These small group studies of John contain outlines, cross-references, Bible study discussion questions, and applications.  Visit our library of inductive Bible studies for more in depth inductive studies on this and other books of the Bible you can use in your small group.

John 16 Inductive Bible Study

Outline:

  1. The disciples will endure persecutions (1-4)

  2. The Spirit will come to help, convict, and teach (5-15)

  3. Prediction of Christ’s Death and Resurrection (16-28)

  4. The disciples’ response (29-30)

  5. They will be scattered, but He will be with them (31-33)

Here are some cross-references for each section of this passage.

I.

John 9:22 – The Jews agreed to put Christ’s followers out of the synagogue.

1 John 3:13 – Do not be surprised if the world hates you.

Acts 22:45, 26:9-11 – Paul persistently and fiercely persecuted the church, thinking he was serving God.

II.

2 Thessalonians 2:6-7 – Someone, probably the Holy Spirit, is restraining evil influence in the world even now.

Hebrews 2:14-15 – Jesus’ death rendered the devil powerless and set free many of his slaves.

1 Corinthians 2:10-16 – The Spirit knows the depths of God. He teaches and helps us to appraise everything.

1 Corinthians 12:3 – The Spirit will never lead someone to do something wrong, because this is not glorifying to God. The Spirit will lead people to glorify God.

III.

1 Corinthians 15:1-8 (22) – Jesus did see the disciples after His death and resurrection.

James 4:3-10 – The reasons some people don’t receive, by not asking, or asking with wrong motives. The solution.

Verse by Verse Commentary:

  1. 1-4

What things did Jesus speak to them to keep them from stumbling?

How would telling them this keep them from stumbling?

Can you think of anyone killing Christians who thought they were serving God?

Why would they do that?

Why did Jesus tell them that these terrible things would happen later on?

John 9:22 – The Jews agreed to put Christ’s followers out of the synagogue.

1 John 3:13 – Do not be surprised if the world hates you.

Acts 22:45, 26:9-11 – Paul persistently and fiercely persecuted the church, thinking he was serving God.

Jesus told them ahead of time that they would face persecutions and be hated by the world so that they wouldn’t get disheartened or stumble by turning away from Him when it happened. In verses 2-3 he reemphasizes this trouble that is coming. They would be “disfellowshiped”. They would be killed. All these things would be done by people thinking they were serving God. The Pharisees thought they were serving God and protecting His name from being blasphemed, but actually they were fighting against God. Paul is a perfect example. He had been taught from many people that the new sect was evil and that it needed to be wiped out. He fervently dedicated himself to the task. But he found He was fighting against God. Why would they do this?

They did it because they didn’t really know Jesus or the Father. They had developed their own religious system. Actually they were children of Satan (John 8:44) and unknowingly serving Him. Satan appears as an angel of light. 2 Corinthians 11:14. He deceives people into thinking they are serving God and doing good things. How can we keep ourselves from being tricked by this?

We need to realize that the battle isn’t only being fought with avowed Satan worshipers, atheists, and evolutionists. The more serious battle is actually being fought with people who appear to followers of Christ. What kind of groups fit into this category? One is cults. There are a lot of cults in China and around the world that attempt to call themselves Christians and they have some Christian practices, but they change some fundamental points. Have you encountered any? How to respond?

Another is the liberal “church”. These are the people that discount sin and hell and preach a kind of moral system or universalism. They try to make the gospel more acceptable the world. Have you encountered any of this kind? How to respond?

Satan is clever. He knows if he sends a witch to you and asks you to go to a wild party dancing around a fire and worshiping demons that you won’t do it. His attack will be much more subtle and less direct. He will try to cast doubt on God’s Word and chip away on the edges. Examples?

Jesus told them these attacks were coming so that they could be prepared and wouldn’t be caught by surprise. When He was with them He could protect them. Now that He was leaving they needed to know the opposition. They were in a battle and we are in a battle. Ephesians 6:12. Any good soldier needs to know the opposition. We must understand what we are up against. We will be isolated from and persecuted by the world. This will not only come from clear enemies, but from people that appear as the “good guys”. Give example of warfare in Iraq as compared to previous battles against the redcoats.

So how should we prepare ourselves?

Put on the armor and know Scripture. Be committed to persist through any troubles. James 1:12.

II.

Who is “the Helper”?

What is the part of His ministry as described in verses 8-11?

How is this ministry being fulfilled even today?
How does the Spirit “guide” us into truth? How can you know if you are being led by the Spirit or something else?

What can you see from these verses about the Spirit’s role in the Trinity?

2 Thessalonians 2:6-7 – Someone, probably the Holy Spirit, is restraining evil influence in the world even now.

Hebrews 2:14-15 – Jesus’ death rendered the devil powerless and set free many of his slaves.

1 Corinthians 2:10-16 – The Spirit knows the depths of God. He teaches and helps us to appraise everything.

1 Corinthians 12:3 – The Spirit will never lead someone to do something wrong, because this is not glorifying to God. The Spirit will lead people to glorify God.

