 Hello everyone. Good morning. I hope you're all doing good and your classes are going on well. Have you completed all your subjects or still your classes are going on? Good morning. I think most of the classes are complete ma'am. I think. But I'm not the last week I couldn't go in. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, I think so because even the other classes some of the subjects are done. This particular class I think you have three including today four more. No, no, no, 26 is the last date right. So two more sessions including today three more sessions. Okay, that's fine. That's fine. So we'll continue and we'll try to wrap up the subject as well. Let's let's pray and let's get started. So just want to ask somebody. Okay, Kiran says December full holidays. I know good break after all the studying. Okay, so one of you could you pray and we will begin. I will pray. Yeah, sure. Thank you for the new day for the thanking you for all things. Thank you for the promise of thanking you all subject for the thanking you. The class and ma'am and all the students. Thank you for that knowledge and understanding we are receiving. Thank you for that. I'm just giving to you and for the upcoming time. Whichever we are just going to learn further but apply to your kingdom. But the good help us to understand the subject for the good. Give more regulation and your purse for the good. You will more think for the good that we can apply your kingdom for the good. Thank you for that all things. Thank you for ma'am and all the students for the good. And those students needing to join for the good help them to join the class for the good. Thank you. Thank you Kiran. We'll get back to John chapter 14. That's where we were and we were talking about before that in the previous chapter we saw the meal that Jesus has with his disciples and at that time him revealing that someone is going to betray him and Judas is carried also being there. And then the Lord Jesus taking time to encourage the disciples. The Lord Jesus taking time to strengthen the hearts of the disciples because just going to be challenging because they put their trust in the Lord for these three or so years and they expected him to be like a ruler, one of the political rulers. But that was not to be. Though Jesus told them several times that he's going away, that he will die, he will be resurrected. We're not sure how much of it they grasped and they understood the way he wanted them to. But even then you find that Jesus is helping them, strengthening their hearts and saying that he truly loves them and that they should be comforted in that. So we saw how Jesus said in my father's house, there are many mansions. If I go, I will prepare a place for you. So it's a message of hope. He's bringing them a message of hope and he's saying that they can be encouraged because they have seen Jesus and then they have seen the Father through that. Jesus has revealed the Father to them. And then we also talked about how he gives them the assurance of answered prayer. So he says, whatever you ask in my name that I will do that the Father may be glorified in the Son. So there is an all this is coming as an encouragement and preparing the hearts of the disciples. He knew that the disciples have to now live with great hope. So he's telling them that he's going away or the temporary separation. It will be sorrowful but that there is hope beyond that and that is the message that he speaks. And in addition to that, I said that we are going to learn about the Holy Spirit because he talks about the Holy Spirit. So you can take all these passages, John 14, John 15, John 16, John 17 as the passages where John has obviously we are the ones who put the numbers to it but John would have written it continuously in his letter. But here you find the heart of Jesus. You find the messages which are important to Jesus being spoken to the disciples. So that they are able to go through that season when Jesus is under trial and he dies and he's buried and all of that. But also it was not just for those moments. There are messages in here which are helpful even now as we wait for the return of the Lord Jesus. We know that after resurrection, after 40 days of him being on the earth, he ascended up into heaven. So now physically we don't have Jesus but these passages, that's what I'm saying. It was an encouragement for the temporary time when Jesus was away. But today, just look at what we just talked about since morning. We said that Jesus says, if I go, I will make a place for you. I have many mansions. Doesn't that encourage our hearts? It does. So it was for those disciples who were with Jesus. But it's also applicable for us. The assurance of answered prayer that really strengthens us as well. So these passages again and again 14 to like 17, you can just be reading it and gain strength from the encouragement that Jesus has given here. So he also says, now verse 15, he talked about the Holy Spirit and he said, I will pray the Father, he will give you another helper that he may abide with