Last week we heard Jesus talk about what would happen in a little while. But while Christians are waiting that little while for Jesus to come back in all His glory what is going to happen in the meantime? Well today, Jesus told His disciples, and also the Church, that He would send His spirit, the Holy Spirit. But when Jesus described the work of the Holy Spirit, He did not refer to His work in the exact same way as we confess in the creeds. Or does He? In the Gospel lesson, He doesn’t speak of the Holy Spirit calling, gathering, enlightening, or sanctifying. Jesus said that He’s going to send the Holy Spirit to “convict” people in the Truth.
Convict: That’s a harsh word to our ears. We usually think of “convict” like when a person is convicted of a crime in a court of law, and that person is then a “convict”. When we say that “we are convicted”, we usually mean that we admit our guilt.
What is Jesus saying here? The word that Jesus uses here (in the original Greek) is elegxo, which we translate as “convict”. A better translation would be “convince.” So, the Holy Spirit’s job (as sent by Jesus) is to “convince”? Convince of what? Jesus answers that question. He says that the Holy Spirit will elegxo (convince/convict) people in the Truth. His job is to convince/convict in the truth of sin, righteousness, and judgment.
It is important to understand that all of this convincing/convicting finds its source in the cross of Christ. The crucified Christ is the origination and destination of this holy conviction. It either moves one to faith or rejection of God’s gift. The cross is the central destination and purpose of Jesus. John makes this clear in his Gospel. Christ is anointed with/receives the Holy Spirit in baptism. Three years later, Jesus is telling His apostles here (at the Last Supper) that He will send His Spirit of Truth so they [the disciples] can understand. They can’t understand what’s about to happen. But…Jesus will send His Holy Spirit of Truth later on, and then they will understand. Three chapters later (John 19), and Jesus is hanging on the bloody cross, mere moments away from breathing His last. John tells us that Jesus, knowing that all of the Father’s plan for salvation was now complete, each and every sin atoned for; the full wrath of the Father against sin for all time paid for in full, declares victoriously, “It is finished!” He then gives up the Spirit. So often this is simply translated/understood as Jesus “gave up the ghost.” That is, He merely breathed out His last breath. End of story. But…the way the Greek reads is that Jesus gives up and sends out/breathes out “the Spirit.”
I want you to think about that, because this is important. The Holy Spirit—the Spirit of Truth—proceeds forth from Christ at the moment of His death on the cross; at that singular moment of our eternal, vicarious satisfaction, of reconciliation between God and mankind. Divine Truth—the Spirit of God’s condemning, life-giving Truth—flows forth from and finds its source at the cross of Jesus Christ. This is the central point of all Holy Scripture, of all time and history: Law and Gospel in one moment!
Three days later the resurrected Jesus, who had completely conquered sin, death, and the devil for all time—stood among these same apostles and breathes on them as we heard a couple weeks ago. “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of anyone, they are forgiven. If you withhold forgiveness, it is withheld.” Notice again that this specific giving of the Holy Spirit—the Spirit of Christ’s Truth—is all about forgiveness of sin flowing from the crucified/resurrected Christ. There is forgiveness of sin nowhere else!
Now…did these men fully understand all this? Not immediately. They wouldn’t (and didn’t) understand the necessity of the brutal death of Jesus. They didn’t understand the necessity of the cross. Or the resurrection for that matter. When they encountered the resurrected Christ, they were in disbelief. They were joyous—yes—but St. Luke tells us that they “disbelieved for joy.” Even atop that ascension mount, they still didn’t fully comprehend.
When Jesus was about to ascend, they were still thinking in terms of “worldly kingdom” and “earthly rule and power”. They asked, “Lord, are you now going to restore the kingdom of Israel?” So, like humans who only see the here and now. Only the Holy Spirit could bring about a faithful understanding… Pentecost is when they FINALLY understood and believed (through the working of the Holy Spirit).
