emphasizes that all these things begin when we accept the fact the Jesus Christ is the God-man. Jesus Christ is God come down from Heaven to provide a plan of salvation so great that it could not have been conceived by man!

What does the world believe?

The world believes that God is an angry God and Jesus has to beg Him to save us.

The world believes that God is just moving around in outer space and really does not care for us.

The world believes that maybe God exist or maybe not, but it is good to pray anyhow.

We can see why most of the prayers of the world go unanswered.

Eph 2:4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,

Eph 2:5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)

Eph 2:6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

Eph 2:7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.

How did the disciples react to these words? They knew what Jesus was saying!

*****Joh 16:29 His disciples said unto him, Lo, now speakest thou plainly, and speakest no proverb.

Joh 16:30 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.

The resurrection of Jesus Christ proves that Jesus was the true Messiah!

Jesus came from our Heavenly Father and Jesus returned to our Heavenly Father!

Rom 1:4 And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:

We can look back on History and see that these disciples did not really understand what Jesus was saying at this time.

These disciples may have had great faith that Jesus did come from the Father, as the Messiah, but they had not grasp all of what Jesus had said!

They were still lacking "faith" in His Words!

It is like the wise man said: "no one is interested with the life boats until the ship is sinking!

The truth is you cannot keep the mouth shut in a true believer!

Christians are quiet when they do not have the faith, they say they do!

And Jesus said: You do not really know what your faith says!

*****Joh 16:31 Jesus answered them, Do ye now believe?

Joh 16:32 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.

It is easy to see that even when the Lord was surrounded by those who said they were believers, He was still standing alone!

It also can be said that down deep in our own souls we know we will die alone just as the Lord did!

It is sad that so many say they believe, and they do not know why!

We should also remember that it is getting late on Thursday and at 6 o'clock Friday would begin.

Jesus shook their beliefs when He said to them they would turn and run and Jesus would have to defend Himself alone.

Jesus was not questioning their "faith", but He was questioning the intensity of their "faith".

This is where we get in trouble especially in our prayer life.

We can say we have faith and we do, but just how great a faith do we have?

Jesus said just a little faith could move mountains!

Mat_17:20 And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.

You see it is the existence of faith that we all must have.

Those who have great "faith" must help those who have little "faith"!

Jesus would die on the cross the very next day, so the time was very short, and Jesus knew they would scatter but He also knew that they would come together to change this world.

It would be at the cross where Jesus would find Himself totally alone because, He took upon Himself the sin of the entire world, that day and everyday future.

Mar_15:34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

You see this is what sin does it separates us from our loving God!

With sin removed we can be at peace with God.

*****Joh 16:33 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.

Six times Jesus uses this phrase.

It is in the death of Jesus Christ that we receive the atonement!

This is the work of Christ that we must believe to be saved and at peace with God.

It is the love of God that brought this about by God the Son (Jesus).

Rom 3:25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;

Rom 3:26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.

God could not have saved us in any manner and we should consider that God did not have to save us at all, which is another proof of His love.

This death had to take place for there to be a resurrection.

Luk 24:25 Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken:

Luk 24:26 Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?

The resurrection had to take place before there could ever be a glorification.

Rom 8:23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.

Rom 8:24 For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?

We already know by now that we indeed see the tribulation of this world against Christians and we must know that these things will get worse.

But it is that peace of God, without understanding that allows us to feel the joy of the Lord that will carry us through till the time to go home.

Joh 15:11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.

Amen

Let's Pray!

The Promised Comforter

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!