The Holy Spirit Series #2 Part 6 Kathryn Kuhlman The Holy Spirit Witnesses to Jesus' Righteousness

I do hope that you were listening in and heard the last message that I gave on the person of the Holy Spirit. For the message that I shall give today will mean so much more to you. Remember when I left you in my last message. It was a determined fact. that the Holy Spirit as a person in the world today has a definite work that he is doing. Before Jesus went away, one of the very last things that he did was to tell of the coming of the Holy Spirit. And in telling of his coming, he also told of the definite work. that the Holy Spirit would be doing while He was here in residence on this earth. And I left you, if you remember, with that portion of the Word of God as found in the 16th chapter of John. And we see here from this scripture that the Holy Spirit's work as to the world is threefold. Let me read it to you just once. It's found in the 16th chapter of John, beginning with the 8th verse. And he, when he is come, will convict the world in respect of sin and of righteousness and of judgment. Of sin, because they believe not on me. Of righteousness, because I go to the Father and ye behold me no more. of judgment, because the prince of this world hath been judged. Now, from this scripture, we see that the Holy Spirit is doing a threefold work in the world today. First, to convict the world of sin. And I explain that portion of the word of God to you. in my last message. Second, to convict the world of righteousness. And third, to convict the world of judgment. Now for a very few minutes, you and I are going to consider the second of the work of the Holy Spirit here on this earth and while He is in the world. To convict... the world of righteousness. Let me first of all ask just one question. What is righteousness? When we think of righteousness, we must remember that it must be conformed to the divine standard of right and justice, to be upright. and blameless. But it is not the world's righteousness that is here meant, for it has none. It is the righteousness of Jesus. When Jesus was here on earth, he claimed to be the very Son of God. He claimed to forgive sins. to be himself holy and sinless, and that whosoever believed on him should have eternal life. Those were his claims. And believe me, those were claims that were mighty hard for men and women to accept. What would you think of one coming in our midst, claiming to be the very Son of God, claiming to be absolutely holy without sin, claiming to forgive sins, claiming that whosoever believed on him should have eternal life. It was very difficult for men and women to accept to believe his claims while he was here on earth. He went to the cross under charges of sedition and blasphemy. Even amid his dying agonies, the challenge was hurled at him as spittle ran down his flesh. If thou... Be the Son of God. Come down from the cross. All that challenge. Listen to the challenge from the lips of that angry mob. If thou be the Son of the Living God, if you are all that you say that you are, then... Come down from the cross. Come on. Prove yourself now. He failed to justify his claim by coming down from the cross. He died as an ordinary mortal dies. The shades of night found him locked in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea and a Roman guard keeping watch. There was nothing supernatural about that. It was all just as human as could be. Where now are all of his claims to deity? He died as any ordinary man died. He died as any thief would have died. Where now are all his claims to deity? He said, that he was the very son of the living God, and yet truly there was no deity manifested in his death, none whatsoever. Was that to be the end of all his claims? Suppose he remained in the tomb and had not risen. What evidence would we have had he remained in the tomb? Had there been no resurrection, how would we have known that he was all that he said that he was? How would we have known that he was not an imposter, a false messiah, like many before him? None. Absolutely none. If Christ be not risen, the scripture says, then is our preaching vain. and your faith is vain also. If Jesus had not risen from the grave, that would have been the end of his righteousness. The fact, then, that Jesus rose from the dead is proof that his claims were true, and thus his righteousness was established. and that he was declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of Holiness, the Holy Spirit, by the resurrection from the dead. Remember, the proof of the deity and divinity of Jesus Christ was not in his death. Sometimes I... think that we make so much over the crucifixion of Jesus, his death on the cross. Hundreds had died in the same way. The proof of his deity was not in his death on the cross. Know that. The proof of his deity and his divinity. was in his glorious resurrection. The fact that Jesus rose from the dead is proof that his claims were true. His righteousness, this righteousness that the word of God is referring to when it says the Holy Spirit. will reprove the world of sin and of righteousness. This is the righteousness that the Holy Spirit is reproving the world of and is proving to the world this very day. This righteousness. His claims were true. And thus his righteousness was established. And he was declared to be the Son of God with power according to the spirit of holiness by the resurrection from the dead. Pause a minute. Consider something. The standard miracle of the Old Testament is the opening