Jesus was preparing His disciples for His return to heaven after His death and resurrection. He had been their Teacher. After His ascension He would still be their Teacher, but in a different way — through “the Helper, the Holy Spirit.”
Exactly how is it that the Spirit teaches us all things? That doesn’t happen by our mystically sitting in some kind of trance or transcendental meditation waiting for a direct revelation from God. No, the Spirit does His work through the “Means of Grace,” the Word of God and the Sacraments. Through those means He first creates faith, and then by daily contrition and repentance He keeps the believer’s heart a fit dwelling place for the Father and the Son.
Every so often the charismatic or Pentecostal movement “catches fire” in segments of the church, suggesting that the Spirit of God can come to us directly, apart from God’s Word. It shouldn’t surprise that this happens in a day when people are so into feelings and emotions.
Instead, since it is always and only through the Means of Grace that the Spirit works, Jesus’ disciples love the Word of God, are anxious to go to church, to attend Bible classes, to read their Bibles, to partake of the Sacrament.
Jesus adds that the Spirit will “bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.” Isn’t it so? Can’t we think of times when we have been down or depressed and the Spirit brought to mind some Word of God we memorized or recently heard or read? Or we’ve been sorely tempted, and we recall a Word from our God which helps squelch the temptation. In that way the Spirit day by day goes about His “interior decorating” in our believing hearts.
Come, Holy Ghost, Creator blest, And make our hearts Your place of rest;
Come with Your grace and heav’nly aid. And fill the hearts which You have made.
Teach us to know the Father, Son,
And You, from both, as Three in One
That we Your name may ever bless
And in our lives the truth confess.
(Lutheran Service Book, 499:1, 6) |
