For sermons and additional resources, visit STBARTS.COM.AU

TRUTH & GLORY: JESUS’ FINAL STORIES FROM JOHN’S GOSPEL(WEEK 5/14: TRUE SPIRIT)

SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION QUESTIONS CONNECT: How can we encourage one another to worship Jesus as King each week?

WARM-UP Questions 1. What does our culture normally understand by ‘spirits’ or ‘spiritual’? 2. In contrast to these ideas, what is distinctive about how Christians understand the Holy Spirit?

Read John 14:16-20 3. What is Jesus’ promise to the disciples as he leaves? How will he be both gone and with them? 4. What does it mean that they are not to be left as orphans? Why is this also good news for us? 5. In what way does Jesus make it clear that they will receive this gift because of their connection with

him? How is that also true for us? 6. How is it significant to you that God has given us his Spirit? How is that important in your life as you

seek to follow Jesus?

Read John 14:21-26 7. What does Jesus say is the means by which we express our love for him? Can you think of some of

Jesus’ key teachings that we are therefore meant to follow? 8. How challenging do you think it is to obey Jesus’ teaching? What do you find most challenging? 9. What does it mean to love as Jesus loved? How does the Holy Spirit help us with this? Why must we

rely on the Holy Spirit to help us with this?! 10. Re-read verses 23 and 24. What does this mean when we get things wrong? Why can we still find

grace amidst our imperfection? 11. In what way have you experienced the Holy Spirit helping you to know God and follow Jesus?

Read John 14:27-28 12. What type of peace does the world ‘offer’? How does the peace of God differ from that? 13. Is there anything in your life that need God’s peace right now? What is that? (Share only if you feel

comfortable doing so of course.) 14. How can we grow in working with the Spirit at work in our lives?

APPLY (to this week): How can you be more attentive to the Holy Spirit at work and alive in you?

PRAY: Gracious God, we thank you for the amazing gift of your Holy Spirit. We thank you that you have not left us as orphans but dwell in us as we trust in your Son. Please help us to be more attentive to your Spirit alive in us, helping us to shaped in the likeness of Jesus. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

For sermons and additional resources, visit STBARTS.COM.AU

TRUTH & GLORY: JESUS’ FINAL STORIES FROM JOHN’S GOSPEL(WEEK 5/14: TRUE SPIRIT)

GOING DEEPER RESOURCES & SUGGESTIONS Potential Next Steps NEXT STEP IN PRAYER: Ask God to shape your heart according to his will, in the power of the Spirit.

For Families • A helpful video to watch with your children (but for adults, too!)

https://thebibleproject.com/videos/holy-spirit/

Talks & Audio • ‘Another Helper: He will be with you’ by Phillip Jensen

http://phillipjensen.com/audio/another-helper-to-be-with-you/ • ‘He will teach you all things’ by Phillip Jenson

http://phillipjensen.com/audio/he-will-teach-you-all-things/ • ‘Who is the Holy Spirit’ by A.W Tozer

https://resources.thegospelcoalition.org/library/who-is-the-holy-spirit-en • ‘John 13-14’ by Peter Adam https://www.smbc.edu.au/resources/bibletalks/john-13-14 • ‘The Gospel of John (John 14:15-15:8)’ by Adam Mabry

https://subsplash.com/aletheia/media/mi/+fef3d25 • ‘Connecting the word and the Spirit’ http://www.st-helens.org.uk/resources/media-

library/src/talk/51770/title/connecting-the-word-and-the-spirit

Video & Music • Overview of John Chapters 13-21

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUfh_wOsauk

Helpful Books (for the Series) • “John For Everyone” Part 2 by N T Wright. Available at:

https://www.bookdepository.com/John-for-Everyone-Part-2-N-T-Wright/9780664227906?ref=grid-view&qid=1517643407417&sr=1-2

• Remember: you will be able to download a free study guide (starts February 14): https://stbarts.com.au/blog/truthandglory

Talk 5/14 (JOHN’S GOSPEL:

TRUTH & GLORY): 04/03/2018 “True SPIRIT”

by the Rev’d Zoë Browne

Bible Passage: John 14:15-31

Today we come to the fifth sermon in our series on the truth and glory of Jesus, focussing on the second half of John’s Gospel. • Over the first four weeks the meaning of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection has

become more and more clear, as we have seen that TRUE LIFE is found in Jesus; Jesus is the TRUE KING; what it means to be TRUE DISCIPLES of Jesus; and most recently, that TRUE HEAVEN is found through Jesus.

• Jesus has made clear to his disciples in the first half of Chapter 14 that he is leaving to go and prepare a room for them in his Father’s house.

