John 16:4b-7
March 18, 2026
John 16:4b-7
CONFESS
Most merciful God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who pardons all who truly repent and turn to you. We humbly confess our sins and ask for your mercy. We have not loved you with a pure heart and we have not loved our neighbor as ourselves. We have not done justly, not loved mercy, and not walked humbly with you, our God. Have mercy upon us according to your loving-kindness. According to the multitude of your tender mercies, blot out our iniquity. Create in us a clean heart and renew a right spirit within us. Cast us not away from your sight and take not your Holy Spirit from us Restore unto us the joy of your salvation, and uphold us with your Spirit. Amen.
READ & REFLECT
John 16:4b-7
4“I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you. 5But now I am going to him who sent me, and none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ 6But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. 7Nevertheless, 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.
Though Jesus’ followers are filled with sorrow at the prospect of Jesus’ departure, he informs them that it is to their advantage that he goes away. It is only by leaving that Jesus can send the Helper, the Holy Spirit, to us. When the Holy Spirit comes, he will “convict the world” (verse 8). But why is that a good thing? We tend to think of God’s judgment in negative terms. Why would we want a God who judges the world?
As the Psalms attest, the judgment of God is a very good thing for those who are wronged and have no hope of legal redress. If no human authority is willing to defend one’s case, then the only option is to appeal to God himself. God reveals himself as a God of justice who will put right everything that once went wrong. The Holy Spirit will serve as our Helper or Advocate. When no one else will, the Advocate will come to our defense.
What comfort can we draw from the fact that the Spirit is our Advocate?
PRAY
Weekly Collect
Gracious Father, whose blessed Son Jesus Christ came down from heaven to be the true bread which gives life to the world: Evermore give us this bread, that he may live in us, and we in him; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.