John 16

Good mornin!  Thanks for keeping up the good work!  Today is John 16 and Jesus continues His discussion with His friends about His departure.  If you read through the chapters 14 till now you'll realized Jesus has started this discussion about how He will die.  They seem to really struggle with this news, and rightfully so, due to their expectations about what Christ's Kingdom would look like.

You see their version of victory and success was totally different that the one Jesus was telling them about. They had no idea that Jesus was going to die this way and thought they maybe His ministry would end with Him as King and the Roman rulers bowing at His feet.  But that wasn't the type of kingdom Jesus was leading.  His Kingdom was a revolt against dead religion, point earning and judging others.  His Kingdom was one of grace and mercy but also obedience.  His death on the cross was necessary to put God's plan into action.

This Kingdom comes at a price though.  Not only Christ's death on the cross but also at the expense of public opinion.  Jesus tells them "They will make you outcasts from the synagogue, but an hour is coming for everyone who kills you to think that he is offering service to God."  YIKES!!!  Jesus is saying that people at some point in history will say, "I did the right thing, I killed a Christian today!" What?  Pretty messed up right?

This really gives me a different perspective on what I would consider "persecution" in my neck O' tha woods.  When someone makes a Christian look stupid in the movies, if I get a weird look from someone when I tell them I'm a believer or if the conversation suddenly ends when I tell them that I am a pastor!  None of that is real persecution but even then, I can take confidence in the fact that they treated Jesus and the early church in the same way AND it is an honor to experience that for the sake of Christ (James 1:5)!

Jesus mentions something else about this Kingdom and about His death.  That His death on the cross accomplishes 3 things through the Holy Spirit.  It will convict the world concerning sin, righteousness and judgment.  The sin that is being talked about is the sin of unbelief.  Not believing in Jesus Christ is the ultimate sin and must be dealt with.  The only way for that to happen is to believe in Jesus.  The world will be convicted of righteousness in that they will see that anything they do that is "good" will not stand up against the greatness of Christ's righteousness (or good deeds, pure motives, close relationship with God).  Finally the last word there is judgement.  That evil will ultimately be dealt with and was dealt with on the cross.  When Jesus died on the cross Satan was defeated.  The power of Jesus' death, burial and resurrection was so great that Satan has no response (Colossians 2:15).  "In the world  you have tribulation (trouble) but take courage; for I have overcome the world.

I would like to leave you with this thought, no problem that you are facing right now, is more powerful than Christ.  No situation that you are struggling with is too big for the Gospel (good news of Jesus).  Go to God in prayer today and ask Him to take control of it.  Trust Him through it and your faith will grow stronger!

Cool Fact:


This is one of the chapters that details what is called "the upper room discourse" where Jesus talks about some important facts concerning His death, burial and resurrection.  This chapter ends this "discourse" (13:31-16:33).  

In verse 25 Jesus says that He has been speaking about His death in riddles and mysterious sayings.  He did so to avoid telling the disciples something that just may blow their minds!  He was looking out for their well being.