CONTINUITY

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In Christ, Mark

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The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

“I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on His own; He will speak only what He hears, and He will tell you what is yet to come. He will glorify Me because it is from Me that He will receive what He will make known to you. All that belongs to the Father is Mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from Me what He will make known to you.”

John 16:12-15

This ends today’s reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

It had been quite a three years for Jesus’ disciples, a period in which their lives had been changed forever. They had learned so much from Jesus since accepting His invitation to follow Him. They had also been eyewitnesses to incredible, miraculous acts which could only have been performed by someone who possessed the very power of God Himself. Indeed, the disciples saw first-hand that Jesus was as He said, one with His Father.

While I’m sure the disciples had hoped this ministry endeavor with Jesus would be a long running affair, Jesus had told them otherwise. He had predicted His demise and now the time had come to fulfill that prediction. As He addressed His followers in a Jerusalem upper room, He did so having well less than 24 hours left to live. Soon, they would have to go on without Him.

Now this would have been the ultimate bad news without some form of accommodation to fill the massive left by Jesus’ departure. As we see in today’s passage, there was a plan in place, one that would guarantee continuity regarding Jesus’ guidance and direction long after He ascended to sit at God’s right hand. This continuity continues to exist today as new Christ believers seek and find counsel from their risen Savior.

So what was established to ensure this continuity happened?

It was all about the Holy Spirit. Look again at what Jesus said here:

“I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on His own; He will speak only what He hears, and He will tell you what is yet to come. He will glorify Me because it is from Me that He will receive what He will make known to you. All that belongs to the Father is Mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from Me what He will make known to you.” John 16:12-15

Jesus still had much to share with the disciples but this additional instruction wouldn’t come directly from Him. Rather, it would be passed on through the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth and Advocate that Jesus promised God would send. Jesus had proclaimed Himself as being the Truth and so the Holy Spirit would guide the disciples in perfect truth because the truth would come from Jesus. In other words, the Holy Spirit was a mouthpiece through which Jesus would speak after His departure.

Today, the Holy Spirit continues to speak truth into the lives of Christian believers, sharing the words that Jesus provides to lead and guide them to be more and more like Him. Thanks be to God for the blessings of continuity so that Jesus could still communicate and lead His people from the heavens while sitting in authority over all things in heaven and on earth.

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

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