What does the Spirit say to the churches

John 14:26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.

Today we start on a series entitled “What does the Spirit say to the churches.”

The great Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen, the first to discover the magnetic meridian of the North Pole and to discover the South Pole. On one of his trips, Amundsen took a homing pigeon with him. When he had finally reached the top of the world, he opened the bird's cage and set it free. Imagine the delight of Amundsen's wife, back in Norway, when she looked up from the doorway of her home and saw the pigeon circling in the sky above. No doubt she exclaimed, "He's alive! My husband is still alive!"

So it was when Jesus ascended. He was gone, but the disciples clung to his promise to send them the Holy Spirit. What joy, then, when the dovelike Holy Spirit descended at Pentecost. The disciples had with them the continual reminder that Jesus was alive and victorious at the right of the Father. This continues to be the Spirit's message.

The word Helper in this verse above is also translated as Advocate or ‘Paraclete’ and has many meanings. It can mean a defence lawyer in a court of law, who stands beside the defendant and supports them in making a case. It can mean any person who stands by you and gives you support and comfort. The Spirit plays that role in the Church after Jesus has returned to his Father and that role continues still.

The role of the Spirit is to help the disciples keep in mind all that Jesus has told them. The Spirit is the inner voice of God who will lead those who listen to the fullness of truth and will help them to understand the full meaning of Christ for them and for the world. Let us listen to the Spirit speaking to us today.

Lord, I often feel my life is shapeless and going nowhere. Thank you for the gift of the great Spirit of God, who is by my side, defending me, consoling me and teaching me the ways of love. ‘Come, Holy Spirit, enkindle in me the fire of your love.‘ Amen