"It Is Expedient For You"
John 16:7
Our Lord had just told his disciples that
he must suffer, die, rise from the dead and ascend back to his Father in
heaven, that there he would prepare a place for them, and that at the time
appointed he would come again to receive them unto himself. Then he assured
them that upon his ascension back into heaven he would send the Comforter,the Holy Spirit,to minister to them.
These things are all recorded in John 13,
14, and 15. They should have flooded the disciples' hearts with joy. The
disciples should have been full of questions about these great, mysterious and
wonderful things. In- stead,sorrow filled their
hearts. Then the Savior spoke to quieten their fears and show them the
necessity of his going away, his death upon the cross, resurrection, ascension
and heavenly exaltation.He said,"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."
Pause a moment and learn a lesson - Those
things that appear to be most grievous in their experience are often most
expedient in their end. Thank God that he does not deal with us according to
the folly of our own wills, but graciously gives us what he knows is good for
us!
An expedience is that which is, being
constrained by necessity,the best course to follow.Our
Lord,in this place, is essentially saying, "It is both necessary and good
for you that I should suffer, die, rise from the dead, and go back to my Father
in heaven."
The expedience should be obvious - Had he
not gone away, had he not suffered and died as our Substitute upon the cursed
tree and ascended back to heaven, we could not have been saved. (1.) He could
not have finished the work which he had come to do (Heb. 10:5-10). (2.) God
could not be just and yet justify them that believe (Rom.
Don Fortner