Teaching on the Holy Spirit

Intro

Good morning, dear family. This morning is the last homily in our 4-week series on some of our Harbinger distinctives. As a reminder, for the next 4 weeks, we will be observing the Advent season and will participate in worship through reading scriptures from the Revised Common Lectionary. After Advent, we will return to a verse-by-verse study as we delve into 1 John. Remember our commitment to viewing essential doctrine through the lens of the Apostles' Creed, and in the creed, it includes: "I believe in the Holy Spirit." This morning, I am going to offer you a concise teaching on the Holy Spirit. It won't be expansive or exhaustive; I only have 15 minutes, but I hope that it is encouraging, practical, and helpful.

Let’s consider these passages:

John 14:16–17 “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever. He is the Spirit of truth. The world is unable to receive him because it doesn’t see him or know him. But you do know him, because he remains with you and will be in you.”

John 14:26 “But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and remind you of everything I have told you.”

John 15:26 ““When the Counselor comes, the one I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father—he will testify about me.”

John 16:7 “Nevertheless, I am telling you the truth. It is for your benefit that I go away, because if I don’t go away the Counselor will not come to you. If I go, I will send him to you.”

In a sermon I heard from Pastor Tyler Staton entitled 'Contemplative Charismatic Ministry', Tyler shared what was to me a profound and challenging thought. Here is the excerpt:

"So, according to Jesus—and he’s remarkably clear on this—the Holy Spirit is a staggering improvement over direct, face-to-face conversation with God in the flesh. God’s indwelling presence through the Holy Spirit surpasses God’s bodily, human presence in Jesus. That’s what He said. [The disciples] didn’t buy it. ... They’d been planning their imagined experience of Jesus’ Kingdom, and it definitely included Jesus embodied with them. ... And so, a competing vision—including disappointment—was a tough sell.

Jesus’ first disciples didn’t bite, and in general, Jesus’ modern disciples don’t buy it either. I mean, honestly, how many of us would trade our experience with God’s indwelling Spirit to this point in our stories for one face-to-face chat with God in the flesh? Basically, all of us, right? Regardless of your maturity level, commitment, gifting, education, or tradition, most people dotting the pews across the global church on any given Sunday are a bit underwhelmed with the experience of the very promise that got Jesus so excited—the better plan that made Jesus momentarily giddy on the march to his own execution. We’d trade it back if we could."

Tyler went on to give a teaching on the charismatic gifts of the Spirit. This is not my intent this morning, but that quote is something to zoom in on. He comes to a conclusion that I found myself identifying with, and I imagine many of us identify with. We don’t take Jesus at His word. We’d trade the Spirit for the Son in a heartbeat if we could, which in a way, seems like disbelief or disobedience to the Lord who Himself suggested that it is to our benefit if he goes away and gives us the Spirit.

But I can earnestly say for myself and on behalf of this wonderful family—we love the Lord Jesus. We desire to obey Him. So, the stumbling block in this area is not a lack of love, lack of interest, or lack of belief. I believe it is simply a lack of understanding. We want to take Jesus at His word. We want to benefit from the Spirit and know that it is to our benefit that we have the Spirit. So, this is the heart behind my message this morning: I hope to help us understand the Spirit just that much more so that we can press in here, give ourselves fully over to it, and begin to learn not just through doctrine but rather through experience.

The Holy Spirit in the Old Testament

The Holy Spirit is not a New Testament phenomenon, but rather the same divine presence that permeated the lives of God's people throughout the Old Testament. In the Hebrew Scriptures, the Spirit is often referred to as the Ruach HaKodesh, or the 'Breath of God'. We see the Holy Spirit at work in creation, breathing life into Adam (Genesis 2:7), empowering the prophets to speak God's words (2 Samuel 23:2, Ezekiel 2:2), and anointing kings and leaders for service (1 Samuel 10:6, Isaiah 11:2). The Spirit also appears as a mighty wind, a consuming fire, and a cloud, symbolizing God's power and presence among His people. In the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit is revealed as the One who inspires, empowers, and transforms individuals to fulfill God's purposes. We see this in the lives of people like Bezalel, who was filled with the Spirit to craft the tabernacle (Exodus 35:30-35), and in the prophecies of Joel, who looked forward to a day when the Spirit would be poured out on all people (Joel 2:28-32). As we explore the Old Testament, we discover that the Holy Spirit is not just a faint whisper or a supporting cast member, but the third person of the Holy Trinity, a mighty presence that actively shapes the narrative of God's relationship with His people.

The New Testament and Today

We've already considered the passages from John, which have shown us that, unlike the Old Testament where the Spirit empowered people on a temporary basis to accomplish a purpose, now, we are filled with the Spirit continually and always.

