The John Project

Having told the disciples his return to the Father would facilitate sending them the Holy Spirit, Jesus began to describe two aspects of the Spirit’s mission: convincing and communicating. John 16:8-11 contains the Lord’s description of the first of these.

Most English New Testament versions translate the Greek verb used to quote his description of this world-facing part of the Spirit’s work by using the word 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘵. But it can also be translated as 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘦, and I think that helps clarify its use in this context. The Lord said the Holy Spirit convinces the world of three things: sin, righteousness, and judgment.

He said the Spirit would convince the world of sin because of their unbelief. Saving faith must first be preceded by the moment when a person acknowledges their iniquity. And as someone who has benefited from this part of the Spirit’s mission, I’m extremely grateful for it but also thankful that the job of convincing others of their sinfulness is not up to me. It’s clear that as believers we have a role to play in the process, but it’s deeply comforting to be able to trust that work to him. He’s the only one who can expose the depth of someone’s spiritual depravity without condemnation and escort them over the threshold of faith through confession and repentance into the waiting arms of Christ’s redemption.

Next, the Lord taught the disciples that the Holy Spirit is the one who convinces the world of righteousness. That word means the character or quality of being right or just. He told them this part of the Spirit’s mission would be necessary because he was returning to the Father. And that meant he would no longer be visibly present to demonstrate by his holy life what righteousness looks like. The world is so severely corrupted by sin, all the cultural signposts pointing toward the path of right living have been torn down. It’s an unholy mess that can only be navigated by means of the convincing work of the Spirit. But he’s so good at it! He’s exceedingly able not only to illuminate the way of righteousness but to enable us to walk it with an increasingly confident stride.

And finally, Jesus said the Holy Spirit would convince the world of judgment. He told his followers this was needed because Satan, described as the ruler of this world, is judged. That means the case against him is closed, a verdict has been rendered, and a sentence has been handed down. As much as he may try to pretend otherwise, the devil has been utterly defeated.

It’s part of the Spirit’s mission to convince the world of the thoroughness of that judgment to dissuade those tempted to live in disobedience to God, but also to redirect every attempt of the adversary to cause believers to live under the weight of their own guilt. Those who willingly follow in Satan’s footsteps will come under the same judgement he has. But those who have repented of sin and placed their trust in the forgiveness of Jesus have been set free from judgment. Revelation 12:10 refers to the devil as 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘦𝘯, and I think a lot of us know what it’s like to find ourselves sidelined in our faith because of the weight of shame resulting from his accusations. But it’s in those times, the voice of the Holy Spirit pierces that darkness to convince us of the liberty purchased for us in our Savior’s victory over Satan.

Hear him speaking to you today from Colossians 2:15-16. “Having disarmed principalities and powers, He -- Jesus -- made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it. So let no one judge you...”

Jesus had told his disciples he’d soon be leaving them and that his departure would expose them to persecution. These two things – anticipation of the loss of his physical presence along with the prospect of their personal suffering – had caused them to experience sorrow of heart according to Jesus in John 16:6.

But the previous verse quotes him scolding them for not asking where he was going. That was because answering that question, if sincerely asked, would have given him the opportunity to answer the more important question of why he was going there, and that would have allowed him to directly address the roots of their sadness.

It’s certain he remembered that both Peter and Thomas had previously asked the “where” question. But those queries were all about determining how they could go with him. None of them had bothered to ask the “why” question. They were so consumed with concern for how his departure would negatively impact their lives they hadn’t even considered there might be another side to the coin.

That’s why in verse 7, he told them that even though they weren’t asking, he wanted them to know the reason he would be departing. He said it was so he could send the Holy Spirit to them. His leaving would facilitate the Spirit’s coming, and he told them that was to their advantage.

But their context for relating to God had been completely centered in the living, breathing, touchable, fully human person of Jesus. So, the concept of an invisible Spirit being even a suitable substitute for their Master’s presence, let alone a far more valuable one, would have been hard for them to understand. Of course, that would dramatically change once they experienced the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost. But until then, all of this remained a mystery they didn’t appear to be too anxious to pursue.

