The Spirit of Easter: 2022
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 Promise: John 14:16-17 Near the end of Jesus’ life, Jesus promises that after his death, things would be different. This wouldn’t come until Pentecost 40 days after Easter.
- John 14:16 Jesus first uses the word Counselor. In Greek this is the word Parakletos.
- Which means: helper, intercessor, comforter, advocate, these are names and roles or functions of the Holy Spirit,
- This list also gives us a few examples of what the helper looks like: intercessor, comforter, advocate.
- Romans 8:26 shows us what the role of intercessor looks like.
- 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 enemy often tries to convict us of our sin through shame and guilt. But the Holy Spirit as our advocate convicts us of our righteousness through Christ.
- The Holy Spirit is also Comforter. The presence of the Holy Spirit is always there to bring comfort.
- End of verse 16, Jesus also says that the HS will be with us for “”
- In the Greek it reads more like “to the end of the age.”
Verse 17: The word for Spirit here is pneuma and is followed by the Greek word aletheia.
- The word pneuma is where we get our English word pneumatic. (Air powered)
- The word aletheia means: truth, truthfulness, reality,
- So, Jesus again gives us not only another name but another role or function of the Spirit. To bring truth.
- The verse continues with: The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him.
- Notice the connection between the truth and the fact that the world cannot accept him.
Titus 3: 4–7 Jesus saves us, not because of anything we did, but simply because of His mercy.
- This is a reference to the OT practice and the old Covenant way of washing to become clean again after sin.
- We see another role of the Holy Spirit. As we are born 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.
Then…. “renewal by the Holy Spirit,” the word renewal means: renewal, renovation, Complete change for the better.” The Holy Spirit renews us, regenerates us.
- Verse 6 The “whom” here refers to the Holy Spirit. That word generously really means abundantly or full measure.
- Jesus has poured out the Holy Spirit in full measure.
- Please also note that the Holy Spirit came through Jesus Christ.
- This is why the Holy Spirit did not come until after Easter.
- The Holy Spirit is ministering the power of the cross to us.
- But Jesus had to die on that cross first, to give it, it’s power.
Romans 8: 11 The same spirit that raised Christ from the dead is living in us.
- That same Spirit is living in us now.
Luke 24:49; Acts 1:3 Jesus kept making the point they should stay and wait until they received the Holy Spirit.
- Don’t try and do ministry without the Spirit.
Acts 2:1 They are filled with the Holy Spirit.
- First, The Holy Spirit over comes the barrier of language and even culture.
- Second, the Spirit brings power on the Gospel.
Acts 19:1 The first question that Paul asks these believers is, did you receive the holy Spirit?