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Rowland Wheatley

The Holy Spirit in John 14&16

John 14:26; John 14-16
Rowland Wheatley June, 30 2026 Video & Audio
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But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. (John 14:26)

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A morning devotional taken in the lounge of the Bethesda aged people's Home, Hove.
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*https://www.gospelstandard.org.uk/Bethesda/Welc...

**Sermon Summary:**

This devotional explores the person and work of the Holy Spirit as revealed in John chapters 14 and 16. The speaker identifies the Spirit as the Comforter and Spirit of Truth, sent by the Father and the Son to abide with believers.

Key functions include teaching all things, bringing Jesus' words to remembrance, and guiding into truth. Additionally, the Spirit reproves the world regarding sin, righteousness, and judgment while glorifying Christ.

The message emphasizes the Trinity's unity in sending the Spirit and provides assurance of divine presence and guidance for God's people.
What does the Bible say about the Holy Spirit as the Comforter?

The Bible describes the Holy Spirit as the Comforter, sent by the Father and the Son to abide with believers forever and provide them with peace and guidance.

In John 14:16-17, Jesus promises the Holy Spirit, referred to as the Comforter, who will dwell with believers and be in them. This highlights the intimate relationship between the Holy Spirit and the believer, emphasizing the Spirit's role in providing comfort, peace, and truth. As believers face trials and distressing times, they can rely on the Holy Spirit for guidance and assurance. The presence of the Comforter is central to the believer's life, reminding them of God's love and the teachings of Jesus.

John 14:16-17, John 14:26

How do we know the Holy Spirit is part of the Trinity?

The Holy Spirit is affirmed as part of the Trinity by being sent by both the Father and the Son, as described in Scripture.

The doctrine of the Trinity encompasses the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as co-equal and co-eternal persons. In John 14:26, Jesus states that the Holy Spirit is sent by the Father in His name and will teach the disciples. Additionally, in John 16:7, Jesus emphasizes that He will send the Holy Spirit to the believers. This cooperative sending reflects the unity and distinct roles within the Trinity, reaffirming that the Holy Spirit is indeed part of the Godhead, working in harmony with both the Father and the Son.

John 14:26, John 16:7

Why is the Holy Spirit referred to as the Spirit of Truth?

The Holy Spirit is called the Spirit of Truth because He guides believers into all truth and reveals the teachings of Jesus.

Jesus identifies the Holy Spirit as the Spirit of Truth in John 14:17 and John 16:13, emphasizing the Spirit's role in guiding believers to understand and embrace divine truth. The Spirit does not speak on His own authority but conveys the message of Christ, ensuring that believers have the clarity and insight needed to comprehend God's word. By illuminating Scripture and reminding believers of Jesus' teachings, the Holy Spirit plays a crucial role in their spiritual growth and understanding of the Gospel.

John 14:17, John 16:13

What is the role of the Holy Spirit in the life of a Christian?

The Holy Spirit teaches, comforts, and guides Christians in their faith, reminding them of Jesus' teachings and preparing them for spiritual challenges.

The Holy Spirit acts as a teacher and comforter for Christians, as seen in John 14:26. He brings to remembrance Jesus' words and teachings, ensuring that believers are spiritually nourished and equipped. Furthermore, the Holy Spirit reproves the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment (John 16:8), enabling believers to discern truth from falsehood and live righteously. The Spirit also empowers Christians to witness and glorifies Christ in their lives, making His presence known and felt. This multifaceted role of the Holy Spirit is essential for a vibrant and fruitful Christian life.

John 14:26, John 16:8

Sermon Transcript

Auto-generated transcript • May contain errors

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Two readings are both in the Gospel according to John. The first one is John chapter 14 and reading from verse 15 through to verse 31. John 14 and from verse 15. If you love me keep my commandments and I will pray the Father and he shall give you another comforter that he may abide with you forever.

Even the Spirit of Truth whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth Him not, neither knoweth Him, but ye know Him, for He dwelleth with you and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless, I will come to you. yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more. But ye see me, because I live, ye shall live also. At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.

He that hath my commandments and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me, And he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, He will keep my words, and my Father will love Him, and we will come unto Him, and make our abode with Him. He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings, and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me.

These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you. Not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away and come again unto you. If ye love me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father. for my Father is greater than I. And now I have told you before it come to pass that when it is come to pass ye might believe. Hereafter I will not talk much with you for the Prince of this world cometh and hath nothing in me.

But that the world may know that I love the Father And as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do. Arise, let us go hence. And now we read from John 16 and verse 5 through to 15. The Gospel according to John chapter 16 from verse 5. But now I go my way to him that sent me.

And none of you asketh me, Whither goest thou? But because I have said these things unto you, Sorrow hath filled your heart. Nevertheless I tell you the truth, It is expedient for you that I go away. For if I go not away, The Comforter will not come unto you, but if I depart, I will send Him unto you. And when He is come, He will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment, of sin because they believe not on Me, of righteousness because I go to My Father, and ye see Me no more, of judgment, because the Prince of this world is judged. I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.

Howbeit, when He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth. For He shall not speak of Himself, but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall he speak, and he will show you things to come. He shall glorify me, for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you. All things that the Father hath are mine, therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall show it unto you. as far as the reading of God's Holy Word.

Now I wanted to speak to you briefly, those of you who have got the sheets have got the points that I want to draw from these two chapters, John 14 and 16, what we have read, and specifically I have highlighted verse 26 in chapter 14, and it is the person and work of the Holy Ghost that is set forth here and the verse 26 but the comforter which is the Holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my name he shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you so the things that I want to draw your attention to firstly there's three points as to who he is the third person of the trinity and how he is set forth in these chapters firstly he is sent by the father in the name of Jesus.

