I Believe --- God The Holy Spirit --- Inside & Outside
I Believe --- The Apostles' Creed • Sermon • Submitted
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God The Holy Spirit --- Inside and Outside
John 14:15-27
“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever—”
John 14:16
We have been spending a last few weeks looking at the Apostles’ Creed. We have learned that the early church used this creed as a teaching tool and a baptismal confession. We have learned that the creed is trinitarian in form. It teaches us about God--the creator and sustainer of all things. It teaches us about Jesus Christ, God’s one and only Son who came to earth, suffered and died, then ascended to heaven where He sits at the right hand of God the Father to intercede for us. There have been some deep, theological concepts about Jesus that were wrapped up in just a few lines: incarnation, crucifixion, resurrection, ascension, and judgement let alone the second coming!
Join me as we read the Apostles’ Creed.
The Apostles’ Creed
1. I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth;
2. and in Jesus Christ, His only (begotten) Son, our Lord;
3. who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary,
4. suffered under Pontius Pilate; was crucified, dead and buried;
He descended into hell;
5. the third day he rose again from the dead;
6. He ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty;
7. from thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead.
8. I believe in the Holy Ghost,
9. the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints,
10. the forgiveness of sins,
11. the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen
Just a quick note on Line 6: He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. Okay—to sit at someone’s, anyone’s right hand, used to be an honor. It was a sign that the person on the host’s right had special honors. God the Father has bestowed the highest place of honor upon Jesus—who sits at God’s RIGHT hand.
Line 7: from thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead:
Many of you have asked me this very question, “What does it mean when we say ‘quick’?” I’m happy to report that it’s just another word that was used for LIVING! The “quick” and the dead means the living and the dead; and, in the Creed, we declare that, in time, Jesus will judge us all-- the living and the dead. We know that Jesus is full of “grace and truth” and that Jesus is light and in Him is no darkness. I believe this means that we can trust that we will be judged with grace and truth. To me, it is joy to trust that there is someone who knows us and understands us completely who will judge us with grace and truth.
Last week we looked at why the ascension is important. We learned that the ascension was important for two reasons. First, the ascension is important because it tells us that Jesus’ earthly ministry was completed, that Jesus has gone to be with God the Father to begin His heavenly ministry of interceding for us. (What a powerful thought. Jesus ascended into heaven and now prays for us. Listen to Webster’s definition for “intercede”: to intervene between parties with a view to reconcile differences. Mediate. Can I get a huge AMEN on that? Jesus is intervening between God the Father and you and me so that we—God the Father and you and me—can reconcile our differences?!) Second, the ascension is important because Jesus’ earthly ministry has now been delegated, given, to us.
When Jesus ascended into Heaven, His message and ministry was delegated to us. We are called to do what Jesus did! Wow! How does that make you feel? How do we do the same thing that Jesus did?
Let us turn to Gospel of John and see what Jesus told His disciples.
Let us pray … “Come, Holy Spirit, fill our hearts and minds. Empower us with Your Holy Boldness. Inspire us to go out and sow seeds of faith. Amen.”
Now we will read from the book of John 14:15-27. Dare I share that in Leonardo da Vinci’s painting of THE LAST SUPPER---John is supposedly the one to Jesus’ right hand! Just something to mull around in your mind right now!
“If you love me, you will obey what I command. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. 21 Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him. Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, “But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?” 23 Jesus replied, “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 24 He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me. 25 “All this I have spoken while still with you. 26 But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.[i]
The Person of the Holy Spirit
In Genesis 1:2 we read; “Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.” In Luke 1:35 we read; “The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.” The Spirit also came to Samson and he demonstrated miraculous strength. The Spirit enabled Joseph to interpret puzzling dreams and to withstand the hostility of his brothers and Potiphar’s wife’s sensual temptations while in Egypt. The prophets declared the Spirit as righteousness and felt the Spirit within them. The Spirit enabled David to conquer one crisis after another. The Spirit of God devastated Saul of Tarsus as he went to persecute the believer’s and later cleansed and commissioned Paul to proclaim the gospel. Jesus was sustained by the Holy Spirit in the wilderness and when Jesus came to His hometown of Nazareth He declared: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach”—which is Isaiah 61 and Luke 2.
The language of the Apostles’ creed reminds us that the work of the Holy Spirit is not finished. The same Spirit was brooding over creation and Mary is also brooding over you and me. The same Spirit that filled Samson, Joseph, David, Rahab, Ruth, Boaz and all the men and women of the Bible is the same Spirit that fills us yet today. The Spirit of God is currently brooding over you and me and wants to create in us a community formed in the image of Jesus. Stop and think about that for a minute. The God who created the universe and all the galaxies wants to create in you and me His very own image.
In verse 15 Jesus had just spoken of the disciples’ love for Him and here reveals His love for them. Jesus wants them to be like Him. He will “ask the Father.” What a powerful word picture of Jesus as the intercessory, the One who stands in our place, and speaks to the Father on our behalf. Could this be why the ascension was necessary? So that Jesus can mediate for us? Jesus can reconcile our differences.
