Encountering the Spirit

MESSAGE SUMMARY

If you could live in any time in history, what would it be? If you were hoping to live in a time when you could best know God and follow him then according to Jesus we are actually living in the best time in history. This may surprise you but according to Jesus it is actually better for us that he left so that he could send the Holy Spirit.

Today we will look at who is the Holy Spirit, and how is it better for Jesus to leave and send the Spirit. By listening to Jesus in John 14 and 16 we will see that the Holy Spirit will: 1) Bring God the Father and Jesus to dwell in us, 2) Teach us all things, and 3) Guide us into all truth.

According to Jesus the Holy Spirit will actually bring Jesus and God the Father to us. Jesus says that he is in God the Father. “I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you.” I don’t know if there are many sentences in Scripture that are more beautiful, important, and also confusing than this. Somehow God the Father is in Jesus and Jesus will be in us, how does that work and happen? The church would later describe this relationship as the Trinity – God who is both three and one. By this unique relationship, Jesus and the Father are able to come to us through the Holy Spirit. Wherever the Spirit goes, Jesus can go too. What incredible news!

Second, Jesus says that the Holy Spirit will teach us. This is good news for Jesus’ disciples as the Holy Spirit will continue the work that Jesus did in teaching them the way of Jesus – how to live a life that is consistent with the new life that is given through Jesus. Or in the words of Paul from the letter to the Ephesians, “To live worthy of the calling we’ve received.” The Holy Spirit teaches us to live consistently with the new life and grace that we are given in and through Jesus.

Jesus tells us that the Holy Spirit won’t only teach us about the way of Jesus but will guide us and go with us in that way. Following Jesus isn’t about working harder but about listening to and following the guide. The Holy Spirit will go with us and guide us in this Jesus way. He will fruit to show up on the branches of our lives. He will guide us in our gifts and how to use them in a way that builds up the church and blesses others. Even more we are told that he will guide us into all truth, or to the one in John’s Gospel who is called Truth, namely Jesus. The Spirit wants us to come to know Jesus, and guides us in our relationship with him.

There is no better time in history as through the person of the Holy Spirit we have an opportunity to come to know God in a way that Moses, Abraham, or others could only dream. We can come to know God personally and have his very presence dwell within us. What an incredible gift!