Make-Up: November 21st – Article Three

Make-Up:

We ask you to read the material below. The material will include "deep thought", our key words (definition), scripture (link - please read) and some general thoughts. We ask you to read all material and then comment in the comments section. Share one key thought or concept that came to you and how it will make a difference.

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Article Three

Today was lesson four of the four part series on the Apostle Creed's. This lesson was focusing in on the 3rd Article of the Creed.


Bible Text:

John 14:15–17; Acts 2:1–13

Lesson Focus:

The Holy Spirit nurtures us and advocates for us.

Big Question:

The Holy Spirit works in my life every day?

Key Words:

HOLY SPIRIT, COUNSELOR, PENTECOST, CHURCH

Key Word Definitions

HOLY SPIRIT: the third person of the Trinity, sometimes called the Paraclete.

COUNSELOR: an advisor or teacher.

PENTECOST: the day that comes fifty days after Easter, the coming of the Holy Spirit, and the birthday of the church.

CHURCH: The community of believers, or the "community of saints."



Gong Deep

Jesus promised the Holy Spirit as his continuing presence with believers. Jesus conferred the Holy Spirit in a resurrection appearance to the disciples and more generally on the day of Pentecost.

According to Acts 2, believers receive the Holy Spirit in baptism. The Spirit gathers and empowers the church with the gospel. The Spirit enlightens believers, reminding them of what Jesus said and continues to teach, testifying on Jesus' behalf, and sanctifying believers by guiding them in the truth, which is Jesus.

This is the same Spirit who conceived Jesus, whom Jesus received in baptism, and by whose power Jesus acts. Jesus understood his vocation as an outpouring of the Spirit in fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy.

The Bible refers to God's Spirit with words for breath or wind: in Hebrew rûah, in Greek pneuma, and in Latin spiritus. In creation "a wind from God swept over the face of the waters," and by the breath of God's speaking, God created all that is. God's breath enlivens human beings, and God's Spirit empowers prophets. Prophets anticipated the outpouring of God's Spirit to transform creation, including all people.

The Creed presents the persons of the Trinity separately. The three persons are distinguishable but inseparable. The Spirit is always the Spirit of Christ. The Holy Spirit . . .

• is both identified with Jesus and distinct from Jesus.
• is present with Jesus, comes before Jesus, and comes after Jesus.
• both reminds believers of Jesus' teaching and extends Jesus' teaching.
• both empowers Jesus (Romans 1:4) and is granted and sent by Jesus.
• is both revealed by Jesus and reveals Jesus.
• is both in the church and beyond the church in all creation.

While the Spirit creates, sustains, and dwells among the church, the Spirit is not bound by the church but is present and at work in all that God has made. The church is both a part of creation and a witness to God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—working in all creation.

The Holy Spirit is called paraclete, Greek for "helper," "comforter," or "advocate." The term is court language and refers to the advocate or counsel for the defense as opposed to the complainant or accuser.

In the Large Catechism, Luther wrote more on the third article than on either of the others—twice as much as on the first article, and almost three times as much as on the second. It is ironic that Lutherans have sometimes been chided for their relative inattention to the Holy Spirit. Some Christian groups have historically placed more emphasis on the Holy Spirit. Compared to Lutheran emphasis on justification, primarily the work of Jesus Christ, Methodism puts more emphasis on sanctification, primarily the work of the Holy Spirit, drawing believers "toward the gift of Christian perfection" and nurturing their growth in grace and knowledge realized in practical discipleship .