Testify – John 15:26-27

• Q. What do some people set as the guide for their lives? How do they choose that standard?
  
  • Give time to discuss. 
  • Truth is relative.
  • You can do whatever you want as long as you don’t hurt others.
• Read John 15:26-27
• Q. What do we learn about the Holy Spirit from this verse (Jn 15:26)?
  
  • Discuss.
  • He is the Counselor: (An advocate, helper, intercessor). He will will stand alongside the disciples and strengthen them as they obey the commands of Jesus.
  • He is sent, not accidental.
  • He will come, not if.
  • From the Father, we see the trinity on display.
  • The Spirit of Truth: He points to the truth of Scripture and is trustworthy.
  • He will testify about Jesus: This is actually the main part of this verse.
• Q. What role does the Holy Spirit play in our telling others about Jesus? How does He help us?
  
  • Give time to answer.
  • He teaches and reminds us (Jn 14:26).
  • He empowers us (Acts 1:8). 
  • He guides us in truth (Jn 16:13). 
  • He helps us live the Christian life (Eph 5:18). 
• Q. What does the word testify mean? Do you have something different in your translation? 
  
  • Discuss. 
  • The word means to impart firsthand knowledge. 
  • Some translations read “bear witness.”
  • The idea is simple. They would tell the world what Jesus had done and said.

Convicts – John 16:7-11

• John 16:1-6 Summary – I’m leaving, things are going to be challenging, and you might even start to doubt but I’m telling you all of this so you don’t stumble. 
• Read John 16:7-11
• Q. In what ways is Jesus’ departure a benefit for the disciples? For all believers?
  
  • Discuss. 
  • The coming of the Counselor. 
  • His atoning sacrifice on the cross (Jn 1:29, 1 Cor 15:3) and His ascension to the father where He would intercede on our behalf (1 Jn 2:1, Rom 8:34). 
  • While His death and ascension are vastly important, Jesus doesn’t mention them. In these verses He focuses on coming of the Holy Spirit. 
•  Q. What comes to mind when you hear the word “convict”? Is it a good thing to be convicted? 
  
  • Give time to respond. 
  • Perhaps a court case where someone is convicted of a crime. 
  • Usually the concept is connected with the idea of getting caught or feeling guilty for something you know was wrong. 
  • The Greek word conveys both correction and convincing at the same time. In essence, the Holy Spirit reveals the truth in a way that renders the world morally accountable. 
  • God’s desire is always repentance, not despair or condemnation. 
  • The Holy Spirit is the one who can convince people of their desperate need for a Savior, the believer is the one who is simply obedient in proclaiming the gospel. 
• Q. How does the world view Sin? Righteousness? Judgement? How does that compare to the Bible?
  
  • Discuss
  • The world doesn’t like to talk about sin, only circumstances. If your circumstances were different you wouldn’t have done this/that. The Bible, however, speaks about sin regularly and is considered missing the mark, breaking a law, or general wrongdoing (cf Rom 14:23).
  • The world’s idea of righteousness typically boils down to doing more good than bad. People are basically good, they just mess up on occasion. The Bible, however, clearly states that no one is righteous (Rom 3:10), it inly comes through faith in Christ (Phil 3:9). 
  • The world often connects judgement with the justice system and is typically seen as punishment, which makes sense. Yes the Bible speaks of judgment as a judicial term regarding application of law. However, God’s judgement is prefect because it reflects His holy character and He cannot be swayed, bribed, or limited in any way unlike human judgement. 
  • Jesus specifically applied the Holy Spirit’s judgement to the ruler of this world, the devil (Jn 12:31; 14:30). 

Guides – John 16:12-15

• Q. How important is it for you to trust your guide? 
  
  • Discuss. 
  • It depends slightly on the activity. For example, you might not need an expert guide when floating down the Chunky river, but you will definitely want one when going down the challenging sections of the Colorado River.
  • We are going to see how we can trust the Holy Spirit as He guides us into all truth. Jesus knew what the disciples needed to know and when they needed to know it. 
• Read Jn 16:12-15 
• Q. How would you have responded to Jesus’ statements in Jn 16:12?
  
  • Give time to answer. 
  • I feel like most of us would have been like Peter and spoken up: “Tell me, I can handle it!”
  • But if you take a moment and think about it, the disciples might have been scared to death if Jesus had told them everything that was about to happen. 
• Q. How does knowing that Jesus cares for us and sends the Spirit of truth to help us change the way we live our life? 
  
  • Discuss. 
  • We can trust God’s word. 
  • We should be patient, knowing that He knows what we need and when we need it.
  • As we abide in Him we know that the Holy Spirit will declare, reveal, and illuminate everything we need to know Christ and to serve Him faithfully.