Saturday, May 14, 2005
John 16:7 If I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.
THE GIFT OF THE SPIRIT
It is hard to say goodbye to loved ones, whether merely separated by hundreds of miles or separated by death. We can certainly understand why when Jesus told His disciples that He was going away and that they would not be able to go with Him, they were sad. They had walked with Him day and night for 3 years. It had become a way of life. They could not see anything good about His going away.
But if a parent leaves children with the promise that he or she is going away for the purpose of getting them something, that it is necessary that they leave them and go and purchase those gifts. That puts a different slant on things, doesn't it?
When Jesus told his disciples that He was going away, He reminded them that it was necessary for Him to go away in order to send the Holy Spirit with His gifts to them (John 16:5ff):
"But now I go away to Him who sent Me, and none of you asks Me, 'Where are You going?' But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.
"I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you."
So Jesus ascended for our good, to send back a very special gift from heaven, the Holy Spirit. How do we know that the Holy Spirit has come? How can we know He is present and at work? We know He is present, because in the Word of God He glorifies Christ. Whatever and whoever does not glorify Christ, but rather rejects Him, the same can not be said to have the Holy Spirit. The many things that Jesus wanted to say to His disciples then have been said and recorded for us in Holy Scripture by the Holy Spirit.
It is for this very reason that we pray that God the Holy Spirit Would bless our study of the Word of God, and impart to us true understanding.
Jesus ascended to send us a gift, the gift of the Holy Spirit.
