Easter V [John 16:5-15] (15-May-2022)

            

This sermon was preached at St Peter’s Evangelical-Lutheran Church, Public Schools Club, Adelaide, 9am

Grace, mercy and peace be to you from God our Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ.

When [the Holy Spirit] comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father and you will see me no longer; concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.

Prayer: Let the words of my mouth, and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, our Rock and our Redeemer. Amen.

 

Our Gospel readings at this time of the church year come from a wonderful sermon that Jesus preached on the night before his death, or Maundy Thursday, as we call it. In John, chapters 14, 15 and 16, we read these wonderful words that Jesus spoke to his disciple after the Supper, and after he had washed the disciples’ feet. And also, in chapter 17, we read a wonderful prayer which Jesus prayed, which we often call the “High Priestly Prayer”.

 

Particularly in our reading today, Jesus talks about the Holy Spirit. But let’s read the first part of our reading, where Jesus says: But now I am going to him who sent me, and none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. 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.

 

Firstly, Jesus says: Now I am going to him who sent me… Also he also says: It is to your advantage that I go away.

 

What exactly is Jesus talking about here? To us, when Jesus speaks about going to the Father, it sounds like he’s talking about his ascension into heaven, when he left the disciples and was taken into heaven and hidden from their eyes by a cloud. And yes, that’s true. But remember, that Jesus is actually speaking these words on the night that he was betrayed, on the night before his death on Good Friday. So, yes, he is talking about going to the Father, and ascending into heaven, but all of that does not take place, until he dies and rises again.

 

Actually, there are a number of places, where Jesus’ crucifixion, his death on the cross, and his ascension into heaven, where he sits at the right hand of the throne of God, go together. It’s like they are the opposite side of the same coin.

 

For example, in Hebrews 12, we are told to look to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Do you see here? There are two events mentioned: enduring the cross, and sitting at the right hand of the throne of God.

 

In Philippians, we read: And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name. Notice here that he goes straight from talking about Jesus’ death, to God exalting him. He doesn’t say, therefore God raised him from the dead, but therefore God has highly exalted him.

 

Also, in John 12, we read where Jesus says: And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself. To us, this sounds like Jesus is talking about his ascension into heaven—that when he ascends to heaven, he will draw people to himself. But in John’s Gospel, it says just after these words: Jesus said this to show by what kind of death he was going to die. And so, we learn here that when Jesus is lifted up from the earth on the cross, he will draw all people to himself. There’s a kind of double meaning to these wonderful words of Jesus.

 

Also, even when Jesus was on trial before the high priests, he says: From now on the Son of Man shall be seated at the right hand of the power of God. Right in the middle of his trial, Jesus speaks these words.

 

Now, it’s strange: today, we often celebrate Good Friday and Easter Sunday as the two major events: the death and the resurrection of Jesus. But many times in the Gospels, we see that Jesus connects his death and his ascension. The Christians of ancient times also recognised this, in the way that, just as we are doing today, they read these readings from Maundy Thursday in the time in the church year between Easter—when we celebrate the resurrection—and the Ascension.

 

There’s something very special about this connection between these two events. On the one hand, Jesus was lifted up on the cross: on the other hand, at his ascension, he will be lifted up to heaven. On the one hand, when Jesus was crucified, he was crowned and enthroned as our king, but under the cloak of suffering and mockery. On the other hand, when Jesus ascended, he was crowned and enthroned, but in glory and majesty.

 

So, on the one hand, Jesus’ crucifixion is his true coronation on this earth, where as our king and our Good Shepherd, he lays down his life for the sheep. But in the resurrection and in the ascension, we see that this sacrifice and atonement is acceptable to God, that it was not all in vain, and that there is now a celebration in heaven for the victory over sin and death and the evil one.

 

So, in our reading, when Jesus speaks about “going to the Father” and “going away”, we see how this begins on Good Friday, almost at the time of his arrest, when he taken away by himself, and the disciples flee. Even Jesus requested safe passage for his disciples at the time of his arrest. He says: If you seek me, let these men go. So, then, Jesus leaves the company of his disciples, and goes to the cross by himself. But then, he rises from the dead by himself, he ascends to heaven by himself, but then also, He himself sends the Holy Spirit upon the disciples as the Lord and King of heaven and earth.

