The Disciples of Christ
13 - Encouragement
We’ve been looking at the teaching of the Lord Jesus as found in the Gospel of John chapters 13 to 16. In chapter 13 we discovered Christ’s EXAMPLE, and in chapter 14 His ENLIGHTENMENT. In chapter 15 we saw that the Master taught His followers that His expectation of them was that they bear fruit in their lives. For this last study, we look at chapter 16 and discover how the Lord sought to ENCOURAGE His disciples. We will find that He does this through His teaching about the work of the Holy Spirit of God. Jesus was about to leave them, and so the minds of the disciples were focused on this, rather than on the promised coming of the Holy Spirit.
The Lord Jesus encourages them and says to them: "I tell you the truth. It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counsellor will not come to you. But if I go, I will send Him to you." In love and patience, Jesus promised His disciples that the intense sadness they felt with the prospect of His leaving them, would be only for a short time. After this, with the comfort of the indwelling Holy Spirit, they would be full of joy instead of grief, and full of power instead of weakness. He promised them that they would not be left as orphans with no one to care for them. That’s in chapter 14 verse 18.
It has been well said, that the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, not only ministers sympathy, but is the one who imparts strength. Not only does He bring pity in sorrow, He also brings power in service. So, having assured the disciples that the Holy Spirit would certainly come, Jesus goes on to describe what the Spirit would do. You will find this in verses 8 to 15 of John chapter 16. First, He taught them that the Holy Spirit would have a work in the world at large related to its sinfulness and need. Then He told them that He would have a special ministry for the disciples themselves in bringing them truth and assurance. Will you discover first of all, that aspect of the work of the Spirit of God which has to do with the world at large. In verse 8 Jesus said: "When He comes He will convict the world of guilt - in regard to sin, and righteousness, and judgement." What Jesus was really saying was this: You, my disciples, will receive the Holy Spirit, and through you the Spirit will undertake His mission of convicting, convincing and converting sinful, unrighteous men and women to Jesus Christ. In the Acts of the Apostles we see this happening time and time again as these disciples witnessed to their faith, and as they preached the live-giving good news of Jesus Christ. Dear fellow disciple of Christ, remember that you are a present-day channel through which the Holy Spirit of God is able to work for the blessing of those who are dying in their sins. So, through you and me the Holy Spirit has a ministry to the world at large.
But He also has a ministry to the followers, the disciples, of the Lord Jesus. Note the Master’s words in verse 13 of this chapter: "When He the Spirit of Truth comes, He will guide you into ALL TRUTH." All truth is a very comprehensive promise. It has to do with all that you as a Christian will ever need spiritually. In an earlier talk
in this series, we discovered the wonderful truth that the Holy Spirit is a personal tutor Who lives in every disciple of Jesus Christ. In these verses the Master says of the Spirit: "He will speak only what He hears. He will tell you what is to come, and He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you." I love that phrase - "He will bring glory to me." Jesus was about to bring glory to His Father by His obedience that would take Him to the awful death of the cross. So too, the Spirit would glorify Christ by making clear the great significance of the person and work of the Lord Jesus. There is a lesson for US in this that we should, in all we do for our Master, seek only His glory and never our own.
The Lord goes on to talk about some more encouragements that would ease the distress of His departure from them. In verse 16 He says: "In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a while you will see me." And in verse 22, "Now is the time of your grief, but I will see you again, and no one will take away your joy!"
Jesus was, of course, referring here to His resurrection appearances one of which John tells us about in chapter 20 verse 20: "He showed them His hands and His side, and the disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord." I am certain that that sight of their risen Lord never left them! Like all Christians, those first disciples would live for the day when they would be in the presence of their Lord for ever. What a prospect that is for all who love the Saviour and long to see His lovely face! This encouragement then was that they would see Him again.
We find another encouragement in verses 23 and 24 of John 16. "Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive." Prayer is the great privilege of every Christian believer. God speaks to US through His word - the Bible. We speak to HIM in prayer. There is a hymn which puts it this way: "What a privilege to carry EVERYTHING to God in prayer."
The final encouragement for the disciples is in verse 33. Jesus says: "I have told you these things so that in me you might have peace. In this world you will have trouble, but take heart! I have overcome the world!" In His life on earth the Lord Jesus Christ had shown that in Him truth and righteousness had overcome the evil influences of the world. Very soon He would go to the cross and there totally defeat Satan, the world and death. His would be a total victory, and here He promises that HIS victory would be the victory of His devoted followers. This then is the victory that overcomes the world. What an encouragement for you today as a disciple of the Saviour!
So we come to the end of this series of talks about Christian Discipleship. My prayer for you is that you will continue to FOLLOW FAITHFULLY, LEARN LOVINGLY and IMITATE INTENSELY as a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ.