Pentecost Sunday John 14:16-17

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1 Pentecost Sunday John 14:16-17 Introduction Last week we rejoiced in the good news that Jesus has ascended into heaven and sat down upon the very throne of God. But if you really think about it, Christ s ascension could also result in a great deal of sadness and sorrow, and I would suggest even distress and anguish. Before His crucifixion, Jesus gave what has come to be called His Farewell Discourse (John 13-16). It was in this discourse that Jesus told His disciples that He was about to leave them because He was going to the Father. Jesus gave His disciples many parting reminders, and final instructions, and exhortations. But I think we can imagine how the disciples must have been feeling as they listened. John 16:5 6 I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you. But now I am going to him who sent me, and none of you asks me, Where are you going? But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. Why were their hearts filled with sorrow? Because Jesus was going to leave them! What were they going to do? How would they possibly manage? There were so many things to remember. There was still so much to learn and understand. There were so many threats, and roadblocks, and obstacles in their way. And not least of all, the disciples themselves were still so weak, and inadequate, and sinful, and flawed. The truth is that Jesus was their lifeline literally. He was always there. They ve come to depend upon Jesus for everything. He is their teacher, He is their counselor, He is their guide, He is their helper, He is the one who has supported them and sustained them through all the work of proclaiming the kingdom, and He has been their constant friend and companion. But now they find themselves in disbelief, listening to His farewell discourse. He is going to leave them. And so their hearts are filled with sorrow. What will the disciples do without Jesus? And what about the assembly that Jesus has promised to build? What about all of the people who have yet to hear about Jesus, the Messiah? How can the new community of the Messiah survive and grow if Jesus Himself is to be taken away from them? The disciples hearts are filled with sorrow, and I think we can imagine, too, with fear and trepidation. They fear being left vulnerable, and helpless. They fear being left alone. Can you imagine how overwhelming this thought must have been? Maybe we can. Maybe we ourselves have felt this way at times? Maybe in our own Christian journey we have felt powerless against sin, helpless to accomplish a kingdom task, vulnerable to Satan s attacks, lacking in understanding of God s truth, lacking in the wisdom to know God s will, and in general, just alone. But even as Jesus was saying farewell to His disciples, He was also assuring them that there would be a remedy for all of their sorrow. Even after He had gone away and departed, the disciples would never have any reason to feel alone. Looking ahead to when He had ascended to the Father, Jesus promised: I. John 14:16 I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever. 1

2 Another Helper. But if there is to be another Helper, then who was the first Helper? Well, of course, that s Jesus! So when Jesus goes away, He will ask the Father, and He will give the disciples another Helper. Not Jesus, but a Helper of the same kind as Jesus. This is the meaning of another! A Helper who will be just like Jesus, and who will fill the very same role in the disciple s lives that Jesus Himself had filled when He was here on earth! But can you imagine another Helper who could take the place of Jesus when He has gone away? Can you imagine another Helper who could be for the disciples all that Jesus had been for the disciples when He was with them in the flesh? How could that even be possible? Who could He be? And how would He come? The Greek word for Helper is Parakletos from which we get the word Paraclete. We find this word in the Bible only five times, but it was a very common word in the Greek world of Jesus day. In the Greek world, a paraclete was basically an advocate for a defendant when he was standing trial. And we re not just talking about the professional lawyers of today. A defendant could have any number of paracletes, and these paracletes (or advocates) could range anywhere from professional defense lawyers to his own family members and friends. So in our world, a paraclete might include not only the lawyers for the defense, but also the witnesses for the defense. Basically, a paraclete was anyone who came to advocate for the cause of the accused. Now Jesus certainly would have had this background and meaning of the word in His mind, but we re going to see that in His own use of the word, the meaning is not quite so narrow. Kletos means to call, and para means alongside, so parakletos means one called alongside. A paraclete is one who has been summoned to one s aid. A paraclete is one who advocates for his friend who takes up his cause, and works tirelessly on his behalf. It s true that outside of the Bible paracletes are usually found only in the courtroom (cf. 1 John 2:1), but when Jesus uses this word, He seems to be thinking more broadly of one who comes alongside his friend and advocates for his friend in all different manner of circumstances (not just in the courtroom). So you see that we really have no English equivalent for Jesus use of the Greek word paraclete. Advocate would be a good word, accept for the fact that it seems to limit the meaning to the courtroom. Helper is more broad and general, but it seems to lack some of the strength of meaning in the word advocate. And the words advocate and helper don t necessarily convey a true sense of companionship and friendship. The fact that there is no English equivalent for Jesus use of the Greek word paraclete (parakletos) should tell us what a rich and wonderful word this really is! A paraclete was exactly what Jesus had been for His disciples! He was their advocate, He was their helper, He was their teacher, He was their counselor, He was their protector, and in all of these things He was their friend! Jesus said: John 15:15 No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends. What would the disciples do when their Paraclete had gone away into heaven? Well, Jesus knew that they could not survive on their own, and by themselves. Jesus knew that they would be overwhelmed with sorrow and fear. And so Jesus promised that He would ask the Father, and that the Father would give them another Paraclete, to be with them forever. The disciples would not be left alone. When Jesus had left the disciples, another would come to be with them, and to 2

