John 15:26-27; 16:4b-15 are the lectionary Gospel texts for Pentecost Sunday, next week.
Jesus informed His disciples that the Holy Spirit would come to testify on His behalf. He would be physically gone, so God sends the Holy Spirit who points us, guides us and DRIVES US to Christ Jesus and His Good News way of being in the world - the living of Agape Love and Grace.
Jesus then talks about the Holy Spirit being the Advocate. The advocate on God's behalf, on Jesus' behalf and on our behalf with God.
The purpose of the Holy Spirit in this advocacy is to prove the world wrong - to advocate on behalf of God and God's children against the world, empire.
To prove the world wrong about sin - the world, empire that defines sin in sexual terms only and does not look at its rampant immorality around greed, lust for power, desire for status and hatred of others. The world is wrong because it does not follow Jesus' Way of Agape Love and Grace - it does not see Jesus as fulfiller of Law and Prophets and THE authority over God's Kingdom, here and in heaven.
To prove the world wrong about righteousness - the world, empire that defines righteousness based on merit and not Grace, demanding that people blindly obey the false teachers and prophets who make righteousness about Law-oriented personal purity and holiness, rather than on Jesus' New Covenant in Agape Love and Grace for the whole world.
To prove the world wrong about judgment - the world, empire that makes salvation all about personal profession, praise, tithes and personal piety, rather than how we live with one another in Agape and Grace. The world, empire that creates more goats for the judgment than sheep, while claiming to be "righteous." The world, empire that focuses on the personal relationship with Jesus while ignoring how Jesus defines faithfulness to Him as loving, faithful treatment of stranger, enemy and the most vulnerable among us.
Make no mistake. The mission of the Holy Spirit IS the mission of Jesus - to bring in the Kingdom, to bring us to live God's Will on earth as in heaven. It IS the Good News of Jesus in Agape Love and Grace.
We ignored the Prophets. We ignore Jesus and His Good News. Our remaining hope is that we will not ignore the Holy Spirit of God who points us, guides us and DRIVES US to Jesus' Way of faithfulness with God.
Pastor Jamie
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