We Are Not Orphans

While Jesus celebrated the Passover meal with His disciples, he patiently prepared them for His coming departure. Leading up to this, He had began to teach on His death which deeply troubled and confused them, and so He gave them various promises in order to encourage their hearts for the dark days ahead. Central to these promises was that Jesus would pray to the Father, asking Him to give His disciples another Helper—the Holy Spirit. 

The title “Helper” here could also be translated as “Comforter” or “Encourager.” Jesus promised that the Spirit would come in order that His people would not be left as helpless orphans when their Master went away. During the meal, Jesus taught that the Holy Spirit would be a help and comfort to His church in two ways. 

First, the Spirit abides with you forever. Jesus has gone away, He is no longer walking this earth but has ascended to the Father. You have never seen Him. And yet He has not left you alone but remains with you wherever you go. And He does this by His Spirit who lives within you. 

Second, the Spirit teaches you all things and brings to your remembrance that which Jesus taught. It is the Spirit that illuminates the Word of God as you read and hear it, applies it to your hearts, and brings it to mind in your time of need. 

This sacrament before us now is a great reminder of this truth—that Christ has not abandoned His people. 

Without the Spirit, we truly would be orphans wandering in the world. We would be without help and without comfort. We would be without truth and guidance. We would be left exposed and unprotected, unable to do anything in our weakness. 

But our Lord is kind. He is the Good Shepherd, who could never fathom abandoning His sheep. And so we are not orphans, but having the Spirit of Christ, we are sons and daughters of the most High God. We dwell within the walls of Zion and we now feast at the table of the King. 

So come, and welcome, to Jesus Christ.