The Advantages Of Gradual Revelation And The Holy Spirit

Sermons – Grace Evangelical Free Church // Wyoming, MN

John 16:4b-15 “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.
¹² “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. ¹³ When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. ¹⁴ He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. ¹⁵ All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.

INTRODUCTION

What comes to mind when you think of an advantage? What does it mean when something is to your advantage? Have you ever felt like you had a significant advantage in life?

I recently came across a family video of my brother-in-law and I playing basketball against our boys. It was from 2011 so Jeremiah, the oldest, would have been 10. TJ and I were blocking everything, dunking on the boys (the rim was lowered), and flexing on them repeatedly. We were older, stronger, taller, and had considerably more understanding of the game at the time. We had every possible advantage over them and it showed.

An advantage is a benefit. It is something that works in your favor. It is something that makes things easier for those who have it than for those who don’t.

Our passage for this morning describes two great advantages that God has given to His people as they seek to be faithful to Him in a hostile world. One is implicit and the other explicit. The implicit advantage of this text is the gradual revelation of Jesus’ nature, will, and plans. The explicit advantage is (a familiar one,) the sending of the Holy Spirit.

Again, remember, we’re now in the final ¼ of John’s Gospel. It recounts the final days/hours of Jesus life on earth. And in our passage, we find Jesus giving some of His final words of instruction to His closest followers, His disciples. His main message to them was that although He was leaving (dying, rising, and ascending to heaven), they needed to continue His ministry of telling people how to be reconciled to God and brought into His kingdom. More specifically still, Jesus spoke to them about the help He would give them to navigate the hardships that would certainly befall them as they obeyed.

The big idea of his passage is that truly following Jesus in a world that rejects Jesus will often be marked by significant hardships, but Jesus has left us with every advantage we need to persevere through them; namely, His Word and His Spirit. And the main takeaways for us are to glorify God, by reading Jesus’ Word and doing what it says, in the power of the Spirit, no matter the resistance. Let’s pray that it would be so among us in increasing measure (and with the child dedications fresh on our minds, let’s pray that God would be pleased to work these things out in our children as well).

GRADUAL REVELATION (4-6)

Have you ever noticed or wondered about the fact that God only gradually revealed His nature and will to His people? He could have simply dropped a completed Bible in Adam’s hands from the beginning. Instead, He chose to write and deliver it over many centuries, a little at a time.

Likewise, Jesus could have chosen to sit a group of people down and tell them everything they needed to know at the outset of His ministry. Instead, He chose to reveal more and more about Himself, His purposes, and the mission of His followers, over the entire 3.5 years of His ministry.

In other words, God, in all His sovereign wisdom, chose to reveal the things we need to know gradually. With regard to Jesus’ gradual revelation, we find that explicitly in our passage for this morning. Likewise, Paul explicitly reveals that gradual revelation was God’s plan from the beginning. Let’s consider both and then a few ways they are to the advantage of all Christians.

Gradual for Jesus

In vs.4-5 we find gradual revelation as an important aspect of the ministry of Jesus. We’ve seen it before in John’s Gospel, but Jesus reveals it with greater clarity here. Again, the basic idea is that Jesus wisely chose to reveal Himself, His will, and His plans over a longer period time to His followers. We see this in v.4.

⁴ “I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you.

Jesus told His followers that He didn’t tell them everything (especially about His “departure” and their persecution) right from the beginning. He also gave them one of the reasons for this. He did so because they didn’t need to know it as long as He was with them to lead and guide them and to bear the brunt of the persecution.

It’s a simple, but profound thing to recognize that Jesus purposefully chose to reveal the things His followers needed to know, only as they needed to know them. Even at this last hour, there were things He still hadn’t told them.

This is a good thing for us to recognize, Grace. How often do you find yourself frustrated because you wish God would reveal something to you that He hasn’t yet? How often does it seem to you like some hard situation would be far more bearable if only God would reveal some further aspect of it to you?

As we make our way through the rest of this part of the sermon, keep in mind the goodness of Jesus’ gradual revelation. He does so not simply because He can and certainly not as a means of taunting you. He does so, every time, only because it is what’s best for His people. He tells His people exactly what we need to know, exactly when we need to know it for our greatest advantage.

Again, in v.4 we see that Jesus chose not to reveal everything to His followers all at once. In vs.5-6, however, we find out that something is about to change.

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.

