... surrounding the disciples: "Everyone who calls upon the Lord shall be saved." The invitation has been made, even in their native languages; the response is now up to them. Relating the Texts The gospel text from John relays Jesus' promises about the Holy Spirit - the "Advocate" or "Counselor" - in greater detail. The John text read this week is part of a larger section (15:26-16:33) believed to be an insertion made by a later editor of the original work. This portion of John, then, repeats but also expands ...
... is complete (see John 10:30). The promise Jesus makes in these final words to his disciples is that his presence, the testimony of his life and mission in this world, will continue on when the Paraclete comes to them. Furthermore, the gift of this “Advocate” will give the disciples their own mission, enabling them to continue to “testify” (v.27) to the world, to present Jesus to a world that had hated and rejected him during his earthly life. Because of the Holy Spirit, our mission to continue Jesus ...
... others. Despite his failure to win the presidency, the fame of William Jennings Bryan grew. His speeches and oratorical style became legendary. He traveled throughout the nation to promote the policies for which he stood. In 1904, Bryan established a newspaper that advocated many progressive causes in promotion of the social question, which was a front page issue at the time. Bryan edited the paper and again went on the road to promote its views. Bryan continued to answer the call as the twentieth century ...
... answer they could give was that the Gentiles must accept the “yoke” of the law (v. 10), that is, they must become Jews before they could be granted full Christian status. The matter came to a head when a number of Jewish Christians came to Antioch advocating this policy. The ensuing controversy led to the convening of a council in Jerusalem that marked the end of the matter as far as Acts was concerned, though in fact it remained a vexing question for many more years to come. The council had to weigh ...
... desires. But when they perceive that they are unable to work because of age, they abandon them to a wreched old age and they try to use others as their slaves.” (Economics 1.23; trans. Pomeroy, p. 111) The Jewish thinker Philo advocated circumcision for “the excision of pleasure and all passions” (On the Migration of Abraham 92 [Colson and Whitaker, LCL]). A Christian thinker subsequent to Paul expresses a similar understanding of the goal of the Christian life: “One must live without city or home ...
... Pet. 3:18; as God is righteous in 1:9), not only in view of his sinless character (John 8:46) but because he saves and advocates for sinners. He is our paraklētos, translated in the NIV as one who speaks … in our defense. The Spirit is the paraklētos in ... of the Elder’s christological answer to the problem of sins is that Jesus is the atoning sacrifice. He who is our advocate (paraklētos) is also our atoning sacrifice (hilasmos). Much debate has occurred over this word. Outside the Bible and in some OT ...
... testify on earth— This, after my skin will have been peeled off. But I would behold God while still in my flesh, I myself, not another, would behold Him; Would see with my own eyes: My heart pines within me. Job has been developing this thought about an advocate. These verses are the strongest expression we hear from him. Job hereafter will never again mention such a figure. Here on out, when Job returns to the courtroom with God (Job 23; 31), he speaks only of wanting to be in front of God. Though he is ...
... primary emphasis of 3 John is the elder’s exhortation of Gaius to extend hospitality to others despite having been denied it himself. Demetrius is featured as a good example of someone whom others testify about favorably (v. 12), and the elder advocates imitating not what is evil but what is good (v. 11). Does this imply that the inhospitality resulting from Diotrephes’ primacy-loving leadership is presented as evil? If so, the assertion that “anyone who does what is evil has not seen God” becomes ...
... of a goʾel, linked with the preceding verses with mi yitten introducing impossible hopes, as Job’s intense desire rather than an absolute knowledge or prediction of the future. The second question in these verses concerns when Job anticipates seeing his advocate. In this life? Or in some resurrection life after his death? Commentators have defended both views, and the data are far from certain. The reference in verse 25 to the goʾel appearing in the end (Heb. ʾakharon, “behind; later; finally; last ...
... Pet. 3:18; as God is righteous in 1:9), not only in view of his sinless character (John 8:46) but because he saves and advocates for sinners. He is our paraklētos, translated in the NIV as one who speaks … in our defense. The Spirit is the paraklētos in ... of the Elder’s christological answer to the problem of sins is that Jesus is the atoning sacrifice. He who is our advocate (paraklētos) is also our atoning sacrifice (hilasmos). Much debate has occurred over this word. Outside the Bible and in some OT ...
... is the Shalom of God. As Jesus put it, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you... Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.” God’s response to our cry “can I get a little help over here” is the Advocate, the coming of the Holy Spirit, the bearer of the peace of God. God’s Shalom quiets our fears and gives us the strength to deal with whatever the problem. God’s Shalom offers courage to live triumphantly not only when faced by the first day of school or an ...
... heart is kind, and he is honorable and worthy, and the scripture tells us, that the Lord had helped him in the past in battle. Naaman is stricken by leprosy, unjustly so it seems. Now a young Israelite girl, living in Naaman’s household, serves as an advocate for Naaman, telling him to go and see the prophet of Israel, Elisha, in hope he can heal him. When Naaman does go to see Elisha, the Commander is miraculously healed by Elisha’s direction to wash in the Jordan 7 times. Elisha accepts no gift for ...
... the inner chamber of the Tabernacle in order to stand face to face with God. To “face” God meant to serve as an advocate for God’s holy people, so that the sins of the people might be forgiven. In a sense, they served as a symbol ... we bear the image of Christ, we are sealed with His holy love and grace. We are sanctified by the power of the Holy Spirit, our advocate before God. All we need to do is “repent” –turn our face toward Christ Jesus and allow His Light to sear and seal His image upon ...
... that doesn’t fear God or care about humans. And the widow represents all those who are victims of injustice, poverty, inequality and violence. Widows in Jesus’ day were practically powerless. If they had no male relatives to look to their needs and advocate for them in the courts, they could be in trouble. Without male relatives on their side, they could easily fall into poverty and desperation. The fact that this widow stood before the judge alone to make her case tells you that she was determined ...
