The disciples could not understand how Jesus leaving them could possibly be for their good. They had walked with Him, listened to Him, and depended on His presence—and now He was telling them, “It is expedient for you that I go away.” The answer Jesus gives in John 16 is the promise of the Comforter. He would send the Holy Spirit, not as a lesser substitute, but as the divine Helper who would abide with His people, guide them into truth, and continue God’s work in and through them.
That promise matters because the Holy Spirit is not meant to be a neglected part of the Christian life. He is not an “it,” but a person of the Godhead, co-equal with the Father and the Son. He is at work in the world, reproving of sin, righteousness, and judgment, and He is at work in believers—indwelling, instructing, filling, enabling, and encouraging them. And His work never draws attention away from Christ. Jesus said the Spirit would glorify Him. That gives both a warning and an encouragement to the church: we should not grieve or quench the Spirit God has given us but live in dependence upon His presence and power.
The Spirit’s work also presses outward. He is still convicting people of their sin and pointing them toward the truth, and believers have been given His power to get busy about the Master’s business, share the gospel, and let their light shine so that others see Jesus in them. The encouragement of this passage is that Christ has not left His people alone. He has given us the Comforter, and that truth should shape both the way we live and the way we carry the gospel to others.
If you have ever thought little about the person and work of the Holy Spirit, this passage is worth considering carefully. Hear the complete sermon as Pastor James walks through Christ’s promise of the Comforter and what His presence means for believers living and witnessing for Christ today.