My first sermon of the series on the Holy Spirit was about who the Holy Spirit is. This was a general introduction of the Holy Spirit. It was by no means exhaustive but it was the basics of introducing someone to the Holy Spirit. Here is the basic outline I used.
I. The Holy Spirit is a person.
A. He has a mind (Rom. 8:26-27)
B. He has a will (1 Cor. 12:11)
C. He has emotions (Eph. 4:30).
D. He communicates (Acts 13:2, 16:6-7)
II. The Holy Spirit is Deity (God)
A. God’s characteristics
1. He is omniscient (1 Cor. 2:10-11)
2. He is omnipotent (Luke 1:35)
3. He is omnipresent (Psalm 139:7-10)
B. God’s existence
1. He is eternal (Heb. 9:14)
2. He is part of the Trinity (Matt. 3:16-17)
III. What are the Implications?
A. We can have a relationship with Him.
B. We should worship Him.
C. He is not far off
This provided a nice introduction to the whole series. The main aspects I portrayed through this sermon was first, that the Holy Spirit is a person and not a force nor an idea. Scripture shows He possesses characteristics of personhood which is an important aspect of understanding who the Holy Spirit is. It should be noted that "person" here is used in the classical sense of the word and should be distinguished from "human." Saying the Spirit is a person is NOT saying that He is human but instead it is saying that He is an individual being.
Secondly, while He is a person, He is fully God and possesses the same characteristics as the other two persons of the Trinity. It is important to understand that the Spirit is wholly God and is equal to the Father and Son. While taking a different role, much as the Son took on a different role, the Spirit is still an eternal part of the Trinity and is God.
Finally, I emphasized what different these truths should make in the daily life of every believer. Because the Spirit is a person, we can relate to Him. Because He is God, we should worship Him. Because He is God AND a person, it means that He is not far off but is active in our lives. Again, while not exhaustive, these implications should change how we relate to our God and how we live our lives.
3 comments:
Just wondering if these are the words of a Rolland Kenneson I knew long ago. The Rolland I knew grew up on a pig farm in small town Kansas.
Rebecca Wayman
(Becky Woods)
Rebecca Sue Woods! This is indeed the Rolland Kenneson who lived on a pig farm in Kansas and drove all over tarnation for youth group...I even remember a trip or two to Oxford, Kansas. How are you?
Sorry for the delay in seeing your posts. It looks like it was a year ago when you posted (oops). Good to hear from you.
Wow! You are sooooo slow! I had given up hearing from you. I am married and mother to three wonderfully interesting children. We have lived in Savannah, GA for the last 4 years and love it. I am no longer a Baptist but Lutheran and direct the children and adult choirs at church.
I don't remember you having a big leaf for a head, but it has been awhile and my memory is not my best asset. LOL
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