 

For us, it means, that in all the loneliness and suffering in our life, we are never by ourselves, but we are always with Jesus. When we die, we do not die by ourselves, but we die with Jesus. And then with him, we share the joy of his company in heaven with all the angels. So, for example, when we see Stephen martyred and killed for his faith in Acts chapter 7, in his time of great suffering where the crowd of his listeners grinded their teeth and turned against him, his great encouragement at that time, was that he saw his ascended Lord Jesus. He said: Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.

 

And so, we see this wonderful connection between Jesus’ death on Good Friday, and his ascension into heaven. And this gives us tremendous encouragement for our future death, whenever it may be, and our entrance into heaven to be with Jesus.

 

So, in our reading, Jesus says: Now I am going to him who sent me, and none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. 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.

 

When Jesus ascends into heaven, Jesus is removed from the company of his disciples. But also, he does not go away in such a way as though he is absent. Many Christians actually believe that Jesus is really quite absent from his church. When Jesus “goes away”, he goes away from them in the sense that he is no longer visible to their sight. But this does not mean that he is absent. There are many passages, where Jesus makes this clear. He says: I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Also, at the end of Matthew’s Gospel, just before he ascends into heaven, it says: All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them observe everything that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always to the end of the age. Also, in Matthew 18, Jesus says: Where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them. At the end of Mark’s Gospel, it says: Then the Lord Jesus, after he has spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by accompanying signs.

 

In all these passages, it speaks about Jesus specifically. He is not talking about the Father and the Holy Spirit, but Jesus. Now, of course, when Jesus is at work somewhere, the Father and the Holy Spirit are always with him. Of course, this is the case, because they are three persons in one God. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are always together. The point I am making is that many Christians often see Jesus as being absent, and in heaven in such a way that he is almost in a box, and stuck there. In actual fact, Jesus is constantly leading and guiding his church, and sending the Holy Spirit.

 

So, for example, it’s not true to say that Jesus gone away to heaven, and therefore can’t be in the Lord’s Supper, because he’s not here, but in heaven. Also, it’s not true to say that Jesus has gone away to heaven, therefore he is not ruling his church, but we need a pope to lead the church. No—Jesus is present in his church in the preaching of his word, and in the administration of the Sacraments. He’s actually here, and being here, he sends the Holy Spirit. We get a wonderful picture of this on the day of Easter, where Jesus stood among his disciples, and breathed on them, and said: Receive the Holy Spirit. When Jesus sends the Holy Spirit—whether it was to the apostles at Pentecost, or upon us, when we were baptised, or when we hear the Word and are constantly renewed by the Holy Spirit—Jesus stands right in the midst of us and breathes his Holy Spirit.

 

But also, remember that Jesus after Easter said to Thomas: Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed. The Holy Spirit actually creates faith in our hearts. And so, the Holy Spirit is poured out on the church, on the Day of Pentecost, not while the church can see Jesus visibly before their eyes, but when he is hidden from their eyes. And so, Jesus says: 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.

 

And so, the Holy Spirit, the Helper, comes and creates faith, and is sent by Jesus.

 

Now, in the next part of our reading, Jesus says: And when [the Holy Spirit] comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.

 

Jesus gives a truly wonderful summary here of the work of the Holy Spirit. First of all, we see that the work of convicting people of sin, righteousness and judgment is not our work, but it is the Holy Spirit’s work. So, for example, for me as a pastor talking to you, it is not I who convict you of anything—I just preach the word, the Holy Spirit is the one who creates faith in your hearts. This is also an important principle when it comes to evangelism: we might have a conversation with someone about the Christian faith, but it is not us who convert them, but it is the Holy Spirit. Sometimes, we might think: I shared the Gospel with this person, but they didn’t believe it. Therefore, we think: maybe sharing the Gospel “doesn’t work”. Well, it’s true: your work doesn’t work, but the Holy Spirit will convict the person in his own time, not in our time. We simply speak when we find ourselves in a situation to speak, and to pray for the person’s conversion. We commend people to God, and ask the Holy Spirit to renew and convert their hearts.

