Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Jesus promised the Spirit John 14:8-17, 25-27?

Jesus is, by nature, supernatural. Time, space, even death don't limit him. When he says he'll be with his followers it's a promise He'll keep.

Jesus' friends experienced God's presence daily. Still they had so many questions. They heard Jesus speak and saw him heal. They were witnesses of God's power and still they wondered even as they watched Jesus. Philip request to Jesus, "Show us the Father" reveals the depth of the mystery and their struggle to understand. Jesus response was direct,

Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? John 14:9 NRSV
Jesus' point is clear. His followers had already seen the Father through his work. And those who believe today likewise see Jesus through the work of Holy Spirit. It just comes naturally for a Triune God to work this way. We humans might call God's work supernatural. But for Jesus being one with the Father and Holy Spirit is just his natural way of being. We Humans wonder how God can act supernaturally in our world; but the supernatural is part of the everyday for God.

When you get closer to Jesus you'll come closer God the Father. When you come closer to the Spirit you'll come closer to Jesus. We have so many questions about how or why the Holy Spirit acts in our lives. The thing to remember is who it all starts with. It all starts with God. For us God's nature and activity are shrouded in mystery that makes a little sense through the eyse of faith. Jesus didn't see mystery in God's work through the Holy Spirit. For Jesus, and for believers, by faith, it just makes sense. By faith we know God is at work through the Holy Spirit. By faith we understand the Spirit doesn't come from world (John 14:17). By faith we understand the the Spirit comes directly from the Father and Son. We understand by faith the Spirit is our forever advocate who we can turn to in any struggle to find support and hope (John 14:16).

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