by Jonathan Manafo | Jul 4, 2017 | Sunday Conversations
As we bring this series to a close our hope is that we end in the same way we started it: If there’s one thing we want to appreciate and understand about the Holy Spirit, it’s this – He is present.
As a kid I used to do something strange to get my mom’s attention. Maybe you can identify with this. I’d stretch out my hand, move my mom’s face toward mine, and hope that if she was actually looking at me, she’d be listening to me. Kids think that parents aren’t lis
tening to them, c’mon, is that true? Well…as a parent myself now, I can admit to not paying full attention every time my kids are speaking to me. Guilty as charged.
I wonder if we do this with God? Actually, I know that we do. We plead for him to show up. It’s consistent with what we read in the Scriptures. People like King David would ask God to turn his face toward him, to show up, to be present, to help, etc. But can’t we understand that God is already here…with us…present? And perhaps it’s actually us who need to turn our face toward him?
To be spiritual is to know fully that God is present, right here, right now!!! It’s the narrative of scripture – God is always reminding, repeating, renewing this truth…OT/NT, through Jesus, via the Holy Spirit,
GOD IS PRESENT!
When the Holy Spirit abides in our hearts, it is he who makes us understand that the Lord is near and takes care of us. (Pope Francis)
We read these words in Psalm 139:
Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.
If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me
and the light become night around me,”
even the darkness will not be dark to you;
the night will shine like the day,
for darkness is as light to you.
The question we must ask is…Am I present? Am I aware? Am I awake?
Spirituality, as followers of Jesus, must mean that we are awake to what God, through the Holy Spirit is doing…In ME, In OTHERs, In the ROOM, In the WORLD.
IN ME
I need to be awake to God’s presence. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 6:19, “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?”
In the preceding verses, Paul is focused on transformation – on conviction about things in our lives that need to change. If we don’t stay awake to the SPIRIT, we will miss how he wants to lead us, how he wants to change us, how the Spirit wants to transform us.
There’s nothing more ‘near’ than something living in you! These are Paul’s words, our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit. This is God’s new dwelling…not in bricks, or nations, or just one people, but in anyone who will have the Spirit live in them.
IN / FOR OTHERS
How about being awake to the Spirit for the sake of others…for the sake of what God is not only doing in you, but what he wants to do in others? We talk about wanting to make a difference in the world, but if we aren’t aware of the Spirit’s activity around us, how can we dive into it? If we’re not awake to what God is up to, how can we participate in it?
Practice the Presence of God
Is it possible to actually know God’s presence or his voice or his leading in the ‘now’…right now…and now…and…now.
A few of years ago I came across a Greg Boyd book called, Present Perfect: Finding God in the Now. He argues of course that you can. And so do the scriptures. The thing is, as Boyd says, most of us live like God is only around a percentage of the time. This isn’t a legalism thing, it’s a relational thing.
We need to somehow get used to capturing his presence. Think about it like photography…there are those who can, and those who can’t. Some are naturally gifted, but much of it is practice and being ready for the moment. The more you understand and know your camera, the better you’ll be at capturing the moment it when you see it. Mark Buchanan calls this practicing being attentive to God: rehearse, repeat, work, rework, pray, reflect…and then when the moment comes, capture it.
The question isn’t if I can explain the theory or theology of a relationship with God but did I actually take time today to listen to God? (Tim Day)
The Christian life is the practice of living in what God has done and is doing. (E. Peterson)
We remember the past and anticipate the future, but we always do so in the present. Reality is always now. And the single most important aspect of reality is that God is present in it every moment. (Greg Boyd)
Our brains are constantly at work. We’re told that we have 7-9 thoughts every second. Greg Boyd suggests at least keeping one of those thoughts open to God. I also heard him ask this question, “In the last 7 days, when did you do something you didn’t plan?” When did you do something, simply because you sensed God wanted you to…because you were awake and alert?
Remember, we are only as good (impactful) to the degree that we are aware and awake.
We need to be as present to God as he is present to us.
