Jesus continues to speak on the role of the Holy Spirit. If you want to be Spirit filled and Spirit led, today’s reading shows you how...be blessed.
John 16:
1 "I have said all these things to you to keep you from falling away.
2 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.
3 And they will do these things because they have not known the Father, nor me.
4 But I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I told them to you. "I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you.
The Work of the Holy Spirit
5 But now I am going to him who sent me, and none of you asks me, 'Where are you going?'
6 But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart.
7 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.
8 And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment:
9 concerning sin, because they do not believe in me;
10 concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer;
11 concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.
12 "I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.
13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for 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.
14 He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you.
15 All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.
Your Sorrow Will Turn into Joy
16 "A little while, and you will see me no longer; and again a little while, and you will see me."
17 So some of his disciples said to one another, "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'?"
18 So they were saying, "What does he mean by 'a little while'? We do not know what he is talking about."
19 Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him, so he said to them, "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'?
20 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.
21 When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world.
22 So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.
23 In that day you will ask nothing of me. Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you.
24 Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.
I Have Overcome the World
25 "I have said these things to you in figures of speech. The hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures of speech but will tell you plainly about the Father.
26 In that day you will ask in my name, and I do not say to you that I will ask the Father on your behalf;
27 for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God.
28 I came from the Father and have come into the world, and now I am leaving the world and going to the Father."
29 His disciples said, "Ah, now you are speaking plainly and not using figurative speech!
30 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."
31 Jesus answered them, "Do you now believe?
32 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.
33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world."
John 17: The High Priestly Prayer
1 When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, "Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you,
2 since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him.
3 And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.
4 I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do.
5 And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.
6 "I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word.
7 Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you.
8 For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me.
9 I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours.
10 All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them.
11 And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one.
12 While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.
13 But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves.
14 I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.
15 I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one.
16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.
17 Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.
18 As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world.
19 And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth.
20 "I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word,
21 that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.
22 The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one,
23 I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.
24 Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.
25 O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me.
26 I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them."
Things to think about…
1. Jesus says right teaching helps us to endure persecution and to stop us from falling away, John 16:1-4. Pray for me and those who teach and preach that they do it with a right fear of the Lord.
2. Look at the work of the Holy Spirit in John 16:5-15. He not only convicts of sin, righteousness and judgement but will also guide the disciples and us into all truth. If you have understood something from God’s Word for the first time and it brings an understanding in any of these three areas in your life – praise God, the Holy Spirit has just spoken to you. Declare it to others that you may have it affirmed. This is how He gets the glory, John 16:14.
3. Jesus speaks of the sorrow that will come upon the disciples when He dies. Yet they will see Him again. When we lose close friends in Christ, we can also claim this promise. Jesus said it so we can be assured of their certainty. Our hope is in Him – the Way, the Truth and the Life. But what about asking anything in His name and it shall be given, John 16:23. Ask that we would see this fulfilled in our lives as we seek after His glory – that our joy may be full, vs 24.
4. Do you think the disciples understood what Jesus was saying in John 16:25-33? They say “you are now speaking plainly to us”, vs 29. But Jesus has His doubts about that, John 16:31, 32. He knows the truth – they will be scattered, like sheep. But what is the point of it all. He tells them and us “I have overcome the world”, vs 33. This is all that matters. Even if everything else falls into a heap we are secure in what Christ has done for us and have the assurance that He will complete in us what He has started. Hallelujah!
5. The first five verses in John 17 have the word glory or glorify written five times. God’s glory is the point of the prayer Jesus offers up. This should also be our focus in everything. Is the Lord getting the glory in our attitudes and actions throughout the day? If not we need to readjust and ask the Holy Spirit to help us maintain our focus.
6. Have a look at how many times ‘word’ and ‘truth’ are prayed by Jesus from John 17:6-20. God gets glory by His people understanding His word, which is truth. The Word of God is living and active in this sense – but is only effective if it is being read.
7. John 17:21-26 goes back to describing that through understanding the word and truth the disciples will bring the Father glory because they will be unified and display the Lord’s love one to another. If love is lacking in the home or church it is because people have forgotten their primary purpose and calling – to love truth and each other. This is a major part of the prayer of Jesus where He says “I ask that they be one as we are one”, John 17:
Vision Point
CBC’s Vision :- To be a growing biblical church community, significantly influencing our city and beyond, through intentional outreach, fulfilling our mission.
Questions for Cell groups
Sunday’s sermon, “I am the resurrection and the life” came from John 11:1-14 by Ps Jay.
1. We hear of near death experiences, but this was a stone death experience. Lazarus was dead for 4 days. Do you remember before you were a Christian? You were dead even while alive. Explain how you felt and lived at that time.
2. Jesus says to Martha, “I am the resurrection and the life”, what does Jesus mean? Martha already said she believed her brother would be raised up at the resurrection. What does Jesus mean here? Hint, we often think the resurrection is an event and not a person. Jesus raises us up when we believe.
3. We read in John 12 that the religious leaders wanted to kill Lazarus because a mighty miracle could not be denied. This shows the hardness of the human heart. Jesus said people would not believe even though one rise from the dead. While many did believe, many did not. Discuss how we should deal with a society that loves the supernatural but not the Saviour.
4. Pray that many might “believe in Jesus” in our city. Pray for prayer points. Give thanks for answered prayers.
Prayer Points
1. Pray for those who have suffered deep loss with parents and friends who have lost the battle with Corona virus. Pray for peace, comfort and strength.
2. Pray for Queensland that we do not see any more Corona virus cases as restrictions are lifted. Pray for Victoria and NSW as borders are closed, but virus cases continue.
3. Pray for our church services now meeting together and our streaming that both can continue to be done well every Sunday. Pray for youtube changes to streaming.
4. Continue to pray for our government for wisdom and economic management.
5. Sunday’s fb live messages and for Kids church. The message this week – “Jesus prayer for us” John 17 – Pr Jay.
6. Church finances to meet our expenses and to put a roof over our café.
7. Our City and Country – Pray for revival over our city and the leadership of our country even through these challenging times. Pray especially for people to be stable with respect to mental health.
Praise Points.
1. New visitors on Sunday. Pray for our 5 non-saved Taiwanese friends. They will be there for the service next Sunday.
2. Wonderful spirit of joy in our church. Thankyou Jesus.
3. Mallacoota fire donations. Praise God for the help we have been able to give.
4. Finances being maintained and donation to Café roof. Thankyou!
7. Praise God for worship and technical team – amazing individuals.
Announcements
1. One service at 9:30am Every Sunday morning. This service will also be live streamed. No hand-shakes or hugs are allowed. Hand sanitizer is to be used, tables will be wiped and chairs arranged for appropriate distancing. Families can of course sit together.
2. Cell groups – Ask for details as to how and what is required.
3. Church bank details bsb:- 704 913 and Acc number:- 4000 4388 1
4. Kids Church now streamed live at 9:00am every Sunday morning via CBC’s fb page. Will be run in the house for the 10am service starting on the 12th July.
