John 16

It is to our advantage because Jesus' departure made possible the coming of the Holy Spirit. While Jesus was on earth, He could only be in one place at one time. After His ascension and the coming of the Spirit, He is present everywhere, in every believer, at every moment. The Spirit is the abiding presence of God. He is the Helper, the Comforter, the Advocate. He teaches, convicts, guides, and empowers. The coming of the Spirit is greater than the physical presence of Jesus because it is universal and permanent.

The Spirit convicts the world of sin because the world does not believe in Jesus. The root sin is unbelief. The Spirit convicts the world of righteousness because Jesus is righteous and has returned to the Father. His resurrection and ascension prove that He was right and the world was wrong. The Spirit convicts the world of judgment because the ruler of this world — Satan — is judged at the cross. The cross is the victory over Satan. The Spirit makes these truths real to the conscience.

The Spirit will guide the disciples into all truth. He will not invent new revelation; He will speak what He hears from the Father and the Son. He will reveal the things that are to come. He will glorify Jesus by taking what is His and declaring it to the disciples. The Spirit is the teacher. He opens the Scriptures. He illuminates the mind. He applies the truth to the heart.

The disciples will weep and lament when Jesus is crucified. The world will rejoice. But their sorrow will turn to joy when they see the risen Lord. The joy of the resurrection will be permanent. No one can take it away. The pain of the cross is temporary; the joy of the resurrection is eternal. The imagery of childbirth illustrates the point. The anguish of labor is forgotten when the child is born. The sorrow is replaced by joy.

Yes. Jesus says, "In that day you will ask nothing of me. Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you." After the resurrection and the coming of the Spirit, the disciples have direct access to the Father through the Son. They do not need Jesus to mediate their prayers in the sense of persuading the Father to love them. The Father already loves them. They ask in Jesus' name, which means according to His character and will. The Father gives, and their joy is full.

Jesus has overcome the world through His death and resurrection. The cross is the victory. The resurrection is the proof. He has conquered sin, death, and the devil. The world is the realm of rebellion against God. Jesus has defeated it. And in Him, His disciples will overcome as well. The tribulation is real, but the victory is secure. The King has conquered, and His people share in His victory.

The disciples scattered because they were afraid. Their faith was fragile. They had confidently confessed Jesus, but when the moment of crisis came, their courage failed. Jesus knew this would happen. He warned them. But He did not reject them. He did not abandon them. He restored them after the resurrection. The scattering was temporary. The gathering was eternal.