The Greek word for “Comforter—also Advocate or Helper” is ‘παράκλητος [parakletos /par·ak·lay·tos/]. It is a Greek word that has many meanings and is very difficult to translate into in English; it cannot be exhausted by any one word in our language. Literally it means “one who is called alongside to help,” and has the connotation of a helper, comforter, exhorter, intercessor, encourager, and advocate. The “parakletos” is someone who is called in to help. The Greeks used this word in a wide variety of ways. The “parakeltos” might be a person called in to give witness in a court of law in someone’s favor. The “parakletos” might be an advocate called in to plead the cause of someone under a charge for a serious penalty. The “parakletos” might be an expert called in to give advice in a difficult situation. The “parakletos” might be called in to encourage a person or a group of people in their work, school, family or military world. For the Greek culture, the “parakletos” was always called in for one reason: to help!
Stop and think of what Jesus is saying for minute --- “I will ask the Father and he will give you another ‘parakletos.’” Jesus is saying that the Father will send someone, not something, but someone who is now called to comfort you, help you, encourage you, give advice to you, plead your cause, protect, convict and strengthen you. Many times this word “Parakletos” is translated “comforter” and the word “comforter” comes from the Latin word “fortis” which means “brave.” The “Comforter” is someone who will encourage you and help you to be brave.
SO WHAT?
I want to share a real-life example of how God uses the HOLY SPIRIT in our lives today. About a year ago, Jac and I were testing from our second chelation. We were to test and then wait a month for the results and then go see our doctor for the results. I was super positive. I just knew we were going to get good numbers! On the other hand, I remember the day that Jac looked at me—it was in September—before we saw our doctor and had no idea what our numbers were, and she said, “Dave, you’re going to think this is weird but I’ve been hearing something kind of strange. I think it’s the Holy Spirit because it just keeps coming to my heart and mind. I know that my word for this year is FLOURISH but I’m supposed to pick my new word for 2019 right now.” Her word for 2019 was BRAVE. She even called her friend and asked her to make her a bracelet that spelled BRAVE. And…she started wearing that bracelet—in September of 2018! Fast forward to our October doctor visit where our doctor shared with us that we both needed another chelation cycle. Jac was at 8 and I was at 6—we need to be at 2 or less. The doctor explained why we can’t stay where we are and that she’d give us until the new year to do our chelation. I have to tell you, I was really bummed. As we drove home, I decided that the holidays were too close and that I’d do my chelation during Lent and Easter. Jac is usually pretty hands off when it comes to medicine, the doctor, and chelation. I fully expected her to say she’d join me in February. Imagine my surprise when she showed me her BRAVE bracelet and said, “I’m going to call the doctor and start as soon as I can.” She had it all figured out—she’d be done the second week in January and we’d start our trip to see her parents in Florida. “BRAVE, Dave, I’m telling you—Flourish is over…and my new word is already here.”
Listen, what I want to tell you is that THAT was the parakletos stepping in…to encourage Jac to be brave!
This is what I want you to hear: sometimes our best-laid ideas, plans, and dreams…get put on a back burner…and the Holy Spirit gives us an alternate plan with the wisdom that we needed all along.
Your “SO WHAT?” for this week is to find some quiet time. And lay all your plans—for this week, for the month, for the new school year—for work—for your family—for vacation…for whatever it is that you have plans for…and pray. Maybe you’re going to get a thumbs up…go for it! Maybe you’re going to get a change of plans.
BRAVE is not a word that usually comes to mind for Jac. At least it didn’t used to be. Jac decided that the Holy Spirit had an acronym for BRAVE: be radiant and valiant everyday. When Jac and I drove across the USA to go visit her parents this past January, Jac was really sick. I seriously think she slept the entire way there—except for frequent requests to stop at the rest stops. After we got back in the car, I’d ask her how she was. With her eyes already half-closed, she’d point to her bracelet and not say a word. BRAVE.
Jesus has told us the glorious truth: HE WENT AWAY IN ORDER THAT The Advocate, the Parakletos, the Comfortor, the Helper, the ONE who makes you BRAVE—will come alongside each one of us and will teach us everything we need to know.
The Apostles’ Creed
12. I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth;
13. and in Jesus Christ, His only (begotten) Son, our Lord;
14. who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary,
15. suffered under Pontius Pilate; was crucified, dead and buried;
He descended into hell;
16. the third day he rose again from the dead;
17. He ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty;
18. from thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead.
19. I believe in the Holy Ghost,
20. the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints,
21. the forgiveness of sins,
22. the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen
The Seed Christian Fellowship
Rancho Cucamonga, California 91701
www.theseedchristianfellowship.com
July 21, 2019
Pastor Dave Peters
[i] The Holy Bible: New International Version. (1984). (Jn 14:15–27). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.