Easter and The Holy Spirit (2024)
In the OT: In the Old Testament and old covenant era the HS was only situationally available or present.
- He would come on a prophet and give the prophet words to speak on behalf of God.
- But he wasn’t always and continually present within the followers of God.
- The Holy Spirit couldn’t come until after Easter.
The Promise: Near the end of Jesus’ life, Jesus promises that after his death, things would be different.
- John 14:16 This wouldn’t come until Pentecost, 40 days after Easter.
- Jesus first uses the word Counselor.
- In Greek this is the word
- Which means: helper, intercessor, comforter, advocate.
- This shows us not only names for the Holy Spirit but also his roles or functions.
- Romans 8 shows us what the role intercessor looks like.
- Romans 8:26 The spirit intercedes for us when we don’t know what to pray.
- The Holy Spirit is also our advocate, he defends us from the enemy and makes our case as righteous ones before the Father.
- The Holy Spirit is also Comforter.
- No matter what you face the presence of the Holy Spirit is always there to bring comfort.
- Jesus also says that the HS will be with us for
Verse 17: The word for Spirit here is pneuma and is followed by the Greek word Alethia.
- The word pneuma is where we get our English word pneumatic.
- The word Alethia means: truth, truthfulness, reality,
- One definition of the word Alethia: …”What is true in any matter under consideration.”
- Verse 17 continues with: That the world cannot accept the Spirit.
- Notice the connection between the truth and the fact that the world cannot accept him.
- Because the world wants nothing to do with truth, they can’ believe in the spirit.
- For us: no matter what situation you find yourself in, The Holy Spirit will have truth for that situation.
Titus 3:4-7 Verse 5 We are made righteous not by our own works but by the work of Jesus on the cross at Easter.
- This is why the Holy Spirit could not be continually present before Easter.
- We had to be to be made right first by the cross.
- The first phrase, washing of rebirth, could also be translated as a “bath in regeneration.”
- This is a reference to the OT practice and the old Covenant way of washing to become clean again after sin. As we are born again into Jesus, He washes clean our past through the Holy Spirit.
- We no longer need to go to the Temple and have a priest prescribe a ceremonial cleansing.
- Verse 6 That word “generously” really means abundantly or full measure.
- We get the Full measure of the Holy Spirit.
Romans 8:11 The same spirit that raised Christ from the dead is living in us.
- Now the context of this passage is that Paul is saying we too will have a bodily resurrection just like Christ did, through that same Spirit.
- But that same Spirit is living in us now, until that happens.
- This is incredible life-giving news.
Luke 24:49 Being is filled with the Spirit is so important that Jesus told them to wait for it.
- He tells them to stay in the city until they have received the Holy Spirit.
- Shouldn’t it be the same for us?
Acts 1:3 Jesus kept making the point they should stay and wait until they received the Holy Spirit.
Acts 2:1 On the day of Pentecost They are filled with the Holy Spirit.
- First, The Holy Spirit over comes the barrier of language and even culture.
- Second, Peter stands up under the power of the Holy Spirit and preaches with power.
- The Holy Spirit is the key to evangelism.
Acts 19:1 The first question that Paul asks these believers is, did you receive the holy Spirit?
- It must have been obvious to Paul that they had not.
- He could have asked a lot of other questions.