For as long as it takes we are going to study the gospel of
John chapters fourteen to seventeen. Some of it will be what I have already
written and some will be new. Therefore it may sometimes appear that I leave
off in the middle of a topic to be continued, since I have reached my daily
word count limit. We will also return to placing a blog posting daily for the
time being.
In order to follow this you ought to have read from the first
posting in the series – John 14 (One).
“These words you hear are not my own; they
belong to the Father who sent me,” (John 14:24b).
If Jesus, the creator of the universe through whom all things were
made, without whom nothing was made that has been made, and to whom all authority in
heaven and on earth has been given and before whom every knee will bow and every tongue will
confess to God, could have been humble enough to acknowledge publicly
that He was not using His own wisdom and words, who are we to be proud in our
hearts?
We have mentioned before the audacity of writers (and
of anybody who receive something from the Lord to pass on) to take the credit
and glory for something that was never theirs. Everything we have is from God
and all we are is from Him. In an instant He can remove us from this earth. Why
then do we allow people to exalt us and why do we exalt people in the Lord’s
service? Why do we receive credit for anything we do without acknowledging the
One actually behind it? As I write here I have no idea where these wonderful
truths come from, except from the Lord. In no way have I created it or learned
it in some book. It only comes from the Lord and I am never to take credit for
it. So is it with talents, responsibilities, position of authority or whatever
we have received from the Lord. It is not ours – the glory belongs to Him. We
also may never use it for self-satisfaction, to meet our own desires and needs
for material goods, power and fame. Yes, we may live from the Gospel (1 Timothy 5:17-18,
1 Corinthians 9:4-14), but not abuse it for self-indulgence.
“All
this I have spoken while still with you. But the Counsellor, 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 14:25-26).
In this passage we find a number of important
statements. In the first sentence Jesus referred to all the teaching and commands
that He personally had given the disciples, but He then said it was not yet
everything. The Holy Spirit, our Counsellor, will teach us all things. What ‘all
things’ is He referring to? Was it maybe the letters written by Paul and
the Apostles, which were taken up in the Bible? Jesus was speaking to all the disciples
and that included Paul and us.
The Word of God is the basis, the measuring line
against which all truth is measured, but generations change all the time. Every
generation has different circumstances, more modern living conditions and
problems. Evil also become more modern and accessible. Stress for example was probably
not known 2000 years ago as we know it today. The fast lifestyle of today was
unheard of then. Through all the centuries the Holy Spirit taught God’s people
whatever they needed to know in their time and circumstances to keep on going
with the Kingdom work.
How does the Holy Spirit teach the disciples
of the Lord? Through reminding them of the teachings of Jesus and making it
applicable to everyday life of their time. For example in the earlier centuries
people in their teenage years were not like teenagers today. They started to work
in their early teens and married early. Through the decades life became more
sophisticated and more education became necessary. Life for the teenager was
therefore, in a matter of speaking, postponed. Christian young men and women
thus became frustrated teenagers because they are not able to start life yet,
not being able to yield to their bodies’ demands yet. Suddenly parents needed
more revelation on how to handle this new challenge. Who is the teacher? The
Holy Spirit and the people He has chosen to work through. (To be continued)
Lord, thank you for being my guide.
To you belong all the glory!
Thank you Lord that
your Word went out from your mouth, via your servant’s pen, and it will not return
to you empty, but will accomplish what you desire and achieve the purpose for
which you sent it.
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