you forever. The spirit of truth whom the world cannot receive because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him for he dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you often. I will come to you. So far there's been a great mention of the two persons of the Godhead. So much about Jesus, so much about the Father. We saw how Jesus said in the previous chapter, the Father is in me, I am in the Father. So the person, we've understood who the Father is, what his function is and the relationship. I am in the Father, the Father is in me. So we say, right the unity, the harmony, the synchrony of the Godhead or the Trinity, how they are united and they are working together. We saw all that. Now the third person of the Trinity is being introduced in a very prominent way from here on because Jesus knows that his time physically on the earth is over, but the disciples need somebody to depend on. Jesus could have left us only with the teachings, but he knew that there is a need for something more and that something more is the very person of the Godhead and this person who is being sent to every believer is the Holy Spirit. And where is this Holy Spirit coming from? He says, from them, from the Father and from the Son. He says, I will pray the Father, he will give you. So from the Father proceeding this Holy Spirit, helper is... Once again, yeah. All right. So here in the Greek, right, the word helper is, it's like paracletos. Paracletos, you would have heard this. Helper is something like, you know, if you understand it from the Hebrew perspective, it is something like somebody who's there in the law court who is helping you, no fight your case and who's with you. So the helper of the paracletos, you know, another thing that you see here is it says, another helper. Okay. So that term, another is allos, allos paracletos. So allos is of the same kind. So what is Jesus saying? He's saying that he is going away, but he will send somebody that somebody is going to be just like him or the same kind, another of the same kind helper, somebody who will be with us, somebody who will stand by us. So that is a matter of great strength and we will see this passage soon, you know, in 16, John 16. Again, he will mention about the Holy Spirit because it is that important because we need the Holy Spirit to continue living here for Christ. So that's what he's saying. He's saying, look, I'm going to send you another helper of the same kind who will do what? Who will abide with you forever? Abide means live with you forever. Now just think about this. If Jesus is here on the earth, he could be with 12 of his disciples, maybe more number of disciples. Physically, he was available for them. But talking about the Holy Spirit, he is telling the disciples, he will be with you forever. And later again, we will see, he says that if I go away, it is for your advantage because the Holy Spirit can be with every believer. And here, another thing that you see is the continuity of the presence of the Holy Spirit. He may abide with you forever. In the physical body, the Lord Jesus was limited. He could only be with a set number of people. But the Holy Spirit can be with every believer. How long? Forever. So that is the greater purpose of God in Jesus going away. For us in our finite mind, it might seem, what is God doing? Why is he letting Jesus go through this pain and suffering and Jesus is going to be taken away? But you see, God's wisdom is greater than our wisdom. So one is the plan of redemption will be completed when Jesus goes through the pain. The second is, he is saying, when I go away, I will pray the Father. He will give you another helper who is like me. He may abide with you forever. And little description about the Holy Spirit, about Jesus. So many things we said, the word became flesh, dwelt among us. We beheld His glory full of grace, full of truth. We saw the description of the Son of God, Son of Man, Jesus. Now the Godhead, the third person in the Godhead, the Holy Spirit, description. Spirit of truth, meaning he does not lie. Whatever he communicates to our hearts is true. He goes by the word of God. He doesn't contradict the word of God. So he is the spirit of truth. So when I want to understand, who is the Holy Spirit? What is His function? He is the spirit of truth. And also, one more duty that He does is, He dwells with you. He is the spirit of truth. He dwells with you. And one step further, He will be in you. See, when Jesus goes away, I told you, Holy Spirit can be with every believer. With is one thing, which is also great. Somebody being with us through the journey of life is helpful. But how much better if they can be in us? And Jesus is letting them know later on, He will be in you. So in John chapter 20, we will see the resurrected Jesus. He will go to His disciples. He will breathe on them. He will breathe on them the Holy Spirit. Why? Because for one to be born again, they need a regenerative work of the Holy Spirit. In their spirit, so that they can become a new creation. And it is what the Holy