Title:
The Person and work of God the Holy Spirit
Text:
John 14: 16-17
Date:
November 4, 2012
Place:
SGBC, New Jersey
The
Lord Jesus Christ told his disciples that he was about to go to the cross. His
bodily presence had meant great blessing for them. So the thought of his
departure filled their hearts with grief. All they saw in the cross was
suffering for their Master and a loss of all hope for themselves. The Lord
Jesus saw his disciples' hearts were filled with sorrow.
Therefore,
Christ told them it was expedient for them that he should go away; but that
when he did, he would pray the Father and the Father would send them another
Comforter, who was to abide with them forever.
John 14:16: And I will pray the Father, and
he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever: 17:
even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him
not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him for he dwelleth with you, and shall
be in you.
Proposition: The Comforter, the Spirit of truth is God the Holy
Spirit who has the distinct work of comforting the believer with the truth of
Christ.
This
morning we will simply look at the person of God the Holy Spirit as distinct
from God the Father and God the Son and his work as the Comforter and Spirit of
truth.
I. GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT IS A DISTINCT PERSON
IN THE GODHEAD PERFORMING A PARTICULAR WORK FOR HIS PEOPLE.
He is
not an emanation or virtue flowing from the Father and the Son, but the third
person of the Godhead. We worship one God, not three Gods. We worship one God in three persons—God the
Father, God the Son and God the Holy Ghost.
We worship one God in three persons, the triune God, co-eternal, co-equal. This is an unspeakable mystery, but a mystery
of God’s revealing, and, therefore, believed by all those born again of God the
Holy Spirit.
John 5: 7: There are three that bear record in heaven,
the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost, and these three are one.
We have
various proofs that the Holy Spirit is a dinstinct person of the Godhead, first
in our text: Each person is spoken of as performing a separate, particular
work. “I will pray,” says the Son. The Father will send. The Holy Spirit will
comfort
Visible Form
Another
evidence of the distinct person of the Holy Spirit is that he appeared in a
visible form. The Holy Spirit descended
upon Christ at his baptism in visible form as a dove—descending from heaven shows that he is God. On the day of Pentecost there came the sound
as of a rushing mighty wind and cloven tongues like the appearance of fire sat
upon the disciples.
Acts and Deeds
Another
proof that the Spirit is a distinct person in the Godhead are acts and deeds
which God the Holy Spirit performs. The Holy Spirit moved men to speak and
write the scriptures
2 Peter 1:21 For
the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake
as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
Sinners
are born dead in sin. It is the Holy
Spirit which regenerates to spiritual life and sanctifies us in conversion.
John 3:6: That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and
that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
Romans 15:16: That I should be the minister of Jesus
Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up
[conversion] of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy
Ghost.
The
Holy Spirit separates, calls and directs men for the work of the ministry
Acts 13:2: As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted,
the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I
have called them.
Acts 8:29: Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and
join thyself to this chariot….39: And when they were come up out of the water,
the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and
he went on his way rejoicing.
Personal Qualilties
Another
proof showing the Holy Spirit is a distinct person is that the Holy Spirit has
personal qualities such as “knowing.”
1 Corinthians 2: 9
But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have
entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that
love him. 10 But God hath revealed them
unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep
things of God. 11 For what man knoweth
the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things
of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.
The
Holy Spirit “wills.” He gives gifts as
he will.
1 Corinthians 12:11: But all these worketh that one and
the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.
“Power”
is ascribed to the Holy Ghost.
Romans 15:13: Now the God of hope fill you with all joy
and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the
Holy Ghost.
Point:
So see how visible manifestations, how personal acts and deeds, along with
qualities like understanding, will, and power proves the Holy Spirit is not an
attribute of God, not a mere influence of God. He is God, a distinct person in
the Godhead. We worship one God, in
three persons.
II. THE WORLD CANNOT RECEIVE GOD THE HOLY
SPIRIT---v17: whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither
knoweth him;
“The
world” is natural man: dead in sin and vain profession, destitute of spiritual
life. No man in a carnal state as he is
born in Adam is able to believe God the Holy Spirit for two reasons give here.
Because it seeth him not
Natural
man only believes what he can see with carnal eyes but cannot receive the
things which are invisible. Buildings with stained glass windows, giant choirs,
robes, ceremony, activities: are things the natural eye can see. Natural men
love a showy religion and multitudes flock to it.
Application:
That is one reason the Lord instructs us not to do alms or pray or do any
self-denying acts to be seen of men. Men who do—congregations that do—have
their reward. Natural men admire them
and join them, not because of Christ, because of them. That is the reward they
seek. They have their reward. But true unseen, inward, experimental,
religion has no form or comeliness to attract the outward eye.
The
things God has freely given to his elect are spiritually discerned only after
the regeneration of the Holy Spirit and by God the Holy Spirit revealing Christ
in the heart. True revelation reveals
the things of God which the natural eye cannot see. “The circumcision worship God in the Spirit,
rejoice in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh.”
Illustration: But natural man is so hypocritical! There are many things, in nature, which we
cannot see, yet we believe. We cannot see the wind. But right now you look down
the shore and you behold the effects of the wind. So you know the wind
exists. Sinners receive the Spirit by
the Spirit coming upon us irresistibly like the wind.
John 3:8 The wind
bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not
tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of
the Spirit.
Application:
If you ever find yourself believing Christ then you will no longer say God the
Holy Spirit does not exist.
Neither knoweth him
Natural
man has not been touched by the power of God the Holy Spirit in the heart.
Illustration: Did you ever see electricity? But if you are ever
touched by electricity you will know it exists. If God touches you then there
will be Light and you will know God.
