Tony
Scriptures: John 14 Acts 2
“In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” are well known words to many of us in Church worship. They refer to the Trinity. History teaches us that it took much debate over many years to come to understand that the Jewish/Christian God is Three persons in One, ie Trinity. The idea of God the Father was common to all Jews and this passed down to the early Christian converts. In the Council of Nicea in 325 AD the name of the Son was given the same recognition as the Father and only in 380 AD at the Council of Constantinople was the Holy Spirit recognised as equal to them. That is a brief trip through Church History.
In the Bible, Holy Spirit is first referred to in the creation story. (Genesis 1:2). There are other scattered references in the Old Testament, eg. Isaiah 11:2 and 61:1
Moving now to the gospels, Matthew, Mark and Luke are known as the synoptic gospels because they contain so much in common. The first reference to Holy Spirit is found in Matthew 1:18 and Luke 1:35. All three gospels connect Jesus’ baptism by John with the coming of Holy Spirit on Jesus in the form of a dove. (Matthew 3:16, Mark 1:10, Luke 3:22.)
Luke had the most to say about Holy Spirit in his gospel and also in The Acts of the Apostles. Jesus had told His disciples to wait in Jerusalem, and in Acts 2 we read how Holy Spirit descended upon them on the day of Pentecost. It was then that they understood the Spirit Who showed them the meaning of the death of Jesus on the cross, which Peter went on to preach in great power, bringing three thousand new converts in one day.
In John 14:16-17 Jesus introduced the disciples to Holy Spirit when He showed them that the Spirit would come to them to be, as it were, a replacement for Him. Jesus implied that the Spirit is a person, just as He is a person.
In this passage Jesus speaks of “another Counsellor”. The word Jesus used for Counsellor was “parakletos” (Greek) which is difficult to translate into one English word. It is variously given the meaning of Comforter, Counsellor or Advocate, but the word is best rendered as “One who comes alongside.” Jesus had been alongside them, and Holy Spirit would be alongside them in the days ahead.
John 14:16-17 contains much that we need to understand about Holy Spirit:-
1) Holy Spirit would be a gift from the Father
2) Holy Spirit would come upon them (Acts 2), being the result of Jesus’ intersession. The fulfilment of His coming resulted from Jesus taking His place in Heaven. (Acts 2:33)
3) Holy Spirit would never depart from them, but would be with them forever. (Matthew 28:20, Hebrews 13:5).
4) Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth because He comes from the Father who cannot lie. (Hebrews 6:18 and Titus 1:2)
5) The world, ie non-believers, cannot accept Holy Spirit unless they are convicted of sin, convicted of righteousness and convicted of judgement. This is the Theological and Biblical understanding of what we call conversion.
6) Holy Spirit comes to be in our heart.
I would like to conclude by sharing two Scriptures. 2 Corinthians 1:22, “God set His seal of ownership on us and put His Spirit in our hearts as a deposit guaranteeing what is to come. Ephesians 1:13 “Having believed, you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Spirit who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance.”
In New Testament days a letter bearing a seal was from someone important and guaranteed the letter came from the sender. When we are saved, we receive that seal which guarantees that we belong to God through Christ. Never forget this when you are challenged by temptation or despair. YOU are sealed with Holy Spirit.
Prayer: Spirit of the Living God, fall afresh on me today and every day, that I may always walk in the footsteps of Jesus. Amen. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccaFnRYLTok