Most followers of Jesus are more familiar with the Father and the Son than with the Holy Spirit. We know God the Father. The sunrise, the sunset, the flowers and the trees, even our lives bear witness to the Father. Everything had to get here somehow. We know God the Son. We understand how God became human and took our sins upon himself that we might be saved. The Holy Spirit, we are not so sure. However, our lives are richer when we also know the third person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit helps us to understand this confusing world. Jesus promised that when he departed, he would send the Holy Spirit to teach us and help us remember his words. The primary way that the Holy Spirit helps us understand the world is through the interpretation of Scripture. The Holy Spirit prepares our hearts to hear the truth of God’s word.
The Holy Spirit leads us to Jesus. The best we can do for other people is to tell them about Jesus and model a Christian life. It is the Holy Spirit who changes the heart. On the day of Pentecost, a small group of one hundred twenty believers grew to three thousand through the power of the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit who gives us the gift of faith and leads us to Jesus.
The Holy Spirit unites us. This might be the most coveted characteristic of the Spirit, given our fractured world. The Holy Spirit not only changes the heart by bringing us to Jesus. The Holy Spirit also changes the heart by turning individuals into a community.
In our sermon this Sunday we will talk about Pentecost and the gift of the Holy Spirit.