Jesus knew it was time to fill in a few more gaps for His followers since He was about to leave them. They were sad about this news and they needed further understanding if they were going to faithfully continue on in the mission He’d given them.

In addition to that important point, there’s an undercurrent in vs.5-6 that we don’t want to miss. In that moment, consumed by their sadness, none of Jesus’ followers thought to ask Jesus about His departure. Jesus was about to endure the greatest suffering any man has ever endured (the forsaking of the Father on the cross, paying the consequences of countless sins of others) and His followers were, apparently, entirely unconcerned with that. Instead, they were consumed by its immediate implications for them—that their lives were about to get harder.

Of course, on the one hand, they couldn’t possibly have known exactly what Jesus was about to endure, but none of it even seemed to cross their minds. They were focused on themselves alone.

Let that be a lesson for us, Grace. May we be the kind of people who think of others more highly than we do of ourselves (Philippians 2:3), who love others as we love ourselves (Mark 12:31), and who look not to our own interests alone, but to those of others as well (Philippians 2:4). We’ll never be able to anticipate or understand everything anyone might be going through, but we can be the kind of people who know that it is more blessed to give than to receive (Acts 20:35).

Jesus reiterated His gradual revelation in v.12, “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.” And in these things we see again that Jesus only gave His disciples what they could handle at the time they could handle it. And, evidently, they still weren’t ready for some things.

Gradual for God

As I mentioned earlier, what was true for Jesus’ ministry, is true of God’s ministry in general. Gradual revelation was not unique to Jesus. God has always worked that way. God chose to reveal increasingly more truth over several thousand years.

This is easy to see with even the most cursory glance through the Bible. But in case anyone missed it, Paul, in both Ephesians and Colossians said so explicitly.

Ephesians 3:8-10 To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, ⁹ and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God, who created all things, ¹⁰ so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.

Colossians 1:25-27 the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, ²⁶ the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. ²⁷ To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

That leaves us with the question of why God chose the gradual route rather than the immediate route. We’re given a few answers in the text, and in them the advantages of this approach are apparent.

First, on the big-picture level (the entirety of God’s revelation), implied in Paul’s words to the Ephesians and Colossians, is the idea that everything was building toward Jesus. God gradually revealed the things His people needed to know because it took centuries, millennia, of category-creating for them to really grasp the significance of the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus.

Second, in v.4 of our passage for this morning, we see that Jesus did so “because I was with you”. It seems to me that this is perhaps best understood with a simple analogy (that I read somewhere else a while ago).

Imagine meeting a fellow fly fisherman who knew of a secret stream filled with hungry trout. The secret stream, as you can probably imagine, is located quite a ways off the beaten path, on private land without proper street names and Google Maps mapping. If you had to choose between the man giving you verbal instructions or even a hand drawn map (full revelation all at once) or the man agreeing to simply ride with you, telling you when to turn only as the need to turn approached (gradual revelation), which would you choose? In almost every conceivable way, it’d be best to have the man go along with you. Not only would that eliminate the risk of misremembering his words or misreading his map, but it would also give you the chance to talk about how he came across the stream and the best way to fish it.

Again, and in much the same way, because Jesus shared His whole life with His followers for over three years, He was able to use the time to gradually build the right categories into His followers, enabling them to more fully appreciate His teaching and instructions. In addition, He was able to model things for them and help correct them as they misunderstood or misapplied. More significantly still, by gradually revealing Himself to them, they were able to develop a relationship with Jesus rather than simply get a checklist from Him. In that they learned to depend on Him and not themselves. And throughout, Jesus bore the brunt of the persecution and showed His followers how to do so in a manner pleasing to God.

Finally, in v.12 we see yet another reason for God’s gradual revelation, because Jesus’ followers could not bear the full weight of His revelation right away. They needed to be given it overtime so as to be able to properly digest it. This is much like starting a baby off on milk, gradually moving them to spoon-fed purees of various sorts, to solid foods like Cheerios, and only much later to things like steak. To give steak to a newborn won’t end well and neither does giving full doctrine to immature followers.

In other words, in just about every possible way, God’s gradual revelation of His will was to the advantage of His people. It is good to praise God for this. It is also good to read our Bibles with this in mind. To read the OT well, for instance, we must continually think about where the passage is going. There is immediate significance for every event and prophecy, but there is also a greater significance for them as well. They all point to or move us along toward salvation in Jesus and the fullness thereof (our glorification in the new heavens and earth).