Once again Jesus comforts them by telling them it is actually good that He is going so that the Helper will go to them. Who is the Helper?

We will look at the Helper from two sides. Firstly, we will look at the Spirit’s role (mentioned here) in the world. Second, we will look at His role in the Trinity.

His basic role in the world mentioned here is conviction. This conviction comes in three parts, sin, righteousness, and judgment. Conviction is defined as “the act or process of convincing”.

He will convict the world concerning their sin of rejecting Christ specifically and any sin in general. He will convince people what is right and wrong. How does He do this? He does this through Scripture primarily, but also through believers, and through people’s own conscience. This conviction sounds negative, but is actually a positive thing because it’s purpose is to bring about repentance, not condemnation. Through many ways the Spirit shows people the truth of Christ and the error of rejecting Him and going their own ways so that they will repent. After they know the sin and repent, He convinces them what is righteous. He also convinces people in right judgments. So conviction is one the Spirit’s major roles. This is a work done in our hearts.

Going on, we see that He guides and teaches as well as tells what is yet to come. How does He guide us into truth? How do we know if we are being led by the Spirit or something else? To the disciples this was done through inspiration and recollection of Jesus’ teachings. For us, it is primarily through the Word of God. He guides us to know the truth of we Scripture as we study it and search for God’s will. He guides us as we ask counsel, commanded in Scripture; pray, commanded in Scripture; and through circumstances. Read and discuss “Spirit” cross-references.

Has the Spirit ever convicted you of sin? How? Has He ever convicted you of righteousness? How? Has ever convicted you in the area of making a judgment about something? How? He’s convicted me in all of these areas. Can give some examples or not. It has been by Scripture or other believers. It is a very important ministry.

Also read cross-reference on Him holding back the evil forces. Without the Spirit’s ministry the world would be a much more evil place. This will be seen during the tribulation when the Spirit is removed and everything goes to pots. If you think about how evil the world is now, just think of how it would be if the Christians are gone, the Bible is neglected, and the Spirit stops using these forces to hold back sin. Ick.

Now we will look at the Spirit’s role in the Trinity. We see that He is sent by Jesus. We see He doesn’t speak on His own initiative, but what He hears. We see His desire is to glorify Christ. Jesus submitted Himself to the Father and we can see that the Spirit submits Himself to Jesus and to the Father. That doesn’t mean that there are ranks in the Trinity, but simply that the roles are different. A husband and wife have different roles. A wife is a helper and an assistant. Yet the two are still equal. This is kind of like the Spirit’s role in the Trinity.

What can we learn from this? Perhaps that serving doesn’t mean we are less. Also if the Spirit, who is God, seeks to glorify Jesus, how much more should we!!

III.

What is Jesus talking about in verse 16?

What emotional swing is Jesus referring to in verses 20-22?

What promise does Jesus give to the disciples in verses 23-24?

Why would Jesus use figurative language?

What is Jesus clarifying in verses 26-28? (He is clarifying that asking in Jesus’ name doesn’t mean asking Jesus to ask the Father.)

1 Corinthians 15:1-8 (22) – Jesus did see the disciples after His death and resurrection.

James 4:3-10 – The reasons some people don’t receive, by not asking, or asking with wrong motives. The solution.

Here Jesus predicts His death and resurrection. When He died the disciples would be grieving and sorrowful, but after His resurrection this would be turned to joy. At the same time the disciples were grieving the world was rejoicing at Jesus’ death. Satan and his armies were celebrating. But in an instant when Jesus came out of the tomb everything, EVERYTHING, changed. Satan’s biggest triumph was turned to a crushing defeat. The rulers excitement that it was all over was turned into worry and anxiety at how to respond to the grave being empty. The resurrection is the turning point of everything. Without it everything else Jesus did would not have counted for anything. Read 1 Corinthians 15:12-19.

Jesus then gives the familiar promise of answered prayer in verses 23-24. Discuss.

Verses 26-28 help shed light on what it means to ask in Jesus’ name. It doesn’t mean asking Jesus to ask the Father. We don’t need to ask Jesus to ask the Father because the Father loves us too, just as Jesus does. It simply means to ask “on the basis of His merit, His righteousness, and for whatever would honor and glorify Him so as to build His kingdom”.

IV and V.

What would the disciples do later on?

Why would they do this if they believed in Him?

Does the knowledge that even the disciples, who believed in Him and were committed to Him, scattered have any application for us?

What can we have in Jesus?

What will we face in the world if we believe in Jesus?

Mark 14:27 – Strike the shepherd and the sheep will scatter.

Romans 8:35-39 – We can be overwhelming conquerors through Christ.

1 John 5:4 – The one who has faith overcomes the world.

Jesus spoke these things in order to give us peace. He promised to the disciples that they would face tribulations. This refers specifically to being persecuted for Him. We will also face this, but He doesn’t tell us to terrify us. We can still have peace in Him and be overwhelming conquerors because He already has won the victory. Read and discuss cross-references. Just as Jesus wasn’t alone we will never be alone either.

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