Come, Holy Spirit

We live in a good world but also a world fractured by evil, both externally in the world and internally within oneself. Teachers of the Way of Jesus have long been warning of three enemies; the World, the Flesh, and the Devil. If we are to be disciples of Jesus committed to the healing of our world, then we must know the dangers; and that victory is possible in the power fo the Spirt.

Healing is often a profound and deeply perplexing topic. Unlike other gifts of the Spirit, healing is intertwined with the most tender and sensitive parts of our life; pain and suffering. But when we experience the healing of God, we are given a trail marker, a signpost: a compassionate beacon pointing us toward God's Kingdom and the world to come.

Communication is messy. Within the communication act there is a sender, a message, and a receiver; and at any point in that process confusion, hurt, or misunderstanding can occur. Yet, spoken communication remains the primary conduit for connection, beauty, story, instruction, and love. In the biblical narrative, God’s love is communicated through the practice of prophecy; hearing and speaking God’s voice on behalf of an individual or group.

In the Post-enlightenment, Western society we tend to be compartmental in our thinking. We easily imagine human beings as segmented; mind, body, emotions, and soul. But the story of Christianity is that humans are deeply interconnected, and the practices of tongues, or unlearned languages, can help us become that integrated whole.

As late-modern Jesus-followers we can often limit ‘knowledge’ to data, information, or facts; content that can fit well in a book or spreadsheet. However, the great danger to that perspective is believing that we can think our way to God. The story of the Bible testifies to a God that is known through experience and encounter. And Jesus’ invitation in John 20 is to know God through the reception of His Spirit.

The Story of Secularism is that humanity will eventually build a utopia, with our hands and in our image. The Story of Christianity is that our God is making all things new and dwelling with us.

The Gospel of Jesus is an invitation to follow and join in the healing of the world. Those who accept His invitation are called disciples, and by learning to walk in the Spirit those disciples develop the character of Christ; what the Apostle Paul calls “the Fruit of the Spirit.”

In a world of supernatural skepticism, it can be easy to dismiss the events of the bible as improbable. However, the book of Acts, which details the activity of Jesus’ first followers, invites us to doubt our skepticism. Jesus’ ministry through the power of the Holy Spirit continued in the life of his disciples and promises to continue through us. Are we open to that?

Many of us may carry a bias or misunderstanding when it comes to the work of the Spirit. We can be excited, cautious, or curious, but regardless of our comfort level, the ministry of Jesus is energized the Holy Spirit. Through Jesus ministry, we are invited into a holy collaboration with the Holy Spirit for the sake of the world.

It is easy to believe that “Things would be so much easier if I had been there when Jesus walked the Earth”. While that is an understandable sentiment, it misses what Jesus taught about the Holy Spirit.; through the presence and power of the Holy Spirit, all who call upon the name of Jesus can develop a deep friendship with God.

In this world, we are bombarded with voices that tell us we are unworthy or undeserving. These voices are energized by shame, fear, and insecurity; making us feel like impostures everywhere we go. Against these voices is the voice of the Spirit, declaring that in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, we have become children of God.

In the introduction of his biography of Jesus, the author Matthew,  summarizes the Hebrew scriptures and suggests that the Jewish messiah has come. God is answering the Israelites' desperation, their primal cry for a Savior. A man empowered by the Holy Spirit who would not just save them from physical captivity but would save them from their sins, from this never ending cycle of human failure. This is Jesus’ goal as outlined by Matthew. He will be the giver of God’s definitive salvation.

In a world that is confusing, disorienting, and complicated we need luminaries to show us the way. We need those who have explored the reservoirs of human knowledge and found a way to the good life. In the days of Moses, these luminaries were called “Prophets”.

In the History of Israel, we see God’s liquid Spirit, His anointing rest on the person of David. And David foreshadows the true anointed one, Jesus the Christ. The anointed one is a person who brings God’s Spirit to earth through both suffering and victory. Jesus is that true anointed one, the very embodiment of God’s liquid spirit, God’s presence brought to earth, the bridge, the ultimate priest, the true king.

There is a pseudo-religion that has quietly grown in popularity called “workism”; the belief that our job is not just for economic production or personal provision, but that a job can be the center of our identity. Set against this culture stands the biblical vision of work not as an identity, but as a collaboration with the Spirit of God. And two artisans, Bezalel and Oholiab, show us that we have been invited by God to collaborate with his Spirit to produce good for God’s glory.

Many of us have come to believe that God’s presence is only available in a church on a Sunday morning. We start to think God only shows up with the environment, music, and setting are just right. We think God only shows up in the extraordinary. But as Genesis 1 reveals, this is untrue for the Spirit of God is in the very breath we breathe. And if he is that close, then the question isn’t “is he there?” but “Why do I not feel him?”