So I leave you with this prayer…
“May we have a robust spirituality knowing deeply that God is there…that God is here, in every moment, in every place, in every space. May we respond to his presence in a way that reflects his kingdom on earth, his ways in mine, his values in my actions. May we be awake to the Holy Spirit, his conviction, wisdom, transformative power, and mission – in the right now of our lives.”
by Jonathan Manafo | Jun 28, 2017 | Sunday Conversations
Just ahead of finishing up our ‘spirituality’ series, we thought we’d fit in a brief talk about summer, your plans for it, and why it’s important to schedule more than vacations and rest.
There are officially 93 days of summer. June 21-September 21. It creeps us on us quickly, and unfortunately rushes out just as fast. Like a great night on the town or a concert watching your favaourite band, summer ends too quickly. In Canada we don’t think about summer as 93 days, let’s face it, we think about July & August. Sure, we get teased with some nice weather before hand, and some warm weather in September and October, but July & August are our summer months and we try and get the most out of them.
Some of us are planners. We plan every day of the summer. We know what’s coming, how much it will cost, and how to make the best of it. Others of us just let the summer happen, hoping that we can have a little fun and rest somewhere along the way.
Other than the vacations you’ve planned, the rest you’re hoping for, the fun you’ve written into your calendar, will you think about intentionally adding two more words to your summer?
Here’s our summer challenge: Two Months / Two Words. Kindness & Hospitality.
Following up last week’s conversation on the Fruit of the Spirit, we can honestly focus on any one of those words. Kindness, perhaps more than the others, surprises people the most. What you’ll notice with Kindness, as with the others, is that it’s something we receive from God and then extend it forward to others.
There are 56 references to kindness in the Scripture (link)
In the Old Testament, some are in reference to memory, some are reciprocal (as in, ‘you showed me kindness so I will show you kindness’), like a returning gift. We often see God showing kindness even though we (Israel) don’t deserve it.
In the New Testament it shows up in various forms. In Acts 4, healing is seen an act of kindness from God and the one praying, In Acts 17 God’s kindness is seen in the form of provision, In Acts 28 we read, The islanders showed us unusual kindness. They built a fire and welcomed us all because it was raining and cold. This is evidence of the good in people – it’s there, we just have to discover it. Romans 2 says that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance. In Colossians 3 it’s seen as a piece of clothing we put on. Titus 3 may be a favourite, 3 At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. 4 But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy.
So…how do we ensure that kindness gets deep within us? Take time this summer to read and pray through those texts of scripture that focus on God’s kindness. Take some time, while on vacation, while at the beach, while at the cottage, during early morning sunrises or late evening sun sets…to think about God’s kindness to you. Be thankful for how God expresses this kindness towards you and the world around you. Then, as you’re reflecting on that…will you creatively think about how you can be kind to others? This might take a bit of prayer and bit of thoughtful creativity. Be looking, in every moment you find yourself in, for ways to be kind to others – those you love and those who are harder to love.
Why Hospitality? Because it’s showed to us and then flows out of us, just like kindness!
We read these straight forward words in Romans 12, Practice hospitality.
The writer of Hebrews (13) says, Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.
3 John 1 says, We ought therefore to show hospitality to such people so that we may work together for the truth.
1 Peter 4 says this, 8 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. 9 Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.
In my home province of Quebec, on June 24, they celebrate St. Jean Baptiste Day. As you can imagine, like most holidays, It’s used for stuff like fireworks, a day at the beach, lots of parties with lots of “fun”, etc. But listen to what John the Baptist actually said…(Luke 3:11) “Anyone who has two shirts should share with one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same.”
It’s pretty evident that this is our calling as followers of Christ – In light of the hospitality shown to us by God, we should in turn be hospitable to others.
How can you be kind and hospitable this summer? How can you extend God’s grace to others? Think about at least 4 places to live out these words
- home (sometimes the toughest place to show this)
- neighbourhood (walk across the street, invite someone to your home)
- work (talk to that guy or girl who no one else pays much attention too)
- church community (pray about who may need something that you have abundance of)
Be intentional about it, plan it, do it, and see what God does with it.
