Read the passage several times through, slowly and prayerfully. It might help to use your imagination to picture the scene. At the end of the text you will find helpful background information in our ‘Setting the Scene’ section.

As you read, look out for shockers and blockers.

Shockers – a phrase, word, image or something from the text that resonates, stands out or connects with you.

Blockers – something from the text that raises questions for you.

John 14.15–17, 25–26, 15.26–27, 16.7–15

Jesus said to his disciples: If you love me, you will do as I command. Then I will ask the Father to send you the Holy Spirit who will help you and always be with you. The Spirit will show you what is true. The people of this world cannot accept the Spirit, because they don’t see or know him. But you know the Spirit, who is with you and will keep on living in you…

I have told you these things while I am still with you. But the Holy Spirit will come and help you, because the Father will send the Spirit to take my place. The Spirit will teach you everything and will remind you of what I said while I was with you…

I will send you the Spirit who comes from the Father and shows what is true. The Spirit will help you and will tell you about me. Then you will also tell others about me, because you have been with me from the beginning…

But I tell you that I am going to do what is best for you. That is why I am going away. The Holy Spirit cannot come to help you until I leave. But after I am gone, I will send the Spirit to you. The Spirit will come and show the people of this world the truth about sin and God’s justice and the judgment. The Spirit will show them that they are wrong about sin, because they didn’t have faith in me. They are wrong about God’s justice, because I am going to the Father, and you won’t see me again. And they are wrong about the judgment, because God has already judged the ruler of this world. I have much more to say to you, but right now it would be more than you could understand. The Spirit shows what is true and will come and guide you into the full truth. The Spirit doesn’t speak on his own. He will tell you only what he has heard from me, and he will let you know what is going to happen. The Spirit will bring glory to me by taking my message and telling it to you. Everything that the Father has is mine. That is why I have said that the Spirit takes my message and tells it to you.

Contemporary English Version (CEV)

Setting the Scene

Jesus is preparing his disciples before he leaves them. But he has good news and great comfort to offer them too: the Holy Spirit will dwell among them and bring strength and help.
The idea of the Holy Spirit dwelling in people in a constant way was new. Previously the Holy Spirit would come, engage and go.
The Holy Spirit’s character and action affirms what is good, true, holy and pure. The Holy Spirit also teaches us, revealing more about God, helping us to pray, discern spiritual gifts, how to use them and grow in the fruit of the Spirit (see Galatians 5.22).
These passages paint a vivid picture of the Holy Spirit’s role and work. They also reveal that we can experience God’s enduring presence in our lives.

Spirit lyfe

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