Understanding the Red Letters Part 34
“But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper shall not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you” (John 16:7).
“To their advantage” is an awfully bold statement. There is something better than the physical presence of Jesus? Something better than Jesus in the flesh? In my sacred imagination, I am not sure if that is even possible. But I believe it because Jesus said it, and He emphasized that He is telling the truth. “But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away” (John 16:7).
How can Jesus going away be “to their advantage”? How is this to our advantage? The short answer is that the Holy Spirit can only come to us if Jesus goes away. They are trading places as it were. But it is not an even trade. Jesus makes quite clear that the presence of the Holy Spirit in our hearts is more advantageous to us than Jesus’ physical presence next to us.
Can we extend the thought and say it this way? The power of the Spirit in us is better for us than the power of the physical Jesus standing next to us. This can be a difficult concept to grasp and believe. The power of the Spirit in us sounds almost mystical, kind of an ethereal force that we really don’t know how to capture.
I think one reason we feel this way is that we have been conditioned to receive ALL of our advice and instruction from the person standing next to us; a mentor, a pastor, a parent, a teacher, a coach. And these are all great people to learn from, no question about it. But let us never underestimate the active power of the Holy Spirit in us to lead, comfort, empower, guide, encourage, love, and reassure in a way that is different than any person standing beside us can give.
Please understand, this is not to disparage the wonderful influencers that God has given us. This is not to diminish in any way the community of believers that we grow alongside with. The body of Christ serving, loving, and instructing each other is a beautiful thing. But the power behind our growing together comes from the Spirit inside each of us.
Jesus began the sermon in the upper room with an impossible command; to love one another in the same way that Jesus loves us. But with the power of the Spirit inside, the impossible becomes possible and even desirable. We want to love each other. I see this every day in my fellow believers. The person beside us can teach, give advice, and even explain to us what Jesus said. But it is the Spirit inside us that gives us the power to go out and do it!