The
Lord promises “but ye know him; for he
dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.”
When Christ prayed, “That they all may be one, as thou, Father, art in
me, and I in thee; that they also may be one in us, I in them, and thou in me;
that they may be made perfect in one;” he asked that all his redeemed might be
united to him by the Holy Spirit. This
union is necessary before a sinner will believe on Christ. When the Spirit gives this union, it as real
and unbreakable as the union between Jesus Christ and the Father.
All
whom Christ purged with his own blood shall know this union, Christ prays,
“Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me
through their word;” So when Christ
promises “he shall be in you” you can mark it down, the Holy Spirit shall enter
into all the redeemed of Christ and abide.
1 Corinthians 2: 12
Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which
is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
13 Which things also we speak, not in
the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth;
comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 14
But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for
they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are
spiritually discerned. 15 But he that is
spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. 16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that
he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.
III. Let’s See a Few Things Concerning How
God the Holy Spirit, is the Comforter, the Spirit of truth.
The Spirit of Truth
He
comforts us through the truth so look at this title first. The Truth the Spirit teaches his people is
Christ the Truth.
John 16: 12 I have
yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. 13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is
come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but
whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you
things to come. 14 He shall glorify me:
for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. 15 All things that the Father hath are mine:
therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto
you.
God is
True. God the Father saves in a way to
show forth his righteousness in truth.
God gave his only Son and Christ bore the cross to declare the truth in
righteousness of how God can be just and the Justifier of all who believe. So God the Holy Spirit guides God’s elect
into all truth—not error, not using lies—he is the Spirit of Truth.
1 John 2: 20: But ye have an unction from the Holy One,
and ye know all things. 21 I have not
written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and
that no lie is of the truth.
Truth is how the Spirit is our Comforter.
After
regenerating us, at conversion, at first, the Spirit of truth convinces us of
the truth of our sin and depravity: it’s a painful, humbling, and
heart-breaking. But then the Spirit
comforts us with the good news of atonement accomplished by Christ, of judgment
satisfied for us by Christ’s work on the cross. The Spirit of Truth turns the
sinner from our flesh, our will, our wisdom, our works, drawing us to Christ
our All.
Truth
of election draws us to Christ the Elect in whom we were chosen unto salvation.
Truth
of predestination shows us our conformity to Christ was certain because God
pre-destinated us before he made the worlds. All who are Christ’s shall be
conformed to Christ’s image in the new birth—recreated after the image of him
that created us.
Truth
of Christ successfully accomplishing the redemption of all for whom he died
makes us cease from attempting to find acceptance by our law-keeping and makes
us rest in Christ our Righteousness—“For Christ is the end of the law
for righteousness to every one that believeth.” (Ro 10:4)
Truth
of Christ being our Sanctification purges our conscience from dead works to
serve the true and living God. God the
Spirit sets our purified hearts on Christ so that we now serve him in
holiness. We are made partakers of the
divine nature.
Truth
that the Spirit is doing this same work in our fellow brethren makes us declare
the truth of Christ and to trust Christ to make them stand, knowing it is God
working in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
Application: No sinner is ever taught in spirit and truth unless he
is taught of the Spirit of truth and all the redeemed shall be. God the Holy
Spirit never fails! None of Christ’s
sheep shall be carried away with the craftiness of men, because the Holy Ghost
will not allow it.
And
what Comfort the Spirit gives! When our
conscience is burdened with guilt the Holy Spirit applies the blood of Christ
giving us the peace of full atonement accomplished.
Romans 8: 1: There is therefore now no condemnation to
them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the
Spirit. 2: For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free
from the law of sin and death.
In
painful, inexplicable trials, the Holy Spirit brings our hearts into submission
to God's sovereign, wise hand giving us rest in his unchanging sovereign love
for us.
Romans 5: 3:…we glory in tribulations also: knowing that
tribulation worketh patience; 4: And patience, experience; and experience,
hope: 5: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in
our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
When we
become anxious about our daily necessities only the Holy Spirit can stop our
murmurings, reminding us Christ was "a Man of sorrows" and knows the
feelings of our infirmities, drawing us to his throne of grace for help.
When we
need dying grace—only the Holy Spirit can
make us behold Christ has removed the sting of death and given us the victory
over the grave. Death is but a shadow for the believer in Christ.
Comforter Also Means Advocate
All
this comfort from the Holy Spirit is because “Comforter” also means intercessor,
advocate. Christ is our Advovate in heaven with the Father. The Holy Spirit is our Advovate applying
grace in our hearts.
Romans 8: 15 For ye have not received the spirit of
bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we
cry, Abba, Father. 16 The Spirit itself
beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: 17: And if
children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that
we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. 18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this
present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which
shall be revealed in us….26: Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities:
for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself
maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. 27: And he
that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit,
because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of
God.
True
prayer is this: Christ prays the Father to give us the Spirit. God the Father gives the Spirit who comforts
us giving us grace to come to the Father in Christ’s name. Then Christ prays
the Father and God the Father gives the Spirit with more comfort with more
grace. What security! God in three
Persons keeping us stayed on Jehovah!
Luke 11:13: If ye then, being evil, know
how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly
Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?
Go home remembering this Believer
As long
as we live in this earth this is the sure promise we have through Christ our
Advocate. God the Holy Comforter, the Spirit of Truth dwelleth with you, and
shall be in you. We shall always have
the faithful, unwearied, wise, trustworthy, active, ever-present comfort of God
the Holy Spirit. And by the Spirit one day we shall be
with Christ.
Romans 8: 11 But
if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that
raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his
Spirit that dwelleth in you.
Amen!