Day 78: The Final Emphasis

We come now to another lesson that Jesus taught His disciples about the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit will glorify Jesus. The promise of today’s verse was fulfilled after the Holy Spirit came on the disciples at Pentecost, for we read: “We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him” (Acts 5:32 NIV). This shows that the divine Spirit and human spirits were working together for the same end––the glorification of Jesus.

The statement that the Holy Spirit would glorify Jesus was one of the most important lessons in the process of spiritual education. The whole purpose of the Spirit’s coming was not to glorify Himself or the person who receives Him, but to glorify Jesus. That puts the emphasis in the proper place. If the Holy Spirit gloried the person who received Him, then that would make Christianity an eccentric, o– center religion. If He gloried Himself, then it would make Christianity Spirit-centered rather than Christ-centered. Christianity that is not linked to the Incarnation can have no fixed idea as to what God is really like. Spirit-centered Christianity would leave us going o at a tangent into all kinds of weird areas of subjectivity.

There are some Christians who are more Spirit-oriented than Christ-oriented. They hear what they describe as the “voice of the Spirit” telling them to do strange and unseemly things. Every “voice” we hear must be tested against the character of Jesus, and if it doesn’t come up to His standard, then it has to be rejected. The Holy Spirit will always glorify Jesus.

What is the Holy Spirit saying to me?

ACTIVATION

• Does your teaching, preaching and writing ultimately bring glory to Jesus? Evaluate your ministry focus and correct course where needed.

• Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal Jesus to you in a new and deeper way.

• Spend time focusing on Jesus’ life, teaching, death and resurrection. Thank the Holy Spirit for leading you into truth.

FURTHER STUDY

1 Corinthians 12:3; 1 Corinthians 8:6; Philippians 2:9–10; Romans 5:15–17

Pastor Larry & Pat Downing
Foothills Community Church
Collections of thoughts from varied sources
Scripture verses from KJV or NIV unless specified