WHO IS THE HOLY SPIRIT?

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1 WHO IS THE HOLY SPIRIT? (#1 in the Series: The Helper ) John 14:15-21 THE HELPER On this Pentecost Sunday I am beginning a new six-part series of sermons on the Holy Spirit entitled: The Helper. These messages will take a serious look at the Holy Spirit: who the Spirit is, what the Spirit does, and we will take note of the gifts and blessings the Spirit bestows upon believers. In this series I will be addressing the following topics: Who is the Holy Spirit? What Does the Holy Spirit Do? What Are the Gifts of the Holy Spirit? What is the Fruit of the Holy Spirit? What Does it Mean to Be Filled With the Holy Spirit? What is the Sin Against the Holy Spirit the one Jesus said was unpardonable? Today let s give some thought to the question: Who is the Holy Spirit? THE SHY MEMBER OF THE TRINITY Dr. Dale Bruner, retired Presbyterian professor and theologian, wrote a book with the title: The Holy Spirit: Shy Member of the Trinity in which he makes the case that the Holy Spirit can be called shy not in the sense of timidity but rather in the sense of deference. The Holy Spirit is constantly pointing away from himself and toward Jesus Christ. Jesus repeatedly told his disciples that when the Holy Spirit comes he will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears.he will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. 1 Again and again you will find the Holy Spirit directing all attention toward Jesus. In fact, this is one of the ways we know it is the Holy Spirit at work when everything is pointing to Christ. We will talk more about this in the weeks to come. THE MYSTERY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT There is something quite mysterious, mystical and fascinating about the Holy Spirit, don t you agree? Even the title or name Holy Spirit is a bit mysterious. And the mystical nature of the Holy Spirit definitely stands out when we use the older Elizabethan title of Holy Ghost. 1 John 16:13b-14. WHO IS THE HOLY SPIRIT? (#1 in the Series: The Helper ) Page 1

2 Who or what is the Holy Spirit? Are we to understand the Holy Spirit as a person, in the same way that Jesus was a person and that you and I are persons? Or should we think more in terms of a power or force from God that is at work in our lives and in the world? Well, the Holy Spirit plays such a vital and critical role in the New Testament that it really is necessary we get it straight about who or what the Holy Spirit is. Likewise it is important that we know about the work or ministry the Spirit came into our world to perform. So what about it? Is the Holy Spirit a person, really and truly, or an impersonal force or power from God? We are not left to speculate or guess about the answer to this important question. Let s turn our attention to Scripture to see what it says about this very matter. PERSONAL PRONOUNS USED The Holy Spirit exhibits all the characteristics of a person. The Holy Spirit is referred to by the use of person pronouns throughout Scripture. Listen again to the passage from John 14 that was read just a few moments ago. At least five times in verse 17 alone Jesus refers to the Holy Spirit as him or he. And this same way of speaking about the Spirit continues throughout the New Testament. It is very interesting to note that nowhere in Scripture is the Holy Spirit ever referred to as an it or a thing or a force. The Spirit is always presented a real person. This is very important because you and I today must never allow ourselves to refer to the Holy Spirit as an it. The Spirit is a person in the same way that Jesus was a person and you are a person. HUMAN CHARACTERISTICS The New Testament goes further to reveal that the Holy Spirit exhibits all the characteristics of a person. And what are the marks or characteristics of personality? There are three things that make up personality: intellect, emotion and will. And Scripture reveals the Holy Spirit has all three. In the interest of time I will give you one example of each characteristic: In 1 Corinthians 2:11 we are told that the Spirit KNOWS the mind or thoughts of God and can reveal those thoughts to us (and in fact has revealed some of those thoughts as the inspirer of Scripture). In 1 Corinthians 12:11 The Spirit distributes gifts to each believer sovereignly as He WILLS (or determines). WHO IS THE HOLY SPIRIT? (#1 in the Series: The Helper ) Page 2

