There's Someone Better Than Jesus

Study Notes

There's Someone Better Than Jesus - Week 10- Study Notes

There's Someone Better Than Jesus

John 16:5-11

Knocked Down But Not Out:  There’s Someone Better Than Jesus

John 16:5-11

     “It’s better to have loved and lost, than never to have…lost at all?”  No, that’s not quite how Tennyson put it.  He wrote, “…than never to have loved at all!”  But, is it ever better to have loved and lost than never to have lost what we loved?  It’s hard to think it could be so.  There are few sadnesses more intense than the loss of one loved.  As far as real love is concerned, anything seems better than separation… anything. That’s why bereavement is the most disturbing event to our emotions that’s found in this world.  For those who love, really love, you know there usually is little positive about having loved and lost.

     And yet Jesus in John 16 insists in v. 7:  Very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you.

     If you’ve been here at LAC these past few months, you’ll know that as Jesus speaks those words, he’s on the threshold of His arrest and execution.  As he speaks, he’s walking with His disciples to the Garden of Gethsemane.  They’ve taken many such walks, but this is the last one… and Jesus knows it.

     Jesus’ opportunity to prepare them for life without his physical presence is almost at an end.  The disciples can’t handle much more and the time is drawing to a close, so Jesus must bring His long farewell discourse to a conclusion.  V.12: I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear.

     But before He leaves, Jesus wants them to know that His leaving isn’t the disaster they think it is. Jesus insists that his leaving is a blessing.  In this case it will be better to have loved and lost than never to have lost him at all.  The reason is that Jesus must go so that the Holy Spirit can come and dwell within us. 

     Over the past several months, we’ve had several sermons on the Holy Spirit.  I urge you to go online and listen to two of those.  The first was in our “Shared Faith” series.  I recommend Pastor Jeff Liou’s sermon on the Holy Spirit: https://www.lakeave.org/sermon/article-6-the-holy-spirit-is-the-promise.  Jeff clarified that the Holy Spirit continues the work of Jesus in and through our lives – individually and as a church.  Then, a few weeks ago, Pastor Jeff Mattesich’s spoke to us from John 14 and how the Holy Spirit is the Person who facilitates our experience of God’s presence: https://www.lakeave.org/sermon/experiencing-god-s-presence.  And, for further study, I recommend looking at the commentary on what we believe about the Holy Spirit at https://www.lakeave.org/statement-of-faith-article-6-commentary.

     Today, I simply want us to consider what Jesus meant when he said: “One of the reasons I’m leaving you is that the Holy Spirit may come to be with you.” Jesus’ death and resurrection was necessary before the Holy Spirit could do his work in our lives.  Sin had to be dealt with before God’s Holy Spirit could take up residency in unholy people like us. 

     But for what purpose will the Holy Spirit dwell within us?  We saw that the Spirit ministers to us personally in John 14.  Jesus said that the Holy Sprit would make God’s presence real to us.  He is our Helper and Advocate in this tough time when Jesus is not physically present.

     But, in John 16:7-11, Jesus spoke of the role the Holy Spirit plays in working through people like us to further God’s mission in the world.    Do you remember last week’s message?  Jesus said we all are to be witnesses to our world about him.  But, as we give witness to him, Jesus said we will face opposition – and sometimes hatred.  So, can you imagine being there when Jesus said, “You are to be my witnesses.  When you go, you will sometimes be hated.  And oh, you should know this: I am leaving you even as I send you out into the hate-filled world!”  I think I too would have been one of those people about whom Jesus said, “Sorrow has filled your heart.”  But, then Jesus says, “When you give witness, you will experience the power of the Holy Spirit through you.  But, I must go for that to be take place.”

    Let me tell you that, when you talk about the Holy Spirit, there is always a lot of mystery – because the person and work of the Spirit goes beyond human comprehension and beyond our empirical senses.  Jesus – became flesh.  People could see and hear him.  We still have his words and the reports of what people saw in him.  But, the Holy Spirit ‘s work is not to bring attention to himself but to Jesus.

