1. What does this mean to us today?

We are going to stick with John’ Gospel today and see what Jesus had to say about the Holy Spirit.

2. In John, Jesus uses a particular word when describing the Holy Spirit. There are 5 sayings from John’s writing about the comforter, etc.

3. First is John 14:16-17

4. The Holy Spirit is another counsellor.

Putting aside what the word counsellor means, we must understand he is another … Who is the first, why Jesus! Jesus is telling his diciples that all that they enjoyed and learnt from him is not going to end when he goes into heaven. Another counsellor is coming. So what is this word which is translated here as ‘counsellor’ mean?

5. The greek word is paraclete. Your (not parakeet)  What does it mean? Why does it appear to mean different things in different places?

It essentially means “one who comes alongside” and is used in 4 different contexts.

First as a comforter. This is the word in Isaiah 40 “Comfort, Comfort my people” and is repeatedly . John Wycliffe translated it Comforter in all 5 places in the New testament. But it is more than that. It referrers to someone who helps other men.

It also turns up in the court room language as a character witness, someone who speaks up for you , or your legal advocate

 Finally it was used to describe someone like Churchill who could inspire courage in the face of a battle, a battle commander who could call men to great deeds.

 This is what Jesus meant about the Holy Spirit. He was another Jesus in the sense that he comes alongside us humans and helps us. He has a role as advocate, which is explicit in  Matthew 10:19-20. Now that is a comfort. Under pressure in the service of Jesus Christ, you suddenly have the opportunity to speak up for our Lord. Jesus tells us that the Holy Spirit will right there, giving you the words to say. It will not be the fluency of your speech or the quality of it, but the integrity that means that you will speak as a prophet of old. Your stumbling words will be the Word of the Lord!

The Holy Spirit is also the inspirer the one that will give you the courage to withstand the attack of the enemy. To take the battle and risk for the sake of the Kingdom.

And there is more. What did Jesus do? He spoke with authority and his word was backed up with signs and wonders. He Holy Spirit is another paraclete. He  is the revelation of God to the world through the church. So he does confirm his word with signs and wonders. We spoke about that last week. In John 14:12 Jesus again is quite explicit. The question is do you believe it? Is the Holy Spirit still the same God he was at Pentecost and in the Acts of the apostles, or do you believe in the dispensational view that the signs and wonders time has past? Now I know that we can get hooked up on the miraculous and last week we spoke about how easy it was for the crowds to get carried away with the sings and not understand their meaning. But that never stopped Jesus. So why should it stop the Holy Spirit, now , today?  Do we believe God? Or have we the half-faith of Philip that knows about the possibility but can’t quite expect God to act this way? He church has been through a period when we got swept away with signs and wonders or became cynical of them. The challenge today is to believe that God is still working.

 

5. And there is more  because John writes about the first in 1 John 2:1 It is not that Jesus has stopped working, he has gone into heaven to carry on the work he has been doing.

6. Remember the Prayer letter for this month?  The ascension is important because it enables Jesus to enter heaven and then the Holy Spirit can take his place on earth more fuller than the Son could. The Holy Spirit can be everywhere at the same time.

7. So Jesus ascends to heaven to be our man , our advocate, our representative.

The Holy Spirit comes down from heaven to be God in the world, standing alongside us in all the trials of life.

8. God has covered every base. Not only are we saved but he has provided for us while we are here on earth with not only a representative in heaven but his Holy Spirit here on earth.

 

9.The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth. Jesus said I am the way….

In these passages Jesus shows how this works out in practice.

The Holy Spirit will teach and remind….

He will testify on Jesus behalf… When you speak of Jesus, the Holy Spirit is at work in you, isn’t that exciting!

He will convict the world of guilt in regard to three things

Sin : The number one sin is not believing in jesus.

Righteousness: We are back to the ascension here. Jesus has returned to heaven That is the authentication that he has completed the work the Father has sent him to do. We know Jesus is right because the Father welcomed him back into heaven. The final prove, if any more proof were needed that Jesus was who he claimed to be and his salvation is real and secure.

Judgement: We are pointed back to John 12:31 The judgement is on Satan and his followers. At the cross Satan was thrown out, deposed, sent packing.his cause is lost, it has been judged.

10. Finally we pick up on John 14:26 and John 16:7 The Holy Spirit is sent by the father and sent by Jesus.  We do not have a God who leaves us in the battles of life. He has sent himself in the the Holy Spirit so that we are never alone. It goes back to John 5:17 My Father is always at his work to this very hour and I , too am working.

 

The Holy Spirit has been poured out on the church. The question is not whether the Holy Spirit is in the church, it is whether the church is allowing the Holy Spirit to work. The work of God is not just the spectacular but also in the quiet drawing of men and woman, young and old to himself. It is in the creation of new life of the Spirit when we received his love and salvation.

Do you believe it?

Do you want to receive the Holy Spirit afresh this morning?

I have no idea what God is planning but let’s invite God to fill us again with his Holy Spirit. I will pray and then I invite you to lead us in prayer in asking God to sent his Holy Spirit on his people, today.