"Nevertheless
I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; …” John 16:7
NKJV
How
do you define the word “advantage”? When
I think of it, what comes to my mind is anything that will help me be
successful in whatever it is I am trying to accomplish. I think at some point in time, just about
everyone has found themselves in a situation where they considered how they
might gain an advantage, be it in sports or some other competition against an
opponent or even in the workplace because of a desire for advancement. In whatever situation we find ourselves, it’s
a natural desire to want an advantage that will help us succeed.
With
that in mind, I like how Jesus chose to use this word in His explanation for
leaving the disciples at His ascension.
It seems perfectly understandable that the disciples would be taken by
surprise to find that after witnessing the resurrection, and spending the last
forty days with Jesus, that He was going to leave them. I believe, too, that they had come to depend
on His presence with them for their strength, confidence, and the teaching He
provided. It was with this in mind that
Jesus uses the word advantage to explain to the disciples and to us as well,
the benefits available to us because He ascended to Heaven.
We
received the Holy Spirit.
"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.” John 16:7
NKJV
Have
you ever asked someone for help?
Why? Have you noticed that two is
better than one? At some point in time
we have all needed help for something, and I’m sure at the time we were all
grateful for that help. We discover
along with the disciples at Pentecost that Jesus was referring to the Holy
Spirit in this passage, yet I like the fact that rather than telling us “who”
He was sending, He chose to use the term “Helper as a way to alleviate the
disciples concern about being left alone.
In the Greek, the word is “parakletos”
which can be translated helper, comforter, advocate, defender, and intercessor
among others. In other words, it’s much
more of an advantage than most of us probably realize. Not only do we receive the living presence of
God in our lives, Jesus is performing other duties for us as well.
Accessibility to the Throne
“Seeing
then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus
the Son of God, let us hold fast [our] confession. For we do not have a High
Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all [points]
tempted as [we are, yet] without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the
throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of
need.” Hebrews 4:14-16 NKJV
Ever
watch a movie where a subject is taken before the throne of the King or ruler
of a particular realm? Notice the fear
and trembling as they realize the King has the power and right to administer
any punishment he may desire? I often
think that would certainly be my reaction if I were to be summoned to appear in
front of God’s throne, yet look closely at what this passage says. First of all we need not be summoned; rather
we can go before Him at any time when we need help. In fact, because Jesus was tempted as we
were, and is acting on our behalf as our High Priest, we can go boldly to His
presence and there find grace and mercy from someone who can sympathize with
what we are going through.
Intercession
“Who
shall bring a charge against God's elect? [It is] God who justifies. Who [is] he who condemns? [It is] Christ who
died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who
also makes intercession for us.” Romans
8:33-34 NKJV
Although
I may not have understood it at the time, I certainly remember the first
instance of intervention on behalf of another.
Like many, conflicts arise at an early age most often on the playground
at school. I recall vividly one of the
first because it involved family and not friends. At recess one day I saw a notorious bully
picking on my older brother and pushing him around. Understanding my physical limitations in
relation to someone older and bigger than myself, I picked up an equalizer, (a
baseball bat) and ran to help my brother.
I can still remember the look in the eyes of the boy picking on my
brother when he saw me coming! Needless
to say I “interceded” on behalf of my brother.
Can
you imagine what goes through the mind of Satan as he approaches the throne to
accuse us and Jesus slowly stands up and gets between Satan and the
throne? How frustrating it must be to
try and accuse us for whatever sin we may have committed, however we may have
stumbled, and to have Jesus tell Satan that it doesn’t matter because He has
already paid the price by His death and we are covered by His blood? Every single time, whenever we try and fail,
we can find strength in the knowledge that it is Jesus who justifies us, and
because of that fact there is no condemnation for sin.
Salvation
But
God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,
even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by
grace you have been saved), and raised [us] up together, and made [us] sit
together in the heavenly [places] in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He
might show the exceeding riches of His grace in [His] kindness toward us in
Christ Jesus. Ephesians 2:4-7 NKJV
The
greatest benefit of all, of course, is that Jesus by His death and resurrection
has made it possible for us to spend eternity in Heaven with God the
Father. Notice in this passage the
phrase “in the ages to come”. I don’t
think we can ever wrap our minds around the concept of eternity, or come to an
appreciation of just how long that is.
Yet I think here we are told that we will never go a day in Heaven
without understanding and being reminded that it is by His grace and kindness
that we are even there at all. It is
God’s love towards us that provided the means necessary for us to spend
eternity with Him. If only we are
willing to ask.
If
you have never made the decision to accept the sacrifice Jesus has made for you
I encourage you to do it right now.
Simply pray this simple prayer or put it in your own words, but do it
now and begin to enjoy the benefits of being a child of God and having the
advantage of Jesus standing with you.
Jesus
I know I am a sinner and have broken your commandments and sinned against you.
I believe you died and rose again for me as a sacrifice for my sins. I ask you
to forgive me of my sins and come into my heart so that I can begin to live for
you. Amen.
Keep
watching.