     Here, I’ll take a moment to see whether artists’ depictions of the mysterious work of the Spirit might help us.  The Holy Spirit is usually described in the Bible in terms of a dove, fire or wind.

     So, let’s let Jesus teach us about the Holy Spirit working through us in vv.8-11.  There are parts of this paragraph that are mysterious aren’t there?  As difficult to understand as some parts of his statements might be, the general sense is clear, isn’t it?  Jesus is saying that it’s the specific work of the Holy Spirit to awaken in people a sense of moral conviction about sin and people’s need of Jesus in human hearts.

     Why is it that a person can live a whole lifetime without any concern for God – and live that way for years – then one day is suddenly arrested with a sense of things that are wrong in his life? Why is it that sometimes, the person will be suddenly consumed with spiritual things when he hasn’t been before? I’ve seen it happen often.  What’s the explanation for that?

     Jesus would say, “It’s the work of the Holy Spirit.”  It’s the Holy Spirit who convicts the world of sin and righteousness and judgment.”  That word “convicts” is a technical world in Greek legal jargon.  It refers to the one who cross-examines a witness in court.”  Remember that the word Jesus has been using for the Holy Spirit, i.e., “Counselor” or “Paraclete”, is a word used for the person who stands with you in a law court.  What Jesus is saying is that the Holy Spirit not only stands with us and supports us as we are on trial by the world.  He also works through us in people’s lives when we give witness to him to draw them to God. We witness and, according to John 15:18, the world accuses and sometimes hates us.  But, at the same time, God’s Spirit often calls the world to be believers through our witness – even as they accuse us. 

     Look at the three ways Jesus puts it:

#1:  The Spirit convicts people of the sin of not believing in Jesus.  …about sin, because people do not believe in me (16:9). 

     The way this often seems to happen is that people may have a belief in God – or some sort of a god.  But, they begin to have a growing awareness that they don’t really know God personally.  Or, they may have always thought they didn’t need to believe in God but then they begin to wonder, “Is it possible that there is a God?  If so, what is he like?”  “There must be something more in this universe than material things?” 

     Often, as witness is given or a sermon is preached, questions begin to arise in their minds that they had never before had.  “Why do I have this sense that certain things are right and wrong?”  These are often promptings from God’s Spirit.  These are the kinds of things that happen when God’s Spirit is at work.  When the Spirit is at work in this way, his prompting always has the goal of leading people to Jesus.  In 16:14, Jesus says the Spirit glorifies him.  When people begin to be drawn by the Spirit toward God, they will ultimately be drawn to Jesus. The Spirit convicts people specifically of not believing in Jesus.

#2:  The Spirit convicts people about our need to be made righteous in Jesus.  … about righteousness, because I am going to the Father (16:10).

     I know v.10 can be confusing – until you realize that Jesus was always speaking to people who thought – or tried to make others think – that they could be righteous on their own.  Here, I’m quite sure Jesus had Isaiah 64:6 in mind when the prophet had declared,  “All our righteous acts are like filthy rags.”  When the Spirit is at work, people will soon realize that all their efforts to be righteous on their own are insufficient.

    In Donald Miller’s Blue Like Jazz, he tells of the time when, as a boy, he realized, “There’s something wrong with me.”  He had to own the fact that the very things he didn’t want to do were often the things he did.  Miller tells of a time when he began to realize that he needed a provision from outside himself to make him right because he surely wasn’t right on his own.

When you begin to know that something is wrong inside you that needs to be forgiven and changed, you can be sure the Holy Spirit is working in you.  Then, when we read about Jesus in the Bible, we see true righteousness.  We see how life is to be lived.  When we look at Jesus, we see the only righteous person who ever lived.  Then we learn this same Jesus was willing to die in our place for our sin – and was able to defeat sin and death by his resurrection.  Bottom line: When God’s Spirit works in our hearts, we look at Jesus and we know what true righteousness looks like. The Holy Spirit opens our eyes to the fact that our self-directed lifestyle and values won’t work.  Jesus said, “Through the witness of your life and words, the Holy Spirit will open the eyes of the world to what true righteousness is all about.  They’ll know they’ll need the only one who can bring them to the Father.”

