Dear Christian friends:

Last Sunday we preached to you about Jesus ascending up into heaven and sitting at the right hand of God. Before He ascended Jesus told His disciples that it was good for them that He leaves them. Then Jesus explained why: "Although I leave you and you see me no more I am still with you. I will send the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, and when He comes you will know that I have not forsaken you."

Ten days later Jesus sent His Spirit to the disciples and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. Jesus gave them a very precious and wonderful gift. He could give them nothing better. Even if He gave them each one million dollars. That would not be as rich and wonderful. The Holy Spirit is God's best gift to men.

In our text Jesus shows us that this is true. We, too, very much need this gift of God more than anything else in the world. Often we don't realize this, and foolishly seek other things. So let us attend to our text and consider the theme:

In our text Jesus tells us how God gives this wonderful gift to men. It is most important for us to know how God gives the Holy Spirit. If we don't know that, we may fail to receive Him.

In our text Jesus says, "I will ask the Father and He will give you another Comforter to be with you forever." (verse 15) God the Father sends the Holy Spirit to us because Jesus asks Him. Here Jesus is speaking as the Son of Man, our Brother, not as the Son of God, and the Father will do anything for us that Jesus asks because Jesus has suffered and died for our sins.

He has won full forgiveness of sins for all of us. Therefore He has the right and the power to ask the Father to give us the Holy Spirit. We should not doubt about that or feel unworthy. Jesus has made us worthy. God will not say no to Jesus or to us. So let us believe and confidently pray for that best gift.

After He told His disciples this He told them to wait in Jerusalem for the gift of the Holy Spirit. They did not doubt or feel unworthy now. They knew that God loves them and forgave all their sins. With confidence and hope they waited for God's Gift. Ten days later, when they were gathered all in one place while they read the Bible and prayed God poured out His Spirit in a wonderful way. They heard and felt a strong wind, and then tongues of fire appeared on the heads of each one of them.

And we read, "They were all filled with the Holy Spirit." (Acts 2:4) It is interesting to know that in Greek the word for wind and spirit is the same, pmeuma. That day the Spirit came as a strong wind, and then showed His presence, love and warmth by the small fire on their heads.

So in that wonderful way Jesus kept His promise and gave the Holy Spirit to His Church. Today He continues to give His Spirit to His Church, not joined with a strong wind, but through His Word and Sacraments, Baptism and the Lord's Supper. We should know this and remember it. If we do not hear God's Word or come to the Lord's Supper; if we do not remember our baptism; if we fail to read and study our Bibles the Holy Spirit will not come into our hearts. And we will fail to receive God's best gift.

I know how easy we are tempted to forget that. We often feel and think that other things are more important: work, food, clothes, house, car, fishing, bowling and others. We are very careful to feed our bodies and keep our health, but we forget about God's Word, the Bread of Life for our souls. Lets be wise and feed our souls first. Jesus will not let our bodies starve. Especially, when we think about the precious and rich Gift God wants to give us through His Word we should be eager to hear and learn it.

In our text Jesus beautifully shows us how precious and rich the Spirit is. Jesus says, "He will give you another Comforter to be with you forever; I will not leave you orphans."

Because we now can't see Jesus, we are tempted to think that He is not with us and that God no longer loves us. We feel like orphans, forsaken, without Father and mother, brothers and sisters. Especially when we are in trouble or sick and dying we are tempted to feel that God has forsaken us and is punishing us because of our wrongs and sins.

But if we hurry to read and hear His Words in the Bible the Holy Spirit comes into our hearts and takes away our doubts and gives us faith and hope in God. He proves to us that God is our Father and that He loves us as His dear children. Paul says, "God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts to help us cry, "Dear Father." (Galatians 4:6)

The Holy Spirit also helps us to love God and obey His commandments gladly. Jesus says in our text, "If you love Me, you will do what I order .... If you have My Commandments and obey them, you love Me. And if you love Me My Father will love you, and I will love you and show Myself to you." When God gives us His Holy Spirit we receive power to love God and our neighbor and gladly, cheerfully do many good works. We will not feel forced or bothered. We will say about church work and missions: "It's my heavenly Father's work, I want to help and support it." About our brother or neighbor we will say: "He's my brother, I want to help him." (Use Boys Town illustration) "He ain't heavy, Father, he's my brother."

May God also give us His Holy Spirit so that we believe in Jesus and gladly serve Him.

Amen.