John 15 26-27 CPR
SERMON
Pentecost
May 30, 2004
John 15:26–27; 16:4b–11
Other Lessons
Psalm 143, Genesis 11:1–9; Acts 2:37–47
Suggested Hymns LW TLH LBW CW
Come, Holy Ghost, God and Lord 154 224 163 176
O Day Full of Grace 163 (231) 161 (400)
Come, Oh, Come, O Quickening Spirit 165 226 478 181
Fruitful Trees, the Spirit’s Sowing HS98 875
The Holy Spirit at Work in Our World
Theme of the Day: The Spirit of Truth
Goal: That we may be assured that the Holy Spirit is at work in our world through Word and Sacrament to bring people to know their sins and their Savior from sin, Jesus Christ.
Rev. James W. Kalthoff, president, Missouri District LCMS, Chesterfield, Missouri
Liturgical Setting
In the Jewish calendar Pentecost was sometimes called “the Feast of Weeks.” At Passover the firstfruits of the barley harvest were offered. Pentecost means “50 days” and referred to the number of days after the offering of the barley sheaf at the beginning of Passover. Pentecost was observed as a celebration of thanksgiving to mark the completion of the barley harvest.
It seems fitting that this day was chosen by the Lord to bring in the firstfruits of the apostolic harvest, a day in which the Lord added three thousand new converts to his infant church.
Pentecost Sunday is in many ways a great day of the church year. Christmas thrills us with its angelic songs and messages announcing the Savior’s birth. Good Friday has its somber mood as we see the And we also thank God constantly1 for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers.Savior suffering and dying for the sins of the world. Easter bring us the joyful mood once again as we see sin, death, and hell conquered through the resurrection of Christ. And then we have Ascension marked also with joy as we see Jesus exalted to his throne on high. Then Pentecost comes. What the Lord’s Day is to the week, Pentecost is to the church year. God is with us every day, but in a special sense on every Lord’s Day as the Holy Spirit comes to us through Word and Sacrament to bring some to faith and to increase faith in those in whose lives he has already worked. We celebrate with joy the Spirit who has come and who is coming still as he works in our world to bring people in the darkness of sin and death to the light of salvation in Jesus Christ.
Relevant Context
The words of our text were spoken in the context of the Last Supper Jesus would have with his disciples before his betrayal, crucifixion, and death. He had previously announced to them that he would be rejected by men and killed. He also announces on the occasion of this Passover meal that he would soon be going away, but that they could not follow him to the place where he was going (Jn 13:33). The disciples become troubled by his announcement of leaving them. So Jesus takes the opportunity to comfort them by announcing that although he was leaving them and they could not follow, he would be sending another helper to them—“the Counselor, the Holy Spirit” (Jn 14:26). He then speaks of the special work that the Holy Spirit would be doing in and through them; and subsequently the work he would be doing among people of the world until Jesus would come again in glory to judge the living and the dead.
Textual Notes
V 26: oJ paravklhto" is translated as “the Counselor” in the NIV. The Greek word can be translated in various ways: “intercessor,” “consoler,” “comforter,” “advocate,” “helper.” Each word carries a slightly different emphasis. It is a term rich with meaning. The word conveys a dramatic image of one who is summoned to the side of another to give counsel or consolation. The Holy Spirit as “Counselor” stands alongside us to give advice and help; as “Intercessor” to present our needs to the Father; as “Consoler” or “Comforter” to support us in the midst of our grief; as “Advocate” who, like a lawyer, pleads our defense; as “Helper,” one who is present and active for every need we face day-to-day. The Spirit will be one who will stand alongside the disciples to bring them the help they need. He is to; pneu'ma th'" ajlhqeiva", “the Spirit of truth.” There is no falsehood in him; he speaks the truth and will lead the disciples into all truth (Jn 16:13). He ejkporeuvetai, “goes out” or “proceeds from the Father.” His special word of truth will be about Jesus. His main work is to marturhvsei, “testify” or “bear witness,” to Jesus Christ, who he is and what he has done for our sinful human family.
V 27: In addition, the disciples who had been with Jesus “from the beginning,” ajp∆ ajrch'", would marturei'te, “testify” or “bear witness,” to Jesus with the aid and assistance of “the Spirit of truth.” (Excursus: The English word martyr is derived from the Greek word just cited. It has come to mean in our language “one who gives up his or her life for a cause.”) The apostles, with the assistance of the Holy Spirit, would bear “eyewitness” testimony to what they had seen and heard in the ministry of the Messiah. Please note that the Spirit’s work is to bear witness to Jesus, not to himself, nor to the spiritual gifts he would bring.
