Today is Pentecost. the fiftieth day after Easter, It commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon Christ's disciples in a powerful new way, and it has sometimes been called the birthday of the Christian Church. There are many things that we can say about the Holy Spirit, but today I would like to focus on one verse from the Gospel of John. In John 14:26, Jesus tells the disciples, "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you." (ESV)
As Jesus looks toward the end of His earthly ministry with His approaching death, resurrection, and ascension, He promises His followers that divine aid will continue. God the heavenly Father will send the Paraclete or Helper to the disciples in Christ's name. Christians will still need teaching. In particular, they will continue to need reminding in a lively way of the teachings that Christ has already given. In other words, the central work of the Holy Spirit among Christians is to help them remember and apply the Gospel.
Unfortunately, through the centuries and into our time, many people have misunderstood and distorted this main work of the Holy Spirit among believers. They have gone to emotional and imaginative extremes. They have sometimes neglected Scripture and Christ's Sacraments in favor of some nebulous "spirituality." However, true spirituality inspired by the Holy Spirit must never be separated from the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. There is no other Gospel that can save souls. So the Holy Spirit never contradicts the revelation in Christ. Rather the Holy Spirit recalls the Scriptural message, makes it alive, and helps us apply it in our situations!
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