He Has Now… and Therefore!
John 7:37-39

† In Jesus Name †

May you know the presence of the Holy Spirit which fills your hearts kindles in you the fire of God’s love, as you learn to love others by showing them God’s love!

• Do you like waiting?

You are sitting in the drive-thru, and you realize there is a mini-van in front of you, full of kids in uniform…

Or maybe you are at Ralph’s or Trader Joes, or Costco – and the lines stretch down the aisles…

Or maybe you are waiting for that package from Amazon, and they text you at 9 o’clock on Friday that they are delayed and won’t deliver that package you needed until Monday, maybe!

How many of us like waiting?

Frustrating, isn’t it?

I mean, at least we are not like Moses, who was waiting 40 years to see the promise land, and then wasn’t able to, because of his sin. Or David, who had to wait for years to become King, waiting patiently for Saul to be removed, as God promised!

Or the apostles, who had to wait for Christ’s Kingdom to be established, and then had to wait with no hope for three days… and then an undetermined time after the Ascension, for Jesus’ promise for the Spirit to come…

As John’s said, ‘But the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet entered into his glory.’

And they had to wait…

I don’t think that they were any better that we are, and they were waiting for something far more important!

• Do We Live Like the Spirit is Here

So here is the harder question of the day.

Are you living like you are waiting for the Holy Spirit to show up?

Are we living like we know God is present in every moment of our lives?

Are we living in the age prior to Pentecost?

It’s a hard question…one I don’t want to answer…

Because I live more like I am waiting for God to show up, then living like I know He is here. It’s not just acts of sin that show this, but it is the loving others, sacrificing for them, that is challenging.

I mean, is there anything more important in life than seeing people come to know God loves them? And the only way they will know, is if we depend on the Holy Spirit to guide us to them, and empower us to share with them that love.

So often sin is described as doing this which God said not to do.

But sin is also not loving our neighbor, which includes no loving them enough to want them to live in the presence of Jesus, both now and for eternity. Sin includes not sharing with them the gospel and the freedom from guilt and shame which comes with sin.

I don’t want to give us an excuse, but the reason we don’t share Jesus’ love with others is because we are living as if the Holy Spirit hasn’t come…yet. We are waiting around for God to make a move…

Forgetting He has…

• No – Jesus is in His glory therefore

Hear John’s comment again,

³⁹ When he said “living water,” he was speaking of the Spirit, who would be given to everyone believing in him. But the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet entered into his glory.

During Easter we proclaim that because He has risen, We have risen. That means this has now happened as well,

That Jesus has entered His glory, and He has given us the Holy Spirit.

What does that mean?

Two things,

First, “²⁵  “I have told you this while I am still with you. ²⁶  The Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and make you remember all that I have told you.    John 14:25-26 (TEV)

This is everything from the day Jesus told Peter that Jesus would cause him to be fishers of men to the very words at the Ascension. Where He said,

⁸  But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”    Acts 1:8 (NLT2)

If we are looking to grow the church, the preschool—the other ministries we may start on this campus—it depends on us doing what Jesus taught us to do, to love each other, to care for those around us—physically for sure, but also spiritually. To make sure their burdens are lifted, that they are free from oppression, to continue to the work Jesus gave to all of us..

To lift Jesus up, that He may draw all men to Him.

Not to argue with them – that’s worthless, not to debate with them, that will only result in winners and losers.

As we realize the Spirit is with us, we come to rely on God’s lead more and more. As we encounter people in our lives that need to know His love and His mercy.

Evangelism and Discipleship aren’t programs of the church, they are the side effects of walking with Jesus, of the Spirit comforting us, freeing us from sin,

This is how Paul told a young church leader

⁴  But—“When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love, ⁵  he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. ⁶  He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior. ⁷  Because of his grace he declared us righteous and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life.” ⁸  This is a trustworthy saying, and I want you to insist on these teachings so that all who trust in God will devote themselves to doing good. These teachings are good and beneficial for everyone.
Titus 3:4-8 (NLT2)

This is what started at Pentecost… it will keep going on in our lives, for Jesus not only is risen, He has been glorified, and given us the Holy Spirit to comfort, sustain, guide and empower us, as we share with people why we have hope.

Because Jesus loves us all.

Amen!