OR 26
October 26
John 16:5-11. Christ promises to send the Comforter to reprove the world.
Why did the Lord Jesus say to his disciples, "None of you asks me, Where are you going?" Had they not asked him already, and had he not told them that he was going to his Father? Many times he had said, "I go unto the Father."
Yet the apostles continued to mourn as if their Master had been going to an enemy instead of to his Father —as if he had been going where they could never come, and where he would never return—as if he had been going where he could not hear their prayers, or send them help in trouble. Do we not often mourn as if we had no merciful Mediator to present our prayers to the Father—no Almighty Savior to send us support from on high? The Lord gently reproved his disciples for their excessive sorrow, saying, "Because I have said these things unto you, sorrow has filled your heart."
Afterwards he continued to make them comforting promises. One of these promises was that he would send the Holy Spirit. He had before told them of many blessings that the Holy Spirit would confer on THEM—he now tells them what he would do for the world. He would reprove (or convince) the world of three things—sin—righteousness—and judgement. The world were not yet convinced of these things. If they had been, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
The world did not know that it was a sin not to believe in Jesus. They did not know that the righteousness of Christ atoned for the unrighteousness of men, and that his ascension to his Father proved that his offering had been accepted. They did not know that Satan, the prince of this world, was judged when Jesus, the Prince of life, expired on the cross.
And did the world ever know these things? Three thousand of the world were convinced of sin, righteousness, and judgement, when Peter preached his first sermon. When they flocked around the apostles, anxiously asking, "What shall we do?" then did our Savior's promise begin to be fulfilled.
Since that time many thousands of the children of this world have been pierced in their hearts by the power of the Holy Spirit, and they also have asked, "What shall we do?"
Have we ever asked this question? Are we convinced of sin, of righteousness, and of judgement? It is only those whom the Spirit has taught who feel unbelief to be a great sin. It is only they who desire to be found in the righteousness of Christ. It is only they who rejoice that the prince of this world has been overcome. We were all ignorant of these things once. If we understand them now, a great change must have taken place in our hearts. It was the Holy Spirit who wrought that change, who taught us to mourn for sin, to believe in Christ, and to resist Satan. Have we come as penitents to Christ? As believers let us cleave to him. As conquerors we shall reign with him.