The Spirit of witness

May 10, 2021

15:18 – 16:33 Sent into the world, just as Jesus was sent

Read John 15:26-27

This is the third time Jesus has said to the disciples that the Father will send “the Counsellor” to help them (26; 14:16; 14:26). The Greek word is paracletos, a legal term used for the advocate who comes alongside a defendant in a law court. So the Spirit helps us when we are opposed, giving us the words we need (Luke 12:12) and himself bearing witness (another legal word) to the truth about Jesus. In this way, Jesus is still able to speak words of life into people’s hearts so that they believe in him (6:62-63). The Spirit also speaks into believers’ hearts, “testifying with our spirit that we are God’s children” (Rom.8:16).

In his work of bearing witness in the world, the Spirit will not act alone – the disciples themselves had a responsibility to witness to what they knew about Jesus (27). They had been with him “from the beginning” of his ministry so they knew him and his message well. But subsequent believers also share the same responsibility to tell of their experience of Jesus (17:20). So all believers also share in the promise that the Spirit will help and enable us to bear witness. Luke emphasises it too: “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses” (Acts 1:8; Luke 24:48-49).

In a court of law, a witness is someone who testifies to what they have seen and heard. They may not be able to speak well but that’s irrelevant! The role of witnesses is not to give a speech, or to preach or even to argue the case – it’s just to say what they know. So too, whenever opportunity arises, we are to be witnesses of what Jesus means to us, relying on the Spirit to help us do that fruitfully (1 Pet.3:15).