His dying on the cross would not be the end of His existence. In verses 25-28, Jesus makes His disciples a very encouraging promise. The power is within youall you need to do is turn on the ignition switch! First John 2:1 says, "If anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." Now He was turning over His teaching of the disciples to the Holy Spirit, who would dwell in them: "These things I have spoken to you while abiding with you. But the strong expression you will ask me nothing is against this. They have not yet petitioned the Father for their needs in the name of Jesus Christ. We live at a time when we do not yet fully know all that God has in store for us and for the future. Paul describes it this way: 16 Therefore we do not despair, but even if our physical body is wearing away, our inner person is being renewed day by day. He has spoken to them about the ministry of the Holy Spirit to the world (verses 8-11); now He speaks of the Spirits ministry to His disciples (16:12ff.). Davids words in Psalm 51:11 make sense in light of 1 Samuel 10:5-13, where the Spirit came mightily upon Saul, enabling him to serve as King of Israel. 32 Look, a time is comingand has comewhen you will be scattered, each one to his own home, and I will be left alone. The Father will give us what we have requested, so that we may experience great joy. The Holy Spirit reveals Gods thoughts, teaches, and guides believers into all truth. 15 But until this very day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their minds; 16 but whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. We are learners, who learn at His feet as we abide in Him. There is a realization and acknowledgement of diversities rather than uniformity regarding various New Testament theologies and rationales and forms of the Holy Spirit ministry. What a blessing it is for a woman to be able to bear a child and, what a pain! Jeannette and I were no longer distressedwe were delighted! Paraclete ( Greek: , romanized : Parkltos) is a Christian biblical term occurring five times in the Johannine texts of the New Testament. But the real stress lies on the phrase in my name. Of course, the disciples could not yet have asked for things in Jesus name: the mediatorial role of Christ in this regard turns on his cross-work. In the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit was given selectively and temporarily to indwell certainly individuals for special ministries. Jesus promises to reveal all truth to the apostles. Jesus lets His disciples know that they have not put anything over on Him, that He knows full well that they still do not understand what He is saying, or what is about to take place. Joy is not the lack of want,85 but rather in having needs so great that only God can fill them, and then in seeing Him provide for us in response to our prayers. In the New Testament He is also called that and the Spirit of Christ. There is a realization and acknowledgement of diversities rather than uniformity regarding various New Testament theologies and rationales and forms of the Holy Spirit ministry. The Greek word translated "power" (dunamis) is the source of the English word dynamite. Not only would the Holy Spirit come to dwell with them, but also He would never leave. When you receive Jesus Christ for salvation, you receive the Holy Spirit also. Jesus commands them to pray in His name, assured that they will receive what they have requested, and in so doing, their joy will be made complete. He is the believers Helper ( John 14:26 ). Davids words in Psalm 51:11 make sense in light of 1 Samuel 10:5-13, where the Spirit came mightily upon Saul, enabling him to serve as King of Israel. Allow me to point out one more observation. As he reads, he will share key insights and application points, to help you better understand what is being said, but also to apply it to your life. Jesus will have an intercessory ministry on our behalf, but His work on the cross will bring about a personal, intimate relationship between the Father and all who trust in His Son. The Ministry of the Holy Spirit (John 16:12-33) Introduction Over 25 years ago, Jeannette and I moved into our first home. In John 16:12 Jesus says, "I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.". But we know that whenever it is revealed we will be like him, because we will see him just as he is (1 John 3:2). We cannot miss Jesus' clear statement here that the proof of genuine love for Him is obedience to His commands (a subject I explain in great depth in my book The Gospel According to Jesus [Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1988, 1994]). Every once in a while, I would look past Howard, where I could see my wife waiting for me in the hall. Now they would have another HelperOne exactly like Jesusto minister to them as He had. Far from it, their lot was often a very hard one indeed. All rights reserved. I was on my way out of the church when Howard Prier, a highly respected elder, stopped me in the hallway. He took death and the fear and bondage it produces and defeated it on the cross (see Hebrews 2:14-15). Penny Noyes Author. 31 Therefore be alert, remembering that night and day for three years I did not stop warning each one of you with tears. We need only to trust in Him who is in control of the past, the present, and the future. It is but another one of those improvements which the disciples are about to experience in the future, because of His going away. Bible Verses and Scriptures About the Holy Spirit - Read what the Bible says about the Holy Spirit and discover popular scripture quotes about the Holy Spirit in the collection of Bible verses below. In Johns Gospel, as the time of our Lords death draws near, He seeks to prepare them for the future. God can do great things through you. 1988 by John MacArthur. The Holy Spirit reveals Gods thoughts, teaches, and guides believers into all truth. Registered User Enter your email address and we will send you instructions on how to reset your password. The Holy Spirit gives us the wisdom and discernment when we need it. 3, p. 555. An unbeliever cannot get saved unless they are first convicted by the Holy Spirit. They do not understand what is happening, or what Jesus is saying. The apostle Paul said that Christ in us is the hope of glory (Colossians 1:27), and Christ promised His Spirit would reside in us (John 14:17). 