#3:  The Holy Spirit convicts us that evil must be judged. … about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned (16:11).

I’ve sometimes been surprised when people who don’t believe in God at all argue that those who abuse children or who cut off the heads of innocent people (like ISIS) should be punished.  “They shouldn’t get away with what they’re doing!” I hear supposed atheists cry out things like that.  But, that word “should” is such a powerful word.  “Should” suggests that there is a right and wrong that stands outside ourselves.  Atheists supposedly don’t believe such things.  The word “should” suggests that there is no justice unless evil is punished.  Do you believe that’s true?  I do.

And, when you begin to have questions like that -- about matters of justice and evil being punished, it often is the work of the Holy Spirit in your heart and mind. Those promptings will ultimately lead you to the God whose own character is the basis of right and wrong.  You will find it leads you to Jesus whose life was the only sinless life and who was willing to die in order to pay the punishment that you and I deserve for our sins – for we are sinners in need of judgment too.  And, if you do not put your faith in Jesus, then your place is exactly the place of the prince of this world, who is judged and whose defeat is declared by Jesus’ resurrection from the dead.  That’s what Jesus is saying here.  The Holy Spirit uses our witness to convict the world of sin, righteousness and judgment.  Is that clearer to you?  Let me illustrate it:

     Do you remember Dr. C. Everett Koop, the pediatric surgeon who became America’s Surgeon General in the Reagan administration?  In his Memoirs of America’s Family Doctor, Dr. Koop wrote of how he came to faith in Jesus.  His testimony is just like what Jesus spoke of in John 16.  While living in Philadelphia, Dr. Koop started showing up at the 10^th Presbyterian Church.  At first, he hid away as far as possible in the back of the balcony while Pastor Donald Barnhouse preached.  Koop wrote of how he began to be disturbed by the preaching.  “How dare the preacher say such things?  Where did he get these ideas?”  But, Koop wrote that his questions one day changed from accusations to personal introspection.  He said, “I saw one day that I was, at best, a nominal Christian trying to be decent.  But, I had no real knowledge of God.”  I think Jesus would say that the Holy Spirit was being convicted him of his sin of unbelief.

     Koop also wrote that, in that time, all his efforts to reform himself were to no avail.  He saw things in his life that he knew were wrong but were not improving.  And, Koop wrote, he began to realize that the essence of a true religion could not be in what we do – but in what God does for us.  He wrote, “I began to realize that either my sins were on my own shoulders or on Christ’s.  I had to be humble enough to own up to the fact that I needed him.”  I think Jesus would say that the Holy Spirit was convicting him of righteousness.

     Then, there was one day when, after Koop had sat through services for about a year, he realized that he no longer sat through the sermons thinking, “That’s stupid!” Or, “Who do you think you are, Mr. Preacher.”  He said, “I realized I wasn’t observing worship any more.  I was a participant.  I knew I was in.  I was a believer in Jesus.”

     This is how the Spirit works.  And it’s still happening.  (Here, I’ll do a brief interview with John White who has recently come to Jesus is a similar way to Dr. Koop.)

• John, what was it that first brought you to LAC?  
• The first time I remember speaking with your wife Lauren, she said something like, "My husband John has all sort of questions?"  What do you think led to that?  What kind of questions were they?  
• Did Lauren ever tell you she was praying for you?  How did you feel/think about that?
• Now, I watch you singing with such joy and leading our soccer ministry with Josh.  What happened?  

How This Sometimes Plays Out:

     As I studied this passage all week, it brought back memories of times when I saw this playing out in my own life.  I remember how, while I was in high school, I sensed this prompting to speak to one of the leading athletes in my class about Jesus.  I didn’t want to do it at all!  But, I did it.  And, when I did, I remember that he wanted nothing to do with this topic at all.  He just walked away and I felt like a failure.  A number of years ago, at a class reunion, I saw him again.  He pulled me to the side and said, “I’ve wanted to thank you for years for the way you talked to me about Jesus.  After you did, I went months without getting that off my mind.  That next year, when I was at the university, I looked for a Campus Crusade guy and, with his help, gave my life to Jesus.”  Do you see it?  I was prompted by God’s Spirit.  I had to obey by giving witness.  When I did, I felt rejected.  But, the Spirit took my frail words and used them in my friend’s heart.