And sadly, that describes some Christ-followers today. They’ve placed their faith in Jesus as savior, experienced his forgiveness, become students of his word, and sincerely offered him their worship. But they hesitate in their pursuit of the power of his Spirit. And whether that’s due to a lack of exposure to what the Bible teaches about him, a negative reaction to how some people have misrepresented him, or an uncertainty regarding how to engage him, to the extent it’s true, they simply can’t experience all God intends for them. It’s the presence, power, and guidance of the Holy Spirit that animates our faith and makes it pulsate with the life of Jesus. Without that, all we’re left with is a dry theology, a moral philosophy, and religious practices.

I want more than that, and I’m sure you do too. But more importantly, that’s what the Lord wants for us. In fact, Ephesians 5:18 commands us to “Be filled with the Spirit.” It’s not a suggestion. And the original word translated there as filled literally means to be as full as possible.

It’s our Lord’s intention that we experience an on-going fullness of the Holy Spirit, and he made clear how we can. Luke 11:13 says, “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”

So, let’s ask.

It’s hard to stumble over something you can see. It’s the unknown, unexpected, hidden, and unobserved things that trip us up. When I was a kid at summer camp, our cabin leaders used to take us on flashlight hikes at night. And I learned that even in the dark on an unfamiliar trail with uneven terrain and many obstacles, I could maintain my footing if I just kept my light pointed straight ahead and my stride within its beam.

That’s the imagery that comes to mind when I consider the quote contained in verse 1 of John 16. Jesus had just been preparing his disciples for the inevitability of the persecution they would face. And that preparation included a reminder that they would not face it alone. The Holy Spirit would be with them. But then, before elaborating more fully on the power and scope of the Spirit’s ministry, he paused to give them another powerful promise. He said the things he’d spoken to them would keep them from stumbling.

He was assuring them that no matter how dark the circumstances, how treacherous the conditions, or how cleaver the strategies arranged against them, his words would be sufficient to enable them to keep their feet. The things he’d taught them over their three years together were not just a random assortment of nouns and verbs. Each syllable was strategically arranged to provide the bright light that would secure their steps over the path ahead.

In the next 2 verses, he reiterated the certainty and severity of the opposition they would face as well as why. But then in verse 4, he encouraged them once again that they had been fully prepared to face it by all he’d taught them.

And this is true for all believers. The words of Jesus combined with the full array of divine commands, guidance, and wisdom contained in Holy Scripture – what the Apostle Paul described in Acts 20:27 as “the whole counsel of God” – provide all the light we need to illuminate and secure our way over, around, and through any demonic scheme to topple us.

The Bible is not just a collection of unrelated stories, sayings, and requirements. It’s a highly focused compilation of words (plural) that become an incredibly powerful word (singular) irradiating the darkness around us. Psalm 119:105 says “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” And as we carefully keep that light pointed straight ahead and our stride within its beam, the Lord’s promise to his disciples at the start of John 16 becomes ours too.

That’s why it’s critically important for Jesus-people to develop an ever-growing hunger for and knowledge of the Bible – the word of God. Our spiritual lives literally depend on it. So, please let this be a reminder not to allow another day to get away from you without spending some time in the book. Implementing a defined reading plan is a great way to approach it. But don’t allow your lack of one to intimidate you. Just open to any page, start absorbing what the Lord’s embedded there for you to discover, and ask him to reveal more of himself to you through it. He will!

Let me close by declaring over you Jude 24 to 25: “Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, to God our Savior, who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. Amen.”

In my opinion, the word hate is the strongest in the English language for expressing negative emotion. There are others such as detest, abhor, and loathe, but these and similar terms are usually reserved to communicate an intensity a step or two below full-blown hatred. Once it reaches that level, the emotion dial has no more stops. And it can often erupt in extreme action. That’s what makes this word dangerous. So, when John quotes Jesus using its Greek equivalent seven times in the final ten verses of chapter 15, it grabs our attention.

