JOHN - Chapter 16 - THE TWO COMFORTERS
JOHN – Chapter 16 – The Two Comforters
Tuesday Morning Bible Study
8/1/17, the Year of Our Lord
Pastor Carolyn Sissom
When our blessed Lord, on the eve of His departure was pouring His sweetest and richest consolations into the sorrowing hearts of his disciples, He disclosed to them the precious truth, that they and all who would receive Jesus as their Savior and His gospel would receive “another comforter.”
He would still be their faithful, unchangeable Comforter and Advocate with the Father, pleading their cause. He would also send “another Comforter” who is carrying on the work of sanctification in our hearts.
John 16:7: I tell you the truth, it is expedient for you that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. When he comes, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment.
Jhn. 14:16: I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with your forever.
In verses 1-6, Jesus is prophesying to the disciples that the infant Church was to experience persecution, excommunication, rejection, and ultimately death for their belief in Jesus Christ. The hour of the world would come when men would wreak their vengeance upon the Church unrestrainedly.
“It is for your good that I am going away.” This is two-fold, first the departure of Christ is necessary for each member of His Spiritual Body to become the abode of deity; Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Second, He will send the Holy Spirit who will empower the Church’s ministry to convince the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment.
The Gospel of Jesus Christ informs us that we have two intercessors. Christ is one Intercessor in the presence of God---the Holy Spirit is another.
Rom. 8:34: Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died---more than that, who was raised to life---is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.
Rom 8: 26-27: In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.
Jesus intercedes that we may become sons---the Holy Spirit intercedes when we are sons. Gal. 4:6: and because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Jesus’ intercession removes difficulties in the way of our salvation---by the intercession of the Holy Spirit we are convicted of sin and obtain forgiveness.
Jn. 16: 9-11: Of sin, because they (the world) will not believe on me. Unbelief is the foundation of sin.
Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and you will see me no more. That man’s righteousness is useless; that Christ is our righteousness.
Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judge. Men who believe in Christ will escape the judgment of damnation. Jn. 12:31: Now is the judgment of this world; now shall the prince of this world be cast out. Satan was cast out of the kosmos/world and judged at the Cross. Christian you have been given the power and authority to overcome the world/kosmos with the victory of your faith because Jesus overcame the world.
Eph. 2:2: In time past you walked according to the course of this world/kosmos, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now works in the children of disobedience.
Jesus appears for us in the presence of God---the Holy Spirit makes known, the longings, desires, anxieties and fears which fill the soul of the believer and to which we are utterly unable to give expression.
Not only does the Holy Spirit “help our infirmities,” He will dispel our ignorance and teach us what to ask of God. Not only will He instruct us “how to pray” as we ought, but He will “make intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.”
When we are under some crushing trial or secret consciousness of indwelling sin---the Holy Spirit interprets the thought, and reads the language of our heart. God, who searches the heart, understands the mind of the spirit, hears the sigh of our heart.
Jesus is telling the disciples to not be sorrowful at what is about to happen to him.
16:12-14: I have yet many things to say to you; but you cannot bear them now. However, when He, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth; for he shall not speak of himself; but whatever he shall hear, that shall he speak; and he will show you things to come. He shall glorify me; for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it to you.
The Holy Spirit of Truth is the power to break through walls of denial and delusion to set us free. We shall know the truth and the truth shall make us free. (Jhn. 8:32)
Walls protect sin and denial. Boundaries are healthy to keep sin out.
2 Co. 3:17-18: Now the Lord is that Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. We all with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
By the Holy Spirit we are sealed unto glory; and from glory to glory; Oh joy, He leads us from glory to glory.
He abides and dwells in the hearts of all who will receive Him. There he will reside, guiding all their wanderings, comforting all their sorrows, strengthening all their weaknesses---and sealing and binding the comforts of God upon their souls.
All His blessed influence will be directed to cherishing and feeding the flame that burns on the altar of our spiritual life---to keep away all that would desecrate and pollute that holy temple.
Having begun a good work in us, He will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ. (Phl. 1:6). Having laid the first stone in our spiritual temple, He will continue to add stone to stone, until it becomes “a building of God…eternal in the heavens.”
I cannot live without the Holy Spirit. There cannot be one heavenly aspiration, one breathing of love, one glance of faith without His breathe. Apart from Him, there is no preciousness in the Word. As the angel directed Hagar to the hidden spring, He directs us to waters of comfort, giving new glory to the promises, depositing Jesus’ character and work in each one of us.
He has a healing balm for all---the weak, the tempted, the sick, the sorrowing, the bereaved, the dying, and He will abide forever surviving death itself.
