John 17:5

Jesus did not just come into existence at Christmas. He was not created at the beginning of the World. Jesus is the eternal Son of God. He is without beginning or end. Jesus left the glory of heaven to come and be born in a manger, born in a low estate, born a true man. He humbled Himself for you and for me. Now, as He goes to the cross, He prepares to go back to Heaven and the Glory that is there. He also goes to the cross because it will bring more glory to the Father and show His love and mercy to sinners like us.

John 17:4

Jesus came and lived for the Glory of God. It was His work to come and proclaim to the World that He was the son of God and that He had the message from God. We see this in His miracles that showed He was God. He fed the multitudes, healed the sick, and raised the dead, even though many of the religious leaders refused to believe in Him and actually rejected Him. His disciples recognized Him and His power. He had been faithful to God. He was and is the only perfect holy man and He died for us that we might be saved. He finished the work that the Father gave Him.

John 17:3

Eternal life is not based on the outward works that we do. It is not based on our walking down the aisle, going to a class, or meeting with the session. It is not based on how good we are or what particular works we do for God. To have eternal life we must know God. The only way we can know God is through His Son, Jesus Christ. Examine Hebrews 1:1-4. God has reveled salvation through Jesus Christ. They only way we can know God is by knowing His Son.

John 17:2

Jesus is the only way to the Father and eternal life (John 14:6). The Father has given Jesus the authority of eternal life by sending Him to be the redeemer of God’s people. He has the power to save by His perfect life and perfect work on the Cross. He is our substitute in the atonement. He has taken our sin and our place and has imputed to us His own righteousness before God. If you have been saved it is because you have believed in Jesus Christ.

John 17:1

Jesus prays differently than we do. He lifts His eyes to heaven, where as we bow our heads and close our eyes. This is the difference in our nature. Christ is the perfect Son of God and we are mere sinners. This hour is the great hour of all history. It is the hour that Christ will go and die upon the cross to set us free from Sin and restore us to the living God. What a great hour that brings glory to Father and the Son.

John 16:33

We live in a stressful world where it seems like things just keep getting worse. Right has become wrong, and wrong has become right. Christians are looked down on and despised for what they believe. However, Christ reminds us here that we should not worry or fret, for He has overcome the world. He has given us assurance that He is victorious and His promises are true, and this should give us peace. No matter what we face in this world, Christ has given us everlasting life. It is this promise that we should cling to in times of trouble, and we should lean on Christ for comfort. He has overcome the world, and His people will see their day in glory. 

How can remembering Christ’s victory give you peace in your life? How can it help you get through the hardships that you may face?

John 16:31-32

Have you ever strayed away from Christ? Do you feel like you cannot come back because of your shame or guilt from wandering off? 

Jesus foretells that His own disciples would scatter when He is arrested and taken to the cross. Peter is a prime example, for He denied Christ three times. However, Peter was received by Christ with open arms even after His denial. This should be an encouragement for us that, no matter what we have done or how far we have strayed, Christ forgives us when we repent and return to Him . All of us have sinned, and we have all made mistakes. Christ offers forgiveness not just to the best of the best, but to the worst of the worst. All we must do is turn back to Him, truly repent, and trust in Him, and we will be forgiven.

John 16:29-30

Do you ever question what is going on in your life? Do you ever question what God is doing?

These verses remind us that Christ knows all things, and that He is always in control. There will be times in our lives when things may not make sense to us. It is during these times that, instead of questioning God, we should trust in Him. He knows all things, even when we do not. God is working all things for His glory and for our benefit, so we should put our full trust  in Him, knowing He is in control, even if it seems like we don't know which way is up or down.

John 16:28

We are reminded here of who Jesus is and what was His purpose for coming into the world. Jesus Christ, who comes from the Father, is God, and He came into the world to redeem His people through His death and resurrection. Jesus Christ is more than just a man. He is God Himself. If He were not, then He could not have covered all His people with His blood. 

Do you see Jesus as God Almighty? Do you trust in Him as the only one who can save you?

John 16:26-27

Because Jesus has cleansed us with His blood, we are able to go before the Father in prayer and petition, and He will hear us. He hears us because of our faith in Jesus. Without Christ, we have no way to be in communion with the Father because we are cut off by our sin. However, through belief in Jesus Christ as the Son of God and our Savior, the Father’s love is shown to us in that He hears our prayers, and He answers them. 

