The Holy Spirit (the Spirit of Truth) bears witness to and confirms the ministry of God the Son (Jesus Christ).
In Acts 5:32 the apostles declared to the Sanhedrin, We are witnesses of these things (concerning Christ); and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him.
Obedience is proof that the Spirit of Truth dwells in you and is leading you into all truth concerning Christ.Hebrews 2:3-4
The Holy Spirit’s primary ministry to the lost world is to testify about the person and work of Jesus.
A Holy Spirit-led church will not be proclaiming a message of political activism, social reform, or psychological self-fulfillment but Jesus Christ and Him crucified.
Holy Spirit-led preaching and evangelism will always exalt Christ’s person and work. It will never be man centered but always Christ centered.1 Corinthians 2:1-5
Our gospel did not come to you in word only (void of the Spirit’s witness), but it came in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction (of sin and of the truth concerning Christ). 1 Thessalonians 1:5
Much preaching and evangelism today is centered on man’s felt needs and his so-called potential. It trivializes the work of Christ and exalts the work of man, proclaiming in effect that Christ did nothing more in dying on the cross than to make it possible for man to save himself by believing.
Any inadequate presentation of Christ and His atonement for sin can leave the sinner in his love for sin and ignorance of the truth of justification by faith and produce a false and temporary confession.
lI. THE DISCIPLES TESTIFY ABOUT CHRIST 15:27
The witness of the Holy Spirit and the witness of believers are inseparably linked, since it is the Spirit who enables believers to effectively and powerfully testify to the world about Jesus Christ.
So vital is the Spirit’s empowering of the Christian’s witness that the Lord instructed His disciples to remain in Jerusalem until the coming of the Spirit on the day of Pentecost Luke 24:49, Acts 1:8, Romans 15:15-19
The apostles were qualified to testify about Christ because they had been with Him from the beginning of His earthly ministry.
In an age of postmodern relativism and vagueness, nothing is more needed than the clear presentation to an unbelieving world of God’s absolute truth, centering on the gospel of Jesus Christ. Ephesians 6:18-20
If believers are to effectively confront this evil world system, they cannot be part of it. Though they are in the world, they must not be “of the world.”
There can be no compromise with the satanic world system that is irrevocably and unyieldingly opposed to the kingdom of God. As Jesus declared, He who is not with Me is against Me; and he who does not gather with Me, scatters (Luke 11:23).
Despite the world’s hostility, however, Christians must confront the lost with compassion and gospel love.
As Paul counseled his son in the faith Timothy: The Lord’s bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will. (2 Timothy 2:24-26)
The apostle Peter gave similar instruction when he wrote in 1 Peter 3:15 But set apart Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.
CONCLUSION: JESUS WARNS THE DISCIPLES OF IMPENDING PERSECUTION 16:1-4
The phrase these things refers back to the Lord’s warning about the world’s hostility. He had spoken those words to the disciples so that they might be kept from stumbling.
Not understanding that Jesus would literally die and rise again from the dead they did temporarily falter in their faith. But their faith in Christ was restored after seeing their risen Lord.
The disciples would be made outcasts from the synagogue. This meant they would literally be excommunicated from the synagogue and cut off from all religious, social, and economic aspects of Jewish society.
Even worse than excommunication, many of Christ’s followers would pay with their lives.
Just as the Jews thought they were offering service to their god by putting Christ to death so they thought they were offering service to their god by putting his followers to death as well (I say their god because they were not serving the true and living God).
Far from serving God, such people do not in any sense know the true God; no one who hates Jesus Christ or His followers knows the Father. Suppressing the truth about God they become futile in their speculations, and their foolish hearts are darkened.
In verse 4 Jesus gave another reason for His warning to the disciples. These things I have spoken to you, He told them, so that when their hour comes, you may remember that I told you of them.
Persecution would surely come, since all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted (2 Timothy 3:12).
Years later, in his first epistle, Peter echoed the Lord’s prediction: Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you; but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation. (1 Peter 4:12-13)
Rather than destroy the disciples faith, the hostility and persecution they faced actually deepened and strengthened their resolve as they saw the Lord’s prediction fulfilled.
Thus Peter could say: In this you greatly rejoice (in your living hope and sure salvation), even though for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 1:6-7)
Jesus had not needed to say these words of warning to the disciples at the beginning, because He was with them. During His ministry, the Lord not only protected His disciples, but also bore the brunt of the world’s attacks and would do so all the way to the cross.
Jesus never glossed over the truth when it came to counting the cost of being His disciples.
In Luke 9:23-24 He said, If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it.
And in Luke 14:33 Jesus said that unless you are willing to give up everything to follow Me you cannot be My disciple.
Audio of Lesson
