Of the Spirit (part 20)
Jesus laid the groundwork in John 14:15 for the most important decision a disciple of his can make: “If you love me,” he said, “you will obey what I command.”
And why was that so important? Because, verse 23, “My Father will love you.” Jesus knew the process. His Father had sent him to train up a group of disciples in the ways of his world, because through them he would kickstart the spreading of his kingdom on this planet. So if those disciples cottoned on to the process too, that by obeying whatever Jesus taught that’s how the kingdom would spread, they had the Father’s undying love. He would deeply love them for it.
And that must have been extremely comforting to Jesus, because he knew the next step, that he would return to his former glory beside his Father and from there direct the spreading of their kingdom worldwide over the centuries to come. But that would leave his disciples without him present with them. And he knew how devastating that would be for them, because they’d become very attached to him. Their lives had totally revolved around him, so they’d feel terribly lost without him. And because Jesus deeply loved them (John 13:1), it concerned him greatly.
So he told his disciples in verse 16, “I will ask the Father and he will give you another Helper to be with you forever – the Spirit of truth.” They’d have the support they needed, a Spirit sponsor always there for them, a backer, benefactor and patron, as well as mentor, coach and teacher. But best of all this Spirit help would fulfill Jesus’ wish in verse 18, that “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.”
The Spirit, then, had a clear job to do, to be to the disciples what Jesus had been to them. It would feel like Jesus was still with them, therefore, the same love, same nurturing, same understanding of them, same acceptance, same well-timed teaching, same reminding – so in reality the Holy Spirit was the “Spirit of Christ” (Romans 8:9).
But with one very special addition, that the disciples hadn’t experienced in their time with Jesus, because the Spirit would not only live “with” them, verse 17, but “in” them too. But what difference would that make?…(more on this tomorrow)
Buck To Basics 