As we approach Pentecost, it is a good time to make some comments about the Holy Spirit.
Billy Graham, in his book The Holy Spirit, said that a friend of his remarked that he needed Jesus Christ for his eternal life and the Holy Spirit for his internal life.
You may have heard this but some years ago a 5th grade teacher asked the class if they could explain electricity. One boy raised his hand and the teacher asked ” how would you explain it jimmy” Jimmy scratched his head for a moment and then replied, ” I knew last night but this morning I forgot” The teacher looked at the class, shook his head and said “the only person in the world to explain electricity and he forgot!”
This may characterize some of us when it comes to describing the Trinity Oh, we have no difficulty describing God as the creator of the universe and all that we see. We can describe His Son, Jesus Christ who came into the world to preach, teach and heal and then died on the cross for our sins. But we stumble when it comes to describing the Holy Spirit. the third person of the Trinity. Well, lets try to clear up some of the confusion about the Spirit.
First – He is eternal. There was never a time when he was not.
He is all powerful-Luke 1:25 says “and the angels answered and said to her, the Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the most High will come upon you”
He is everywhere present-there is no place where the Spirit is not.
He is all knowing-From 1 Corinthians: For the spirit searches all things even the depths of God . For who among man knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of a man.
The Holy Spirit is called God- Acts 1:6-8 says “so when they met together, they asked him ” Lord are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them “It is not for you to know the times and the dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth”
He is the creator- Genesis 1:1 says “in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” Paul writing to the church at Colosse says about the Lord Jesus Christ, “for in Him all things were created both in the heavens and the earth”
So God created all things. God sent His Son Jesus Christ to become human on this earth. Christ healed, taught and then went to the Cross for our sins. He was then resurrected and told his disciples “I go away , for if I do not go away the counselor will not come to you but If I go I will send him to you.
(Jn 16: 5-7)
The spirit is called the helper the comforter. Why, because he is our GPS, our guidance system, our tour guide through this sometimes dark and evil world.
Acts 2: 1-4 tells us that when Pentecost came, they were all together in the Upper Room when a sound like the blowing wind came from heaven and filled the whole house. 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 languages as the Spirit enabled them.
Now my theology will show through. If you continue to read in Acts, this time was also called the Feast of Weeks. People from all over the know world came to celebrate. As these disciples who had just been anointed went into the crowed they proclaimed the Good News of Jesus Christ in the language of the people they were talking to.
Gods’ miraculous hand made it possible fort those from distant lands and different languages to hear the message of Christ.
So we need to understand the God that created all things, Jesus Christ who died on the cross for our sins, and was resurrected to conquer death for us all and said I will send the Spirit to be with you forever. are the three persons of the Trinity.
The Holy Spirit lives in us and helps us to live as God would have us, to share the Good News, to help those in need and to shine our light as living examples. Amen
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