“We should love Christ’s person—more entirely than his benefits.”
William Pinke
The following verses in the Farewell Discourse of John’s Gospel might be considered legacy verses. Here is a portion of them:
“These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” (John 14:25-27)
A legacy might be defined in, at least, a couple of ways, it is “a gift by will especially of money or other personal property”, or “something transmitted by or received from an ancestor or predecessor or from the past.” (Merriam-Webster Dict.) This passage mentions two legacies from the Lord Jesus. The first is the Holy Spirit that will be sent to believers from the Father and in the name of Jesus. He is known as the Helper. The word helper has many synonyms: comforter, counselor, advocate, strengthener, even the word standby was used. The Helper is sent in the name of Jesus.
Why this phrase? To capture both his manner and mission. He comes to us as a dove, in all gentleness, but resolved. Resolved to what? To advance the interest of Jesus Christ! (compare with John 5:43) The Spirit’s task is to lift up Jesus. The Holy Spirit does not draw attention to himself but always promotes the person and teachings of Jesus. The purpose of the Spirit’s coming is two-fold. He teaches all things and brings into remembrance the words of Jesus. This is a qualified “all things.” He does not lead his people into an absolutely all things. We are not going to be omniscient! But meditate that it could be that! What I mean is that there is no knowledge known or present in the universe except that God knows it and knows it thoroughly. No the “all things” is best understood as “all things needful.” It is an “all things you will need to know God and to enjoy him forever and to communicate the interests of Jesus to others”. Amazing!
I want to close with one last definition for the word “legacy.” A legacy is also a candidate for membership in an organization (such as a school or fraternal order) who is given special status because of a familial relationship to a member. Have you come to trust Christ? Are you his legacy? That is to say, are you someone who enjoys special status because of a certain family relationship? Are you enjoying the benefits of being a child of the King? I hope so! Have a blessed day and we will see many of you on Sunday.
Love in Christ,
Pastor Dale
