While it was clear from Jesus' conversation with his disciples that he was going to be leaving, it was also very clear that he didn't want them to think they were on their own.
And neither should we.
We have this life in Christ, and we are doing this ministry of Church for the sake of God's Kingdom...but, we are not doing it alone. In fact, when we attempt to do anything for God in the energy of our own flesh, we're bound to fail. That's why the words that Jesus said to his disciples that last night are so crucial for us to hear again.
John 14:16-29 (NASB)
16 "I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever;
17 that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you.
18 "I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.
19 "After a little while the world will no longer see Me, but you will see Me; because I live, you will live also.
20 "In that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you.
21 "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."
22 Judas (not Iscariot) *said to Him, "Lord, what then has happened that You are going to disclose Yourself to us and not to the world?"
23 Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him.
24 "He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father's who sent Me.
25 "These things I have spoken to you while abiding with you.
26 "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.
27 "Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.
28 "You heard that I said to you, 'I go away, and I will come to you.' If you loved Me, you would have rejoiced because I go to the Father, for the Father is greater than I.
29 "Now I have told you before it happens, so that when it happens, you may believe.
This is the source of success in our Christ-lives - the Holy Spirit.
Jesus, the Son and the Holy Spirit...not two Gods, but part of the God-head of Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The mystery is that they are inseparable , but different. They exist as one, yet are each true in their own being.
The Spirit of Truth...The Helper...He abides in you and will be with you...
"I will not leave you...I will come to you."
"The Helper, the Holy Spirit, the Father will send from me...will teach you..."
"My peace I give..rejoice because I go to the Father..."
These are all words of divine wisdom. God has given to us everything we need to do what we will do for the sake of his Kingdom, and we won't be alone in doing it.
Just think: The Father has given to each of us the greatness of His own being, his Holy Spirit to direct us and teach us how to live.
9 "Now I have told you before it happens, so that when it happens, you may believe.
I always end these blogs with the word "Peace". Jesus said, "Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.
These word are crucial for us to hear. Jesus is preparing a place for us...He gives us His Spirit, and he promises to be with us...we will be with him. It is the tension of NOW and THEN.
NOW, we are at work in the world for the sake of his Kingdom. We have power from God to draw from, we are not alone.
THEN, we will be with him.
What more can God do to give us this sense of hope, of security for what we are called to do?
What is the helper, the Spirit like? He is like Jesus. It makes perfect sense for Jesus to say it to us:
Peace
Friday, 23 March 2012
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