Sixth Sunday of Easter: Gospel, John 14:15-21                     

John 14:15-21

On the heels of some pretty exciting words from Jesus come a few more that … well … will change the course of humanity from top to bottom, and from the inside out. Jesus has just shared with His disciples that they will do greater works than He. And Jesus gives the reason, “because I am going to the Father.” For what? To secure and to give away. Perhaps that sounds a bit confusing, but they are necessary and they do not contradict each other. Jesus goes home to His Father to lay hold of that gift that they are going to grant mankind. Now this gift has not been absent prior to this, but the Father and the Son are putting their “fingerprints” if you will, on the Holy Spirit as the much-awaited, if not misunderstood, gift for the purpose of birthing the church and empowering it for proclamation and service until Jesus comes to get us.

But here’s the big “switch.” Jesus goes on to say that this gift is specifically for His people because those “outside” in the world cannot receive it. And then Jesus says, this gift, this Spirit has been with you, but now will be IN you. The Holy Spirit will make the disciples of Jesus the very temple that He is. And the apostle Paul will pick up the idea some years later as he will ask the Corinthian believers if they realize they are temples of the Holy Spirit? (cf. 1 Cor. 3:16)

Yes, the Holy Spirit has always been with God’s people. But the scenery has changed. Oh, the immense gifts that God has given, and continues to give to His dear children. His ongoing presence through His “residential Spirit” continually opens our hearts and eyes to His wonderful works. Don’t forget today: you are His temple. And there’s no place He’d rather be. The cross of Jesus opened more doors that we could imagine. The Spirit came in. He’s here to stay. God be praised!