1. Power to live by – The Empowering presence of the Holy Spirit John 14:15-17; 14:25,26; 15:25-27; 16:7- 15

3. Goodbyes & Farewells  Physical absence of someone we love creates a hole that often, nothing else can fill.  John 13 – Jesus prepares his disciples for his physical departure  To the Cross  After resurrection – To the Father.

4. Goodbye as a welcome  The Goodbye is also a welcoming. Welcoming the presence of the Triune God.  John 14:16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever.  John 14:18 I wil not leave you as orphans; I will come to you  John 14:23 Jesus replied, “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.  The presence of God for all believes, for all time.

5. One God in Three persons  From the very beginnings of Christianity, the Holy Spirit has been regarded as one of the persons of the Godhead- One God in three persons- Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

6. One God in Three persons  Story of St. Augustine and the little boy on the beach who was trying to fit the ocean in a little hole in the sand. Botticelli - Vision of Saint Augustine, c. 1488, Tempera on panel, 20 x 38 cm. Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence

8. One God in Three persons  The Trinity – Father, Son and Holy Spirit, is not a puzzle to be sorted out but a mystery that we are invited to enter in.  Mystery – Infinitely Knowable (Fr. Elton)  We are invited to participate in the life of God in whose image we have been created as persons capable of communion.

9. 3 Roles of the Holy Spirit  1. Advocate – Paraclete Ch 14  2. Witness – Ch 14, 15, 16  Prosecutor – Ch 16

10. 1. Paraclete  John 14:16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Paraclete…  John 14:26 But the Paraclete, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name…  John 15:26 When the Paraclete comes…  John 16:7 …If I do not go away, the Paraclete will not come to you…  1 John 2:1 …if anyone sings, we have an advocate (Parakleton) with with Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.  In 1 John2 – Jesus is the paraclete – advocate.

11. 1. Paraclete  Translated as Counseller, comforter, Helper, Advocate.  Greek meaning – “called alongside” “called to one’s aid”  1 Cor 6:19, 20 – Holy Spirit in the believer  We can only live holy lives by the power of the Holy Spirit.

12. 2. Witness  Teach and testify  John 14:26 …will teach you all things and reming you of everything I have said to you.  John 15:26 …He will testify to me  John 15:27 …you also must testify…  John 16:12 …He will guide you into all truth

13. 2. Witness  Teach  The Holy Spirit becomes a lifelong teacher and guide in the life of the believer in Christ.  He teaches what Jesus taught.  The Holy Spirit opens our eyes to see Jesus in the Scriptures.  My testimony

14. 2. Witness  Testify  The fearful disciples turn into bold witnesses after the day of Pentecost in Acts 2.  Are we depending on human rationalism or the empowering presence of the Holy Spirit.  Without the power of the Holy Spirit our witnessing will be ineffective.  1 Corinthian 2:4 My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power,

15. 3. Prosecutor John 16:8 He will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgement.  Sin: Holy Spirit brings conviction of sin. Acts 2.  Righteousness: Sinful human beings have no hope except through the Righteousness of Jesus Christ.  Judgment: The redemptive act of Jesus and His resurrection – victory over sin, satan and all evil.  Evil and all who choose who align with it will be judged.

16. 3. Prosecutor John 16:8 He will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgement.  Sin: Holy Spirit brings conviction of sin. Acts 2.  Righteousness: Sinful human beings have no hope except through the Righteousness of Jesus Christ.  Judgment: The redemptive act of Jesus and His resurrection – victory over sin, satan and all evil.  Evil and all who choose who align with it will be judged.

17. Application  The Gift of the Holy Spirit is the gift of empowering God’s presence and power for us to live by.  When was the last time you made a decision by seeking the guidance of the Holy Spirit?  As a congregation here – What does the Holy Spirit want to do for, in and through University Chapel?  What does the Holy Spirit want to do in Vancouver ?  Have we give room for the work of the Spirit in our lives?  We may think of ourselves as a small group – but when the Spirit of God takes hold of even one of His people, there is no telling what He can do.  We need the Holy Spirit as our advocate, intercessor, one who witnesses through us and convicts the world of it’s error.