Lesson 44: John 16:1-15 - The Spirit’s Work

1 “I have said all these things to you to keep you from falling away.
2 They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God.
3 And they will do these things because they have not known the Father, nor me.
4 But I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I told them to you.
5 But now I am going to him who sent me, and none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’
6 But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart.
7 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.
8 And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment:
9 concerning sin, because they do not believe in me;
10 concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer;
11 concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.
12 “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.
13 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.
14 He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you.
15 All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.


As Jesus and His 11 disciples walked to the Garden of Gethsemane, He continued telling them important things they needed to know. He knew they could not understand everything He was saying, but also knew the Holy Spirit He would send would bring His words back to their remembrance for great comfort and instruction later.

With these words, Jesus was preparing His disciples (and us too) for the difficulties we as followers of Jesus would face in this world. He wants each of us who are His disciples to know ahead of time what to expect so when it happens we are not discouraged. And the most important promise in these verses is His promise of sending the Holy Spirit to help us.

Before Jesus came to earth, before God’s grace was put on display through a Savior, followers of God had never faced personal attacks the way Jesus’ disciples – and all those of us who have followed Jesus since – would face. Jesus knew we would never be strong enough on our own to face such attacks, but His Spirit would come to help us. This is why Jesus said it was to the disciples’ advantage He was leaving. Jesus living on earth as a man could only be at one place at a time, help one person at a time; but the Spirit would be able to help every believer at the same time – because He is God’s Spirit and is everywhere at once.

*What do you see around you to remind you the world and the devil hate Christians more than ever now?