It seems logical for the disciples — and us — to want to keep Jesus in His physical form. This daily devotional looks at why it is to our advantage that Jesus left and sent the Holy Spirit to take His place.
Nuggets
- We profit by the Holy Spirit coming to us after we gain salvation through Jesus.
Devotions in the Never Alone: The Holy Spirit in Our Lives series
In the last devotion, we talked about how Jesus said that He would send the Comforter – the Holy Spirit – after He had returned to Heaven. That way, though He would no longer be with them, they would still have a part of God with them.
Jesus continued describing how the Holy Spirit would take over for Him in John 16. Let’s jump in.
Let's Put It into Context
Here is a running list of nuggets for the series.
The Advantages of Going
“Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you” (Jn. 16: 7 EVS)
We profit by the Holy Spirit coming to us after we gain salvation through Jesus.
The poor disciples. They were probably still reeling from Jesus telling them that He was going to go away. Inside, they were probably screaming, “NO!!!!!”
They probably couldn’t see how it would be to their advantage to have the Holy Spirit with them instead of the Savior. I mean, don’t we normally think Jesus is higher up on the hierarchy?
Jesus said that it was in our best interests that the Holy Spirit came. Think about how much the Church grew after Jesus’ ascension into Heaven.
If Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to the disciples, He also sends Him to us.
If Jesus hadn’t died, our sins would not be forgiven. If our sins are not forgiven, our hearts do not change to be His heart.
After His death, Jesus returned to His spirit form. That means Jesus still works for us. He is beside His Father, advocating for us.
The Holy Spirit was also given to us in spirit form.
Every believer everywhere has the Holy Spirit living in them. Our physical limitations no longer apply as the spirit transcends all boundaries.
The Holy Spirit is with us 24/7/365/eternity.
Maybe best of all, the Holy Spirit is helping us change our hearts. Jesus may have only touched the disciples’ senses. The Spirit touches our hearts.
The Holy Spirit coming was contingent on Jesus’ leaving. Only with Jesus’ departure could our faith and love be increased, and regeneration be realized.
Regeneration is being changed from spiritually dead to spiritually alive and the internal new birth and requickening that God brings about through the work of the Holy Spirit.
- Spiritual death is the separation from God that occurred as a consequence of Adam and Eve’s original sin.
- The spiritually alive are those who have ABCDed, so they are no longer separated from God.
Glossary
Forfar had an interesting take. He wrote “It is to be feared that, had Christ remained for ever on the earth, the blindness of the Jews who saw no beauty in Him to make Him desired, would have been repeated by each succeeding generation. We labour under an incapacity for seeing a hero in the man whose hand we can shake. The fault, no doubt, lies in us who live so much in our senses, and look only on the surface of the life.”
Resource
Isn’t that sad? The Jews wouldn’t have had God’s heart if Jesus hadn’t died.
Well, yeah.
It is only after Jesus’ death can we truly see His character. Only then did we truly know that He is the Son of God and see God. Only then do we see the Servant glorified.
It is only after Jesus’ death do we truly see the Holy Spirit. Before Jesus, the Holy Spirit only descended on a person. Now, the Spirit is within us.
The Holy Spirit can only be within us after we have ABCDed. While we are corrupted by our sins, He cannot.
The ABCDs of Salvation
If you have not become a believer in Christ, please read through the
Plan of Salvation and prayerfully consider what God is asking you to do.
A – admit our sins
B – believe His Son Jesus is our Redeemer
C – confess God as Sovereign Lord
D – demonstrate that commitment by making any changes needed in our lives to
live the way in which God has called us
The Disciple’s Job Description
Making the Connections
We have to remember that Jesus was going away for a very important purpose. He was leaving to be Savior of the world.
I know. When we love someone, we don’t want them to leave. We especially don’t want them to die.
But Jesus couldn’t be Savior of the world until His blood was shed.
Glossary
Shed blood was needed to be the sacrifice for our sins. Not just any blood – but Jesus’ perfect blood.
By accepting the gift of salvation, we become saints. Saint means holy one who has been set apart.
Unfortunately, worldview people have a different definition of saint. They equate being a good person with being a saint.
Being a good person – even doing all of God’s do’s and not doing the don’ts – isn’t going to gain us salvation.
We are only saved by believing that Jesus’ blood will save us. He is the only way.
To read a related devotion, click the button below.
Okay, I have to process what Vinet wrote. Elaine-speak here.
- Jesus died once while we were sinners to pay the penalty for our sins.
- It is sinful for mankind to think that Jesus would be bruised more than once by Satan.
Resource
Jesus is King of kings and Lord of lords. He has triumphed over Satan and will do so again at the end of the age.
How Do We Apply This?
- Lay a strong foundation on which to build righteousness by seeking God.
- Realize Jesus is seated next to Sovereign God, advocating for us.
- Walk by faith, not sight, to become a stronger disciple.
- Don’t judge something by first sight as it may not be as it appears.
- Expect some blessings to be given only when we get to Heaven.
- Remember, Jesus said that – even though He was going away – He would always be with us.
- Understand that, if we don’t have Jesus in our hearts, we won’t have the Holy Spirit there either.
Searching for and Seeking God
Hearing His Word (Rom. 10: 17).
Reading His Word (Rev. 1: 3).
Praying to Him (Heb. 4: 16).
Studying His Word (Ac. 17: 11).
Meditating on His Word (Ps. 1: 1-2).
Memorizing His Word (Ps. 119: 11).
Resource
Powers provided an interesting concept. He wrote, “We can never deal with the whole of a matter. All human affairs are like spheres, they can be illumined only on one portion of their surface at a time. Some of them revolve so slowly, that it requires more than a lifetime for a man to see their whole surface. Events are happening to us now, which are the legitimate consequences of certain actions of our youth; or even of our parents; or of their parents; and God is engaged in the whole matter. Is it not an immense relief that we can leave God to deal with things as a whole — that we need not strain ourselves, in endeavouring to compass things beyond our grasp.”
Resource
If worldview people – even other disciples – think we are going to become perfect here on earth after conversion, this dissuades them from that thinking. God works on cutting our sin out of us in phases.
We are a work in progress.
No, we no longer see the feeding of the 5,000 or calming the swirling sea. It is no longer about sight.
It is about hearing — hearing the Word as it is preached. It is faith of the unseen.
Father God. We long to see Jesus because He is Your Son and our Savior. But we thank You that You did not leave us to be on our own after He ascended to Heaven. Thank You that the Holy Spirit is our Guide and Comforter. Thank You that He reveals to us more of You. Thank You that He prompts us when we are tested. Most of all, thank You that He leads us to Jesus for salvation. Amen.
What do you think?
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