Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1917-05-25

LCDSON lhA1-JOnn '10.ZO-Zt, Io-i-A1-
GOLDEN TEXT-He shall teach you all
things.-John 1925.
This lesson follows chapter l5:l-4.
The emphasis Jesus placed upon the
new and deeper intimacy into which
the disciples were about to enter, and
which involved a participation in per-
risOn and helper when this persecution
should come, the believers are to have
in their lives the Holy Spirit.
|. The Believer and the Spirit wv.
26-2O. The ''paraclete" (helper) was
to proceed from the Father, but Jesus
was to send him. He is called the
"Spirit of Truth" because it is his
work to reveal the truth, and it is
through his teachings only that any
one may know the truth. Jesus is the
truth (ch. 14:6), and the Spirit of
Truth is to enable believers to testify
concerning Jesus. 1t qualities them for
such testimony. The disciples also
had the added qualification of eXpe-
rience for "ye have been with me
from the beginning" The disciples
were eye witnesses of what he did
and what he was, and heard and knew
all that he claimed for himself and
what his life proved itself to be.
II. The Believer and Persecution
(16:1-6). This section has not been Sc
lected by the committee, but as a part
of the lesson we cannot overlook it.
In it the Master enumerates specifi-
cally things that were to come to the
disciples and that they might "remem-
ber." He also mentions the fact that
these things are to come after he has
gone away. AS relief from sorrow
! ". g., the Master goes on to show the
relation of the Spirit to the world.
Ill. The Holy Spirit in the World
wv. 7-1D. 1t was profitable for the
disciples that Jesus should go, that an
other Divine friend was to take his
place. This is the best section in all
the Bible to teach the personality of
the Holy Spirit. The personal pro-
nouns in this section are very signifi-
cant, there being seven in the thir-
teenth verse alone. The word "Com-
forter" here used means that and much
more 1t is the same word translated
advocate" In I John 2:1, it means
one who is called upon to stand be-
side another as a helper, counselor,
guide and friend. Jesus had been this
to his disciples thus far, but he was
going away, and another Friend was
coming, who should not only be with
them, but should dwell in them Och.
14:16, I'D. The Comforter has come,
and without him we can do nothing. He
is the one who convicts the world
"of sin, of righteousness and of judg-
ment." OF sin, not because they have
broken the moral code, but because
they do not accept Jesus Christ as the
Messiah (Hebrews 10:2S. See ch.
3:1S-20). In the second place, he is
to convict the world of righteousness.
The Holy Spirit has no other channel
through which he can get at the world
except through those who are already
saved He shows the world its error
i about righteousness; also that Jesus is
the only righteous one, and righteous
ness is only possible to US in him
(Phil. SO R. W. Because he has
lived the right life, having fulfilled all
righteousness, and gone on high, he
therefore convicts men, but the Spirit
does his work through the agency OF
the word. Man needs to know first
of all that he is sinner; second, that
Jesus "the righteousness of God" has
provided for US, and it is the Holy
Spirit who alone can show these two
things to men. In the third place, he
convicts the world of judgment be
cause "the prince of this world is
judged" This judgment is past (see
John 12:3D, for Jesus has conquered
Satan. Certainly this is a truth thai
needs to be emphasized in this day
!, The Judgment of sin and punishment
!; for sin, due to unbelief or rejection Of
Jesus Christ, is seldom preached il
our day. The best cure for the falst
theories concerning the. future pun
ishment is for a man to be filed witt
J the Holy Spirit. The Spirit in maj
convicts him of this judgment, and HI
has no further difficulties regarding tn,
J question of retribution.
IV.-The Spirit and Truth wv
12-15). There was much more tina
the Master might say to the disci
pies, but they were not ready to bea
it ". 12). He, however, looks for
ward to the day when the Spirit shal
; come, and they will be ready to re
ceive these things. The Spirit will
guide them into truth, all truth, for h,
. shall not speak of himself Che will no
bear witness unto or speak from
himself) but the things that he will
speak of will be concerning Jesus. TIL
real evidence of the presence of tn
, Holy Spirit in a believer or in a con
gregation is the degree of eXaltatiol
given to Jesus Shrist. There is a pro
gressive intimacy in the Gospel C
John. Jesus first calls those who ar
at his side, servants (Ch. 13 :13). H
next calls them friends (Ch. 10 :15)
and lastly he calls them brethrel
(Ch. a0:17). This is the law o
Christian experience. We must max
progress, come to knowledge as W,
have intimacy with the Spirit. an,
study the word. The time was com
ing when the disciples should be LEI
into the fullness of the knowledge O
Gods truth, and this promise is ais,
supplied to all believers (See JohI
2:27).
, Sunday school teachers should Ger
tainly take advantage of this lessor
to bring out the work of the Spiri
wv. s. O., 10Y; the gifts of the Spiri
Il Cor. 12); and the fruits of tn,
Spirit (Gal. 5 %, 23). Let US be sur,
that our scholars know what it mean
to have definite, intimate, persona
relation with the all powerful one.