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In the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit is called by many names: Spirit of counsel and power, Spirit of fire, Spirit of grace and supplication, Spirit of judgment, Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord, Spirit of the sovereign Lord, Spirit of wisdom and understanding. He is called the Voice of the Almighty and the Voice of the Lord. He is called the Breath of the Almighty.
In the New Testament, the Holy Spirit is also known by many names: Spirit of faith, Spirit of glory, Spirit of holiness, Spirit of life, Spirit of God, Spirit of adoption (or sonship), Spirit of the living God, Spirit of the Lord, Spirit of wisdom and revelation, Spirit of truth, Spirit of Christ. He is called God's seal of ownership on believers. He is called the Gift. He is called the Counselor.
Following the risen Christ's ascension into heaven, the Holy Spirit was sent in power on Pentecost to take up residence within believers and within the body of believers, the Church.
Before the Son of God came to dwell on earth, the Spirit of God was active transmitting the power of God and carrying forth the Word of God. Even then he would come upon followers of God in power to equip them to serve God in the world.
Theologians have been known to call the Holy Spirit the third person of the Trinity. All that means is that when we are talking about the Holy Spirit, we are talking about God.
The Holy Spirit is not an impersonal force, like electricity, that transmits the power of God without will or heart. The Holy Spirit is God, and when he transmits the power of God it is as God's agent on earth, even as Jesus Christ during his earthly ministry was God's agent on earth. He is one in love and in purpose with the Father and the Son.
The Holy Spirit is not God's messenger boy, who carries forth the Word of God with no motivation or direction of his own. The Holy Spirit is God, and when he carries forth the Word of God it is as one who has participated in the life and work of God since the very beginning-since before the very beginning. He is one in love and in purpose with the Father and the Son.
When we are talking about the Holy Spirit, we are talking about God.
It is impossible in one sermon to talk about all the characteristics and activities of God the Father. It is impossible in one sermon to talk about all the characteristics and activities of God the Son. It is impossible in one sermon to talk about all the characteristics and activities of God the Holy Spirit.
Today, I will focus on one activity of God the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit brings about new birth and gives life.
Pentecost is often called the birthday of the Church. On that day, a ragtag group of followers of Jesus Christ became the Church of Jesus Christ.
After Jesus died on the cross, on what later came to be known as Good Friday, the followers of Jesus scattered. Their Master was gone. Their purpose for being together had fizzled. Their motivation to continue was utterly depleted.
Then news came that the tomb was empty, that Jesus was alive. The tomb was empty. The followers of Jesus weren't sure at first what to make of this news, but those who heard were at least moved to wait and see.
And see they did. Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene near the tomb and spoke with her. He joined two followers as they traveled from Jerusalem to Emmaus, talking with them for some time before they finally recognized him in the breaking of the bread. He came to the disciples-the eleven-and spoke with them and ate with them. He visited with Peter on the beach, extending mercy to Peter following his verbal denial of Jesus and commissioning Peter again to shepherd Jesus' flock. For several days, here and there, the risen Christ appeared to those who had followed him, showing himself to them one by one and in large groups.
The truth became clear. Jesus was alive! Their Master was not gone. Their purpose for being together was rekindled. Their motivation to continue was filled to overflowing.
The Gospel of Luke closes with a brief account of the ascension of Christ-that is, when the risen Christ went to join his Father in heaven. After his ascension, Jesus no longer met with his followers in bodily form, to talk with them face-to-face, to be seen and touched by them, to eat with them. After his ascension, Jesus will come in bodily form again only at his second coming when all the plans of God to redeem creation will be brought to fulfillment.
Luke includes this instruction from the risen Christ to his followers: "This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high."
Following Jesus' instructions, they gathered in Jerusalem. The Book of Acts, which was also written by Luke, begins with a detailed account of the ascension of Christ, and a reemphasis of his final instructions: "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit."
So the followers of Jesus returned to Jerusalem. About 120 of them gathered in the place that they were staying-probably the same place that Jesus had celebrated Passover with his disciples just before his arrest. The eleven were there. The two candidates to take Judas's place among the twelve were there. Many of the women who had supported Jesus' ministry were there. Jesus' mother Mary was there, along with Jesus' brothers. And many others, who we do not know by name, were there.
They joined together. They prayed. They waited.
Even now they could well be described as a ragtag group of Jesus' followers. Still they were not the Church.
They believed that Jesus was the Son of God. But that didn't make them Church.
They were committed to Jesus. But that didn't make them Church.
They desired to serve Jesus and live according to his teachings. But that didn't make them Church.
They became Church on the day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit came. When the Holy Spirit came, this ragtag group of followers of Jesus Christ was transformed into the Church of Jesus Christ.
The Church did not come into being according to the will of human beings. The Church was not born of the heart of human beings.
The birth of the Church was brought about by the Holy Spirit, coming in power upon people whose wills and hearts were oriented toward Christ. The Church was, and is, given life by the Holy Spirit. By the power of the Spirit, the wills and hearts of Christ's followers were turned loose to be his witnesses. By the power of the Spirit, the wills and hearts of Christ's followers today are turned loose to be his witnesses.
The Church is not a voluntary gathering of like-minded individuals who share a common goal.
The Church is a community of people, each individually bonded to Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit, called and bonded into relationship with one another by the power of the Holy Spirit.
The Church is not like the Rotary Club, or the Kiwanis, or the American Association of University Women. There are lots of worthy organizations that have been brought into being according to the will and heart of human beings. The Church is different.
The Church is a community of people, each individually bonded to Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit, given purpose and equipped for that purpose by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Still today, there is no church where human beings solely by their own will and motivated by their own hearts gather to affirm the teachings of the man called Jesus. There is no church where human beings solely by their own will and motivated by their own hearts gather to commit themselves to follow the teachings of the man Jesus.
Still today, Church is where the human beings whose wills and hearts are committed to the risen Christ are brought together and given life by the Holy Spirit, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit they might be equipped according to Jesus' teachings to follow Jesus.
The Holy Spirit brings about new birth. The Holy Spirit gives life.
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