Wednesday in the Word...John 16:12-15...Christian, you are never alone!

I'm always looking for pictures to go along with the scripture passage of the day.  I thought this one from Demi Brooke fit the bill (no pun intended).  The original picture was in relationship to Hebrews chapter 13 and verses 5 and 6 which read,

Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, "I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you," so that we confidently say, "The Lord is my Helper, I will not be afraid.  What will man do to me?"

What is said in the Old Testament is quoted in the New Testament and given to the disciples by the very lips of Jesus again in our passage today.  Here are some more words about "the Helper."

Today's Wednesday in the Word will cover John chapter 16 and verses 12 through 15, which read,

v.12 - "I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now."

Jesus knows that His disciples are on information overload.  They also have been hearing some things about what is going to happen to Jesus in the near future and to themselves and therefore they could also be on emotional overload.  Jesus will speak to them about many more things in the future but for now it is enough to tell them again that Another is coming who will assist them.  

I am thankful that I don't know everything at this moment.  I am thankful that God knows what I can bear at this time.  He will reveal more understanding of Himself through His word but for right now, I have enough to surrender to.  Jesus gives information and instruction to His disciples in stages and therefore does the same for us today.  

One from this Sunday's sermon coming up is the concept that He is seeking us before we are seeking Him.  It seems like we are the initiators but after the fact of knowing God, He helps us to get the order straight and therefore put Him in His rightful place in light of our salvation.  We grow into greater spiritual knowledge as He gives us more that we can bear.  

v.13 - "But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come."

Jesus gives us the Holy Spirit who is described as the Spirit of truth and He will guide us into all the truth.  The Holy Spirit will continue to make known to us what we are to know and it comes from the Father.  Whatever the situation, when we don't know what the truth is, the Holy Spirit will be there to guide us to know the truth.  More is to come to our understand of what God has said as we are able to bear it.  Even though we don't have full understanding now, the Holy Spirit will walk us through this disclosure of the fullness of God.

To be clear, I am not talking about new revelation apart from what God has said but rather understanding this already given revelation in a way to act upon it and respond with it.  We are finite and God is infinite so even what He has said is beyond us unless He assists us to comprehend it.  He has given us the Holy Spirit to open our minds wider to His endlessly love and absolute truth.

v.14 - "He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you."

What the Holy Spirit says and does will bring glory to Jesus, the second of the Trinity.  The Holy Spirit will bring the words and actions of Jesus to our minds when we need them.  We will repeat His words like Stephen the first martyr, the New Testament writers, and many faithful witnesses of Christ from the 1st century on.  The Holy Spirit is busy glorifying Jesus by bringing to our minds His very words.  

When someone quotes you, in a good way, it is humbling.  What if what they are quoting from you is something you are quoting from Jesus with the assistance of the Holy Spirit?  This would be nothing to take credit for but to apply credit to.  Putting myself in the place of the disciples who have had multiple experiences with Jesus and three years of teaching on the road with no real way of "jotting" these things down, a little fear would be there of Him not being around and forgetting what I have heard.  Therefore insert the third of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit.

v.15 - "All things that the Father has are Mine; therefore I said that He takes of Mine and will disclose it to you."

We see the interconnectedness of the Trinity in this verse and the previous.  The Holy Spirit is taking from Jesus who is taking from the Father.  You are benefiting from the three in one.  All three are in agreement with each other and that is to disclose to you what you need when you need it.  There will never be a situation in your life when God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit will be insufficient to supply what you need because they obtain the fullness of love and truth.  

We might always have our own doubts about our own abilities and limitations in a certain situation but as a Christian what we can be sure of is, the love of God the Father sending His One and Only Son Jesus to be the perfect righteousness of our salvation who sent the Holy Spirit to be our Comforter and Guide for such times as these.  Pray for Jesus' words to come into your mind and if warranted, out of your mouth for His glory.  We are truly loved by Jesus to know that His children are never alone.

Adam