This week, as we continue our 6-week study on the person of the Holy Spirit, we will be looking at the teaching ministry of the Holy Spirit.
“I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth…” (John 16:12-13)
Jesus said, “I have much more to say to you…” This was the promise that He, through the apostles, would give us the scriptures. I’m also inclined to think that it is also a promise that, through the Spirit, Jesus continues to teach us. Do you realise that Jesus wants to teach you? However long you’ve been a Christian, Jesus has ‘much more to say to you…’ He wants to refresh old and give new revelation. You hear of men who gave everything to become gold diggers – it’s addictive. Finding a little gold tempts them to keep digging for the load that is in their imagination that, in most cases, never materialises. Many pursuits to which we give our time give us a hint of gold; the pursuit of truth, however, guarantees great treasure.
MORE THAN YOU CAN NOW BEAR
Only through the Spirit can we truly understand and live in the good of what Jesus wants to teach (See Luke 18:31-34). By nature, we cannot bear Jesus’ teaching. Only by the Spirit can we ‘bear’ his call on our lives to die to self and to live for Jesus and others. Without the Spirit we put ourselves as the lord of our lives; regeneration by the Spirit and His ongoing empowering enable us to grasp and obey - to bear - Jesus’ teaching. Jesus’ teaching is like a yoke. Jesus promises,
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)
Jesus has more to say to you and the promise is that you will be able to bear its weight. He does not demand too much of you. What He teaches, He also gives the assistance of the Spirit to do.
Many of us shy away from the bible and study because we doubt our ability to understand. Maybe we shy away from it because we secretly believe that He might demand too much of us! The promise is that by the power of the Spirit we can all learn and we will be able to bear what He teaches us.
This promise doesn’t remove the need for hard work or that everything will be understandable initially. However, if we seek the Spirit’s help, He will give us aid to see and understand what we need to see and understand for now. He has also given us leaders and a church community from whom we can seek advice.
ARE WE MAKING PROGRESS?
‘Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.’ (1 Timothy 14-16)
Paul encourages Timothy (and us) to make progress in life and doctrine. The Holy Spirit wants to advance each of us in what we know about God and how we are to live for Him. There is more to know and grow into. Paul prayed for the Ephesian church to grow in their knowledge of God with the assistance of the Holy Spirit,
‘I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.’ (Ephesians 1:17)
RESPONSE
Every day and every time of prayer is to be a time of growth. Do we read the Bible with an expectation to hear Jesus' speak to us by the Spirit? Are we living off of stale bread rather than a fresh word from God?
Jesus has more to say to us. With the Spirit’s assistance, we will be able to ‘bear it’! What can we do in order to grow in knowledge of the truth? It begins by praying (and 'keep praying') as Paul did in Ephesians 1:17 (above).
Prayer then leads to a response of faith: what can we read, listen to, watch etc?
Maybe you'd like to use these verses from Psalm 119 in order to pray for the Spirit's help:
'Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law...Your statutes are wonderful; therefore I obey them. The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple. I open my mouth and pant, longing for your commands...Make your face shine on your servant and teach me your decrees.' (Psalm 119:18, 129-131, 135)
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