HOLY SPIRIT #1
It’s Sunday Again–Thinking about the Holy Spirit
I am wonderfully blessed to have time to study, write about, and share God’s word. The Holy Spirit has for too long been a mystery to many Christians. I want to know, understand, and enjoy the presence and power of the Spirit in my life today. What does the Holy Spirit do? What does the Holy Spirit do in the New Testament? Concepts, future lessons. The biblical texts are not exhaustive–only beginning points.
The Spirit ministers (John 16:5-15); the Spirit speaks with God’s authority, often to confirm (1 Cor 2; 2 Tim. 3;16-17); the Spirit renews (John 3:1-8; Tit 3); the Spirit liberates (2 Cor 3:16-18); the Spirit transforms (Gal. 5:13-26; 2 Cor 3); the Spirit empowers (Acts 6:1-15); the Spirit equips (1 Cor 12); the Spirit guides (Acts 16:1-15); the Spirit influences and leads (Eph. 5:15ff); the Spirit unites (Eph. 4:1-3).
HOLY SPIRIT #2
Sermon: “Young in Spirit”
Today’s sermon is a Bible study, two texts, two extremely important texts to unpack and apply. Important because they are not in our purview when we think about the Spirit, and because they have not been thoroughly studied, understood, and lived out. We study and read through three lenses: What is God doing in the text? What was and is the message? What was and is the meaning?
Gal. 5:16-26, walk in the Spirit so you will not fulfill the longings of the fleshly human being
2 Cor. 4:16-18, the power for life is renewed within, like an artesian well, as God’s Spirit dwells in us
HOLY SPIRIT #3
Sermon: “The Spirit Gives Me What I Need”
Ogilvie, in his book about the Holy Spirit, wrote about things that every Christian needs to have. All of us need help in our relationship with God, our relationships with others, life, and with ourselves. His list motivated me to make my own list. In my introduction to this series of studies of the Holy Spirit (#1 above), I noted some things the Holy Spirit does: he ministers, speaks, confirms, renews, liberates, transforms, empowers, equips, guides, influences, leads, and unites.
Today’s sermon looks at these concepts from a different perspective. Every Christian needs…
• The sword of the Spirit, the word of God inspired by the Spirit—to know God’s will and to have strength for the obedient life
• The gift of the Spirit—to be reminded and assured of our salvation, our unreserved loyalty to God and God’s loyalty to us
• The presence of the Spirit—to help us in our daily walk of discipleship, the result of renewal, transformation, and liberty in Christ
• To be filled with the Spirit—to be able to speak, to empower evangelism; to see opportunities to love, care, and share faith, evidences of being empowered, equipped, and led by the Spirit
• To walk in the Spirit—to sensitively respond to the influences of the Spirit, so we do not fulfill the longings that are based in this world
• To know the unity of the Spirit—the basis for our concern for the needs of others [spiritual needs, physical needs, social issues] so that we can go forth as God’s hands in ministry and service