The Spirit's testimony while the Son sits

Would you rather have Jesus physically beside you or the Holy Spirit living inside you?

At first, it seems like an obvious answer, of course we'd want Jesus right here with us! Jai tackles one of the most profound truths in Christianity: "Very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you" (v. 7).

Wait, it's good that Jesus left? It's better to have the Spirit than Jesus Himself physically present?

When Jesus was on earth, He was bound by physical limitations. If you wanted to be with Him, you had to be where He was. But when the Spirit comes, God is present with all of us. Always. Everywhere. The very Spirit of God dwells in every believer.

If we trust in Jesus, we are never alone. God is with you. You have 24/7 access to Him. No priest, no pastor, direct access through prayer, anytime, anywhere.

But the Spirit doesn't just give us constant access to God. He does three crucial things:

1. The Spirit Convicts of Sin (v. 9) - Not just "doing bad stuff," but the ultimate sin: not trusting Jesus. He exposes both sides of self-reliance; thinking "I'm good enough for God" OR "I'm too messed up for God." Both are you trying to be in control. The Spirit says: You're not in control. God is.

2. The Spirit Convicts of Righteousness (v. 10) - He doesn't just expose the problem; He shows us the solution. And it's not "try harder." It's this: Jesus lived the life you could never live, died the death you deserve, rose in victory, and gives you what He deserves, not what you deserve. Righteousness is received, not earned.

3. The Spirit Convicts of Judgment (v. 11) - Evil has been defeated. The cross isn't loss—it's victory. Satan, sin, death—defeated once and for all.

The question isn't whether Jesus is admirable. The question is: What will you do with this Jesus? You can't just take the golden rule and reject Jesus as Saviour. If He is who He says He is, you have to follow Him. Surrender all to Him.

And here's the beautiful part: The Spirit doesn't bring random new ideas or teaching. He points us deeper into Jesus—what Jesus has already done and will do. He illuminates God's Word and applies it to our daily lives. Ever opened the Bible and thought, "Wow, that's exactly what I needed right now"? That's the Spirit at work.

The Spirit's Primary Role: Make Jesus Bigger

The Holy Spirit doesn't point to Himself, to you, to experiences, or even to church. He points to Jesus. Everything the Spirit does is about making Jesus bigger, so we see Him clearly, know Him clearly, love Him more, rejoice in Him more, treasure Him above everything else.

Here's the test for whether something is from the Spirit: Does it make Jesus bigger in your life? Does it deepen your love for Jesus? Is it centred on Jesus? If not, it's not from the Spirit.

The question is simple: Will you listen? Will you respond? Will you follow Jesus?

Series: Revealing Jesus (John 13-17)
Speaker: Jai
Scripture: John 16:4-15