The Person & Purpose of The Holy Spirit (Part 1)

Thank you for listening to this message from the ministry of Morse Corner Church in Leverett, Massachusetts. Morse Corner is a non-denominational church that is committed to the preaching and teaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Our church was founded in 1896 by two students of the famous evangelist D .L. Moody. We seek to encourage and edify the body of Christ through the proclamation of God's word through the ministries of the local church.

If you'd like more information, visit our website morsecornerchurch .com. We hope you enjoy the message. You know the Holy Spirit is just as much God as God the Father. He's called the Holy Spirit of God.

He's just as much God as Christ the Son. After all, He's called the Spirit of Christ. I think sometimes, at least it's been said, that the Holy Spirit is ignored by some and then over-emphasized by others.

And you know, Lord knows whether or not that's the case. One thing we don't want to do is we don't want to quench the Spirit. We definitely don't want to ignore the Spirit. The Christian life is impossible to live without the Holy Spirit of God.

And if we are quenching the Holy Spirit of God in our life, we will not have that life that is full of joy that the Lord has promised to us. So if you would, please turn to the Gospel of John, chapter 15.

And I've titled this message, The Holy Spirit, Our Helper. So the Holy Spirit comes to give the disciples of Christ help. He comes to give us assistance. He comes to give strength. So we're going to be starting to look at not the typical things that you hear about the Holy Spirit in any sermon about the Spirit.

There are certain things you just expect and certain things that you know are going to come up. And maybe that will happen and maybe it won't. But what we want, because a lot of people say a lot of things about the Holy Spirit, don't they?

It's interesting. I was in a group, a few. See, I'm not quenching the Spirit. This is totally off the cuff. It's just an idea that came to my mind. I was in this group a few weeks ago. This is the strangest thing.

We were talking. These are spiritual men talking about the things of the Lord. Everything was going great. Fellowship was great. The subject of the Holy Spirit came up and we were instantly divided. Instantly divided.

So odd, isn't it? It's not right. Some of us, somebody in that group was quenching the Spirit. Somebody was doing something they were not supposed to do. And it's just a matter of figuring it out. So you can listen to what this group says about the Holy Spirit.

You can listen to what that guy says about the Holy Spirit. What should we do, though? We should look at what Jesus says about the Holy Spirit. That's what we're going to be focusing on, Lord willing, this morning.

What Jesus said about the person and the purpose of the Holy Spirit. Most of our time will be spent in John chapter 16. That's kind of the main chapter on the subject. But for the sake of context, we're going to begin in chapter 15 in just a moment.

Before we do, let's pray. Our Father, we thank you for this opportunity to gather in the fellowship of the Holy Spirit. Where we can gather together in peace and in safety. And Lord, we do want to pray for our brethren overseas who do not have this luxury.

For those who are suffering. For those who are persecuted. As we're going to read, when Jesus gave the promise of the Spirit, it was to comfort them. Because they knew, the disciples knew what was ahead.

They were going to be persecuted for the faith. So Lord, as you strengthened them, Peter and James and John and the others. I pray that you would give us strength. Strengthen us and teach us through your Holy Spirit and through your word, I pray.

Which he inspired. We ask it all in Jesus' name.

Amen.

Amen.

The Disciples' Coming Persecution and the Comfort of the Spirit

So starting in John chapter 12. Jesus, after his anointing at Bethany. He's starting to prepare now his disciples for the fact that he is going to be arrested. He's going to be betrayed.

Arrested.

Tried.

And then put to death. And the disciples are simply not ready for this. And he knows that. Even though Jesus has warned them already. He's told them already that he must die. The disciples is just not getting through.

And I think part of that is they don't want to believe it. They're not ready to accept it. I don't think they want to accept it. So he tells them how he is going to be going away. He's going to die. And even though he's going to rise from the dead three days later.

And spend 40 days on earth ministering on the kingdom of God. After that, he is going to ascend into heaven. Jesus is going to leave his disciples. And this just shakes them to their core. But there's a promise.

The promise of the comforter. The sending of the Holy Spirit. So this is a difficult time for his disciples. And I want to try to put you in their shoes. And what they must be thinking. What they must be going through.

This is probably the most trying time in their young lives. Jesus knows for them to endure. And certainly for them to be effective in carrying out the ministry. They're going to need help. And I think any of you who have ever served in any type of ministry.

Or just living your Christian life. You know, we know we need help.

Don't we?

We need God's assistance. And that all comes through the Holy Spirit. Jesus also tells them of how there is going to be this persecution. Look at chapter 15 starting in verse 20. John 15 verse 20. Jesus says, remember the word that I said to you.

A servant is not greater than his master. If they persecuted me.

What?

They will also persecute you. Now John is writing his gospel about 50 years after the fact. Maybe 60 years. But all of these events, the things that happened. They're still fresh in his mind. Of course Jesus promised that that was one of the things the spirit would do.

