I’ve been attending church since I was knee high to a grass hopper. Well actually before then. I often get frustrated when the Bible is not opened during the worship service. If all I get is a feel-good non-Bible message I can stay home and watch Oprah. It happened again. This time we opened our Bibles 3 times. 2 Samuel and 2 different Psalms. Some good things were taught: the importance of Respecting others, God being judge, and some discussion on prayer. All those are good things and perhaps this was a random Sunday and this would never happen again. Perhaps they speak of Jesus and his saving power every Sunday and this was just a fluke. More than that perhaps they teach the life giving power of the Holy Spirit consistently. Perhaps I showed up on an “off” Sunday.
It’s not just a problem in this church. It’s a cross-denomination problem, it’s a protestant problem, it’s a Catholic problem. It’s a serious problem: this omission of the Holy Spirit from Church teaching. More than that I hardly remember talking about the Holy Spirit in Seminary. When someone asked how do we help people fix their deteriorating marriage, or how do we help train up the next generation of youth, or how do we preach a sermon so that people’s lives will be changed? As Christians, how do we do anything that seems impossible?
How do we love others when it’s easier to be selfish?
How do you respect your nation’s leaders when they don’t seem to deserve it?
How are you extending grace to your wayward child?
How do you honor God at a dead end job?
If any of my answers start with “well, I….” then I’m off base. The truth is that I can do nothing apart from the saving grace of God. I can do things that point to me. I can do things unlovingly or without respect. I can do things that dishonor God just fine without the Spirit’s power, but that’s not what we’re about. New Testament Christians are to love and serve like Jesus, sacrificially, unselfishly, continually with thanksgiving. I can not do that, at least consistently, without the power of the Holy Spirit in my life.
It’s an unpopular message so it is seldom taught. We have to die to ourselves daily and follow Jesus. The picture of baptism is so beautiful. We are buried with Christ. We die to our selfish ways and we are raised to live a new life by the power of the Spirit. The fullness of God is in Christ and I have been filled in Him (Col 2:9-10) that’s how we are to go do good works and honor our Father in Heaven (Matthew 5:16). We can not honor God by serving, loving, teaching, parenting, working….in our own strength. There is nothing good in me. My heart is wicked and easily deceived (Jeremiah 17:9). The only goodness is from the only good one. I am filled with the goodness of God because I have the Holy Spirit residing in me. Quenching the spirit is a whole other topic as well as fillings. I believe my proverbial cup runs dry and I need daily fillings of the Spirit.
Think about it: when’s the last time you heard preaching on the Holy Spirit? Are you just getting a bunch of self-help garbage? If I could help myself would I need a savior? Are you accessing the Spirit in your life or are you quenching the Spirit? What can you do to live fully alive, with the power of the Holy Spirit evidenced in your life?
Fighting For... 