The Culture of Hope Founded on Faith
Before the Cross: Comfort and Final Instructions From Jesus
Before He was arrested and taken to the High Priest to be tried, to Pilate to be convicted, to Golgotha to be crucified, and to a borrowed tomb to be resurrected, Jesus met with His disciples one last time to encourage them and to give them final instructions. His talk to His disciples took place after celebrating the Passover at supper in an upper room. While many passages in the Old Testament, as well as every book in the New Testament, reference the Holy Spirit, this discourse spans John 13-17 and includes specific information about the Holy Spirit. Here is what Jesus said about the ministry of the Holy Spirit to believers, including you and me some two millennia later. The Holy Spirit:
Helps and Indwells Us Forever:
John 14:16, 17 – “And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Helper (Comforter in KJV), that He may abide with you forever, even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it sees Him not, neither knows Him. But you know Him, for He dwells with you and shall be in you.”
Teaches Us All Things, Reminding Us of What Jesus Taught Us Through His Original Disciples:
John 14:26, 27 – “But the Comforter (Helper in ESV), the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, He will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”
Enables Us to Give Witness of Christ:
John 15:26, 27 – “But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, He will bear witness about me. And you also will bear witness because you have been with me from the beginning.”
Guides Us Into All Truth And Tells Us About Things To Come:
John 16:12-13 – “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all the truth, for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak, and He will declare to you the things that are to come.”
Glorifies Christ, Reveals His Will and His Word:
John 16:4 – “He will glorify me, for He will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that He will take what is mine and declare it to you.”
The ministry of the Holy Spirit to believers is not all He does. He also interacts with the world around us, convicting the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment through His work in us:
“And when He comes, He will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged” (John 16:8-11).
May your Resurrection celebration reflect your knowledge of God’s continued presence and peace in your life.
