FIRST CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE IN CAPE GIRARDEAU: SPIRIT BRINGS ASSURANCE TO UNDERTAIN TIMES

The Rev. William L. Burke was born and raised in Beloit, Wis. He received a bachelor of arts degree in religion at Olivet Nazarene College in Kankakee, Ill. After spending eight and a half years in itinerate evangelism, he served as pastor of the Church of the Nazarene at Farmington for five years. He came to Cape Girardeau in February 1989.

"But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the helper shall not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you." (John 16:7)

We have just come through a season of celebrating the time when Jesus came to earth. I know that the date may not be historically accurate, and we may let commercialism and tradition obscure the "reason for the season," but I love the Christmas story and I love to celebrate Jesus' birth. It may seem rather unusual to use this verse of scripture having just celebrated the coming of Jesus to earth but the contrast of this verse to Christmas is mild in comparison to the shock the disciples must have experienced when Jesus spoke these words.

The night Jesus spoke these words had already been full of unexpected events. Jesus the Lord had humbled himself and washed the feet of the disciples, even the feet of the betrayer, Judas. During the Passover supper Jesus had identified Judas' betrayal and Judas had stormed out of the room. The tension mounted as Jesus began again to tell the disciples of his impending death. Peter swore that he would never fail Jesus, only to be told by Jesus that before the rooster crowed in the morning, Peter would deny the Lord three times.

Jesus tried to comfort his disciples by telling them what it was like in His Father's House but the tension and uncertainty of the disciples in those final hours before Jesus was crucified was almost more than they could bear. They weren't sure what was going to happen, but they knew that as long as Jesus was there they could make it.

Now, Jesus tells them that it is to their advantage that he goes away. NO WAY! In the three and one half years of ups and downs that they have followed Jesus, the one thing that has kept them going was the certainty that Jesus could handle anything. The storms, the miracles, the persecutions: he handled them all. Now he was telling them that they would be better off if he left. How?

The Holy Spirit would come in his place. In the verses surrounding this important verse listen to what Jesus says about the Holy Spirit coming:

1. In John 14:12, he says that we will do greater works because the Holy Spirit comes.

2. In John 14:16, he says that the Holy Spirit will be with us forever.

3. In John 14:17, he says that the Holy Spirit will not only be with us but also in us.

4. In John 14:26, we are told that the Holy Spirit will teach us all things.

5. In John 16: 13, we are told that he, the Holy Spirit, will guide us into all truth.

In these verses, Jesus uses other names for the Holy Spirit like "Comforter" and "Helper" and "Guide."

It's hard for us to accept as I'm sure that it was hard for the disciples to accept, that, in order for God to complete his plan of salvation and the Kingdom of God, Jesus would leave so that the Holy Spirit would come. It is our advantage!

I leave you with two thoughts. When the disciples were told to tarry in Jerusalem until they were filled with the Holy Spirit, they had no idea what to expect, but when they were filled they had no doubts about what had happened. Secondly, the same people that were filled with the Spirit in Acts chapter 2 needed to be refilled in Acts chapter 4. Ephesians 5:18 tells us we should be continually filled with the Holy Spirit.