“Conviction,” John 16:7-11

We’ve been for months now talking about the night of Jesus’ life.  The night that he was arrested, the night that he washed the disciples’ feet, he served the last supper, he served the first communion, the night that he taught so many of the things that had to be said before he departed. Earlier in the evening Jesus first told the apostles about the coming of the Holy Spirit. And Jesus referred to him as the Spirit of truth and called him “another helper,” meaning a helper in the exact same manner as Jesus.  The way that Jesus had helped them to know the Father, the Holy Spirit would help them and will help us to know Jesus. The Holy Spirit is exactly like Jesus in every manner. He has the same character, the same power, the same purpose and the same love. The only difference is that Jesus lived with the apostles in body, but the Holy Spirit would live in the apostles, he would live in everyone who would believe, he would live in you and in me in spirit. Jesus said, “you know him for he dwells with you and will be in you.” Then Jesus made this final comforting statement in that part of his teaching, “I will not leave you orphans, I will come to you.” Now looking back we know that Jesus came back to the apostles after the resurrection. And looking forward, we know that Jesus will keep his promise and he will return to the earth to all believers of that generation to bring judgement and to establish his kingdom. But in the present, in the in-between, since his ascension to heaven and until his return to earth, Jesus is with us by the Holy Spirit living in us. As you hear me often if you are in Christ then the Holy Spirit is in you. He was sent by the Father, he speaks for Jesus, he leads us to Jesus and he makes us like Jesus. In fact he is so good at his job of being like Jesus that Jesus said that it is to our advantage, meaning that it is better for us that Jesus leave and go to heaven and send the Holy Spirit to live in us…In this week’s sermon, Past Abie Kulynych teaches us on the work of the Holy Spirit in us, “Conviction.”