The Comforter has Come

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The Blessedness of Being Comforted by God

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John 14:15-24

15 If ye love me, keep my commandments. 16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. 18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. 19 Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also. 20 At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you. 21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. 22 Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? 23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. 24 He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me.

For the past many weeks my studies have been focused on the unity of the many doctrines of the Reformed Church. Looking at the confessions, catechism, and creeds and how they declare in simple and singular testimony the commandments of God, Jesus, and the Spirit of Truth.

Within these teaching we find a testiment to the call of salvation found in Christ Jesus alone, through the blood of the everlasting covenant (Heb 13:20-21) which is able to transform fallen sinners and make them useful in the ministry of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, in service to their fellow man, and in accordance with the will of God.

The clarity of these Creeds, Confessions and Catechisms, is found in their unity to the source from which they are drawn the

Holy Living and Powerful Word of God (Heb 4:12-13),

as living water, designed in the providence of Almighty God to lead, teach and sustain his people as spiritual worshipers of the all powerful God who is SPIRIT.

There is one simple Truth at the center of all Scripture- God desires to be worshiped not with money, nor sacrifices, nor tithes, nor the works of the flesh, but as Christ told the Samaritan woman at Jacobs well,

John 4:23-24

23 ... the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. 24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

As we look at vv. 15-24 of John 14 we see the assurance of our Lord Christ’s promises to His Church, summarized in the teaching and confession, which we have just made, from the HC Q53

“What do you believe concerning the Holy Spirit?” and our answer,

First, that he is co-eternal God with the Father and the Son. Second, that He is also given unto me: by true faith makes me a partaker of Christ and all his benefits, comforts me, and shall abide with me forever.

As we look at the words of Christ recorded in John 14, we do not elevate them above other sections of scripture. The doctrinal statements found in these 10 verses are surrounded and attached by a spiritual web of truth, where each thread touched upon, reverberates throughout Scripture, stretching back to the creation account and forward into the promised New Heavens and Earth and eternal bliss.

Particularly we find the repetition in John 13-17 which informs much of writings of of the Epistles of the New Testament.

Indeed, the unity of the the Holy Scriptures teaches us to be watchful for the various ways which God in his infinite mercy has communicated to humanity, by his Holy Word from the foundations of the world (Heb 1:1).

As those who identify as the purchased possession of Christ we look specifically for the clarity, unity and truth, which are found in Scripture, intended to teach doctrine, correct, and instruct in righteousness, for it is Gods word which equips us to face the trials and temptations each new day brings (2 Tim 3:16).

As we focus upon the promise, nature and relationship of the Comforter

the παράκλητον Paraklaton,

Helper,

or Advocate,

as His name is translated from the Greek, we do so in line with the following three points:

He is:

The Spirit is Another Comforter

Christ Jesus is our Comforter

Our Comforter is the Father

The Spirit is Another Comforter (vv.15-17)

15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.

The Lord Jesus declared the great commandment of Love as the highest evidence of being a true disciple of God (John 13:34-35) continues to focus upon love as the evidence of true faith and conversion and the motivation for the actions and manifestation of the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit in the lives of the faithful children which are adopted as joint heirs with and through whom we will abide with forever.

The commandment to Love is an extension of the benefits of being true followers of Christ Jesus, evidence of the true indwelling of the Holy Spirit and the reflection of the love which God himself, in and through Christ and the Holy Spirit manifest toward all His children.

Look at John 13:1

13 Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.

As Christ considered the end of His earthly ministry, His motivation of Love was manifested and recorded for us as the central motivation for all God has and was doing. From Chapter 13 through the end of Christ’s High Priestly Prayer in Chapter 17, Love is used 25 times in 15 verses:

We are commanded to Love (13:34-35; 15:12)

We are Loved by Christ (13:1, 14:21; 15:12)

We are Loved by the Father (14:23; 17:23, 26)

Seeing the message of Love here in the broader context of the Scripture, provides for us a foundation which Christ himself followed,

He says, IF YOU LOVE ME, KEEP MY COMMANDMENTS!

