Before he gave up His life, Jesus spent the last evening before His arrest teaching the disciples some weightier lessons than He had so far taught them. At the time Jesus’ Crucifixion looked, to His disciples like the worst tragedy that could happen. But we know that Jesus’ sacrifice made the way for hope and joy for us. Starting in verse 4 Jesus explains why.
“But I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I told them to you. I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you. 5 But now I am going to him who sent me, and none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ 6 But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. 7 Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.”
The eleven disciples Jesus was preparing to be apostles loved their Rabbi, Lord, and friend deeply. They were truly dismayed at the thought of His looming death. They didn’t want to believe that it would really happen. But Jesus told them it was a good thing, because once He went to the Father, the Helper would be sent.
It is an advantage that Jesus returned to the Father and the Holy Spirit came. But why? While Jesus was with them, The Holy Spirit had been with them but not within them and not the way He would be. (John 14:16-18). But once Jesus made a way for salvation the Spirit of God could commune with believers in a new and intimate way. Jesus described some of what the Holy Spirit in would do in verses 8-11.
“And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; 10 concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; 11 concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.”
The Holy Spirit is the one who makes the guilty aware of his wrongs in order for him to come to a place where he can acknowledge his need of Christ. We can point fingers and blame until the cows come home and we will never have an effect on an unbeliever’s heart. It is the Holy Spirit and only the Holy Spirit that can bring a person to faith. He is the one who makes it possible for us to follow Christ and live honorably even though Jesus is not physically walking the earth. He conforms us to Jesus’ image. And He reminds us that the world will be judged and although Satan is defeated, there are countless souls who will be judged alongside Him. He loves them and doesn’t want any of them to perish. The Holy Spirit made sure that the disciples remembered all of Jesus words so they could teach and spread the Gospel. He also continued to teach them the profound truths of God as He continues to do today. Verses 12-13 read,
“I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.”
Just as Jesus did nothing and said nothing without the Father, it is the same of the Holy Spirit. He teaches us and directs us. He illuminates truth to us and allows us to understand the word. He showed the future to the apostles and He shows us too. He reveals to us the profound mysteries of the Kingdom of God.
Verses 14-15 read,
“He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. 15 All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.”
The Holy Spirit perfectly reflects Jesus. He is the Spirit of God. He reveals God to us and through us. Not only does He show us who Jesus is, He makes us into Jesus’ image. Even as He conforms us to the likeness of Christ, He endows us with Jesus’ attributes, authority, and gifts. The Holy Spirit makes it possible for you and me to do what Jesus did, to love as Jesus did and bring people to a relationship with God. The Holy Spirit is God and He is in you, Believer.