Nothing Without the Spirit

Talk About Breathing

The Spirit Gives Life

The Spirit is the Lord, the Giver of Life

I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth

I believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ… through whom all things were made

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and Giver of Life

The Spirit made Adam a Living Being

Genesis 2:7 (ESV)

Then the LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.

The Spirit gives us new birth into Jesus, the New Adam

1 Corinthians 15:45 (ESV)

“The first man Adam became a living being”; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit.

We Are Used To Life, And Take It For Granted

[Life] is a tale

Told by an idiot—full of sound and fury,

Signifying nothing.

William Shakespeare

The Spirit Brings Good

There is No Good Without God.

Luke 18:19 (ESV)

Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.

Luke 11:13 (ESV)

If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

Luke 11:24–26 (ESV)

“When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and finding none it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ 25 And when it comes, it finds the house swept and put in order. 26 Then it goes and brings seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there. And the last state of that person is worse than the first.”

Where We See Good, We See God (the Spirit)

James 1:17 (ESV)

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

Like Breathing, We Miss It: But Can’t Live Without It

The Spirit Gives Hope in Christ

Where we see life and good we Christians see the Spirit, even if the world takes it for granted and only complains when it is gone.

But the greatest gift of the Spirit is faith, which brings salvation, which means ETERNAL life.

1 Corinthians 12:3 (ESV)

Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says “Jesus is accursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit.

Luther’s Small Catechism with Explanation, 2017 Edition The Third Article

I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to Him; but the Holy Spirit has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith.

In the same way He calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian church on earth, and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one true faith.

In this Christian church He daily and richly forgives all my sins and the sins of all believers.

On the Last Day He will raise me and all the dead, and give eternal life to me and all believers in Christ.

Every now and then, stop to wonder at your breathing

But even more so, wonder at the Spirit that breathes into you Christ, the forgiveness of the Cross, and Eternal Life.