Chief Apostle Jean-Luc Schneider based the divine service in Wiesbaden, Germany on John 16: 13: “However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth.”

Since Pentecost, the Holy Spirit has been at work in the church of Christ, guiding believers into all truth. The Chief Apostle put the focus on three aspects: the truth about God, the truth about every believer, and the truthfulness of the individual.
The Holy Spirit reveals the truth

The church leader warned against the Old Testament image of a strict and punishing God. “We recognise God in the words, actions, and nature of Jesus Christ,” he countered this idea. “We see the world and the events in the world in the light of the gospel. We see our fellow human beings in the light of the gospel. And we see our lives and our future in the light of the gospel.”

Through the sermon, the Holy Spirit holds up a mirror that reflects “who we really are”. On the one hand, fallible human beings, but on the other, God’s beloved children. “The Holy Spirit tells us what we should do and what we can do.” And that means: “Simply do what God asks of you. Then you will discover what gifts He has given you. And then your relationship with God is just fine.”

The Chief Apostle criticised the level of self-presentation on social media. “The Bible has an expression for this: human beings want to please human beings.” But true Christians want to please God: “Let us use our time, strength, and energy to grow into the image of Jesus Christ.”

Co-sermon as designated successor

The Chief Apostle called Apostle Helge Mutschler, among others, to assist, whom he assigned as Chief Apostle Helper at the end of the divine service, thus declaring him his designated successor. The Apostle said, “In a world full of lies, we can securely know the truth.”

“Thanks to God, the Holy Spirit opens our eyes,” the Apostle said. About God: “I am love.” About us: “You are a somebody in the eyes of God.” And about us and our fellow human beings: “No one has the right to look down on others.” His conclusion: “In this divided world, let us do good and make peace—each in his or her place—through the power of the Holy Spirit.”