I believe in God, the Father almighty,
Creator of heaven and earth,
And in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
Suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
He descended into hell; On the third day '
He rose again from the dead;
He ascended into heaven and is seated at the
right hand of God the Father almighty;
From there he will come to judge
the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
The holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
The forgiveness of sins,
The resurrection of the body,
and life everlasting. Amen.
Scripture: Deuteronomy 6:4, Matthew 28:19, Romans 8:11, John 14:16-17, John 14:26, John 15:26-27, 1 Thessalonians 5:19-21
Intro:
- Exploring the Apostles' Creed line: "I believe in the Holy Spirit."
- Personal testimony: Raised Oneness Pentecostal, rejecting the Trinity.
- Transition to understanding the Holy Spirit through the Gospel.
The Gospel's Impact:
- Encounter with the Gospel through exegetical preaching.
- Confrontation with personal sinfulness and need for Jesus' righteousness.
- Acceptance of Jesus' sacrifice and resurrection as payment for sin.
- Transformation and re-evaluation of long-held beliefs.
The Doctrine of the Trinity:
- Deuteronomy 6:4 (Shema): One God (echad - unity, not just singular).
- Matthew 28:19: Baptism in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
- Understanding the Trinity: One God, three distinct persons.
- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are God, but not each other.
- Holding the tension: God is one and three (Jen Wilkin).
Understanding the Holy Spirit:
- What is the Spirit? A person, not a force (Romans 8:11).
- The love between Father and Son, grace-giver, God's presence and power.
- What does the Spirit do?
- Abides (John 14:16-17): Forever presence, not dependent on obedience.
- Teaches (John 14:26): Through the Word and preaching.
- Testifies (John 15:26-27): Points to Christ.
- Bears Truth: Convicts of sin, calls to action.
- How do we experience the Spirit?
- Personal journey: Questioning and re-evaluating experiences.
- Gifts of the Spirit are still active today.
- Invitation to lean into the Spirit, not back away.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:19-21: Don't quench the Spirit, test everything.
- Community and worship are vital for experiencing the Spirit's presence.
- Encounter with the Holy Spirit: Burning hearts, like on the road to Emmaus.
Application:
- Be aware of the enemy's attempts to isolate and destroy.
- Embrace community and worship as vital for experiencing the Spirit.
- Allow the Holy Spirit to renew minds and hearts.
- Open hearts to the Spirit's real, tangible presence.
Invitation:
- Prayer for the Holy Spirit to fill hearts afresh.
- Communion: Remembering Jesus' sacrifice, led by the Holy Spirit.
Conclusion:
- The Holy Spirit guides us to Jesus, revealing His presence and love.
- We are called to embrace the Spirit's work in our lives and community.
*Summaries and transcripts are generated using AI.
Please notify us if you find any errors.