Jesus NEVER exaggerated. He wasn’t being hyperbolic when he told his disciples in verse 19, “The world HATES you.” But he didn’t mean that every person on Earth would be their enemy. The word translated as world in this passage refers to the way it’s arranged or the system behind it like the way a reporter might use the word Washington to describe the U.S. government not all citizens of the District of Columbia. He wanted to make sure his followers weren’t surprised when the satanic system operating in the shadows of this sin-scarred world would burst out from behind the scenes and manifest itself in open hostility toward them as his representatives.

He explained that they would be targeted specifically because his words and works had exposed the sin at the heart of this system. And that’s what he was referring to in verse 21 when he said, “They do not KNOW him who sent me.” But the word translated as know is not the one that would be used for the beginning of a pursuit of knowledge. He wasn’t describing someone who hadn’t yet had a chance to get to know him. John captured his meaning by using a word that describes a fullness of knowledge that has already been gained. In other words, Jesus was making clear that at the core of the world’s hatred of him was a REJECTION of the knowledge of his Father. Romans 1:20-21 puts it this way: “They are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God.”

So, Jesus was warning the disciples to EXPECT fierce opposition. And I think it’s clear he was speaking beyond them to all of us who follow in their footsteps. Like that first group of Jesus-people, we’ve been called out of the world to reflect God’s glory back into it. And as we do, we WILL attract the hateful response of a system arrayed in purposeful opposition to HIM. And that response can manifest in many unpleasant ways. When life feels like you’re under attack, you probably are.

But it’s important for us to remain clear about where that opposition comes from. It’s the satanic structure behind the scenes of this world not its people. Our God is deeply in love with its people. They’re not our enemy. They’re our mission. Ephesians 6:12 says, “We do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against...spiritual hosts of wickedness.” If we get confused about who we’re wrestling with, we can find ourselves at odds with our calling and attempting to confront a spiritual enemy using political, rhetorical, or material weaponry that targets the very people Jesus is seeking to save.

We need to confront our spiritual adversary with spiritual weaponry. 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 says, "The weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for...casting down...every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God." That’s why when Jesus brought this passage to a climax, he reiterated his promise to send us the Helper – the Holy Spirit – who would lead the way in testifying of him in the face of the world’s hostility. And in the light of that glorious promise, he was able to make one more. And although addressed to his disciples, it’s one we can confidently claim as well. In the power of the Spirit, we will be enabled to withstand the world’s hate and become his witness-bearers.

Let’s trust him to fulfill that promise in and through our lives today.

Have you ever been part of a schoolyard pick? That’s the process where a group of people are divided into teams by those who’ve been designated as leaders. It can be either a traumatic experience or an exhilarating one depending on how early you’re chosen. Turns are taken and selections made based on assessments of potential value to the teams until one person is left to be assigned by default. And that person is keenly aware of not really being chosen at all.

On the other hand, if you’re the first selected, it’s a huge esteem-boost to know you were wanted, REALLY wanted.

I know there can’t be a true comparison but imagine the thunderous impact of the Lord’s words to his disciples recorded in John 15:16 when they heard their master say, “I chose you.” Add to that their awareness that unlike what happens in a schoolyard, this choice was made with full knowledge of their inadequacy. It wasn’t based on an evaluation of what they could offer. That would have meant it carried an unbearable weight of expectation none of them could possibly fulfill. It even preceded their choosing him. Their state of chosenness rested solely on the Savior’s unconditional and unchanging love.

Their hearts must have been ready to burst!

If this wasn’t already more than their souls could take in, Jesus went on to say that beyond anything they could aspire to, they had been 𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥. And this is a translation of a Greek word about placement. The Lord used it to make clear he had positioned them to experience sustained and lasting spiritual fruitfulness alongside an aligning of their desires with the will of the Father that would result in consistently answered prayers.

