New Series: Person, Purpose and Presence – “What’s the deal with the Holy Spirit?”
Acts 2:1-13
I grew up in a church where we didn’t really talk about the Holy Spirit. It was a loving, caring, generous, community-serving, Jesus-introducing church. The Holy Spirit just didn’t get a lot of air time. Except, I do remember that there was some talk about certain home groups that Holy Spirit “stuff” happened. But that was always a mystery.
Then years down the track I found myself working at a church where Jesus was rarely mentioned, but the Holy Spirit was talked about, called upon and acted in all the time. Guest speakers would come and even more Holy Spirit “stuff” happened. That too was always a mystery.
So I decided to go back to basics. Is the Holy Spirit God? Absolutely! God has three parts: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. And because I know God as a gracious, good father – I knew I had nothing to fear, and God had nothing to hide. And I have discovered that the Holy Spirit isn’t weird, isn’t rude; and isn’t some hard-to-understand mystery.
Perhaps you’re like me and you grew up in a church that treated the Holy Spirit like the crazy uncle you have to endure at Christmas. Or maybe you witnessed some abuse of the Holy Spirit and those gifts. Or maybe you’re new to following Jesus and don’t know much about the Holy Spirit at all.
Over the next three weeks we are going to look at the first three chapters in Acts to better understand the person, purpose and presence of the Holy Spirit. It’s my hope that this will help you know how great it is to remain in Jesus, respond to God’s kingdom invitation and follow the Spirit in a victorious Christian life. In return you will see an increase of the Spirit’s presence and power in your life. He wants to do amazing things in and through your life. All you have to do is let him.
