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The Work of the Spirit

Goal:

To understand what the Holy Spirit is like, what He does and why it is important.

Scripture Basis:

John 14-17, 1 Cor 12-14

References:

Packers "Knowing God", chapter 6

Inclusion Activity:

Christians often speak of God as a "trinity". Do you know what the word means. The word, though not found directly in scripture, comes from the Latin language. In Latin the word is Trinitas ... and it means "three-ness"

It is sometimes assumed that because the concept of the Trinity is mysterious and difficult if not impossible to understand, it is something that can generally be ignored. Some say, "I believe in God but not in Jesus". Others will tell us not to worry about God the Father, or the Holy Spirit, just focus on Jesus. And others will tell us focus ourselves on the Holy Spirit and His power. Is it necessary to deal with all three persons of the Trinity today?

John thought so. In his Gospel he throws us right into the whole concept of the Trinity in the first few verses. In previous chapters we studied God the Father, the first person of the Trinity and Jesus, the second person of God incarnate in a Man. In this chapter we will take another step into John and look at the importance of the third person of God, the Holy Spirit. But first take a minute and answer the following three questions.

1. What does the Holy Spirit do?
2. What is the Holy Spirit like?
3. What is important about the Holy Spirit today?

Students Teach Students:

Now lets look up some of the most common references describing the Holy Spirit.

Expand on each of these ..

John 14:15-17	Counselor/Comforter / Spirit of Truth / World cannot accept it does not see him.
John 14:25-26	Counselor/Comforter / Father sends / teaches & reminds
John 15:26-27	Counselor/Comforter / Christ sends from the Father / testifies about Christ
John 16:7-15	Counselor/Comforter / convicts / guides / speaks not of his own / brings glory to Christ.
Gal 5:22	Enables love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, Goodness and faithfulness

The Holy Spirit also .....

.. gives birth to spirit	John 3:6
... speaks words of God	John 3:34
... teaches all things	John 14:26
... reminds us of Christ's teaching	John 14:26
… tells of what's to come	John 14:26
… guides in truth	John 16:13
... speaks not of his own	John 16:7-15
... brings glory to Christ	John 16:7-15
... teaches & reminds	John 14:25-26
... testifies about Christ	John 15:26-27 also Heb 10:15 1 John 5:6
... makes witnesses	Acts 1:8
... speaks the word of God	Acts 4:31
... gives wisdom	Acts 6:10
... strengthens & encourages	Acts 9:31
... gives son ship	Rom 8:15
... testifies we are Gods children	Rom 8:16
... searches all things	1 Cor 2:10
... know thoughts of God	1 Cor 2:11
... helps us understand what God has given	1 Cor 2:12
... expresses spiritual truths	1 Cor 2:13
... given for the common good	1 Cor 12:7
... gives message of wisdom and knowledge	1 Cor 12:8
... praises God	1 Cor 14:15-16
... seals us	2 Cor 1:22 Eph 4:30
... guarantees what is to come	2 Cor 1:22 & 5:5
... enables belief & testifying	2 Cor 4:13
... leads	Gal 5:8
... sanctifies	2 Thes 2:13
... gives power love & discipline	2 Tim 1:7
... enlightens	Heb 6:4
... gives right to eat from the tree of life	Rev 2:7
... saves us from the 2nd death	Rev 2:11
... gives hidden manna, white stone and a new name	Rev 2:17

Key Message: It is clear from these passages that the Holy Spirit's work is very broad. He works in many areas yet all of them have something in common. They are focused on bringing people to Christ and supporting them once they have come. Packer suggests -

1. Were it not for the Holy Spirit, there would be no followers of Christ save those who met Him personally. John 16:7-15
2. Were it not for the Holy Spirit, there would be no scripture, no gospel. 2 Tim 3:16
3. Were it not for the Holy Spirit, none would believe. There would be no faith. John 6:65

Whereas conservative Christians tend to focus on the "work" of the Spirit, the charismatic movement tends to focus on the "gifts" of the Spirit. These are those abilities the Lord gives us through the Holy Spirit. Lets look at these in Scripture.

• enables speaking tongues ……….… Acts 2:4
• prophesies ……………………….….Acts 2:17, Num 11:25
• warns of things to come……….…….Acts 20:23
• gives endurance & encourages ……..Rom 15:5
• gives joy, peace & hope……………. Rom 15:13
• gives faith and the gift of healing ….1 Cor 12:9
  

Now both the "work" of the Spirit and the "gifts" of the Spirit are scriptural concepts. Is their a balance in the way we should look at them.? Yes there is. You see, Paul had some difficulty with his friends at the church of Corinth. They were getting caught up in measuring their "faith" by the gifts they could exercise. Paul used this occasion to write 1 Cor 12-14 to clarify the balance. Lets go there.

-> Ask Students to turn to 1 Cor 12:1 and have them read in a rotation Chapters 12, 13 and 14.

Here we learn a number of things ;

Chapter 12 teaches us that the "body" of Christ exists as the sum of its parts. Not all aspects of the body (or the kingdom) apply to everybody. God works through people on earth as his agents and gives each a different ability and a different call to service. We are not to get caught up in measuring each others spirituality by comparing our gifts.

Chapter 13 teaches us that the gift of the Spirits are not valuable outside of love for the Lord and each other. If the goal of the "gifts" is to enable the "work" (i.e. bringing people to Christ and building each other up) then they must be guided by love and be used to bring about the "work" of the spirit.

And finally Chapter 14 gives us specific teaching on the gift of tongues and how and where this gift is appropriately used. It also describes the value of honoring God with our mind as well as our spirit.

Key Message: The "gifts" of the Spirit are to enable the "work" of the Spirit. They are not for measuring ones spirituality or defining whether one is a Christian or is not. Indeed, we personally have nothing to do with deciding which gifts we are given.

All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines. 1 Cor 12:11 (NIV)

Summary:

Once we realize how significant a role the Holy Spirit plays in the life of the Church, we may have a tendency to just let go and let the Holy Spirit do it all.

Packer writes:

Jesus said:

If this is so .. should we then conclude that witnessing is not necessary? The answer is No. Christ commanded us to go and preach the gospel. It is the Spirit that enables faith, but for some reason God has chosen people to take His message of salvation to the world and given them gifts withg which to do it. We should be obedient and go out an share, but we must also realize that there is a difference between obedience and ownership.

Jesus said:

Yet Paul writes ;