(Using the print feature in your browser will print the sermon without the navigation menu on the left.)
Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father's who sent me. These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. You heard me say to you, ‘I am going away, and I will come to you.’ If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. And now I have told you before it takes place, so that when it does take place you may believe. I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no claim on me, but I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father. Rise, let us go from here.(John 14:23–31)
If you needed to walk outside in the dark, I'm sure you would take along a flashlight. A flashlight helps you see where we are going in the dark. It is used to shine light on an object or on the pathway. A flashlight is not very helpful if you hold it in front of your face and simply stare into the beam of light. The flashlight doesn't want us to look at it's light bulb. It wants us to look at what it shines upon.
Just as the flashlight points to an object, so also, the Holy Spirit points to Jesus. Just as we do not focus our eyes on the flashlight but on the thing which the flashlight sheds light on, so also, we do not focus on the Holy Spirit but on Jesus of whom the Spirit testifies. The Holy Spirit does not draw attention to Himself, instead the Holy Spirit draws attention to Jesus who suffered, died, and rose again as our Savior.
Note that many of our Pentecost hymns make reference to the Holy Spirit using the imagery of light. We just sang, “Come, holy Light, guide divine, Now cause the Word of life to shine” (Lutheran Service Book #497, stanza 2). We want the Holy Spirit to cause the Word of life to shine.
Another hymn goes like this, “Holy Spirit, light divine, Shine upon this heart of mine; Chase the shades of night away, Turn the darkness into day” (Lutheran Service Book #496, stanza 1).
Another hymn goes like this, “Shine in our hearts, O Spirit, precious light; Teach us Jesus Christ to know aright” (Lutheran Service Book #768, stanza 4).
Jesus once said, “But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me” (John 15:26). So the Holy Spirit testifies of Jesus. The Holy Spirit does not draw attention to Himself, but He points to Jesus — His death and resurrection; His Water and Word; His body and blood; His forgiveness and life. The Holy Spirit creates and nurtures faith in Jesus as your Savior. The Holy Spirit brings the blessings of the cross, namely: forgiveness and salvation to you.
Elsewhere, Jesus also said, “[The Holy Spirit] will glorify Me” (John 16:14). Again, the Spirit does not make Himself the focus. Instead, He focuses our attention on Jesus. The Spirit is not interested in glorifying Himself. Instead, He is interested in glorifying Jesus.
We live in a “me” centered culture. The sinful flesh wants us to make him our idol god. He says, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves.” The sinful flesh wants to be famous apart from God. It wants the glory. It wants to control you and me. With an attitude like this, who needs God?
To make the things of this world our idol god is wrong. To declare independence from God is wrong. To make a prideful name for ourselves is wrong. To control the future without seeking God's will is wrong. To live a life of sin and unbelief is to live in a world of darkness where there is no light.
Our technologies cannot save us. Our tools and toys cannot bring us to heaven. Searching within us cannot bring us peace. There is a hatred and anger toward one another, rather than love.
The crowd on Pentecost Sunday were cut to the heart. They heard the law and asked, “What shall we do?” Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized everyone one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38).
Yes, the law of God shows us our sin. It leaves us naked in sin. It accuses us of our sin. We are helpless. We cannot by our own reason or strength even believe.
What shall we do? Repent. Pray the words of Psalm 51: “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me” (v. 10). “Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin” (v. 2).
In your baptism, the old Adam was drowned and died and a new man, clothed with the robe of Christ's righteousness, came out. You were baptized for the forgiveness of your sins, and you received the gift of the Holy Spirit. Sinful parents give birth to children who are sinful, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spirit in the waters of Holy Baptism. In your baptism, “God saved you through the washing of rebirth and the renewal by the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:5).
It's the Holy Spirit who continually works repentance and faith in your heart. It's the Holy Spirit who gave you your faith and continues to sustain your faith. Martin Luther says, in the explanation of the third article of the Apostles' Creed: “I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to Him; but the Holy Spirit has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith.”
What did the Holy Spirit do? He called you to faith by means of the Gospel. You confess that Jesus is Lord, because the Holy Spirit worked faith within you by the Word. God's Word continues to be a “lamp to your feet and a light to your path” — especially as you hear it preached.
In today's Holy Gospel, Jesus said to His disciples, “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you” (John 14:26). The Holy Spirit will teach you everything about Jesus and the salvation He has provided for you and for the whole world. The Holy Spirit will remind you the words of Jesus. The Holy Spirit will cause you to remember God's Word. The Holy Spirit will help you understand God's Word. So, when the word is taught, read, or preached, the Holy Spirit is involved pointing you to Jesus.
On the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit gave the disciples the ability to speak in another person's own language. What message did the disciples speak? Acts chapter two says that they were speaking “the wonderful works of God” — namely, the wonderful works that God has done in and through the life of Jesus. They spoke about the forgiveness of sins and salvation through faith in Jesus.
In Peter's Pentecost sermon, what did He preach about? He didn't dwell on the Holy Spirit, but proclaimed the crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus. He said, “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you and heed my words. Jesus of Nazareth…whom you have crucified, and put to death, God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it…. [And then Jesus was] lifted up to God's right hand. So all the people of Israel… know that it is true that God made Him Lord and Christ — this Jesus whom you crucified” (Acts 2:14–36). Again, notice that Peter focused on the crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus and not on the Holy Spirit. Through Peter's preaching, Jesus was glorified. Peter testified about Jesus as the Savior of the world.
So also today, Jesus is your light and your salvation. He is your peace which the world cannot give. He is the way to heaven. His words are true, and He is your source of life now and forever.
The Holy Spirit uses the Word to teach us about Jesus. Where God's Word is being taught at home or at school or at church, there, the Holy Spirit is at work. Where the Gospel is taught, there, the Holy Spirit brings faith in Jesus. The Holy Spirit connects the Word to water along with bread and wine. The Holy Spirit is active from the font, the pulpit, and the altar. Where the Lord's Supper is received, there, Christ is present, and the Holy Spirit helps us to trust in the forgiveness of sins given in this sacrament.
The Holy Spirit works to kill our sin and to raise us to life in Jesus. The Spirit works to drown our sin in repentance and to give us faith in the forgiveness of sins. The Spirit is the one who changes our will, attitude, and desire so that we strive to serve our neighbor in love. The Spirit is the one who blesses us with “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self–control” (Galatians. 5:22–23). The Holy Spirit helps us to love one another.
So, if you need to walk outside in the dark, I'm sure you'll want to bring a flashlight in order to see. We walk in a world full of darkness, sin, and death. On our journey, we pray that the Holy Spirit may continue to shine the bright beams of light on Jesus so that we may follow Him on His path of righteousness all the way to heaven.
Thanks be to God the Father for having mercy upon us sinners by sending us a Savior. Thanks be to God the Son who suffered and died on our behalf. Thanks be to God the Holy Spirit who blessed us with faith in Jesus and has given us life and salvation. Amen.
( TOP )