THE ADVOCATE

John 16:5-11
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust.

The Work of the Holy Spirit

5 “But now I am going away to the One who sent me, and not one of you is asking where I am going. 6 Instead, you grieve because of what I’ve told you. 7 But in fact, it is best for you that I go away, because if I don’t, the Advocate won’t come. If I do go away, then I will send him to you. 8 And when he comes, he will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment. 9 The world’s sin is that it refuses to believe in me. 10 Righteousness is available because I go to the Father, and you will see me no more. 11 Judgment will come because the ruler of this world has already been judged.

The disciples were upset when Jesus told them he would soon be leaving them. They had spent the last three years in the presence of the Son of God. It is no wonder that this news was distressing. No more teaching, no miracles to see, no examples to observe.

Jesus knew something better was ahead for them. The Advocate, the Holy Spirit, was coming to give them the power they would need to change the world. Yes, Christianity has and still is changing the world in which we live. As you witness, empowered by the Holy Spirit, one conversion at a time, change is taking place.