Empowered by the Paraclete: Strength in Hatred

 

Summary

In the 15th chapter of John's Gospel, Jesus addresses a theme that might seem unexpected: hate. While we often associate Jesus with love, here He speaks about the world's hatred towards Him and, by extension, towards His followers. Jesus warns His disciples that just as the world hated Him, it will also hate them. This discourse is set against the backdrop of anticipated persecution, and Jesus introduces the concept of the Paraclete, or Comforter, who will be sent to support His followers in a hostile world.

The term "Paraclete" is often associated with the Holy Spirit, but Jesus refers to the Holy Spirit as "another Paraclete," implying that He Himself is the first Paraclete. The Greek word "parakletos" means one who is called alongside to help, akin to a family attorney who defends and strengthens in times of trouble. This understanding shifts the perception of the Holy Spirit from merely a consoler to a powerful advocate and strengthener.

Historically, the church has linked the Holy Spirit's role with comfort, but this has often been misunderstood. The original meaning of "comfort" is "with strength," derived from the Latin "cum forte." Thus, the Holy Spirit's role is not just to console after the battle but to empower and embolden believers during the battle. This strength is crucial in facing the world's hostility and persecution.

Jesus assures His disciples that the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth, will guide them into all truth, revealing the things of Christ and glorifying Him. This guidance is essential for believers to stand firm in their faith amidst trials. The Upper Room Discourse, where these teachings are found, provides profound insights into the person and work of the Holy Spirit, emphasizing His role in empowering and sustaining the church.

Key Takeaways:

- Jesus prepares His disciples for the world's hatred by promising the Paraclete, the Holy Spirit, who will stand alongside them as an advocate and strengthener. This assurance is crucial for believers facing persecution and hostility. [01:37]

- The term "Paraclete" highlights the Holy Spirit's role as a defender and strengthener, not just a consoler. This understanding shifts the focus from post-battle consolation to empowerment during the battle, providing believers with courage and strength. [10:54]

- The Holy Spirit, as the Spirit of Truth, guides believers into all truth, revealing the teachings of Christ and glorifying Him. This guidance is essential for maintaining faith and integrity in a world that often opposes the truth of the Gospel. [19:52]

- The concept of comfort, rooted in "with strength," emphasizes the Holy Spirit's role in empowering believers. This strength is vital for facing trials and tribulations, enabling believers to be more than conquerors through Christ. [18:33]

- The Upper Room Discourse provides profound insights into the Holy Spirit's person and work, highlighting His role in empowering and sustaining the church. This teaching is crucial for understanding how the Holy Spirit equips believers to stand firm in their faith. [21:04]

Youtube Chapters:

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:24] - Introduction to Hate in John's Gospel
[01:03] - The World's Hatred and Persecution
[01:37] - The Promise of the Paraclete
[02:13] - Understanding the Paraclete
[03:23] - Jesus as the First Paraclete
[04:07] - The Role of the Holy Spirit
[05:25] - Context of Hatred and Persecution
[06:38] - Nietzsche's Critique of Christianity
[07:49] - Misunderstanding Comfort
[09:12] - The True Meaning of Paraclete
[10:54] - The Paraclete as Advocate
[13:01] - Jesus as Our Advocate
[14:35] - The Holy Spirit's Role in Strengthening
[18:33] - Comfort as Strength
[21:04] - Insights from the Upper Room Discourse

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
1. John 15:18-27
2. John 16:12-15

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Observation Questions:

1. In John 15:18-19, what does Jesus say about the world's attitude towards Him and His followers? How does this relate to the theme of hate discussed in the sermon? [01:03]

2. According to the sermon, what is the significance of Jesus referring to the Holy Spirit as "another Paraclete"? How does this relate to Jesus being the first Paraclete? [02:38]

3. What role does the Holy Spirit, as the Spirit of Truth, play in the lives of believers according to John 16:13-14? How is this role emphasized in the sermon? [19:52]

4. How does the sermon explain the original meaning of the word "comfort" in relation to the Holy Spirit's role? [18:33]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How does understanding Jesus as the first Paraclete and the Holy Spirit as another Paraclete change the perception of their roles in the life of a believer? [03:23]

2. In what ways does the sermon suggest that the Holy Spirit empowers believers to face persecution and hostility? How does this empowerment differ from mere consolation? [15:05]

3. How does the concept of the Holy Spirit as a "strengthener" challenge or affirm your understanding of His role in your life? [18:33]

4. What does it mean for the Holy Spirit to guide believers into all truth, and how is this guidance crucial for maintaining faith amidst trials? [19:52]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on a time when you felt the world's hostility because of your faith. How did you respond, and how might the understanding of the Holy Spirit as a Paraclete change your response in the future? [01:03]

