I can only imagine how often the disciples must have thought upon these words of Jesus between the time he was crucified and resurrected. Jesus was everything to the disciples. But, now he was dead and in a tomb, and all their hopes, dreams and confidence were buried with him. But Jesus promised he would not leave them as orphans. What did he mean? How would he come again to them?
We learn what Jesus meant by not leaving them as orphans in the verses leading up to John 14:15-18- "If you love me, you will obey what I command. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever - the Spirit of Truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you."
Truth is, many of us live like orphans.
More importantly, many of us feel like orphans. We've learned that Jesus lived on the earth over 2,ooo years ago, that he died for our sins and through faith in him we're made righteous before our heavenly Father, gaining as our inheritance eternal life and peace. But somehow, many of us still feel very alone. Ask most Christian children (and adults) where Jesus lives and they point to their chest explaining that Jesus lives in their heart. But why, if Jesus lives inside us, do so many of us feel and live as though he was nowhere to be found, more of an imagination than a concrete reality? Isn't that what makes marriage so painfully wonderful and frustrating, that no matter how hard we try we just can't escape the concrete reality of the other person? Interestingly, we learn from the bible that God created marriage to be the most powerful earthly illustration of the relationship he desires with us - a concrete relationship, one we feel and that affects our lives.
Let me share what I've been learning -
"But from now on, the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of Almighty God (Luke 22:69)."
"'Look', he (Stephen) said, 'I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God (Acts 7:56).'"
"God exalted him (Jesus) to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel (Romans 5:31)."
"Christ Jesus, who died - more than that, who was raised to life - IS AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD and is also interceding for us (Romans 8:34)."
The bible is very clear that Jesus is NOW AT THE RIGHT OF GOD, making intercession for us amongst other things. So how is it that Jesus can live inside us while he is at the right hand of God? This takes us back to what Jesus himself said - "And I will ask the Father, and he will give you ANOTHER Counselor to be with you forever - the Spirit of Truth...for he lives WITH you and will be IN you. I will not leave you as orphans...". Because God, the trinity, is spirit (Jn 4:24), Father and Son dwell in us through the presence of Holy Spirit. For this reason it is so critical we learn to honor Holy Spirit as the part of the Trinity that dwells within us today on earth, fulfilling the plans and purposes of God, the Trinity. Just as Jesus only did and said what he saw Father doing and saying, so Holy Spirit only gives to us what Jesus gives to him for us (John 16:13-14). Therefore, it may be said that our role as Christians on the earth is to take what Father gave to Jesus, who gave it to Holy Spirit, who gave it to us, and give it to the world. In this way we fulfill our role as children of God, adopted and grafted into his family through love, for his purposes.
Consider these words from Paul to the Ephesians - "Having believed (remained in relationship), you were marked in him with a seal (your adoption papers), the promised Holy Spirit (Pentecost), who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance ("your kingdom come, your will be done") until the redemption of those who are God's possession - the praise of his glory (1:13)." Paul is reminding his friends that Holy Spirit is the promised gift, who would LIVE IN THEM, bringing them into deeper relationship with Jesus and Father, helping them to fulfill the promises spoken over them by Jesus. Holy Spirit is a deposit of God himself, filling the temples he had prepared through the blood of Jesus, so that God, in and through people, could continue his plans and purposes for redemption.
It is possible to call myself a Christian, a son of God, but live like an orphan, never enjoying the relationship and privileges that come with sonship. I'm learning that I need Holy Spirit living inside me, bringing me into deeper intimacy with the whole Trinity. It's from relationship with God that the realities of God's love are manifest in and through us. I'm learning to nurture my relationship with Holy Spirit, how NOT to RESIST, GRIEVE or QUENCH his love working in me, and how to RECEIVE his work in me to make me more and more like Jesus.
In short, this is the work of Holy Spirit, to bring everything he touches into conformity with the likeness of God. He does this by bringing us face to face with Jesus until we become like him. If we want to be like God (Matthew 5:48), then yielding ourselves to the person and work of Holy Spirit is our path. Let us not forget it was Jesus' path first, we are only following in his footsteps!
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