God's Gospel Truths
John 14:15-31
Jesus Promises the Holy Spirit
If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever... the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.
~Jesus,
from John 14:15-31
15 “If you love me, keep my commands. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. 21 Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.”
22 Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, “But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?”
23 Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. 24 Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.
25 “All this I have spoken while still with you. 26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
28 “You heard me say, ‘I am going away and I am coming back to you.’ If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. 29 I have told you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe. 30 I will not say much more to you, for the prince of this world is coming. He has no hold over me, 31 but he comes so that the world may learn that I love the Father and do exactly what my Father has commanded me.
Pondering Point
The Holy Spirit, that Living Water Jesus spoke of in John 7:38, will not only slake your thirst spiritually; He will teach you about things that you could never know otherwise, things about yourself and about those you live with and love and serve among – all in relation to Christ. In one sense, the Holy Spirit has been given once – never to be taken away. In another sense, He gives of Himself daily.
It is not about reading through the bible once or twice to familiarize yourself with some words about Christianity or even Jesus. This is about understanding who Jesus is, His heart, and finding that His Word has power to divide soul from spirit and joints from marrow – day in and day out. Give Him room to work – day in and day out.
Prayer for the Day
Come Holy Spirit. Teach me all things and will remind me of every-thing that Jesus taught the original disciples. Grant it in Jesus’ name for the glory of God our Father. Amen.