Text: John 16:13–15

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 show you things to come.   14 He shall glorify me:  for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you.   15 All things that the Father hath are mine:  therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall show it unto you.   

Tuesday, 4^th June 2024       

THE HOLY SPIRIT CONNECTS US

Text: John 16:13–15

Memory verse: Romans 8: But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

The Holy Spirit is the bond by which Christ effectively unites us to himself. It must be so, for “as long as Christ remains outside of us, and we are separated from him, all that he has suffered and done for the salvation of humanity remains useless and of no value to us. The Holy Spirit ministers across the ages, bringing Christ and his salvation to those living before and after his redemptive work. There is no salvation apart from the father’s election and the son’s humiliation and exaltation. Yet no one enjoys the benefits of Christ’s saving life, death, and resurrection apart from the Holy Spirit. He is the vital bonding Agent, the glue of the gospel, securing sinners immediately and permanently to Christ Jesus.

On the eve of his crucifixion, Jesus informs his disciples of the unbroken and unbreakable solidarity between him, the Father, and the Spirit. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the father has is mine; therefore, I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.

Jesus affirms the eternal Trinitarian framework for redemption. Salvation is a divine act and divine gift, and in its entirety, attains by the purpose and work of the Triune God. Accordingly, Jesus ties his own work and words to his heavenly Father: “all that the Father has is mine.” Jesus “has” what the Father “has.” The immediate context demands that we understand these Trinitarian references here economically in terms of the divine activity on earth. While assuming the eternal Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, three Persons/one God and the robust inter-Trinitarian fellowship and mutuality which sustain his words, Jesus speaks of the work of redemption on the stage of history. Jesus has nothing to do or say except what his Father has given him. His words and works operate according to and in deference to the Father.

The Spirit’s ministry thus carries out a specific commission, marked by the full scope of the saving glory, exposing, drawing, and uniting sinners to the resurrected and exalted, life-giving, Saviour and King of kings. With his unrelenting Christ-centeredness, the Spirit personally sustains Christ’s mission; the Spirit, in fact, delivers, applies, effects Christ’s salvation. Put more properly, the Spirit tenders not only the benefits, but the Benefactor; he gives us Christ himself. Salvation, as the Scripture presents it, comes by a real union with the real Christ, a personal bond to the Person of Christ by the Person of the Holy Spirit.

CGDS HYMN 5; SS&S 618:

YIELDED TO GOD, MY BODY SOUL AND SPIRIT

1. Yielded to God, my body, soul, and spirit,

Oh, what rejoicing fills my peaceful breast !

All, all is well : no doubt nor fear disturbs me,

While on His promise now alone I rest.

2. Yielded to God, reposing 'neath His shadow,

Sunshine and gladness round my pathway fall ;

Yielded to God, whose love dispels all sorrow,

He is my Refuge, and my All in All.

3. Yielded to God, my life and its devotion,

Yielded the service of each day and year;

Oh, what a peace pervades my every feeling !

Oh, what sweet visions on my sight appear !

4. Yielded to God, and in His holy keeping

My heart His temple evermore shall be ;

Yielded to God, in willing consecration,

Blessed Redemeer, I am lost in Thee.

 Prayers 

1.  Lord Jesus, unite us together by Your Spirit in every one of us over and over again.

2.  LORD God Almighty, connect the end time churches on earth together by Your Spirit in Jesus’ name. Amen.    

3.  Pray for others in this regard.