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COMMUNITY GROUP STUDY 6: HE WILL LEAD YOU INTO ALL TRUTH (20/5/18)
The Spirit makes true learning possible
Many people (and even the devil!) know about God; but it’s only through the Spirit that we know and grow in true knowledge of God. We cannot learn about God without the teaching ministry of the Spirit. One of the marks that the Spirit is at work in someone is that they are thirsty for knowledge of God and His ways. If we are living on what we learned in the past, if we have lost interest in God (yes we can say we love God but stop learning about Him) we need to be filled with the Spirit, asking Him to give us a thirst for truth.
THE SPIRIT IS OUR TEACHER OF SPIRITUAL TRUTH
· Read John 14:25-26. What does the Spirit ‘remind’ us of and have you had experience of this?
· John 16:12-15 - through whom does Jesus continue to teach us? What does the Spirit do to our view of Jesus?
THE SPIRIT INSPIRED THE BIBLE AND TEACHES THROUGH IT
· What does 2 Timothy 3:16-17 say about the relationship of the Spirit with the bible and it’s importance for our maturity?
LEARNING FROM THE SPIRIT STILL REQUIRES HARD WORK
To learn from the Spirit still requires our active participation.
· What does Philippians 2:12-13 say about God’s work and our work in our growth?
· Read 2 Timothy 3:14-16. The bible has been inspired by the Spirit, but what are we urged to do?
· What does 1 Timothy 4:11-16 say about the kind of attitude one is to have toward our growth?
· Read Hebrews 3:7. What are we to be careful to do? Is there anything that the Spirit is teaching you and that you need to obey?
RESPONSE
Let’s pray for one another and the church out of what we’ve been studying.
DAILY DEVOTIONALS WEEK 6 – HE WILL LEAD YOU INTO ALL TRUTH
MONDAY: THE SPIRIT IS A TEACHER
It’s not surprising that the Spirit is a teacher. Jesus’ ministry was saturated with teaching and the Spirit is sent to continue Jesus’ ministry. Jesus often took his disciples aside to teach them (See Matthew 5:12). Like the Son, the Spirit wants to teach us. A disciple is ‘a learner’. If we are not learning we are not a disciple. Jesus said of the Spirit,
John 14:25-26“All this I have spoken while still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.
John 16:12-13“I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth…”
LEARNING IS OUR GREATEST NEED
There are many important things but learning about God and what He says about things is the foundation. For example: your marriage may be a mess; it’s a mess because of sin. It’ a mess because you have not been doing things God’s way. For your marriage to be restored you need the truth so that you can forgive, have a true vision of marriage, be empowered by the Spirit to move toward this etc. Jesus says,
John 8:31-32“If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
RESPONSE
The greatest thing that you can do for yourself is to stop making excuses (“I don’t like reading, I’m tired, It’s boring, I’m too busy…”) and start letting the Holy Spirit teach you. A vacuum will be filled! If your head is a vacuum you can be sure that the devil will fill it with junk – He is also a teacher! In John 8, Jesus continues,
John 8:44You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
You are learning something! The question is will you learn lies or will you let ‘the truth set you free’?
TUESDAY: JESUS HAS MORE TO SAY TO YOU
John 16:12-13“I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth…”
Jesus said “I have much more to say to you…” This was the promise that He, through the apostles, would give us the scriptures. I’m also inclined to think that it is also a promise that, through the Spirit, in conjunction with the bible, Jesus continues to teach us. Do you realise that Jesus wants to teach you? However long you’ve been a Christian, Jesus has ‘much more to say to you…’ He wants to refresh old and give new revelation. You hear of men who gave everything to become gold diggers – it’s addictive. Finding a little gold tempts them to keep digging for the load that is in their imagination that, in most cases, never materializes. Many pursuits to which we give our time give us a hint of gold; the pursuit of truth, however, guarantees great treasure.
MORE THAN YOU CAN NOW BEAR
Only though the Spirit can we truly understand and live in the good of what Jesus wants to teach (See Luke 18:31-34). By nature we put ourselves as the lord of our lives; regeneration by the Spirit and His on-going empowering enable us to grasp and obey Jesus’ teaching. Many of us shy away from the bible and study because we doubt our ability to understand. The promise is, that by the power of the Spirit we can all learn. This doesn’t remove the need for hard work or that everything will be understandable initially. However, if we seek the Spirit’s help, He will give you aid to see and understand what you need to see and understand for now. He has also given you leaders from whom you can seek advice.
