“I Believe in the Holy Spirit”
I Believe, Help My Unbelief Series ~ John 14:15-26
April 6, 2003
Purpose: The Holy Spirit calls us, gathers us, enlightens us, and sanctifies us as we continue in our journey of faith. Based on Ron Lavin’s book “I Believe, Help My Unbelief; Another Look at the Apostle’s Creed”
INTRODUCTION – The Pentecostal Holler
Illustration – attending a Pentecostal service – raise hand – yell “Praise the Lord” “Hallelujah” “Amen” “mmmm-hmmm” This last one is used when the pastor says something really insightful.
What’s with the strange looks?
When you just mention the very word Holy Ghost in a conservative, white middle class churches
- people begin to get uptight, worried, even concerned ;-)
- I mean I feel like I should give a viewer’s warning on today’s sermon - “Today’s sermon may not be appropriate for some viewers…”
- “But pastor - we don’t want that Holy Ghost stuff here in our church” - we don’t believe in that
kind of thing…” - It is amazing how much we in the mainstream churches today deny the existence of the HS
- REALLY???? – Does anyone have any idea of what the Victory Classes were??? the same
ones that were started in this area in the 1870’s by founders of this same church? - Let me tell you…they were radical, revival-style, camp meetings that often lasted for hours if not days on end, worshipping and praising God, especially in the Spirit. Preaching would last for hours taken up by anyone who had a Word from God. Communion would be served at every meeting. And it was not rare, but common, to have Victory Class meetings with people shouting, dancing, failing, and the like…it could have happened even in this sanctuary.
- But we as a cultured community have gone away from that…away from this Spirit stuff.
Illustration - I’ve been accepted as a contributor to a web sermon study program called sermon central.org
- out of the 50,000 sermons listed on this sight only a few hundred deal with the HS
- you’d think close to a third since holy spirit third person of the trinity
- What is it about the Holy Spirit that makes us squirm in our seats
- Do we really believe what we recite the apostle’s creed that I believe in the Holy Spirit
- Do we believe the Holy Spirit is intended for us or is it some optional activity of Pentecost that was given to those other kinds of churches
- Do we believe the HS is the third person of the trinity or some lesser being and one we aren’t too
sure we believe in - one we aren’t to sure we want in our life - one we are afraid of it, afraid
that to really believe it would mean we would lose control and that’s something we don’t
want to give up – We believe, but our disbelief is also present.
Yet the HS is nothing new to the Bible even beyond Acts 2 …
In Genesis 1:2, it hovered over the waters.
In Psalm 51:11, David pleaded that the Spirit not be taken away from him.
In Micah 3:8, the prophet proclaimed that he was filled with power with the Spirit
In Matthew 1:18, the Holy Spirit went into the baby-making business with the Mother Mary
In Luke 3:16, John the Baptist tells the world that while he only baptizes with water, another is coming who will baptize in the Spirit.
In Luke 3:22, the Spirit descended like a dove as Jesus was baptized.
And the list could go on…
Martin Luther said, “I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to Him; but the Holy Ghost has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with his gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith, even as He calls, gathers, enlightens and sanctifies the whole Christian Church on earth and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one true faith….” (p.142)
The Holy Spirit can be so much more than we often allow it to be….
Let’s look again at John 14. (note this is the healing chapter – second only to Psalm 23 – to be requested in hospitals)
In this passage of John we read this morning…
Jesus promises that an Advocate, a Helper, a Comforter would come so that we wouldn’t be left alone. It’s interesting to note, that this society is just as fearful of being alone as any other. We have more gizmos and gadgets than any generation before us, all of them intended to keep us in touch with one another. Say “not alone! Praise the Lord”
Jesus said in this passage that, although he would be leaving us, those who love him and follow his commandments will never die… “Because I live, you shall live also.” but continually live in God’s presence. “If anyone loves Me, they will keep My word; and my Father will love them, and We will come to them and make Our home with them.” –Say “permanent house guests. Hallelujah.”
And Jesus said in this passage that “the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach all things and help us remember all things that has been taught.” Say “all things. Amen.”
So who is this character who will keep us company, live in and about us, and who’ll help us know all and remember all?
Using Luther’s statement and Scripture, I believe the Holy Spirit is the one who calls us to follow Christ, who gathers us into community, who enlightens us with his gifts, and who keeps us in the faith. Let’s look at these a little closer this morning.
I. First, the Holy Spirit calls.
- Everyone who believes and has found forgiveness in Jesus Christ has been called to do so by the Sprit! Not by any one person.
- During the tough tragedies and the peaks of happiness the Holy Spirit continues to call people through the circumstances, through the discoveries and through other people.
- Just like Abraham, Moses, Peter and Paul – we as a chosen people have been called. Look at I Peter 2:9-10 and envision yourself Peter’s words, “…You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praise of him (the Holy Spirit nature of God) who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.”