     This sort of experience has happened often in my life.  There was a time when I was living in Germany that the evangelistic team that I was a part of was invited to a church in Northern Germany.  At the last minute, the leader of the team decided he didn’t want to go.  And I didn’t want to go either because I knew the pastor of the church didn’t want us to be there – because he didn’t like the simple gospel message we brought.  But, grudgingly, I went.  When the pastor introduced us, he said, “I don’t want these people in my church.  But, someone invited them so I have no choice. I’ve decided to let these evangelicals show us what they can do.”  What an introduction!  That night, it was like singing to a morgue.  There seemed to be no response at all.  But, after the program was over, a dozen young adults came up to us and they all said, “We know we need to believe in Jesus.”  And they did.  They started a Bible study that continues even to today.

     What do I want you to do today in the light of this message?

     Believers, what I want you to do are simply to be open to the Spirit’s promptings in your life.  When you sense God would have you speak to someone about Jesus, just do it.  It may not seem to go well at first.  But, all Jesus asks you to do is to give witness to Jesus.  As Peter would say in 1 Pet 4:11,  “Speak as one speaking the very words of God.”  Don’t get down on yourself if it doesn’t go well and don’t give up on the person if their first response isn’t all you had hoped for.  There is hope for even the most resistant of people – yes, even your spouse or your children or your parents.  You must testify about Jesus (15:26-27)! When you do, you are not alone.  The Holy Spirit is active convicting the world of sin and righteousness and judgment.  And, it’s clear to me that He often does this work through people like you and me. 

     Jesus said that it was better for him to leave so that the Holy Spirit could come.  After three years of Jesus being here and calling people to believe, there were only a few believers – and they were quite weak.  But, then, the Holy Spirit came convicting the world.  It began at Pentecost.  3,000 of those who had been hard-hearted were convicted by the Holy Spirit, fell on their knees and gave their lives to Christ.  And so it has gone on.  The influence of Jesus is a million times greater today than it was in His own lifetime.  Why?  Because the Holy Spirit has come and convicted the world of its unbelief, of its sin.  That’s why.

     Perhaps you have felt that inner prompting to believe today – or to turn from some sin today.  You feel the need to decide for Jesus.  Well, it’s not just your imagination or something you ate that makes you feel that way.  Something may hit you as God’s Word is spoken that’s never quite hit you that way before.  It has little to do with the speaker’s eloquence.  After all, others snooze through the same message that may be stirring you. 

     If that’s happening, be grateful.  It’s God personally loving you and calling you.  If God calls you to a decision today, thank Him for it.  Jesus went to a cross and died so that His Spirit could work this way in you.  Thank him -- and after you thank Him, say “yes” to him.  Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ – and you will be saved.  That’s what the Spirit calls you to do.

To His glory,

Dr. Greg Waybright
Senior Pastor

Sermons Archive

Greg Waybright • Copyright 2015, Lake Avenue Church

Chinese Translation

There's Someone Better Than Jesus - Week 10- Study Notes - Chinese Translation

破碎但不丟棄:  比耶穌更好的一位

約翰福音 16:5-11

  “愛過失去要比從來不曾。。。失去要好？” 不对，这不完全是Tennyson描绘的，他寫到“。。。要比從來不曾愛過要好！” 但是，愛過後失去要比從來不曾失去我們所愛的要来的好吗？很難想像這會是事實。沒有幾樣悲哀要比失去一個愛的人要更強烈的多。至於對真愛來說，什麼都比分離要來的好。。。不論什麼。這就是為什麼喪親之痛在我們世界的情感上是最令人不安。對我們愛過的人，真正愛過的，你知道愛過又失去幾乎沒有任何積極的一面。

然而，耶穌在約翰福音16章7節中堅稱：然而我將真情告訴你們，我去是於你們有益的，我若不去，保惠師就不到你們這裡來。

如果這幾個月你在Lake聚會，你知道耶穌說這些話的時候，他已處於被捕處死的關口了。他說這話的時候，正於門徒們在客西馬尼園行走。他們曾經一同走過許多這樣的路，但今天是最後一回。。。耶穌心裏很清楚。