Spirit does to regenerate. But right now, Jesus is not saying, right now He is in you. Holy Spirit, no. Holy Spirit will come. He will be with you. And He will be in you. So the advantage is for a born again believer, the Holy Spirit is where? Inside. Not even next to, but inside. And that is how God wants to help us. And He is giving us more assurance verse 18. He is saying, I will not leave you as orphans. I will come to you. Such a deep assurance. Nowadays, when we see a loss in someone's life, most of us with that heart of compassion, we would want to be there for them. And we would want to help them. So we do our best. But even if we are close to that person and we do our best, is it possible for us to stick to that person all the time? Not at all. But the assurance Jesus gives us 100%. It's like 100% guarantee. Not only will He stick to us all the time. He says, how much better that I will be in you. Okay. It's going to be even better. I'm going to be in you. So when you study about the Holy Spirit and our relationship with the Holy Spirit, our fellowship with the Holy Spirit, it really strengthens us. Because Jesus is saying, I'm going to bless you in this way. Giving you the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth. He will be with you and will be in you. And then again, he's encouraging the believers, the disciples. He says, a little while longer, the world will see me no more. So he's talking about his trial. Okay. But he assures them, you will see me because I live. You will also live. So he's giving them the spiritual perspective. One is just now, he said, you're not going to be an orphan because I will always be with you. Or God will be with you through the Holy Spirit. And then he says, the world will think that I'm gone. The world will not see me. But I am with you and because I live, you will also, you will live also. So he's talking about the spiritual truth of his life never ending. Now, how much of this did the disciples understand through their finite minds? We don't know. Because what is he saying? Because he's going to die. He's already told us. But what is he saying? Because I live, you will live also. Whether they connected it to what he said earlier. I am the resurrection and the life. So he knew that he's going to rise from the dead. And we read in God's Word. He lives forever more. The Lamb of God, he lives forever more. Nobody can kill him. He is the author of life. And he lives on forever and ever. So that's what he's saying. He's saying, I'm going to go through all this. But here is the spiritual perspective. I will never die. I will always live. And because I live or that eternal life, which I have, you will also live. You will also have eternal life. So there is, you know, there is depth in every word. So it's just, you can, you know, talk about one line here and never close it. So that is one of the challenges why rushing through this book is difficult. But we'll do our best. But God is, that's what Jesus is saying. He's saying, in the natural, certain things are going to unfold. But here is the spiritual reality. I am the resurrection. I am the life. I am eternal. I'm going to give you eternal life. Then he says, on that day, you will know that I am in the father and you in me and I in him. Then he keeps my commandment, commandments and he has my commandments and keeps them. It is he who loves me and he who loves me will be loved by my father. You see, John in his epistles says this, right? If we love God, what should we do? Obey him. So somebody who has God's commandments, how do we demonstrate our love by loving God back with obedience? And also in John's epistles, he will say that, you know, love your brothers, love the other believers as well. So because God is going to be with us in this way, we have to express our love, our faithfulness to God by being obedient to him. And then he says that, he who loves me will be loved by my father and I will love him and manifest myself to him. So it's, you know, deeply strengthening for a believer or at that time the disciples to know all this. He says, he who loves me will be loved by my father. The disciples would have known how the father loved the son to behold my son. That's the voice that came from heaven and John got this revelation in his epistles. He said, what manner of love the father has bestowed on us that we should be called the children of God. So the great extent of God's love, the father's love, Jesus wanted the disciples to understand. Jesus could have said that, I love you, you know, like a mother or like a father. That's the love, that's the extent of the love which has been given to you. But no, he says, the way the father has loved me, in that way you will also be loved. And that Jesus also loves the disciples and I will love him and manifest myself to him. So all these are comforting words because soon the disciples are going to go through a lot of pain. So Judas, another Judas is not the betrayer whom we talked about. He says, Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us and not to the