No-one’s personal evangelism is what it ought to be. Jesus’ teaching to his disciples here helps you think about your own Spirit-enabled witness – how the Holy Spirit of God himself works in you to witness to Jesus.
We’re going to see how God himself is present and active in the world. He works through his people – you – in Spirit-enabled witness. The Spirit convicts the world of sin, and righteousness, and judgment as Christ is proclaimed.
So we’re going to be encouraged not to stumble under opposition, but to pray with expectancy of the Spirit’s work. And most of all, you’re reminded that salvation is in Christ alone!
These notes accompany a sermon on YouTube delivered at Bromborough Evangelical Church in May 2026. You can find more in the series in our sermon index.
Don’t stumble in your witness (15:26-16:4a)
Read John 15:26. The translators have chosen a loaded word for us here!
To say that the Counsellor, the Spirit of Truth, the Holy Spirit “proceeds from the Father” is a huge statement. In context, Jesus is speaking about how the Holy Spirit will come to his disciples. He will proceed from the Father, sent by the Father and the Son (see John 14:26 and John 15:26). That’s the basic meaning.
But there’s something here about the nature of God himself. He is triune: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Father is the source of all. The Son is said to be “eternally begotten” of the Father. So he is of the Father, but without beginning or end. And the Holy Spirit is said to “proceed” from the Father and the Son, again without beginning or end. Each is co-eternal, equally divine, equally to be praised and worshipped as God.
That’s more than this one verse is saying, but this verse is part of the biblical understanding of the nature of God and the Spirit in particular.
One thing really does need saying: Throughout this section (John 15:26-16:15), Jesus repeatedly refers to the Holy Spirit as “he”. The Holy Spirit is not a mysterious force – he’s a person of the Trinity as much as the Father is or the Son is. And it’s sometimes suggested that we should use feminine nouns to describe the Holy Spirit. But Jesus didn’t, so I won’t, and you shouldn’t either. Preferred pronouns “he/him”!
So now: What are we to learn about him?
Both the Spirit and Jesus’ disciples testify about Jesus
Read John 15:26-27.
The Holy Spirit will testify about Jesus. And his disciples would testify about Jesus too.
Those are not separate actions: Think vine and branches again.
And remember who Jesus is speaking to: Those particular men were to be apostles, a particular kind of witness “because you have been with me from the beginning” – the beginning of his ministry, obviously. They would be eye-witnesses so that you can be sure what they said was true. And the Holy Spirit would work in them to ensure that what they wrote and taught was what you needed to hear.
And so we have the Holy Spirit as Counsellor again. He has that dual effect, like a brilliant legal counsellor with you:
- He works as an advocate to the world, speaking on behalf of Jesus and his church.
- And he’s also a strengthener, an encourager to the church, providing Spirit-enabled witness of Jesus through weak people like you and me.
Those apostles were going to need the Spirit’s help: Read John 16:1-4a.
That was the nature of persecution that would come to them – from the religious authorities of their day. But we saw last time that persecution will come to you too as you live for Jesus – you’re so weird and unworldly, if you live by his kingdom rule. That will cause you to clash with someone at home, college, work, family.
Do not stumble
So “I have told you these things to keep you from stumbling.”
What does stumbling look like, when you’re opposed for Jesus? You’ll be tempted to compromise on your witness, or on sinful choices. Tempted to fit in with the world. You might even be tempted to give up on Christ altogether. It happens.
So when someone stands in your way, you’ve got a choice. Will you buckle, and bend to the values of the world? Or will you turn to the Spirit within you, and ask for his encouragement and strength?
Whatever happens, keep going in Spirit-enabled witness. Love one another. Put your Christian brothers and sisters first in your plans so that you will be a witness to unbelieving people of the priority of obedience to Jesus.
Don’t stumble in your witness. The Spirit will enable you. How?
The Spirit works in your witness (16:4b-11)
Read John 16:4b-6. But now read John 13:34-36.
A lazy Bible reader might say, “Aha, here’s one of those contradictions!” But we’re not lazy, and we have high expectations of Scripture. Also, it seems fair to credit the author John with a bit more sense.
In chapter 13, Peter was distressed at the thought of Jesus’ departure. The disciples didn’t understand; they were confused. You or I can easily ask different questions with the same words: “Where are you going?” is not the same as “Where are you going?” One has a focus on departure, the other is concerned with destination.
That seems to be what’s going on here. In Chapter 13, Peter was thinking only of Jesus’ departure, not his destination. And it’s still the same for them by Chapter 15. If they asked about Jesus’ destination, they might learn something about his mission and what happens next.
So he explains the point of his going, and what he’ll do when he ascends into glory: Read John 16:7. We sometimes imagine how wonderful it must have been to be there at the time, walking and talking with Jesus. But you then need to get to grips with his claim that it’s better now than then!
How so? It’s because his local ministry in Galilee and Judea has gone global! More specifically, the presence of God is global. Every Christian all over the world is a walking, talking temple of the living God, making him known with Spirit-enabled witness.
Convicting the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment
How does that work in practice? Read John 16:8-11.
Let’s unpack that a bit.
The Holy Spirit convicts people, both objectively and subjectively:
- Objective conviction, in the proclamation of God’s word.
