“26 But when the Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor—Counselor, Strengthener, Standby) comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of Truth who comes from the Father, He will testify and bear witness about Me. 27 But you will testify also and be My witnesses, because you have been with Me from the beginning”
John 15:26-27
After speaking of the hostility of the world to his followers without mincing any words, Jesus prepares them to fight their spiritual battles. He assures them that even when they go through the darkest days of their lives, the light of the Holy Spirit will shine through, strengthen them and enable them to endure the hatred and evil in the world. What is it that the Holy Spirit can do that they cannot do? By the power of the Holy Spirit the testimony of the disciples will not only work in their own hearts but also convict the hearts of those who hear their message.
For the past three years the disciples lived and worked with Jesus on his ministry on earth. Jesus, by choosing them, and through his teaching and miracles gives them an exclusive opportunity to be eyewitnesses to his historical Godly life. As the time draws near for his departure back to God the Father, Jesus reveals to his disciples a wondrous truth. The Holy Spirit previously was present selectively and temporarily within the prophets of old and a few other saintly people. Jesus now speaks of sending the comforter and advocate who will be come directly from God the Father. He says he will send the Holy Spirit who intimately knows God the Father. The witness of the Holy Spirit in their hearts and minds is to experience the witness of the God the Father.
The wisdom that comes from the Holy Spirit is unmatched. The Holy Spirit will teach and guide them to be a witness to the life of Jesus Christ and spread the gospel message of his redeeming love. The Holy Spirit will counsel them in two dimensions of their lives, their heart and mind. The Holy Spirit will encourage them to continue their mission in times of persecution. Further, the Holy Spirit will exhort them to not be discouraged, and will strengthen their hearts to face the hatred and evil in the world and direct their vision to spreading the gospel message all over the world. Paul says in Colossians 3:1-2, “Set your mind on things above.”
David’s life is a great example to understand how to build faith in God in times of jealousy and hatred,. When David is pursued by the anointed King of Israel, Saul (his father-in-law), and much later his own son, Absalom, both of whom he does not in any way want to harm physically, he surrenders his life at the mercy of God knowing that God’s great purposes will prevail. David learns to trust God for protection in the darkest hours of his life. In the Psalms David sings, “Lord, You are a shield around me, my glory, the one who lifts my head.(Psalm 3:3)” David was a man of prayer and his Songs in the Psalms have been a source of strength from the times of the Apostles to generations of faithful Christians down through the centuries. Like David the disciples learn to trust in the working of the Holy Spirit to counsel and lead them.
Even today the Spirit of Truth speaks to us about Jesus as He did to the disciples. As we read the Bible and pray, the Holy Spirit continues to teach and guide us to be witnesses to the life of Jesus Christ and the gospel message of saving love. We learn through prayer, meditation, and fellowship to share our gifts and talents. The gifts of the Spirit St. Paul refers to as Charisma is to be, Loving, Forgiving, Encouraging, Giving, and Serving (Romans 12:1-10). These are gifts that can be cultivated within us as we experience the outpouring of the Spirt of Christ in our lives. We are called to live Spirit Filled lives, to be the Salt and Light to the world. We are to live our lives in such a way that we can be living witness of the grace and love of God that springs from our lives through the working of Holy Spirit to flood the earth with peace and goodwill to everybody on earth.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, Thank you for calling the Apostles to follow your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Grant that by following their lives and witness we may, through the working of the Holy Spirit in our lives, bring those who are lost home to your fold. Amen
2 comments:
Yeshua left His comfort zone in Heaven with His Father and the Helper, the Holy Spirit and came to live on Earth, as a human being with other humans. He was born into the working class of society. It seems so strange that the Creator of the Universe selected a Carpenter family home as His living space on Earth. His friends consisted of ordinary fisherfolk, a money lender, and others similar. None privileged in society. Showed us how we too can live in any society, in love and harmony. Rarely did He use His Divinity to get through life. But to relieve the sufferings of fellow humans He used His Divine powers. Like the healing of the incurable, feeding the hungry, assuaging the troubled minds etc. But His daily life was a simple life, in the Company of his selected twelve, and a group of women who provided His everyday needs, talking to multitudes of God's goodness and Fatherly affection for each and every human, who were all the loved children of God. Narrations that showed all on how important it was to love God and love fellow humans. The situation became such that the disciples found it virtually impossible to live without His proximity and companionship. Though Yeshua showed Himself as being special and loved of God, the disciples never understood the immensity of God's love for Him, or that He was God's only Son. Their expectations of Him was maximum as an earthly King of Israel who would free them from the bondage to Roman overlords. So one can only imagine the shock they had, when He told them that the time was approaching for Him to leave them on earth and go back to His Father in heaven. But, He reiterated, He would send them a Helper instead. A Helper who would be with them throughout. The Helper would be the Holy Spirit who would show them all things.
Not everyone that calls me Lord, Lord will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, but only those who DO the Will of God. The time was nearing for the disciples to Do the Will of the Father. And the Holy Spirit will guide them how.
How many fellow humans have I assisted? How many hungry people have I shared my plenty with? How many sick and needy have I assisted?
Oh God help me to help and assist the orphan, homeless and the sick who are all around and near me. Thank you God for everything!
Those are wonderful ways of being a witness for Christ. God. It is so great that you have been able to help feed the hungry, the orphan, the homeless and the sick.Thank you !!
Mother Teresa's famous quotation is, "Works of love are works of peace." When we build bridges of love to those in need, we set in motion the flow of streams of peace.
Dear Lord teach us to love you with all our hearts and minds and to love our neighbors as we love ourselves. Amen
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