world? So he asks a question. So Jesus answers him. He says, if anyone loves me, he will keep my word and my father will love him. So basically the manifestation of his love, the manifestation of his presence will be with the disciples. And that's what he goes ahead and explains. And he says, we will come to him and make our home with him. So the experience of God's love and the experience of his presence is what a believer will have, which kind of a believer, believer who keeps the word of God, a believer who walks in the commands or the instructions of God. And then later on, moving on to the last section here of chapter 14, he's comforting, right? He continues to comfort and he says, look, the helper, the Holy Spirit whom the father will send in my name, he already revealed, he's a spirit of truth. We've understood that. Now he says, he will teach you all things. So spirit of truth, teacher, these are the functions of the Holy Spirit. What is he going to teach us? He's going to teach us from what Jesus has already spoken. So he will bring to your remembrance all the things that I have said to you. Now, when we talk about the gifts of the Spirit, people ask these questions, prophecy. What if the prophetic word is something so different that it has no connection to what Jesus taught us? Don't believe that prophetic word. Because when we understand the nature of the Holy Spirit, the so clear one is, he's a spirit of truth. And we saw how Jesus said, I am the way, the truth and the life and Jesus himself is the truth. Jesus himself is the word. So the Holy Spirit cannot speak anything contradictory or opposite to the Son, the Lord Jesus. He's a spirit of truth. And what will he teach us? From the truth, whatever he says to us or the word that is released through us as a prophetic word. It has to be in line with Jesus Christ. If it is not in line with Jesus Christ, we can question which spirit is this? So two functions are very clear. He's a spirit of truth. And then he will teach everything and bring to remembrance all the things that Jesus has taught us. And by saying these words, he comforted them. He also told them that he's going to give them peace. He says, peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives. So let not your hearts be troubled. Neither let it be afraid. You know the reason I'm reading out these words is these are all very important. Go back and meditate. Meditate on each one of these verses. We can just say, oh this passage is comfort of Jesus. He's comforted his disciples. Jesus gave them peace, told about the Holy Spirit and that's it. We are done. But, you know, there's so much depth in every word that Jesus spoke to his disciples. So you just think in troubled times, what is it that he is giving them? Holy Spirit. Peace. And he's saying, my peace. So there is a different peace. Not as the world gives you. So the world can give some kind of a soothing and, you know, like a calming experience maybe. But we know that the happiness that the world can give. Or just think about this, you know, we're having a very stressful time at work. We go for a vacation and we come back. But how long does the feeling of being rested in the natural last? Not very long, right? So it's a good thing. But that's the extent of the happiness or the, if you want to call it the worldly joy or the worldly peace that we can experience. If you want to experience a deeper form, peace, joy, steadfastness that can only come from Jesus. That's what he's saying. Look, whatever you're going to go through, it's very difficult. The peace of the world is not sufficient for you. So here it is. I will send you the Holy Spirit and also my peace. It is a lasting peace. It is a, you know, it is a real peace in the midst of the storm. That kind of peace will strengthen your hearts. And he says, okay, so please don't be disturbed. Don't be troubled. And he gives a responsibility to the disciples. He says, let not your heart be troubled. So is it possible for the disciples to let their hearts be troubled? Yes. It's all about our mind. You know, he that will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on the Isaiah 26 verse three. So as long as I'm practicing keeping my mind on Jesus, I can go through a lot of difficulties, but I will still walk in peace. So I have the authority or I have the control over my mind and I can let it be troubled or I can prevent it from being troubled. So that's what Jesus is saying. I'm telling you all these things. You hold on to these things. Think about the Holy Spirit. Think about my peace. Think about everything that I have spoken to you and that will maintain the peace in your heart. And then again, you know, he says that I'm going away, but I'll come back to you. Don't worry. I'm going to rise up from the dead. And we know in the greater meaning of what he said, even after the ascension, once he goes up to heaven, he will come back to take everybody who believes in him. Now, he also says, if you loved me, you would rejoice because I said, I'm going to the Father. Can you think about