In today’s Gospel we hear the first in a series of Jesus’ remarkable promises of the coming of the Holy Spirit. But what or who is this Holy Spirit? Only in John’s Gospel do we read that Jesus names this Spirit “the Paraclete” which means “the one called alongside.” This helpful, encouraging and supportive spirit will be beside the disciples and us in the critical situations we find ourselves in, and so it often gets translated as “the Advocate,” “the Helper,” or “the Comforter.”
Some people find the idea of the Holy Spirit scary. There’s an understandable element of fear at the idea of an unseen spiritual force potentially influencing our daily lives. But in this passage, Jesus reassures the disciples that this Holy Spirit is much like a true friend, one that will teach them all they need to know, and remind them of all that Jesus said to them. Who wouldn’t want this kind of encouraging presence to journey alongside us?
The Protestant reformist Martin Luther described the Spirit’s role as encouraging trust (belief in Jesus) and encouragement (love) of others. The Holy Spirit - this True Friend not only steps in for us in times of trouble or weakness but also confronts and convicts us, and our opponents. This True Friend’s only desire and purpose is to keep us on the correct path doing what is right, good and holy, and so just like a real true and trusted friend, the Holy Spirit does not shy away from revealing to us where we are going wrong and how we might put it right.
Interestingly, in my translation, Jesus says “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate.” The reason it is “another” is because Jesus is their First True Friend, he is also our first true friend. This new advocate we learn, will be given to the disciples and then to all others that receive Jesus as their Lord and saviour, so as to continuously point to, glorify, make real and build up a Christ-centred Church and a Christ-centred people.
In John’s Gospel, Jesus is with us by means of his Spirit; a Spirit that is intrinsically linked with God the Father. Jesus’ “authorised personal representative” - the Advocate is sent by God as a representative whose role it is to live alongside us, just as Jesus did with his disciples, to remind us of everything Jesus said and did, with the plan being that the disciples, and us now, are able to continue in faith and love, forever being part of the building up of a Christ-centred church as we live out our Christ-centred lives alongside others.
The Holy Spirit was always going to have to be powerful in order for us to be aware of its presence in our lives and the lives of others, perhaps this is why it can sometimes seem scary. The gift of God’s presence in the form of the Holy Spirit should be powerful and overwhelming when we first experience it, as it was when the disciples first experienced it. How else might God get our attention? It is an amazing gift from God. A gift that keeps our First True Friend alive in our hearts and minds, and alive in the foundations, right through to the expressions of the Church throughout its history.
God and Jesus’ gift to us of the Holy Spirit is something to celebrate and be forever thankful for but it is also something to keep praying for. For without listening and responding to the Holy Spirit, both us and the Church will be excluding our ultimate True Friend, and I am sure we have all seen or heard examples of when elements of the Church’s expressions have been less than Christ-like.
So as a church continually striving to be Christ-centred and as individuals trying to do the same in our own lives, let us give thanks to God for the day the Church was born. The day the Father gave us the Holy Spirit to advocate, comfort and be alongside us, just as Jesus, the First True Friend was alongside his disciples, and how through the gift of the Holy Spirit, Jesus is alongside all of us now too.
Natalie Rees