Scripture reading: John 16:1-15.

Sermon text: John 16:16-33.

Sometimes, we really don’t know how to handle bad news. Then, when the bad news finally sinks in, we wonder whether life will ever continue.

Today’s passage includes the last teachings Jesus would give His disciples before His death. Jesus had tried to prepare His disciples for His inevitable departure, but today’s chapter reminds us they didn’t fully understand Him until nearly the very end of His time with them. In spite of everything Jesus had told them, the disciples failed to realize the importance of His words until His last moments with them before they entered the Garden of Gethsemane.

Still, Jesus’ teachings in chapter 16 of St. John’s Gospel would greatly comfort the disciples in the dark days following His arrest and crucifixion. Jesus’ words continue to give us comfort today, especially when life’s trials threaten to overwhelm us. When Jesus fulfilled His promise of the “Helper,” the Holy Spirit, He gave us the power of Almighty God to help us through suffering and pain. Everyone who believes in Jesus will find the power to overcome the trials and persecution we may face in our lives.

Jesus opened these teachings by warning the disciples of the inevitable reaction to their belief in Him as Messiah. “They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God.” Following the Holy Spirit’s coming on Pentecost, the disciples continued to worship in the synagogues as all Jews did. Jesus’ disciples did not see His coming, or their belief in Him as Messiah, as a rejection of their Jewish faith; on the contrary, they believed in Jesus as the fulfillment of Judaism’s Scriptures.

It didn’t take long for the persecutions to begin. You can read of the beginnings of persecution by the Jews in the first chapters of Acts. St. Stephen’s martyrdom triggered the worst of the persecutions under the Pharisee named “Saul.” After Saul’s conversion (Acts 9), Jewish Christian participation in synagogue worship continued until after the fall of Jerusalem in A.D. 70, when the remnants of Judaism began casting out the Christians for their failure to participate in the revolt against Rome. The Council of Jamnia in A.D. 90 inserted a prayer condemning the “Nazarenes” (Christians) in the final benedictions of synagogue worship, sealing the break between Judaism and Christianity.

At the present moment, Jesus needed to comfort the disciples; they would need all the comfort He could provide in the hours to come. “But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart.” The disciples didn’t like any talk about Jesus’ departure. “Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.”

At this moment in time, the disciples saw no reason for Jesus to leave them. Jesus, however, knew that His presence on earth precluded the coming of the Holy Spirit, God omnipresent. While Jesus could not remain with every disciple throughout their lives (His physical body, after all, prevented His omnipresence), the Holy Spirit could in dwell every believer in both space and time.

Jesus knew the Holy Spirit would bring the fulfillment of His mission on earth: The redemption of humanity and creation itself. The Holy Spirit would “convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment,” a task He continues today.

Jesus said the Holy Spirit would convict people “because they do not believe in me.” The Holy Spirit “convicts” the world of sin to remind people of their need for a relationship with God, their Creator. This conviction reminds us of our separation from God. Those who experience this conviction must make a choice: To accept Jesus as Lord of their lives, or to reject Him and suffer eternal condemnation and separation from their Creator.

The Holy Spirit also convicts the world regarding “righteousness.” I find it amazing that every civilization in history has a sense of morality, including many commonalities between even civilizations separated by time and distance. The Holy Spirit leads all people to know “righteousness,” or “right living.” God gave us His standards in Scripture, standards that elaborate on the common morality of humanity and replace that morality with His expectations in our behavior. God’s standards of righteousness will lead us to love Him and love all other people as His special creation.

The Holy Spirit also reminds the world of “judgment.” Every major religious belief teaches something about a final judgment, when every human will incur judgment for the actions of this life.

After Jesus departure following His resurrection, the Holy Spirit guided the disciples “into all the truth.” As the disciples wrote the works of the New Testament and taught Jesus’ teachings to new believers, the Holy Spirit reminded them of Jesus’ sayings. “He will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.” This should remind us of an important lesson. The Holy Spirit will never say anything He does not “hear” from Jesus Himself. “He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you.” If you wonder whether or not something comes from the Holy Spirit, ask your self if that teaching will glorify Jesus.

At this point, the disciples still seemed confused about Jesus’ teachings about His departure. “What is this that he says to us, ‘A little while, and you will not see me, and again a little while, and you will see me’; and, ‘because I am going to the Father’?

What does he mean by ‘a little while’? We do not know what he is talking about.” You would think the disciples would have realized Jesus’ meaning by now!

Jesus responded, “Is this what you are asking yourselves, what I meant by saying, ‘A little while and you will not see me, and again a little while and you will see me’? Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy.” The events of the following 24 hours would find the disciples scattered throughout Judea, wondering if they faced arrest and execution themselves. The disciples’ “sorrow” would “turn into joy” following His resurrection.

Then, the disciples finally understood. “Ah, now you are speaking plainly and not using figurative speech! Now we know that you know all things and do not need anyone to question you; this is why we believe that you came from God.” Some people would say, “It took long enough!”

I think we sometimes fail to give the disciples true credit for their actions in following Jesus. We live on the other side of the Resurrection. It’s difficult for us to understand that no one had ever risen from the dead before; the disciples had no experience with the loss of their Master to crucifixion, and they certainly could not understand how He could rise again from the dead. Jesus understood their inability to comprehend: “Behold, the hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home, and will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me.” Following His crucifixion, Jesus’ disciples would need peace; “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace.” Following His ascension, the disciples would experience persecution and trials; “In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

I find it puzzling that many people look to Jesus and the Church and think that salvation will eliminate any trials and suffering in life. Why do we believe that belief in Jesus will shield us from the sufferings of this life? What evidence do we have in Scripture and Church history that we will not suffer?

Rather than seeking exemption from suffering, we should instead look to Jesus for strength in suffering. We should also understand that suffering itself purifies us and purges us. I find that I cannot worry about the little things in my life when I face immense suffering. I also find that suffering turns me to God, forcing me to focus more on my relationship with Him.

In times of suffering, the Holy Spirit reminds us of Jesus’ teachings regarding persecution and suffering: “I have overcome the world.” We know that Jesus overcame sin, suffering, and death itself. Everyone who believes in Jesus will also experience His victory. The Holy Spirit gives strength to believers, helping us through the trials we face. The Holy Spirit also draws us to other believers so we can help one another through trials and persecutions. The Holy Spirit will also help us to view trials in an eternal perspective, giving us the ability to persevere through sufferings. Through the perseverance imparted to us through the Holy Spirit, we overcome everything we face in life, knowing that we will one day overcome death itself through Jesus’ resurrection.

Do you wish to overcome what you will inevitably face in life? You’ll find this strength and victory only in Jesus. Only Jesus can bring you into a relationship with His Father. Only Jesus can send the Holy Spirit into your very soul to help you in life. Jesus alone can help you overcome everything you will experience and turn your sufferings into eternal victory.