We can look at this as a conditional statement, in terms of IF THEN. But in the Greek, KEEP is a command, an imperative, echoing Ch 13:34-35, and is tied to the demonstrable evidence illustrated in Christ’s life and purpose in serving the will of the Father in LOVE. Ch 17 says beginning at v22

22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: 23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. 24 Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world. 25 O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me. 26 And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.

The if ye love me, is pointing to what will be demonstrable in the lives of those who love Christ, those to whom the Father through His Son has revealed Himself.

This is made clear in vv. 1-24 in the Chapter before us. The questions of the disciples ( Thomas’ questioning of the Way, Phillips questioning to see the Father, and Judas’ questioning of the manifestation of Christ to the disciples) are prompted by Christ declaring His departure from them to return in glory, declaring He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life (vv. 4-7).

16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

Christ here indicates He will pray to the Father for coming of the Comforter.

As Christ declares the Holy Spirit (14:25) Spirit of Truth(14:17; 15:26; 16:13), the Comforter (14:16, 26; 15:26; 16:7) it is the nature of Christ which he declares for the Comforter is as Christ is ANOTHER not a new advocate but one who by living in Christians is the evidence of those who Love God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.

The role of the Comforter is to teach and lead believers to follow the teachings of Christ. Love not being least among them, indeed as the Apostle Paul declares in 1 Cor 13, Love is greatest in unity with Faith and Hope.

The co-eternal nature of the Spirit is confessed beginning at verse 16 where Christ defines himself as a Helper, Advocate or Comforter, when he declares He will Pray that the Father send ANOTHER Comforter who will abide forever with them.

The force of the statement applies the function of the Holy Spirit equally to Christ, and while it is clearly intended to ease the sorrow of the disciples (16:6, 20-22), it is equally intended to declare Christ’s ongoing interaction with them through the Spirit while they remain in the world following His Death, Resurrection and Ascension.

Just a clearly we see that the Comforter is not intended for those who are of the world, because they CANNOT SEE or KNOW HIM

BUT

Christ emphasizes that the disciples do know the Spirit, for he dwells with them adding shall be in you.

That the knowledge of the Spirit of God was understood in Israel is clear from the teachings of the Old Testament. But the unity proposed here by Christ is distinctly defined in the context of Chapters 13-17 in the oneness and unity of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Christ is addressing the manifestation of His own deity, as being one with the Father in vv. John 14:6-7, and here again in addressing the

Spirit of Truth, as known,

dwelling among them,

and shall be in them,

Christ teaches his equality with the Comforter identified as the Holy Spirit in v. 25

This is enhanced in our second point

Christ Jesus Our Comforter (vv. 18-21)

18 I will not leave you comfortless (orphans): I will come to you. 19 Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.

Declaring His intention to continue with the Disciples in and through the Spirit, living in them is difficult to deny from the context. Calvin note Christ addresses the Disciples here by showing the weakness of being comfortless, that is as orphans without a Father to lead, care and love them. Orphans given to the frailty, temptations of the flesh, and incapable of governing themselves, indeed powerless, but he adds:

“having promised a remedy, he gives them good encouragement; for he declares that he will never leave them. When he says, I will come to you, he shows in what manner he dwells in his people, and in what manner he fills all things. It is, by the power of his Spirit; and hence it is evident, that the grace of the Spirit is a striking proof of his Divinity.

John Calvin and William Pringle, Commentary on the Gospel according to John, vol. 2 (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2010), 94.”

20 At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you. 21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.

Our fist impression to the words “at that day” might be Pentecost when the outpouring of the Holy Spirit came upon the Disciples as never before and continued to be evidenced and taught as indwelling all Christians since.

This is certainly one acceptable view shared by many commentators, but the additional context, of v. 21, extends this non specific day to any who demonstrate the regenerative power of the Spirit within them through Love of the Son and Father as evidenced by the keeping of the commandments of Christ. Again there is a strong emphasis upon love- from Christ as the Son, and the Father, but also the manifestation of Christ himself to them.

So the immediate context to the Disciples was the message not to them singularly but to all in whom the Spirit would make His dwelling place. This is made most clear in the continued emphasis in Chapters 15 and 16 and Christ makes it explicitly clear in John 17:20-23

Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.

Christ as our Comforter, is demonstrated in all of the Benefits which are His to impart to all You beloved who are partakers of the Spirit of Christ which dwells in you.

