PENTECOST SUNDAY-C

I Reading: Acts 2:1-11: They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak.

II Reading: Romans 8:8-17: Everyone moved by the Spirit is a son of God.

Gospel: John 14:15-16.23-26: The Holy Spirit will teach you everything.

The Holy Spirit: Who He is, 14:15-26

There are three great Scriptures that deal with the doctrine of the Holy Spirit at length.

1. The Identity of the Holy Spirit or who He is (Jn 14:15-26)

2. The work of the Holy Spirit (Jn 16:7-15)

3. The Power of the Holy Spirit (Rom 8:1-17)

The birth of the Church.

Who is the Holy Spirit? He is known as the Advocate, Counsellor, Comforter, Helper, the Spirit of Truth, the Personal Presence of Christ, the manifestation of Christ within the believers, the abiding presence of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit the Teacher.

1.    On his resurrection day: Jesus presented his apostles with the gift of the Holy Spirit.

a)   The first fruit the Spirit brings to a person is FORGIVENESS: Jesus said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. For those whose sins you forgive, they are forgiven. For those whose sins you retain, they are retained (Jn 20:23)

b)   The Spirit brings PEACE & JOY to the heart of a person (Gal 5:22)

2.    The Holy Spirit brought to the Apostles the LIGHT & the STRENGTH they needed to preach the Gospel.

3.    The Spirit is at WORK at all times both in individuals and in the church (Mt 28:20-I am with you always till the end of time). (Jn 3:8-Jesus said to Nicodemus-the wind blows..from where it comes and goes..nobody knows. SPIRIT=Ruah in Hebrew=Breath. In OT-God breathed into the nostrils of Adam and got life. In NT-Jesus breathed on the disciples and got new life, peace and joy.

4.    The Holy Spirit displays absolutely FREEDOM and POWER: According to Luke Gospel, the Spirit came like a WIND. The Spirit descended upon the disciples and Mary like FIRE in the form of a tongue. Fire destroys sin, transforms and purifies god or mind and gives warmth and love and light. The same way the Spirit does. Eg. Jn 3:8

5.    The Spirit brings UNITY to the Christian family. The Spirit gives the gifts of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Gal 5:22).

All men and women must be filled with the gifts of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit renews the lives of the people and the face of the earth.

 

The greatest help the believers are to receive is the very presence of God Himself in the person of the Holy Spirit. It is this that Jesus now reveals. He reveals the Holy Spirit, His identity, and who He is (Jn 16:7-15 where Jesus reveals the work of the Holy Spirit and the power of the Holy Spirit in Rom 8:1-17).

1. Fact: If a person loves Jesus, he will keep His commandments (v.15)

2. He is the Counselor, the Comforter, the other Helper (v.16)

3. He is the Spirit of truth (v.17)

a. The world cannot accept Him

b. The believer does receive Him and know Him

4. He is the personal presence of Christ (v.18-20)

a. A spiritual presence not a physical one

b. A living and eternal presence

c. A living union between God, Christ and the believer

5. He is the very special manifestation of Christ within the believer (v.21-22)

a. The special presence is conditional: Must obey and love Christ

b. The special presence is questioned

6. He is the abiding presence of the Trinity (v.23-24)

a. Is conditional: Must love and obey Jesus

b. Is the love and presence of God and Christ

c. Is not given to those who do not love and obey Christ

d. Is assured by God Himself

7. He is the Holy Spirit, the Teacher (v.25-26)

a. The facts

  1) He is promised

  2) He is given by the Father in the name of Jesus

b. His purpose

  1) To teach the believer all things: both the words and life of Christ, both the truth and the life, both the  Word and how to live the Word, both the theory and practice, both the principles and conduct, both the morality and behavior.

  2) To help the believer to remember all that has been taught in the Word of God, to help especially in the moments of trail when the truth is needed (1Cor 10:13, 2:13; Lk 12:12; Jn 14:26, 16:13; 1Jn 2:27).

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