- What this means is that the one who scrubs the toilets is just as called as the church council member, the greeter at the door is just as called as the pastor in the pulpit, and the person sitting in the pew is just as called as the bishop over the conference.
- As called Christians, the Holy Spirit has cleared the way, so that once we’ve accepted the forgiveness and sin and sought out the Spirit’s leadership in our life, we have received the mercy needed to serve and glorify God.
- The Spirit does the calling.
2. But the Spirit does more than call. It also gathers us into community.
- Paul ended with second letter to the troubled church at Corinth by telling them “May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.”
- Why the communion of the Spirit?
In the Holy Spirit, we find the power to do the right thing.
In the Holy Spirit, we find forgiveness and reconciliation.
In the Holy Spirit, we love and encouragement.
- At the troubled church of Corinth they needed to hear that the solution to many of their
problems rested in their inability to rely on the community-building power of the Holy Spirit.
- Hebrews 10:22ff says “let us draw near with a true heart sprinkled from the evil conscience
and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. (Listen here) And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as in the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.”
- Ezekiel called the people of Israel to have a personal as well as communial aspect to their
relationship with God. Today, we seem to have the opposite problem. People say they believe in God, but neglect the community aspect of the faith which is simply the mutual support and consolation one receives as a part of the Christian community.
- Its in community, we share the elements. In its community, we feel our sorrows and
celebrate our joys together. Its in community that we are lifted up when we’re beaten down, and given the opportunity to be forgiven when we’ve gone astray.
- Jesus told the disciples, “I will not leave you orphans, I will come to you ” (John 14:18)
“Because I live, you shall live also.” Living not only in the eternal sense, but also living in the physical sense with those who love God and keep his word. (v.23)
- The Holy Spirit gathers us into community.
3. And not only that, but we are also enlightened with gifts to make this community thing happen.
Ephesians 4:3-13 shows us the unity and diversity we have in Christ. Each person has an
important role to play determined by the gift of the Spirit given to them.
“Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit---just as you were called to one hope when you were called. (hear the world called) - - one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. This is what is says, “When he ascended on high, he led captives in his train and gave gifts to men.”
“It was he (the Spirit of Christ) who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service…” (why?) so that the body of Christ may be built up until we reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
We’re called, we gather, we’re enlightened with gifts so that the body of Christ, the community of all Christians, may be built up until that day when we see Christ face-to-face.
4. And that’s where our last point enters this morning…the Holy Spirit also sanctifies and keeps us
true in the faith.
Romans 12:1-2 says, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act (say spiritual) act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.
- Lavin states in the book that “in this life we are simultaneously sinners and saints, but we are
called to submit ourselves to God who through the Holy Spirit brings the transforming power to our lives.”
Conclusion
Jackie Robinson many know as the first African-American to play major league baseball. Facing jeering crowds at every stadium, he was held to a higher standard, and often criticized and scrutinized more often than the white players of his time.
One day while playing in his home stadium in Brooklyn, he committed an error at second base and the crowd began to ridicule him. He stood at that base, humiliated, while the fans jeered. Then , shortstop Pee Wee Reese came over and stood next to him. He put his arm around Jackie and stood with him facing the crowd. Robinson was no longer alone and the fans grew quiet.
Robinson later said that Pee Wee’s act of solidarity, that arm around his shoulder saved his career and gave him the strength to go on. (Daily Bread)
We, as Christians, are often held to a higher standard. We’re called hypocrites by some, weak by others. But as the world continues to ridicule and humiliate when we miss the mark, our God has given us a part of Himself to be the Advocate, the Helper, the Comforter, when we need him the most.
When we needed him, we were called to follow.
When we needed each other, we were gathered into community.
When we didn’t have the abilities, we were enlightened with the gifts.
And when we commit the errors on second base, we are sanctified by the Spirit’s presence.
Even in our doubts, let us stand with the church, maybe doing the Pentecostal Holler or not, and boldy proclaim, I believe in the Holy Sprit.
Will you join me in prayer?
Come, Holy Sprit…
Fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love.
Call us to follow, and we will hear your call.
Gather us into community, and we will experience your grace.
Enlighten us with your gifts, and we will serve one another.
Sanctify us in your will, and the face of this earth will be renewed.
O God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit, did instruct the hearts of the faithful, grant that by the same Holy Spirit we may be truly wise and every enjoy your consolations.
Through Jesus Christ our Lord…Amen
#539 – O Spirit of the Living God
Closing Blessing – As we leave this place to continue our journey our Christ outside these doors,
May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, be with us all. Amen.
NOTE: If you did not find this sermon helpful, please contact me (gb@clergy.net) and tell me why. I appreciate everyone’s advice. Thanks.