- Subjective conviction, in the application of God’s word.
You and I proclaim God’s word as we live for him, love one another, make Jesus known as objective truth. As people reject that truth, they are convicted of their sin (shown to be guilty as objective fact).
But remember Jesus said that you will testify and the Spirit will testify. So as you and I proclaim God’s word, the Spirit applies it to the hearts of some hearers. They understand the objective truth – and they subjectively feel the weight of guilt before God in their hearts.
You can tell someone they’re a sinner. They might agree. That’s just objective conviction; it’s factually true.
But the Spirit’s conviction goes deeper, applying that sense of guilt into their heart and bones so that they are drawn to God for forgiveness.
Let’s look at the three things he speaks of: Read John 16:8-9.
Sin
- This is the Spirit convicting the world of sin it didn’t know it had.
- If the world did believe in Jesus, it would know its own sin.
- So the Spirit convicts you of your sin so that you will turn to Jesus, seek his forgiveness, and know him.
- It is a gracious conviction of sin, leading you to life.
Righteousness
- This is the Spirit convicting the world of the righteousness it thought it did have.
- The world thinks that things like abortion and euthanasia are morally good and right choices in a modern society.
- But the righteousness of humanity is self-chosen; it doesn’t compare with the true righteousness of God.
- Christ’s righteousness is revealed by the love and life of his Spirit-enabled witnesses, the church.
- That’s why he draws the link with “I am going to the Father and you will no longer see me” – he works through you.
- As you love one another, love your enemy, love your neighbour – all positive actions of love, not just closed-up bunkering down – then you’ll display the righteousness of God, convicting the world of its false, dead righteousness.
Judgment
- The world is so blind to its sin, and so confident of its own righteousness, that it sits in judgment on God, on his word, and on his church.
- But that’s all the wrong way round. The world thinks it can sit in judgment on Jesus. But in truth it sits under his judgment.
If you know all this, and have felt the weight of it in your heart, it’s because the Holy Spirit has convicted you of the truth.
He’s done that so that you will turn to Jesus in faith. Your sin can be forgiven, if you just ask him. Instead of your false, dead righteousness of manmade values, you can be clothed with the righteousness of God – he chooses to see you perfect. And although your sins demand punishment under God’s judgment, his wrath against you is counted against Jesus. There’s no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus.
But what if you feel the Spirit’s conviction, and you know all this is true, but you don’t turn from your sin, you don’t turn to Jesus? Then there is no hope for you. How can there be? He’s led you to truth that will bring you eternal life, and you dither, put it off, and eventually walk away. That is the unforgivable sin, the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. You had life in your grasp, and you chose death. Hell will confirm that choice for all eternity. Turn to Jesus today, as he himself calls you.
So pray
Now, thinking about that convicting work of the Spirit helps you reflect on your own Spirit-enabled witness. Don’t ever think of evangelism or witness as something you need to go on more courses before you’ll try. Pray for the Spirit to go before you, before us all, into theses streets, this area. At Knit2Tog, Tots, Connections; in work, at college, at home. Wherever there are unbelievers: Pray for the Spirit’s convicting work to go before you, and pray for his help as you live for Jesus and speak up for him.
And just to be clear:
Witness to Jesus (16:12-15)
Read John 16:12-13.
Remember that Jesus was talking to the apostles, the men who would begin the New Testament church. The Holy Spirit would lead them into all truth. And we’re grateful for that, because we’re reading it here.
Jesus emphasised over and over in this gospel that he has said and done only what the Father who sent him told him to. We’ve also read how the Father and Jesus are one, and that to see Jesus is to see the Father. To know Jesus is to know God. So Christ is the communication and representation of the Father to you, mediated by the Spirit in you. He’s the only such.
How can you know this Jesus? Only by how he’s revealed in the Bible. That’s the work of the Holy Spirit. Scripture is the communication and revelation of Christ to you, lit up and revealed by the Spirit.
So read John 16:14-15.
Salvation in no other
This is why we speak so much about Jesus.
In evangelising the world, there are so many things we could talk about: Creation, Noah’s Flood, dinosaurs, Sunday trading, euthanasia, etc. You could get to a point where an unbelieving persons even says, “Wow! I think you’re right!” But that won’t save anyone. Winning arguments is not winning souls.
The Holy Spirit’s work is to be a floodlight to Jesus, like the lights lighting up Edinburgh Castle at night: He will testify about Jesus (15:26); he will glorify Jesus (16:14).
If you look at cults and false religions, they all have false, heretical understanding of who Jesus is. It’s a common theme, the ultimate lie from the father of lies, the devil.
When you speak about faith, your faith, your hope, your church – anything of the sort – witness to Jesus, glorify him. When you give your testimony, make sure it’s about him, not you. You will testify, and the Spirit will testify. So make sure you’re testifying about Jesus, as the Spirit will!
Summary
So remember: God himself is present in the world, working through his people. The Spirit goes ahead, convicting the world of its sin, its false righteousness, and its upside down judgment on Jesus. He does that through the proclamation of Christ through you.
So don’t stumble under opposition. Pray with expectancy for the Spirit’s work. And keep pointing people to Jesus; salvation is found in no other.