These pages are designed for use to aid discipleship among Christians through individual Bible study, Cell groups, Home groups, or for meeting one to one. If you wish, you could use the questions, while leaving the group to choose their own translation of the Bible.
Introduction
God does not leave us alone to get on with life as best we can with a few rules to follow. There is the dynamic of a relationship with the living God. This dynamic happens through God, by the Holy Spirit. Jesus gave the Spirit a title, translated variously - comforter, counsellor and helper. The presence of the Spirit of God takes our walk with God away from what is commonly called ‘Religion’: Trying to reach God through following certain rituals and living to a set of rules. The Spirit takes us to a whole new level in life, the presence of God in us.
Bible Zone
The Bible zone looks at two passages, both from Jesus’ discourse to His disciples after the last supper on the night He was arrested.
- In John 14 Jesus introduces the Spirit to His disciples.
- In John 16 Jesus explains about the message of the Spirit.
The passage is John 14 v 16-21 (NCV)
- What are the links between Ourselves, the Father, Jesus and the Spirit?
- What are the characteristics of the person who can or cannot receive the Spirit?
- Where does the helper / counsellor live?
- The word ‘in’ is key here. Who is said to be in whom?
15 "If you love me, you will obey my commands. 16 I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper to be with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it does not see him or know him. But you know him, because he lives with you and he will be in you.
18 "I will not leave you all alone like orphans; I will come back to you. 19 In a little while the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you will live, too.20 On that day you will know that I am in my Father, and that you are in me and I am in you. 21 Those who know my commands and obey them are the ones who love me, and my Father will love those who love me. I will love them and will show myself to them." ...
25 "I have told you all these things while I am with you. 26 But the Helper will teach you everything and will cause you to remember all that I told you. This Helper is the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my name.
The Holy Spirit is sent by Jesus for a purpose. What can you discover of this from the following text - in the same discourse as above in John 14, given by Jesus shortly before His death. John 16:15-20 (NCV)
- What is the difference between Jesus being with us and the Helper being in us?
- What does the Helper do with the people who are against God?
- What does the Helper tell God’s people?
7 But I tell you the truth, it is better for you that I go away. When I go away, I will send the Helper to you. If I do not go away, the Helper will not come.8 When the Helper comes, he will prove to the people of the world the truth about sin, about being right with God, and about judgment.9 He will prove to them that sin is not believing in me.10 He will prove to them that being right with God comes from my going to the Father and not being seen anymore. 11 And the Helper will prove to them that judgment happened when the ruler of this world was judged.
12 "I have many more things to say to you, but they are too much for you now. 13 But when the Spirit of truth comes, he will lead you into all truth. He will not speak his own words, but he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is to come.14 The Spirit of truth will bring glory to me, because he will take what I have to say and tell it to you. 15 All that the Father has is mine. That is why I said that the Spirit will take what I have to say and tell it to you.
The Spirit of God