The Personhood of the Holy Spirit
Abridge Worship Provided By: Rev. Jacob Shaw (Please note that this is not a verbatim account of our Sunday morning worship, but rather a condensed version for those at home to study and enjoy, Blessing)
Opening Prayer:
God of wind and flame, ignite a fire in our hearts and fill us with your courage and power. On this day of Pentecost, may our young people see visions and our elders dream dreams. Blow open the doors of our shut up hearts and send us into the world to spread the good news of your saving love. Amen.
Scripture Readings: Acts 2:1-21 and John 15:26,27; 16:4b-15
Acts 2:1-21
When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?”
Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.”
Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning! No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:
“‘In the last days, God says,
I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
your young men will see visions,
your old men will dream dreams.
Even on my servants, both men and women,
I will pour out my Spirit in those days,
and they will prophesy.
I will show wonders in the heavens above
and signs on the earth below,
blood and fire and billows of smoke.
The sun will be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood
before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.
And everyone who calls
on the name of the Lord will be saved.’
John 15:26,27; 16:4b-15
“When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me. And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning.
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. When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: about sin, because people do not believe in me; about righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; and about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.
“I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.”
Reflection:
The Spirit, the Advocate, the Spirit of Truth.
The Spirit of God is an interesting person to think about.
Maybe the first thing to consider is that the Spirit is a person. Though the Spirit of God is often at times described in terms akin to a primal power, or an ethereal wisdom, it seems that Jesus speaks of the Spirit as personified.
I think, often, we Christians tend to imagine the Spirit as something like the Force from Star Wars. Like this formless primordial power, we can tap into. But the Spirit is depicted as a personified person, with power sure, but never a power void of conscience. The Spirit is a someone, who is sent to each of us, to present to us what is coming from Christ, that which has been given to Christ by the Father.
The Spirit is one of the Persons of God who we are to actively work with in service of the Kingdom of Heaven. Now in what capacity are we to work with the Spirit, how are we to relate to this Spirit.
Well, let’s look at the word Jesus uses to describe the Spirit in the Gospel of John. Here we see that Jesus uses the word: Paraclete.
Paraclete – paraclete is a compound word, Para meaning beside, and Clete meaning call, beside-call, or call- beside. This is translated often as Advocate. The this sort of legal terminology might seem odd at first, but when you think of the nature of what the disciples were doing, going into the world to make a case for Christ as evangelists, every person they would have spoken to would have responded with suspicion and criticism, at least at first, and some would have try to persecute them in a legal sense. Eventually many of the disciples and the early church fathers would meet persecution and become the church’s first Martyrs.
In fact, the context to the Gospel reading today is Jesus speaking to the disciples about the reality of persecution. So, the Spirit is sent to be with us as we do God work (evangelising, proclaiming the good news, and connecting with the people by the Spirit), and to call out with us, beside us, as our advocate to those who challenge and even persecute us.
This language of a lawyer like quality, is not a description of something that is like a primal power, but rather a wise and intelligent mind, a personal being, with the capacity to work with us, to speak and engage with the world that we speak and engage with.
This is amazing. God, the triune eternal power behind all things, has not only had one person of the trinity take human form to bare the wages of death to free you from sin and shame, but God also sends the Spirit, to us, God sends another person in the Trinity to be beside us in our lives.
And Jesus says that apart of what the Spirit will do, is receive from Jesus instruction, which mean the Advocate, your Lawyer is getting instruction from the Judge. God want you to have victory for the Kingdom!
So in short, the Spirit is a very important person to have in your life. As Christ is our access to the Father, the Spirit, in some ways, is our access point to Christ, we are called to trust the Spirit to guide us to where and when Christ wants us to go, and not as the vague inspiration, but as a personified identity and authority from and part of God.
But there is more to this, because often words in the Bible will have multiple layers of meaning to it.
One possible meaning for Paraclete, I would suggest, is guide. This word “call”, is something that repeats Biblically in different languages, for example, Abraham is called out by God, the voice calls out in the wilderness, and the Spirit calls out to Paul to go this way and that.
So in the similar way to how Abraham was called out of the comfort of his tent, and how the Apostles were called by the spirit to go into foreign lands, the Spirit of the Lord will be a voice for us, calling us to new area, new people, new experience, so that we can do the will of the Father.
Another possible meaning for Paraclete, is helper. This one is simple enough, both that calling voice, and the advocate image depicts a person who is trying to help you. And I think the important thing to remember in this idea, is that the Love of the Father, and the Love of the Son which we believe to be evident and true, are also present in the Spirit. The Spirit has love for creation and humanity in a way that only a person can. The Spirit helps you because the Spirit loves you, and that love is amplified by Jesus’ love for you, and the Father’s love for you. As it helps you, all the help the Spirit will provide will be provided in a loving care for you.
And this idea leads me into the next understanding of Paraclete. When you look at what Jesus says the Spirit will do, apart of it is to reveal to the world their sinful ways. This would not be done for just the none-believers, but for all people, believer or not. This revelation is necessary as part of being a follower of Christ. To fully trust in God, we need to understand that we fall short to the glory of God, that we violate the law which is written upon our hearts, and in that the Spirit will convict us. When we go to do something we shouldn’t, or if we are tempted by something, the Spirit whispers to us not to do those things. The Spirit resides beside us calling us to righteousness over falling into temptation. And if we do fall, he continues to be our advocate even in our weakness.
Finally, a translation for Spirit, would be comforter. The Spirit is there for you, as a friend, just as a friend you have in Jesus, and a Father you have with God, you have a friend in the Spirit, someone to dwell with you, in all times, always on your team. There is a comfort in this knowledge that God is still with us.
So, Advocate, Guide, Helper, Convictor, Spirit of Truth, Spirit of God, is not like the Force at all, but rather something much more powerful, something real and relational, something with mind, purpose, and a divine identity, and so for this season of Pentecost, as we try to build that relationship with the Spirit, remember who the Spirit is, and come to know Him all the better,
Let us pray…
Spirit surround us. When the world is nipping at us, advocate for us with Your righteousness. When we feel lost, guide us with Your wisdom. When our efforts fall short, help us with Your power. When we stand on the edge of temptation and the abyss, convict us and call us to rest in the Way the Truth and the Life of Jesus Christ. Spirit be with us, always. Amen.
Homework: Begin practicing talking with the Spirit, as you might talk with God the Father, or Christ the Son. Speak to the Paraclete as if the Spirit was walking with you everywhere you go. Ask for guidance, strength, clarity, and wisdom. If you need help on this reflective journey email: minister@mountainviewunited.ca
Closing Prayer:
In rushing wind and cleansing fire, go forth in the power of the living God. We go as children of God. In courage found and strength renewed, go forth in the power of the eternal Christ. We go as heirs with Christ. In visions born and dreams restored, go forth in the power of the Holy Spirit. We go as new creations in the Spirit. Amen.
Meme of the Week:
Thank you for joining us this week. If you have any thoughts, feelings, or prayers, feel free to leave them in the comment section below. Please be respectful of others’ posts and make room for all those joining us.
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