Easter IV- John 16:5-15

 The Gospel for this Fourth Sunday after Easter is John 16:5-15. Like some other selections during this season, these verses are from our Lord's Farewell Discourses to the Twelve on the evening of Maundy Thursday. In these discourses, our Lord addresses some of the misunderstandings and worries of the disciples. He is about to go away (first through His Passion and Death, later through His Ascension). He strengthens and encourages His followers by speaking of the Comforter, the Holy Spirit. In John 16:13, Jesus says, "when he, the Spirit of truth is come, he will guide you into all truth..." (KJV). Then in John 16:15, Christ asserts, “All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he [the Holy Spirit] shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.”

The situation of the disciples is changing. Jesus will not be them in the ordinary physical way, but the work of the Holy Spirit will continue Christ’s ministry on earth.  The Holy Spirit is not confined by location, ethnicity, language, or time. The Spirit guides believers into truth. Yet, this truth is not some new message. It is the same eternal truth that has been revealed by God the Father to Israel over the ages. And it is the same truth revealed in the earthly life of Jesus Christ. 

So redemptive truth is Trinitarian. It comes from God the unseen heavenly Father. It has been made known by the divine Word over the ages and finally become incarnate in Jesus. This same eternal truth also works through the Holy Spirit. It will continue to work in the world until the end of history. The Spirit of Truth works in many ways, but chiefly He works through the Scriptures and the sacraments. He works in the church as the community of believers, and He works in the lives of faithful individuals.

Our verses from John 16 proclaim a simple and clear basic point. The work of the Spirit comes from God the Father, and it is consistent with the revelation of Jesus Christ, the eternal Word of God. The work of the Holy Spirit is not a new or separate revelation; it is a series of living applications of the divine truth already revealed, especially revealed in Jesus Christ. This is good news!

Easter IV- John 16:5-15

The traditional Gospel for this Sunday from John 16:5-15 is one of the rich selections from the "Farewell Discourses." Here our Lord seeks to reassure the disciples by speaking of the Comforter, the Holy Spirit. He says, "I tell you that it is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you" (16: 7). A little later, He adds, "when he, the Spirit of truth is come, he will guide you into all truth..." (16: 13).

These verses point to the divine plan for Christ's mission. As Jesus' ordinary physical presence on earth draws to a close, His followers experience some natural human anxiety. They do not really understand much that is about to happen, and they certainly do not want to hear of His leaving. But Christ's death, resurrection, and return to heaven are good for His followers. In heaven, He will intercede for them and prepare a place for them. Furthermore, through a new outpouring of the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, Christ will continue to work among His followers in ways transcending His earthly ministry. The Spirit will guide them into truth. This truth is not some new, secret or unheard of truth, but it is the same truth already manifested in the person of Christ.

The essential point of Jesus' teaching should be clear to Christians. He teaches us that the work of the Holy Spirit must not be separated from the revelation in Jesus Christ, the eternal Word of God. The work of the Spirit among Christians is a series of living applications of the truth already revealed in Christ and His Gospel. So as the Easter season winds down, and we look forward to Ascension and Pentecost, we should appreciate the unity of divine truth. The basic work of redemption in Jesus Christ was a unique time in history, but the same Christ continues to be be present and guide Christians through the work of the Holy Spirit in the Church.

Fourth Sunday after Easter-The Spirit of Truth- John 16: 5-15

The Gospel for Easter IV (St. John 16:5-15) is another in a series of selections from the "Farewell Discourses." The verses for today actually precede the selection for last Sunday. Our Lord addresses the worries of the disciples that He will go away. He says, "I tell you that it is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you" (16: 7). A little later, He adds, "when he, the Spirit of truth is come, he will guide you into all truth..." (16: 13) 

As the time of Christ's ordinary physical presence on earth draws to a close, His disciples are anxious about the change.  Nevertheless, He teaches them that those days had to end, and such a change is both necessary in the divine plan and good for believers. A new chapter in Christ's work was soon to begin through a new outpouring of the Holy Spirit, the Comforter. In this way, Christ continues to work among His followers through the Spirit. The Spirit is a guide into truth; not some new, secret, or unheard-of truth, but the truth already revealed in the person of Jesus Christ. 

Like those first disciples, modern Christians are often uncertain and confused. Sometimes, we still view the days of Christ's earthly ministry with a certain nostalgia. We like to imagine that we would be better disciples if He were still walking among us bodily. We like to imagine that we would have deeper faith, more enthusiastic commitments, and holier life-styles. Of course, in reality, we probably wouldn't be much different. The weaknesses of human nature and the availability of divine grace are still the same.

Another issue is that Christians have often gone to extremes and wild tangents when talking about the Holy Spirit. Such problems existed in apostolic times (for example, in the Corinthian church) and have appeared down through Christian history. Some people tend to ignore the work of the Spirit while others attribute all kinds of strange things to the Spirit.  Extremists get caught up in emotional sensations, in exaggerated or distorted doctrines, or in excuses for unruly and immoral behavior. However, we need to exercise caution. The truth into which the Spirit guides us must always be based on, be an application of, the truth already revealed in the life, teachings, and redeeming work of Jesus Christ. As we look back to Jesus' life, death and resurrection and look forward to Pentecost, we must keep the work of Christ and the work of the Holy Spirit connected. The basic truth was revealed in Christ, and that truth remains valid for all time; now the Holy Spirit keeps guiding us as we apply that truth in each of our lives.

Pentecost 2017

Over the years, I have commented on Pentecost or Whitsun week in a variety of ways. The readings and liturgical resources from the Prayer Book are rich. All remind us of the special work of God the Holy Spirit that began among the disciples fifty days after Christ's Resurrection and ten days after His Ascension. This year, I would like to focus on the work of the Holy Spirit by juxtaposing two contrasting passages from the Gospel of John.

The first verse is John 3:8 -"The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” These words of our Lord stress the mystery and the freedom associated with the work of God the Holy Spirit. It is not tangible and not always predictable. It goes beyond our normal human categories and expectations.

The other passage is John 16:13-14 - "When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you" (ESV). These words of our Lord emphasize the truth and continuity of divine revelation. Although Pentecost marks a new phase in the work of God the Holy Spirit, the Spirit continues the work of God the Son, Jesus Christ. Despite the mystery and sometimes unexpected details, the truth is the same. The Spirit is free but orderly and not chaotic. If we want to understand the Holy Spirit's work in the Church and in our lives, we must always relate it to those things revealed in the life and work of Jesus Christ.

Thus, we Christians need balance in our responses to the work of the Holy Spirit. We need to be open to some new and surprising applications, but we also need to maintain a sense of continuity. There are three divine Persons but only one God and one divine revelation.