Do you take advantage of the ability given to us to talk to God, or do you shirk it off and do not pray? We have been given an open line to the Creator of all things and the Savior of our souls, and this should bring us such great joy that we cant help but pray.

John 16:25

Jesus has hinted at and used figures of speech describing His coming death and resurrection. Now, He is telling them that the time is near and that they will understand all He has said to them. The Spirit would bring to their remembrance all that Christ had said, and He would show them what Christ meant. This reminds us that we do not understand everything about the Bible the first time we read it. Sometimes, we have to read it over and over again and let the Holy Spirit show us the truth revealed in Scripture. Just like with the disciples, it may seem confusing at first, but the Lord will work in you and open your eyes to the meaning of His words. Trust in the Spirit to guide you, and do not give up if you don't understand a certain passage.

John 16:24

Jesus reminds the disciples that they have asked nothing in Christ’s name. Prayer should be an important part of our lives. We should constantly be seeking God at all points of our day. God calls us to pray, and Paul tells us to pray without ceasing. When we are in constant communion with God, it helps us stay focused on Him and He helps us overcome the temptations we face.  If we aren't praying, then we make ourselves more vulnerable to sin. We all could probably agree that we need to pray more. 

Do you have set times you devote to prayer? How can you improve your prayer life? 

John 16:23

Some may misunderstand this verse thinking it says God will give us whatever we want. God is not a genie that gives us whatever we wish for. God gives us what we need. Our attitude toward prayer does not need to be a selfish one. Asking for God’s intercession in our lives is only a part of prayer. We should also be praising God for who He is and thanking Him for all that He has done for us. We should be using prayer as a means of confession of our sins, asking for forgiveness, and seeking help to overcome them. 

What do you pray about? Are your prayers focused on you or are they focused on God?

John 16:22

Jesus tells His disciples that they will have joy, and that no one can take that from them. Often, we find joy in things like sports, family, and hobbies, but sometimes that joy can be taken away. Losing a game, getting in an argument, or getting frustrated with a project can make us lose joy at times. However, knowing that Jesus is alive and we have been saved should always give us joy. No matter what we face in this life, we can always rest on the promises of Jesus Christ. There is nothing that can take His promises away from us, and this should give us assurance, hope, and joy in Christ.

John 16:21

Explaining what He was about to face, Jesus compares this to a woman giving birth. Although the mother faces the pangs of childbirth, she rejoices at the sight of her child. She forgets all the pains she went through, for she sees the blessing of her child. Jesus knows that He will suffer terribly and even die, but He knows the blessing that will come from this. Through His death, we are brought out of sin into life by faith in Christ. Jesus loved His people so much that He faced all He did so that we could be brought into His family.  

John 16:19-20

Jesus knows the disciples do not understand what He says. He tells them that they will be sad, but then they will rejoice. He would die, but He would live again. Through His sacrifice, we are saved, and we also can have joy from this. Jesus Christ has brought us from death to life. He has redeemed His people, and even the world is rejoicing. Through Christ, all creation will be restored along with us, and that is something to be excited about.

John 16:17-18

The disciples are confused by Jesus saying that they will not see Him, and then they will see Him again. They were not aware of what Jesus was about to do.  However, after He rose again, this all made sense to them.  This can remind us that there are times in our lives when things just don't make sense. Everything seems to be going wrong, and you cannot understand why. However, looking back to past crises and struggles in our lives, we see how Jesus has worked for our benefit. We see the lessons He has taught us, and we see how He has brought us through them. 

Do you question what Jesus is doing in your life?  We should remember that though we cannot see His purposes right now, He is always working things for our benefit.

John 16:16

Even though they do not know it, Jesus is preparing them for what is about to happen. In a little while He will be betrayed, arrested, beaten, and condemned to the cross, but this would not be the end of the story. Jesus came to die and arise again. He came to conquer sin and death. This He would do by His death and resurrection from the dead. He was going to return, and in doing so He would declare His victory. It is in this resurrection that we find hope for today and eternity. It is because of who Jesus Christ is and what He has done for us.

John 16:13-15

The Holy Spirit is our guide to the Truth of God. We are not simply given the Bible and told to figure it out. The Holy Spirit comes to work with the Bible and help us know the truth of God. He is our guide to the Truth. It is not a different message, but one single message from our Triune God. Have you been praying for the Spirit to guide you and lead you into the truth of God?