ARE WE MAKING PROGRESS?
1 Timothy 14-16Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.
Paul encourages Timothy (and us) to make progress in life and doctrine – what we know about God and how we live for God. There is more to know and grow into. Paul prayed for the Ephesian church to grow in their knowledge of God
Ephesians 1:17I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spiritof wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.
RESPONSE
Jesus has more to say to you. With the Spirit’s assistance you will be able to ‘bear it’. What can you do in order to grow in knowledge of the truth? What can you read, listen to, watch etc. Do you have a systematic reading scheme for the bible? Is it time to study a particular book or subject?
Begin by prayerfully acknowledging to the Lord your need and desire for growth. Secondly, make a plan of action.
WEDNESDAY: THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH GUIDES INTO TRUTH
Jesus names the Spirit the ‘Spirit of truth’. The Spirit teaches the truth about who God is and what He requires of us.
John 16:13“But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth…”
John 14:16-17“I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever – the Spirit of truth.”
HE TEACHES US FROM SCRIPTURE
A truly Spirit-filled people will love the bible; their meetings and community will be rich in scripture reading and study. We read of the Jerusalem church that as the Spirit came, many became Christians, but they also bore the fruit of the Spirit who loves scripture. As we read,
Acts 2:41-42Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day. They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
THE SPIRIT INSPIRED THE BIBLE WRITERS
2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,
2 Peter 1:20-21 No prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
The word of God is always under attack. The devil knows that if he can shake or move our confidence from scripture, he renders us powerless. The devil (and our flesh) want us to depend on history, science, statistics, anecdote, philosophy etc. These things have their place, but, the scriptures are the ‘sword of the Spirit’ (Eph. 6:17). So, when talking about the work of the Holy Spirit for example do we search the scriptures? Do we weigh the books we read and experiences we have on the subject against scripture?
The Spirit is truth. It doesn’t just contain truth! It is common for people to subtly undermine scripture by saying “Well, of course, the writers were men of their time and culture so it has things that we must reject... but it does contain truth.” Scripture teaches that ‘All scripture is God breathed…’ We cannot pick the bits that don’t offend us or others. Now, it’s not a virtue to seek to offend people. The Spirit will lead us in the wise and loving use of His word.
RESPONSE
Memorising scripture is an important but often neglected discipline. We often find it easier to quote the pop-songs of our youth than scripture. A mind filled with the words of God is like a person who puts what is beautiful and needful into their home. Many of us treat our minds like a rubbish dump rather than a home - it collects any old junk that happens to be thrown our way. Let’s shut 'the door’ on lies and filth and seek to do the hard work of filling our minds with truth. Try to memorise some scriptures on the work of the spirit (there have been loads in this series). Here are a few that I’ve learned and you may like to use:
1. His Spirit, 1 Corinthians 3:16 Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you? 1 Corinthians 3:16
2. His Spirit 1 Corinthians 2:12 We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. 1 Corinthians 2:12
3. His Spirit Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22
4. His Spirit Romans 15:13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13
5. Spirit of sonship Galatians 4:6-7 Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, "Abba, Father." So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir. Galatians 4:6-7
6. Spirit of sonship Romans 8:15-16 For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father." The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. Romans 8:15-16
THURSDAY: THE SPIRIT TEACHES US ABOUT CHRIST
John 14:26“When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me.
Jesus is ‘the truth’ (John 14:6) - Only through the ministry of the Spirit can we see Jesus for who He is. We may have a form of academic belief, but saving faith is only possible as the Spirit teaches us. As Jesus says of Peter’s confession of Christ,
Matthew 16:16-18Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.
Jesus speaks of Peter’s faith as the gift of the Father, but it is of course true that this is also the work of the Holy Spirit. It’s on this type of confession - confession that is the gift of God - that God will build His church. The Church is built as each person is gifted (taught) about Jesus by the Spirit. As these verses also teach,
John 6:44-45 “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day. It is written in the Prophets: ‘They will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard the Father and learned from him comes to me.
1 Corinthians 12:3Therefore I want you to know that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.
Jonathan Edwards, during revival in the 18th Century commented on how the Spirit always promotes truth, and the truth of Christ in particular,
'The Spirit’s true work can be distinguished from that which is false because we know that He always,
(1)Causes a greater esteem for Christ
(2)Operates against the interest of Satan’s kingdom ‘which lies in encouraging and establishing sin’
(3)Promotes great regard for the truth and the divinity of the Holy Scriptures
(4)Brings men to the light of truth
(5)Excites love to God and man, making the attributes of God, manifested in Christ, ‘delightful objects of contemplation’.’
