Jesus is “the way the truth and the life” and has opened the door, torn the curtain, made the way as the Way, and now has given us His Spirit… And the Spirit is joyfully obligated to finish the deal. As the Father and Son and Holy Spirit dance the dance of pleasure and joy, victory and look forward to the wedding feast – when all of this comes together, they cheerfully, joyfully, together, stride with us and in us, for us and through us… (Mk 15:38)
…believe the One who was sent… John 6:29
This is why the work of the kingdom is to believe in the one who was sent. We isolate this to Jesus, but it is not only so. Yes, Jesus was sent and dwelled among us, and we can know God‘s heart and intentions and gracious and gentle and humble way through the One who laid down His glory and walked with us in suffering (Heb 2), and it is in Him, who we are to believe and be saved. But there is another One who has been sent. The Holy spirit. And it is (also) work to believe in this One who is sent. We must work that work, taking time in the quiet, becoming more acquainted with God’s truth, praying quietly as to hear, listen, and learn, we must listen to the voices closely and pray for discernment and insight and wisdom in guidance – to hear and know this One sent, the Spirit of God, in us (1Jn 4:1).
We must trust this truth to be real whether seemingly off in the vague distance or concrete real, the fact is, the Holy Spirit is among us and in us and takes pleasure in being with us and connecting us to the Father, enabling us to harmonize with the Trinity - the Father, Son and Holy Spirit - that our voices, empowered by His voice, join Their voices in that altogether sound. (Rev 5)
The Spirit tells us of the Father’s love, reminds us, keeps us, escorts us, into Abba’s arms
John 7:37-39 - Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. 38Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” 39By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.
John 14:16-17, 26 - And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate to be with you forever - the Spirit of truth. The world cannot receive Him, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. But you do know Him, for He abides with you and will be in you… 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 told you.
John 15:26 - When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father--the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father--He will testify about Me.
John 16:7, 13 - But I tell you the truth, it is for your benefit that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you…. However, when the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth. For He will not speak on His own, but He will speak what He hears, and He will declare to you what is to come.
Acts 1:4; 2:1-4, 33 - And while they were gathered together, He commanded them: "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift the Father promised, which you have heard Me discuss… 1When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues a as the Spirit enabled them… Exalted, then, to the right hand of God, He has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear.
The devotion of God: the Holy Spirit - Go… Matt 28:18-19; Acts 8:26-38
The promise of Jesus to send the Spirit was another proof of God’s devotion, that He could be trusted, and in being trustworthy, would show Himself as being One to whom we could, can, entrust ourselves - eternally and temporally, that is daily, moment to moment.
The coming of the Spirit in Acts 2 reveals to us God’s loving intentions for His children - that Jesus was telling the truth when He said “i will not leave you or forsake you…”, and “I will not leave you as orphans”, and “...my peace I give to you… I do not give as the world gives…”
We must be careful to not be duped into thinking that the Holy Spirit is so mysterious that there is no way to know who He is, what He is doing, or understand His movements. But, in fact, though His movements and ways are mysterious, He desires to be known and heard and followed - and with our cooperation -
● Guides, leads, corrects - Gal 5:1,13,22
● Philip - Acts 8:26-38 - prompted by the Lord, went on a journey, as he went he was led by the Spirit to the side of one with he was to share - God already there working, gives Philip permission to join the work.
● Peter - Acts 10 – entranced in prayer, the Spirit led Peter to Cornelius, where they are waiting - God already there and working
● Paul - Acts 16:6-10 - to the mountains Paul would go if left to His own, but the Spirit would lead him to a place where there some are waiting - God already there and working - with a greater more expansive and inclusive plan in mind: a strategy to reach the world, to expand the kingdom exponentially not linear
Reminds, instructs
● “Abba Father”- Mark 14:36; Romans 8:15; Gal 4:6
● “(you) are a child of God” - Rom 8:12-17
Reveals, provokes - Acts 16:9
● The Spirit will bring up to us
○ Names and faces - of people to remember and for whom to pray
○ Circumstances - we find ourselves in that God is trying to guide in and through and to see the significance our being in - (remembering) that we are His representatives
○ Insight - little clues, hints, metaphors, examples - to help us better understand or gain insight and discernment in His moving and intentions for us in this moment
○ Conformations - affirming us that the promptings we have sensed are from Him
Prays on our behalf - Romans 8:26-27
● Continually advocating and interceding
● Praying for us what we would be cannot, because we know not
Gives us words, will speak for you - so that we need not worry - Mark 13:11
Is faithful even when we are faithless… 2Tim:2-13; 1Cor 1:9: Phil 1:6; 2Thes 3:3; Heb 10:23
