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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2015-05-21, Page 12PAGE 12. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2015. By Pastor Ernest Dow Living Water Christian Fellowship, Blyth May 24 is significant this year, not only because it’s the 196th anniversary of Queen Victoria’s birth, but also because in the church calendar it marks seven weeks after Easter, or the feast of Pentecost. Acts 2 recounts the first coming of the Holy Spirit on Peter and other followers of Jesus shortly after His resurrection. The disciples, for the most part native Galileans, were enabled to speak in foreign languages, declaring God’s wonders in terms visitors to Jerusalem from other countries could understand in their own languages. From the very beginning, the gift of the Holy Spirit has been ridiculed and misunderstood: some bystanders poked fun of the disciples’ utterance, saying they were drunk (Acts 2:13). In recent decades, some churches have emphasized the more dramatic effects of the Holy Spirit in healing and special ecstatic prayer-talk. Such emphasis has made some Christians dubious, and dissuaded them from taking the Holy Spirit very seriously. The apostle Paul did acknowledge gifts of healing and ‘speaking in tongues’ – he practised the latter himself – yet encouraged Christians to excel in gifts that build up the whole church, not just help the individual (1Corinthians 14:12,18f). What was Jesus’ understanding of how the Holy Spirit would operate in believers’ lives? In three places in John 14-16, the Lord outlined three aspects of how the Holy Spirit would function in people’s lives. First, the Holy Spirit reminds us of Jesus’ words. Jesus predicted, “...The Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.” (Jn. 14:26; see also 16:13f.) This was essential for the apostles as they would be the ones who would teach the early church what Jesus had actually taught, which was eventually written down faithfully so we could gain insight from our New Testaments today. When we read our Bibles, the Holy Spirit makes it come alive for us, writes it on our hearts, and brings God’s promises to mind when we are tempted or discouraged. So the Spirit’s ministry is not primarily about producing warm fuzzy feelings in us, but helping us understand the truths Jesus passed on to His hearers during His earthly ministry – propositional content captured for us in the pages of Scripture; intelligible truths intended to shape our behaviour and help us get a better understanding of God and His ways. Second, the Holy Spirit refers us to Jesus’ works. In John 15 Jesus predicted, “When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me. And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning.” (Jn. 15:26- 27) The apostles told their generation about the actions Jesus carried out – His healings, teachings, nature-miracles, and especially His death on the cross for our sins and rising from the dead as victor over sin and death, showing Him to be the glorious Son of God. Likewise the Holy Spirit vouches to the hearer of the factuality of events recorded in the New Testament. And the Spirit gives us boldness in turn to share with others the account of how God has intervened in our life, turned us around, and shown us mercy through the cross of Christ. Third, the Holy Spirit rebukes us in regard to Jesus’ worth – relative to our sin and His righteousness. Jesus prophesied, “When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me; in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.” (Jn. 16:8-11) The Holy Spirit acts in concert with our conscience to convict us of wrongdoing, producing an awareness of guilt that ought to prompt us to confess, turn around, and seek forgiveness. We know we don’t match up to Jesus’ perfect righteousness – the only sinless One who could approach God the Father in absolute holiness. Yet grace won for us at the cross allows us to avoid the condemnation for which the devil is bound: the Holy Spirit gives repentant sinners new birth and a fresh start. In the eyes of our Heavenly Father, we become clothed in Jesus’ own righteousness rather than the sin and shame associated with our previous deeds. So in a nutshell, this is how Jesus pictured the ministry of the Holy Spirit – reminding us of His words, referring us to His works, and rebuking us in regard to His worth. The Holy Spirit helps us see who Jesus really is by what He taught and what He accomplished, and our need of Him given the depth of depravity revealed in our own hearts. It is significant that Jesus uses the word “Counselor” [Gk. ‘paraclete’ – one who comes alongside to help] when referring to the Holy Spirit. The Spirit’s effect in our lives is overwhelmingly positive, even though there is an element of rebuke and correction. On a particularly rough airplane flight, a lady became very airsick. Her shoulders drooped, and her head slumped forward – she was totally wiped out. The stewardess came by to help her. “Come, come now,” she said, “buck up and get control of yourself. Sit up and take courage.” She put her arm under the lady’s arm and helped her sit upright in her seat, gave her gum to chew, and then went to get her some water. With the help THE CATHOLIC PARISHES OF NORTH HURON AND NORTH PERTH CORDIALLY INVITE YOU TO ATTEND HOLY MASS. OUR SUNDAY LITURGIES ARE AS FOLLOWS: Brussels: St. Ambrose Saturday 6:00 p.m. 17 Flora Street Wingham: Sacred Heart Sunday 9:00 a.m. 220 Carling Terrace Listowel: St. Joseph’s Sunday 11:00 a.m. 1025 Wallace Avenue N. CORNER OF DINSLEY & MILL STREETS MINISTER Rev. Gary Clark, BA, M. Div. All Welcome MUSIC DIRECTOR Floyd Herman, BA, M. Ed.OFFICE: 519-523-4224 Sunday, May 24 You Shake My Nerves & Rattle My Brain Sunday, May 31 Combined Service in Blyth Worship Service & Sunday School at 11 a.m. MUSIC DIRECTOR Floyd Herman, BA, M. Ed. Children Welcome getlivingwater.org Living Water Christian Fellowship 10:30 a.m. ~ Worship & Sunday School at 308 Blyth Rd. (former Church of God) Pastor: Ernest Dow ~ 519-523-4848 Sunday, May 24 ~ Rom.8:9ff Evangelical Missionary Church Small Groups Weekly in Blyth & Wingham “How the Holy Spirit Helps Us in our Prayer Life” ALWAYS A PLACE FOR YOU @ HURON CHAPEL IN AUBURN 10:30 SUNDAYS HURONCHAPEL.COM Youre Invited to come worship with us Sunday, May 24 Brussels Business & Cultural Centre at 10:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Sunday School for children 4 to 12 years of age at 9:30 a.m. Childcare provided for infants and preschoolers during the sermon. Coffee & cookies after the morning service For additional details please contact Pastor Andrew Versteeg 519.887.8621 Steve Klumpenhower 519.292.0965 Rick Packer 519.527.0173 MELVILLE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH BRUSSELS Rev. Elwin Garland SUNDAY, MAY 24 Nursery care available 519-887-9017 Worship & Sunday School - 10 am Coffee & Snacks - 11 am We invite you to join our church family in: Fridays 11:30 am - 1:00 pm ~ Soup & More 2 - a free community meal held in Melville’s basement, and made possible by the Brussels churches working together. SUNDAYS Morning Service 10:00 am Evening Service 7:30 pm Hwy. 4, Blyth www.blythcrc.ca 519-523-4743 Minister: Pastor Gary van Leeuwen You’re Invited To Join Us In Worship BLYTH CHRISTIAN REFORMED CHURCH BRUSSELS WORSHIP SERVICE AND SUNDAY SCHOOL 10:00 am All Welcome United Church Minister: Rev. Gary Clark, BA, M.Div. Bulletin notices: 519-523-4224 blythunited@tcc.on.ca Church bookings: 519-887-6377 Other concerns: 226-963-1175 From the Minister’s Study What the Holy Spirit can do for you: Dow Continued on page 19