(Between these verses and the next part of the Gospel appointed, Jesus tells the disciples ahead of time of the persecution they will endure for his name’s sake so that when it happens they would not be offended. The people would give them such persecution because they did not know him or the Father.)
V 4: Up to this point in his ministry, Jesus had not said much about this persecution because they were with him “from the beginning,” and he could comfort and aid them personally whenever they encountered rejection and persecution. When the hJ w{ra, “time” or “hour,” of persecution came, they were to remember that he had, indeed, forewarned them, and they would find added strength in that remembrance.
V 5: Jesus emphasizes once again that he would be uJpavgw, “going,” pro;" to;n pevmyantav, “to the one having sent him,” but none of the disciples was asking the obvious question: “Where are you going?” Actually, Peter had asked the question earlier (see Jn 13:36). This appears to be a contradiction in Jesus’ remark. The solution probably lies in this, that Peter’s former question was an indirect way of asking, “What is going to happen to me and the others?” Also in that particular context Jesus was talking about “going to the cross” and ultimately to his “glory” (see Jn 13:31–38).
V 6: Because of his announcement of “going away,” the disciples were filled with luvph, “grief,” “sorrow,” “sadness.” This was a natural response toward Jesus, whom they loved. They had relished the close fellowship they had with Jesus for the past three years.
V 7: Jesus insists that grief is improper and cheers his disciples with the word that it was sumfevrei, or “expedient” for them, “for their good,” that he should go away. The coming of the Counselor was dependent upon Jesus going away. Having gone away, Jesus would send the Counselor to his disciples. In the absence of Jesus (that is, in the sense of not seeing him in a visible, physical sense), another presence would be with them—the Counselor, whom Jesus would send to the disciples and to all future disciples.
Vv 8–11: Jesus proceeds to tell what the work of the Counselor would be. His three important tasks would be (1) to ejlevgxei, “convict” or “reprove,” the kovsmon, “world,” of aJmartiva, “sin,” the world “missing the mark” of the perfection God demands in his Law. Because of his convicting power, the Holy Spirit will lead people to see their sins, which apart from his work through preaching the Law they could never see or acknowledge because of their blind unbelief. He will convict the world of dikaiosuvnh, “righteousness,” the righteousness that is imputed to those who believe in Jesus (Rom 1:17; 3:21–22). The natural religion of man is that righteousness comes by keeping the Law. Only by the power of the Spirit can they discern that righteousness is theirs as a free gift of God’s grace and that it is not dependent upon good works. The Spirit will convict the world of krivsi", “judgment.” Jesus’ explanation indicates that he was speaking of the final justice that would fall upon oJ a[rcwn tou' kovsmou touvtou, “the ruler of this world,” Satan, the “old evil foe” who brought sin and death and hell into the world. Satan was totally defeated by the life, vicarious death, and glorious resurrection of Jesus.
Sermon Outline
Introduction: Sometime ago I was watching a television program that featured a famous sculptor at work. He took a damp lump of clay in his hands, placed it on a round wooden block that spun as he worked the clay. It didn’t take long for that ugly, gray mass to be shaped into a beautiful vase. He then poured a glaze substance over it and placed it in a heated furnace. Then there was a commercial break. A few minutes later, I watched him take the vase out. It was graceful and shiny and solid, ready for use in one’s home. The sculptor’s work brought forth a beautiful piece of art to serve a useful purpose—to supply beauty to the eye and to hold an array of flowers for enjoyment.
Today is Pentecost. This is the day we celebrate the work of God’s Holy Spirit, who comes into our lives like a master sculptor and fashions us poor, lost sinners into the people of God—people with a wonderful purpose to fulfill in this life!
The Spirit Comes to Do His Work!
What is that work?
I. He comes to testify about Jesus (vv 25–26).
A. He is the bearer of the truth about Jesus. The Good News about Jesus, who he is and what he has done for us, always remains our central focus.
B. He brings this truth about Jesus into our hearts, so that by the Spirit’s power we trust in him as our Savior.
C. He aids us to bear witness to him in our world. “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witness in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8).
II. He comes to guide Christ’s disciples (vv 4b–7).
A. Up to this point Jesus had been the counselor to his disciples.
B. Now he would be leaving them to return to the Father.
C. He would not leave them as orphans, but would send the Spirit.
D. Pentecost is a reminder to Christians that we have the Holy Spirit to aid us in our Christian walk and life. The Spirit is given as a gift in our Baptism. “Repent and be baptized, every one of you . . . for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call” (Acts 2:38–39).