Psalm 85:1-13, Colossians 2:6-23, Hosea 1:1-2:1, Luke 11:1-13
Sermon Aid
William E. Keeney
... devote themselves to the breaking of bread and prayer. Times when Jesus was praying: Matthew 14:23 -- Jesus went up to the mountains by himself to pray. Matthew 26:36-41 -- Jesus praying in Gethsemane. John 14:16 -- Jesus will ask the Father for an advocate for the disciples. Other instances of prayer: Job 42:9 -- The Lord accepted Job's prayer. Psalm 39:12 -- The psalmist beseeches the Lord to hear his prayer. Psalm 69:13ff. -- The psalmist directs a prayer for deliverance to the Lord. Proverbs 15:8 -- God ...
Psalm 139:1-24, Philemon 1:8-25, Philemon 1:1-7, Jeremiah 18:1--19:15, Luke 14:25-35
Sermon Aid
William E. Keeney
... '90s economists and politicians became alarmed. Even the Gramm-Rudman Bill, which was to reduce the deficit and lead to a balanced budget, did little to move in that direction. It became increasingly popular to advocate a balanced budget and eventually a debt reduction. The advocates of high military expenditures and sustained social programs find it hard to count the costs and to determine priorities in expenditures. The parables for consideration here are about counting costs and setting priorities. They ...
Jeremiah 30:1--31:40, 2 Timothy 3:10--4:8, Luke 18:1-8, Psalm 119:1-176
Bulletin Aid
William E. Keeney
... more frequently than either Matthew or Mark. 2. "A Judge." (v. 2) It is not clear from the text but the judge probably refused to consider the case of the widow, both because she was a woman and poor. A woman without a man as her advocate would have had little influence in a public office. Also, she probably could not afford to bribe the judge, as was often customary in Middle East societies. 3. "Feared God." (v. 2) The judge was not religiously oriented. He apparently was a completely secularized man. It ...
Genesis 28:10-22, Psalm 139:1-24, Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43, Romans 8:12-25
Sermon Aid
William E. Keeney
... in his description of the church as inclusive or the sect as exclusive. Which should be the true form of the church? Another broad issue raised by the interpretation of the parable is the presence of evil in the church and in the world. Should the church advocate the eradication of the evil by destroying the perpetrators of evil? What is the role of the church in supporting attempts to remove the evil? It even raises the question of why a good and powerful God permits evil to persist in the world. Can we ...
... mistress. The Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., led a civil rights revolution in this country in the '60s. He had a dream of the day when prejudice and discrimination would end and we would dwell together as one people. He was a non-violent advocate of morality, integrity, virtue, truthfulness and justice. Yet recent books have claimed he was a womanizer and that he plagiarized a significant part of his doctoral thesis. The cover-up was uncovered. Is it any wonder this is happening? It is precisely what Jesus ...
... We can live bold lives that are a blessing, or we can live timid lives that don't matter. I am reminded of something the German theologian Martin Luther once said, "Sin boldly and experience the grace of Christ more fully." Luther is not advocating that we commit sins. But he is advocating that we live before God and others with power and strength; not afraid of God but knowing that God expects us to wrestle with Him and the world. What we see in Jacob is one who is honored for his determination and wisdom ...
... of language is a sign of the Spirit's activity. Gospel: John 15:26-27; 16:4b-15 A spirited defense (v. 26). The Lord relates to his disciples that though he was leaving them physically, he was not leaving them spiritually. The Father would send the Counselor, the Advocate, the Spirit Of Truth, to speak on his behalf. There are many voices in our world that claim to be Spirit led, but if they don't testify to Jesus they are not of the Spirit of God. Jesus has a spirited defense, and so do all who belong ...
Acts 4:32-37, 1 John 1:5--2:14, John 20:19-23, John 20:24-31
Sermon Aid
Russell F. Anderson
... our talk), we have fellowship with Jesus Christ and with one another (vv. 6-7). Jesus for the defense (2:1). John holds up the ideal of a pure life for believers but concedes that we live in a sin-permeated world. Therefore, when we do sin we have an advocate (lawyer) to plead our case before the judgment seat of God. In fact, Jesus is the one whom the Father has chosen to judge the living and the dead. He who judges us is also the One who died and rose again for justification. Gospel: John 20:19-31 He ...
... the man, Judge Gray said to him, "I know you are guilty and so do you. I wish you to remember that you will someday pass before a better and wiser Judge, where you will be dealt with according to justice and not according to human law." Now, most advocates of "law and order" today would probably complain that this guilty man got away "scot free" with his crime. I mean, who really believes, as Judge Gray did, that the man in fact did answer to a wiser Judge at the end of his earthly days? In this secular ...
... aimed at some of the most wicked characters in this place. They now rejoice that the Lord has snatched them.” Reader 1: The Sunday school movement was another one of Heyer’s tools. It had begun in England in 1790, and Heyer was a strong advocate of its value for American Lutherans. Reader 2: “Dear brothers and sisters, you desire with your whole hearts that your children should be saved. Do not be satisfied merely with praying for their salvation. Do something about it. Join us and give of your time ...
... to our prayers because we ask in the spirit of Christ, a spirit of love and obedience. 2. Counselor (v. 16). The Spirit is identified as "Counselor." In the King James Version, the word is "Comforter." The Greek word is "parakletos." It is a legal term for "Advocate," advisor, intercessor, or helper. The Spirit is our advisor who stands up for us in our defense. He is by our side at all times to help us. He takes the place of the earthly Jesus who was the advisor, friend, and guide to the Disciples. When ...