Sermon Tone Analysis

Question 36

What do we believe about the Holy Spirit?

That he is God, coeternal with the Father and the Son, and that God grants him irrevocably to all who believe.

Rarely does a Christian struggle to think of God as Father.

And to envision God as Son is not a problem for many.

These personal names come easily to us because our lives and relationships are inescapably intertwined with fathers and sons here on earth.

But God as Holy Spirit is often a different matter.

Sam Storm writes:

How different this is from what we actually read in Scripture.

There we see that the Spirit is not third in rank in the Godhead but is coequal and coeternal with the Father and Son, sharing with them all the glory and honor due unto our triune God.

The Holy Spirit is not an impersonal power or an ethereal, abstract energy.

The Spirit is personal in every sense of the term.

He has a mind and thinks (Isa.

11:2; Rom.

8:27).

He is capable of experiencing deep affections and feelings (Rom.

8:26; 15:30).

The Spirit has a will and makes choices regarding what is best for God’s people and what will most glorify the Son (Acts 16:7; 1 Cor.

2:11).

We see even more of the Spirit’s personality when he is described as being grieved when we sin (Eph.

4:30).

The Spirit, no less so than the Father and the Son, enters into a vibrant and intimate relationship with all whom he indwells (2 Cor.

13:14).

The Spirit talks (Mark 13:11; Rev. 2:7), testifies (John 15:26; 16:13) encourages (Acts 9:31), strengthens (Eph.

3:16), and teaches us, especially in times of spiritual emergency (Luke 12:12).

That the Spirit is personal is seen in that he can be lied to (Acts 5:3), insulted (Heb.

10:29), and even blasphemed (Matt.

12:31–32).

We are going to study John 14 tonight, but leading up to the passage we will study, a little background to the context of timing in regards to the crucifixion we talked about this morning.

Chapter 12 - The Triumphal Entry (Monday)

Chapter 13 - The Feast of the Passover (Thursday)

The disciples were arguing on who was the most important

Christ washed their feet to teach them true importance

Chapters 14-17 - Take place all Thursday evening through Friday morning, the day of the crucifixion

Following the first 14 verses of this chapter, and Christ’s call for his disciples to believe Him, Jesus gives the great promise of another Comforter.

Soon He would give His life a ransom for many, and soon thereafter He would ascend back to the Father, but not before He assured them of the Master Plan.

Christ was going to be leaving, but the Holy Spirit was coming in His place.

READ JOHN 14:15-31

Following Philips question in v. 8 to see the Father, Jesus explains clearly what Philip and the other followers of Christ could anticipate:

1.

The Practice of the Changed (v.

15)

Those who genuinely love Him, will genuinely obey Him.

2. The Promise of a Comforter (v.

16)

A. Equal in Nature (v.

16a)

ἄλλος - allos – “another of the same kind.”

When Jesus would no longer be with the disciples physically, the Holy Spirit would be their constant companion to guide, help, and empower them for the tasks ahead.

B. Enduring Forever (v.

16b)

The Holy Spirit would not be leaving them.

Back in March we did a three week study on the Holy Spirit and learned that there is a difference in the temporary anointing of the HS in the OT and the permanent indwelling found within the NT.

The promised comforter will never leave the believer.

3. The Presence of the Comforter (vv.

17-31)

A. The Reality of His Presence (v.

17)

1.) Some Won’t Receive Him, Because of Doubt (v.

17a)

2.) Some Will Receive Him, Because of Faith (v.

17b)

Unlike other kinds of power, we do not harness God’s spiritual power: we yield to it in faith.

B. The Reason for His Presence (vv.

18-26)

1.)

So We Won’t Be Alone (vv.

18-21)

COMFORTLESS - really means orphaned

2.) So We Can Live Out His Will (vv.

22-24)

3.) So We May Learn His Way (vv.

25-26)

C. The Reassurance of His Peace (vv.

27-31)

1.) Peace, So We Won’t Fear (v.

27)

2.) Peace, So We May Believe (vv.

28-29)

3.) Peace, So We May Obey (vv.

30-31)

Regardless of what was coming in less than 24 hours, Christ set the example of obedience.

As believers in Christ and beneficiaries of God’s abiding presence in us, we would do well to consider the words of Thomas Torrance, who reminds us that

“the Spirit is not just something divine or something akin to God emanating from him, not some sort of action at a distance or some kind of gift detachable from himself, for in the Holy Spirit God acts directly upon us himself, and in giving us his Holy Spirit God gives us nothing less than himself.”

Conclusion:

What is the Christian life about?

The same purpose of Creation.

A RELATIONSHIP!

Is the promise of His presence and His peace that passes understanding a reality in your life?

Have you ever come to the realization that Christ is Who He said He Is, and placed your faith in Him?