In Jesus’ farewell address (John 14-16) He made mention any times of One Who will come to the disciples very soon and be their Helper and Comforter. This advent One is to be known as the Spirit of Truth. The world would not recognize Him at all, but the disciples who walked three years with Jesus would know immediately Who it was. This presupposes an experience, a know-so encounter with Christ. Now, we know what happened on Pentecost, but even if we did not, these verses would tip us off.
This Spirit was to teach them all things and bring to remembrance all Jesus said. Hence, the New Testament could be written, at least the Gospels. Well, that’s how I all the time heard it. But only two of the apostles wrote Gospels. The promise was to the other nine also. By extension, the ministry of the instructor is for us too. Straight through anointed teachers and Straight through communicating with us directly, the Spirit of God is still the expert teacher. He did not resign in 101 A.D.
Soldier
More is promised of Him. He is to convict the world, Straight through the church, of its sin, tell them of the righteousness of Jesus, and of impending judgment. He is to lead into all truth along with truth about the future. He is to glorify Jesus. He will speak, as Jesus did, what He hears from the Father. All of which sounds like a very helpful Helper for the century in which we live. Did the Spirit stop hearing from the Father in the 2nd century? Has He said all that is to be said? We all believe in the finality of doctrinal truth as defined in the Bible. But is the Spirit to be complete out from us now if possibly He wants to tell us of dangers ahead, or strategies for winning the lost, or a host of other here and now issues? Spirit of God, continue to show us the will of the Father!
John 18:6.
5 They answered Him, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus said to them, “I am He.” And Judas, who betrayed Him, also stood with them. 6 Now when He said to them, “I am He,” they drew back and fell to the ground.
A lot of folks are falling down in church these days. I’ve been pretty skeptical about it. You hear that a lot of citizen fall as a matter of “courtesy.” They know the one who is laying on hands – or even pushing them – wants them to fall, so they fall. Yes, and then there are attention-seekers. You may have other reasons for considering it all fake, but think this too: Is it potential that all the thousands and thousands of citizen who fall to the ground worldwide are just dropping? Isn’t it potential that the power of God is being released in such a way that they are temporarily overwhelmed?
This story of the arrest of Jesus documents the falling of a bunch of Roman soldiers. You know it well, I’m sure. Yes, it was dark, and they were together, and one could have stepped backwards and caused a domino-effect of falling men. But there’s something about the way the duct is constructed that doesn’t seem to point that direction. They drew back collectively. And they fell collectively, it seems to say. No criticism is made, for what can be said about a Divine interruption of the proceedings? The point that God seems to be making here is that Jesus is giving His life willingly. The soldiers were not in fee after all.
Seems to me that there was a similar fate for groups of soldiers who came to arrest the prophet Elijah. They not only fell but were incinerated (Ii Kings 1:9-12).
The Spirit in the Church Today, Part 12
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