August 14, 2020: SOAP #3907:  Jeremiah 16-17; Psalm 96; John 16

Scripture:  John (NIV) 16:7 [Jesus speaking] But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counsellor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. 8 When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment…
13 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. 14 He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you.

Observation:   It was not what they wanted to hear.  The disciples loved Jesus.  They had been with him for almost three years.  He had taught them.  They had witnessed his miracles.  Surely, He would not leave them!  How could it be good that He go away? 

The “good” was not that Jesus was leaving, but that the Holy Spirit was coming.  Jesus had taken them through Phase 1.  Now the Spirit would take them into Phase 2.  The Holy Spirit picks up where Jesus left off.  They are both working on the Heavenly Father’s plan to establish a redeemed body of believers who learn to live in victory while being tried and tempted by the devil as they are being groomed and prepared to rule and reign with Christ in heaven. 

Application:    My priority is to learn to recognize the voice of the Holy Spirit.  I must treat what He says as being of great importance.  I may need to write down what He says so that I do not forget.     

Prayer:   Heavenly Father, in your great wisdom, you replaced Jesus, who was limited to a human body in one location,–You replaced Jesus with the Holy Spirit, who is omnipresent and can live within all of our physical bodies.  He is always present with us.  Father, I set my heart to listen to the Holy Spirit.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!