耶穌預備門徒們一生中不再有耶穌在身旁的日子，這樣的機會即將結束。門徒們不能承受更多，時日已經到頭，所以耶穌長長的告別話語也要結束了。12節：我還有好些事要告訴你們，但你們現在擔當不了。

但是在他離開之前，耶穌要门徒们知道他的離開不是如他們想像的那樣災難一般。耶穌堅持說他的離開是對他們的祝福。如此愛過失去要比不曾失去要來的好。耶穌必須要離去，聖靈才能來住在我們中間。

    在過去幾個月裏，我們有幾篇有關聖靈的講道。建議大家到網站上聽這些講道。第一篇是有在“分享信仰”系列中。Jeff 講到聖靈在我們裏面，通過我們繼續耶穌的工作。幾個星期前，Jeff Mattesich 牧師跟我們說到約翰福音14章中聖靈作為一個位格幫助我們經歷神的同在。進一步的學習，我建議大家看我們教會的信仰宣言中對聖靈的解經。

今天我簡單地要大家來思想耶穌說這些話的意思：“我離開你們的一個原因是聖靈來於你們同在。”在聖靈到我們生命中要進行的工作之前耶穌的死和復活是必不可缺的。

    聖靈在我們裏面居住的目的是什麼？我們看見約翰福音14章中聖靈位格對我們的工作。

    但是約翰16:7-11，耶穌講到聖靈扮演的角色，是透過我們這樣的人來拓展神的事工。耶穌說我們要在全地做他的見證。可是我們為他做見證的時候，耶穌說我們會遭遇反對－有時候是仇恨。你可以想像到耶穌在這場景中對你說，“你前往為我作見證，有時候會被人恨惡。而且你要知道：我現在要離開你們，即使我差你們到這個恨惡你們的世界去！”我想我也會是耶穌說“滿心憂愁”中的一個。但是耶穌說，“ 你為我作見證，會經歷聖靈的大能。可是我必須離開好叫這一切可以發生。”

    讓我告訴你，人談到聖靈，常常有極大的神秘感。因為聖靈位格的工作超乎人的理解和實証的感覺。耶穌成為肉身。人可以看見和聽見他。我們還有他的話，人們看見他寫到有關他的報道。但是聖靈的工作不是要帶給人的關注，乃是帶人到耶穌面前。

   聖靈在聖經中常常用鴿子，火和風這樣的術語來形容。

     透過8-11 節，我們讓耶穌來教導我們有關聖靈的工作。句子部分看似有点神秘。是不是？不好理解，但是总体清楚明瞭。耶穌說的是聖靈特別的工作乃是喚醒人們在道義上對罪的認識，以及人類心靈對耶穌的需要。

   為什麼一個人可以一輩子活著都不關心神的事－常年過著這樣的生活－有一天突然地揪心，感到他的生活中有不對的感覺？為甚麼有時候，人會突然被靈裏的事抓住，這是他從來沒有過的事？我常常看到這樣的時候發生。對此怎麼解釋？

   耶穌說，“這是聖靈的工作。” 聖靈叫世界為義，為罪，為審判，自己責備自己。“責備”這個字是在希臘的技術世界中的法律行話，來指在法庭上於證人的對質。記住耶穌用聖靈的字，比如：“保惠師”或者“辯護人”這樣的字是用來指在法庭上為你和你站在一邊的人。耶穌說聖靈不僅僅是當我們面對世界的患難的時候和我們站在一邊，聖靈也通過人們的生活來見證他，引人到神的面前。我們見證神，根據約翰福音15:18，世界就控告我們，恨惡我們。但是同時，聖靈常常呼召世人通過我們的見證來成為信徒－即使他們控告我們。

