Pastor’s Bible Reading Schedule: Ezekiel 33-35; John 16
Devotional Thought:
Jesus begins John 16 with some chilly revelation. There will be people that will rise up and try to keep you from sharing the glorious message of the gospel, and they will even think killing you will be doing the will of God. I do not know if this is a direct reference to the apostle Paul, but it is certainly referencing and describing his motivation for persecuting the church. We know, in the book of Acts, that Peter and John were also imprisoned, beat, and threatened by religious leaders many times. Jesus is trying to prepare His disciples for what is coming ahead for them as He reveals what is ahead for Himself. “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.” (vs. 7) The Comforter will “reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment.” He will specifically explain the sin of unbelief, exalt the deity and purity of Christ, and expose the lies of the devil. Jesus was reminding His disciples that the work He was giving them to do was not to be done in their own strength. Remember Jesus had just told them “without me ye can do nothing.” Now He is reminding them that the Comforter would work through them to do the work the Father had for them to do. Here Jesus teaches His disciples chain of command as He explains the role of the Holy Spirit. “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 show you things to come. He shall glorify Me…” (vs. 13-14) Jesus has made it clear that the job of the Holy Spirit was to do the will of His Father and that His role was to point people to Christ. In a day where everyone wants to be equal, we have blurred the lines of authority and roles. God makes it clear that there is always an authority structure and Jesus is clearly defining the role of His disciples as He articulates the chain of command in the Trinity. He is also trying to comfort and encourage His disciples regarding the work He had for them to do. It was not going to be convenient, comfortable, or calm. It was work that would require them to tell a message that no one wanted to hear, especially the religious leaders of the day. Jesus ends this chapter explaining that the message they would give would bring sorrow and heartache to them in this life, but it would bring joy and reward for them and to those who responded to their message for all eternity. Oh that we Christians would get our priorities away from the here and now and be more motivated for the things that are eternal!
Personal Requests:
• Lord, please help me to be humble as I embrace your plan for me. I want to be faithful in the role you have given me as I strive to exalt the Lord Jesus and His plan for salvation and sanctification.
• Lord, please help me to be motivated by the eternal and not the temporary. Please help me to keep the things of this life in its proper priority.
• Lord, thank you for sending the Holy Spirit to do His work in my life and through my life as I yield to Him each day.