Episode 18 reveals the powerful and unrealized spiritual help that is available to us that will guide and enhance our new revelation of Jesus.
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Transcript
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The Future of the Teachings of Jesus
7. Spiritual Help in Our Mission
The Spirit of Truth (Ep. 18)
We face a gigantic task. It is obvious that a revival of the actual teachings of Jesus that turns the world to a new and more exclusive focus on the Master’s life and original gospel of the kingdom is a gigantic task. It will be opposed by the secular power elite, the established ruling class that dominates our culture, including government, schools and universities, entertainment and social media, high finance and large corporations. It will also be opposed by many so-called Christians who give little or no thought to God and living by faith but rather go about their business and every-day lives as secular humanists. Even many Christian leaders are actual secularists in their thoughts and actions. Other Christians will oppose the new more exclusive focus on Jesus because of their loyalty to tradition, doctrinal beliefs, rituals, and their elevation of the teachings of other great Biblical leaders (such as Paul, the apostles, and the Old Testament prophets and teachers) to a level equal to the perfect teachings of Jesus. So, bringing the world a new revelation of Jesus is no easy task. But it must be done! We have no choice if we are to survive the secular onslaught that is leading us down the road to disintegration, totalitarianism, and destruction.
The Spirit of Truth. The good news is that we are not in this fight alone. We have great spiritual resources that we may depend upon to guide and carry us forward to victory. First, we have the Father’s indwelling spirit to look to and rely on. Second, we have the Holy Spirit to guide us and speak through us especially in times of trouble, as Jesus revealed to the apostles. He instructed them: “And when they bring you to trial and deliver you up, do not be anxious beforehand what you are to say; but say whatever is given you in that hour, for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit.” (Mk. 13:11) And crucially, since Pentecost, we also have Jesus’ personal spirit, the Spirit of Truth, which he sent to live in our hearts and be with us in spirit as before he had been with us in person.
Jesus’ description of the Spirit of Truth. Just before his death Jesus sought to comfort his apostles and followers with the news that when he was gone he would send his Spirit of Truth to live in us, to help us to better recognize and comprehend truth, and restate and reinforce his teachings. Jesus referred to his spirit as “the Comforter” and told them: “it is to your advantage that I go away. For if I do not go away the Comforter will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. And when he comes he will make the world conscious of sin and righteousness and judgment. When the Spirit of Truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak of himself, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me. He will draw on my truth and declare it to you.” (Jn. 16: 7-8, 13-14)
We are part of a much larger project. The reality of the Spirit of Truth within our hearts and minds means that we are not waging a solitary campaign to bring the world a new revelation of Jesus. We are really joining the pre-existent mission of Jesus’ Spirit of Truth to bring his message to each new generation of believers. As Jesus told the apostles, the Spirit of Truth came to “glorify me. He will draw on my truth and declare it to you.” (Jn. 16: 14) The Spirit of Truth came so that each new generation of believers would have within their hearts and minds a fresh and true version of the gospel of the kingdom. This means that our efforts to teach the way of Jesus is part of a project much larger than ourselves. We are really enlisting in the ongoing mission of Jesus’ personal spirit to bring his great revelation to every new believer to appear on the earth.
New spiritual power. For us personally the presence of the Spirit of Truth in our hearts means that when we preach Jesus we will have on our side the mighty spirit of Jesus to guide us in our words and actions. His spirit presence brings us enhanced fellowship with the Master and our prayers to Jesus will act to increase our capacity to receive the leadings of his spirit. The Spirit of Truth will help us recall and understand his words and illuminate and reinterpret his life on earth. This heavenly helper will qualify us more effectively to preach the gospel of the kingdom. We should also remember that Jesus’ spirit not only resides and works in us but also in all those who are honest of heart throughout the world. We should realize that when we speak our truth to others, Jesus’ inner spirit can reinforce our message and use our teachings to bring a new understanding of truth to our listeners. This endowment from on high imbues us with great new spiritual power and confidence to bring the new revelation of Jesus to the world, and to succeed in our efforts!
Developing a righteous character. The Spirit of Truth will also help guide and inspire us to develop a righteous character like that of the Master; Jesus’ spirit in our hearts makes us “conscious of sin and righteousness.” Our new revelation of Jesus will be accomplished not only by our teachings the way of Jesus, but perhaps more importantly by our example of living a righteous life following in his footsteps. His indwelling spirit will ever lead us forward and urge us upward in acquiring the righteous character demonstrated by Jesus in his perfected life on earth.
The Comforter. We may be encouraged not only by the fact that we have heavenly help to strengthen us and guide our new revelation but also by the fact that Jesus characterized his spirit as “the Comforter.” (Jn. 16:7) In all our efforts to expand Jesus’ kingdom we may depend upon his inner spirit to comfort us in the trials and tribulations we will surely face. We may confidently pray to Jesus to comfort us in our down times, when things do not work out as we had hoped, when we feel disappointment because of slow going and apparent lack of success, and especially when we face persecution and rejection. At such times and even when things are going well we should meditate on Jesus’ great teaching, “I am the vine, you are the branches.” (Jn. 15:5) We should also keep in mind Jesus’ invitation and encouragement to “Abide in me, and I in you.” (Jn. 15:4)
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