Sermon Central
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Never Alone Series
Contributed by Guy Caley on May 8, 2006 (message contributor)
Summary: 8th in the Series "Near to His Heart: The Gospel of John." Looks at the promise of the Holy Spirit, includes a brief mention of the Pentecostal Doctrine of Tongues as initial evidence of Spirit Baptism.
Awhile back my son had a saying that became famous in our house “I’m scared when I’m alone.” My wife and I even would Text message it to one another.
In the passage we read today, Jesus was addressing disciples who were scared because they were about to be alone, but He promised to send Someone, the Holy Spirit so they wouldn’t be alone.
So what does the Holy Spirit come to do?
That’s our topic for this morning. And I want to talk specifically about what he does for those who are followers of Jesus. The Holy Spirit has another role in convincing people of their need for Jesus, but this morning we’ll concentrate on his role in the livese of those who have trusted in Jesus.
First The HS comes to…
Indwell Us
16-17And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever– 17the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.
To a fearful flock contemplating His soon departure, Jesus promises they will not be left alone—He is sending another. In the original language there are two words that translate “another” one that signifies another kind as in “this tool isn’t working give me another” and one that means another of the same kind, as in “Hon, my Diet Pepsi is empty will you get me another.” Here the promise is that though He is going away, Jesus will send another of the same kind. Another helper, counselor, literally another one to come alongside.
But Jesus takes it one step further he not only lives with you but He will be IN you. Dwelling, living inside. The Old testament prophets foretold the coming of Immanuel “God with us” In the Holy Spirit Jesus Promises God Within us.
On one of his Artic expiditions, the great Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen, the first to discover the magnetic meridian of the North Pole, took a homing pigeon with him. When he had finally reached the top of the world, he opened the bird’s cage and set it free. Imagine the delight of Amundsen’s wife, back in Norway, when she looked up from the doorway of her home and saw the pigeon circling in the sky above. No doubt she exclaimed, "He’s alive! My husband is still alive!"
So it was when Jesus ascended. He was gone, but the disciples clung to his promise to send them the Holy Spirit. What joy, then, when the dovelike Holy Spirit descended at Pentecost. The disciples had with them the continual reminder that Jesus was alive and victorious at the right of the Father. This continues to be the Spirit’s message.
All those who have come to the cross to trust that Jesus blood has paid the price of their sin, all those who have received Jesus’ offer of eternal life by trusting in what He has done receive another gift from that very moment, the Holy Spirit dwelling in them.
Though there may be times in our lives we feel lonely, no matter how isolated you are if you belong to Jesus the Holy Spirit, the One who comes alongside is closer than nearby, he has come to indwell us.
And He hasn’t just come to set up house, he comes for practical reasons first of all to..
Instruct Us
v. 26 But the Counselor, 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.
Jesus, repeatedly teaches that the role of the Holy Spirit is to point to Him. Like a well placed floodlight the attention is cast on Jesus. The Holy Spirit teaches us by illuminating the truth about Jesus—particularly as we study the Scripture—the Holy spirit helps you understand and apply as you read, he anoints preachers and teachers of the word.
Notice too that Jesus specifically promises that He will remind us of what Jesus said? No it is to us as well but we then have a responsibility to expose ourselves to it so we may be reminded
ILLUSTRATION A young pilot had just passed the point of no return when the weather changed for the worse. Visibility dropped to a matter of feet as fog descended to the earth. Putting total trust in the cockpit instruments was a new experience to him, for the ink was still wet on the certificate verifying that he was qualified for instrument flying.
The landing worried him the most. His destination was a crowded metropolitan airport he wasn’t familiar with. In a few minutes he would be in radio contact with the tower. Until then, he was alone with his thoughts. His instructor had practically forced him to memorize the rulebook. He didn’t care for it at the time, but now he was thankful.
