16And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever-17the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. 18I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.
Introduction : As a child, we cannot survive without the help of parents. As we grow up, we cannot gain knowledge without the help of teachers. When we get married, a husband cannot lead a successful life without the help of a wife-a companion for life. Likewise, our life of faith is impossible without a counselor. A counselor means someone who is sent by God to help us and who always lives with us.
1. The first counselor, Jesus. 1) After Adam, humankind cannot liberate themselves by their own efforts from the original sin of falling from grace. No matter how hard humankind tries to get out of the swamp of sin and death, it is useless (Ro 3:23). 2) Jesus the counselor (Jn 14:16). ¨ç He was sent by God to help us (Jn 14:18). ¨è He became a sacrificial lamb to save us (Isa 53:10). ¨é He legitimately liberated us from sin, the world, disease, the curse and death (Ro 8:1-2). ¨ê After this was finished, he passed the baton to another counselor, the Holy Spirit, and ascended into heaven (Jn 15:26; Ac 2:33).
2. Another Counselor, the Holy Spirit. 1) To mean "another," the word "allos" was used in Greek (the same but another where there are many). In other words, the Holy Spirit is the same in terms of divinity and work, but He is a different person (Jn 14:16). 2) He helps us to enjoy what Jesus has accomplished. ¨ç By realizing (Jn 14:26). ¨è By believing (Eph 1:13, 17). ¨é By changing-9 kinds of fruit (Gal 5:22-23). ¨ê By giving power-9 kinds of gifts (1Co 12:7-11). ¨ë By leading (Jn 16:13). ¨ì By comforting (Jn 16:33). ¨í By confessing (Mk 16:20; 1Co 12:3; 1Jn 4:15).
3. The experience of the Holy Spirit. 1) By the spirit of being born again-led by the Son´s spirit (Jn 3:5; Gal 4:6). 2) By the spirit of power-120 followers were filled with the Holy Spirit in the Upper Room on the Day of Pentecost (Ac 2:1-4). 3) Through personal communion. ¨ç Fellowship-acceptance, welcome, worship and prayer of thanks (1Co 3:16; 1Jn 4:13). ¨è Agent-worship and wait in order to be led and believe that he was sent (Jn 20:21-22; Ac 13:2; 15:28). ¨é Be one-a new Emmanuel (Jn 17:21; 1Jn 4:4).
Conclusion : Two thousand years ago, after the death of Jesus on the Cross, the Holy Spirit appeared before us, churches were born, and the Gospel was spread all over the world. In our country in 1907, the presence of the Holy Spirit was greatly revealed as Pastor Seon-Ju Gil was preaching at Jangdaehyeon Church in Pyongyang, and this has made it possible for our nation to have 50,000 churches with 12 million Christians.
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