“The Best Way to Understand the Holy Spirit” John 14:16-17 Sunday, April 30, 2017
Introduction: The code word in the Bible for daily living is walking. The Bible says, “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit” (Galatians 5:16,25). The better we understand the Holy Spirit, the better we will walk in the Spirit. The best way to understand the Holy Spirit is to see how Jesus explained the Holy Spirit to His disciples (John chapters 14-17).
Text: John 14:16-17
1. The Holy Spirit is like Jesus in the present tense.
• The context of our Scripture is that Jesus is preparing His disciples to be without Him. For three years, He had been with them and they had depended on His presence to help them.
• To encourage His disciples, Jesus told them that God would send them “another” helper (John 14:16).
• The Greek word translated “another” means “another of the same kind.”
• Jesus had lived “with” His disciples for three years helping them, comforting them, teaching them, and encouraging them. The help that would be coming would live “in” them.
Application: The Holy Spirit can do in your life today exactly what Jesus did in the disciples lives when He was physically with them if you are saved (Romans 8:9- 11), do not quench (1 Thess. 5:19) or grieve (Eph. 4:30) the Holy Spirit.
2. The Holy Spirit is our Helper, Comforter, Counselor, and Advocate.
• Jesus told His disciples that He would pray to the Father and that He would send the parakletos. That word means “one who will come along side.”
• Just as Jesus had come alongside His disciples, the Holy Spirit would come alongside them except now He would dwell inside them.
• This is the reason Jesus told His disciples that it would be to their advantage that He go away (John 16:7).
• Before the resurrection, Jesus was geographically limited to one place at a time. After Pentecost Jesus was no longer limited geographically.
• The word parakletos is translated Helper (NKJV), Comforter (KJV), Counselor (RSV and NIV), and Advocate (1 John 2:1-2).
Application: When you receive Jesus, you have the Holy Spirit living in you to help you with issues you face in life, comfort you with life’s challenges, counsel you when you need counsel, and plead your case before the Father. The best counselor in the world is the Holy Spirit, and the good news is that He is always available.
Illustration: We have a “Smart TV.” It is equipped to do a lot of things. The problem is that the Smart TV is smarter than I am. The resources are built into the Smart TV. I am just not aware of all of them. The Holy Spirit is the same. He is inside of every believer.
3. The Holy Spirit’s essential role is to glorify Jesus (John 16:14).
• The Holy Spirit’s essential role is to be a witness of Jesus Christ (John 15:26).
• What does the Holy Spirit witness about Jesus?
1. Who Jesus is (John 1:1,14). 2. Why Jesus came into the world (Luke 19:10; John 3:16). 3. How Jesus paid for our sins (1 Peter 2:24). 4. Where Jesus is now ((Romans 8:34). 5. Jesus is coming again (1 Thess. 4:13f).
• The Holy Spirit is all about Jesus.
Application: When you are living under the control of the Holy Spirit, with your words and in your ways, you will witness for Jesus.
Conclusion: The key is not how much understand about the Holy Spirit, but how much you experience the Holy Spirit.
Invitation: To experience the Holy Spirit you must be saved. Trust Jesus alone for your salvation and the Holy Spirit will dwell in you. To experience the Holy Spirit after you are saved you must daily be filled with His spirit.