Intention opens the door to forward motion. (Seth Godin)
So, as you plan your summer vacation, your days at the beach, your R&R events…can you add these two words your summer story: KINDNESS & HOSPITALITY. Who knows, maybe it’ll turn out to be the best summer you’ve ever had!
by Jonathan Manafo | Jun 20, 2017 | Sunday Conversations
I’ve tried my hand at gardening. The verdict is still out if I’ll be successful. Things are growing, but time will tell if we’ll actually eat some fresh food from our garden. My bet is yes!!!
So many of us don’t really consider how much work it takes to get food to and on our table. We go to the fridge to grab an apple or the counter to grab a banana, but think about all that went in to that fresh food getting to your table?
The average person can’t tell what kind of tree they’re looking at until the fruit or the leaves start to show. We sometimes use this metaphor when talking about character and personality. We can try and tell people what kind of people we are, but it’s our fruit that really tells the story. The proof is in the pudding (as they say).
We’ve been talking about what it means to be spiritual, and what the Holy Spirit’s role is in our life. So the question is, ‘is there any spiritual fruit we are producing that reflects the spiritual work going on inside of us?’
Paul, in Galatians 5, addresses this so well. “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”
If someone asks you, ‘What does spirituality look like?’ I think you can show them these words and say, ‘it looks like this’.
Spirituality isn’t about pizzazz or flamboyancy. It’s about character and roots. About seeds and fruit. About who you’re becoming because of God’s Spirit in you.
Galatians 5 is about the freedom we have found in Christ. Paul is trying to move his readers away from 2 things: Reliance on the Law & the works of the Flesh. That’s the context
WALK by the SPIRIT
So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. (5:16)
The words that follow this verse are strong and direct. Paul urges the Galatians to stay away from the acts of the flesh. He lists them off in verses 19-21. Some read this verse and scream legalism, but you can’t do that. It’s a serious list of DON’T’s. (Remember: Following Jesus is not about DO’s & DON’Ts, but as you follow him, you’ll have to discern between some things you DO and some things you DON’T)
What Paul is doing is setting us up for the contrast between Life in the Spirit and Life without the Spirit.
The proof is in the FRUIT
Then comes the beautiful list of character traits that anyone would want to be known for.
But the fruit of the Spirit is…
LOVE
JOY
PEACE
PATIENCE (putting up with more than others can)
KINDNESS / GOODNESS
FAITHFULNESS (to others and to God)
GENTLESS
SELF-CONTROL (the hardest of the bunch)
If you wanna be spiritual, then you wanna live a life that reflects what’s going on here.
The Fruit of the Spirit are very different than the Gifts of the Spirit, in that Gifts are unique to the individual. Each person has a different gift. Paul, with his fruit metaphor is saying that we are meant to have and produce all the fruit on this list. (and more) Our life should reflect the cluster of all of them.
Keep in STEP with the SPIRIT
Paul ends with this simple phrase… Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. (25)
Live in stride with the Spirit, in step, in the way of the spirit. If you do, your life will not only look different, it will actually be different.
The goal of spirituality isn’t about who you think you are, it’s about who you are actually becoming.
Here’s the question: Who do you want to be? Who are you actually becoming? And is that version of you spiritual – spiritual in the way that Paul is telling us spirituality is?
May our spirituality be real, authentic, evident and healthy, tasty and fresh. May it produce fruit that only God’s Spirit can plant in us.
by Jonathan Manafo | May 24, 2017 | Sunday Conversations
Seems like when we ask the question, “What does it mean to be spiritual?” we come at it as individuals and try and take from it something for ourselves, personally, almost selfishly.
We might say or ask things like
– I want to know what it means to be spiritual
– I wish I was more spiritual
– I wonder if I’m spiritual enough
– You think there’s more out there for me?
It’s easy to get stuck here – on my individual spiritual journey. You might get a certain distance on your own, but you’ll never get as far. This old proverb may help us here, “If you want to go quickly, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”
You can’t get too far into the biblical narrative (both OT & NT) before discovering that spirituality is a community thing…a team effort you might say. Following Jesus doesn’t happen in isolation; living a full and spiritual life doesn’t happen alone either.
If you’ve ever been part of a band or a team you understand this a little better. Your team is only as good as everyone’s contribution. A band or orchestra will be it’s best when everyone is doing their part and appreciated for it.