 

Jesus says that the Holy Spirit will convict people of sin, righteousness and judgment. He explains these things one after the other. Concerning sin, because they do not believe in me. Isn’t this strange? Of course, we see our sin revealed to us in the 10 commandments. But Jesus tells us that the most important sin, if you like, is that people don’t believe in him. This is at the heart of the 10 Commandments, because the first commandment says: You shall have no other gods. And Jesus reveals himself to his disciples as true God, just as Thomas says to him: My Lord and my God. But also, when we don’t have Jesus, we are still in our sins. We have no Saviour from sin. We have no atonement from sin, no forgiveness of sin, no promise of heaven and eternal life. All we have is the judgment of God upon us and our lives. So, of course, the Holy Spirit convicts us of sin, because people don’t believe in Jesus. When we recognise our sin, that we are sinners, that everything we think and do and say is tainted with sin, then we are able to recognise our need for a Saviour. Then we need Jesus.

 

So, then Jesus says that the Holy Spirit will convict concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father and you will see me no longer. Here Jesus is pointing to faith. Jesus is removed from our eyes, and we see him no longer. But he leaves us with His word, with his forgiveness, with baptism, with the Lord’s Supper, with preaching, and all these things, in such a way that the Holy Spirit uses them and creates a living faith in us. And when we believe in Jesus, and recognise that he is our Saviour who has paid the full price of our sin before the Father, that he has suffered and died for you, then this faith is counted to us as righteousness. The blood of Jesus covers over our sin. The debt is paid for on our behalf, and we are set free, and can stand righteous before God, not because of our righteousness, but because of Christ and his righteousness, which he gives to us freely, and which he charges to our account in such a way that we have nothing to owe and nothing to pay, because he has done it. And so, Jesus says that the Holy Spirit, will convict concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father and you will see me no longer.

 

And the third thing Jesus says is that the Holy Spirit will convict concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. Here Jesus is speaking about the evil one, the devil, the tempter, Satan. Because of sin, the devil is called the ruler of this world, not because he always was the ruler of this world, but because human beings were tempted by him, fell into sin, and invited him to be their ruler. At the end of John’s first letter, he writes: We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one. Also, remember when Jesus was in the wilderness, the devil tempted him by showing him all the kingdoms of the world, saying: All this I will give you if you bow down and worship me.

 

Here we have been given a wonderful insight into how things really are, not to cause us despair, but to point us continually to God, and not to the evil one and his empty promises. There are many people today who are realising that there is tremendous evil in the world, that many people in very high places have done something terrible to get there. But remember at the beginning of the reading: Jesus points to his cross, and to his ascension. Jesus doesn’t rule the world by selling his soul to the evil one, and by making a deal or an agreement with the evil one, but by suffering and dying and rising and ascending into the heaven, and therefore judging the evil one. And, so, despite the fact that we have struggles and suffer in this life, despite the fact that so many people seem to be turning away from true Christianity, and directing hatred towards Christians, the victory is not theirs, but ours. We have passed out of death into life. As St John says: Everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.

 

And so, the Holy Spirit convicts concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged, and what a wonderful blessing it is that Satan is judged. When we are with Jesus, there is no judgment any more upon us, but upon the evil one.

 

Now, there is also a third part of our reading, which we will leave for another time. Jesus says: I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 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. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.

 

So, let’s commend ourselves to Jesus today, with all the sorrows and the sadness that we often feel from all our sin, and struggles in life as Christians. Jesus uses all these things to turn us away from ourselves, and to strengthen our faith, in the power of the Holy Spirit. It is to our advantage that Jesus removes himself from the sight of his people, so that he can send us the Holy Spirit to help us, and be our Helper, and to create a living and active faith in our hearts. Thanks be to Jesus for his wonderful kindness and his mercy and his grace towards us! Amen.

 

 

And the peace of God which passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds safe in Christ Jesus. Amen.