this? Who in their right mind, knowing that their teacher or master or loved one is going to die? You know that they're going to die. Why would you rejoice? But Jesus is saying, see, if we understand the spiritual truth of things, we will rejoice. So when our vision is limited, narrow worldly vision, we can't rejoice because we are only seeing what is unfolding before our eyes. But when you know the deeper things of God, he says, you're going to rejoice because what is going to happen now? Jesus is going to the Father, but Holy Spirit is coming, right? And we'll see again later. He says, it is better for me to go because he's going to send the Holy Spirit. So there are many advantages Jesus knew if he goes away and the Holy Spirit comes. So that is the understanding with which he is saying, you would rejoice knowing that I'm going away. And then he says, I'm going to the Father and he makes a statement here. The Father is greater than I. Now, based on this, there are so many theories and people have systems where they say that Jesus and Father are not equal. But you know, earlier, why did the Pharisees get upset with Jesus? The same Jesus said, the Father and I are one. But here he is saying, my Father is greater than I. So how do we understand this? You see, in the Godhead, from what we see in scripture, Father, Son, Holy Spirit, they are co-equal. But they have responsibilities. They have a position by way of their responsibilities. Based on that, Jesus is saying that my Father is greater than I. So it does not make one bigger or better than the other. But in terms of the function, in terms of the position, in terms of the working, Jesus is saying here, my Father is greater than I. So again, a relationship within the Trinity is being revealed to us. And then, once again, he's just comforting them. He's saying that, see, I told you all these things. When it happens, you'll be able to remain strong that you may believe. And I will no longer talk much with you for the ruler of this world is coming and he has nothing in me. So what is Jesus saying? He's saying, look, you're going to see all this trial. Who is the ruler of this world? Satan, he'll come. He will do his act of trying to destroy Jesus. But we know that Jesus is going to overcome that. And in that, he's also going to overthrow the devil or the ruler of this world as he's being called. Or he's going to defeat Satan. So that is the victory of Jesus that he is talking about. All right, now let's move on. He is going to teach them something more so far. He said, okay, be strong. Holy Spirit is coming. Then, you know, I'm going to give you my peace. You don't have to depend on the world's peace. Holy Spirit will be with you in you. He's the spirit of truth. He will teach you all things, bring to remembrance what I've taught. So encouragement, constant encouragement. Again, adding to this encouragement, he talks about, he compares the wine to himself. So John chapter 15, you all know this is the passage where Jesus, he says he's the true wine and the father is the wine dresser. So what are some lessons that we can learn from you? We'll just go by the insights. So he says that he's the wine or he's the main branch. And the father is the wine dresser. A wine dresser is somebody who works on the plant. Okay, so there is a role that the father plays. What is that role? He says the father does the work of pruning. Okay, what is pruning? In gardening, we know that when we want to nurture a fruit-bearing tree, the best way to do it is to cut off unnecessary parts of the tree or the plant because the energy will be sucked up by the unnecessary parts. Think about a tree where there are a lot of branches. The energy will go everywhere. So the gardener, what does he do? Unnecessary branches, okay. The branches which have some flowers, they're going to bear fruit. He leaves them, others he'll chop it off. All the energy will go to the fruit-bearing branches and then the fruit will start appearing. So in that way, Jesus tells us that, you know, God's expectation from our life is, he says three things. Jesus is the wine. Father is the wine dresser. We are the branch. Okay, we are the branch. So in this passage, we understand that the father is looking for what in the branches or in the life of a believer. The father is looking for fruit. What is fruit? The outcome of our lives. Okay, whether we are revealing Christ in our attitudes, whether we are becoming more like Jesus, whether we are doing the work that God has called us to do because this life is given by him. We are living for his purposes. Are we living our life for Christ to fulfill what he has called us to do? These are the things that God is looking for in the believer's life. And that's why, you know, we are told that the father is a wine dresser. So he's watching. Okay, really, is the character of Christ being formed? Is there outcome, you know, in terms of your purpose? Are you living out God's purpose? If so, what does he do? That tree which has, it's doing well. He will cut unnecessary things from that