1 Cor. 15:20: Now Christ is risen from the dead, and become the first fruits of them that slept. Since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. As in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
He cries “come with your infirmity, you want, your wounded spirit, or broken heart.” The blessed, comforting Spirit breathes on the soul making intercession for us according to the will of God.
Lord Jesus, thank you for sending the Comforter. Please let your sweet Spirit be shed abroad on us abundantly. Let Him be unto us a Spirit of light and truth, to guide us to the clear understanding of your mind and will; a Spirit of power, to quicken and convert us, and to strengthen us with all might that we may be fruitful in every good work.
Jhn. 16:15: All things that the Father has are mine; therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall show it to you.
The Holy Spirit through the gifts of the Spirit will take All Things which is given to Jesus by the Father and show it to us. What things: His wealth, His Name, His authority, His glory, His knowledge, His power, goodness, mercy, love, joy, peace, happiness, faith, etc. etc. etc. The all things are unlimited.
Because we are one with Christ, it is written, It pleased the Father that in Him should all fullness dwell.
In Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.
In this fullness, both of wisdom and grace is intended for the benefit of Christ’s Church. All things are yours; for you are Christ’s and Christ is God’s.
In verses 16-18, Jesus again reminds the disciples of his death and departure. The disciples did not understand. He is preparing them to carry on the Kingdom after He is resurrected. Jesus is aware of their confusion.
16:20: Verily, verily, I say to you, that you shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice; and you shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy.
To the Christian who is living near to the throne of grace, there are sources of joy unknown to all others. We have the sweet assurance, that our sorrow shall be turned into joy, because He lives.
The Lord has bestowed HIS JOY as part of our inheritance. We have experienced and can testify of the oil of joy for mourning, and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. We know the promise:
Jhn. 16:24: until now you have asked nothing in my name; ask and you shall receive that your joy may be full.
Peter refers to joy unspeakable and exceeding joy. In whom believing, you rejoice with joy unspeakable, and full of glory.
This joy is a supernatural empowerment of the Holy Spirit. God the Son, in our nature dwelling in us to testify His love and compassion to us. There are no words which can inspire the heart with fuller joy than these. He who was rich in the love of the everlasting Father, rich in the adoration of the heavenly hosts, rich in the glories of His own divinity, rich in the rolling worlds He created by a word, loves me.
Jn. 16:22-23: Though you now have sorrow; but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man takes from you. In that day, (the day of His crucifixion), you shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say to you, whatever you shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it to you.
Dake calls this the doctrine of the Christian’s power of attorney, the legal and written authority to transact business for another. One may be a general agent to represent another in all of his business, or a special agent who is authorized to do some specific work, or transact some special business. The agent can act with all authority within the bounds of the legal authorization as much as the one who gave him this authority.
Jn. 16: 25-26: These things I have spoken to you in proverbs; but the time comes, when I shall no more speak to you in proverbs, but I shall show you plainly of the Father. At that day, you shall ask in my name; and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you.
Jesus Christ our intercessor in heaven praying for us.
Through answered prayer, the infinite Fatherhood of God is confirmed. Do not hesitate to ask any material, physical or spiritual blessing---any need for body, soul, or spirit; for no good things will He withhold from you.
You pray and I (Jesus) will make intercession for you. If you will pray and have faith the Father will never deny you what you want. He always hears me (Jesus). If He did not spare Me (Jesus) in sufferings and death, He will not refuse to give you what I died to give you. When you pray in My name or by My authority the Father will always hear and answer, because this is what He sent me to tell you, so let this be a settled fact in your lives.
This same power is for a new born Christian as well as a mature saint.
16:27-28: For the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God. I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world; again, I leave the world, and go to the Father.
For the first time the disciples seem to understand this summary of Jesus’ ministry. They say, “we get it.” We are now convinced that you really have come from God.
Jesus replies “it appears that you do believe.” He is glad of the faith they have. At the same time, He lets them know that same faith is inadequate for the test ahead of them. They will break. Peter will deny Him three times before morning. They will all run. Even so, what faith they do have is enough to make them true disciples. That faith has yet to grow.
16: 31-33: Jesus answered them, Do you now believe? Behold the hour comes, yes is now here, that you shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave alone; and yet I am not alone because the Father is with me. These things I have spoken unto you, that in me, you might have peace.
In the world you shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.
Christian: Whatsoever is born of God overcomes the world/kosmos; and this is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith.
Carolyn Sissom, Pastor
Eastgate Ministries Church
Scripture from K.J.V. – I entered into the labors of The Throne of Grace by John Ross MacDuff and Dake’s Annotated Reference Bible. Comments and conclusions are my own and not meant to reflect the views of those who I entered into their labors.