Background

*Special note-This is a repeat of day 5 from John 15. If you have already done this, do a quick review, then jump to day 2.

Again Jesus is giving hope to the disciples. And again, Jesus mentions the Holy Spirit in this context. Jesus has several times in the upper room discourse talked about what is to happen to them. Each time He does it He tells them it so that when it does happen, they might remember and trust Him. He is reassuring them in advance.

Grasping the text

1. Read John 15:28-16:4
2. Why does Jesus continually refer to the Holy Spirit as the Counselor?
3. How many times is the Holy Spirit promised/discussed in the upper room discourse (Chapters 13-17)?
4. Putting someone out of the synagogue was removing an individual from both the spiritual and social systems in Jewish society. That person would become a despised and
5. Has anyone already been put out of the synagogue in the book of John? Who was it?
6. Reflect on Acts 7:54-8:3, 2 Corinthians 6:3-10, and 2 Corinthians 11:23-29.

Applying the text

1. Are you prepared for what is promised in this text? Why or why not?
2. How can you prepare yourself?
3. There is boldness in approaching the Lord in prayer and boldness in testifying about Jesus. How do you develop that boldness within yourself?
4. Journaling

Background

We are now at the definitive passage on the role and function of the Holy Spirit. He is mentioned all over the New Testament and pops up in the Old Testament from time to time, but like the wind, it is hard to nail exactly where He is going and why he is going there. Even in the upper room discourse, Jesus mentions the Holy Spirit assuming we know what the Holy Spirit is going to do and who He is. Here Jesus is clear and the Holy Spirit’s purpose is clearly defined: convict the world of guilt in regard to sin, righteousness, and judgment.

Grasping the text

1. Read John 16:5-11
2. In verse 5, Jesus rebukes the disciples for not asking Him where He is going. Didn’t Thomas already ask this question in 14:5?
3. How do you reconcile this apparent discrepancy?
4. Let’s read the times in the upper room discourse where the Holy Spirit has been mentioned: 14:16-17, 14:26, and 15:26. What do we know about the identity and role of the Holy Spirit from these passages?
5. Explain the 3 roles of the Holy Spirit as mentioned in today’s text.

Applying the text

1. Describe the Holy Spirit in regards to His role in your life.
2. How have you seen the Holy Spirit work in regards to each one of His roles mentioned in today’s text in your life or the lives around you.
   a. Convicting the world of sin:
   b. Convicting the world of righteousness:
   c. Convicting the world of judgment:
3. Has this study helped you understand the role of the Holy Spirit better? Why or why not?
4. Journaling

Background

After studying the main roles of the Holy Spirit in the previous section, Jesus now discusses how the Holy Spirit receives His communications. We get to see the Holy Spirit as the vessel that God uses to guide us in truth. He is completely tied to the Father and the Son, as is His message. This is also an important passage to take to the authority of scriptures. This promise was initially made to the disciples, a couple of them which we pen the New Testament. He will guide them in all truth, including the truth that we now study and apply to our lives.

Grasping the text

1. Read John 16:12-15
2. Why did Jesus not share all the things that He could have said to them?
3. What does this say about the confidence He has in the understandability of the Holy Spirit?
4. Contrast verse 13 with 14:10. What do the Holy Spirit and Jesus share in common?
5. Looking at what we have studying, discuss the nature of the Trinity.

Applying the text

1. Do you feel like the Holy Spirit guides you in all truth? Why or why not?
2. How does He guide us in all truth?
3. Tell a time when you know that the Holy Spirit was guiding you.
4. How do you know if it is the Holy Spirit guiding you?
5. How can you live a life that Holy Spirit guides?
6. Journaling

Background

I am going to die on a cross, be buried for 3 days, and then rise again. It is a simple sentence that summarizes clearly all that Jesus will go through very soon. It is also a sentence that Jesus never utters directly. I wonder why He doesn’t just say that? In hindsight, we see so much of what Jesus was saying come to pass. We see the clear prophecy in the veiled words that the disciples at that time could not decipher. I can understand that Jesus was speaking that way in public so that those who chose to believe would be able to see and conceal that which unbelievers would choose not to accept.

For whatever reason Jesus had, this is another passage of Jesus sharing what is to come. Interestingly, He connects it directly to prayer. Previously Jesus talked about the coming of the Holy Spirit to basically translate all that has happened to the disciples. Again Jesus also uses prayer to offer encouragement to His followers. Now, they will ask in Jesus name and their prayers will be heard. Be prepared, today’s study is difficult.

Grasping the text

1. Read John 16:16-24
2. Unlike the silly questions asked earlier, this one makes a lot of sense. They weren’t however asking Jesus, they were whispering it among themselves. Find another time in John were Jesus answers the question they were all asking, just not directly.
3. Matthew 24:4-8 also talks in terms of birth pains. Contrast today’s passage with the one from Matthew.
4. Find and comment on the other passages in the upper room discourse were Jesus promises that their prayers will be answered.
5. What does Jesus mean when He says, “Until now you have not asked anything in my name.”?

Applying the text

1. Would you have been able to understand what Jesus was saying about his death and resurrection in this passage? Why or why not?
2. Explain receiving whatever we ask in His name.
3. Comment on your prayer life.
4. Spend some time asking God to help you know how to seek him in prayer better.
5. Journaling

Background

Jesus admits to His figurative speech, the disciples rejoice in that, and then Jesus speaks figuratively again. Awesome. Even the disciples rejoicing is a little premature as Jesus doesn’t fully explain everything that is about to happen, He just promises a time when He won’t speak that way anymore.

I think that the most stinging statement is when the disciples now tell Jesus that they believe. Knowing the lack of truth in that statement and maybe even the frustration of all that has been said and taught, Jesus responds with thick sarcasm, “you believe at last!” He quickly returns to the thought that He started with…in this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.

Grasping the text

1. Read John 16:25-33
2. What are the ways in which Jesus is going to tell them plainly about the Father?
3. What is Jesus saying in verse 26?
4. Do you believe the disciples response in verse 29-30? Why or why not?
5. Jesus quips back with a sarcastic remark and a humbling prediction. How would you hear Jesus’ response?
6. How are the things that Jesus taught them supposed to bring them peace?

Applying the text

1. Are you able to hear Jesus’ words and teaching plainly? Why or why not?
2. What are the tools that Jesus mentions to help us hear His words plainly?
3. What did Jesus say would give the disciples courage?
4. Have you found courage in those things? Why or why not?
5. What can you do today to both strengthen your courage and trust Christ, ultimately finding peace in Him?
6. Journaling

Chapter 16

So far in the upper room discourse Jesus has mentioned the Counselor/Holy Spirit 3 times. Each time Jesus says, “when the Counselor…” Each time, He promises the Holy Spirit, but in no way describes who He is or really what His role is going to be. In fact, we know very little about the Holy Spirit from what Jesus has said so far. Not only that, Jesus has also mentioned prayer 2 times without much description as well. “Whatever you ask in my name…” OK, please explain more Jesus.

In this chapter Jesus finally expounds on those two issues, the Holy Spirit and prayer. He tells us not only that the Holy Spirit is coming, He also tells us what the Holy Spirit’s main function and role is going to be. Jesus also explains the powerful claims of receiving whatever we ask when ask it in Jesus’ name.