Power to live by – The Empowering presence of the

Holy SpiritJohn 14:15-17; 14:25,26; 15:25-

27; 16:7-15

Goodbyes & Farewells

Physical absence of someone we love creates a hole that often, nothing else can fill.

John 13 – Jesus prepares his disciples for his physical departure To the Cross

After resurrection – To the Father.

Goodbye as a welcome The Goodbye is also a welcoming. Welcoming the presence

of the Triune God.

John 14:16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever.

John 14:18 I wil not leave you as orphans; I will come to you

John 14:23 Jesus replied, “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.

The presence of God for all believes, for all time.

One God in Three persons

From the very beginnings of Christianity, the Holy Spirit has been regarded as one of the persons of the Godhead- One God in three persons- Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

One God in Three persons

Story of St. Augustine and the little boy on the beach who was trying to fit the ocean in a little hole in the sand.

Botticelli - Vision of Saint Augustine, c. 1488, Tempera on panel, 20 x 38 cm. Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence

One God in Three persons

The Trinity – Father, Son and Holy Spirit, is not a puzzle to be sorted out but a mystery that we are invited to enter in.

Mystery – Infinitely Knowable (Fr. Elton)

We are invited to participate in the life of God in whose image we have been created as persons capable of communion.

3 Roles of the Holy Spirit

1. Advocate – Paraclete Ch 14

2. Witness – Ch 14, 15, 16

Prosecutor – Ch 16

1. Paraclete John 14:16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you

another Paraclete…

John 14:26 But the Paraclete, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name…

John 15:26 When the Paraclete comes…

John 16:7 …If I do not go away, the Paraclete will not come to you…

1 John 2:1 …if anyone sings, we have an advocate (Parakleton) with with Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. In 1 John2 – Jesus is the paraclete – advocate.

1. Paraclete

Translated as Counseller, comforter, Helper, Advocate.

Greek meaning – “called alongside” “called to one’s aid”

1 Cor 6:19, 20 – Holy Spirit in the believer

We can only live holy lives by the power of the Holy Spirit.

2. Witness

Teach and testify

John 14:26 …will teach you all things and reming you of everything I have said to you.

John 15:26 …He will testify to me

John 15:27 …you also must testify…

John 16:12 …He will guide you into all truth

2. Witness Teach

The Holy Spirit becomes a lifelong teacher and guide in the life of the believer in Christ.

He teaches what Jesus taught.

The Holy Spirit opens our eyes to see Jesus in the Scriptures.

My testimony

2. Witness Testify

The fearful disciples turn into bold witnesses after the day of Pentecost in Acts 2.

Are we depending on human rationalism or the empowering presence of the Holy Spirit.

Without the power of the Holy Spirit our witnessing will be ineffective.

1 Corinthian 2:4 My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power,

3. Prosecutor John 16:8 He will prove the world to be in the

wrong about sin and righteousness and judgement.

Sin: Holy Spirit brings conviction of sin. Acts 2.

Righteousness: Sinful human beings have no hope except through the Righteousness of Jesus Christ.

Judgment: The redemptive act of Jesus and His resurrection – victory over sin, satan and all evil.

Evil and all who choose who align with it will be judged.

3. Prosecutor John 16:8 He will prove the world to be in the

wrong about sin and righteousness and judgement.

Sin: Holy Spirit brings conviction of sin. Acts 2.

Righteousness: Sinful human beings have no hope except through the Righteousness of Jesus Christ.

Judgment: The redemptive act of Jesus and His resurrection – victory over sin, satan and all evil.

Evil and all who choose who align with it will be judged.

Application The Gift of the Holy Spirit is the gift of

empowering God’s presence and power for us to live by. When was the last time you made a decision by seeking

the guidance of the Holy Spirit?

As a congregation here – What does the Holy Spirit want to do for, in and through University Chapel?

What does the Holy Spirit want to do in Vancouver ?

Have we give room for the work of the Spirit in our lives?

We may think of ourselves as a small group – but when the Spirit of God takes hold of even one of His people, there is no telling what He can do.

We need the Holy Spirit as our advocate, intercessor, one who witnesses through us and convicts the world of it’s error.