IT IS TO YOUR ADVANTAGE THAT I GO AWAY (7-11)

All of that leads to the second great advantage of God for His people: the coming of the Holy Spirit. And within that, as we’ll see, there are three specific advantages of the Helper: (1) The Helper helps in fuller ways when Jesus leaves, (2) The Helper helps with conviction, and (3) The Helper helps with truth.

The Helper Helps in Fuller Ways when Jesus Leaves (7)

We’ve noted this several times already, but the counterintuitive aspect of the truth of v.7 bears repeating. It is to the advantage of God’s people that Jesus went away, for it was only when Jesus went away that the Helper would come.

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.

It’s not entirely obvious why Jesus and the Spirit couldn’t minister on earth in fullness at the same time, but this text makes it clear that according to the plan of God it was the case.

I think the simple truth worth contemplating is that in spite of what you’ve probably thought many times, your faith would not be stronger if you could just see Jesus, or just walk with Jesus, or just talk with Jesus. John’s Gospel and Jesus’ ministry were filled with people who had that “advantage,” but persisted in sin and disbelief. Indeed, “he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him” (Isaiah 53:2).

In particular, it is to our advantage the Jesus leave and the Spirit come for two main reasons. First, Jesus left in order to atone for our sins. It is to our advantage that He “go away” in that if He didn’t, we would remain eternally dead in our trespasses and sins. And second, it is to our advantage in that the Spirit’s ministry is in every heart, all the time, while Jesus’ earthly ministry was (for the most part) only to those whom He was with, when He was with them. The Spirit takes up residence in every Christian from the moment of our conversion and never leaves. The presence of God is always with all of us in a way that is unique from the time of Jesus’ ministry on earth.

The Helper Helps with Conviction of Sin (8-11)

There’s another advantage of the going of Jesus and the coming of the Spirit. We see that in vs.8-11.

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.

This is a particularly interesting advantage in that it speaks of the Spirit’s conviction of the world. The Spirit does convict Christians of our sins too, of course, but that’s not what this passage is talking about. As we saw last week, this conviction is part of the Spirit bearing witness to the world concerning Jesus. He will convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment.

1. Convicts concerning sin. Specifically, Jesus said He will convict “⁹ concerning sin, because they do not believe in me.” When the Spirit comes, He will help those who do not believe in Jesus, those who are hostile to Jesus and His followers, to know what sin really is.
   In its most dramatic form, that looks like Acts 2. As Peter bore witness to Jesus and the Spirit empowered it, all who heard the gospel “cut to the heart” and wondered aloud, “What shall we do?” Peter told them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” In obedience around 3,000 people were convicted of sin and trusted in Jesus.
   The ministry of Jesus’ followers would include times of great hardship, but in their hardship they would have the advantage of the Spirit convicting the world of sin.
   
2. Convicts concerning righteousness. Second, the Helper will convict the world concerning righteousness. As we saw last week, the people of “the world” believed themselves to be honoring God when they condemned Jesus and His followers. They believed themselves to be righteous and Jesus and His followers to be sinful. One of the gifts of the Spirit is to convict the world of its miscalibrated notion of righteousness. According to v.10, this is one aspect of the witness-bearing of the Spirit and it is to the great advantage to Jesus’ followers.
   ¹⁰ concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer
   The heart of the world’s hostility toward Jesus was their misunderstanding of His relationship to the Father. They believed Jesus to be in sinful opposition to the Father, rather than the one and only righteous Son of God. Jesus promised that the Spirit would come and cause the world to recognize in increasing measure the righteousness of Jesus through His resurrection from the dead and ascension to the right hand of God.
   
3. Convicts concerning judgment. The third aspect of the convicting work of the Spirit is seen in v.11.
   ¹¹ concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.
   Just as the world is, by definition, misguided in their notion of sin and righteousness, so too are they misguided in the area of judgment. They believe themselves to safe in the day of judgment, even as they believe Jesus and His followers to be guilty. In this way, they side with the devil (the ruler of this world). But at the coming of the Spirit, the Spirit will convict the world of the opposite. It is only those who are in Jesus who will be found not guilty. Everyone else, along with the devil, remain condemned. The Spirit will come and convict the world in this way to the glory of God and the advantage of the followers of Jesus.
   

