Jesus Our Advocate

Great Titles of Jesus - Advocate

Reading: 1 John chapter 2 verses 1-6.

Ill:

• A speaker at a Harvest Festival service;

• Asked the children to name some of the things they saw on display.

• One boy said; “Carrots”.

• Another said; “Potatoes”;

• Another said; “Peas”.

• The speaker then asked them the question:

• “Can anyone give me a word that covers all these things?”

• There was a few minutes silence;

• Then one little boy shouted out; “Gravy!”

The many names and titles of Jesus;

• Cover or embrace a whole load of theological and practical truth!

• That is so true for tonight’s study – ‘Advocate’.

• Because we rarely use the word 'Advocate' in everyday language;

• We need to find out it's meaning - how an 'Advocate' fits into our everyday world.

(1). The Meaning & Importance of the term:

(1). The meaning in the everyday world:

• Quote: Dictionary:

• "An advocate is one that pleads the cause of another".

ill:

(a).

• Actually the word 'Advocate' it's a legal term:

• e.g. TV court room - Rumpole of the Bailey or Cavanah QC.

• An ‘Advocate’ is a Barrister or an Attorney or councillor.

(b).

• Now in a court of law an 'Advocate' can represent both sides:

• They act as prosecutors against you,

• Or the defence barrister, for you.

(c).

• But both are 'Advocates':

• One who represents the law, and one who represents you.

(d).

• An 'Advocate' simply means:

• Someone who will present someone else's case,

• To some other person or to some other authority,

• And to represent them in the most favourable light.

(2). The meaning in the New Testament:

• In the N.T. the word 'Advocate' is only used by one writer - the apostle John,

• He uses it several times in his gospel & once in this letter (1 John).

Note: To get a fuller understanding of what an 'Advocate' is & does:

• We need to take a quick look at how John uses this word in his Gospel,

• Put a marker in 1 John chapter 2 and for a few minutes turn to John's gospel chapter 14.

Ill:

Background to the chapter:

• Jesus is celebrating a Jewish feast called Passover,

• He is with his twelve disciples in an upper room, this was to be there last night together,

• In a few hours Jesus knew he was going to be arrested,

• Falsely tried by a kangaroo court and then beaten and nailed to a cross to die.

• He also knew that the disciples he was leaving behind would be lonely and afraid,

• So he told them of one (the Holy Spirit) who was going to take his place,

• In talking about the Holy Spirit;

• The apostle John links him to the Greek word translated as ‘Advocate’ in 1 John chapter 2.

Note:

• In this chapter (John 14) the Greek word translated as 'Advocate':

• Is used in reference to the Holy Spirit and not Jesus.

• But as we see what it means concerning the Holy Spirit as an ‘Advocate’;

• It will help us to understand how Jesus is also an 'Advocate'.

Quote: John 14 verse 16:

"And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another (here's the word this time translated as counsellor) COUNSELLOR to be with you forever - the Spirit of truth".

Now the Greek word translated in our English Bibles as:

• 'Advocate' or 'Comforter' or 'Counsellor'.

• Is made up of two Greek terms:

• 1ST GREEK TERM USED IS:

• The term 'Para', which always means 'Alongside'.

ill:

If I stand by this pulpit I am 'Para' the pulpit.

ill:

Para-chute or Para-llel lines or Para-llel lines.

• 2ND GREEK TERM USED IS:

• 'Kaleo', which means 'To call'.

ill:

Call you out the front.

• I would have 'Kaleo' you,

• I would have called you out.

• Combined those two terms make up the word:

• 'Par-a-kle-tos' and mean, 'To call alongside'

ill:

• Now one more thing to note about this word:

• If I called you out the front to stand by me.

• I have 'Pa-ra-Kle-tos' you.

• I have 'Called along-side' me, someone.

• Now the word 'Advocate’ – ‘Councillor' means that and much more:

• I would not have called you out for a definite purpose, but just to explain a point.

• In the New Testament 'Pa-ra-kle-tos' not only means:

• The 'Called alongside one', but there is a purpose to his being there:

• In other words the 'Parakletos' is there to:

• To assist, to comfort, to counsel, to defend, to intercede on behalf of another.