John 16:10-12

Jesus does not say much about this idea of righteousness. He is going to the cross to become the righteousness that we must have to be saved. This was His passion, His purpose, and His plan. It will become clear to the disciples after Christ has gone. They will have the Holy Spirit to teach them, from the scriptures, all that Jesus has done for them after He has gone to the Father in heaven.

John 16:9

The sin that Jesus says the Holy Spirit will convince people of is that of unbelief. They do not believe in Jesus. There are those who say that all road leads to heaven. However, the Bible is very clear. If you do not believe in the name of Jesus, you are lost. It is the work of the Holy Spirit to show people their sin and the salvation that Jesus brings. This is the Spiritual birth that John speaks of in chapter 3.

John 16:8

The Holy Spirit will convict the world about sin, righteousness, and judgement. If you never see your sin, the righteousness of God, and the impending wrath of God on sinners, then you are not saved. In the Shorter Catechism it says that in order to escape the wrath of God we must have faith in Jesus, repentance unto life, and make use of the means of grace. The Holy Spirit is involved with each of these. Have you been convicted by the Holy Spirit? Do you have assurance of salvation from the fruit of the Spirit in your life?

John 16:4-7

The disciples have no idea that Jesus is about to go to the cross. They are filled with sorrow that He is even talking about going away. Yet, He is not going to leave them alone. Jesus says that it is to their advantage if the Helper, the Holy Spirit, comes. This is a promise that was given in the OT. We see it spelled out in Joel 2:28. Jesus is going to be leaving, but He will not leave His people alone.

John 16:4

We see here the compassion of our Lord and Savior. God has all authority to tell us what to do with the force of a Drill Sergeant, yet He comes to His people with compassion and love. He comes to you as a Loving Father and cares for you. He is preparing His people for the difficulties to come so that they might remember. This is why it is important for us to know our Bibles; so we can remember the accounts of God’s working. The same Jesus that cared for the Disciples cares for you. The same God that shut the lion’s mouths, who parted the Red Sea, who heard Hannah’s tears; this God is your God and He cares for you!

John 16:9

The sin that Jesus says the Holy Spirit will convince people of is that of unbelief. They do not believe in Jesus. There are those who say that all road leads to heaven. However, the Bible is very clear. If you do not believe in the name of Jesus, you are lost. It is the work of the Holy Spirit to show people their sin and the salvation that Jesus brings. This is the Spiritual birth that John speaks of in chapter 3.

John 16:2-3

There is a coming division. The Majority of the Jews, especially the leadership, will oppose the Gospel and the Apostles. They will put them out of the Synagogue. They will hunt them down and kill them, thinking that this is a service to God. We think of Paul, do we not? The reason for this is that they do not know God. Paul hunted down Christians until his heart was changed. Even today we see churches and those bearing the name Christian that attack the truth of God in the Bible. We also see churches that bear witness to that truth. The key is the heart. Without the heart being right, all is lost. Hatred of God will show itself.

John 16:1

The Upper Room Discourse from John 13-17 is summarized by Jesus here in verse 1. He has spoken to them so that they would not fall away; both in the short term of His betrayal, arrest, and crucifixion, and in the early days of the church with all its persecution. There are those who will say that any believer can be lost. The Bible is clear this is not true. Those who are in Jesus are connected forever to God. They have the Holy Spirit, and God says they can never be lost (John 10:27-29). Jesus holds on to us with a perfect love. We were chosen from the foundation of the earth. The Holy Spirit bears witness to us about the truth of God. Our Triune God holds us in our weakness and keeps us all the way to heaven. Praise the Lord.

John 15:27

The Holy Spirit does not work just by Himself. Jesus uses men and women to witness to His truth. We are called to evangelize the lost. We are to work hard, but we trust the Spirit of God to work with us and through us. Look through the book of Acts and see how the Holy Spirit blesses the witness of the Apostles. In Acts 2, we see the preaching of the Gospel to the lost. We are told in verse 47 that God added to their numbers daily.

Are we secretly scared to witness for Jesus? Do we think we are going to mess up or that someone might be lost because of our inability to articulate the Gospel or answer their questions? The truth is that God has told us to go and has promised to go with us in power through the Holy Spirit. Where would God have you witness for Him today? Will you do it?