You can find the video here: https://www.facebook.com/RichlandNaz/videos/867053147114711/
Who or What?
April 16th, 2020
Hey everybody – let’s have some fun. I have Bobbi watching the livestream and if you are watching this morning, say hello and say where you are watching from and tell us your favorite color.
So yesterday we confronted the parts of our lives we all know need to be confronted – right? If you didn’t you need to take some time – TODAY– we are all on lockdown and have the time to get with God in your quiet place, and deal with it. Just know this – there is a WHO – Who can, will, and does join you when you take these things to the Father – the Holy Spirit.
Acts 2:1-8 (NIV) When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 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 tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language?
There are some very interesting things here. If you were raised in the church you’ve heard over and over this story and you’ve probably celebrated Pentecost in some shape or form as the birth of the Church, and that is indeed what this was.
Some have portrayed this particular event, as the first showing of the Holy Spirit, but that is not so.
John 20:21-23 (NIV) Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”
Jesus gave the Disciples the Holy Spirit, long before the day of Pentecost. He breathed on them and breathed into them the Holy Spirit.
Now the Church did not always talk about or look upon the Holy Spirit to be as much a person as Jesus Christ. That took a long time to come around but if we are going to be wholly/completely submitted to God – we have to submit to the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. And even in that last sentence, I speak as if the Holy Spirit has agency to act upon me.
All throughout the Gospels and the Epistles of the NT we see the Holy Spirit guides, leads, sends, teaches, speaks, testifies, acts, and intercedes. All of these words describe doing and being – living – agency.
Mildred Bangs Wynkoop describes Him in her book A Theology of Love (p199).
“The Holy Spirit is a Person and comes as a Person and He relates Himself to persons. When one is saved the Holy Spirit comes to him. This is a personal relationship, not a mathematical addition which can be divided by fractions.”
Here is another great example, of how God lives in community - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. And also in community or communion with His creation – us. We were not meant to do this alone
You want to know why we are all feeling a bit put off by this stay home thing going on right now, it’s because we were not designed to be alone. We are designed to live in communion with God and each other. But that doesn’t mean this season of life isn’t possible. It is totally possible to respect and listen to the science behind our orders and still do the work of God.
So today – All I want is some of this COMMUNITY to be shared. You have a mission to reach out to someone you haven’t heard from or spoken to in the last week or over the last 2 weeks. You can call, Facetime, Facebook Messenger Video call just to mention a few ways but somehow reach out today and just say hello, I’m thinking about YOU! And then let me know how it went.