In John 16 Jesus is speaking to the disciples about how He will be leaving them and that He will leave the Holy Spirit to help them and empower them for the ministry ahead of them. John 16:5 “But now I am going away to the one who sent me, and not one of you is asking where I am going. 6 Instead, you grieve because of what I’ve told you. 7 But in fact, it is best for you that I go away, because if I don’t, the Advocate won’t come. If I do go away, then I will send him to you. 8 And when he comes, he will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment.
It was vital to the continuation of Jesus’ ministry for the Holy Spirit to come and empower all His followers (those who have accepted Jesus) and help them to fight the good fight and spread His gospel. But the disciples didn’t understand what Jesus is clearly telling them will happen and they didn’t understand just how important it is that He finish the course set before Him.
Jesus would speak many times figuratively, as he says in verse 25:“I have spoken of these matters in figures of speech, but soon I will stop speaking figuratively and will tell you plainly all about the Father. In other words, they are going to get a lovely reality about God the Father through Jesus the Son and they will be impacted in a fresh new way. This is what you might call a straight way to God, with no restrictions, per the Holy Spirit. What a revelation is available for those who get connected to God’s power, God’s wisdom, and God’s ways. Yes, God’s ways. We don’t have to guess anymore because the living Word of God speaks plainly about living life and living for Jesus. No guesswork. No assumptions.
Of course Christians try to put their own twist on anything God might say, but keep in mind that you can read it, trust it, understand it, and live in the power of it. GOD’S WORD!! God’s Word opens up a treasure trove of understanding and wisdom for living our life in power and strength. So…. why don’t we read it for ourselves? Don’t take somebody else’s opinion or their spin on something God has made plain and clear for all believers. It doesn’t mean we all of a sudden get great knowledge, but it does mean that the knowledge is accessible. But we need to read it, study it, and apply it. The very words of Jesus to His disciples was an eye-opening reality about getting in contact with the God who made everything. Plainly speaking-We have the power to live a life of victory and righteousness and it is supplied by God directly to us. So many times we don’t access all that Jesus did on the cross for us. The apostle Paul knew exactly what he was risking his life for and he speaks to this great truth in Romans 5:When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.
Speaking plainly we must know that the sacrifice of Jesus brought us victory throughout eternity and eternity is NOW!! So let us live in the glow of that great victory and be victorious every moment of our life. This is only possible through the help of the Holy Spirit and Jesus said that plainly. Our access to God though is made possible through coming in the Name of Jesus. Verse 26 Then you will ask in my name. I’m not saying I will ask the Father on your behalf, 27 for the Father himself loves you dearly because you love me and believe that I came from God.28 Yes, I came from the Father into the world, and now I will leave the world and return to the Father.”
Then the proverbial light went off in the brains of those disciples and they were never the same, just like you and me. Verse 29 Then his disciples said, “At last you are speaking plainly and not figuratively. 30 Now we understand that you know everything, and there’s no need to question you. From this we believe that you came from God.” That Godly righteousness gave them the power to live for Jesus and proclaim the message in the face of unbelievable odds. And we live out of that same power as they did, so we should never doubt God about anything and come to the Father in the name of Jesus the Son. To say it plainly. Come to God for anything and come in the name of Jesus. He did it so we could use it and then imparted a Godly righteousness each of us.
The Pilgrimage continues….
David Warren
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