Why did God send His only-begotten Son? To take our place and die for our sins; to do what we cannot do; to save us from our justly-deserved wage for sin: death and judgement. This is where the work of “convincing/convicting” is focused: On the cross of Christ. All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, and our sin is so great that God Himself had to die for it. We cannot save ourselves, no matter how hard we try. We cannot understand this by our flesh and blood, therefore we need the Holy Spirit to convince us and give us saving faith in the knowledge that we need a Savior: this Savior, Jesus Christ. Faith believes this truth, despite what the devil, the world, and our sinful flesh tell us. Faith also looks to this same cross and rejoices because faith (wrought by the Holy Spirit) believes Christ when He victoriously declares, “It is finished!” this all-redeeming righteousness is won for them.
Look at this [the crucifix]. To earthly eyes, this crucifix doesn’t look like victory, does it? But saving faith (brought forth by the Holy Spirit) is convinced of this singular all-redeeming Truth. A firm conviction that this is for you: for me. Saving faith is convicted and convinced of its sin and need for salvation, and here it sees the answer to that sin: Christ’s righteousness. It is finished. Because of this [the crucifix] we are redeemed, once and for all time. The faithful one has a firm conviction of their sin and judgment, yet, a believer does not fear or doubt or worry whether they’re good enough. Baptized into Christ’s all-redeeming death and resurrection; holding fast in faith to this all-atoning death and resurrection, the believer stands firm in the sure and certain conviction that God has already judged them “innocent,” as righteous in God’s eyes: Justified…not because of who they are or what they’ve done, but solely because of who Jesus is and what He has done for them in their place.
Then by the Holy spirit we see the cross as a place of hope and joy. Our sins upon the body of Jesus crucified. Then we are moved by the Holy Spirit in joy and gratitude to live and move by the Spirit of Truth to produce His fruits. We see the fruits of this Holy Spirit produced in our midst, in our brothers and sisters in Christ and in us from baptism to funeral and everything in between. In baptism, we see the faithful parents, convinced of what our Lord says regarding “all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God” and “the wage of sin is death,” faithfully bring their little child dead in sin to the life-giving Good Physician so that He can breathe His Holy Spirit into that precious little one and give them the gift of eternal life. We see this in the funeral, as the baptized child of God who has fallen asleep in the faith is brought before the altar and we remember that person’s baptism when they were covered by the white pall of Christ’s all-availing righteousness and how they lived in that faith by that Spirit and now have been received into His everlasting presence. Even as we grieve the death of our departed loved one, we grieve differently. We don’t grieve like those who have no hope. We grieve in the joyous hope and firm conviction of blessed reunion before the heavenly throne of God; reunion with them, and more importantly, reunion with Christ in all glory and peace.
We see the work of the Holy Spirit during the “little whiles” of this life as we are moved to repent, to receive absolution, to be brought here to study and hear God’s Word and be built up together by God’s Word which has its power and completion in Jesus Crucified in victory over sin, death, and the devil. Here He comes to you with His body and blood in the bread and the wine, so that you are encouraged as His Spirit works though it so you may confess His truth, in thought, word, and deed. You have been baptized into Christ’s death and resurrection! This is a peace that surpasses all understanding; a peace that can only be known and understood in the conviction of Spirit-born faith.
No matter what befalls you on this side of eternity; no matter what crosses you bear as you make your way through this shadowy valley we refer to as “life,” you are completely covered over in Christ’s perfect righteousness. Live by that faith, live in that faith as God continues to send you His Spirit to encourage and strengthen you by His Word and sacraments, through faithful pastors, brothers, and sisters. Though you may not always understand everything, by His Spirit, you may trust and be convinced, and be saved and have hope and peace.
Look to Him, to Jesus Christ where your sins are placed. Be humbly convicted and convinced of God’s love and His desire for your salvation now and always in Jesus Christ. Amen.
Pr. Aaron Kangas