John 15:26, “But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, He will bear witness about Me.”
Jesus says this in the immediate context of warning His disciples that the world will hate them since it hates Him, for no servant is greater than his master (vv. 18-21). Indeed, the world hated the disciples, for they persecuted and killed them just as they had done to Christ. The people of this world killed their Saviour, and they kill His servants, too. Today, we continue to be hated, persecuted, and killed for proclaiming Christ.
But, Jesus says, He is sending the Paraclete—the Helper, the Comforter—whose sole purpose is to proclaim Christ. One who helps and comforts provides strength. How does this Paraclete come to us today? In our Baptism (Acts 2:38). The Holy Spirit dwells within us and gives us strength whenever we hear the Word and receive the Sacraments, especially Christ’s very body and blood in the Eucharist.
We return to these means of grace as the world rages on with its hatred toward us. The only way to receive strength in this hateful world is to follow the Spirit’s guidance as He leads us to Christ in the Word and Sacraments. Without these gracious gifts provided through the Church, we can only falter in great weakness.
The Lutheran Column 