Have you ever felt abandoned, lonely, isolated? All of these are hope eaters. The world, sin and the devil play on these to get you to despair, fear, doubt so you look to or chase after something that will never satisfy yout. Loneliness is a big issue in this country. Here in the United States there is a mentality of individualism. An idea that you can do everything on your own. This is not a Christian view. Either you get too haughty with how great you are and you make yourself your god or you fall into despair and depression because doing everything by yourself is overwhelming.
Christianity is all about dependency. You depend on God the Father for all physical and spiritual needs. You depend on Christ for the forgiveness of sins. And what Christ talks about in the Gospel reading is you depend on the Holy Spirit to have faith and truth. Secondly, you depend on either family or friends, as I have found out very clearly, but also your community, especially here your congregation. This is most excellently expressed in the table of duties on how you are to love your neighbor. For you are also dependent on your neighbor because how are you going to love your neighbor as yourself if you don’t have any. God even said it is not good for man to be alone.
In the Gospel today the disciples were feeling like they were being abandoned. Here Christ just came back from the dead, resurrected and now He is telling them He is leaving. They were distraught. Christ says that “Sorrow has filled [their] heart[s]” These disciples who felt directionless and hopeless at His death most likely are having flashbacks of not again. Yet, Christ is doing the very opposite. He is going to heaven to sit at the right hand of God, but so it is that His Spirit, the Holy Spirit could go forth. What the disciples don’t understand is that they are getting something better. The disciples see this physically come to fruition in just a couple of weeks on Pentecost.
Christ’s departure, or return to heaven is necessary for the fulfillment of all things. His return to heaven solidifies everything He has done. His ascension to heaven is the exclamation point to why He came down to earth. His ascension shows that what He said has been fulfilled. His ascension shows that His sacrifice and His victory are final. It also shows that this place where you are right now is not the final destination. This is not the land of milk and honey, this is not your promised land. He has something greater for you and it is not here in this veil of tears.
Plus, as Christ says to His disciples “it is to your advantage that I go away,” In Christ’s departure He sends you His Helper. The importance of having the Helper, the Holy Spirit come Christ tells you three reasons: concerning sin, concerning righteousness, and concerning judgment. In these three areas The Holy Spirit will guide you into all truth. This declaration to His disciples also rings true for His bride, the Church, today.
Concerning sin, Jesus says “because they do not believe in me.” To clarify, humanity already knows of sin. It was addressed with Moses and the 10 Commandments. Even in remote villages laws are in place because God’s Law has been written on man’s heart. Here it is the focus on belief in Christ. The Holy Spirit is coming so that the world is convicted of it’s unbelief. The Holy Spirit will work through the Word to crush hearts and lead people to repentance for the lawlessness and sinful ways or either harden their hearts against the belief in Christ. Just as Christ pronounces this in John 8 I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins. The Holy Spirit comes to show you that you are in need of a Savior, that salvation must come outside of yourselves, and it is only found in Christ Jesus, the crucified and risen Lord.
Concerning righteousness, Jesus says “I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer,”. In mankind’s fallen state, you always like to justify your sin. “I only did this because…” If I didn’t do that then…” At least I am not as bad as so and so…” I often here well at least I am good person. What does that even mean? What standards are they referring to in order for them to confess this. Do you think that paradise awaits those who rely on good deeds? You like to justify your sin and not deem it as damning as it is. The law is to be followed to the iota and to the dot. If you cannot do this then you are cursed to hell. It is Christ’s work on the cross that makes you righteous. Who can forgive sin? Who can acquit you of your lawbreaking? Is it by man that sin can be forgiven or must it come from God? Even from the mouth of the scribes they confess the truth “Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” The Helper, the Holy Spirit reveals to you that only God can forgive your sins. Solace can only be found in Christ. He goes to the Father, and because He goes to the Father righteousness comes to you through Him. It is because He has fulfilled the law perfectly, it is because He was the scapegoat for you, it is because He was the unblemished lamb that was slaughtered as our blood price that you could be robed with His righteousness. You can be pronounced forgiven and declared righteous by Jesus’ death and resurrection. He goes to the Father in His exaltation that He is the victor! The battle has been won and sin, death and the devil are defeated.
Lastly, concerning judgment, Jesus says “because the ruler of this world is judged.” In the reading ruler of this world is referring to satan the accuser. Christ’s ascension means that satan has been judged, he is defeated. When Satan thought he was victorious in the death of Christ that was God’s greatest victory. In Christ’s resurrection that was the declaration that death has been defeated and in Christ’s going to the Father signals that all is done. Satan’s conviction is final, he has lost. This does not mean that he will not continue to pull as many souls as he can into defeat. Yet, the Holy Spirit gives you the truth that all has been completed. This is how you can have peace because if satan has been judged then that means also that the judgment of God on Christ in your stead has been completed. The Holy Spirit gives you the confidence, the assurance that all penalties, all sin was paid for at the cross. Payment is no longer needed, it is no longer necessary. It was done roughly 2000 years ago and it still carries on today and into tomorrow, until the end of the age. The Spirit reveals this victory and this judgment to you so that you have peace that surpasses all understanding.
Christ has made sure you are never alone. His coming to earth. His humiliation was all for you. He saw the separation humanity had with God and He bridged the gap. His death on the cross secured that man no longer is abandoned, lonely and isolated. He made sure that despair fear and doubt no longer rule your hearts. He is the one that satisfies completely and wholly so that you can be joined to God forever. He lowered himself and took the full wrath of God, He took all of your punishment, the world’s punishment for all sins and paid for it. He gives you peace and hope knowing that He has bought you with His blood. He has joined you to Himself in baptism and continues to succor you and abide with you in His very flesh and blood. You are not alone. He has given you His Spirit. You have it now. He is here with you now to guard you and keep you. He has given you the Helper to let you see the truth, here the truth, believe the truth that you are Christ’s. He is with you now and forever. He has made you his child, you are are His children. You know this because He has paid for your sin, He has given you righteousness through His propitiation, and He has judged you innocent because the Bridegroom has covered His bride. He has made sure you are never abandoned. He is with you always. This peace He gives to you.
SDG
Pr. Daniel Holm
John 16
5 But now I am going to him who sent me, and none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. 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. And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.
“I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 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. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.
Isaiah 12
You will say in that day:
“I will give thanks to you, O Lord,
for though you were angry with me,
your anger turned away,
that you might comfort me.
“Behold, God is my salvation;
I will trust, and will not be afraid;
for the Lord God is my strength and my song,
and he has become my salvation.”
With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. And you will say in that day:
“Give thanks to the Lord,
call upon his name,
make known his deeds among the peoples,
proclaim that his name is exalted.
“Sing praises to the Lord, for he has done gloriously;
let this be made known in all the earth.
Shout, and sing for joy, O inhabitant of Zion,
for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.”
James 1
16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.