Paul’s letter to the Corinthians really helps us here. Actually, it’s where much of this idea of community spirituality comes from. The church community, the body of Christ, is where our spirituality is formed, where it comes together, where we grow in our spiritual maturity.
Paul has to address some difficulties and disjointedness in Corinth. People aren’t appreciating what others have to offer. They are comparing the gifts they feel they’ve received from the Spirit. They’ve gotten to a point where there’s too much me and not enough we.
In chapters 12-14, Paul takes time to explain what spiritual gifts are, what they do, how they’re used in the context of community, and how love must be front and centre for spiritual gifts and the people who use them to shine.
Paul says, “I want you to be informed about spiritual gifts.” He wants to bring clarity in the midst of confusion. We learn here that there are MANY gifts…but ONE Spirit. That there is much spiritual activity, but ONE God who activates it in us.
What are the gifts Paul is actually referring too: In Romans 12 we see prophesy, ministry, teaching, exhortation, giving, leading, compassion; In 1 Corinthians 12 we see wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophesy, discernment, tongues, interpretation. In Ephesians 4 we read about apostles, prophets, evangelists, teachers, pastors. Most scholars say this is not an exhaustive list.
We’re told that the reason for, and the manifestation of these gifts are for the common good; build up one another, help one another, help us in our walk towards spiritual maturity.
Paul continues this conversation on spiritual gifts, with his readers and us, by moving into what it means to be part of the body of Christ. It is not an accident that these two themes are connected in the same chapter.
If we go back to the orchestra analogy we’re reminded that every instrument plays its part in performing a piece of music, not just the prominent ones. In baseball every position on the field is important, not just the pitcher or the homerun hitter. In football the quarter back gets lots of attention, but every person on that field plays a part in winning a game.
What’s the connection here? Everyone has something to offer. Spiritual gifts are only understood in the context of community. Which means that spiritual growth and being ‘spiritual’ is fully realized in the context of that same community, the church. Read these brilliant words in 1 Corinthians 12:12-31.
Following the conversation from spiritual gifts to the body of Christ, Paul then moves into the topic of love. We often read 1 Corinthians 13 out of context. It’s read at weddings and engagements and other occasions where love is celebrated. But the purpose of these words were always to help the reader understand that spirituality without love is useless.
Think about it? You can speak in other tongues, move mountains, share knowledge, lead crowds, give money away, etc. BUT if there is no love, those gifts of the spirit don’t accomplish anything in you or others.
I hope you investigate the gifts of the spirit. I hope you do the worthwhile work of discovering what you have to offer the world and the church, but know that true spirituality is never selfish, it doesn’t mature in isolation, it grows in the midst of a healthy community of people who follow Jesus together and who are convinced that love is the funnel through which our spirituality flows through.
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small(er) group discussion:
What are your initial thoughts or questions around spiritual gifts? Are you coming to this topic fresh or with some baggage?
If you were to take an inventory of your spiritual gifts, where would you land? What would they be? Are you working with (and at) what you sense God has gifted you with?
Have you been guilty of seeing spirituality as a ME thing and not enough as a WE thing? Why is it so important to base this conversation in community and love?
Can everything be spiritual? Can every gift or skill you have be spiritual? If so, how? If you disagree, why?
by Jonathan Manafo | May 16, 2017 | Sunday Conversations
We’ll all heard the saying, “All talk and no action”. It’s a great statement; inspiring, challenging, helpful. It’s used in settings where someone may be saying all the right words, but isn’t backing them up with his or her actions.
What if we were to reverse this? What if, at times, the opposite is true? That we are all actions, but no talk?
As we continue to jump into this conversation on the Holy Spirit, we discover that the Spirit is very much about enabling us to speak? To talk? To share our voice?
In our last post we showed how the NT describes the Spirit’s presence in our lives as with us, in us and on us. Today we move to two chapters in Acts that changed everything in regards to our understanding of the Spirit. The church was birthed on what we call the day of Pentecost; the day that the promised Holy Spirit fell upon the church. It’s a big deal. Both historically and today.
Three words frame Acts 1 & 2 for us: Power, Pentecost, and Purpose.
