Crystal Clear – June 10, 2019

[Jesus said] “When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me.”
John 15:26

Crystal Clear

I love a clear phone call. When I see all of the bars on my phone lit up, I know that I will be able to understand everything the other person is saying. The texts will go right through, and the internet will respond quickly when I ask a question.

I hate a garbled phone call. It doesn’t matter how loudly or slowly the other person speaks. It’s like that telephone game, where something is hindering your hearing, and you know you are not getting the real message. In the end, you wonder if anything you heard is what was actually said.

Jesus’ disciples were supposed to pass on what he said. But they had to wonder if they would get it right. They knew they couldn’t even say it back correctly when they were with him. How were they supposed to get it right after he was gone?

In our Bible verse for today, Jesus reassured his disciples that he would send someone to prompt their memories and get everything right. He called that person the Advocate, because that person would stick up for him. That person turned out to be the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth. He never lies. His line to the Father and the Son is always clear. His testimony is always spot on.

When the Holy Spirit arrived in such a dramatic and visible way on Pentecost (see Acts 2), it was to assure the disciples and everyone who heard them that they would say the right thing about Jesus. The disciples were human beings with human failings, but when it came to talking about Jesus, they would play no game of telephone.

The message of the disciples, recorded for you without error in the Bible, is clear. Jesus rose from the dead. He is your Savior. When he says you are forgiven, there are no strings attached. You are hearing it correctly. Believe it.

Prayer:
Holy Spirit, teach me to listen carefully to your clear words of truth. Amen.