The Promised Advocate

June 25, 2025

Our Savior’s, Menomonie

Rev. Mary Erickson

Acts 16:9-15; Revelation 21:10, 22-22:5; John 14:23-29

The Promised Advocate

Friends, may grace and peace be yours in abundance in the knowledge of God and Christ Jesus our Lord.

The common thread running through all our scriptural passages today is the Holy Spirit. In Acts, Paul has a vision which beckons him to travel into a new territory. Revelation tells of John’s vision, where the Spirit leads him to witness a glimpse of heaven. And in the gospel of John, Jesus promises the coming of the Spirit to his disciples.

This gospel text today in our lectionary calendar spans several transitions. In the context of the book of John, it’s the night of Jesus’ arrest. His remaining time with his disciples is short. And so he leaves them with this parting promise.

But the text is also appropriate in this season of Easter. 40 days after Jesus rose from his grave, he ascended into heaven. That day of ascension occurs on Thursday this week. So the story of Jesus’ parting is placed within a context that is greater than just the evening of his arrest. Our thoughts move ahead to when his disciples will watch him ascend heavenwards, his final departure.

And before he ascended, he instructed them to stay in Jerusalem until they were “clothed with power from on high,” that is, the bestowal of the Holy Spirit.

So kudos to the arrangers of the liturgical calendar for their very aptly chosen gospel text for this a sixth Sunday in Easter!

The Holy Spirit. Martin Luther had this to say in his explanation to the third article:

“I believe that I cannot, by my own understanding or effort, believe in Jesus Christ my Lord or come to him. But the Holy Spirit has called me through the Gospel, enlightened me with his gifts, and sanctified and kept me in the faith. In the same way he calls, gathers, enlightens and sanctifies the whole Christian church on earth and keeps it united with Jesus Christ in the one true faith.In this Christian church, day after day, he fully forgives my sins and the sins of all believers. On the last day he will raise me and all the dead and give me and all believers in Christ eternal life. This is most certainly true.”

As I’ve pondered Luther’s words since I first encountered them way back in confirmation class, there are two items that most stick with me. The first is his opening comment, that I have no ability within myself to come to faith. Faith comes to me only by the gift of the Holy Spirit at work within me and through the hearing of the gospel message. I marvel at how powerless I am and how faith itself is a gift. Likely the best gift I’ve ever been given, after life itself!

The second is his phrase “day after day.” It is, without a doubt, my favorite phrase in the entire catechism. Day after day: the constancy of God’s faithfulness, to be with me every day, all day, though all things – thick and thin, up and down, good and bad, sorrowful and joyful. Day after day, the gift of grace, the forgiveness of sins, the counselor at my side.

So let’s spend a little time looking at each of these passages and contemplate this promised Advocate.

First, our text from that upper room. Jesus can sense that his rendezvous with his destiny is very, very close. He has this one final evening with his disciples. They’d been together for the past three years, sharing everything, experiencing everything together. He’d shown them, he’d taught them, he’d counseled them. But now this sweet, precious time was quickly drawing to its conclusion.

With what little time they have remaining, he leaves them with his most priceless gifts. He prays for them, he will give them himself in a supper, and he gives them this promise of an Advocate.

The word in Greek is “paraclete.” The word had been translated variously: Advocate, Counselor, Helper. It means, literally, to stand beside and call out. Picture a long-distance runner. And alongside them, in a pace vehicle, their coach calls out to them with words of encouragement. The coach tells them what lies ahead and what they’ll have to be prepared for. They call words of encouragement: Keep at it! You can do it! You’re up to this!

That advocate is also like the attorney who stands beside you in a court of law and speaks on your behalf. The paraclete, the one who goes beside you and calls out.

Jesus says this Advocate will teach them what they need to know. It will remind them of everything Jesus had said to them.

I remember when I was in high school and I took driver’s education. After the classroom sessions, I had a driving instructor. His name was Mr. Guy. Yes, that was his name, Mr. Guy! He was a teacher at the high school.