But why is this a big deal? Or to ask it in Tyler Staton’s words, what is it about the Holy Spirit that makes Him a 'staggering improvement' over having Jesus physically present with us? What is it about the Spirit that Jesus would say is to our benefit, even as He prepares to leave His disciples and ascend to the Father?

I think one key aspect of the Holy Spirit's role is that He is not just a companion, but a transformer. As Jesus promised in John 14:26, "But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you." This teaching isn't merely intellectual; it's transformative. The Spirit doesn't just show us the way; He empowers us to walk in it. He doesn't just teach us; He transforms us from the inside out, as Ezekiel prophesied, "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh" (Ezekiel 36:26).

As the Spirit of truth, He reveals to us the depths of God's heart and mind. St. Augustine reflected on this, saying, "The Holy Spirit, therefore, by His coming brings us a clear knowledge of the divine mysteries," showing us the beauty of God's character and the richness of His love. And as we behold this glory, we are changed. We are transformed by the renewing of our minds, as Paul describes in Romans 12:2, "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind."

But this transformation is not just about us individually; it's also about our relationship with God. The Holy Spirit is the one who makes us aware of our adoption as children of God. He is the one who whispers 'Abba, Father' in our ears, reminding us of our intimate connection with the God of the universe. This is beautifully captured in Galatians 4:6, where Paul writes, "Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, 'Abba, Father!'" This is the Spirit's work: to make us aware of our sonship, to remind us of our identity as beloved children of God, a notion echoed by St. Basil when he says, "The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God."

As we press into the Spirit, we begin to experience this transformation. We start to see the world through new eyes, to hear the whispers of the Father's love, and to feel the gentle nudging of the Spirit's guidance. We begin to live as children of God, not just in theory, but in reality, aligning with the teachings of the Church Fathers like St. Cyril of Jerusalem, who teaches, "The Spirit makes us partakers of His divine nature, and being made partakers, we become holy.", which is also a sentiment echoed by St. Peter in 2 Peter 1:4.

Cultivating the Presence of the Holy Spirit

To experience more fully the intended benefits of the Holy Spirit, I would suggest that we must co-labor or cooperate with the transformative power of the Holy Spirit and actively cultivate His presence in our lives. Some might call this process Theosis, sanctification, or perhaps something else. If we sit idly, we will drift, grow colder, and harden our hearts, risking apostasy and the potential of hearing those dreaded words from the Lord, “depart from me, I never knew you”. But if we partner with the Spirit, and if we seek the transformation that He offers, we embark on a journey that will grant us union with the Father and the eventual joyous declaration: “Well done, my good and faithful servant”.

Here are some practical tips to help us do just that:

Daily Prayer: I would advise to, at the very least, begin and end your day with prayer. And use this time not just to speak but to listen. The Holy Spirit speaks in the silence of our hearts. As Jesus taught in Matthew 7:7, "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you." In some of your prayers, consider asking specifically for the Holy Spirit's guidance and empowerment.

Scripture Engagement: Regularly engage with the Bible. The Holy Spirit uses the Scriptures to teach, correct, and train us in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16-17). As you read, pray for the Spirit to illuminate the text, making it alive and applicable to your life.

Silence and Solitude: Set aside time for silence. In our fast-paced world, silence can be uncomfortable, but it's in these quiet moments that we can hear the gentle whisper of the Spirit, as Elijah experienced in 1 Kings 19:12.

Spiritual Practices: Incorporate spiritual disciplines like fasting, meditation on Scripture, and worship. These practices create space for the Holy Spirit to work within us, fostering spiritual growth and awareness.

Community and Fellowship: Engage with the Christian community. The Spirit not only works in us individually but also through the collective body of believers. As Paul notes in 1 Corinthians 12:7, "Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good." Share and listen in community for the Spirit's leading.

Be Open to the Gifts: The Holy Spirit bestows gifts for the edification of the church. Be open to the possibility of receiving and using these gifts as outlined in 1 Corinthians 12-14. This might mean stepping out in faith to pray for healing, prophesy, or offer words of knowledge.

Live Responsively: Cultivate a responsive lifestyle to the Spirit's promptings. This means being willing to interrupt your plans if you feel the Spirit leading you in a different direction. Acts 16:6-10 shows Paul being guided by the Spirit in ways he hadn't planned.

Confession and Repentance: Regularly confess sins and seek to align your life with the Spirit's holiness. Sin can quench the Spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:19), so maintaining a life of repentance is crucial for His ongoing work in us.

Gratitude: Practice thankfulness. A heart of gratitude opens us up to the Spirit's work. Ephesians 5:18-20 encourages us to be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, always giving thanks to God.

By implementing these practices, we position ourselves to not only understand the Holy Spirit's role but to actively participate in His transformative work in our lives and in the world around us. Let us not just believe in the Holy Spirit but live in the power and presence of Him daily.