Read:
John 14:15-18, 25-28; 15:26-27; 16:4b-15
Reflect:
Before Jesus went the way of the cross and death he promised his followers that they would receive help. The Helper (Advocate, Counselor) would be the Holy Spirit sent by Jesus and the Father. The disciples would not be left as orphans and helpless, because the Spirit would mediate the presence of Jesus to them. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you (14:18). This is the promise that was fulfilled at Pentecost, 50 days after Jesus’ resurrection, and 10 days after his ascension. A brief exploration of this promise will help us understand more fully what happened later on the day of Pentecost. There are a number of things the Spirit would do when he came with power on his people.
First, as the Spirit of truth (14:16; 15:26; 16:13), he would bring authentic revelation of God to them, which they could rely on as genuinely true. The Spirit would bear clear witness about Christ and his redemptive accomplishments and so bring full honor to him (16:14). It would be transforming truth that would set them free from sin and its deceptions (see John 8:32, 36), and so would also qualify and equip them to be witnesses to the truth (15:27).
Secondly, Jesus said:
…the Helper, 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. (14:26)
The Spirit would instruct them by bringing the various events and teachings of Jesus to mind so they would be able to bear witness to them with clarity and accuracy. In this way he would guide them into all the truth (16:13). It would seem likely that this is also how the New Testament Scriptures have come to us with such inspired accuracy and power. Peter himself stated, when speaking of the Old Testament Scriptures, that people:
…spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:21).
Now that same principle appears to be applied as various early Christians wrote down the stories and teachings of Jesus, and explained their theological significance, which are on record in the New Testament Scriptures.
Thirdly, the Spirit would give the followers of Jesus the advantage of having the divine presence with them everywhere and at all times, rather than only through the occasional physical and local appearances of the risen Lord (16:7). Also, the universal and powerful presence of the Spirit would demonstrate three things to the unbelieving world (16:8-11). (1) They were sinning by not believing in Jesus as the Son of God sent to bring salvation to the world. (2) They had unjustly condemned Jesus, but God had vindicated and victoriously exalted him to his right hand as the Righteous One. (3) They needed to recognize that judgment had been rendered and that Satan was condemned and his power broken. In the end the goal of the convicting work of the Spirit was that through it people would turn to embrace Jesus by faith.
Finally, the Spirit would clarify the full truth about Jesus which the disciples could not grasp yet (16:12). The death, resurrection and ascension/exaltation of Jesus had to happen before they could really understand the deeper meaning of his redemptive work. And so Jesus declared that as the exalted Lord he would be the source informing the Spirit as he guided them into all the truth (16:13-15). What Jesus promised before his death came true with power at Pentecost.
Respond:
Let us rejoice that God always keeps his promises. We can rest assured that whatever promises God has given us in his Word will eventually be realized. Paul states it in most memorable words:
For all the promises of God find their Yes in him (Jesus). That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory. (2 Corinthians 1:20)