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“Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; …” [Jesus speaking to his eleven disciples the night before his crucifixion…as recorded in John 16: 7-9] |
Earlier this week there was a sitting of the Superior Number of the Royal Court. That day the Court decided upon the jail sentences of two men. Both of them had pleaded guilty to the crimes set out in indictments, with supporting evidence, which they had received much earlier.
Deep down within us all is a strong desire for justice, for wrongs to be righted, for judgment to fall upon the unjust. For us to live in a truthful and just society.
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| The prayer in French immediately before this week’s judicial sitting of the Royal Court rightly included, in French, the words translated into English in the box opposite.
This is a very serious prayer. It acknowledges the Lord God as “eternal Father”. It seeks the guidance of the Royal Court by “your Holy Spirit”. It acknowledges that “wisdom and understanding” are attributes and gifts of the Lord God. The prayer is for the Royal Court itself – that “it may do justice to all”. And it expresses the longing that “the truth of your word may be applied among us and that you may reign here [in the Royal Court and in Jersey] through Jesus Christ Our Lord”.
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“Lord God, almighty and eternal Father, we pray that you will guide this Court by your Holy Spirit so that, having your gift of wisdom and understanding, it may do justice to all, rightly judging that the good and the innocent be upheld and protected, and wrongdoers punished and restrained so that the truth of your word may be applied among us, and you may reign here through Jesus Christ Our Lord....” (Royal Court Prayer)
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Look again at the words in bold in red above. We rightly consider that the final pre-death statements of a human being are important. These are indeed some of the last words of Jesus Christ – a few hours before his Cross.
He tells his eleven closest followers about the coming to them of the Helper – that same “Holy Spirit” prayed for in the Royal Court prayer in the box above. He says that this Holy Spirit, “when he comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment.”
Most folk in this part of the world know that the Holy Spirit first came down at Pentecost in Jerusalem AD 30. Ever since then, over the centuries and today, very many people have become convinced, by the Holy Spirit, concerning their sin. They have sought for and found that the righteousness of Jesus Christ can be accounted as theirs and that they are then free from judgment through him.
But Jesus told his disciples on the night before he was betrayed, that “the world” would be convinced by the Holy Spirit.
Lots of people seem to be living without that conviction. In this liberal age we tend naturally to avoid any thought of sin, let alone judgment. Freedom from sin and guilt is freely granted by all liberal societies – so I’m good, thank you. If society declares me good, I’ve nothing to fear. Maybe. But deep-down are people hearing – but claiming not to understand – the truthful “truth”?
Some may even from time to time listen to that Royal Court prayer without any concern as to its truth. What about them?
Maybe they haven’t seen for themselves the true abundant mercy (and much, much more as indicated in the Royal Court prayer) which is available to them, now and for ever, through Jesus and the Holy Spirit. |
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All who are to respond will respond. It seems that all who don’t respond are also eventually convinced by the Holy Spirit.
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‘The one who rejects me and does not receive my words has a judge; the word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day.’ (Jesus Christ, AD 30, in John’s biography)
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