of the Red Sea. And the standard miracle of the New Testament is the resurrection and the exaltation of Jesus is the indisputable proof of his righteousness. But how is the world to know and be convinced of this glorious fact? That, beloved, is the work of the Holy Spirit. I want you to see something that's very remarkable. We speak of His resurrection. We believe in His glorious resurrection. We have every confidence of His wonderful, supernatural resurrection. But there is more than His resurrection. there is also his exaltation. Know that. Even though there was proof of his resurrection, how do we know that he is this very hour seated at the right hand of God the Father in position of great high priest? ever living to make intercession for you and for me. In just our common language today, let me put it like this. How do we know that he made it from earth to glory? That's right. How do we know for sure that he is seated at the right hand of God the Father, something might have gone wrong. Something might have happened from the time that his feet left the Mount of Olives until he reached the Father's throne. How can I be sure? How do I know that I have a great high priest? How can I be sure that he's there and I can confess my sins to him? Oh, to me this is glorious. Follow me a minute. Why are the disciples of Jesus knew that he had been raised from the dead? They did not know whether he had been exalted. And they could not know unless a witness. was sent from heaven. And the witness that was sent was the Holy Ghost. Now, let me just give you a homey illustration. If a friend should tell you that he was going to take a trip to the Holy Land, and that when he reached his destination, that he would send you, oh, let me say, a box of figs. Now, even though you did not hear from him by cable or even though he did not send you a letter, the fact that you received the box of figs that he said that he would send you upon reaching the Holy Land would be evidence sufficient that he had reached his destination. And so, the fact that the promised gift of the Holy Ghost on the day of Pentecost was visible evidence and sufficient evidence to the disciples that Jesus had reached heaven and that the Father had approved of his work here on earth and had accepted the sacrifice of the cross. as an acknowledgement of his righteousness, and had exalted him to a seat beside himself on his throne. Oh, that's thrilling. We have proof positive. There is no room for unbelief. There is no room for anxiety on our part whatsoever. Peter's defense before the consul were these words. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew, and hanged on the cross. Him hath God exalted with his right hand. That is, drew him up with his right hand to a seat at his right hand on his throne to be prince. For remember, he is not yet king. And a savior for to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we... The disciples are his witnesses of these things, and so is also the Holy Ghost. You know, the law required two witnesses. Read it, the 17th chapter of Deuteronomy, the 6th verse. Now while the disciples could bear witness to the crucifixion, and the resurrection, and the ascension of Jesus, they could not testify to his exaltation, as that was beyond their human vision. But the Holy Ghost could, for the Holy Ghost had witnessed to the exaltation of Jesus. The Holy Ghost had seen him at the right hand of God the Father in position of great high priest. before he ever came to this earth to take up his residence. He did come and bear witness that Jesus had been exalted. Therefore, the law that required two witnesses had been satisfied. If Jesus had not been what he claimed to be, the Father would never have received him back and exalted him. And the Holy Spirit would never have been sent to testify to his exaltation. The Holy Spirit, then, is the... Only one who can convince the world of the righteousness of Jesus. That's what this scripture means. When he has come, he will reprove the world of sin and of righteousness. Whose righteousness? Ours? No. The righteous. of Jesus, having been accepted to the Father and is now in position of great high priest. That's why, beloved, I am so certain, I am so sure that I have a priest. I have a glorious priest. A priest to whom I confess all of my sins. A priest to whom I confess all of my failures and all of my shortcomings. I talk to him every day. He knows me better than I know myself. He understands that I am made of dust. He knows my failures. He knows my weaknesses. He knows I have no righteousness of my own. He knows me so completely and is so compassionate that he's even touched with the feeling of my infirmity. I go to him. I have positive proof that he's there. Because the Holy Spirit came and did give witness of his exaltation. Seeing then that we have a great high priest, all to be this wonderful. Not an earthly priest. We had an earthly priest. before the exaltation of Jesus to the right hand of God the Father. But now Jesus has taken that position. Seeing then that we have a great high priest that is passed into the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast. our profession for we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in all points tempted like as we are yet without sin therefore Let us come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. And that great high priest will hear the slightest whisper from that heart of yours. He sees that falling tear. He is there making intercession for you night and day.