The Promise of the Holy Spirit - John 14: 8-17

Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own; but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; but if you do not, then believe me because of the works themselves. Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it. If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever. This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, because he abides with you, and he will be in you.

Commentary

In the church calendar, yesterday was the day of Pentecost. The church celebrates Pentecost Sunday as the birthdate of the Church, since it was the day on which the Holy Spirit descended on the disciples en mas and gave them tongues of fire. The story is important enough that we have added a third reading to tell that story.

Jesus promised us that the Father would send the Holy Spirit to be with us always to empower us and to tell us the truth. The Holy Spirit is an important part of the trinity, and she is with us always. Without her, we would be unlikely to live up to the directions Jesus gave us. So this is important.

Probably 40 years ago, my wife and I attended a class given by a Greek Orthodox priest at an Episcopal convent. The class was on living the spiritual life. We were lucky enough to attend because a friend of ours was a member of the convent. Father Hopka was very found of the saying, “Miracles are for novices”.

I do not intend any disrespect to the Church, the Holy Spirit, nor the event of Pentecost in saying this. I think rather that the point Father Hopka was making is that the purpose of a miracle is to get our attention. It still remains for us to look, and listen, and discern to see the true message that the miracle is pointing us to. I would suggest that the important message in the whole wonderful story from Acts is the single line, “I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh”.

We are flesh. As flesh, we are made from dust and we shall return to dust. But God promises that we are MORE than flesh. God promises that he will pour out His spirit upon ALL flesh. That includes us. And the celebration of Pentecost reminds us that God has poured out his spirit, is still pouring out His spirit, and will ALWAYS be pouring out His spirit upon us. So we are not just mortal flesh. We are also immortal spirit. The Holy Spirit, who is herself part of the ONE FATHER, who will, if we allow it, take up residence in our bodies that we may be the LOVE that GOD is, and give glory to GOD

In the gospel this afternoon, Jesus takes up this same point in his discussion with Philip. Philip, like us most of the time, just can't believe it all. He says to Jesus, somewhat exasperated I imagine, “Just show us the Father”. And Jesus is himself so exasperated by the question he can not slow down enough for the explanation Philip needs. What Jesus knows, but can't believe that Philip doesn't, is that the Father is Spirit. The Father can NOT be seen because there is no flesh to see. What Jesus has been saying over and over and over is that the Father is only seen through works, and it is the Father himself who is working through the flesh of Jesus in performing all the miracles.

To emphasize this point Jesus goes on to say that any true believer can perform the miracles because it will still be the Father performing through whatever body has made itself available. If we will choose LOVE, then GOD himself will choose to live within us and GOD himself will act in LOVE.

The whole problem facing the world, and its solution is summed up for us in the last verse of our gospel. “Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.”

Jesus tells us that the world cannot receive the Spirit of truth because they can not see him. Truly. The Spirit is spirit. It has no flesh. It is not visible. So as long as the world insists upon a visible body, they are going to be disappointed.

Jesus goes on to tell us that the alternative is for the spirit to be known by its works without being seen. What would such knowing look like? The seeker must both see the works, and make the mental connection that there must be a spirit behind them. This is why Jesus has been repeatedly telling us throughout the gospels that he and the Father are one and that the works are those of the Father. And why he keeps telling us that the Father will dwell within us. God will do the work, but we must be the arms and legs and lips that act in the world of the flesh. If the world refuses to believe in what it can not see, then we must be the vehicle that turns God's love into the visible actions the world can believe.

It's a pretty thin thread, but it is what we are all banking on.