3 be and do for them all that Jesus Himself had been and done for them when He walked with them in the flesh! What an amazing, and comforting, and encouraging, and happy thought! And then to realize that Jesus promised this advocate, and helper, and companion, and friend not just to the first disciples, but to all of us! Jesus said, to be with you forever in other words, he will never leave you, even to the end of the age! So then, who will this paraclete be? Jesus said to His disciples: I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever II. John 14:17a even the Spirit of truth O brothers and sisters, what a strength, and encouragement, and comfort this should be to our souls! The Holy Spirit is our Paraclete who has been sent from the Father at Jesus own request to be with us forever and to be for us all that Jesus Himself was for His disciples when He walked with them in the flesh! Let us remember here that the Holy Spirit is no less personal than the Father and the Son! Sometimes we may think of the Holy Spirit simply as a power or a force, but this is not at all true. Jesus said that the Father would send another paraclete another of the same kind as Jesus! Indeed, a paraclete, to be truly a paraclete, can only be a person. Jesus said that He would send this paraclete to be with His disciples, and the comfort here in Jesus words is nothing less than true fellowship and companionship! You know Him, Jesus says, for He dwells with you. Jesus has not left us alone. Far from it! He has blessed us with the most intimate fellowship and companionship of the Holy Spirit who is our advocate, and our helper, and our friend! Jesus calls the Holy Spirit here the Spirit of truth. Now it was only in verse six that Jesus said to Thomas: John 14:6 I am the way, and the truth, and the life. So if Jesus is the truth, how will the Holy Spirit be to the disciples the Spirit of truth? What will the relationship be between the first paraclete and the second paraclete, between Jesus and the Holy Spirit? Well, to answer this question, all we have to do is look at the three remaining passages where Jesus speaks about the paraclete who will come to the disciples after He Himself has gone away. John 14:26 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 have said to you. John 15:26 But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me. John 16:7 11 Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. Cf. John 16:12 15 I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. 3

4 Do we see now that the Holy Spirit is not simply a replacement for Jesus? The Holy Spirit has come not so that He might give us new teaching, and additional truth, but rather so that He might take us by the hand and lead us into the truth that Jesus lived and spoke when he was here on earth! The Holy Spirit did this in a special and unique way when He inspired the New Testament authors to write down and to explain the truth about Jesus Christ, and now He also does this for us as we come to this truth in the Scriptures! The Holy Spirit reminds us, and teaches us, and illumines our understanding, and bears witness about Jesus. The Holy Spirit takes us by the hand and leads us into the truth that Jesus lived and spoke when he was here on earth the truth that has now been deposited in the Holy Scriptures. Let s think about some of the ways that the Holy Spirit does this. Romans 8:16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God. The Holy Spirit stands beside us to assure us and testify to us that we are truly, and indeed God s children. This is according to the promise of Jesus that all who believe in Him are given the right to be called sons of God (cf. Jn. 1:12). Acts 9:31 The church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was being built up. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it multiplied. The Holy Spirit stands beside us and with us to comfort us and encourage us in the truth, and especially in all the promises of God which have their yes in Christ Jesus (cf. 2 Cor. 1:20). Philippians 3:3 For we worship by the Spirit of God. The Holy Spirit stands beside us to help us, and enable us, and empower us in our worship of God that our worship might truly be an acceptable sacrifice in His sight. Ephesians 6:18 (cf. Jude 20) praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. The Holy Spirit stands beside us and with us to empower and enable our prayers, that we might truly pray as Jesus taught us to pray (Mat. 6:9-13). Romans 8:26 The Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. 2 Thessalonians 2:13 (cf. 1 Pet. 1:2) But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth. The Holy Spirit stands beside us and with us to defend us against the attacks of the evil one, to convict us of our sin, and to empower us and spur us on in the pursuit of holiness and Christlikeness. 4