Now, there are those who would argue that the Lord’s statements here were directed to the eleven remaining disciples and were exclusively describing their call to represent him as apostles. But I disagree for many reasons not least of which is that this verse is a continuation of a passage that includes many things Jesus clearly meant to apply universally to all Jesus-followers. I don’t think you can disconnect verse 16 from that context which also includes verse 17 where Jesus wrapped up this section of his instructions saying, “These things I command you, that you love one another.” It’s inconceivable to imagine that command not pertaining to all believers.

I’m convinced Jesus meant that all who cross the threshold from doubt into faith should then encounter the stunning reality that before we chose him, he chose us. And although I know this butts right up against hundreds of years of theological controversy, I’m totally comfortable leaving others more knowledgeable than me to debate predestination, foreknowledge, and free will while I simply enjoy the indescribable peace, security, and fulfillment found within the mysteries of chosenness and appointment.

I invite you to join me there. If you’ve felt as though Jesus just ended up with you by default, think again. You are wanted, REALLY wanted. Hear him speaking life into your soul with those three beautiful and life-changing words, “I chose you.”

At one point years ago, I needed to support my family while planting a new church, and I got a job as an accountant for a large tech company. It was during one of the information economy’s boom cycles, and the pace was crazy. There was so much work to do it became difficult to keep track of it all including remembering to pick up documents I’d send to the printer down the hall. As soon as I’d hit the print button on my computer, something else would need my attention and I’d forget to retrieve the copy. So, I came up with the idea of sticking a post-it note to my shirt before getting interrupted. That way, even if I got distracted and forgot about the print job, eventually someone would see the note on my chest and ask what it was for. And that would remind me to go to the printer.

Since then, I’ve become grateful for reminders. And we encounter an important one in the four-verse section that begins with John 15:12. Jesus revisited what he’d previously described in chapter 13 as a NEW commandment. But this time he emphasized its importance by saying it was HIS. It belonged to and flowed from his OWN sacrificial love and would be the new standard for how his followers would bear his image in this world. And he chose to remind them of this amid his invitation to abide in him as branches rooted in a vine because their ability to fulfill it would be completely dependent on having a deep connectedness to HIM.

He told them there’s no greater way of expressing this kind of love than to lay down one’s life. And although he was certainly prefiguring what he was about to do on the cross, I don’t think he meant them to understand dying in someone’s place as the only way to demonstrate it. The Greek word used to describe this laying-down is not specifically about dying. At its core, it describes something’s placement or how it’s positioned. I believe Jesus was saying that those who follow him will express his love by how they posture their lives in relation to others. Instead of pursuing a position above them, they will devote themselves, as he did, to coming under them.

Along with this, he clarified to whom they were to offer this love. He did this by his use of the word translated into English as 𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘴. It can be used as a noun to identify a group of people who one is close to, but it’s primarily an adjective that describes the way someone is valued and treated. Jesus was calling his followers to see everyone as someone to be loved like a friend.

Then, the Lord used this word in a way that seems contrary to that. It sounds as though the only people he considers friends are those who do what he commands. But the conditional particle in this sentence rendered with the English word 𝘪𝘧 can also mean 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯. And considering Jesus was specifically referring to his new commandment, the verse could easily be paraphrased as, “You demonstrate OUR friendship WHEN you love others this way.” And he immediately confirmed this by saying, “I HAVE called you friends,” not “I WILL call you friends IF you keep my commands.”

Jesus also drew a stark contrast between servants and friends. He was emphatic that he did NOT think of his disciples as servants. And this was essential to their ability to live out his commandment. They would never be able to invite others into friendship with the Savior if they hadn’t first experienced him in that way.

That’s not possible for us either. If we’re going to be the kind of Jesus-people who live out HIS commandment, we also need to embrace the full impact of the unimaginable grace that has been extended to us within which he calls us friends.

My wife and I live near the Disneyland Resort in Southern California and have annual passes to its theme parks. We usually spend one full day a month there. And that might reasonably make you wonder why a retired couple would want to spend so much time at a place designed for families with young kids? Well, we genuinely enjoy going on the rides and love the scenery, the food, and being surrounded by the sounds of families having fun together. So, the answer to the question is…it makes us happy.

