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ππ―ππ it's to your advantage ββ β‘οΈβ‘οΈ π
Posted : 17 Jan, 2022 04:08 PM
john 16:7 nkjv
" 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 depart, I will send Him to you."
a. Because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart: The disciples could only see the sorrow of Jesus leaving; but Jesus' departure was an essential step in their growth as disciples - "The braver and more perfect disciple is he who can walk by faith, and not by sight only. " (Bernard)
b. It is to your advantage that I go away: This had to be hard for the disciples to believe! When a loved one is going to die, we often think it is the best to let death take its course. There is the body, wracked with cancer. We say, "It will be better for them to go, and to stop the suffering. It is to their advantage to go away. " But when someone we love is dying, we don't think that it is to our advantage that they go. We want them to stay, but realize it may be for their best. But notice what Jesus says here - it isn't for His advantage, but He tells His disciples, it is to your advantage that I go away.
i. After all, if the disciples really understood what was about to happen, it would be even harder for them to believe.
- To your advantage that Jesus is arrested?
- To your advantage that Jesus' ministry of teaching and miracles is stopped?
- To your advantage that Jesus is beaten?
- To your advantage that Jesus is mocked?
- To your advantage that Jesus is sentenced for execution?
- To your advantage that Jesus is nailed to a cross?
- To your advantage that Jesus dies in the company of notorious criminals?
- To your advantage that His lifeless body is laid in a cold grave?
c. Jesus knew this would be hard for them to understand: But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. When Jesus has something hard to tell us, He knows it is hard. He understands. We may still need to hear it, and we may wish He would back away from it, but He won't. He will tell it to us, and tell it to us in love.
i. Is God doing a work in your life that you don't understand? Has sorrow filled your heart? God isn't mad at you. He isn't punishing you. He wants to show you how all this is to your advantage.
d. Jesus would not let their sorrow go unchallenged: Nevertheless. This is one of the great words of the Bible, nevertheless. It means, "despite all of that. " Yes, Jesus knew they were filled with sorrow because of what He has told them. But, despite all of that He wanted them to know that it was to your advantage.
e. Jesus wanted them to trust Him in something hard to understand: I tell you the truth. Jesus didn't say this because He lied most of the time. He said this because He wanted them to make a concerted effort to trust Him at this point. Trust in God, belief in Jesus, has something to do with our will. We make decisions to trust Him, and Jesus wanted them to trust that all this was to your advantage.
f. Jesus wanted them to know He had a plan: For if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. They couldn't understand His plan. Sure, it's easy for us with 2,000 years of hindsight to say, "Well, don't you understand? When Jesus went away, He then sent the Spirit of God, which has a broader and more effective ministry in all the world! There now! Can't you see it?" They couldn't see it. They didn't have a clue what Jesus was talking about. But Jesus knew what He was talking about. He knew how it really was true that is was all to your advantage.
i. It was better because Jesus can be with every believer all the time. Jesus promised, "For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them. " (Matthew 18:20). That was not a promise He could keep after flesh, but only after the Spirit. He had to go away for that promise to be made true. If Jesus were present bodily on this earth, there would be some Christians who would be overjoyed - those in His immediate presence. But for most Christians, they would have the overwhelming sense that Jesus was not with them, not that He was. Truly, it was all to your advantage.
ii. It was better because now we can understand Jesus better. If Jesus were present bodily on this earth, there would be no end to His words for us. We wouldn't have a Bible; we would have the library of congress! Secretaries would follow Him constantly to record His every word. It would all be written down and preserved. We would have all of it, and the mass of it would be just plain unmanageable! Truly, it was all to your advantage.
iii. It is better, because now we can have a more trusting relationship with God. If Jesus were present bodily on this earth, there would be a great challenge to our walk of faith. Paul said, Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer. (2 Corinthians 5:16) God wants us to walk by faith, and not by sight, and if Jesus were here bodily, there would be great temptation to walk by sight, and not by faith. Truly, it was all to your advantage.
iv. It is better, because Jesus' work is better understood as He is enthroned in the heavens. If Jesus were present bodily on this earth, it would be confusing to us. Would we see Him suffer any more? Of course not, because His sufferings were finished at the cross. There is no more need for atonement, because He did it all at the cross. But if would be hard for us to see a Savior who never suffered when we are in distress; it might make us think that Jesus was unsympathetic. But He does care! God didn't want us to struggle with this dilemma, so Jesus is no longer bodily on this earth. He is enthroned in the heavens. Truly, it was all to your advantage.
v. Look at the disciples before Jesus left. Confused. Thick headed. Afraid. Selfish and self-centered. Look at them after Jesus left, and after the Helper had come. They are wise, surrendered, bold, and giving. Truly, it was to your advantage that Jesus left!
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