6 EASTER A John 14:15-21 David Eck
5/29/11
I. Have you ever noticed that Lutherans
---Don't talk about the Holy Spirit very much?
We talk about God, our Creator
---And have a pretty strong theology
---About being good stewards of creation
We talk about Jesus A LOT,
---And what it means to follow his example
But the Holy Spirit is something we usually save
---For either Pentecost Sunday or Holy Trinity Sunday.
---And maybe once every three years
---When Paul's text on the fruits of the Spirit
---Appears as a lectionary reading.
Why don't Lutheran talk about the Holy Spirit very much?
---We are a Spirit-led people
---But somehow this is not a part of our weekly conversations
---With each other.
This is quite a contrast to another denomination
---I spend some time in...the Assembly of God.
---They talk about the Holy Spirit all of the time.
In fact, the church I attended believed in what they called
---The "baptism of the Holy Spirit"
---Which was an event that was separate from
---The water baptism we are all familiar with.
The baptism of the Holy Spirit was a second baptism
---A special gift from God that was given to a believer.
---The primary sign that believer received it
---Was the ability to speak in tongues.
The church I attended understood speaking in tongues
---Not so much as a prophetic utterance
---But, rather, as a prayer language
---Where the Spirit essentially prayed through the person
---In a language they didn't understand.
This primarily happened in worship.
---It was a way for believers to let go
---And allow the Spirit to speak for them
---And through them.
Now, there aren't many Lutherans
---Who understand the Spirit in this way.
---In fact, most of us would find that expression of the Spirit
---Very strange and foreign to our experience.
As someone who was a part of that faith tradition
---I can say that it is heart-felt and genuine
---To those who practice it.
---They find it very meaningful and powerful.
---It's just not something that we Lutherans are familiar with.
II. So, that brings me back to the question
---I asked at the beginning of my sermon:
---Why don't Lutherans talk about the Holy Spirit very much?
Well, this morning we're going to talk about the Spirit.
---I'd like to share with you
---Some of my experiences with the Holy Spirit
---As well as the significance of its mention
---In our gospel lesson for today.
Hopefully, along the way, you will identify
---With something I've shared and come to the realization
---That the Holy Spirit is very much a part
---Of the Lutheran experience.
---You must might be more spirit-led
---Than you may have first realized.
So let's get started
---Growing up Lutheran, I was raised using the "Red Book"
---As opposed to the "Cranberry Book" we are now using.
---It was called the SBH or Service Book and Hymnal.
In this hymnal the Trinity was always referred to
---As Father, Son and Holy Ghost.
---As a kid, I thought this was strange
---As if the Holy Spirit were some kind of spectre
---That haunts houses and floats through the air.
When your reference points for Holy Ghost
---Are Casper the Friendly Ghost
---And Scooby-Doo cartoons,
---It leaves you with a strange understanding
---Of the Holy Spirit, indeed.
Therefore, I didn't really connect with the Holy Ghost
---And saw it as an old-fashioned notion
---That has very little to do with me.
III. It wasn't until my late teen years
---That I really connected with the Holy Spirit
---In a meaningful and powerful way
I had been away from the church for a number of years,
---Reaffirmed my faith and began attending
---A Friday night fellowship of teens and college students
---That was a ministry of a local Assembly of God church.
My connection to the Holy Spirit
---Came most powerfully through music.
---I was learning to play guitar at the time
---And began helping to lead worship for the group.
---My mentor was a wonderful worship leader
---Who had the ability to sense where we needed to go next.
---His worship style was most definitely Spirit-led
---I learned a great deal from him
---That has served me well to this very day.
The best way I can describe it to you
---Is that I sometimes get "lost" in the song.
---I don't need to think about chord progressions,
---Finger placements or lyrics.
---The music simply flows through me
---As if it's coming from another source.
That source, naturally, is the Holy Spirit.
---Folks who attend the second service
---Or have been at Camfirmation with me
---Have seen this at work.
In fact, there are some occasions
---During the opening of the 11:15 service
---When I loose myself in the music so much
---I forget what's coming next.
---Some of you have witnessed this happening.
---But it's actually a good thing!
---It's the Holy Spirit kicking into high gear.
This also happens sometimes when I'm songwriting
---Or working on a recording in the studio.
---I loose all sense of space and time.
---I get swept up by the Holy Spirit
---Ad allow that Spirit to flow through me
---Wherever and however it so desires.
IV. Perhaps you've had a similar experience of the Spirit,
---It may have occurred while you were hiking in the woods
---Or walking along the beach at sunset.
It may have occurred while you were working in your garden
---Or while singing a powerful hymn in church.
It may have occurred while working on an art project
---Or even cooking in the kitchen.
The Holy Spirit pops up in some unexpected places
---If we allow it to happen.
---During these Holy moments we lose all sense of space and time.
---We feel completely in sync with God and creation.
---Everything seems right and good, peaceful and wonderful.
Another name for this is a "mountaintop experience."
