The Necessity of Christ's Departure for the Spirit's Power

"well it's better for us that Jesus is gone he said so when he left but how so why is Christ's physical absence from us better for us than his physical presence with us it's a wise theological question and comes to us from a listener named Sam in the form of a question about the Holy Spirit hello Pastor John can you tell me why did Jesus have to leave before the Holy Spirit could come the timing doesn't make sense to me couldn't the spirit have come in full power while Christ was physically on earth with us" [00:00:06]

"so sam asks couldn't the spirit have come in full power while christ was on earth and here's my answer he could not have come in full christ exalting gospel applying new covenant fulfilling deepest sin convicting satan defeating power while Jesus was on the earth no and the reason he couldn't is because every one of those hyphenated expressions every one of those expressions of power are all based upon the death and resurrection and ascension and rule of Jesus Christ it had to be done those had to be done before the Holy Spirit could glorify them" [00:01:06]

"in other words the most basic Ministry of the Holy Spirit in this age is the glorification of Jesus Christ crucified for sins risen triumphant over Satan forgiving sins on the basis of the blood ascended in triumph and kingly power in heaven coming again that's what the Holy Spirit glorifies he couldn't glorify that until it happened in other words the Holy Spirit's ministry is not power in general that's a mistake made in the question it's not power in general it's Christ's glorifying power particularly glorifying the gospel or Christ crucified as we see it in the gospel and Christ risen" [00:02:00]

"and when he comes here's what he's gonna do he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment and then he unpacks what he means by those three things concerning sin because they do not believe in me bcurtin concerning righteousness because I go to the Father okay I go to the father and you will see me no longer so there we see that the resurrection and the Ascension show the world to be wrong to be convicted about the Justice of Jesus crucifixion namely they're guilty and the Holy Spirit's work is to make that clear after the resurrection" [00:03:21]

"when the spirit of truth comes he will guide you into all truth namely the most important truths yet to be accomplished in my death and resurrection continuing 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 that is the most important sentence about the work of the Holy Spirit in the Bible he will glorify me namely specifically me in my resurrection glory and my achievements over sin and Satan on the cross that's the peak the apex of the glory of Christ in the gospel" [00:04:28]

"now this he said about the Spirit whom those who believed in him were to receive for as yet it's a very perplexing text if you don't see what he's doing as yet the spirit had not yet been given did the textures just has not been because Jesus has not yet been glorified now we know that the spirit was present in the Ministry of Jesus it was causing people to be born again in John 3 Jesus was doing his ministry in the power of the Holy Spirit we know that the Holy Spirit was present in the Old Testament overcoming the mind of the flesh" [00:05:29]

"and he could not however powerfully do his most essential work which was glorifying the risen and crucified Christ here it is again in second Corinthians three and four here's 3:18 we all with unveiled face beholding the glory of the Lord are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another and then Paul adds this to our being changed into the likeness of Jesus by looking at him he adds this for this comes from the Lord who is the spirit so there's the most essential Ministry of the Spirit he lifts the veil he causes us to see the glory of Jesus Christ and thus he transforms his church into the likeness of Jesus" [00:06:36]

"the god of this world Satan has blinded the minds of unbelievers to keep them from seeing here it is the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ so the spirits roll in verse 18 of chapter 3 is to reveal the glory of Christ in the gospel which cannot be until Jesus is dead buried risen raised and reigning that's the key work of the Holy Spirit that he could not do until Jesus was gone one here's one last way to say it the Holy Spirit's work is spelled out in the promise of the New Covenant in Ezekiel 36 27 like this I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules" [00:07:42]

"now that is the work of the Holy Spirit which we just saw happens by revealing the glory of Jesus Christ that's his work in this age right now but Luke 22:20 that Jesus bought this work secured this work obtained this New Covenant work by shedding his blood this cup is poured out for you as the New Covenant in my blood so the work of the Holy Spirit in power and that's what we're being asked what couldn't become in power while Jesus is still here the the work of the Holy Spirit in New Covenant power happens only on the basis of the blood of Jesus" [00:08:38]

"he could not have come in full christ exalting gospel applying new covenant fulfilling deepest sin convicting and that's the end is the crucifixion of jesus deepest sin convicting satan defeating power all of those aspects of the power of his ministry are based on the death the resurrection and the triumphant ascension of Jesus to God's right hand as king yeah we get more of Christ in his absence through the Holy Spirit and that's the beauty of the New Covenant" [00:09:38]

"the Holy Spirit's full power could only be realized after Jesus' ascension, as it is based on the completed work of Christ. In His absence, we receive more of Christ through the Spirit, which is the beauty of the New Covenant." [00:10:05]