The Nagging Spirit

Cantate 2008

TEXT: John 16:5-15
5 But now I am going to him who sent me, and none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ 6 But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. 7 Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Paraclete will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. 8 And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; 10 concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; 11 concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.12 “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. 14 He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. 15 All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.

In the Name of Jesus. Amen.

Some of Jesus sermons were stories or parables, but others weren’t. There were times that Jesus stated the Truth in all its frankness. No clever plot. No cute sheep, valuable pearls, or Good Samaritan. It’s interesting that often when Jesus told stories, no one seemed to get them… that is, until He opened their mind to understand them. Jesus sermons were at times rough and burdensome. For Jesus said to His disciples, “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.”

In John 16 Jesus stands in His Office as Prophet and gives a little lesson on the Third person of the Holy Trinity. No story illustration… just plain, uncensored Truth.
Jesus promised the disciples that He was going to send the Paraclete (advocatus or Helper or Comforter) … the Holy Spirit. What would be His job? To convict, convince, point out wrongdoing, expose, bring to light. You get the picture. Perhaps today we might put it this way: The Holy Spirit was going to be a nag.

For unbelieving sinners, the Holy Spirit would seem as a goody-two-shoe. He would (and still does) convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment. And every sinner will find it a bore and a bother. They won’t want to hear it. “Quit bothering me! Leave me alone Holy Spirit! I’m tired of listening to your nagging!” Sinner don’t like to be told they’re wrong…. And neither do you. As soon as the message hits your ears, your mind begins churning and churning to find every reason why the Spirit is wrong and you are right.

In Confirmation you learned the answer to this question: What is the ultimate sin against the Holy Spirit? Answer: Unbelief. That is, a person’s refusing of the calling, gathering, enlightening and sanctifying of the Holy Spirit. Jesus said, “He who does not believe shall be condemned.” Unbelief is the chief of sins and it’s a sin that promises a one-way, eternal ticket to hell.

To unbelievers, the nagging of the Holy Spirit will be a message of hellfire and brimstone. “The Law is God’s [the Spirit’s] thunderbolt in which He strikes down both obvious sinners and false saints.” (SA III:3) He does not proclaim the Gospel to unbelievers… only Law. He doesn’t make unbelievers feel good about themselves. He’s not afraid to offend them or to speak plainly about their unbelief. No, the Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin. The Gospel would only fall on deaf ears. Their deafness must be crushed by the conviction that sinners die without Jesus. No eternal life. No heaven. Only when they’re crushed can they be recreated by the soothing medicine of the Gospel.

The Spirit convicts the world concerning righteousness, Jesus says. In other words, the Spirit preaches against your own good works, your fake pretendy piety, and your faith in your own righteousness. What you do for morality’s sake… being pro-life, being against same-sex marriage, and campaigning for the right to display the 10 commandments in public places are worthless, filthy rags without faith. Faith in the crucified and resurrected Jesus Christ trumps everything. Without that faith, you’re convicted.

The Spirit also convicts and nags the world concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. And if Satan is condemned, then so are all of Satan’s children…. All demons and unbelievers.

Believers must also hear the conviction of the Holy Spirit. While the Holy Spirit will seem as a nag, the Devil will sound sweet and alluring. Satan would love nothing more than for you to become apathetic Christians. He loves to hear those who gladly and willingly set for hours upon hours in front of the TV complain about a 90 minute church service. The devil rejoices to see you despise the Body and Blood of Jesus. He gets a kick of Christian bickering and infighting. He loves to see you defend wickedness… His wickedness… while at the same time being ashamed of the Lord, Jesus Christ, Who gave His life for you. When Christians live apathetic lives they are no different than those who are sexually immoral, thieves, greedy, haters, and grudge bearers. They’re pretenders, who are dying and falling asleep all cozy in Satan’s death trap.

You need the Holy Spirit’s nagging, dear friends. Rejoice that He loves you so much that He will not let you be fooled by Satan. The Words of God often seem as salt in the wound… And when Spirit’s Word of conviction is preached it should sting. And if the sermon doesn’t make you feel uncomfortable at times, then perhaps its a sermon that’s void of the Holy Spirit.

Consider the nagging Holy Spirit your good and faithful Friend when He turns you away from yourself and faces you toward the Cross of Jesus Christ. Rejoice when you are woken up from your apathy through chastisement and given the Spirit of love that is always in action. Consider it a blessing to mournfully confess your sins and receive Holy Absolution. Thank God that He chastens and drives you to the point of hunger and thirst ONLY so that He might feed you with His own Body and Blood. The nagging Spirit is FOR YOU!

In Jesus’ Name. Amen.