Pentecost: Gospel, John 14:23-31                                                     

John 14:23-31

The Son accomplishes His grave yet joyous task in dying, rising and ascending to where He was before. Ten days following His session at the Father’s right hand, He sends the promised Gift to His young Church.

Before all this Jesus had attempted to prepare the hearts and minds of His closest associates in telling them, “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” And just on the heels of the promise, this blessing: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid” (John 14:26-27).

The Spirit is sent to a gathering, a fearful band on the near edge of eagerness. And upon receiving the Spirit, in the midst of evident excitement on the day of Pentecost was this underlying promise: Peace. It wasn’t an endorsement that the way ahead would be easy in any way. Forging forward with the gospel, empowered by the Holy Spirit, would be costly to many. And that is still true today.

But under the clamor of the apostolic “buzz” was a peace that called God’s Christians to love each other mightily and sacrifice ultimately for the world their Master died to save. The Spirit would remind them, teach them, and in placing the Savior again and again in the very center of their being, fill them with His promised peace.

We have that same gift. We have His Word. We live in His peace. God be praised!