3 In Ephesians 4:30 Paul warns us not to grieve the Holy Spirit; and emotion that only persons can experience and feel. To grieve is to cause sorrow and therefore shows us that the Holy Spirit can experience sorrow or emotion. I strongly encourage you to take your Bibles and sit down with a note pad and pencil and read the Gospels and Acts taking note of the Holy Spirit and marking down all the references to the characteristics of personality that is attributed to the Holy Spirit. There will be no doubt in your mind that Scripture reveals the Holy Spirit to be a person. ACTIONS PERFORMED BY THE SPIRIT Please notice a third thing about the Holy Spirit: The Holy Spirit performs actions that could only be performed by a person. There are several actions a person performs that the Holy Spirit also does but I will limit myself to four major ones: The Holy Spirit Speaks: The book of Acts is filled with references of the Spirit of God speaking to individuals or to the church. Acts 13:2 tells about the time the Spirit spoke and called Paul and Barnabas to become missionaries: While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them. The Spirit also spoke to a man named Philip 2 and sent him into the desert where he shared Christ with the Ethiopian official and the man received Christ and was baptized by Philip. The Spirit speaks. The Holy Spirit Prays: In Romans 8:26 we are given the wonderful promise that we may not always know how or exactly what to pray, so in those times we can be assured the Holy Spirit will pray for and through our very groaning. Here is a picture of the Holy Spirit praying with, in and for us. What a wonderful thought! The Holy Spirit Teaches: In John 14:26 just a few verses later in our reading for today Jesus promises that when the Spirit comes he would teach them all things and would remind them of everything Jesus had said to them (and our New Testament is evidence the Spirit did exactly that and still does that for you and me today). The Holy Spirit is the one who illuminates the Bible as we read it and opens our minds to understand its truths. He is our teacher today. The Holy Spirit Guides or Leads: In John 16:12-14, Jesus said when the Spirit comes he would guide them (and us) into the truth and that the Spirit would teach them what Christ has given them. Read especially Acts and you will find dozens of examples of the Holy Spirit leading and guiding the members of the early church. And we can be sure he will lead and guide his children today. 2 See Acts 8:26f WHO IS THE HOLY SPIRIT? (#1 in the Series: The Helper ) Page 3

4 THE OFFICES HELD BY THE SPIRIT The Holy Spirit occupies offices [or positions] that can only be filled by a person. There are several I could mention but two special ones stand out for our consideration today. In John 14:16-17 Jesus calls the Holy Spirit ANOTHER COMFORTER. Don t overlook or miss that modifier, another. Jesus had been the companion and comforter to these disciples for about 3 years. But now that he was leaving them Jesus promises that one, just like him another comforter would come to walk beside them and to guide and comfort them. Get this: everything Jesus had been to them the Holy Spirit would be to them. A person cannot be replaced with a mere force or impersonal power. Just as Jesus was a real person to them, so will the Holy Spirit be to them. The Spirit is also our ADVOCATE 1 John 2:1. And advocate is one called along beside to plead or argue the case or to give support to another. It is a helper; someone to support; a defense attorney! Powers or a force cannot perform this action it takes a person. HOW THE HOLY SPIRIT IS TREATED The Holy Spirit can be treated in ways that only a person can. Scripture reveals that the Holy Spirit can be: LIED TO Acts 5:3. In the case of Ananias and Sapphira, Peter charges them with lying to the Holy Spirit. You can t lie to an impersonal force or power. INSULTED Hebrews 10:29 speaks of those worthy of God s judgment upon them on the last day and insulting the Holy Spirit is on the list. You cannot insult an impersonal power. GRIEVED Ephesians 4:30 tells us not to grieve the word means to cause to have intense sorrow the Holy Spirit. Only a person can experience intense sorrow. BLASPHEMED Matthew 12:31-32 says the Holy Spirit can be blasphemed against and that all sin can be forgiven except this one! What does it mean to blaspheme the Holy Spirit? We will deal with this exclusively in the last sermon in this series on the first Sunday in July, so make plans to come (or if away listen to the sermon on line). CONCLUSION Well, that s a very quick study of the New Testament concerning the Holy Spirit. Who is the Holy Spirit? He is the blessed member of the Trinity; fully God and therefore the object of our praise, worship and adoration. Some of our greatest hymns are about the Holy Spirit. And it is WHO IS THE HOLY SPIRIT? (#1 in the Series: The Helper ) Page 4

5 right and proper to address our prayers to Him. There will be times when we will pray to God our Heavenly Father; at other times we may choose to address our prayer to Jesus Christ our Savior; and on other occasions we will call upon the Blessed Holy Spirit. It is the Spirit who fills your life and works in your life forming Christ-likeness in your character. He is the tender, loving and wonderful person and presence of God in our world today. Blessed be He! WHO IS THE HOLY SPIRIT? (#1 in the Series: The Helper ) Page 5