One

We, created physical beings. Do we not long to see God? Have we not wished for God to just come down and hug us, because we hurt so much, long for him so much. So we celebrate Jesus, the God-in-flesh, the “radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature” (Heb. 1:3). Perhaps Jesus not only gives us a picture of the Father in flesh, but the Spirit as well. For they are One, are they not? The Gospel of John testifies to this as well. Most pointedly in the section of his gospel that we anachronistically call 14:16 when Jesus describes the Spirit as “another Helper.” Greek has different words, “another” meaning “the same as” or “another” meaning “different,” and he chooses the word that means same, similar, like. The Spirit is the same as Jesus. But the whole gospel bears it out. I read once that every role of the Spirit in Jesus’s farewell discourse has a parallel in the life of Jesus in the Gospel of John. So I listed it out, and it is (with perhaps the exception of the Spirit being said to dwell in us, which Paul later spells out).

As we ponder this glimpse of the Trinity, what does it mean? What do we feast on from it?

The Spirit:

Given by the Father (14:16)

      Jesus, came from the Father full of grace and truth (1:14)

Be with you forever (14:16)

     Jesus was with us, took on flesh and tabernacled with us (1:14)

Spirit of truth (14:17)

     Jesus, who is the Truth (14:6)

Teach you  (14:26)

      Jesus, the teacher who taught what was God’s (7:16-17)

     

Bear witness about Christ (15:26)

      Jesus bore witness to himself by words and works (5:31, 36), but also revealed the Father (1:18)

Convict the world concerning  sin because they do not believe in Jesus (16:9)

     “This is the one who accuses you: Moses…” (5:45).  Jesus clearly connected sin and unbelief in himself, the one sent from God (ch. 8)

Convict of righteousness because he goes to the Father (16:10)

Jesus clearly pointed to his righteous works, and the unbelievers’ lack of righteousness, slavery to sin and doing the works of their father the devil (ch. 8)

Convict of judgement because the ruler of the world is judged (16:11)

      Jesus revealed the slavery of the devil and brought and will bring judgment (ch. 8; 12:31)

       

Guide you into all truth for he will speak what he hears (16:13)

     “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (8:31-32)

Vineyard in Israel

Declare to you things that are to come (16:13)

      “Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out. . . I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself…. And now I have told you before it takes place, so that when it does take place you may believe” (5:28; 14:3, 29)

Glorify Christ (16:14)

     “Father, the hour has come: glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you. . . . I glorified you on earth” (17:1, 4)

Taking what is Christ’s and declaring them to you (16:14)

     “I do nothing on my own authority, but speak just as the Father taught me” (8:28)

How does it feed us?

See the Love of the Trinity, that we have been invited to. Do you get a glimpse of the love of the Spirit for Jesus, that he takes all that is his and passes it on, that  he glorifies Jesus, points to Jesus? Do you see the love of the Son for the Spirit in giving him his work, in being of the same mind, of passing his teaching to him to make it known?

We know, know the Spirit. He is not a foreign force, but we have seen him in Jesus, and he reveals Jesus to us.

We can trust this God, who is the same in all persons. He is not capricious, he is not different and will not show us a different face.

We can be assured of Jesus’s ongoing work. He was not a brief light that was snuffed out, but he continues to bear light, bring renewal, to heal.

Our Jesus has entrusted us to the Spirit. We are in good hands--for we have seen his hands in Jesus.