March 4, 2002
LifeWay Family Bible Series for March 17
The Holy Spirit's role is to bring glory to Jesus
___John 14:16-17; 15:26-27; 16:5-15
___By Barbara Kent
___University Baptist Church, Fort Worth
___The last week of Jesus' life was intense. There was so much to do to prepare his disciples for what was coming. It was crucial for them to understand he would no longer be with them in the flesh. However, he wanted them to know they would not be alone. The Holy Spirit, another Counselor and Spirit of Truth, would be with them. Note the conditional nature of this promise--if you love me (v. 15).
___The world would not know nor see this new Counselor. Their obedience to Christ was the determining factor in being able to do so. He would live within them. Jesus had lived with them while he was on earth. The Spirit living within them indicated another level of their relationship with Jesus.
___While Jesus also was a paraclete (counselor), the Holy Spirit was to be given to themafter Jesus' departure. Jesus would become their paraclete, or advocate and counselor, in the court of heaven, pleading for them.
___Why a new Counselor?
___Why was the Counselor being given to the disciples? Jesus said he would testify about Jesus. He would speak the truth to them about Jesus. His role was to be the defender, not of the disciples, but of Jesus. He would not serve as an advocate of the disciples, speaking in their defense, but bearing witness for Jesus.
___What would be the responsibility of the disciples? Jesus said they, too, must tell about Jesus (15:27). They, who had been with Jesus from the beginning, who had known him better than anyone else, would bear witness of Jesus and by so doing, draw others to him. They would be working with the Holy Spirit in proclaiming Jesus to the world.
___What was the Counselor's role?
___Jesus was leaving. He was going back to the Father from whom he came. Jesus candidly told his disciples what was going to happen. They were devastated, grief-stricken. Jesus said to them, "It is for your good that I am leaving" (16:7). Why? What could possibly be good about it?
___Jesus told them that unless he went away, the Holy Spirit would not come to them. Do you think the disciples at that point believed Jesus or even cared about receiving the Holy Spirit? All they were able to hear was Jesus was leaving.
___The Holy Spirit had a role to fulfill, a vital, important role. He would be the one who would convict the world of guilt (v. 8). He would cause them to face the sin of not believing in Jesus (v. 9).
___The picture is of a trial--the world before God. He would turn the tables, as it were. The world would put Jesus on trial, would condemn him. The Spirit would reverse that. He would prove the world wrong in their rejection of Jesus.
___Jesus' leaving would mean the disciples would see him no more. His leaving and the Holy Sprit coming would echo the fact that the "prince of this world" now stood condemned (v. 11).
___Further, he would guide the disciples into all truth (v. 13). Jesus said the disciples were not able to bear all the things he needed to say to them. The Spirit, however, would guide them, teach them, tell them what was to come. He would make known to the disciples all Jesus wanted them to know and understand. In so doing, he would bring glory to Christ (v. 14).
___Jesus understood that in the brief time he had been with the disciples, they had been unable to develop the depths of commitment necessary to implement all of the things he longed to say to them. The Holy Spirit's role was to make them able to understand and act on all he had wanted them to know.
___The Holy Spirit's role is to bring glory to Jesus. He opens the truth Jesus brought into the world and enables believers to accept it, to enter into that truth. Because of his work, you and I are able to know Jesus, to believe in him, to follow him and to share in the proclamation of who he is to the world.
___We take for granted the coming of the Holy Spirit. Jesus promised it. It happened. That settles it, or so it might seem. However, his coming was crucial to all Jesus came to do. We cannot see Jesus as the disciples did, but because of the work of the Holy Spirit, we can know him.
___We have not experienced the deep and painful grief the disciples felt at Jesus' leaving. We have always had the Holy Sprit with us. The grief they felt was real. The comfort the coming of the Holy Sprit provided was no less real. We can celebrate his coming and living in us by being faithful to proclaim Jesus to our world as he does to us.
___Questions for discussion
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