73 Are Jesus and his eleven disciples still making their way along narrow streets and paths toward the Kidron Valley? They were completely perplexed about what Jesus was telling them. You will leave Me alone, but I wont really be alone because the Father is with Me. 10 The Spirit had a ministry of restraining sin and in the creation of the world. The possession of the Holy Spirit by the believer was not permanent in every case. Because we dont want you to incur expenditure for which you are not prepared, could you please confirm whether you are willing to pay this charge, if necessary? Instead, they spoke among themselves. The Father will personally attend to the prayers of Jesus disciples, because of His love for them, a love which is the same as His love for the Son (14:23; 17:26). It was obvious that we were late, but I just could not seem to disengage Howard from the conversation. We need to exercise caution in the application of this passage because it applies directly to the eleven disciples, and indirectly to us. And because we now see this clearly, we believe that You have truly come from God.. 79 The verb here means ask a question rather than ask for something. In that day, once Jesus has risen from the dead and the Holy Spirit has been bequeathed, they will no longer need to ask the questions with which they ply Jesus and demonstrate their profound confusion. In the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit was given selectively and temporarily to indwell certainly individuals for special ministries. That does not mean He imparts to us some kind of omniscience. How different it will soon be for them, as they look back from the cross and the empty tomb. The Holy Spirit also helps Christians in their weakness and intercedes for them. In the Old Testament, we see different aspects of the work of the Holy Spirit. How does the promise that the Holy Spirit will instruct us and bring all things to our memory apply today? Now we see that You really do know everything, so that we dont have to ask You any more questions, to help You clarify any points. The house was exactly what we had hoped for. After our Lords resurrection and the coming of the Holy Spirit, the disciples will no longer need to question our Lord about the meaning of His words and the events which are taking place. Jesus must therefore mean that all the truth which is necessary for the church will be revealed through the apostles, and that there will be no lack to be made up later on. In John 16:15 Jesus says, "All things that the Father has are Mine; therefore I said that He takes of Mine and will disclose it to you." And yet how gracious God is to withhold from us those things we do not need to know, those things which would only cause us needless anguish if we did know them. The events of the next few hours will prove this, for virtually every one of them will abandon Him. Ephesians 3:20 says He "is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us." He knows that they are mystified about all that He has been saying to them about the future. No wonder the disciples could not yet grasp what Jesus was saying about the future. WebThe work of the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament differed somewhat from His work in the New Testament. In that hour of turmoil, they feared being left alone. This will turn their sorrow into everlasting joy, a joy that no one will ever be able take away from them. I confess, we turned on the air conditioning and lit a fire in the fireplace, just to try it out.) His next words beautifully culminate the message of comfort: "that He may be with you forever" (John 14:16). On the one hand, Scripture makes clear how we are to live, act, think, and speak. The disciples have not yet begun to enjoy the benefits of this new relationship. Why is it, then, that we find so many joyless Christians? He guards and guarantees the salvation of the ones He indwells ( Ephesians 1:13; 4:30 ). 30 Now we know that you know everything and do not need anyone to ask you anything. They don't love Him. Accordingly, we have updated our Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions in order to comply with GDPR. Indeed He sought out His disciples after the resurrection, but the context implies He was speaking of something more: His spiritual presence in every believer through the agency of the Holy Spirit. 26 At that time you will ask in my name, and I do not say that I will ask the Father on your behalf. Jesus says that the Holy Spirit will convict the world in three areas, Sin, Righteousness and Judgment. I do doubt that they grasped what His return to the Father was all about, and Im virtually certain they dont have a clue as to what He has just told them. The disciples had no idea what was about to happen. Help Grace to You bring important resources like this to people in your community and beyond, free of charge. Webthe Holy Spirit works his will by filling believers. John makes clear that his Gospel, as all the others, is but a sampling of the things Jesus said and did: This is the disciple who testifies about these things and has written these things, and we know that his testimony is true. He does not make a general statement, that new truth will be revealed to an indefinite number of people, over an indefinite period of time.74 He informs them that He will reveal His truth to them. In John 14:21 Jesus says, "He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him." As we prayed and asked God for guidance, he has faithfully led us through the power and ministry of the Holy Spirit. Peters words also imply a completeness concerning that which our Lord will reveal to and through His apostles: 3 I can pray this because his divine power has bestowed on us everything necessary for life and godliness through the rich knowledge of the one who called us by his own glory and excellence. 10 For indeed, what had been glorious now has no glory because of the tremendously greater glory of what replaced it. No wonder the veil was torn asunder when Jesus died on the cross (Matthew 27:51). Have you trusted in Jesus Christ as the Holy One of God, who died on the cross of Calvary for your sins? 13 And even though you were dead in your transgressions and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, he nonetheless made you alive with him, having forgiven all your transgressions. This ministry of the spirit works on all who receive the gospel of Christ. 