5 Acts 1:8 You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. The Holy Spirit stands beside us and with us to enable and empower our witness to the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the good news of the Kingdom. Acts 4:31 And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness. Mark 13:11 And when they bring you to trial and deliver you over, do not be anxious beforehand what you are to say, but say whatever is given you in that hour, for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit. Romans 5:5 Hope does not put us to shame, because God s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. The Holy Spirit stands beside us and with us in intimate fellowship and companionship so that through Him the love of God might be poured into our hearts. And the list could go on, and on, and on, and on! What would we do without the Holy Spirit? He is truly our lifeline. He is always there even when we are oblivious and unaware. We depend upon Him for everything. He teaches us, He counsels us, He protects and defends us, He guides us, and He stands beside us and with us as our ever-present advocate, and helper, and friend. He is truly another paraclete who is for us all that Jesus was for His disciples when He walked with them in the flesh. But if the disciples now know who this Paraclete will be, they may not yet fully understand how He will come to them. Jesus said to His disciples: I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth III. John 14:17b whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you. In John, to receive, and to see, and to know are all very much experiential and relational words. One commentator writes: The world is quite unaware of the Spirit s activities. Therefore it does not know him. It enters into no personal relations with him (Morris). And the cause of this is simply the world s unbelief and the absence of true faith. Just as the eyes are the organ of physical sight, so in John s Gospel faith is the organ of spiritual sight. Calvin summarizes like this: The Holy Spirit is known only by the experience of faith. But if the world cannot receive the Holy Spirit because it neither sees him nor knows him, this will not at all be true of Jesus disciples! You know him, Jesus says, for He dwells with you and will be in you. We know him, for He dwells with us and is in us! Lenski says it so beautifully: What it means to know the Spirit is thus made perfectly clear. One who is ever at our side to guide, help, teach, and bless us with the Word, One who is actually in our very hearts to mold our minds and our wills with his Word, him we cannot help but know with deepest intimacy. Every bit of faith, love, obedience, every holy motion, delight in God 5

6 Conclusion and his Word, its promises, comfort, etc., is both a mark of the Spirit s presence in us and of our [experiential] knowledge of who and what he really is. Last week, one paraclete left us and went away into heaven to reign as our King. Today, on Pentecost Sunday, another paraclete comes to dwell with us, and be in us forever even the Spirit of truth! So as followers of Jesus who has left our earth and ascended far away into heaven, we have no reason for gloom, or sorrow, or fear, or despair because Jesus has not left us alone! We have not been left by ourselves. Instead, Jesus has blessed us with the intimate fellowship and companionship of the Holy Spirit who is our constant advocate, and helper, and teacher, and counselor, and protector, and defender, and our friend! The Holy Spirit is our paraclete, who is for us all that Jesus Himself was for His disciples when He walked with them in the flesh. So do not be sorrowful, or afraid, or downcast. Be comforted. Know that the Holy Spirit is standing by you and with you to be God s advocate for you every step of the way. And knowing this, let us be more careful to depend on the Helper that we have been given. Paul exhorts us: Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God but be filled with the Spirit (Eph. 4:30; 5:18). The world cannot receive the Holy Spirit, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But we know him, for as our Paraclete He dwells with us and is in us forever. 6