1“I have said these things to you so that you wouldn’t be caused to stumble. 2They will put you out of the synagogues. Yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers service to God. 3They will do these things because they have not known the Father nor me. 4But I have told you these things so that when the time comes, you may remember that I told you about them. I didn’t tell you these things from the beginning, because I was with you. 5But now I am going to him who sent me, and none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ 6But because I have told you these things, sorrow has filled your heart. 7Nevertheless I tell you the truth: It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I don’t go away, the Counselor won’t come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. 8When he has come, he will convict the world about sin, about righteousness, and about judgment; 9about sin, because they don’t believe in me; 10about righteousness, because I am going to my Father, and you won’t see me any more; 11about judgment, because the prince of this world has been judged.
12“I still have many things to tell you, but you can’t bear them now. 13However, when he, the Spirit of truth, has come, he will guide you into all truth, for he will not speak from himself; but whatever he hears, he will speak. He will declare to you things that are coming. 14He will glorify me, for he will take from what is mine and will declare it to you. 15All things that the Father has are mine; therefore I said that he takes of mine and will declare it to you.
16“A little while, and you will not see me. Again a little while, and you will see me.”
17Some of his disciples therefore said to one another, “What is this that he says to us, ‘A little while, and you won’t see me, and again a little while, and you will see me;’ and, ‘Because I go to the Father’?” 18They said therefore, “What is this that he says, ‘A little while’? We don’t know what he is saying.”
19Therefore Jesus perceived that they wanted to ask him, and he said to them, “Do you inquire among yourselves concerning this, that I said, ‘A little while, and you won’t see me, and again a little while, and you will see me?’ 20Most certainly I tell you that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy. 21A woman, when she gives birth, has sorrow because her time has come. But when she has delivered the child, she doesn’t remember the anguish any more, for the joy that a human being is born into the world. 22Therefore you now have sorrow, but I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you.
23“In that day you will ask me no questions. Most certainly I tell you, whatever you may ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you. 24Until now, you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be made full.
25“I have spoken these things to you in figures of speech. But the time is coming when I will no more speak to you in figures of speech, but will tell you plainly about the Father. 26In that day you will ask in my name; and I don’t say to you that I will pray to the Father for you, 27for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me, and have believed that I came from God. 28I came from the Father and have come into the world. Again, I leave the world and go to the Father.”
29His disciples said to him, “Behold, now you are speaking plainly, and using no figures of speech. 30Now we know that you know all things, and don’t need for anyone to question you. By this we believe that you came from God.”
31Jesus answered them, “Do you now believe? 32Behold, the time is coming, yes, and has now come, that you will be scattered, everyone to his own place, and you will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me. 33I have told you these things, that in me you may have peace. In the world you have trouble; but cheer up! I have overcome the world.”
The Counselor will Come!
7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth: It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I don’t go away, the Counselor won’t come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.8 When he has come, he will convict the world about sin, about righteousness, and about judgment;9 about sin, because they don’t believe in me;10 about righteousness, because I am going to my Father, and you won’t see me any more;11 about judgment, because the prince of this world has been judged.
Reader, in case you haven’t noticed, the world is a mess. And part of the mess includes persecution of Christians. Most of us who live in the United States cannot fathom the suffering and hardship endured by many of our fellow believers worldwide. For many years, Islamic militias have made one brutal attempt after another to systematically wipe out all of the Christians in Nigeria. Believers in Europe are silenced and ridiculed by many who govern them for their biblical stand for truth. Some in the UK are now being imprisoned for their thoughts. In North Korea and China, Christians are silenced, or they disappear in the night. Totalitarianism in many countries pushes hard to remove any and all believers. Yes, the world is a mess. It is easy to grow dismayed and despair at the injustices that we see around us. Imagine how desperate and alone His followers felt when they awoke to the realization that He was truly about to leave them. They could see no good that could possibly come out of His departure. And yet Jesus told them that there was an advantage to His leaving because by doing so, the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, would come!
The discourse includes other benefits that would come with the coming of the Holy Spirit. Through Him, the world would be convicted of sin and understand righteousness. Through Him judgment would come on the earth. What is judgment? It is bringing all those responsible for their wrongdoing to account and holding them responsible for what they have done to the Church. Yes, a day of reckoning is coming. Further on in the chapter, He assures them that this trial that Jesus was facing was like the birth of a child. There would be pain and suffering in the delivery, but there would be joy in the morning. He speaks comforting words, saying, “Therefore you now have sorrow, but I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you. (v.22)
Reader, it is very easy to feel overwhelmed by what is going on around us. You and I cannot solve all of the world’s problems. We cannot bring order to the chaos we see in the world. With our modern smartphones, we can instantly see every crazy and unjust thing happening in the world. Setting the world aside, we cannot even bring order to the chaos we see in our own communities, churches, or families. We shouldn’t throw our hands up in despair. Instead, throw your hands up and bend your knees in prayer. The Holy Spirit is alive and well on planet earth. We don’t have to fight all of these battles. We don’t have to win the war. God is in control. He is working out His purposes, even as He lets people get themselves into one mess after another. Jesus assured His disciples, “I have told you these things, that in me you may have peace. In the world you have trouble; but cheer up! I have overcome the world.” (v.33). He told us about this coming comforter, this advocate, this Holy Spirit so that WE WOULD HAVE PEACE. Take hold of that peace today, that perfect shalom, knowing that you may not have Jesus physically in your presence at the moment, BUT YOU HAVE HIS HOLY SPIRIT ALIVE IN YOU! The spirit that is in you is greater than he that is in the world. Hear His words. Have hope. Walk in peace.