23 At that time you will ask79 me nothing. He indwells believers and seals them until the day of redemptionthis indicates that the Holy Spirits presence in the believer is irreversible. We are enjoined to be this or to commit ourselves to do that. He led me into the sound and tape room, off the main hall, and then proceeded to ask me what I thought of a certain Greek preposition in a particular text. Apparently he thought Jesus would physically manifest Himself and the Father. They did not understand what He was talking about, and what they thought they understood, they did not like. the "different" [heteros] gospel vs. "another" [allos] gospel in Galatians 1:6-7). The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity and is responsible for the ministry of reconciliation. This truth is illustrated by our Lords words which follow in verse 21. After a little while the world will no longer see Me, but you will see Me; because I live, you will live also. 86 Our passage begins with an expression difficult to translate exactly. By yielding yourself totally to the Word of God and letting it permeate your life, you'll be controlled by the Spirit's desires. The meaning of these words [in verse 23] is not beyond dispute for, while the verb ask can mean ask a question, it can also mean ask in prayer. In the next sentence Jesus refers to prayer, and some scholars think that he is doing that here and simply using two different words for prayer. They didnt want to admit their ignorance. "All things" is used here in a relative sense. Bible Verses and Scriptures About the Holy Spirit - Read what the Bible says about the Holy Spirit and discover popular scripture quotes about the Holy Spirit in the collection of Bible verses below. Throughout the Old Testament He is referred to as the Spirit of the Lord or Spirit of God. Learn more about the third person of the Holy Trinity and the role of the Holy Spirit in our lives. They fall into the category of things that have been accomplished on our behalf without effort on our part. The next ministry that the Holy Spirit has with both unbelievers, as well as believers is that He has to convict all of us. The disciples were concerned because Jesus was going away, where they could not follow. The Holy Spirit resides within every person who believes in Jesus Christ as God and Savior, the Bible way ( Jn. He wasn't sending just any helper, but One exactly like Himself with the same compassion, the same attributes of deity, and the same love for them. There are many other things that Jesus did. What did He mean by saying He was going to the Father?82, Jesus overheard His disciples (although He would have known through His omniscience), and graciously began to explain His words to them, although they still didnt understand. Jesus lets them know that He is answering the questions which they had just discussed among themselves. This is not the joy that the world seeks. To those who are obedient, the Lord extends a number of promises. WebThe Ministry of the Holy Spirit John 16:4b-15 Introduction. Jesus had been the disciples' helper for three years. He is the One who is all-knowing, and this includes His knowledge of what they claim to know, and yet do not. Quite clearly Jesus means his followers to take prayer with much greater seriousness than we often do. Leon Morris, Reflections on the Gospel of John (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1988), vol. 10 Roles of the Holy Spirit in the Life of Christians. 2023 Grace to You. WebHow does the Holy Spirit work distinctly in the Old and New Testament? However Jesus assured them that they would not be left to fend for themselves; they would have a supernatural Helper. They thought they were losing Him, but in truth they were gaining Him. The Gifts of Few things are as important for an understanding of Christianity (and few things are as little noticed) as the recognition that the note of joy runs right through the New Testament. When Jesus told the disciples to believe in Him just as they believed in the invisible God, He said He would send the Holy Spirit, who would remind them of His presence. WebThe promise of the Holy Spirit is the culmination of all that Jesus said to comfort those eleven troubled men. The Holy Spirit also helps Christians in their weakness and intercedes for them. So Jesus told His disciples that when the Holy Spirit came, the world would not accept the message any more than it did from Him. The Spirit never leaves any Christian; the true believer will never depart from the faith. In Christian theology, the word commonly refers to the Holy Spirit and is translated as 'advocate', 'counsellor or 'helper'. The Father loves anyone who loves His Son. They most certainly did not. Second Corinthians 3:17-18 refers to the Spirit as the Lord.. But 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 said to you" (John 14:25-26). Nor did He say He would leave and be back in two thousand years. It says that we are called, justified, sanctified, and kept in the faith through no effort of our own. But 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 said to you. And we discover that we have an inheritance that cannot be measured in human terms. It is the cross which should shape our perspective (we should take up our cross daily). 5:3; Col. 1:24; etc.). The Greek word translated "another" may provide a helpful clue in understanding Jesus' meaning in John 14. After the resurrection, John is careful to point out, the disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord (20:20). In verse 17 Jesus says to His disciples, "But you know Him." Notice that the Spirit is called "the Spirit of truth" in John 14:17. You received the Spirit when you were saved, and He continues to abide in you. He will never leave or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). The gospel of Christ world seeks been accomplished on our behalf without effort on our part this ministry the. Jesusto minister to them as He had Christ for salvation, you the... Sin, Righteousness and Judgment Christ for salvation, you receive Jesus Christ the righteous. time. 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