The Holy Spirit 10.29.23
“Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.” With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.””
Acts 2:38-40 NIV
When the complex issues of our culture make me feel powerless I am encouraged by the hope within Peter’s warning, ‘Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.’
How does the saving work of the Holy Spirit look, feel, act in your daily life?
““If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.”
John 14:15-17 NIV
Jeff mentioned that the Spirit is equivalent to relationally having Jesus with each of us; and we all know obeying the ‘simple’ command to love is multifaceted in its application in real life.
Do we treat each other with this level of respect and curiosity when in conflict over disputable matters? Do we trust each other, do we feel trusted in fellowship, that we each have Christ with us, guiding, leading, advocating our spirits, at what may seem like at times divergent paths?
Can our faith in the Holy Spirit within our brother or sister build the bonds of unity and love within us even as we potentially disagree?
““All this I have told you so that you will not fall away. They will put you out of the synagogue; in fact, the time is coming when anyone who kills you will think they are offering a service to God. They will do such things because they have not known the Father or me. I have told you this, so that when their time comes you will remember that I warned you about them. I did not tell you this from the beginning because I was with you, but now I am going to him who sent me. None of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ Rather, you are filled with grief because I have said these things. But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.”
John 16:1-7 NIV
Our world, my own heart can be plagued by loneliness.
How does/can the Spirit comfort you when have been led like Christ to a place that you are faithful is righteous but feels - alone?
Can that faith that we mentioned previously, that faith that our brother or sister embodies the Spirit help us combat loneliness and differences within our own fellowship?
Can /does the Spirit connect us and lead us in seemingly opposing directions that both have the power to build God’s Kingdom?
