EASTER – WEEK 4 – SUNDAY

LESSON: JOHN 16:5-15

When he comes, he will convince the world of sin and of righteousness and of judgement. John 16:8

When the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, comes, He will convince the world of blindness and ignorance. All men who have not been enlightened by the Holy Spirit, no matter how clever they may be thought to be by prevailing external circumstances, rules, or dealings, are fools and blind before God. They do not like being reminded of this. In fact, they become very cross and angry if you tell them that all their achievements count for nothing at all before God. They are quite sure that the reason and natural light that God has created in them must at least count for something.

What can we reply?

There stands the Scripture, the Word of God, plain and clear, telling us that the Holy Spirit will come and convince the world of ignorance in regard to sin, righteousness, and judgement.

This is a fixed determination; it cannot be modified or changed. Let him who will, be angry; this is no concern of Christ here.

SL 11:865 (2)

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, pour Your Holy Spirit upon us in rich measure, so that we are not ignorant of Your Word and salvation like the world is in its blindness, but may at all times cling in firm faith to Your saving Word, the vehicle of Your enlightening Spirit. Amen.

Editor’s note: No American Edition (AE) equivalent for today’s sermon excerpt exists at the time of this publication. For an alternate English translation of this sermon, see Lenker, Church Postil—Gospels, 3:110-124.