1 of 1

Jesus described the Spirit he was promising with an unusual word (Greek parakletos, "called alongside"). This term, used for a legal representative who spoke in a person's defense, is translated "Advocate" in the New Living Translation. The current therapeutic connotations of "Counselor," another translation, have rendered it misleading. And "Comforter" is accurate only in its older English meaning of someone who strengthens or encourages.

John 14:15-26

1. What is Jesus' basic assignment to his disciples (vv. 15, 21, 23) in these paragraphs?
   
2. What unspoken fear of the disciples (v. 18) is his disclosure about the Holy Spirit addressing?
   
3. How is the sending of the Spirit equivalent to Jesus again being with them?
   
4. Why are many (vv. 17, 19, 22) unaware of the Spirit's activities? How have I experienced the Spirit recently?
   
5. When (vv. 17, 20) did the Spirit's presence shift from external to internal for Jesus' disciples?
   
6. On what is the Spirit's teaching and reminding (v. 26) based?
   
7. Are you confident (v. 21) that Jesus is revealing himself to you? Does this affirm that you know the Spirit?
   

Ask God for strength to obey his commands through the instruction, encouragement, power, and sustaining presence of the Spirit in your life.

John 14:15-26

15 "If you love me, obey my commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. 17 He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn't looking for him and doesn't recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you. 18 No, I will not abandon you as orphans—I will come to you. 19 Soon the world will no longer see me, but you will see me. Since I live, you also will live. 20 When I am raised to life again, you will know that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. 21 Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal myself to each of them."

22 Judas (not Judas Iscariot, but the other disciple with that name) said to him, "Lord, why are you going to reveal yourself only to us and not to the world at large?"

23 Jesus replied, "All who love me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and we will come and make our home with each of them. 24 Anyone who doesn't love me will not obey me. And remember, my words are not my own. What I am telling you is from the Father who sent me. 25 I am telling you these things now while I am still with you. 26 But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.

Copyright © 2009 by the author or Christianity Today International/Men of Integrity magazine.
Click here for reprint information on Men of Integrity.

 1 of 1

share this page

Prayer for the Week

I'm not strong enough, Lord, to live up to your standards on my own. Teach me how to rely on the internal power your Spirit provides.

				Try an Issue of Men of Integrity Free! Name Street Address City/State/Zip E-mail Address No credit card required. Please allow 4-6 weeks for delivery. Offer valid in U.S. only. Click here for International orders. If you decide you want to keep Men of Integrity coming, honor your invoice for just $19.95 and receive five more issues, a full year in all. If not, simply write "cancel" across the invoice and return it. The trial issue is yours to keep, regardless. Give Men of Integrity as a gift Buy 1 gift subscription, get 1 FREE!

FREE Newsletter Sign up for the Men of Integrity Newsletter    RSS Feed   RSS Help