The desire for happiness is a very human thing. In fact, I live in a country that described the pursuit of happiness in its Declaration of Independence as an unalienable right. But as wonderful as happiness can be, it can’t compare to joy. And it’s joy that Jesus calls us to in John 15:11.

The chapter opens with Jesus’ words, “I am the true vine.” And then it records him teaching his disciples that abiding or remaining tightly and vitally connected to him in a relationship of welcome to his life-giving words and submission to his loving commands is the key to a blessed and fruitful life. That’s a lot to chew on, and he could have easily ended this part of their training right there. But he went a step further and revealed the ultimate purpose behind his invitation to abide. He told them it was all about his desire that they experience joy.

He described it as HIS joy. Distinct from any other source, this joy is a gift that flows from himself. He said his joy remains. It’s not the temporary or transient kind that comes and goes. And he also said it fills us up. The original Greek here expresses the concept of a container as full as it can possibly be, unable to contain even a single drop more. And if Jesus wants us to have joy like that, how can we possibly go on settling for mere happiness instead.

Don’t get me wrong. Happiness is great! I love being happy. But joy and happiness are two very different things. Although they can produce similar feelings, they come from completely different places and play entirely different roles in our lives.

Happiness is a reaction to something outside us. Its source is external. We experience it as delight when we’re in the presence of someone we love, engaged in a pleasurable activity, recalling a cherished memory, or having a delicious meal. It serves to provide a temporary lift to our outlook.

Joy is a state of wellbeing within us. Its source is internal. We experience it as a steadying peace when we’re facing heartbreak, confronted by challenges, approaching an uncertain future, or dealing with disappointment. It serves to provide a different and better outlook altogether.

Happiness flavors life, but joy sustains it. That’s why Jesus invites us to draw near and remain close to him. Beyond the shallow and narrow scope of happiness, he wants us to know the overflowing fullness of his sustaining joy from a well that’s deep and wide.

What an awesome invitation! Let’s respond by choosing with fresh passion to pursue and press into him with everything we’ve got, so that as he said, our "joy may be full."

Lately, I’ve found myself less than enthused about seeing my doctor. Why? Because in this stage of my life, those visits almost always conclude with him telling me how much more I should exercise and how much less I should eat. And I tend to walk out of those appointments feeling like I’ve disappointed him. But the after-visit plan he prints out and hands to me when I leave his office is not designed to increase the quality of my relationship with him, it’s purpose is to help me live longer and better. And that thought helps me comprehend the treasure contained in John 15:9-10.

In the previous passage, Jesus invited his disciples to abide in him. He warned them of the hazards encountered by those who don’t and described some of the rich benefits enjoyed by those who do. Then, he amplified this appeal by inviting them to abide in his LOVE. And he defined that love as the same kind the Father has for him.

Let’s just pause and stand in awe of that jaw-dropping truth for a moment.

When the hiking trail bursts out of the woods into a glorious meadow with a view of a majestic peak, you just have to stop and take in the beauty of the scene. And the Savior’s words here present us with such a stunning and humbling revelation we simply can’t go any further without reflecting on its magnitude.

You and I are loved by the Son of God with the same purity, intensity, and consistency that he is loved by the Father. The weight and impact of that realization is literally staggering. It’s so profound it should never cease to cause our knees to buckle with reverence.

So, how is it even possible that the Lord would need to follow that statement with an appeal to remain in his love? It’s heartbreaking to think we’re so fickle and full of ourselves we’d have to be reminded not to lose interest in the love of Jesus. But that’s the sad reality. And when we do, although his love for us remains steadfast, we cease to enjoy all that it offers. That’s why Jesus went on to say there’s a way to insure it doesn’t happen. He said if we keep his commandments, we’ll abide in his love.