tree or prune that tree. So in the same way, even in our lives, you know, God removes unnecessary things or pruning. Another word for pruning is cleansing. He cleans. He says, okay, you're doing this in your life. It's unnecessary. Okay, remove that. Remove this. You know, there are different things that God may lead us through a process of, we say, sanctification or purification so that we can become more and more conformed to the character. The life of Jesus. That is the work that God is doing in us. So that's what Jesus was telling his disciples. You know what? God is making you more like himself. The father is making you more like himself. So the passage is about bearing fruit. He says, abide in me and I knew as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself. See fruit. God is looking for fruit. Unless it abides in the wine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. So it's quite clear that God wants fruit. Okay, so that we have understood. The second main teaching from this passage is abide in me. Abide in me again is 12. The Holy Spirit will come. What is the advantage? Jesus can be with 12 people because he's human, fully human, right? He's limited. But the Holy Spirit can live with everybody. He will abide with you forever. So abide means living or staying. I'll abide in my house. I don't visit my house. I abide in my house. In the same way, he's saying that when we are connected to God, you know, in a strong way, it is at that time that we are able to bear fruit. So one was about bearing fruit. Second is about connectedness. So you will see again and again there are verses. It says, he who abides in me and I in him bears much fruit. For without me, you can do nothing. So as long as we are connected, abide, abide, abide again. If you abide in me and my words abide in you, you will ask what you desire and it will be done for you. So as being connected to the main branch, have you seen any branch which is growing on its own? It can't. It will die because the source of life, the source of nurture is cut off. So in the same way, he says, one is God is looking for fruit in each and every believer's life. If he doesn't find fruit, he's disappointed. But he's looking for fruit and how to bear this fruit connected, abide in me or be connected to me. And then he also says, let my words abide in you. Meaning, stay connected to my words. Those words should be in your heart. If that happens, then you will bear fruit. Then you will be able to fulfill God's purpose for your life. And he says, anyone who is not abiding or connected, what is the problem? Life will be cut off from that branch. It can't be alive for a long time. So it's told here, a branch, if anyone does not abide in me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered and they gather them and throw them into the fire and they are burnt. So we cannot produce the results that God wants us to produce on our own. So that's why he says, without me, you can do what? Something? No, you can do nothing. So two main insights from this passage is that he says, fruitfulness is important. Connectedness is important. So when we are connected to him, then we are able to bear fruit. One more result of being connected. He says, if you abide in me and my words abide in you, you will ask what you desire and it shall be done for you. He's saying there will also be answers to prayer when we are deeply connected to God. So these are the key thoughts that are coming out of this passage. And then he continues to encourage the disciples. He says, as a father loved me, I also have loved you. Remember he said, the father will love you. We've seen that earlier. Again he says, how does the father love you the way he loved me? So God's love for us is a great love which is talked about time and again. The depth of God's love, the height of God's love, we don't fully grasp it. But God loves us with the same love with which he loved Jesus. Isn't that an awesome reality? And he's telling the disciples, because of such a love that I have for you, stay with me. Remain connected to me. Is it possible that when the disciples went through the hard time, they could get discouraged and they could go away from Jesus? Maybe, I don't know. But Jesus is telling them, whatever happens, you please stay connected to me. Because I have not treated you just like master and slave or teacher and student. That's all. Relationship is not limited to that but this relationship is so much deeper. The love that is there is such that it is the original love of the Godhead. So please stay connected to me. And then he adds on, he says, if you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love. Just as I have kept my father's commandments and abide in his love. People ask the question, John 15, he keeps saying abide in me, abide in me. How to abide in God? We saw earlier, if my words abide in you, so one way to stay connected to God is through his word. Understanding his word, believing his word, speaking his word, living his word. That's the way in which I can be connected to