E. He comes not as he did on the first disciples and apostles, but through the read, spoken, or preached Word, and through the Sacraments (Rom 10:17; Titus 3:5).
F. He works through the means of grace to comfort us with the assurance that our sins are forgiven for Christ’s sake (Lk 24:47).
G. He works through the means of grace to increase our faith, our hope, and our love for our brothers and sisters in Christ, and for all people in this world (Rom 10:17; 1 Thess 2:13).
III. He comes to convict all people (v 8) . . .
A. In regard to their sin and guilt (v 9). This happens as the Law is preached. Through the preaching of the Law we come to know and are convicted by our sins (Rom 3:20).
B. In regard to their need for Christ’s righteousness (v 10). All of man’s righteousness is “as filthy rags” in God’s sight. To stand before our holy God, we need a perfect righteousness. That has been provided for us. God imputes the righteousness of Christ to all those who trust the Gospel (2 Cor 5:21; Rom 4:5).
C. In regard to the defeat of Satan brought about by the life, death, and resurrection of Christ (v 11). Luther: “Though devils all the world should fill, All eager to devour us, We tremble not, we fear no ill, They shall not overpow’r us. This world’s prince may still Scowl fierce as he will, He can harm us none, He’s judged; the deed is done; One little word can fell him” (LW 298:3).
Conclusion: The Spirit is still very much at work in our world. Sometimes we become discouraged because we think we don’t see sufficient evidence of his witness to Jesus, his encouragement to his present-day disciples, or his convicting power. Yet, if we were to widen our focus to include the whole world, we will see the Spirit being poured out in abundance on people of every tribe and nation and language. He continues to come into the lives of the lost as God’s Word is preached in truth and purity, and as the Sacraments are administered. He is working even now in you who believe. He comes even now, not with the sound of a mighty rushing wind or flashing, cloven tongues of fire, but with the soft-spoken words of this liturgy, in the blessed bestowal of the absolution following confession, in the words of a humble pastor, in the sound of water poured out over the candidate for Baptism, in the bread and the wine of the Holy Supper.
Yes, he comes—the Holy Counselor, the Spirit of Truth—and he will continue to come to us day by day in this same way.
CHILDREN’S
MESSAGE
Pentecost
May 30, 2004
VISUALS
2 glass jars, one filled with unpopped corn and the other with popped corn
Rev. James W. Kalthoff, president, Missouri District LCMS, Chesterfield, Missouri
The Holy Helper
John 15:26–27, 16:4b–11
Summary: God the Holy Spirit brings us to faith in Jesus and helps us to live as God’s dear children.
Good morning, children. This is a special day in the church—like Christmas and Easter. It’s called Pentecost! Do you remember whose birthday we celebrated at Christmas? Wait for answers. What happened to Jesus on Easter? Wait for responses. Well, today on Pentecost we celebrate that God the Holy Spirit, whom I like to call the Holy Helper, came to do his special work of helping us believe in God the Father and in his Son, Jesus.
Show jars of popcorn. In this hand I have a jar of popcorn, and in my other hand I have another jar of popcorn. How are they different? Wait for answers. What made the popcorn change? When we add heat to the hard kernel of corn, it’ll pop—fluff out—and become a good snack to nourish our bodies. The heat makes the change.
When we’re born, we’re like the unpopped corn. We have hearts that are hard because of sin. We think and do bad things. Our sin put us out of favor with God. But God changed this because he loves us. He sent his Son, Jesus, into this world to die on the cross for our sins. But without the work of God the Holy Spirit, the Holy Helper, we can’t believe in Jesus and receive the forgiveness of sins that he won for us when he died and rose again. Without the work of the Holy Helper we’d remain like this unpopped corn—hardened in our sin.
So God the Holy Helper was sent by Jesus from God the Father to change our hard hearts—to give us the gift of faith and to help us put away our sins and live for Jesus. Like heat changes the popcorn into something different, so the Holy Spirit in the waters of Baptism changes us into people who trust in Jesus and who want to live according to God’s will. See, that’s why I like to call him the Holy Helper. He helps us believe. He continues to come to us and change us as we read and study God’s Word, the Bible. And during our lives he’ll continue working in our hearts to strengthen our faith and to help us live as God’s children.