Jesus was going away. He told His disciples that very soon He wouldn’t be with them anymore, and of course that made them very sad. But then He told them something astounding. He told them that it was better for them if He went away, because, if He did, He would send “the Comforter” to be with them. Jesus would not leave them alone.
John 16:5-7 “Now I am going to him who sent me, yet none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ Because I have said these things, you are filled with grief. But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.”
John 14:16-18
“…I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans;”
Questions:
1.) Since Jesus rose from the dead, why didn’t He just stay here on the Earth?
2.) Why do I need a Comforter?
3.) If the Holy Spirit is still around, why aren’t things better than they are?
We’ve Got Questions/ God’s Got Answers:
John 16:7 But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.
John 16:12-13 “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.
Acts 1:3-5 After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
Acts 1:8“…you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
John 14:17 …the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.
Jesus was leaving. He was going to be with His Father, but He would not leave us alone, like orphans. He knew that it was better for us that He went away. He promised to send the Holy Spirit (The Comforter) who is the Spirit of Truth, to be with us and in us forever. He knew that we would need the Holy Spirit to accomplish all that He had for us to do. His final words before His Ascension into heaven must have continued to ring in His disciples ears: “… and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
Jesus was going away. He told His disciples that very soon He wouldn’t be with them anymore, and of course that made them very sad. But then He told them something astounding. He told them that it was better for them if He went away, because, if He did, He would send “the Comforter” to be with them. Jesus would not leave them alone.
John 16:5-7 “Now I am going to him who sent me, yet none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ Because I have said these things, you are filled with grief. But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.”
John 14:16-18
“…I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans;”
Questions:
1.) Since Jesus rose from the dead, why didn’t He just stay here on the Earth?
2.) Why do I need a Comforter?
3.) If the Holy Spirit is still around, why aren’t things better than they are?
We’ve Got Questions/ God’s Got Answers:
John 16:7 But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.
John 16:12-13 “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.
Acts 1:3-5 After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
Acts 1:8“…you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
John 14:17 …the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.
Jesus was leaving. He was going to be with His Father, but He would not leave us alone, like orphans. He knew that it was better for us that He went away. He promised to send the Holy Spirit (The Comforter) who is the Spirit of Truth, to be with us and in us forever. He knew that we would need the Holy Spirit to accomplish all that He had for us to do. His final words before His Ascension into heaven must have continued to ring in His disciples ears: “… and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”