When the Holy Spirit is at work in a person or community, the work of Christ in the gospel is dear to them like never before. They Sing and talk about the riches of grace.
John 14:25-26“All this I have spoken while still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.
RESPONSE
Read Philippians 2:1-11 and pray that the Spirit would teach you to love and worship Christ like never before. May our hearts please Christ as we overflow in amazement of His grace, as we read,
Luke 7:44-47“Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. 46 You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. 47 Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.”
FRIDAY:HE WRITES ON OUR HEARTS
We can talk to the mind but only the Spirit can impress things on to our spirit. He truly reaches the places that nothing else can reach! Our salvation (regeneration) was the Spirit giving new spiritual life in order to believe the gospel; but our sanctification (process of becoming like Christ) is the ongoing ministry of the Spirit as He continues to ‘write on our hearts’.
Hebrews 8:10This is the covenant I will establish with the people of Israel after that time, declares the Lord. I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.
2 Corinthians 3:3-6You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts. Such confidence we have through Christ before God. Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant – not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
Many people push for shorter, funnier, more confrontational, more multi-media… to make teaching more effective; but, in the end, our emphasis and hope must be in the work of the Spirit; to this end let’s make prayer our priority in preparing, delivering and listening to teaching.
Jesus’ teaching was effective (yes, he used great illustrations and stories…) because of the power of the Spirit that was on Him. His words came with power. We can try to make our words effective through volume, being emotive, manner… but only the Spirit can imbue our words with spiritual power to bring real transformation.
Mark 21-22They went to Capernaum, and when the Sabbath came, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach. The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law.
RESPONSE
How often do you pray for those who regularly teach at your church? How often do you pray for yourself and those that listen to teaching? Would you like to see the church more beautiful and loving? Pray for the ministry of the Spirit to press His word home to our hearts.
SATURDAY: LET’S BUILD A WORD-SATURATED COMMUNITY
Colossians 3:16Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.
ARE WE ALLOWING THE SPIRIT TO TEACH US?
I’m aware of how often I neglect to give my time to devotionally reading God’s word. There are many things that are easier and give us a kick of instant gratification. If you were to paint a vision of a better self, what would you look like in regard to how you treat God’s word? If we aim for what we all actually want, we will all be moving toward what we actually want!
Read and meditate on this text. See what is promised to the person who will think about and do what the Spirit teaches,
Philippians 4:8-9Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.
ARE WE TEACHING OUR CHILDREN?
Parenting is hard but often we make it harder for ourselves by failing to teach them, as is God’s will. If we leave them, unattended, watching meaningless (or harmful!) over-stimulating content on their gadget – you will reap what you sow. There is so much one could say on this subject but do you, as a parent, sit your children down, at some point in the week, and talk about the bible and how it relates to their lives? We read,
Ephesians 6:4Fathers,do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.
Deuteronomy 6:7These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.
The alternative to good training is poor training, which leads to frustration.
IS YOUR COMMUNITY GROUP RICH IN GOD’S WORD?
A spirit-filled community or Community Group will love to learn together from God’s word. Without the fuel of God’s word, the relationships and mission that we want to see will not be sustainable. But, without the Spirit’s living presence in our study we can become orthodox but dead! We become like the Pharisees who were students par excellence but missed the true life of God. So, as we come to God’s word personally or with others, invite the Spirit and expect the Spirit to speak to you.
RESPONSE
The Spirit is a teacher. He wants to lead us into all truth.
Ask the Spirit to give you fresh love and devotion to His word. Read the words of Colossians 3 again and pray that you would be such a person and that we would be such a community
Colossians 3:16Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.
A GREAT QUOTE TO FINISH
‘In the Bible, God’s living Word, we can hear God speaking to us and we respond in prayer, though we should not call this simply a “response.” Through the Word and Spirit, prayer becomes answering God— a full conversation… The conclusion is clear. God acts through his words, the Word is “alive and active” (Heb 4:12), and therefore the way to have God dynamically active in our lives is through the Bible. To understand the Scripture is not simply to get information about God. If attended to with trust and faith, the Bible is the way to actually hear God speaking and also to meet God himself. Prayer through Immersion in God’s Word We know who we are praying to only if we first learn it in the Bible. And we know how we should be praying only by getting our vocabulary from the Bible.
Tim Keller
