Everyone could use a little power, or maybe a lot of power. As Jesus talked to His disciples on the night of His betrayal, He promised not to leave them comfortless (as orphans) or powerless, if you please. He promised that He would come to them.
John 14:18 (ESV) — 18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.
Certainly that was encouraging to them, but He went on to tell them that He was soon to go away as He spoke of His upcoming trial by the religious leaders and His death on the cross. Of course, He had been teaching them this fact for some time. But now the time is upon them, and He will soon be leaving them. As we pick up the account in John 16, notice how Jesus is presenting the fact that He will come to them in the person and power of the Holy Spirit, also known as the Comforter or Helper.
John 16:7–11 (ESV) — 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; 11concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.
Have you ever considered the power of the Comforter? Notice how He is the power in the Gospel as He takes the word of God and convicts the sinner of sin, righteousness, and judgment.
Romans 1:16–17 (ESV) — 16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”
John 16:8 (ESV) — 8 And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment:
Jesus goes on to explain.
John 16:9 (ESV) — 9 concerning sin, because they do not believe in me;
Notice the condemnation that there is of running away from the light of the Gospel instead of running to it.
John 3:19 (ESV) — 19 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.
It makes sense because by nature we are “dead in trespasses and sin.”
Ephesians 2:1–5 (ESV) — 1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. 4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—
What changes when a person is convicted regarding sin? The power of the Holy Spirit, also known as the comforter. In this case the comforter is also the afflicter, bringing conviction of sin. But His work doesn’t stop there.
John 16:10 (ESV) — 10 concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer;
The Comforter also brings a convicted sinner the good news by opening the heart and mind to receive the good news that God gives us a righteousness that we have not earned. In fact, a righteousness we could never attain as righteousness comes by faith, the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ.
2 Corinthians 5:21 (ESV) — 21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
Romans 5:1–2 (ESV) — 1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
There is more! We are told that the Comforter will also bring the truth to the heart of the coming judgment.
John 16:11 (ESV) — 11 concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.
The Lord Jesus Christ would take on our sin and bring the ruler of this world, Satan, to judgment when He died upon the cross and rose from the dead. Therefore, the Holy Spirit brings that truth of the Gospel in Jesus’ victory over sin, Satan, and death to let us know that unless we repent, we will stand before Him in judgment, as Paul told the men of Athens.
Acts 17:30–31 (ESV) — 30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, 31 because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”
Never underestimate the Power of the Comforter. Instead, rely upon His power as you live the Gospel and share the Gospel.
Godspeed,
Bob Brubaker, Pastor
Christ Community Presbyterian Church
Clearwater, FL
