June 2, 2025
Cost of Discipleship - Part 1
John 15:26-27
06/02/2025
26 But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you
from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds
from the Father, he will bear witness about me.
27 And you also will bear witness, because you have
been with me from the beginning. (ESV)
Forty days after Easter, Christ Jesus ascended into heaven
as witnessed by His disciples. Does the truth that Jesus no
longer physically walks upon the earth mean that He is not
present? We believe, teach, and confess that our Lord Jesus
Christ remains with His Church through Word and sacrament. We
also believe, teach, and confess that as Jesus sits at the right
hand of the Father, this is not someplace far removed from each
Christian. If the Father is present everywhere, which is one of
God's attributes, then the Son is equally present.
But Jesus also promised the disciples that they would also
receive the gift of the Holy Spirit who proceeds from the Father
and the Son. Jesus said:
But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from
the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the
Father, he will bear witness about me. And you also
will bear witness, because you have been with me from
the beginning.
As we will see in the coming weeks, it is the work of the
Holy Spirit to call, gather, and enlighten the Church, and each
individual Christian, with the truth of God's rich grace, love,
and mercy. Through the witness of the proclaimed Word, through
the visible Word of the sacraments, the Holy Spirit brings us to
faith in Christ Jesus. We are declared holy in God's sight as we
trust that our salvation from sin and death is because of God's
love alone, for the sake of Jesus Christ alone.
This week we will look at the promise Jesus gave to His
disciples to send the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, and the cost of
Christian faith in this sinful world.
May our Lord grant you the peace of knowing His grace and
mercy for the sake of Jesus Christ. Amen.