John 16 unveils for us a work of the Spirit of God in connection with the lost that is not often accounted for in our thinking as Jesus followers. Yet, Jesus laid it for us in plain language what the Holy Spirit of God would do when he came from heaven to earth. Here’s an example of what I’m talking about. Many years ago there was a pastor of a church in Alabama, he was preaching a revival in the church. On Sunday night the service had been on radio. This pastor had preached a simple sermon on the plan of salvation. On Monday afternoon he was calling on some of the families on the other side of the city. Suddenly the thought crossed his mind, “Go to the church.” He was to meet the guest singer there at four o’clock, so brushing it aside he continued his planned visitation. But the thought continued. “Go to the church.” Finally the thought became so persistent, with seemingly no purpose in doing so, that he returned to the church building. The church secretary had the afternoon off so he was there alone. In a few moments he heard someone at the office door. Turning, he saw a young woman. She asked if he was the pastor. When he told her that he was, she asked, “Will you tell me how to be saved?” This pastor and this young woman sat on the front pew of the auditorium as she unfolded her story. She lived in a boarding house with her husband. For some time she had been having an adulterous affair with her husband’s best friend. After dinner on the previous evening, all the boarders were visiting in the large living room. The radio was on. Hearing a few words of this pastor’s sermon, she sat down before the radio on a small stool, turned the volume down low, and listened to the service. At the close of the sermon, she was under conviction by the Holy Spirit. She decided to seek this pastor out to find out how to be saved. In simple language he told her how to receive Christ as her Savior. That night in the revival service she made a public profession of her faith in Christ, and later was baptized. She became a faithful Christian and an active church member. Just suppose she had not been listening to the radio. Just suppose that this pastor’s sermon had not been on the plan of salvation. Or suppose that she had brushed it off. Suppose that he had not gone to the church like he was prompted to go. Like, what if he over rode that nudge he had. Or that she had come and found no one there. But, none of these ‘what if’s’ took place. The Holy Spirit guided the events and led this young woman to Jesus for her salvation and God’s glory!1 Isn’t that a great story! The Holy Spirit convicted, this woman convincing her of her need of Jesus. This specific work of the Spirit is what we’re going to be looking at in today’s podcast. That’s why we entitled this ‘How the Holy Spirit Deals with a Lost World.’ All on this week’s Light on Life.
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