Luke 12:8-12 - Depending on the Ministry of the Holy Spirit

I believe that one of the greatest obstacles for lostsinners to put their faith and trust in Jesus Christ is the hypocrisy displayedin the lives of believers. When they see us acting like the rest of the worldaround us, and at the same time claiming to be a follower of Jesus Christ, theythink we are a bunch of fakes, or flakes, and use us an excuse not to trustChrist. Jesus denounced hypocrisy of any type in the harshest terms possible. Yesterday we gave a summary of how Jesus said we can avoidhypocrisy in our own lives, but it bears repeating: 1) Remember that everythingwe say or do in secret, or behind closed doors, will one day be exposed to everyoneto see and hear (vv. 2-3). 2) Jesus tells us not to fear men, or anyone, and whatthey might say or do against us, but to fear God (vv. 4-5). 3) Jesus reminds usthat despite our circumstances during difficult and tragic times, God stills lovesand cares for us and notices the smallest detail of our lives and all the needsof our lives (vv. 6-7). 4) Jesus tells us to be courageous enough to publicly professand confess our faith openly (vv. 8-9)!  In verses 10-12, Jesus promises us that we have a fifthpowerful “Helper” that we should also recognize and depend on, which is the ministryof the Holy Spirit. (Please watch or listen to our Pastor’s Chat today. It probablysays it better than I can write about it.) I also should point out that the OldTestament emphasizes the ministry of God the Father. The Gospels emphasizes theministry of Jesus Christ. And the Acts and Epistles belong to the ministry ofthe Holy Spirit. You might remember in the previous chapter, Luke 11:13, whenJesus was teaching about prayer, that He finished His lesson with these words: “Ifyou then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how muchmore will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!" Jesus knew the disciples and all futurebelievers and followers would face tremendous opposition and persecution throughouttheir lives (John 16:33). They would find it difficult, and most likely,impossible to “keep their faith”.  That is why Jesus spent much time in His last hours anddays with His disciples assuring them of the ministry of the Holy Spirit. In HisUpper Room discourses, Jesus told them He would not leave them “orphans”. “AndI will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abidewith you forever-- the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, becauseit neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you andwill be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you” (John14:16-18). John chapter 15, finishes with this promise from Jesus: "Butwhen the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit oftruth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me.” In John 16:7-14,Jesus continues to assure them: “Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is toyour advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will notcome to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you…, when He, the Spirit oftruth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on Hisown authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you thingsto come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it toyou.” Jesus last words to His disciples before He ascended intoheaven were: “Wait for the Promise of the Father, which you heard of Me… andyou shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shallbe witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the endof the earth." (Acts 1:4-8). Have you ever asked and received the Promise and Gift ofthe Holy Spirit to give you grace, strength, and wisdom, to live for Jesusevery hour of every day? God bless!