God. Another way in which I can be connected to God is keeping his commandments. So you obey what God has told us. We have to walk in that. So two ways in which I can be connected to God. So again, he brings them to a place of strength. He says, listen, I've told you all these things so that you will have joy. That my joy may remain in you, that your joy may be full. So he wants them to be strong and he wants them to go through the hard period, knowing that everything has been done for them and that the Father actually loves them. And then he also says that he wants them to love one another. You know, whatever we are reading in these statements is what John speaks to the churches. Isn't it in the epistles? The way God loves us, keep the commandments. And again, he adds here, love one another. How does God love us? The way he loves Jesus. How to love our brothers? Verse 12 here, you love one another as I have loved you. How did Christ love us sacrificially? So that is why he continues and he says, greater love has no one than this that to lay down one's life for his friends. Jesus died for us. So that was a sacrificial love. He says, the right way to love other brothers and sisters, believers is sacrificially. Just the way Christ loved us. And you see the relationship that he has with the disciples. He says, you're not my slaves. He says, you are my friends for that. You know, you need to keep my commandments. I want to have that relationship with you as with friends. So the closeness, the connectedness that Jesus has with the disciples is, you know, something very, very special. It goes beyond just telling them what to do. And then he clarifies it again verse 15. He says, no longer do I call you my servants. So you see, it's not a superficial relationship because he says, servant does not know what the master is doing. But I've called you friends. So Jesus is calling us friends, which makes us so close to him that all things that he heard from the Father, I have made known to you. So he basically says that he wants to share his heart with the believer, shares heart with the disciples. And he says that he has chosen us and he has appointed us to bear much fruit. So our lives must be useful. That is the reason why God is working through us. So our lives must be useful. And as long as we are connected to him, our life will be useful and later. He continues to encourage them. He tells them, look in this world, people are going to hate you. So he's talking about times of persecution. When he spoke about this, maybe the disciples had no clue. But you remember John Acts chapter 9, when you read about the way Saul is persecuting the church, it's like he's getting permissions. He's throwing people in the prison, both men and women. So very difficult times of persecution are about to come. And Jesus is telling them, very soon trial of Jesus will take place. The authorities will oppose him. But even these disciples are going to go through similar times of persecution later. But in the midst of all that, he says, don't worry. You just remember everything that I have told you. Be strong in me and continue strong in me. And here in this passage, the closing verse 26, again a reminder about the Holy Spirit. So he says, when the helper comes, the paracletos, he comes, whom I sent from the Father, he will testify of me. Or he will bear witness to everything that I have spoken to you. So don't worry. You're not going to be alone. And don't let your heart be troubled. Or you make it a point to go through all these things in a strong way. So those are the words of comfort. Those are the words of encouragement which Jesus speaks over his disciples. Now we will continue with John chapter 16. So just in line with the encouraging word. Just in line with him preparing their hearts, he goes on to comfort them once again. He says, look, people are going to put you out of the synagogues. And the time is coming. Whoever kills you will think that he offers God a service. So he's saying difficult, difficult times are coming. Do you remember the people who killed Stephen? They believed that they're doing God a service. Saul later, he came to be known as Paul. But even Saul, he was giving ascent to the murder of Stephen. And he also out of his religious zeal to do what is right, he was persecuting the Christians. So Jesus is revealing all this and saying this is the way in which people are going to persecute you. They'll think that they are doing God a favor. But I'm letting you know all these things so that when these things happen, you will know that I have already warned you about these things and that you should not be afraid or you should not get discouraged. So again, you will continue to share more about the Holy Spirit and encourage their hearts. What we'll do is we'll go for a break now. We'll come back and we will continue with the remaining of the passage from John chapter 16. I hope it's okay everybody. You're able to understand. Okay. Great. Alright, so let's go for a break then. We shall be back and continue from here. Thank you.