---We don't have these all the time.
---But they sure are wonderful when they happen.
V. A third way I have come to understand
---The way the Holy Spirit works in our lives
---Happens when I have difficult decisions to make in life.
---Often times I go through a period I refer to as "wilderness wandering"
By this I mean that I'm praying for direction
---But no direction comes.
There are several paths before me
---And I'm not really sure which one to take.
This happens in both my personal life
---And my role as the shepherd of this flock.
---During these wilderness wandering" times
---I've learned it's best to be still and be patient.
---It's best to remain steadfast in prayer
---And trust that the Spirit will move
---And the way will be clear sooner or later.
My favorite quote on this comes from
---4th century theologian, St. John Chrysostom who said
---"I go the the scriptures as a hunter goes to the woods.
---I go out alone, I sit quietly, I listen,
---And I wait for something to move."
Perhaps you've had this experience of the Spirit as well.
---Some people refer to this as a door that opened,
---A path that became clear,
---A still, small voice that led the way,
---Or even a giant neon sign that read "This way, dummy!"
These are the moving of the Holy Spirit.
---It is the wisdom of God that comes to us
---When we need it the most.
It is most definitely a part of the Lutheran experience
---Of the Holy Spirit.
VI. Another way I've come to understand
---The way the Holy Spirit works in the life of a believer
---Is my work in crisis ministry.
This is especially true in my work at Mission hospital
---Where, as I walk into the room, I know absolutely nothing
---About the patient, their family, or their spiritual beliefs.
I call it "going in blind" and it is truly a Spirit-led process for me.
---I pray that God will use me
---I allow myself to be a vessel of the Holy Spirit
---And simply trust that the Spirit will help me convey
---The love of Christ to that hurting and scared family.
I know I don't have to have any magic words to say.
---I trust that the Holy Spirit will help me speak
---The words that family needs to hear.
There is always a moment in most visits
---Where I know a God connection has been made
---The holy Spirit has entered the room
---As while the situation is still painful and difficult
---God has made everything just a little bit better.
I don't think I did this as well when I was fresh out of seminary.
---It has taken years of ministry and listening to the Holy Spirit
---For this to happen.
---But I am humbled each time it happens
---And honored to be a part of this holy work.
This kind of crisis work is not done solely by pastors.
---Some lay people have an amazing ability
---To do this kind of work as well.
---You just might be one of them.
The Holy Spirit is a powerful force in the life of a believer.
---If we open ourselves up to being used by the Sprit
---God can accomplish amazing and powerful things through us.
VII. Our final stop on the journey this morning
---Is our gospel lesson.
---It's Jesus' final night with his disciples
---So its his last chance to tell them everything they need to know.
The evening consisted of the breaking of bread
---And the sharing of wine.
---"This is my body, given your you."
---"This is my blood, shed for you."
There was a moment when he took a towel and basin
---And washed the feet of his disciples, saying,
---"If I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet
---You also ought to wash one another's feet." [Jn 13:14-15]
Then, in what is known as Jesus' final discourse
---He offered his final words of wisdom
---Including the one from our gospel lesson:
"I have said these things to you
---While I am still with you.
---But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit,
---Whom the Father will send in my name,
---Will teach you everything,
---And remind you of all I have said to you." [Jn 14:25-26]
Jesus uses two Greek words to describe the Holy Spirit in this passage.
---The later is PNEUMA AGION
---Which is translated as "Holy Spirit"
---It is the primary term used in the New Testament
---To describe the third persona of the Trinity
---It can be translated as the Spirit/wind/breath of God.
---It's Old Testament counterpart is RUAH
---Which first appears in the creation story
---And is also translated as the Spirit/wind/breath of God.
The former word is PARAKLAYTOS.
---It is only used by Jesus
---And only appears in the Gospel of John
The NRSV translates PARAKLAYTOS as "Advocate"
----But there are others English words
---For PARAKLAYTOS as well
These words combined together
---Give us a pretty powerful picture
---Of how the Holy Spirit works in our lives.
In addition to Advocate, PARAKLAYTOS can be translated as
---Counselor, Comforter, Helper, Friend and Intercessor.
---All of these are marvelous ways to talk about
---The way the Holy Spirit works in our lives.
The Holy Spirit is our Advocate and Intercessor
---Who interceeds to God on our behalf who words fail us.
---The Holy Spirit is our Counselor
---Who give us wisdom on the journey of life.
---The Holy Spirit is our Helper
---Who lifts us up when we need it the most.
---The Holy Spirit is our Friend,
---Our constant companion in life.
These are some of the way we Lutherans
---Understand the Holy Spirit
---But there are so many more.
VIII. As I bring my thoughts to a close this morning,
---I hope that something I've shared has resonated with you.
---My hope is that you will leave this place
---And think about the ways the Holy Spirit is at work in your life.
It's time for Lutheran to begin talking more
---About the way the Holy Spirit is moving
---In our lives, in our church and in our world.
Amen!