    我們看耶穌從三個方面來說：

#1:  責備人不信耶穌的罪。。。為罪，是因他們不信我（16:9）

  人心受责备的发生常常出于人对神或许都有些许的信，不过信的是某種的神。但是他們開始越來越強烈地意識到並不真正親自認識這位神。他們可能一直都覺得自己不需要相信神，卻開始想知道，“有沒有可能真有一位神？如果真的有，他到底是什麼樣的？ ”“在這個宇宙中，應該還有超越于物質之外的更高的存在嗎？” 

  常常當見證講道傳講的時候，人的思想冒出以前從來沒有的問題。“ 我為甚麼會有這種感覺事物一定有對錯？”這常常是神的聖靈在催促。當聖靈如此作工的時候，他的催促都是將我們帶到耶穌的面前。在16章14節，耶穌說聖靈榮耀神。當人們開始被聖靈引導轉向神的時候，他們最終是被引向耶穌。聖靈責備人，特別是為人不信耶穌。

#2: 聖靈責備人，叫人知道在耶穌裏得稱為義的需要。。。为义，是因我往父那里去 （16:10）

      10節有點不好理解－直到你意識到耶穌常常指著這樣的人--就是自以为义，或是试图叫別人以為--他們可以靠自己來稱義。我确定耶穌此时想到的是先知在以賽亞書64:6節中的經文，“ 所有的義都像汙穢的衣服。”聖靈做工的時候，人就會很快地意識到，他們所有靠自己努力稱義的在天平上都顯出不足。

在Donald Miller 藍色爵士中，他講述還是小男孩的時候，就曾經意識到：“我裏面有什麼不對的地方。”他承認一個事實那就是他最不願意去做的事卻偏偏去做。Miller 告訴說有個時期他開始意識到他需要在他自身之外的力量來叫他返正，因為靠他自己本身就不正。

你開始認識到在你裏面有什麼不對，需要被赦免和改變的地方，就可以確定聖靈在你裏面工作。然後，你開始讀到聖經中的耶穌，你看見真正的義。我們看見人的生活應該是這樣活著的。我們看耶穌，他是活過的人當中唯一的一個義人。然後我們了解到同一位的耶穌願意替代我們，為我們的罪去死--因著他的復活才能夠擊敗罪惡和死亡。說到底是：神的靈在我們心裏工作的時候，我們看耶穌，才知道真正的義是什麼樣的。聖靈開我們的眼，看見我們自我導向的生活方式和價值是行不通的。耶穌說，“通過你的所言所行，聖靈要打開世界的眼睛，看見真正的義的到底意味著什麼。他們就會知道自己需要那獨一的耶穌，帶領他們到父神的面前。

#3: 聖靈責備人，罪必定受審判。。。為審判，是因為這世界的王受了審判（ 16:11）.

      我有的時候很是驚訝，當不信神的人辯論說，這些虐待兒童，砍掉無辜人腦袋的人（如ISIS）應該受到懲罰。“他們不該逃脫罪行！”我聽到無神論者這樣的吶喊。但是“應該”這個字是很強烈的。“應該”就意味著在我們自身之外有對錯的存在。無神論者本來是不相信這樣的事的。“應該”這個字意味著除非惡受審判就沒有公義而言。你相信嗎？我相信。

你開始問這類的問題--有關公義和罪受審判，聖靈常常就在你的心裏、思想裏面工作。催促你最終來面對神，神的品格是對錯的基礎。你會發現聖靈帶你到耶穌的面前，他的生活是唯一沒有罪的，他願意為我們死，替代本來是我們當受的刑罰，因為我們是需要受審判的罪人。如果你不將你的信心交托給神，那麼你的地位就是世界的王的地位，耶穌從死裡復活已經勝過並且這個世界已經受了審判。這就是耶穌這裡所說的。聖靈用我們的見證為義，為罪，為審判來責備世界的罪。這點你清楚嗎？我這樣來形容：

