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THE GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT -
Rev Dr Ngoei Foong Nghian INTRODUCTION As I reflect on that first Ascension Day I sense that it was a prelude to the dawn of a new day. It would usher in the era of the Holy Spirit – and it would change the church forever. The risen Christ had said to his disciples Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about (v 4b). Who is the Holy Spirit and in what way is he a gift? I believe John 14 : 15 – 21 tells us a little more about this wonderful gift from God. In John 14: 16 Jesus said, "And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever." Actually there are two titles given to the HS by Jesus –he calls him the Counselor and the Spirit of Truth. First let’s look at the Holy Spirit’s role as Counselor. PART ONE The word Counselor is translated from the Greek word which literally means ‘legal helper’ or ‘advocate’. It gives the picture of someone who stands by you when you are facing troubled times. Could it be that Jesus was anticipating difficult days ahead for his disciples? Could it be that he expected Roman law to give the young Christian community a hard time? But whether it be in the court of law or the daily encounters in life, a counselor is always a welcomed companion. And better still if the counselor has divine connection! In other words this Counselor whom Jesus would send, (in place of his physical presence) would come to the aid of the Christian. He will walk by our side to guide us along life’s way. He will act as an adviser and helper, an encourager, a comforter, an inspirer, and a constant companion. You see our Lord never intended to leave us alone to fend for ourselves. Indeed he ensured that every believer would have divine assistance. This is really a wonderful gift from our Lord Jesus. And for us who live in this generation – do you realize how fortunate we are? For we not only have the Bible as our constant companion in written form. We not only have the Christian community as our earthly extended family, to encourage and inspire us and correct us. We also have the Counselor – the Holy Spirit - as God’s unseen presence. So as Christians we will never be alone. God keeps a watchful eye on each one of us. Isn’t this wonderful news – that God promises to keep company with us? But we do have a problem. And it is that we usually fail to recognize the promptings and advice of the Counselor. So we stumble along life’s way, because we turn a deaf ear to the Holy Spirit. Some people blame God for their misfortune. But God can always turn around and say,‘my dear child, did I not warn you about it’? If only we would take heed of the Counselor’s advice, many of our troubles could have been avoided or at least not turn into nightmares. Jesus does not promise a trouble-free life for Christians but he does promise that the Counselor will provide us with a road map so that can travel safely each day. But how can we discern the voice of the Counselor when everyday we are bombarded with so many voices? Sometimes we hear the truth, and sometimes we hear untruth and we cannot tell the difference. How can we know the voice of the Counselor and take heed so that our lives will be more pleasant and meaningful? Well, the answer lies in the Spirit of Truth. PART TWO The Holy Spirit is also referred to as the Spirit of Truth. Did you know that early Christians were first referred to as the ‘followers of the Way’. It was later that they became known as Christians. If we are to be faithful followers of Christ, we must ourselves know the way. In Luke 15: 26, Jesus says that the Holy Spirit will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. So the role of the Spirit of Truth would be to help Christians to recall the things that we learn about the faith. We learn the Truth about God when we study the Bible. But Bible study is of no use if it is only an intellectual exercise. We need to internalize what we learn. to soak up God’s Word to become part of our being. Then the Spirit of Truth brings into relief (embosses) – or highlights for us the Truth that we have learned from Scriptures. He brings to life the teachings of Jesus – as if Jesus himself is speaking to us although he is no more with us physically. There is story about a church in Europe which has two paintings of the crucifixion of St Peter. And the paintings stand side by side. It seems that in the beginning of the 19th century, when Napoleon came and ransacked the city, he robbed the church of the original painting of the crucifixion of St Peter. When the artist learned that the original had been taken away from the city, he painted another picture. Later, when the original was restored to its rightful place, the two paintings were placed side by side. Experts now say that there is so little difference between the two paintings that you cannot tell which is the original. The remarkable thing about it is that the artist worked on the copy in the absence of the original painting. This illustrates the work of the Spirit of Truth. He will come into our lives and will teach us exactly what Jesus taught his disciples some 2000 years ago. Societies may change, viewpoints may differ, and people will interpret the Bible differently and churches may develop new forms of ministry. But the Spirit of Truth will speak with the voice of Jesus, as if Jesus is speaking directly to us. Simply put, the Holy Spirit keeps us on the right track, by providing us a road map (Spirit of Truth) and constantly prompts and advises us (Counselor) so that we may travel safely through the highways and byways of life. And those who listen and obey will find the Way, the Truth and the Life. CONCLUSION Finally, receiving the Holy Spirit does not stop at personal transformation. Through us it brings about transformation of our church fellowship. The Holy Spirit enables us to practise Christian love thus improving the quality of church relationships. Isn’t this something we wish for all the time – to enhance the life of our own congregation? If the church is to be a credible witness it must begin by transforming its fellowship in such a way that whoever steps into our church will experience something special. And with that special quality of congregational life God can better use us as his witnesses. So friends, on this the 52nd Anniversary of the Church of the Ascension, my prayer for you is this: May the Holy Spirit remain with you as Counselor and Spirit of Truth to empower you to be joyful witnesses of the Gospel of Jesus Christ our Lord. [Top] |
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Church of the Ascension, 13
Francis Thomas Drive, Singapore 359339 |