David J Hutson
John 16: 12-15
I desire, beloved, simply to draw attention to what is said in this wonderful scripture regarding the Holy Spirit, “the Spirit of truth”. We sang to Him, and we have referred to the gain it is for us for Him to be here. How that is impressed upon us as we read these verses! I cannot explain them, but simply draw attention to the wonder of the present position of the Holy Spirit, “the Spirit of truth”. What a scope there is for us! As the Lord Jesus says, “he shall guide you into all the truth”. What there is yet for us, beloved! Who can say that we have yet reached “all the truth”? But He is here with that purpose: “he shall guide you into all the truth”.
And then, how wonderful the place He has taken in what we speak of as the economy! “He shall not speak from himself.” Think of One, we say with worshipful spirits, who is Himself God in no less a way than the Father and the Son, as included in that glorious Name, “the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit” (Matt 28: 19), and yet He has come into a position where the Lord Jesus says of Him, “he shall not speak from himself”. How wonderful that is!
And then it says, “whatsoever he shall hear he shall speak”. How wonderful every sentence, or part of a sentence, in this scripture is! To think that there is conversation proceeding in heaven and this glorious Person, “the Spirit of truth”, is hearing what is proceeding: “whatsoever he shall hear he shall speak; and he will announce to you what is coming”. He would ever keep before us the glory of what was yet to come, so that we might be delivered from occupation with the present order of things. How wonderful what we have even in the Scriptures indited by the Holy Spirit! John could write, “we know that if it is manifested we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is”, 1 John 3: 2. That was indited by the Holy Spirit and recorded by John. That is one of the things that is coming. How liberating these things are, to liberate us from occupation with what is here, with our weakness so often felt and our limitations, although there will ever, of course, be some limitation because we are but creatures. “He will announce to you what is coming.”
And then how wonderful: “He shall glorify me”. What experience we have of that! As we come together in this way and, as gathered in the light of the assembly, what a place is His, what service, if we may speak of service. “He shall glorify me, for he shall receive of mine.” I would not seek to define or explain what that is; “he shall receive of mine and shall announce it to you”.
And then, “All things that the Father has are mine”. Who can say what that includes? He says, “on account of this I have said that he receives of mine and shall announce it to you”. That is, the things that the Father has, and the things that Christ has, are received by the Spirit and announced to us. Who can limit the scope of even such a time as this with the presence of “the Spirit of truth”?
I feel I can say no more, beloved, this is so profound; but just draw attention to it that we might realise the greatness and glory of the present position as having “the Spirit of truth” with us, and with us, may I say carefully and reverently, in service in order that we might know what is proceeding above between the Father and the Son? These things are really in some measure inscrutable. May they lead us more to worship in the presence of such a glorious Person! In the name of the Lord Jesus.
Edinburgh
24th April 2012