◄ What Does John 15:26 Mean? ►

The emotions of the disciples were in disarray. They were deeply troubled as Christ continued to urgently unfold many profound truths as to His Person, His Work (on the Cross), and the shocking disclosure of His imminent departure. He promised that He would send a Helper from the Father: "The Spirit of truth Who proceeds from the Father." He told them that the Holy Spirit would testify about Himself and will confirm to them all that He had taught them.

They had anticipated the promised kingdom with excitement, where they would sit on 12 thrones, judging the 12 tribes of Israel. They had taught the gospel of the kingdom to the lost sheep of the house of Israel and witnessed the many miracles that confirmed Christ's claims to be their Messiah and King. But this exciting knowledge was rapidly turning into deep despair as Christ condensed as much information as they were able to bear, into a few short teaching hours before setting out on His final walk to Calvary - via the Mount of Olives.

Not only were they told that Jesus was to return to heaven to prepare a place for them in His Father's house, but they heard Him openly proclaim that He was God and equal in every way with the Father: "He who has seen Me has seen the Father!" And now they heard that the Holy Spirit was to come to be with them in place of Jesus and that He would bear witness of Jesus, the eternal Son of God and Kinsman-Redeemer of fallen mankind.

They remembered from John the Baptist, that Christ was the one Who would baptise with the Holy Spirit and now they were being told that this time had almost come, and that He would be their Comforter. He would come alongside them and soon would indwell their bodies and guide them into all truth - but not until their beloved Master had gone away! This was hard to understand, and they wanted to hang on to what they had. But Christ gave them much reassurance and promised that: "In that day," that fast approaching day of Pentecost, "you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you."

With our 21st century comprehension of the whole counsel of God, we find it hard to understand the utter confusion, total disbelief, and bitter pain that must have torn at their souls as Christ urgently unfolded many profound truths to their hurting hearts - for we have the whole of counsel of God written for our learning in the Word of God, which gives us a precious periscope on the glories that are to come. But their hope in the earthly kingdom had blinded their understanding that Calvary's Cross must precede Christ's kingdom, and that it was necessary to first establish the heavenly (spiritual) kingdom (currently under the dominion of Satan), before those earthly promises to Israel could finally be fulfilled.

The disciples had to move from believing by sight, signs, wonders, and miracles, to trusting by faith alone in Christ alone. The disciples had to move from a pre-Cross perception to a post-Resurrection understanding. They had to transfer from living under the rigidity of the dispensation of Law to the freedom of the dispensation of Grace, and they had to realise that the Messiah of Israel is also the Saviour of the whole world.

The disciples had to shift from the narrow lens of Judaism and the gospel of the kingdom, to the all-embracing truth of the glorious gospel of grace, the good news of the glory of Christ. The disciples had to finally come out of the sheep-fold of Israel to become part of the one new man in Christ where there is one fold and one Shepherd. But before all that could happen, the disciples had to receive the indwelling Holy Spirit, the Helper Whom Christ sent from the Father on that first day of Pentecost, the Spirit of truth Who proceeds from the Father, and Whose ministry to the Body of Christ is to testify about our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

Dear Lord, thank You that You are the King of Israel and Saviour of the world. Thank You that You sent the Holy Spirit of truth Who proceeds from the Father to live in me and guide me as I journey through this hostile world on my way to my heavenly home. Thank You, in Jesus' name, AMEN.