Sunday, June 27, 2021

PROMISING THE HOLY SPIRIT - JOHN 14:15-24

 



Promising the Spirit

14:15-17


Jesus continued to prepare his disciples for their life after his departure. He taught them what their relationship with him would be like after he was physically gone. 


First, he said they would keep his commandments if they loved him. Our love for Christ compels us to obey him. There are people who will claim they love Jesus, but it has no effect on their lives. 


For example, Jesus had previously told the disciples he was giving them a new commandment: to love each other as Jesus had loved them. (13:35) So, if we love Jesus, we will obey his command to love each other. If we do not love each other, it is difficult to say we love Jesus since we do not keep his commandment.


There are other commandments given by Jesus. And we will keep them, or obey them, if we love him. 


Second, Jesus said he will ask the Father, who would send them another helper to be with them forever. He called this helper “the Spirit of Truth”. This is the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit would be with them forever. This is true for all believers. The Holy Spirit comes to us when we come to faith in Jesus and he never leaves us. He dwells with us and is in us. 


And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2:38)


You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. (Romas 8:9)


As Jesus is the truth, so the Holy Spirit is the Spirit if Truth. He will always point us to the truth of Jesus through the Bible and through conviction in our spirit.


In contrast, the world cannot receive, see, or know the Holy Spirit.(17) He only comes to those who follow Christ. 


Jesus With Us

14:18-24


Jesus said he would not leave the disciples as orphans. The use of the term “orphans” may seem odd, since he has spoke on them becoming children of God. However, Jesus perceived their sense of abandonment and anxiety as he told them of his departure. Who would lead them? Who would teach them? 


Jesus said his leaving would be for a little while, then he would come to them. (18) They would see him, although the world would not.


The question is “when would they see him?”, or “when will he come to them?”. 


There are three possibilities: (1) his resurrection and appearances; (2) the coming of the Holy Spirit; and (3) his return at the end to receive his saints. For example, the ESV Study Bible says it refers to his resurrection. The Reformation Study Bible says it refers to the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. The NIV Study Bible says it refers to the coming of the Spirit, but mentions the other two comings. 


Jesus’ appearing to the disciples seems the most logical understanding. It happened “in a little while” after his departure and they saw him. The world did not see him because he only showed himself to believers. 


The coming of the Holy Spirit did not allow them to actually see Jesus; the disciples’ seeing would happen only metaphorically as they received the Spirit. The second coming does not seem likely for, although they will see him, it did not happen “in a little while” and would not counteract their feeling of abandonment as orphans.


Further, after the resurrection they will see that Jesus lives, as he says in verse 19. And because he lives, they will live. Jesus’ resurrection proves there is a resurrection unto eternal life. When they see Jesus, they will know that he lives eternally and they (and we) do also.  


Also in that day, the disciples will understand the relationship they have with Jesus and the relationship Jesus has with the Father. As Jesus is in the father, and the disciples in Jesus, Jesus will be in the disciples. Anyone who loves Jesus and keeps his word has the Father’s love in addition to the Son’s love. And both Father and Son dwell, or “make their home” with them. 


Additionally, as the Father showed the Son all things, the Son will show himself (“manifest”). 


The disciples did not understand how Jesus would manifest himself to the disciples but not to the world. (22) This is in context with the Jewish belief that Messiah would arrive in public splendor.


But we know that Jesus dwells only with believers just as the Holy Spirit does. Since the world does not know him or receive him, those of the world cannot experience this intimate relationship with Christ. And they do not want to. 


This relationship anticipates the relationship we will have with God in the new creation. Revelation 21:3 says “Behold the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God”. 



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