Jesus Summoned The Helper, and Commissioned Witnesses

What Did Jesus Do?

“The Spirit of Truth will bear witness about me,
and you also will bear witness.”
John 15.26-27

It's hard to make a case without witnesses. How do you get a court to render a verdict in your favor without someone to supply testimony, to give an answer, to offer reasons, to respectfully explain? The Gospel of John is literally a parade of witnesses for Jesus.

There's John the Baptist, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1.29) How about Nathanael, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” (John 1.49) Then we have Nicodemus, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” (John 3.2) Don't forget the woman of Samaria, “Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?” (John 4.29) And what about all the other Samaritans, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world.” (John 4.42) Remember the man born blind, “Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God he could do nothing...Lord, I believe.” (John 9.32-33, 38) And then, there's Martha, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.” Of course, there were many witnesses in Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!” (John 12.13)

But there would be a need for continued witnessing in the world after Christ was crucified, so Jesus summoned The Helper (the Holy Spirit) to testify to his disciples, who in turn he would commission to be witnesses themselves (see Acts 1.8). The witness of the first followers would be built upon their having been with Jesus, from the beginning, which is to say that they were eyewitnesses. All who have since joined what is in effect an unending parade (or cloud, if you prefer the language of Hebrews 12.1.) of witnesses, can point back to the foundation of the eyewitnesses to Jesus.

As important as eyewitness accounts are, the Lord himself declared that there would be special blessing for those who, with no eyewitness, would believe (see John 20.29). Regardless of whether we are talking about eyewitness, or earwitness, as it were, the testimony of the Holy Spirit is essential to the revealing, sustaining, and transmitting of the faith.

The question we need to ask ourselves is this: Are we ready to join the parade of witnesses, or not? There is no avoiding it, if we would be Christ's disciples, then we must be his witnesses, we must be, in the words of Peter, “prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet with gentleness and respect.” (1Peter 3.15) But, can the Lord get a witness?

Be assured, Jesus still summons the Helper, the Spirit of Truth to witness to us. Yet know that the witness of the Holy Spirit is not just so that we may believe, but that, believing, we may ourselves bear witness.

S.D.G.

Jim
www.jimwilkenministries.org
Marion, NC
PS 37.4