COME HOLY SPIRIT

When Jesus talked of His leaving around the table as he shared that last meal with the disciples, He promised them another who would be sent to them. The Paraklete, the helper, the one who comes alongside: The Holy Spirit.

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Over this farewell discourse Jesus revealed so much of this third member of the Trinity, the one who would be “in them” and who would guide, teach and lead them.

John 14:17 – He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you.

Chapters 14-16 of John’s gospel teach these truths about the Holy Spirit:

  •      He will be with us forever (14:16).

  •      The world at large cannot accept him (14:17).

  •      He lives with us and in us (14:17).

  •      He teaches us (14:26).

  •      He reminds us of Jesus’ words (14:26; 15:26).

  •      He convicts us of sin, shows us God’s righteousness, and announces God’s judgment on evil (16:8).

  •      He guides into truth and gives insight into future events (16:13).

  •      He brings glory to Christ (16:14).

One of the key aspects of the ministry of the Holy Spirit is to reveal the difference between God’s kingdom and earthly thinking. His role is to make distinct God’s Kingdom from this world.

In John 16 Jesus says the Holy Spirit will convict the world of its son, of righteousness and of judgement.

The world:

Says truth is relative, and up to you

Says sin is only the extreme things that cause great visible harm

Says right(eousness) can be bought, earned, expressed in human terms

Says judgement is for us to pass out on each other, or is totally absent

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As the Holy Spirit reveals Christ to us more and more we understand that:

Jesus is the Truth

His righteousness is imputed (placed on/attributed to) us by His sacrificial death and our faith in Him

Sin is putting anything else in God’s place at the centre of our lives (usually ourselves and our interests)

Judgement is not about how we compare to other humans but about how far short of God’s standards we are, and how desperately we need Christ to make a way for us to be right with God.

And we are called to walk daily with this helper, comforter and guide: come Holy Spirit!