Session 13 · John 16:7-15
Why the Spirit?
Better than Jesus beside you
Book reading: Chapter 13: Why the Spirit?
Jesus says something that must have stunned his disciples: “it is to your advantage that I go away.” These were people who had walked with him, eaten with him, and watched him heal. How could his leaving be good for them?
Ortlund's chapter on the Spirit answers that question, and the answer is about Christ's heart. The book argues that the Spirit's work is to bring the heart of Christ near to believers. Jesus' body could be in one place at one time. The Spirit is not limited that way. He lives in every believer, everywhere, all at once. So Jesus' tenderness is no more distant for you than it was for the disciples in Galilee. In some ways it is closer.
Look at what Jesus says the Spirit does. “He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you.” Notice that the Spirit does not bring a new message that competes with Jesus. He does not speak “on his own authority.” His job is to take what belongs to Christ and show it to us. That includes Christ's patience, his welcome, and his compassion for the weary. When something you read about Jesus suddenly lands in your heart and you think, “He really means that for me,” that is the Spirit at work.
Verse 12 adds a gentle detail. Jesus says, “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.” He knows what we can carry, and the Spirit guides at that pace. You may not feel anything today when you read a Gospel story. That does not mean you are failing or that Jesus is far off. It may mean the Spirit is bringing you along slowly.
The book gathers many other texts on this. Paul says in Romans 8 and Galatians 4 that the Spirit gives us the same cry the Son had, calling God Father, and assures us we are children and not outsiders. In John 14, Jesus promises he will not leave his people as orphans. The Spirit is how that promise comes true.
This changes how we read. Reading Scripture is not mainly gathering information about someone who lived long ago. It is meeting someone who is alive and wants to show you himself. So before opening your Bible, ask for help. The prayer can be short, in your own words, and nothing fancy is needed. You are asking the one Jesus sent to do the very thing Jesus said he would do.
Key idea
The Spirit makes Christ's heart near and personal, taking what is Jesus' and declaring it to you, which is why the disciples really were better off.
Questions to consider
- Jesus told his disciples they would be better off when he left. What would change in your daily life if you really believed that the Spirit brings Jesus' heart near to you now?
- When you read Scripture, do you usually read it to gather information, to get something done, or to meet Christ? What is one small habit that might shift your approach?
Journal prompt
Write a short prayer asking the Spirit to show you what is Christ's in a passage you read this week. Afterward, record one thing about Jesus' heart that stood out.
Practice
Ask for the Spirit's help before reading. 1) Today, before you open your Bible, stop for sixty seconds. 2) Pray one or two sentences in your own words asking the Spirit to show you Christ. 3) Read one Gospel paragraph slowly, twice. 4) Write down one thing you noticed about Jesus' heart.