IT IS EXPEDIENT
John 16:1 ¶ These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended. 2 They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service. 3 And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me. 4 But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you. 5 But now I go my way to him that sent me; and none of you asketh me, Whither goest thou? 6 But because I have said these things unto you, sorrow hath filled your heart. 7 ¶ Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.
The Lord Jesus refused to teach additional truth to his followers without their possession of the Holy Spirit. John 16:12 I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. 13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: Truth without the Spirit is a dangerous situation! 2 Corinthians 3:6 Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.
That is how Satan tried to tempt the Lord Himself! He used scripture verses, but misapplied them! For scripturally armed men turn into mockers who never die to their carnal man, but live as lustful religionists! Jude 18 How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts. 19 These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit. 20 But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, Philippians 3:18 (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: 19 Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)
These are those from whom the ‘Pharisees in Moses seat’ are derived! Matthew 23:1 Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples, 2 Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat: 3 All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.
But modern day religion has being teaching those without the Spirit for decades! And we are in just as bad a spiritual condition as were his disciples! Without their religious leader the disciples scattered, leaving their previous religious affiliation. Peter proclaimed that he was going back into the fishing business and led some of the others with him. John 21:3 Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing.
Modern day religionists having departed from the faith have scattered into many denominations and sects. 1 John 2:18 Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. 19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.
But the Holy Spirit only inspires one Lord and one faith! Ephesians 4:4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; 5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. Therefore the true church is not seen as any one particular denomination, or group, but is like salt sprinkled among the human population. They are like the light defused throughout the dark realm of carnal religion!
Cleopas and his fellow disciple abandoned Jerusalem and went away from the Lord’s appointed place. But even when they were confronted with the Lord they considered him to be “a stranger in Jerusalem.” Luke 24:13 And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs.18 And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days? And when confronted with the true, living Lord by the revelation of the gospel in these days, many still hold the True Lord to be but a stranger!
And none of them believed in the Lord’s resurrection! Mark 16:11 And they, when they had heard that he was alive, and had been seen of her, believed not. 14 Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen. John 20:24 But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.
And it is extremely difficult to cause even modern day professors of the true religion to hold to the reality that the Lord Jesus is presently reigning Lord! Acts 2:33 Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear. Hebrews 1:3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;
The Lord spoke of even these as “fools and slow of heart to believe.” And he had to reintroduce himself in the scriptures to them. Luke 24:25 Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: 26 Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? 27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.
Modern day professors know little of the entirety of the scripture’s purpose not being just a provision of separate Bible stories, but to actually all be concerning the revelation of the Person of the Word. John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
John 5:39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. John 6:40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day. 63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
All they knew to do was hold an election to replace a vacant place, left by the betrayer Judas, with a man whom we never hear of again! Acts 1:26 And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles. If you can receive it, this place was filled by the Lord Himself with the conversion of a dangerous Pharisee on the road to Damascus! 1 Corinthians 15:8 And last of all he was seen of me also, (the Apostle Paul) as of one born out of due time. 2 Corinthians 12:11 …for in nothing am I behind the very chiefest apostles, though I be nothing. 12 Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds.
Yet modern day religion delights in holding religious meetings to vote on church business. 2 Timothy 3:5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. 7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
And without the Holy Spirit these disciples believed in the physical recovery of the nation of Israel as being God’s kingdom. Acts 1:6 When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? John 18:36 Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.
Luke 17:20 And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: 21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you. 22 And he said unto the disciples, The days will come, when ye shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, and ye shall not see it. 23 And they shall say to you, See here; or, see there: go not after them, nor follow them.
These disciples yearned to hold on to their days of having a physical, human Jesus among them. Just as modern day religion wants a baby in a manger Jesus, or a dead Jesus hanging on a cross. Matthew 24:24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. 25 Behold, I have told you before. 26 Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not. 2 Corinthians 5:16 Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more.
And modern day religion knows nothing concerning having to be reborn in order to either enter, or be made aware of, Christ’s spiritual kingdom. They simply believe in “joining the church.” John 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. Romans 14:17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
Therefore we see the reason of the expediency of Christ’s going away. It was in order that the Holy Spirit would come to make proper application of his atonement, both in its actual application and its proper doctrinal teaching. John 16:12 I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. 25 These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs: but the time cometh, when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall shew you plainly of the Father. 33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
Also it was to rectify the failure of the first Adam to maintain God’s dominion over all things. Romans 5:17 For if by one man’s offence (Adam’s) death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ. 19 For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.
For when Man-Head (Christ) returns into the Godhood, the eternal and spiritual relationship between mankind and the Trinity will be forever rectified! 1 Corinthians 15:28 And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.
John 17:23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. 26 And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.
And also only when Christ goes away and the Spirit is sent can the restraints upon gospel proclamation be removed! Matthew 10:5 These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: 6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
For when he sat down at the right hand of the majesty on high, his blood, unlike the blood of bulls and goats, could support world-wide evangelism! Matthew 28:18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
For our faith is directly based on his glory! 1 Peter 1:21 Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.
May the Lord awaken His true church!
Pastor Gene Breed
July 28, 2022
