Promise to disciples fulfilled – 6 May 2021
By Carina Francke
Se(di)ngolwa (t)sa Bibele
JOHANNE 14
Jesus informs his disciples that He will be going away to prepare a place for them, but that He will come back to take them with him. Until then he will send someone else: “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you for ever – the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.” John 14:16-17
It seems to me that Jesus wants to ensure that any doubts the disciples may have (and us as believers) regarding the coming of the Holy Spirit have to be rooted out and destroyed. He affirms this promise as well as the involvement of the Holy Spirit in our lives: “But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.” John 14:26
Two loaded promises! The Holy Spirit, the One who reminds and teaches us, is not a mere human being sent by God to us. No, he is the third Person of the Holy Trinity! He makes his home in ordinary believers – for ever! So that He can teach us. And we can know Him.
Jesus appears to his fearful disciples again on the Sunday evening after his resurrection. He greets them, “Peace be with you!” shows them his hands and side, and reiterates, “Peace be with you!” This sets their minds at ease, so much so, that He was able to make an announcement: ”As the Father sent me, I am sending you.” And then He did the unexpected: “And with that he breathed on them and said, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit.’” (John 20:22)
This act is reminiscent of God. There is life in his breath. He created man, but only after he breathed the breath of life into him did he become a living being. (Genesis 2:7) Is it possible then that God, through the breath of Jesus imparted eternal life into his disciples?
Your faith and mine in the reconciliatory death and resurrection of Jesus, assures us of an eternal life with God.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for the eternally present Holy Spirit in my life. Open my ears and heart to hear his teaching, and obediently do whatever He wants me to do. Amen
