INTERNET BIBLE STUDIES JOHN LESSON 28 
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John Chapter 16:1-17 

Memory verses for this week: Psa 34:17 The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.

Introduction: In our last study, we saw the teaching of how we are branches from the true vine which is Jesus Christ. Anything we want to accomplish, we must do it through Christ is we want success and to be pleasing in God’s sight. Jesus commanded us to bear much fruit and to love one another in Chapter 15. This week we see the Lord warning the disciples that they would soon face persecution.

  

  1. The Warning of Coming Persecution

John 16:1 These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended.

John 16:2 They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.

This chapter concludes what is called the Upper Room Discourse. We know from our prior studies that Jesus instituted the Lord’s supper and taught the disciples about his soon betrayal. We next saw the teaching concerning the vine and the branches, and now we see the warning of what lay ahead for those closest to the Lord. The world many times makes it out that if we know Jesus as Savior, that there will be no more problems or cares. While God does promise to provide and take care of His own, we are not exempt from problems. And the disciples were to soon face persecution like they had never seen. The vast majority of them would die for the cause of Christ, and Jesus was a realist and wanted them to know what was ahead for those that He loved. And you and I need to be ready for what lays ahead of us. As the time draws closer for the Lord’s soon return, we will continue to face a more hostile environment. Because America is known as a Christian nation, here in our country we face little resistance compared to many foreign countries. But in the past few years, we constantly see the media distorting the Christian beliefs as "The Radical Right". If you stand up for anything for God, you are labeled radical. But what this world needs today is a few more "religious radicals" patterned after the Lord Jesus Christ. The disciples were willing to die for the cause of Christ. How deep is your faith? How deep is mine? We can claim we would stand to the death, but we most likely would be like Peter when it comes to acknowledging we are a disciple of the Lord when our lives are on the line. In verse 2, Jesus tells them that the day was soon coming that those that put you to death would think they were doing God a great service. They would through them out of the synagogues, effectively excommunicating them from the standard service of the Lord. The apostle Paul, when he was still known as Saul before his conversion on the Damascus road, brought many Christians bound and delivered them to the religious leaders thinking he was doing a great work for the Lord.

Mat 5:10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Mat 5:11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.

Mat 5:12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

Acts 9:21 But all that heard him were amazed, and said; Is not this he that destroyed them which called on this name in Jerusalem, and came hither for that intent, that he might bring them bound unto the chief priests?

Acts 9:22 But Saul increased the more in strength, and confounded the Jews which dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is very Christ.

Acts 9:23 And after that many days were fulfilled, the Jews took counsel to kill him:

1 Tim 1:12 And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry;

1 Tim 1:13 Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.

1 Tim 1:14 And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.

1 Tim 1:15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.

1 Tim 1:16 Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.

2 Tim 3:10 But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience,

2 Tim 3:11 Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me.

2 Tim 3:12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.

If we are persecuted, how should we react to that persecution? Should we lash back and fight with force when the world comes down on us? Not at all. We are to accept the persecution, and to render love to those who abuse us, just as Jesus rendered love to all of us who know Him.

Mat 5:43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.

Mat 5:44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

Mat 5:45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

Mat 5:46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?

Mat 5:47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?

Mat 5:48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

 

John 16:3 And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me.

John 16:4 But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you.

Had it not been that Jesus came to the disciples (and to us), we would never have truly understood what great sinners we were before God. The law could not save us, but praise the Lord, the one who came and fulfilled the Law can save us from every sin.

Rom 7:25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

Rom 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Rom 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

Rom 8:3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:

Rom 8:4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Rom 8:5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.

Rom 8:6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

 

Paul explained to the Galatians how the law had a purpose, and that purpose was to teach us how we are a fallen creature, in need of a Holy and Righteous Savior.

 

Gal 3:21 Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law.

Gal 3:22 But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.

Gal 3:23 But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.

Gal 3:24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

Gal 3:25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.

Gal 3:26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

Gal 3:27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

John 16:5 But now I go my way to him that sent me; and none of you asketh me, Whither goest thou?

John 16:6 But because I have said these things unto you, sorrow hath filled your heart.

Jesus tells them that none of them had truly asked Him where he was going from a spiritual perception. Peter had questioned, but it was more like a child asking his father where was he going. Jesus knew they discerned not the magnitude of his soon ascension to the Father. Because He was leaving, their sorrow was overwhelming them. We should never let earthly parting of a loved one so take us that we become so overcome that we are not thinking properly. Some people lose a family member, and effectively lose sight of the work of the Lord for years. If we know the Lord, and our loved one knew the Lord, we have confidence that we will see that person again. And if not, that should so empower us to be more about God’s work that others do not go out unprepared to meet God. Mourning should be for a time, and then we should go on. One of these days, we all shall see Jesus as who He truly is. The King of Kings, and Lord of Lords.

John 16:7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.

John 16:8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:

John 16:9 Of sin, because they believe not on me;

John 16:10 Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more;

John 16:11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.

 

When Jesus sent the Holy Spirit into the world, he came to comfort the believers. But to the world, the Holy Spirit came to convict the world of three things… sin, righteousness, and judgement. Jesus tells them about this in saying "Sin, because they believe not on me." Jesus was delivered for our offenses and raised again for justification.

Rom 4:21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.

Rom 4:22 And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.

Rom 4:23 Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him;

Rom 4:24 But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead;

Rom 4:25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

Rom 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

In verse 11, we see that the prince of this world, the old Serpent, Satan, is judged already. He knows what awaits him, and he has but a short time to wreck havoc and deceive as many as he can against God. Jesus returned to the Father after He completed the work He was sent to do. Jesus is coming back as the Righteous Judge. If you are here and have not accepted Christ as your Personal Savior, you don’t have to wait to know if you’ve been condemned. Anyone who has not Christ as Savior is condemned already.

John 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

John 3:19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

John 3:20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.

John 3:21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

 

John 16:12 I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.

John 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come.

John 16:14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you.

The disciples were wrought with grief and sorrow. And they truly at this point were not in a frame of mind to understand the things of the Lord. Sometimes we so get caught up in the moment, that we fail to see deeper things of the Lord. Sometimes the very trial that so overcomes us is being used by God to teach us a great spiritual lesson. We need to be ready to bear whatever God is ready to reveal to us. But if we are weak, praise the Lord, He never puts more on us than we can bear. Jesus had many things He wanted to tell them, but they were not ready to understand. The Holy Spirit would come and reveal many of these things to the disciples not many days hence. Today, when we study God’s Word, the Holy Spirit illuminates our mind with understanding of the scriptures.

John 16:15 All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall show it unto you.

John 16:16 A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me, because I go to the Father.

John 16:17 Then said some of his disciples among themselves, What is this that he saith unto us, A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me: and, Because I go to the Father?

God has placed all things that he owns(which is everything) under the power of the son. And all authority is given to Jesus. Jesus tells them that it won’t be long until he leaves to go to be with the Father, but He would come again. What a promise Jesus gave. The apostles questioned if this could be, and what Jesus truly meant about returning to the Father.

 

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Prov 4:18 But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.

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