你記得美國小兒科外科醫生，後來在里根總統時代的美國外科總監酷伯（ C Everette Koop）醫生嗎？酷伯醫生在他的《美國家庭醫生回憶錄》中寫到他怎樣信耶穌的。他的見證就像耶穌在約翰福音16章中記載的一樣。還住在費城的酷伯醫生開始出現在第十浸信會。開始的時候，每逢Donald Barnhouse 牧師講道他能躲多遠就躲多遠，遠遠地坐在教會的二樓。酷伯寫到他聽講道後如何的不安。“ 牧師斗膽說這種話？他從哪裏來的主意？ ”但是酷伯寫到，有一天他心中的問題使他從一個控告者轉變反省的過程。他說，“有一天，我看見自己過去了不起是個還算正常的基督徒，盡量保持體面。但是我並不認識神。” 我想耶穌會說那是聖靈叫他為罪，為不信責備他。

   酷伯還寫到，那時，他所有努力要改變自己都沒有用。他開始意識到真正的宗教本質不是我們做什麼－乃是神為我們做了什麼。他寫到，“我開始悟到我的罪不是擔在我自己的肩頭，就是擔在耶穌的身上。我必須謙卑承認這個事實，就是我需要耶穌。” 我想耶穌會說聖靈為義責備他。

   酷伯來參加敬拜約有一年的時間，後來有一天，他感到自己不再一邊聽道一邊想，“這是愚蠢！” 或者，“牧師，你以為你自己是誰呀” 這樣的話了。他說，“ 我意識到我不再是旁觀敬拜了，我是參加敬拜。我知道我在裏面。我是信靠耶穌的了。”

聖靈就是這樣工作的。今天還在發生。

具體如何體現：

   我一整周思想這篇信息，想到在我自己的生活中是如何體現的。記得讀高中的時候，感覺到裏面的催促，要跟我班上一個優秀運動員分享基督。我一點都不想要這麼做！但是我還是說了。我說了之後，記得他一點都不想和這話題沾邊。他撇身離開，我覺得很失敗。過了些年，在一個同學聚會上，我又一次看到他。他把我叫到一邊說，“我多年來一直想要謝謝你，為你那樣跟我分享耶穌。你跟我說之後，好幾個月在我的腦子裏揮之不去。第二年，我到了大學，開始找校園佈道的人，在他們的幫助下，我將生命給了耶穌。”你看到嗎？我是被神的聖靈催促。我必須要順服來做見證。我順服了，遭到拒絕。但是聖靈用我微弱的話，在我朋友的心中工作。

   這種經歷常常在我的生活中出現。有一回我還住在德國，有一個宣教的團隊，我是其中一個被邀請到北德的一個教會去。最後一分鐘，團隊的領袖決定他不去了。我也不想去，因為我知道教會的牧師不想要我們到他那－因為他不喜歡我們帶去的是簡單的福音。不情不願的，我還是去了。牧師介紹我們的時候說，“ 我不想要他們來教會，但是有人邀請了他們，我也沒有辦法。我決定就讓這些宣教士給我們做做看吧。”這樣的介紹我們！那天晚上，好像對著太平間唱歌。看起來毫無反應。但是節目結束後，十幾個青年人上前來說，“我們知道我們需要相信耶穌。” 他們就真的相信了。他們開始一個聖經學習小組，直到今天還在。

藉著這篇信息的亮光，我要你今天做什麼？

   信徒們，我要你做的很簡單，就是面對聖靈在你們生命中的催促敞開你們的心。當你感覺到神要你開口向某人傳講耶穌的時候，你就去做。開始可能不順，但是耶穌要你做的就是見證耶穌。如彼得在彼得前書4:11 中說的，“按著神的聖言講。”不要因為不順就受挫，也不要因為他們的第一反應不如你所想像的而對人放棄希望。即使是最為抵抗的人還是有希望－甚至你的配偶，你的孩子，你的父母。你要為耶穌做見證（ 15:26-27）！你這樣做的時候，不是孤單的。聖靈是活潑的，為罪，為義，為審判責備人。他常常透過你我這樣的人來做工。

   耶穌說他離開更好，這樣聖靈就能來。耶穌三年的時間在地上呼召人們來相信他，也就只有幾個信徒－而且他們都很懦弱。但是，聖靈來責備世界。五旬節聖靈降臨，原來都是心腸剛硬的三千人受聖靈的責備，跪下他們的膝蓋，將他們的生命交給耶穌。從此繼續聖靈的工作。耶穌今天對人的影響要比他自己一生的時間要多過萬倍。

