[Note: This Monday Deep was written by Mike Slay but posted by Matt Richardson]

John 16:4b–11

“And these things I did not say to you at the beginning, because I was with you.

“But now I go away to Him who sent Me, and none of you asks Me, ‘Where are You going? But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart.  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.  And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:  of sin, because they do not believe in Me; of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more;  of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.”

One of my favorite theological illustrations comes from a letter to Santa Claus, addressed thusly:

Santa Claus
The North Pole
Earth
The Solar System
The Milky Way Galaxy
The Universe
The Mind of God

For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. — 1 Corinthians 13:12 (KJV)

This side of eternity, our understanding of God is going to be limited. The Bible gives us some important clues though. Genesis 1 says He created the world by speaking. John 1 says Jesus is the incarnate word of God and that the world was created through Him.

This part of John’s gospel fills in the Trinity, giving many details about the Spirit and His relationship to us. Jesus’s death, resurrection, and ascension are part of something God designed that releases the Spirit. Jesus returning to the Father changes other things in important ways—multiple ways. 

And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. — 1 John 2:1b

For Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us; — Hebrews 9:24

Those verses point to how the ascended Jesus is our advocate in the Heavenly realms.

Today’s passage teaches that His return to the Father releases the Holy Spirit to show up big time.

Chapter sixteen of John is a package. It teaches how everything will change as a result of the events to come.

The disciples will be different. Prayer will be different. The world will be different. 

The Monday—Friday DEEPs are written by Mike Slay and this Saturday Deep is written by Matt Richardson. To subscribe to all the DEEPs click here:

https://www.ailbe.org/resources/community

The weekly study guides, which include the Monday–Friday devotionals plus related questions for discussion or meditation, are available for download here:

https://www.ailbe.org/resources/itemlist/category/91-deep-studies

Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. ESV stands for the English Standard Version. © Copyright 2001 by Crossway. Used by permission. All rights reserved. NIV stands for The Holy Bible, New International Version®. © Copyright 1973 by International Bible Society. Used by permission. All rights reserved. KJV stands for the King James Version.