The Advocate

The Advocate

Cantate, the Fifth Sunday of Easter – 5/18/2025

John 16:5-15

Rev. Dr. Christopher W. Brademeyer

That portion of God’s holy Word for consideration this morning is our lesson from the holy Gospel according to St. John in the sixteenth chapter with special emphasis on verses twelve through fifteen which read as follows:

[Jesus said,] “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you.  All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.”[1]

Thus far the Scriptures.

In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

                Our Gospel reading today records Jesus speaking to His disciples about what is to come. He’s preparing them for His departure, that is, His arrest, crucifixion, resurrection, and ultimately, His ascension. And in the middle of this emotional farewell, Jesus says something that must have sounded absolutely strange to them: “It is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you.”

Can you imagine how that must have sounded to the Twelve Apostles? “How could it possibly be better that Jesus leaves?” They had walked with Him, talked with Him, listened to His voice, watched Him perform miracles, and sat at His feet as He opened the Scriptures. And now He says, "It’s better that I go."

But Jesus isn’t abandoning them. He is promising something deeper, more widespread, and just as personal: the coming of the Holy Spirit, whom He calls “the Helper”, or as other translations put it, the Comforter, the Advocate, the Counselor, the Paraclete.

Today, as we look at our Gospel lesson from John chapter sixteen, we hear Jesus describe the work and role of the Holy Spirit. And we find that this Helper is not just for the disciples. He is for us, today, here, now. He is still at work in the Church and in our lives. So Who is the Spirit and what does He do?

The Spirit Convicts the World

Jesus says: “When He [that is, the Holy Spirit] comes, He will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment…” That word “convict” can sound harsh. When we think of convicting, we think of a courtroom where someone is found guilty. In fact, this is the all-too-common view of God’s judgement; that is, we often think that God seeks to condemn us, even unfairly and that He relishes nothing more than to swing down the judicial hammer with a sound, “Guilty!” ringing through the air. Instead, the work of the Spirit described here is what we call the second use of the Law. That is, by holding before us the Word of God, specifically the Ten Commandments, the Holy Spirit holds up a mirror to us, and, indeed, the whole world. This is not so that we would be condemned and consigned to hell. No, our guilt is exposed so that we can turn from it, find faith, and live by Christ. This is the first way He convicts us, that is, He convicts the world concerning sin, as Jesus says, “because they do not believe in Me.” The greatest sin is not lying or stealing or immorality of any sort, no matter how destructive, it is unbelief. This is not to say that other sins do not have great effects in this world, rather, it is simply to remind us that rejecting Jesus is to reject life and salvation itself. And in so doing, we lose the Source of forgiveness, life, and salvation. The Spirit confronts the world with this truth, not to destroy it, but to call us to repentance.

Second, the Spirit convicts the world concerning righteousness, Jesus says, “because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer.” In other words, the Spirit shows the world that true righteousness is not found in ourselves. It’s found in Christ, who ascended to the Father, He has been vindicated and glorified. The Spirit points us to His righteousness as our hope and our salvation.

Third, the Spirit convicts the world concerning judgment, “because the ruler of this world is judged.” Satan is already defeated. The cross and empty tomb have declared God’s final victory over sin, death, and the devil. The Spirit proclaims that the world’s judgment; it is judged because it rejects Jesus.

The Spirit Guides Christians into All Truth

Jesus also says: “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all the truth.” What a blessing this is! Jesus knew His disciples couldn’t understand everything at once. He sends the Holy Spirit to continue His teaching. The Spirit does not bring a new message. He brings Jesus’s message. He takes what belongs to Christ and declares it to us. Specifically, the Spirit promises to reveal truth to us in the Words of Jesus, that is, through the Holy Prophetic and Apostolic Scriptures.

This is important in our world today. Many voices claim to have new truths, new revelations, or improved versions of the Gospel. But the Spirit is not interested in innovation. He is interested in faithful proclamation and faithful confession. He leads the Church into truth, not by novelty, but by rooting us ever more deeply in Christ and His Word.

This is what we see in the Apostles’ preaching. After Pentecost, Peter and the others boldly proclaimed Jesus crucified and risen for the forgiveness of sins. That message, inspired by the Spirit, is the same message, the same saving, eternal Gospel that we still preach today.

The Spirit Glorifies Christ

Finally, Jesus says: “He will glorify Me, for He will take what is Mine and declare it to you.” Here is a test of every spirit, every teacher, every preacher: Does it glorify Christ? That is to say, does it point to Christ and give Him the true reverence and respect He deserves? The Holy Spirit is not interested in drawing attention to Himself. His mission is to glorify Jesus.

Martin Luther, in the Large Catechism, beautifully explains this when he writes: “Neither you nor I could ever know anything about Christ, or believe in Him and receive Him as Lord, unless it were offered to us and granted to our hearts by the Holy Spirit through the preaching of the Gospel.”[2]

The Holy Spirit is not some vague spiritual force. He is the third person of the Trinity, which means He is true God, and He is a Person. Forces do not act or have will, but the Spirit calls us by the Gospel, enlightens us with His gifts, sanctifies and keeps us in the true faith. He opens our ears to hear Christ’s Word, opens our hearts and minds to believe it, and opens our mouths to confess it.

So What Does This Mean for Us?

                It means we are not alone in this world with its problems and temptations. Though Jesus is not visibly present in the same way He was during His ministry in Galilee, He has not left us as orphans. Not only do we have His Word and the sacraments which make Him present to us, He has also sent His Spirit to dwell in us and among us. When we are convicted of our sin, it is the Spirit at work. When we hear the Word and believe, it is the Spirit at work. When we are comforted in suffering, strengthened in prayer, and given courage to confess the faith, it is the Spirit at work. When we gather around and receive the Word and the Sacraments, the Spirit is present, drawing us to Christ and giving Christ to us.

So today, give thanks for the Helper, for the Holy Spirit who convicts, teaches, and glorifies Christ. And pray as the Church has long prayed: “Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful, and kindle in them the fire of your love.”[3] 

In the holy Name of + Jesus. Amen.

The peace of God that passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

[1] John 16:12-15 English Standard Version. All subsequent citations from Holy Scripture are from the ESV.

[2] Large Catechism Apostles’ Creed Article 3, paragraph 38.

[3] Old Latin collect for Pentecost c. 12th century.