Navigating the Grey Areas

This morning, we find ourselves still on Thursday night of Passion Week.  It is the last week of Jesus’ life on earth. 

 

The gospel of John is unique in that it is the only gospel to contain this material that is found in John 14-17, all of which is with the twelve disciples, except Judas, on Thursday night in the upper room. 

 

A significant portion of these chapters deals with the role of the Holy Spirit.  That material will be introduced this morning and will be addressed again in chapter 16.

 

In today’s text, I to help us understand from God’s Word how to navigate the grey areas of the Christian life.  What do I mean by grey areas?  These are parts of life that are not specifically addressed in God’s Word.

 

For example, God’s Word is crystal clear or black and white in that Christians should not marry non-Christians.  However, which specific person to marry would be a grey area. 

 

Another example would be related to your job.  God’s Word is crystal clear in that if you are able, Christians should have a job, a paying job.  However, which job or which vocation would a grey area. 

 

Therefore, how do we as followers of Christ, who are committed to God’s Word, navigate the grey areas?  How do we know which choice to make if God’s Word doesn’t specifically address our situation?

 

 

1. Obedience to Christ is a sign of love for a Christian to Jesus.

 

This abundantly clear throughout our text for this morning.  Jesus said it 14:15. 

 

However, He said it again in 14:21.  He said it again in 14:23. 

 

This idea of “keeping” Jesus’ commandments means being obedient to them or obeying them.  Does this mean the Ten Commandments?  It certainly does.

 

However, it also means so much more.  It means loving God and loving your neighbor that are commanded in Matthew 22.  It means carrying out the Great Commission from Matthew 28.  It means serving others like we saw Jesus do when He washed His disciples’ feet in John 13.

 

Conversely, if you don’t keep Jesus’ commandments, that is a sign that you don’t love Jesus.  Is that being too harsh?  It is what Jesus Himself said in 14:24.

 

Therefore, if you love Jesus, don’t just talk about it.  Prove it by being obedient to Him.  If and when you are obedient, that is a sign of your love for Christ.

 

 

2. The Holy Spirit is real and essential for every Christian.

 

Verse 16 speaks to the character of the Holy Spirit.  Jesus called Him another Helper. 

 

In the language of the NT, there are two words that mean “another.”  One meaning is another of a different kind.  The meaning here is another of the same kind. 

 

Jesus is saying that He will ask the Father for another Helper just like Him.  In other words, the Holy Spirit is divine or deity.  We are mistaken when we see or understand the Holy Spirit to be anything less than God.

 

Also related to the character of the Holy Spirit, He is the Spirit of truth.  This means that He is truth and guides us into all truth. 

 

Conversely, He doesn’t ever guide us into error or lead us astray.  Therefore, He will never lead us to do that which contradicts the nature of Christ or the Scriptures.

 

Jesus also speaks of the role of the Holy Spirit.  The various English words in your translations include Helper, Comforter, Advocate, and Counselor. 

 

In the language of the NT, it is the word Paraclete.  It literally means one who comes along side of us to assist and encourage. 

 

Imagine an athlete who is injured during a game.  Then you might see a trainer or a coach come to his aid or her aid and help him or her off of the field or court, and that athlete might have his or her arm draped over the coach’s shoulder. 

 

Perhaps that is a good illustration of what the Holy Spirit does in our lives.  He is our helper.

 

However, He is also that advocate.  Another illustration would a defense attorney who defends his client.

 

Remember, Satan is the Accuser accusing us 24 hours a day.  If you are saved, the Holy Spirit is your advocate, your defense attorney defends you who are in Christ against every accusation that Satan says about you.

 

Thirdly, the people of the Holy Spirit is addressed in verse 16.  For the Christian, the Holy Spirit indwells you permanently starting at conversion. 

 

In the OT, He came upon people and then left.  He only rested on individuals temporarily as can be seen in the life of Samson in Judges and David in the Psalms. However, Jesus promised the Holy Spirit would be with His disciples forever, and this is still true today.

 

 

 

And the Holy Spirit is only for the Church.  In other words, He only resides in those who have been born-again.  The world cannot receive Him according to verse 17 because it does not see Him or know Him. 

 

 

3. If we love Jesus, we will then obey Him, and when we obey Him, the Holy Spirit leads into more obedience and greater intimacy.

 

Go back to this nugget of truth at the end of verse 21.  Jesus said that whoever loves Him, keeps His commandments and is loved by the Father and Him, and He will disclose Himself to him. 

 

Many Christians get this sequence out of order.  We want God to disclose His plans for us so that we can decide whether or not we want to obey.  Instead, Jesus said obey Me, and then I will disclose Myself and plans to you.

 

First, consider this scenario.  Your family is trying to decide on whether or not to make a specific big purchase.  It might be a car or boat or vacation home or whatever, and you ask God to show you His will.  However, you aren’t tithing currently.  Don’t expect God to disclose Himself and His plans to you before you have been obedient to what He is already telling you to do.  Furthermore, He isn’t going to tell you to buy whatever toy if that toy is going to keep you from being obedient in your giving. 

 

Second, here is another one.  You have received a new job offer, and you pray and ask God to show you what to do.  However, in your present job, you have not been honest with your boss and have even stolen some petty cash and supplies.  Don’t expect God to disclose Himself and His plans for you until you have been obedient in what you already know to do.

 

Third, this is for students, it often plays out like this.  Students want desperately to know where to go to college so you pray and ask God.  However, you’ve been cheating your way through high school and lying to your parents about where you’ve been and what you’ve been doing.  Don’t expect God to disclose Himself before you have been obedient.

 

Fourth, here’s another example with students.  College students and young adults want God to show them His will regarding who they are to marry.  Therefore, they pray and ask God for guidance.  However, they are sexually involved with their current boyfriend or girlfriend.  Don’t expect God to disclose Himself before you have been obedient.

 

Obedience comes first.  Revelation comes second.  Don’t switch the order, and this order is the key to navigating the grey areas.

 

 

Invitation

This morning’s invitation is very simple.  There are plenty of us here today who need to confess our sin and repent of our disobedience.  If you love Jesus, you will obey His commandments.  We need to repent of our disobedience, and we need to recommit and rededicate our lives and our church to being obedient to what God has given us to do today!