The unity of the God head is reflected in the unity of the Church, and in and among each of you who Love Christ, Love and Father and to whom Christ through His Spirit has revealed (or made himself manifest) Him. While we do not often celebrate the Spirit by Name, we do recognize and reverence the manifestation of Christ as our Great comforter and advocate as John teaches us in 1 John 2:1-5, and which are a clear summary of the words he receive here from Christ to teach to the world.

My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.

From these encouragements we easily turn to our third and final point.

Our Comforter is the Father (vv. 22-24)

22 Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? 23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. 24 He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me.

Christ here in answering Judas the Son of James question provides us with the only recorded record of Judas, not Iscariot, interactions with the Lord.

As to why this interaction is recorded the commentator speculate, everything from an apparent misinterpretation of what Christ has said to a failure to comprehend this latter statement in light of others, such as Christ being the Savior of the World.

Perhaps the simplicity of the words in relating a deep revelation of a personal and spiritual relationship between the Father, Son and Spirit with any individual man or group, eluded not only Judas, but the others as well. This would explain the repetition so evident in Chapters 13-17.

Christ responds with a focus again sharply focuses on LOVE as the evidence of those to whom and in whom He will make his abode. Here Christ add to the preceeding account of the Spirit of Truth, and His coming to Christians, the Father.

Those walking in the Spirit with Christ are not only Loved of the Father, but also Christ and the Father will come and make their abode with them.

Here the word for abode (μονὴν monan) is the same word of Mansion in v. 2. Returning to the promise of an inheritance from the Father beyond material blessings.

The theme of Love being the common thread unifying the promise of many mansions, points not only to inheritance in the kingdom of heaven, but being the recipients of the many benefits of being the dwelling place of the Holy and Divine God of the universe.

We can see the words of comfort pointing to the unity of the Kingdom of God in His Church on the earth leading into the future, for the benefit of having the presence of the Father and the Son dwelling in You is an inescapable comfort, for it is the fullness of Christ’s request in His petition for the Church in Chapter 17 which is He loves without measure.

Hendricksen says of this indwelling:

“This presence is very real. Its operation can be felt. The Spirit will convict of sin, lead to daily repentance, impart assurance of salvation, bestow the peace of God that passes all understanding, admonish, comfort; all of this in connection with the Word. It is in that way that Christ has promised to manifest himself to the disciples, but not to the world”

Application:

The Application and implications of these truths reach broadly into the lives of every confessing Christian.

To recognize the Holy Spirit as an intellectual concept, requires no love, no commitment to Christ, nothing more than brain power and human reason.

To twist the doctrine of the Holy Spirit into a so called powerhouse of gibberish speaking, faith healing, money naming, wealth proclaiming, falsehoods, requires nothing more than a fallen sin nature combined with a willingness to deceive, lie, steal and cheat.

To recognize the Eternal third person of the Trinity, God the Holy Spirit, requires hearing the Call of God’s Word, the regenerative power of the Spirit,

To declare the Holy Spirit to be co-eternal with the Father and the son, requires the love of God the Father, Christ the only begotten Son of the Father, and the Spirit of Truth, which manifest a love, hunger and thirst for the Living Word of God.

It is the Love for the Commandments of God, His Holy Word which the Spirit of God uses to direct the response of the fallen human hearts and nature to begin to walk contrary to the fleshly body of death and corruption, and to embrace, extend and give of ones self, in love to God first and then to the our Church family, those of the house hold of faith, and to our enemies.

As the Apostle Paul declares to us in Romans 5:8

God commended his love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.

So as you rejoice in the knowledge of God the Father, Christ the Son and the Comforter who lives in YOU, challenge yourself to LOVE as you have and are BEING loved even now.

Remember when you sin,

God’s love is the evidence He is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins and cleanse us of all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).

Then when you consider and encounter those in the world,

neighbor,

enemies, or politicians:

even the worst which humanity has to offer,

Act in accordance with the Spirit of Truth which lives in you,

in meekness when you are able,

in hope of a future which will remove all sin, suffering and death,

and in visible practice of LOVE which will demonstrate to the most hardened heart the Comforter Has Come, and resides in YOU, guiding, directing, correcting and leading you into all truth.