February 27, 2021
John 14:25-26, ““These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. 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.”
Here Jesus presents a new aspect to the Holy Spirit who would descend on every believer: he introduces the Helper as a teacher. The Holy Spirit will bring to remembrance all the things that Jesus has taught them, and even cause them to grow in their knowledge of God. It’s important to remember at this point that in the history of redemption, the Holy Spirit has never operated as an indwelling of God on an individual believer, not in any normative way, though we certainly see the Spirit at work in the Old Testament. This would have been a shocking notion to the new Christians. Before the time of Christ, God spoke to his people through prophets (Heb. 1), and the prophet communicated all the instructions for their lives; they were to follow those instructions, offer worship to the Lord in truth, and to abide by God-given principles in daily living. But to have God inside you, always present and guiding, would have felt like an absurdity.
Our union with Christ presents us with an entirely new paradigm for living: that God directs us and empowers the life of those who follow him. We take this for granted all the time, but need to be overwhelmed by this certainty that God is with you always (Matthew 28). And we can look forward to continual growth in the Lord through the power of the Spirit.
Prayer: Holy Spirit, guide me - direct me - teach me - and comfort me. And Spirit, do not allow me to take for granted your presence and rely on my own wisdom. Show me in my heart where I am weak and idolatrous and help me to daily rely on you. Equip me for service, Lord, that I might walk in your ways and pursue those things that you love. Amen.
40 Days of Joy: Sometimes epic snowball fights erupt out of nowhere. These are delightful displays of human beings enjoying God’s world; if you have occasion, get yourself in a big snowball fight. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXPl2qXkqxw
