Peace | August 20
“… these things I have told you, that when the time comes, you may remember that I told you of them. And these things I did not say to you at the beginning, because I was with you.
But now I go away to Him who sent Me, and none of you asks Me, ‘Where are You going?’
But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart.
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 depart, I will send Him to you.
And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
of sin, because they do not believe in Me;
of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more;
of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.
I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.
However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.
He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.
All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you.”
John 16:4-15
Jesus, for this wonderful set of facts, we are so grateful. You tell us, in the first person, that the Holy Spirit, having been sent, will convict the world of sin. Your crucifixion and resurrection, and the gift of the Holy Spirit to strengthen and teach us, is also a turning point in Your relationship with every person. You have planted the truth in our hearts, You have turned on a Light that either accuses us or excuses us.
We know, as a result of the Holy Spirit being sent, the truth, and if we seek the truth we will be set free. We also know that we are now without excuse before You. Our thoughts and actions are all known to You. The Holy Spirit either lifts us up, assuring us of Your presence, love and confirmation of our faith or the Holy Spirit convicts us, making us know for certain when we are disappointing You.
You tell us, Jesus, that the Holy Spirit will guide and teach us the truth. Your word is truth and it is a light within us. Help us be what we could never have been without You. In Your Holy name, we pray, amen.
Bruce Caldwell
The Sola Scriptura Project
