March 24
JOHN 16
“I have said all these things to you to keep you from falling away. 2 They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God. 3 And they will do these things because they have not known the Father, nor me. 4 But I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I told them to you. “I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you. 5 But now I am going to him who sent me, and none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ 6 But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. 7 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 go, I will send him to you. 8 And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; 10 concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; 11 concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. – John 16:1-11
JOHN 16 THE HELPER’S ROLE
A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses
Jesus promises his disciple a Helper who will come when he leaves
It was important to him that he goes so that the Helper could come
His role is to make them see the truth and expose the lies
This Helper will also come to convict them when they sin
But the greatest thing this Helper will do is to give Jesus the glory
He will bring light to the dark places that Satan has covered.
One of Jesus’ legacies to his disciples is that they will have a Helper. This Helper will not be able to come if he doesn’t leave them. It is interesting how the world has thwarted the word “helper.” The role of the Helper is to direct people in righteousness and in the path of God. The world system has a different notion of helper. The helper that the world knows is the one that does something for others in the light of looking good or appearing righteous. It is a transactional concept whereby the helper is doing an act so that it could be a platform for being labeled “good.” The Holy Spirit’s role is not to make himself good but to bring God and Jesus the glory because they are the only Ones who are good.
REFLECTION
• Why do you think the world view of “helper” is so different from the Helper?