• He has spoken of the present, that he must depart from this world,

• and also of the future, the hope of the end times that is waiting for followers of Jesus in heaven.

What we see today is that Jesus now prepares the disciples for the interim; for the time in between the present and the future. Some people refer to this time as the ‘post-Easter age’. • He acknowledges that there is an ‘in-between’, the time between his departure from

the earth and the reunion in heaven • Jesus knows that his disciples will need help and support for this in-between time,

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• so, he promises them the gift of the Spirit.

People today often talk about ‘spirits’: by which they mean some disembodied being wafting about, or just being a really spiritual person, or having some sort of spiritual experience. • But when Jesus speaks about the Spirit,

• he speaks not of a presence, or a concept, or an idea,

• but a PERSON - just like the Father and the Son, who is God.

• This is God’s Spirit, this is the Holy Spirit.

And when it comes to the Holy Spirit, Jesus teaches us three things:

• firstly, the PROVISION of the Spirit: the Spirit is a gift from Jesus, and is one with Jesus and the Father;

• secondly, the PURPOSE of the Spirit: the Spirit is sent to help Jesus’ followers keep his commands;

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• and thirdly, the PEACE of the Spirit: the Spirit brings the peace of God to Jesus’ followers.

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#1 PROVISION: The Spirit is a Gift \\ VERSES 16-20

So firstly, the PROVISION of the Spirit: He is a gift. You’ll recall from last week in the first half of the chapeter, Jesus makes it clear that he is going to prepare a place for his disciples with the Father.

“And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.” (vv.3-4)

He promises that he will come back, but we do not know when.

So he offers his disciples something truly amazing; he says he will ask his Father for another advocate to support them and be with them - the Spirit of truth.

“and I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth.” (vv.16-17a)

• As the disciples wrestle with Jesus’ going, they might be thinking that this promise for an advocate sounds alright,

• but they might be tempted to think that this is only second-best… !5

• Often, in competitions there will be a major prize, and then a second place consolation.

• The downside to the consolation prize is that it is never anywhere near as good as the first prize.

• It would be easy to assume that what Jesus is offering here to his disciples is the half-rate second place prize of the Spirit.

• But the Holy Spirit is no mere second place offering! • The Spirit:

• is a gift from God, not something that is earned;

• will serve as an advocate and helper in the post-Easter age, the same way Jesus did before Easter; and

• will remain with Jesus’ followers forever.

• The Spirit is amazing!

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Look with me at verse 16. Jesus says that he will ask the Father for the Spirit, and he assures the disciples that God will give them another advocate, or helper.

• in the original language the word ‘advocate’ often referred to a legal adviser or helper, someone who could guide and lead a person in need.

• this is what the Spirit will do, as we see later on in the passage, he will teach and remind Jesus’ disciples how to follow him.

• the disciples have not asked Jesus for the Spirit. They were still too focussed on why Jesus was leaving!

• Yet, Jesus still offers them the provision of the Spirit from God the Father.

The gift of the Spirit has nothing to do with how good the disciples are, or how ‘spiritual’ they seem,

• rather, it’s completely reliant on their connection with Jesus.

• Because they trust in Jesus, he gives them his Spirit.

• And the same is true for us today.

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• There are no first class and second class Christians,

• but all who trust in Jesus as their Lord and Saviour, have too received the gift of the Holy Spirit

• The provision of the Spirit is not something that we have earned,

• but it is a guide, a help, that comes from God, as a gift to us.

• The Spirit, who is one with Father and the Son, and IS God, is sent by God to continue the work of Christ in the post-Easter age.

• Just as Jesus and the Father are two distinct persons, so the Holy Spirit is as well.

• This is the great belief of Christianity

• that we believe in One God in three persons, the Trinity.

• So not only does the Spirit come as a gift to be our advocate and helper, but he remains with us forever.

• Let’s look at verses 18 - 20.

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“I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but

you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realise that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.” (vv.18-20)

The third component to the provision of the Spirit is that he will be with Jesus’ disciples

• not for just a little while,

• but forever! • It would be quite fair to assume that some of the disciples felt short-changed;

• after only three short years, Jesus was leaving.

• but as we see here, Jesus promises not to leave his disciples orphaned. • When Jesus speaks about ‘on that day’, he is making reference to the day of his second

coming, the end times.

• He promises to be with his disciples, with us, now and forevermore. • BUT HOW?

• Through the Spirit, who is with us FOREVER.

