Untitled Sermon (2)

Unlocking the Power of the Holy Spirit in Your Life

John 14:15–26 HCSB

“If you love Me, you will keep My commands. And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Counselor to be with you forever. He is the Spirit of truth. The world is unable to receive Him because it doesn’t see Him or know Him. But you do know Him, because He remains with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I am coming to you. “In a little while the world will see Me no longer, but you will see Me. Because I live, you will live too. In that day you will know that I am in My Father, you are in Me, and I am in you. The one who has My commands and keeps them is the one who loves Me. And the one who loves Me will be loved by My Father. I also will love him and will reveal Myself to him.” Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, “Lord, how is it You’re going to reveal Yourself to us and not to the world?” Jesus answered, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word. My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. The one who doesn’t love Me will not keep My words. The word that you hear is not Mine but is from the Father who sent Me. “I have spoken these things to you while I remain with you. But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit —the Father will send Him in My name—will teach you all things and remind you of everything I have told you.

What do people expect to happen? Do they anticipate ‘feeling’ differently when they understand they are ‘filled’ with the Holy Spirit? Do they anticipate some sort of ecstatic, out-of-body experience? Do people anticipate being able to handle snakes? Does the presence of the Holy Spirit cause people to roll down the aisle, dance uncontrollably, swing from chandeliers? Does the Spirit make Himself known by women refusing to wear make-up, only wearing skirts, dresses and men having an urge to wear a shirt and tie every Sunday?

1. The Holy Spirit is the Father’s gift to continue the presence of Jesus and Himself in our lives

. The Greeks had two words that could be translated ‘another.’ One simply means something different from the other. This music stand is another stand like the pulpit which I stand behind. They are not the same.

The other Greek word translated ‘another’ means, one identical to the other.’

‘Paraclete,’ or ‘Comforter.' The Greek word

…is related to a verb which means “to encourage” or “to exhort”; so it is possible that a Paraclete is one who encourages or exhorts. The word is found in legal contexts: a Paraclete may be a legal advisor or counselor, or perhaps on occasion a prosecuting attorney.[1]

[1] Carson, D. A. (1988). The Farewell Discourse and Final Prayer of Jesus: An Exposition of John 14–17 (p. 51). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House.

“But you do know Him, because He remains with you and will be in you.” (John 14:17, HCSB)

First, we know the Spirit because we know Jesus.

Next, the Holy Spirit ‘remains’ with us. There is an interesting play on words in the original Greek.

““In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if not, I would have told you. I am going away to prepare a place for you.” (John 14:2, HCSB).

, “He is the Spirit of truth. The world is unable to receive Him because it doesn’t see Him or know Him. But you do know Him, because He remains with you and will be in you.” (John 14:17, HCSB).

“Jesus answered, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word. My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.” (John 14:23, HCSB)

Notice the progression:

-Jesus is going to prepare a place for us, the Holy Spirit comes and makes His place with us; and as we love and obey Jesus, He and the Father make their ‘home’ with us.

2. As the Spirit of truth takes up residence in us He grounds our lives in God’s truth.

The concept of truth in John’s gospel encompasses several aspects:

(1) truthfulness as opposed to falsehood: “to speak the truth” means to make a true rather than false statement, that is, to represent the facts as they actually are (cf. 8:40, 45, 46; 16:7; “to witness to the truth”: 5:33; 18:37)

(2) truth in its finality as compared to previous, preliminary expressions: this is its eschatologicaldimension (cf. esp. 1:17: “the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ”)

(3) truth is an identifiable body of knowledge with actual propositional content (e.g., 8:32: “you will know the truth”; 16:13: “he will guide you into all truth”)

(4) truth as a sphere of operation, such as in sanctification (17:17, 19)

(5) truth as relational fidelity (1:17; 14:6).[1]

[1] Köstenberger, A. J. (2009). A Theology of John’s Gospel and Letters: The Word, the Christ, the Son of God (pp. 397–398). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

3. It is the indwelling Spirit who distinguishes us from the world

Americans' membership in houses of worship continued to decline last year, dropping below 50% for the first time in Gallup's eight-decade trend. In 2020, 47% of Americans said they belonged to a church, synagogue or mosque, down from 50% in 2018 and 70% in 1999.[1

[1] https://news.gallup.com/poll/341963/church-membership-falls-below-majority-first-time.aspx, accessed on 4/16/21.

Paul, a prolific writer and church planter in the first century reminded believers in Corinth of this very truth: “In their case, the god of this age has blinded the minds of the unbelievers so they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” (2 Corinthians 4:4, HCSB).

regeneration is the answer to the corruption of moral character caused by sin. It is essential for participation in the kingdom of God (John 3:3). At conversion, God grants the believer new life and a new identity in Christ. This event is so powerful that John refers to it as a new birth, a birth “from above” (John 3:3), while Paul refers to it as a “new creation” (2 Cor 5:17). In either case, the change is brought about by the Holy Spirit, who comes to indwell the believer. Those born of the Spirit receive not an extension of mortal life but eternal life, a life which has the quality of God’s own.[1]

[1] Colijn, B. B. (2018). Regeneration. In M. Ward, J. Parks, B. Ellis, & T. Hains (Eds.), Lexham Survey of Theology. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.