He would bring these things to their remembrance. So John still remembers all that happened. He remembers what Herod and the Roman governor did to Jesus. He remembers what the Jewish authorities did in persecuting Christ.

And later on, remember that time when John himself was arrested with Peter. And they were beaten for preaching in the name of Jesus. So John remembers all this. And now it's around 90 A .D. And if John isn't there already.

He will soon be exiled to the island of Patmos for his faith in the Lord Jesus. So John remembers Jesus' teachings which were all coming to pass. Everything that Jesus said happened. When Jesus said they will persecute you, what happened?

That's exactly what took place. They were persecuted and John would be exiled. So what's the comfort? That doesn't sound very uplifting. Isn't Jesus supposed to be comforting his disciples? And all he's telling them is, hey, they're going to persecute you.

They hated me. They're going to hate you. How is that uplifting? How is that comforting? Well, part of it is by telling them ahead of time. And then it happening just as Jesus said it would happen. What does that prove?

Lord's in control. Lord's in control. So that was a great encouragement. But there's more to it. But this whole concept of trial and persecution. Because, again, I want to make it real for you. I want to make it real for us.

And quite frankly, it's not real for us, is it? As Americans, we have not really understood this. Historically, in this country, Christians have not really faced any type of severe persecution. Of course, now in our land, it appears things are starting to change.

Where Christianity is being opposed now like never before on this continent. The new religion of secularism. That's what it is. It is a religion. We have our creation story in Genesis. They have their creation story with evolution and the Big Bang.

We have our eschatology with the return of Christ. They have their eschatology with climate change. We have our God, who is the Lord Jesus Christ. They have their God, which is government. You can say it's not a religion.

It is most certainly a religion. And Christians are now the target. Some of you don't believe that yet. And you don't want to take my word for it. And that's fine. You'll see it if you don't see it already.

They have no tolerance for the true Christ. They're rejecting biblical values. And their version of morality really is just yesterday's immorality. Here's the point, though. If we ever face real persecution, hey, rejoice.

Jesus said it would happen. And if you're experiencing it, it's proof you're doing something right. And God said it's going to happen. And it happens. It proves he is in control. And here's the comfort.

The Holy Spirit will be there. He's been sent. He is our helper. He is our source of strength. If we abide in Christ, his Holy Spirit will be with us every step of the way. Isn't that what Jesus says?

I will neither leave you nor forsake you. Well, Jesus is in heaven. He's gone away. No, he dwells in us.

Amen?

So we have nothing to fear. But this is something the disciples, we're living on easy street compared to them. So they knew this was a trying time. They had seen the persecution. And now their Lord is going to be crucified.

And God, through Jesus, through the Holy Spirit, is comforting them. Look at verse 26, John 15, verse 26. Jesus says, but when the helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the father, the spirit of truth who proceeds from the father, he will testify of me.

And you also will bear witness because you have been with me from the beginning. And now we move into chapter 16, verse 1. These things I have spoken to you that you should not be made to stumble. They will put you out of the synagogues.

Yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service. And these things they will do to you because they have not known the father nor me. But these things I have told you that when the time comes, you may remember that I told you of them.

And these things I did not say to you at the beginning because I was with you. But now I go away to him who sent me. And none of you asked me, where are you going? You would think they would ask, right?

But they didn't ask. But none of you asked me, where are you going? But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. 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 depart, I will send him to you. And when he has come, he will convict the world of sin and of righteousness and of judgment. Of sin because they do not believe in me.

Of righteousness because I go to my father and you see me no more. And of judgment because the ruler of this world is judged. And I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when he, the spirit of truth has come, he will guide you into all truth.

For he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears, he will speak. And he will tell you of things to come. And may God have a blessing on the reading of his words. Such a great passage where Jesus himself is teaching on the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit as the Helper and Spirit of Truth

So we need to establish a few things. Okay, these are the, this is the stuff that you just have to say when you teach on the Holy Spirit. Because there's somebody listening, maybe not in this building later.

Somebody hasn't heard this. So this is for them. When we talk about the Holy Spirit, we're talking about what? Or who, right? We're talking about a person. The Holy Spirit is a person. That doesn't mean he's a human being, obviously.

But he is a person in the sense that he has personality. He can think. He has a will. He can be grieved. The Holy Spirit speaks. So the Holy Spirit is a person. And notice Jesus uses the masculine pronoun, him.

Okay, so those are his pronouns, he and him.

Okay?

The Holy Spirit is not an it. Thanks for listening. I'm Pastor Michael Grant from Morris Cornick Church. If you'd like to listen to the complete message, or if you'd like more information about the ministry, visit our website, MorrisCornickChurch .com.

And we'd love to have you join us some Sunday morning here in Leverett. Until next time, may the grace of God be with you.