John 16

To fall away from Jesus Christ is an appalling idea. When we consider the greatness of our Savior, His unique qualifications to be our Mediator, and His great works in accomplishing our salvation, when we think of the fullness of all divine attributes in Him, and His wonderful sympathy for us in His perfect humanity, we should readily admit what a shocking thing it is to turn away from Him. Yet it is only by the power of God that anyone is kept in the faith.

There have always been powerful internal and external pressures moving men away from the Lord. It is shocking when these pressures come from those who gather together in the Name of God. Think of these words: “They will put you out of the synagogues.” Why would the followers of Jesus be excluded from the places of Jewish worship? The disciples would believe that this Jesus was the Messiah, and that was not allowed. Even worse than casting them out, there would be some who would be so zealous in their presumed service of God in this perverse direction, that they would imagine that killing one of the followers of Jesus was an act of devotion. Such people would be greatly deceived. They did not know the Father or the Son.

Jesus was approaching a great turning point. He would soon continue His role as our Prophet, Priest, and King at the right hand of the Father in heaven. From that place of power He would send the Helper, the Holy Spirit, to His church. This would be a good and necessary gift for the progress of the church throughout the world. This New Testament age blessing of the Spirit does not imply that the Holy Spirit was uninvolved in the life of Old Testament Israel. He is always necessary for any real faith. Yet in the gospel age something bigger would spread throughout the world and would find its great fulfillment in the resurrection of the dead. This began in a fresh new way with the gift to the New Testament church that Jesus spoke about here.

It would be by the work of the Holy Spirit that the world would see the truth of sin, of the need for a righteousness that can only come through Christ, and of the coming judgment from God. These are deep topics, but we cannot understand them as we need to all at once. It is the work of the Holy Spirit to bring us to the truth on these and other matters at a pace that we can bear. Working in complete agreement and common purpose with the Father and the Son, the Spirit would guide the church into all truth, particularly concerning things that are to come.

When Jesus speaks of things to come, they do not yet seem to really understand. In a little while they will see Him no longer, and then again in a little while more, they will see Him. When He is gone, they will mourn, but the world will rejoice. When He returns, their sorrow will turn to joy. At the time these words were spoken they were very mysterious. Even now they admit of two meanings. The first and most likely is that He is referring to His imminent death and resurrection. The second possibility is that He is referring to the long period after His ascension, finally culminating in His glorious return. The reason why it appears that He is somewhat mysteriously referring to His death and resurrection is that the behavior of His disciples recorded in the Scripture in connection with the death of Jesus best matches the Lord’s prophecy here. The disciples do not mourn after Jesus’ ascension. They know where He is, and they are filled with joy. But prior to the resurrection they are frightened and dejected.

The resurrection of Jesus will be the beginning of a great age, an age that we are in even now during the time of the gospel. Already we are encouraged to ask for things in the Name of Jesus Christ our Mediator. When we go to the present heavens and when Christ returns, then we will have the fullness of joy and the fullness of asking and receiving. In that day we will know of the Father’s love, but we do not need to wait for that day in order to believe in His love and to experience His love. The love of the Father for us is a fact that has ample evidence in the history of our redemption. The cross tells us a story, and the story of our individual lives shows the personal mercy of God to us in drawing us to the One who died for our sins.

Even though we know these things to be true, this does not change the reality that in this world we will have tribulation. For the disciples that Jesus spoke with that day they were about to face a horribly wrenching experience. The Shepherd would be struck down, and the sheep would all be scattered. Even after the ascension of Christ, the progress of the church in her early decades would be very challenging. The church would face opposition from the Jews and from civil authorities. The men that Jesus was speaking to would all suffer for His Name. They would be imprisoned, beaten, ridiculed, and even put to death.

Throughout that great trial, they would be able to know that Jesus was not alone. He would be with the Father. Meditating upon that fact can bring us great peace. Jesus, our Mediator, is with the Father on high right now. He has overcome the world. In the strength of His resurrection love, we are given the power to walk through this world of tribulation, knowing that in Him we too have overcome the world and have certain resurrection glory. We lay hold of this fact, and we lay hold of Him, and we are kept in the faith by the power of our resurrection God, so that we will not utterly fall away.