2. The sermon emphasizes the Holy Spirit's role as a strengthener. Identify a current challenge in your life where you need strength. How can you invite the Holy Spirit to empower you in this situation? [18:33]

3. How can you actively seek the guidance of the Spirit of Truth in your daily decisions and interactions? What practical steps can you take to be more attuned to His leading? [19:52]

4. Consider the idea of the Holy Spirit as an advocate. In what areas of your life do you need advocacy, and how can you rely on the Holy Spirit to defend and support you? [14:35]

5. The sermon discusses the concept of comfort as "with strength." How can you redefine your understanding of comfort in your spiritual journey, and what actions can you take to embody this strength in your community? [15:35]

6. Reflect on the Upper Room Discourse's insights into the Holy Spirit. How can these teachings deepen your relationship with the Holy Spirit and enhance your role in the church? [21:04]

7. Identify a specific truth from the teachings of Christ that you struggle to uphold in the face of opposition. How can the Holy Spirit help you stand firm in this truth? [19:52]

Devotional

Day 1: The Promise of the Paraclete
Jesus prepares His disciples for the world's hatred by promising the Paraclete, the Holy Spirit, who will stand alongside them as an advocate and strengthener. This assurance is crucial for believers facing persecution and hostility. The term "Paraclete" is often associated with the Holy Spirit, but Jesus refers to the Holy Spirit as "another Paraclete," implying that He Himself is the first Paraclete. The Greek word "parakletos" means one who is called alongside to help, akin to a family attorney who defends and strengthens in times of trouble. This understanding shifts the perception of the Holy Spirit from merely a consoler to a powerful advocate and strengthener. [01:37]

John 14:16-17 (ESV): "And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you."

Reflection: In what areas of your life do you feel the need for an advocate or strengthener? How can you invite the Holy Spirit to stand alongside you in these areas today?


Day 2: The Paraclete as Advocate
The term "Paraclete" highlights the Holy Spirit's role as a defender and strengthener, not just a consoler. This understanding shifts the focus from post-battle consolation to empowerment during the battle, providing believers with courage and strength. Historically, the church has linked the Holy Spirit's role with comfort, but this has often been misunderstood. The original meaning of "comfort" is "with strength," derived from the Latin "cum forte." Thus, the Holy Spirit's role is not just to console after the battle but to empower and embolden believers during the battle. [10:54]

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (ESV): "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God."

Reflection: How can you shift your understanding of comfort from consolation to empowerment? What steps can you take to rely on the Holy Spirit's strength in your current challenges?


Day 3: The Spirit of Truth
The Holy Spirit, as the Spirit of Truth, guides believers into all truth, revealing the teachings of Christ and glorifying Him. This guidance is essential for maintaining faith and integrity in a world that often opposes the truth of the Gospel. Jesus assures His disciples that the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth, will guide them into all truth, revealing the things of Christ and glorifying Him. This guidance is essential for believers to stand firm in their faith amidst trials. [19:52]

John 16:13-14 (ESV): "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."

Reflection: In what ways can you seek the Holy Spirit's guidance to discern truth in your daily life? How can you ensure that your actions and decisions glorify Christ?


Day 4: Comfort as Strength
The concept of comfort, rooted in "with strength," emphasizes the Holy Spirit's role in empowering believers. This strength is vital for facing trials and tribulations, enabling believers to be more than conquerors through Christ. The Holy Spirit's role is not just to console after the battle but to empower and embolden believers during the battle. This strength is crucial in facing the world's hostility and persecution. [18:33]

Isaiah 41:10 (ESV): "Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."

Reflection: How can you draw on the Holy Spirit's strength to face a specific trial or challenge you are currently experiencing? What practical steps can you take to rely on His empowerment?


Day 5: Insights from the Upper Room Discourse
The Upper Room Discourse provides profound insights into the Holy Spirit's person and work, highlighting His role in empowering and sustaining the church. This teaching is crucial for understanding how the Holy Spirit equips believers to stand firm in their faith. Jesus assures His disciples that the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth, will guide them into all truth, revealing the things of Christ and glorifying Him. This guidance is essential for believers to stand firm in their faith amidst trials. [21:04]

Ephesians 3:16-17 (ESV): "That according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love."

Reflection: Reflect on how the Holy Spirit has empowered and sustained you in your faith journey. How can you deepen your reliance on the Holy Spirit to equip you for future challenges?