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• While Jesus may no longer live on earth, he uses a direct parallel in v.17, saying that

• “You know him; He (the Spirit) lives with you and will be in you”, • In v.18, he draws upon the same image, to say that at the end of times

• “You will see me; because I (Jesus) live, you will live” • There is no limit of time to the Spirit’s presence to Jesus’ followers.

• Because Jesus lives now and forevermore,

• those who follow him will receive the indwelling of the Spirit now and forevermore.

The gift of the Spirit is not only from God; he is not only an advocate; but the Spirit is with us from now until Jesus returns.

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#2 PURPOSE: The Spirit comes to help us \\ VERSES 21-26

Second, the Spirit has been gifted from the Father with a PURPOSE: the Spirit comes to help us. Let’s look at verses 23-26.

Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will

come to them and make our home with them. Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching.

These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me. “All this I have spoken

while still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will

teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you”. (vv.23-26)

Jesus has already told his disciples in v.16 why he will send the Spirit,

• to be with them and to help them forever.

But as we look at what it means to be a follower of Jesus, we are reminded that it is both simple and challenging:

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• simple, because it asks of us simply to believe in Jesus and to love one another, • but also deeply challenging, because it asks us to do this with our whole lives.

In John’s Gospel, Jesus only ever gives his disciples one command: • ‘to love one another as I have loved you’.

Now surely for a Jewish person in Jesus’ day, or for any of us now, this is a refreshing idea: • All I’ve got to do is love like Jesus! • Fulfilled are the laws of the Old Testament, fulfilled are all the rules and obligations.

But as Adam spoke about last week, faith in Jesus is not simply a place, or a goal, it is trust in God through the Lord Jesus Christ. • This means seeking to follow him with our whole lives,

that God might be made known through both our words and our works. • This means that to love one another as Jesus loves us is not about giving gifts, or

speaking kindly, !12

• but it is about giving of ourselves, our whole selves, to serve God, by loving each other and pointing people back to God’s Good News in Christ.

But this is so challenging! After all Jesus says:

• in v.23 - either you love me, and you obey my teaching; OR,

• in v.24 - you don’t love me, and you don’t obey my teaching. • Does that mean that there is no room for getting it wrong? Of course not!

We’re imperfect people seeking to follow Jesus.

• Now it is really important to point out here that the idea of this passage is not that we, as believers, initiate a loving relationship with God.

• Scripture makes it clear that the initiative in the relationship between God and his followers comes from God.

• But the amazing news is that as we seek to follow Jesus, as we seek to show our love for him with our lives, he helps us by coming to dwell in us!

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And this is where the Spirit’s purpose is made fully known:

• the Spirit has been sent to help us, to teach us,

• to remind us to love each other as Jesus loved us. • He doesn’t leave us with an impossible task to be perfect,

But, rather, he asks us in HIS strength, by HIS Spirit, to pursue the command to love.

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#3 PEACE: The Spirit brings us peace \\ VERSES 27-28

And finally, the Spirit has been gifted from Jesus so to bring us PEACE.

The disciples are already troubled, the road ahead is going to be full of bumps and challenges.

But because God will still be with them, because he’s given the gift of the Holy Spirit, because they can know the peace that passes all understanding, it makes every sense when we realise that God is the source.

Let’s look at verse 27:

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. (v.27)

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In this passage, the word peace, or ‘shalom’, is a common greeting or farewell for Jews. • But in the second half of the verse, Jesus says not just ‘peace’, but ‘my peace’. • There are all sorts of things in our world today that offer us peace,

• however, they all fail to satisfy.

• Here, Jesus brings his peace, the peace of God, through his death and resurrection to his disciples

• As he says ‘I do not give to you as the world gives’. • He’s saying that because the peace that he is bringing is so much better! So much

more powerful!

• it does not fail to satisfy,

• it is the perfect peace of God that is being offered. • This peace can be grasped, not because life is guaranteed to be a breeze, • but because it’s through Jesus that we find certainty and hope; the peace of God in

our lives today that passes all understanding.

• Jesus left his followers in troubled times, !16

• but he knew that they need not be troubled;

• and he knows that we need not be troubled either.

Friends, this is the most incredible news. • God loves us so much, and wants so much for us to be in relationship with him, • that not only has he:

• sent his Son to die and rise for us, but he’s also

• sent his Spirit, so that we are not left alone as orphans as we await his return. • Through the gift of God’s Spirit, we can:

• be equipped with a helper and guide for the mission God has given us, and

• we can know God’s presence throughout the whole of our lives. • In the power of the Spirit, we have an understanding of the truest sense of peace,

• the perfect peace of God, which passes all understanding.

God desires to come and dwell with every single person. All we need to do to receive that gift, is to trust in his Son.

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