It’s not that his affection is adjusted based on our levels of obedience. He doesn’t love us more when we follow his commands and less when we don’t. He loves us the same no matter what. Jeremiah 31:3 says, “I have loved you with an everlasting love.” And Romans 5:8 tells us, “God demonstrates His…love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

But being the object of Christ’s unchanging love is not the same as benefitting from it.

Obeying the Lord’s commands is not about proving our devotion to him by how consistently we adhere to a checklist of approved behaviors. It’s about entering the environment where we can flourish within his love. It’s only when we follow our Maker’s instructions for how life should be lived that everything actually works as he intends and results in our experiencing peace that passes understanding (Philippians 4:7), joy that’s inexpressible (1 Peter 1:8), and life more abundant (John 10:10).

And that’s what we all want, isn’t it? So, let’s think of these two precious verses as a kind of after-visit plan designed by the one who loves us more than we can ever know to help us fully benefit from that love.

Burnout. Jesus tried to warn me.

One morning, nine years into my first pastorate, I woke with a strong sense from the Lord that something in my life needed urgent attention. And that alert was accompanied with the impression that he would restrain its consequences for one year to give me time to cooperate with him in addressing it. I’d already suffered a case of shingles and seen my doctor about a chronic eye twitch, both of which can be brought on by stress. So, assuming the problem was related to overwork in my noble attempt to be a productive, modern pastor, I set about to make what I thought were appropriate adjustments.

But without first humbly seeking God regarding what was really wrong, I wasted precious time and energy addressing the wrong things. I concluded that what was required was changing the way our church was staffed, adjusting my work-life balance, and developing a hobby. But focusing on these kinds of things was like treating the symptoms while ignoring the disease. And eventually, the noisy racket from my self-help activity drowned out the Spirit’s cautioning voice.

Then, almost exactly one year later, I was taking a seminary course that required all the students to complete a personal spiritual assessment. The professor selected a few of them to review with the class, and mine happened to be the first chosen. He called my name and asked me to stand while he commented on my results. Thinking I was about to get some public affirmation, I confidently got to my feet and was completely unprepared for what happened next. He pointed his finger at me and said emphatically, “Unless you radically change how you’re living, you WILL lose your marriage, family, ministry, and health.”

That withering moment proved to be what author, Sheldon Vanauken, described as a “severe mercy,” and it changed the spiritual trajectory of my whole life. In an instant, all my efforts to fix myself were exposed as folly, and I immediately took a leave of absence from the church to desperately press into Jesus for his help.

This already-long story would become much longer if I described the details of the healing journey that resulted. But I’ll say this: I learned the importance and blessings of abiding. And that’s what John 15:4-8 records Jesus teaching his disciples.

The word translated as abide in this passage can also be rendered as stay or continue, and it points to the essential truth that the fruitful life we were created to enjoy will never be the result of our labors, however well-motivated. It can only be experienced by remaining deeply connected to Jesus. He told his followers that when a branch ceases to abide in the vine, it withers. And he said it’s the withered branches that get burned up.

That wasn’t a threat of punishment. It was a statement of fact that’s as true for people as it is for plants in a vineyard. Burnout, which can be defined as fatigue, frustration, stress, depression, and apathy wrapped in a profound sense of futility, is the inevitable result of failing to abide. Life cannot flow FROM us unless it’s first flowing INTO us. Fruitfulness begins with the vine not the branch and is the natural, effortless result of abiding. Stress is a check engine light on the dashboard of our souls sounding the alarm when vital connection to Jesus has been compromised.

But as much as these verses provide a strong word of caution, they also contain an astounding set of promises. Jesus pledged to abide in US as we abide in HIM and to unleash the fruitfulness he intends. He defined abiding as allowing his words to flow into us like life-giving nourishment from a vine, and that when we do, our desires will get reshaped and result in the kind of praying that gets answered. He also said the Father receives glory through our abiding and that it will identify us as his disciples.

I think you get the point. Staying plugged into Jesus matters. A lot. So, my prayer is that you won’t need to face your own moment of “severe mercy” before addressing the issue of abiding. Do it now.