Sermon - Cantate - John 16:5-15

Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia! Why has Jesus ascended to the Father and not simply remained here on earth? Jesus answered this question when He said: “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.” Jesus ascended to heaven so that He might send the Holy Spirit into our lives. Why is this such a huge deal? Jesus has sent the Holy Spirit to convict the world and to comfort us with the truth of His Word.

Yes, Jesus sent the Holy Spirit into the world to be active in the world. Sometimes I think we too easily forget or dismiss the activities and the importance of the Holy Spirit. Perhaps because we can’t see the Holy Spirit and we can’t see His works in a tangible sense, we just don’t talk about Him. In a sense, this is how the Holy Spirit functions, He works behind the scenes and would rather be hidden so that our faith looks to Christ and His works instead of the mysterious works of the Spirit. 

Or perhaps we’re just a bit sensitive to pentecostalism, where they focus so profusely on personal “spiritual” experiences (such as a “baptism of the Holy Spirit” and speaking in tongues), that emotions and feelings become the dominating force. Thus, we have a bit of overreaction to them! We end up throwing out not only their overemphasis on emotions, but we toss out the Holy Spirit entirely because we don’t know how to speak about the Spirit or what the Spirit actually does. So let’s take some time this morning to consider the work of the Holy Spirit. 

Jesus explains what the Spirit does, He reveals two major offices, or functions, of the Holy Spirit: the convicting office and the teaching office. In terms of the convicting office of the Holy Spirit, Jesus says: “And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment.” So the Holy Spirit rebukes and exposes the world to be guilty and deserving of God’s eternal wrath. 

The Holy Spirit convicts the whole world, not just the church people, not just the lowly humble people, but even those who are high and mighty, the people who are considered the greatest and mostly worldly people among us. The Spirit has come to convict the entire populace of the earth: everyone! 

The Spirit doesn’t do this by means of coercion with the sword or human influence, such as the world convicts us. But the Spirit works through “the implanted Word.” As St. Paul says, “the word of the cross… is the power of God.” The Spirit works through the Word and through this word convicts the world. 

Firstly, the Spirit convicts the world “concerning sin, because they do not believe in” Jesus. God’s Word is the power for those who are being saved, and thus the first step in order to save the world is to convict the world of sin. The greatest, most foremost sin upon the earth is the sin of unbelief. Thus making the most learned, the most civically righteous people, into sinners because they don’t believe in Jesus. Indeed, the Jews who follow the law to a tee, but don’t have faith in Christ Jesus, are sinners because they don’t have faith. Sin is nothing more than life and conduct apart from faith in Christ. 

Does this mean that living a righteous life according to the ten commandments is a bad thing? No! Of course not! But it’s more than that, since God’s law demands not only outward perfection, but inwardly perfection in faith as well. By breaking the first commandment, not having faith in Jesus Christ, you consequently break all of the commandments because the law is only fulfilled in faith. Therefore, the whole world is convicted of sin on account of its unbelief. 

Yet the teaching office of the Spirit is that which gives faith, belief in Christ Jesus the Lord. We are given faith in Jesus because the Spirit is the one who teaches and implants this faith within us. “No one can say “Jesus is Lord” except by the Holy Spirit.” Thus comfort from the conviction of sin is given to us by the Holy Spirit, who proclaims God’s Word into our ears which gives us faith to believe and be saved by the Gospel. “In Him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in Him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit.” The Word of God is not merely information, but it’s the power of the Holy Spirit by which He works faith in our hearts! God’s Word actually does what it says. Thus the Holy Spirit not only convicts the world concerning sin by the word, but comforts the world concerning the forgiveness of sin by the Word.

Secondly, the Spirit convicts the world “concerning righteousness, because [Jesus] goes to the Father, and [we] see [Him] no longer.” The Spirit convicts the world and declares that we are not righteous. Even though the world would say that it is righteous, at least in the eyes of juries and legislatures, the truth is that none of that has anything to do with true righteousness. Just because you’re not in jail doesn’t mean that you’re righteous. 

In fact, the only thing that makes a person righteous is Jesus who has risen from the dead and now has ascended to the Father who we no longer see. Jesus, not our civic righteousness, is the one who declares us to be righteous. Even though Atheists behave well, and Muslims and Hindus and Buddhists and Jews behave according to their laws, they are not righteous because they have not Jesus. “If a law had been given that could give life, then righteousness would indeed be by the law. But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.” Righteousness is only available to those who have faith in Jesus Christ. 

But the Holy Spirit in His teaching office declares to us all the benefits of which Jesus earned for us when He said “I go to the Father.” In those words Jesus declares the whole gospel for us, since He goes to the Father by dying for us upon the tree and atoning for all of our sins by His single sacrifice. From whence Jesus is raised from the dead, signifying that since Christ has been raised so shall all who belong to Christ be raised from the dead. Since Jesus now has ascended to the Father and is seated upon the throne in the position of power, Christ reigns over all things and rules this, His creation, by His Word of truth and comfort that is cast over all peoples. Since Christ is with the Father, and we can’t see Him, we are to be certain that He still petitions the Father on our behalf as an advocate for us who must still wallow in the trenches of sin. 

Christ has ascended into heaven so that you may be counted as righteous. He has gone to be with the Father, and by the power of His crucifixion and resurrection, He grants to you grace and forgiveness for all of your sins against Him. Your earthly righteousness avails you nothing, but Christ’s single sacrifice of His body and blood atones for all of your unrighteousness and declares you to be wholly and completely righteous.

 Thirdly, the Holy Spirit convicts the world “concerning judgement, because the ruler of this world is judged.” The Spirit declares judgement against the world, and explains that since the world has rejected Christ, it receives the same punishment as the ruler of this world. Who is the ruler of this world? The ruler of this world is none other than the devil. Since the devil will be judged and condemned to hell for all eternity, likewise will those who belong to the devil spend eternity with their master is hades. 

Yet the Spirit still gives us great comfort here as well, by declaring that “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.” Even though all the world will be ever present in attacking the Word, the Church, and Jesus, so will Christ’s Word be ever present in our daily lives whereby Christ continues to speak to us and grant to us faith that shall endure all hardships in this life.

Jesus has sent the Holy Spirit to proclaim the Word of God, not only to convict this world, but to comfort us who are threatened by this world. “Don’t be deceived, my brothers.” This world may promise you many good things, it may promise you sinlessness, righteousness, and freedom from judgement. But in the end, this world and its ruler will be judged most severely. 

Instead, “every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.” Every good gift comes from above, and the most good gift is that gift of the Holy Spirit, by whom the word of truth is proclaimed without variation and without change throughout the centuries. For this unchanging, perfect Word is sent by the Father and implants within us faith that receives Jesus’ sinlessness and righteousness because the Christ has already received our judgment upon the cross.

Therefore, the Holy Spirit causes our lips to be opened and our tongues to be freed in order to proclaim the Word of truth! The Spirit urges us “sing to the Lord a new song, for He has revealed His righteousness in the sight of the nations! Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth; break forth into joyous song and sing praises!” Don’t stop the Spirit, but open your lips and proclaim God’s Word to your friends, your family, and your neighbors in both word and song! Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!