There is, I believe, a lot of teaching on the Holy Spirit that is not helpful, and they come in two extremes... seeing the Holy Spirit as being the forgotten member of the trinity, and all the things that the Spirit did in the scriptures as being for way back then... not for now. There is an over emphasis on the manifestations of the Spirit and an associating the Spirit with a certain style of worship and type of Church. Both these extremes can hinder people from understanding the role the Spirit plays in the life of the believer and the fact that by the Spirit God comes and dwells within and enables and empowers every believer to live and witness to Christ.
So in this series I wanted to go back to the source and look at what Jesus had to say about the Spirit and how those first disciples received the Spirit, to help us understand who the Holy Spirit is and the work of the Holy Spirit.
Yes I come from a charismatic background and that is evident in the messages I preached. At the heart of the passages I preached on in what's known as Jesus farewell discourse I rediscovered the wonderful word Paraclete (paracletos). A word that literally means the one who comes alongside. The amazing reality that Jesus chose to think of himself and the Holy Spirit as the one who came alongside us. We often use the word 'advocate to translate it but in Greek thought it had more the idea of a trusted friend who came alongside to give sound legal advise rather than the paid professional or the court appointed official. one of the things that I really found helpful in understanding the word Paraclete was the idea of 'Mission Dei' that the Spirit is at work in the world and our role as Christians is to see where the Spirit is moving and what the Spirit is doing and go and join Him there. The Paraclete comes alongside us and calls us to come alongside Him to witness to Christ in word and deed, in sacrificial service and in power.
Anyway here is an index and link to those messages and my prayer is always when I preach that people may grow in their understanding of the Word of God and encounter Jesus, by the Spirit, in way that will bring life and transformation. Feel free to use these in anyway you find useful. If you comment or have questions I am open to feedback and happy to respond.
Originally this was going to be a six week series but sadly I ended up in hospital and so there is no message on John 16:12-15 The Spirit of Truth...
Holy Spirit Come (an introduction and a theme song)
John 14:12-21 Not as Orphans... Who is the Holy Spirit?
John 14:22-31 Spirit of Truth: The Paraclete as Teacher
John 15:26-16:11 The Paraclete as Witness
John 20:19-23, Acts 1:1-11 Receive the Holy Spirit
John 20:19-23, Acts 2:1-14, 40-47 You Will Receive Power And Be My Witnesses.
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