也許你今天感覺到聖靈催促你相信－或從罪中轉回。你感覺到需要為耶穌做出決定。那樣的話，不是出於你的想像，也不是因為今天吃了什麼東西叫你感覺非同尋常。當神的話語發出，你裏面受到衝擊，是以前從來沒有過的。這和講員的雄辯沒有太多的關係。總之，對你扎心的話語對其他人聽來可能昏昏欲睡。

    如果出現這種情況，你就感恩。這是神親自愛你，呼召你。如果神呼召你今天做出決定，為此你感謝他。耶穌上十架而死，叫聖靈今天可以這樣在你心裏工作。感謝他－你感謝他之後，對他說“我信”。相信主耶穌基督－你就必得救。這就是聖靈呼召你去做的。

榮耀歸給神，

Greg Waybright 博士

主任牧師

Sermons Archive

Greg Waybright • Copyright 2015, Lake Avenue Church

Family Devotional

Read John 16:5-16 as a family

Questions/Conversation Starters:  We have all experienced loss.  We have all had to let go of something special.  It is difficult to see good when we are overwhelmed by the sorrow of loss.  However, sometimes there is a glimpse of the abundant life that awaits us if we are willing to let go. 

Story: This reminds me of a story about my oldest daughter had her very special blanket.  This blanket brought her immeasurable comfort.  She slept with it every night.  She wanted to take it with her everywhere.  Her attachment to this blanket was so great that one evening, when she was sick, even I couldn’t bring her enough comfort.  We had to wash her blanket, in the middle of the night, in order for her to go back to sleep.  Despite all of this, on one special day, I was blown away by how much she had grown.  I was home from the hospital with her new baby sister.  As we introduced these two lovely ladies to each other my older daughter went into her bedroom and came out with her special blanket and handed it to her new baby sister.  My daughter understood, in some small way, that her loss was also a great gain.  She was giving up one comfort, her blanket, and gaining much more; love, companionship, inner joy, a sister. 

Now, truly my daughter didn’t completely understand what she was doing and couldn’t really have imagined the relationship she would have with her sister.  In fact, the blanket was taken back throughout the years.  However, in that fleeting moment, I saw the beginning of a beautiful bond.  Images of the comfort they would bring each other throughout the changes of life flashed through my head.  In all honesty, how could any of us have imagined the comfort they would feel in one another through changes in homes, schools, churches, etc..  Yet, every night they would end their day together in the same room.  They would chat and cuddle until they fell asleep and eventually neither of them would need the special Blanket.

Application: While this story cannot completely correlate to the disciples’ loss of Jesus but gain of the Holy Spirit, it does show us an example of how loss and change is often accompanied by a gain that at first is hard to see.  It is natural for us to get caught up in the sorrow or emotion of the moment and not ask more about what is happening.  However, if we would ask we often would obtain some comfort in the reasoning behind our current circumstances.

The disciples had to feel the loss of Jesus in order to gain the comfort of the Holy Spirit.  The resurrection had to take place for Jesus’ complete glory and power to be revealed.  The truth that Jesus was without a doubt God was revealed through the resurrection and in order to have the resurrection there had to be the crucifixion. Loss had to be experienced in order for power to be revealed.   Jesus had to leave for the Holy Spirit to come. One thing had to be let go of in order to experience another.

Change is hard!  Letting go is painful!  But Jesus said to His disciples, in John 16:7, “I assure you, it is better for you that I go away.  If I don’t go away, the Companion won’t come to you.  But if I go I will send Him to you.” Just as the disciples had to, we too must trust God.  God has a larger view of our life.  He can see the outcomes that we cannot.  He sees past the immediate to the fullness of life He has planned for us.  Let’s all trust in the goodness of our God as we walk through the struggles in this journey we call life.

Family Discussion: Share with one another about a time when you had to change or give something up.  How did you feel? What helped you through this time? Were you able to see how it would be ok or even better?

Family Activity: Think of someone you know that is going through a hard time right now. Pray for them and decide on a tangible way to show them comfort, maybe a note, some cookies, etc..