Sep. 20, 2026

John 16:1-8

When You Live with Conviction

1. So You Would Not Fall Away (vs. 1-4a)

A. Stand Firm

B. Persecution Will Grow

2. Jesus’ Departure was a Good Thing? (vs. 4b-7)

A. The Reason the Time Has come (v. 4b)

B. The Biggest Disappointment to the Movement (vs. 5, 6)

C. A Greater Advantage (v. 7)

3. Here to Convict (v. 8)

A. “Prove the World Wrong about Sin”

“The gospel of Jesus Christ must be the bad news of the conviction of sin before it can be the Good News of redemption. The truth is revealed in God’s Holy Word; life can be lived only in absolute and disciplined submission to its authority.” Charles Colson

”Conviction is the work of the Spirit in which one grows in awareness of one’s lost condition. Through convicting grace the Spirit works to awaken the realization of how deeply one is personally trapped in intergenerational patterns of sin, unable to break free.” Thomas Oden, Life in the Spirit

John 3:19-21 (exposed)

1 Corinthian 14:24-25 (convicted)

Ephesians 5:13-16 (exposed)

“We can distinguish the good from evil because we have a moral sense bred into us. This is what Paul meant when he said humans both obey God's law and know themselves in violation of it by virtue of the law “written on their hearts” (Romans 2:15). Remember, we accept that the conscience is written on the heart not because the Bible makes it so by saying it, but because the Bible reports that God made humans this way. Human experience teaches that there has been from the beginning of time a moral law that all people and all cultures can know.” Charles W. Colson, The Faith: What Christians Believe, Why They Believe It, and Why It Matters

Psalm 51:10-12 

B. A Continual Work

”During the entire time that sanctifying grace is continuing to work-throughout life-the believer is daily called upon to confess, repent, and pray for forgiveness.” Thomas Oden, Life in the Spirit

1 Timothy 5:20 (rebuke)

2 Timothy 4:1-5 (reprove)

Titus 1:7-9 (rebuke)

Titus 2:12-15 (rebuke)

Hebrews 12:5-6 (reproved)

James 2:8-9-8 (convicted)

Revelation 3:19 (reprove)

Revelation 3:20-21

C. Conviction and Altar Calls

Reflection:

Are you able to know when the Spirit is convicting you of something that needs to be brought before God?

Have you made it a consistent practice to read the Bible and when something is pointed out to you to allow the Lord to deal with it then?

Follow UP in the Word through the Week…

Monday:

Read: John 3:19-21

What is the context of these words spoken by Jesus? Who was Jesus speaking to? What is the Light in these verses and how has that had an effect on your life?

Tuesday:

Read: 2 Timothy 4:1-5

Timothy is instructed to “rebuke and reprove” in his preaching of the Word. What has been your response to the Word being preached and presented to you in this way?

Wednesday:

Read: Titus 1:7-9

Overseers in the church are given as part of their duties to rebuke or reprove as well. What is the context and content of that rebuke? How would you respond to this?

Thursday:

Read: Hebrews 12:5-6

What do we learn about the Father and His discipline here? What do we learn about the value of discipline in our lives and its importance in others lives as well?

Friday:

Read: James 2:8-9

What are we “convicted” of in this passage and what are the circumstances surrounding it?

Saturday:

Read: Revelation 3:14-22

Pay close attention to verses 19-21. While Jesus is especially hard on the church of Laodicea, what do you notice about His invitation to them in verses 19-21? What does He say about Himself and how can that impact your life with Jesus?