We give glory to the Father, and we are so thankful for the Son, and… well, we are even more thankful to the Holy Spirit.
Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.
“I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you.”
John 16:7-14
We are thankful to Christ for the Holy Spirit, through whom the world is convicted concerning sin, righteousness and judgment. I have reason for us to believe that the Holy Spirit convicts those of us who have come to believe in Jesus Christ, that we are righteous. In each and every moment we have in this reality, we are convicted of our right-standing with God.
This is wonderful news on its own, but Christ goes even further – this same Spirit that comes to us shall guide us into ‘all the truth’, and He shall also glorify Christ.
I’d like to go through these three, and say that today, the Holy Spirit guides us into ‘all the truth’ by convicting us, even in this day and age, of righteousness (that is, of our absolute reconciliation and right-standing even before our thrice-holy Creator and God), glorifying Christ whose finished work guaranteed it.
In other words, ‘all the truth’ is the Truth that stands in all and over all – Christ’s glorious resurrection and ascension guaranteeing that we are always in God’s perfect will, and that nothing can ever separate us from the love of God.
Christ had yet to lay down His life, but I could imagine and picture how excited He was in telling the disciples of the Holy Spirit; He wanted to tell them ‘many (more) things’, but prioritized telling them about the great Helper that was to come to them when He ‘goes away’.
For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”
Romans 8:15
Years later, Paul confirms what the now resurrected and ascended Christ promised the disciples: The Spirit that had descended upon them in the upper room in Jerusalem (Acts 2) was the same Helper who guides them into all the Truth…
The Truth, that is, that through the glorified Christ, they have been declared righteous; and, apparently, they are told of being in such right-standing, that they are so close to God that they would realize not only their reconciliation but their adoption.
More than branches grafted into the root, Christ’s finished work has guaranteed that we’ve been made sons and daughters of the Most High, to whom we cry, Father!
Yes, on Father’s Day, our message to everyone was… Through Christ, we ALL have a proper, faithful, Father.
Dads have a Father.
Dads-to-be have a Father.
Stepdads have a Father.
People who play the role of Dad have a Father.
Those who cannot be with their dads, they have a Father.
Those who never got the chance to meet their dad, they have a Father.
Those struggling to conceive have a Father.
Dads who have lost their kids have a Father.
Those who have lost their dads still have a Father.
Those who are still learning to forgive their dads have a Father who understands.
Fur daddies have a Father.
Finally, even those who have chosen not to be a dad… they have a Father.
But now, O LORD, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand.
Isaiah 64:8
See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are.
1 John 3:1a
Through these Scriptures we can say that the Holy Spirit reminds us, at every single moment, that through the finished work of Jesus Christ, we realize that the Creator of the Universe and all that is seen and unseen (the Potter) loves us as a Father, by calling us His children.
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.
James 1:17
“…your Father knows what you need before you ask him.”
Matthew 6:8
This same Creator, this same Father is a Thoughtful Father, from whom we receive only good and perfect gifts, knowing deeper than our deepest desires – in His infinite glory He knows what we NEED, and because of His eternal wisdom we know that what He determines as what we need is the absolute BEST.
The next verse I had lined up to share to the people last Sunday was from the Parable of the Prodigal Son and I decided to wrap things up from there. I sort of gave them the entire story:
“There was a man who had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them. Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything.
“But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.”’ And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.
“Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.’ But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, but he answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’ And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’”
Luke 15:11-32
I’m pretty sure I went in depth with my thoughts on this absolutely beautiful Parable, but for the sake of this article in particular, I do want to point out, in closing:
- We have the Holy Spirit constantly reminding us of our righteousness through Christ; and, in fact, we are so righteous that we are able to call God our Father. No matter what experience we’ve had with our own Dads, through Christ, we have a proper Father.
- Our God is our Glorious Creator, who knows the best for us at any given situation… And we say the best for us at any given situation is Christ, through whom we have been called children of God – our thoughtful Father.
Finally, whether we are as prodigals who want to figure out our own way apart from Him, or as the elder brother whose focus was on his service and obedience more than his actual Father, it doesn’t matter…
For if our Father does not talk to us directly, He communicates to us by way of His servants, who are tasked to put on a robe, a ring, and shoes on us; He facilitates our restoration, and organizes a celebration for our return!
But if we find ourselves trying too hard to please God through our faithless works, our Father comes out and entreats us – He listens to our resentment, and, finally, when it is His time to speak, He reminds us: “you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours.”
As Fathers’ Day for this year came and went, we have been reminded – that through Christ, we have a Father who calls us His children. We have a Father who chases after us – and if He isn’t restoring us, He’s gently reminding us – We are always with Him, and all that is His, is ours.
To God, to our Father be all the glory and praise, now and forever.
Here are some verses I had lined up, but didn’t share, due to lack of time:
The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice; he who fathers a wise son will be glad in him.
Proverbs 23:24
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”
Joshua 1:9
The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
Lamentations 3:22-23
if we are faithless, he remains faithful— for he cannot deny himself.
2 Timothy 2:13
Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
Ephesians 3:20-21
As always, thank you for your time. I hope you had a good Fathers’ Day this year.
Until the next post, God bless you!
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