The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1899-04-27
THE COMFORTER PROMISED.
for April 80, isOO-Tex 1t, John t4s
15-27-MemOry verses, 10, 10.

iorter--John 14:lC.
LIGHT FROM OTHER SCRIPTUREe.-
The Holy spiri..--John ie:7-14; Acts 2:1-47;
Rom. S:l4-1C: Heb. l0:16, 1e: John 3:24
Eph. $3.50; Luke 1913: Gal 6:22-25.
T1ME-Thursday evening, April 6, A. d.
%. The evening before the crucifixion. the
same time as our last lesson.
PLACE.-At the supper table in an upper
room In Jerusalem.
/ STUDY ON THE HOLY SPIRIT.
The Circumstances can under
staad this lesson better, and the
great truth here revealed, II we wildly
realize the circumstances. Jesus had
announced that He was going away, to
leave them in this world. He had prom
ised to His disciples that they should
do even greater works than He, the
Master, had done. and that He would
give them whatever they asked in His
name, for His work and kingdom. But
they did not even know what to ask for.
They were in a world of trouble and
danger and opposition, like lambs sur
rounded by wolves. They had a mighty
kingdom to found, but were ignorant
as to its nature and of the way to found
1t, and were without material, without
power, without means, and without
leader. Christ now comes to them with
all they need. He Himself will still
be their leader. The Holy Spirit will
come and bring them all they need
power over men, truth, guidance,
strength. inspiration, courage, and the
peace of victory. The work of the spirit
is the final and great subject of this
last discourse, for it stands connected
with the completion of Christ's mission,
without which His work must be
failure. Note that VS.. 81 and 23 take up
the same condition, in the form of
test of love, SO that between these verses
and v. IS is inclosed this great promise
of the Holy Spirit.
1. The Holy Spirit as the Comforter.
The paraclete. The word comfort
er" expressed only one side of the mean
ing of the word. It is derived from
two Greek words, meaning to call to
ones side, and signifies one who is called
to aid another.
II. Manifold Work of the Holy Spirit.
1t is well here to take general view
Of the work of the Holy Spirit. This
may be considered under three di-
visions. First. The relation of the
Spirit to the historical work of Christ.
The spirit is sent in the name Of Jesus
John 14:26), /. e., to carry out the pu1-
poses and work of Jesus, to guide into
truth ". II; John 1919, to work in and
through the disciples ". ~ for the re.
demption of men. All that is compre-
hended in the other two divisions is
the means to this end. Second. The
work of the Spirit in believers. (D
Teaching (John 1929; (2) guiding
into all truth ". II; John 1913; Cor.
1873, 10); (3) bearing witness John Is:
26; Acts 5:32); (4) giving life Rom. g:
1D; (5) bestowing the living water
John AHA; 1889; (6) bestowing gifts,
as Of teaching, tongues, etc. Cor. IL:
7-11); (7) shedding the love of God
abroad in them rom. 5:5); (s) produce
ing goodness and high morality (Gal. s:
22; %, Acts 11:24); (9) bestowing pow
er (Acts 1:s; Rom. 15:19); (10) bestow-
ing wisdom q Cor. 1878; Eph. 1:1D.
Third. The work of the Spirit in the
unbelieving world. This is most fully
set forth in John 1S:s-11. He would
convince the world concerning sin, that
they had sinned in rejecting their Mes
siah; concerning righteousness, the
righteousness of Christ and His King
dom, q new conception of right; and
concerning judgment, that the prince
of this world, and those who took his
side, must be condemned. All these
things awakened the conscience and
urged and inspired to new life.
III. The Holy Spirit Dwelling in the
Disciples.-vs. 21-24. 21. HE that
hath" etc. Again this condition is in
sisted upon, % in VS.. II, %, "a, showing
how absolute, how fixed in the eternal
laws of being. is the connection be-
tween love and obedience, and between
these and the presence and power of
the Holy Spirit First. To such as love
and obey comes the love of the Father
and of the Son. Second. II will love
Him, and will manifest Myself to Him."
l will make Myself as clearly present
as if l were to continue in My bodily
HICScHCC. lHc anu DOu
will abide, dwell, in believers. 90: "Ju-
das." Jude, the writer of the epistle.
probably the same as Lebbeus, of Matt.
1893.
~. The Holy Spirit as Teacher
V. &c. He shall teach you all things"
etc. The whole Christian system was
embodied in the words of Christ, as the
tree with it's fruits lies within the ten
der shoot. The Holy Spirit guided it's
unfolding, and directed its growth.
v. Peace Bestowed Through the Holy
Spirit. v. 81. "Peace leave with you:"
Not merely the customary salutation,
but real gift of peace. ''My peace
gives" The same kind of peace as Jesus
Himself had mot as the world Civ
eth:" Neither in kind nor degree nor
method. Compare the fulfillment of this
promise in the Acts, Peter rejoicing in
prison; Paul and Silas singing praise
in the iail mt PhiEDpi: paul's rood cheer