Quotes

"In the 15th chapter of John's Gospel Jesus has a discussion of several things, but one of the central points that He discusses in this discourse is hate. That may seem strange to us because we're accustomed to thinking of the centrality of love in the teaching of Jesus and certainly in the Gospel of John. But in the 15th chapter Jesus is talking about the hatred that the world had for Him. And as a consequence of that hatred that the world expressed toward Jesus, Jesus now in this upper room discourse is alerting His disciples to what they may expect from the world." [00:00:07]

"And in this discourse He says this in verse 18, 'If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you, and if you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but that I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.' And then He goes on to speak about persecution, and in the midst of that discourse He introduces a very important theme, and that is the theme of the promised Comforter whom He will send to be with His people in the midst of a hostile world." [00:00:56]

"Now, historically in the church this idea of the Paraclete in terms of the ministry of the Holy Spirit has been associated with comfort because we also use the title Comforter with respect to the Holy Spirit. And here is an aspect in which we miss something significant about the ministry of God the Holy Spirit. I think for a moment of the philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche who in the 19th century, as you know, declared the death of God. But Nietzsche was quite critical of the impact of Christianity on Western civilization." [00:05:59]

"Now, the fascinating thing to me is that when Jesus refers to the Holy Spirit as another Paraclete, another Comforter, that this concept has been vastly misunderstood in our culture. When we think of somebody who brings comfort, we think of one who ministers to us in the midst of our pain, somebody who will dry the tears from our eyes and give consolation to us when we are disquieted or downcast. Now when Jesus calls the Holy Spirit another Comforter or Paraclete that's not what He's talking about." [00:08:13]

"The paraclete is the defender, the strengthener, who is there to assist you in the time of trouble. Now, one of the things that's always amazed me is that the same Greek word is used by John in his epistles that he uses here in his Gospel, but the old translators, when they would come to parakletos, in John's letters, they didn't translate it as comforter or helper. They translated it as advocate. 'If anyone sins, remember that we have an advocate with the Father, even Jesus Christ the righteous.'" [00:11:04]

"Well, obviously, you can see the difference between a work wherein the Holy Spirit stands beside us to encourage us, to defend us, and to strengthen us in the heat of the battle; the difference between that image and the image of the Holy Spirit who comes to us after the battle when we're there brutalized and broken and we're all beat up and He comes and consoles us. That's a whole different image. The image of the comforter is not the image of one who comes to dry away our tears after the battle, but who comes to give us strength and courage for the battle." [00:14:45]

"The word comfort, again, comes from two Latin words, 'cum', which means 'with', cum forte, with forte. Now what does 'forte' where do you ever see that word? If you've ever played any music, or played the piano, you remember that the name of the instrument 'piano', is already an abbreviated name for that instrument which was originally called a pianoforte. Why? Because in the technology of building musical instruments what differed -- what made the piano differ from the harpsichord was it had a dynamic in the instrument whereby you could adjust the how loud the instrument played." [00:16:00]

"Now, that's what in the original meaning of this term the word comfort meant literally with strength, not consolation. And so the point is that the reason why the old text called the Paraclete the comforter was Jesus said, 'When you are faced with all of the adversity of this hostility and hatred of this world, don't be discouraged, because I'm going to send one to be in your presence, and He will come to you with strength.' And that's the primary work of the Holy Spirit here, to come to strengthen God's people to be courageous in the midst of fearful tribulation." [00:18:03]

"I think, for example, of Paul's statement that in Christ we are more than conquerors, hupernikon is the Greek there. That is super, in fact in the Latin is supervincemus. We are super conquerors. I think of Nietzsche when I read that, and I said, 'Nietzsche, you want conquerors, alright, we'll give you conquerors, the conquerors that are developed by God the Holy Spirit, who strengthens His people, and one of the key ways in which He strengthens us for confrontation with the world is with truth.'" [00:19:03]

"As we see in this same discourse that Jesus says, 'I will send you the Comforter, the Paraclete, who is the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father.' And then later on He says in verse 12 of chapter 16, 'I still have many things to say to you, but you can't bear them now; however, when He, again the Spirit of Truth has come, He will guide you into all truth for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears, He will speak and He will tell you things to come.'" [00:19:52]

"So again we see that the ministry of the Holy Spirit is to apply the work of Christ to His people, and He does this by sanctifying us, by revealing the truth of God to us, and by coming to us in strength. I think that this discourse is an extremely important discourse in the New Testament, John chapter 14, 15, 16, and 17, which we call the Upper Room Discourse. This is that final teaching session that Jesus has with His disciples on the night in which He's betrayed, on the eve of His execution." [00:20:39]

"And it's also significant, beloved, that in this four chapters that John gives us, we get more information about the person and work of God the Holy Spirit than we get in the rest of the New Testament combined. This is an amazingly important section of Scripture to instruct us about the character of the Holy Ghost and of the mission of the Holy Ghost, and it comes at a time when Jesus is preparing His disciples for His imminent departure, and He's ministering to them in their fear, 'Yet a little while and I'm going away.'" [00:21:30]

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Transcript
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