We have that in verse 26. We also have in verse 16 that it is at the request of our Lord Jesus Christ, I will pray the Father. And then in verse 7, in chapter 16 and verse 7, he is sent by the Son. So we read at the end of verse 7, I will send him unto you.

And we find with the Godhead, the Trinity, the same with the raising of the Lord from the dead. Scriptures teach that the Father raised him, The Son raised Himself, I have power to lay it down, power to take it again, and the Holy Spirit quickeneth the dead. So the whole Trinity is involved, and the same is sending the Holy Spirit. It is by the Father, by the Son, and the Spirit coming.

And so also it's a wonderful seal of the Lord's intercession. He said he would pray the Father and he did and the Holy Spirit was given at Pentecost. It's the first wonderful answer or an evidence of the intercession of our Lord in heaven. So firstly then he is sent.

The second is that he is the comforter In chapter 14, 16, verses 16 and 26, our Lord speaks of him as the Comforter, one that is to comfort the people of God. I will pray the Father he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever. In verse 26, the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost.

So when we are distressed, when we are in trouble, then we are to bear this in mind that it is the Holy Spirit that comforts his people and as I have found in my own experience quite often we know the comfort first and then the Lord will show us where that comfort actually has come from and we're told here that it is through the Holy Ghost and so that is of a real assurance to us if we have that benefit and blessing of the comfort of the Holy Ghost.

The third thing is He is the Spirit of Truth and known by God's people and dwelling in them. In chapter 14 and verse 17 we have even the Spirit of Truth whom the world cannot receive because it seeth Him not neither knoweth him, but ye know him, for he dwelleth with you and shall be in you." And we have it in chapter 16 and verse 13 as well, the Spirit of Truth is come. And so maybe think of the Spirit in these three things, the Holy Spirit is sent by the Father at Jesus' request and sent by the Son, He is the Comforter and He is the Spirit of Truth. If we are to know the Truth, it is through Him.

So then we have what He shall and will do. There are seven things that our Lord draws forth in these two chapters as to what the Holy Spirit shall do. Firstly, He shall teach you all things. That is verse 26 of chapter 14. he will teach you all things. This is part of the covenant, they shall all be taught of God, and it is the Holy Spirit that ensures this. Secondly, he shall bring to your remembrance whatsoever Jesus has said to you, and I hope that is often a comfort to you.

You can look back over more years no doubt than I can to when the Lord called me at 19 some 40 years in the wilderness as it were but It is a blessed thing when the spirit takes something that was spoken to us, a word that was blessed years ago, and brings them back to a remembrance. Something might be something that someone else has said in the home, something that was preached, something that was read, and it suddenly comes back, not just a remembrance of what happened, but the savour of it, the realisation, the Lord blessed me in that verse, in that passage. So it is the spirit that brings that to remembrance and that's not dependent upon whether we get dementia, whether we lose our faculties, the spirit can still work and still bring to remembrance. The third one is that he will reprove the world of sin, righteousness and judgement. And I had to make this a matter of prayer, really, as to what is meant in these passages. The Holy Spirit works through the Word of God, that is the inspired Word of God, but also the preaching of the Word.

And especially you see it with the apostles, when they preached, and when they worked the miracles and then testified that it was through the Lord Jesus, They were reproving the Jews. They were reproving those that did not believe. And it was a witness to them. Especially in these days when so few believe and follow the Lord. The preaching of the Word, the Word of God, is still a witness and is still reproving the world.

And those three things are so important. It is sin that we are sinners, it's righteousness, the Lord Jesus Christ, the Gospel, and the judgment to come. Those three things really sum up all that is vital and important, even a witness in the world. Then we have in the fourth point is in verse 13 in chapter 16, he will guide you into all truth. So it's a guide in the truth directing us and sometimes it's like footsteps through the word. One text leads to another and another and it slowly opens up into the truth.

The fifth one is he shall not speak of himself. Often think of this as an answer to the charismatic movement. Wherever the Holy Spirit is, the Lord Jesus Christ will be precious. He always speaks that the Lord Jesus Christ doesn't draw attention to himself.

It is the Lord here that's drawing attention to the work of the Spirit, but where the Spirit is working, He magnifies Christ. so then in the sixth point he will show you things to come these are all verses 13 in chapter 16 show you things to come so all of what is to come upon the earth and preparing us his people for his will many of the lord's people have been told.

I often think of Bunyan and his pilgrim's progress, second part, where Christiana was waiting at the river and one after another they had sicknesses come and it was as a messenger, the master calleth for you. And I think of Elisha who fell sick of the sickness whereof he died. And many of the Lord's people have intimation when the Lord is to take them home. And it's a better thing to be looking for things to come, have a hope beyond the grave.

Paul says, we have all been most miserable if in this life only we have hope of Christ. But it's the spirit that points us above the things to come. And the last one in verse 14 of chapter 16 is, he shall glorify Jesus, he shall glorify me for he shall receive of mine and shall show it unto you. So wherever we feel the preciousness of Christ, wherever he's glorified to us, that is the Holy Spirit's work. And if we feel the need of more to know the preciousness of Christ, we always think of our Lord saying that, shall not your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him. So there are some points to meditate upon through the day and then the scriptures here.
Rowland Wheatley
About Rowland Wheatley
Pastor Rowland Wheatley was called to the Gospel Ministry in Melbourne, Australia in 1993. He returned to his native England and has been Pastor of The Strict Baptist Chapel, St David’s Bridge Cranbrook, England since 1998. He and his wife Hilary are blessed with two children, Esther and Tom. Esther and her husband Jacob are members of the Berean Bible Church Queensland, Australia. Tom is an elder at Emmanuel Church Salisbury, England. He and his wife Pauline have 4 children, Savannah, Flynn, Willow and Gus.

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