This is, of course, not a promise that everyone will respond to this conviction in repentance. Some will, but others will remain largely indifferent and the rest will only grow in hostility. The key for us to understand is that every response of the world is, in its own ways, to our advantage. As the world responds in outward hostility, it is to our advantage in that the Spirit uses that to sanctify us and make us complete (James 1:2-4). As the world responds more in common grace morality, it is to our advantage in that it leads to a more welcoming environment for ministry. And as the world responds in repentance and belief, it is to our advantage in that we gain brothers and sisters and fellow gospel workers.

That leads to the final aspect of the Spirit’s help named in this passage.

The Helper Helps with Truth (12-15)

In v.7, the advantage of the Spirit’s coming was directly for Jesus’ followers (indwelling believers). In vs.8-11, the Spirit’s work was among unbelievers (convicting of sin, righteousness, and judgment) and indirectly an advantage for Christians. In this final section, 12-15, the Spirit’s work is, once again, primarily and advantageously directed toward those whose hope is in Jesus. Specifically, the Spirit helps us with truth. He helps us bear it, guides us in it, and helps reveal it to us.

1. Helps reveal it. At the beginning of v.12 Jesus told His disciples, “I still have many things to say to you…”. And then in vs.13-15 we’re told that it would be the Holy Spirit (not Jesus directly) who would later reveal those things to Jesus’ followers.
   ¹³ … for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. ¹⁴ He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. ¹⁵ All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.
   For the glory of Jesus, and the advantage of His followers, after Jesus ascended to the Father and the Spirit was sent, the Spirit would reveal the rest of Jesus’ message to His followers. The Spirit would not bring His own message and He would not speak on His own authority. Rather, the Spirit, commissioned by Jesus, would reveal the rest of the things Jesus had to say to His followers. And He would do so in order to help them walk through the persecution of the world in persevering faithfulness.
   
2. Helps bear it. We just saw the beginning of v.12, “I still have many things to say to you…). Let’s look now at the second half, “but you cannot bear them now.”
   One of the things our family likes to do is answer questions from our “question box”. The questions range from “Which superpower would you most like to have?” to “When do you feel closest to God?”. One of the questions in there is, “If you could know the exact day and hour of your death, would you want to?”.
   For most of us, possessing that knowledge would be too much to bear. Whatever advantages having it might bring, they would be far outweighed by the weight of the ever-looming date. Of course, not knowing wouldn’t change the date. Our ignorance wouldn’t make it any less true. But for most people, the knowledge would be too much to carry around for years or decades.
   In simplest terms, that’s what Jesus was pointing out to the disciples. He knew they couldn’t handle everything that was to come their way right from the beginning. It would be too much for them to bear. As we’ve already seen, even at the end of His life, there were aspects of their life and ministry they still weren’t ready to bear. If the Spirit were to simply reveal everything all at once, without providing any additional help, Jesus’ followers would be crushed by the weight of the truth.
   But, when the Helper came, He would not only reveal the “many things” of Jesus, He would also help them bear them as well. He would help them face reality in faith, in a manner pleasing to God. He would provide the strength, the fortitude, the courage, they lacked. That is another a great advantage.
   
3. Helps guide in it. Finally, as we see in v.13, the Spirit would not only help Jesus’ followers by bringing the truth and helping them bear it, but also guiding them in it. It’s one thing to have the truth, another to not be crushed by it, and yet another to know what to do with it.
   ¹³ When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth…
   What a gift, what an advantage, this is. This is why James could promise, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him” (James 1:5). It is the Helper, the Spirit of truth, who brings the wisdom of God and guides God’s dependent people into all truth.
   Seek this advantage, Grace. If your hope is in Christ and your aim is to bear witness to the world of Jesus, the Savior and King, the Spirit will guide you into all truth. He will direct and lead you through wisdom to know how to live out your faith in the face of every hardship and difficulty. What a gift.
   

CONCLUSION

You’ll notice that each person of the godhead, the Holy Trinity, is present and active in this passage. The Father is governing and awaiting the return of His Son, Jesus is speaking and teaching, and the Spirit is eagerly awaiting being sent that He might convict the world and help Jesus’ persecuted followers.

These are awesome advantages indeed. But they are not for anyone to use for any means they might have. They are for the faithful followers of Jesus who are being persecuted for faithfully following Jesus. They are for Christians who are experiencing the would-be crushing hatred of the world for telling the world about Jesus. These advantages are more than enough to cause every one of God’s people to thrive through every circumstance.

Let us, therefore, give ourselves in increasing measure today to glorifying God, by reading Jesus’ Word and doing what it says, in the power of the Spirit, no matter the resistance.