POWER
Jesus said in Acts 1:8 that the disciples would receive power when the Holy Spirit came on them.
Jesus was about to ascend to heaven. In previous teaching and conversations he said he would leave the Holy Spirit for them…for us. Jesus promised us the power and the ability to launch the church forward.
This power comes from above, but is intended for below; it’s from heaven, but it’s for earth. The dialogue between the angels and disciples (1:10) shows us this when they ask, “Why are you looking up?” It’s as if they said, this power you’re about to receive is for here & now; for what you need to do here on earth (as it is in heaven).
We need this power. One writer says it like this, “The mystery of the church is that it is, by God’s good grace, more than it seems to be. The Holy Spirit is the more of the church.” It’s the power of the church, then and now.
PENTECOST
Pentecost wasn’t the first time we see the Holy Spirit on the scene, but it was a fresh and new way for the Spirit to operate in the midst of community and of people. (Acts 2:1-4)
The church derives its meaning from the first Pentecost…
– originally the 50th day after Passover
– an agricultural festival (on the ground)
– farmers brought first crops (gratitude)
– looks pack to Exodus
– about God giving his people a new way of life
On this Pentecost…something new started…the church was born because of the Spirit’s arrival. So Pentecost was a look back at the past, with the purpose of launching forward.
In Genesis 1 the Holy Spirit breathed life into dust.
In Acts 2 the Holy Spirit breathed life into people and created a new community with the gift of bold speech.
PURPOSE
As we read onward in Acts 2 we find some pretty interesting things happening. There’s definitely something interesting and mysterious about what transpires. People speaking in other languages, others visiting Jerusalem that day understanding the languages being spoken, Peter having the ability to speak/preach, a reminder from the prophet Joel that all kinds of people (young, old, male, female) will have something profound to say about God.
So what’s the purpose of the Holy Spirit’s arrival on the church? It’s to give the church the ability and the power to speak. That’s it? Didn’t we learn how to talk at two and three year’s old? Most of us did. Well, for the church, this was their early years, their formative years, and God sent them the power to speak, to talk, to proclaim, to communicate the good news of Jesus to the world.
Let’s not minimize the importance of this moment in the church’s history. The Holy Spirit enabled the church then (and now) to be people who communicate good news. There is definitely lots going on in this narrative, and perhaps even more than just about communication, but it’s definitely not less than that either.
It’s true that our actions often don’t match up with our words. We fail at this often. But we also fail at matching our words with our actions. What happens in Acts 1 & 2 is a reminder to us that one of the Spirit’s roles in our life is to enable us to be witnesses of the resurrection of Jesus – to communicate his message to the world. Do our lives have to match up? Yes. But our words should also be heard. The Spirit helps that happen.
“The Spirit is the power which enables the church to go public with its good news, to attract the world, and to have something to say worth hearing”
Let’s sum it up with this: Jesus promised Power at Pentecost for the Purpose of speaking life into the world through his church.
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small(er) group discussion:
Are you attracted to, scared of, or fearfully open to the Spirit’s Power and the adventure that comes with it?
What new thing could the Holy Spirit be initiating in you? What kind of movement might the Spirit be leading you towards?
In what way, through the Spirit’s power & help, can you communicate and be a witness to the ways of Jesus and his Kingdom?
Are their any parts of Acts 1 & 2 that are a little more difficult to understand?
What do you think about this statement? “When we pray ‘Come Holy Spirit’, it’s as if we pray, ‘Bring it on, shake us up, send us forth, kick us out, and make us a more interesting church then we would be if you had left us alone.”
by Jonathan Manafo | May 10, 2017 | Sunday Conversations
Do you have any friends or colleagues who are great at what they do, but don’t always get the credit they deserve? Perhaps it’s a work colleague, a sport’s teammate, or just a really good person in your close group of friends. They’re a constant contributor, but they sometimes get lost in the shuffle.
This is how some say we view the Holy Spirit.
We talk much about faith, following Jesus, having a healthy and robust spirituality, understanding God’s will and plan, discernment, but often forget who is actually behind the scenes leading, empowering, helping, comforting, and making it possible – The Holy Spirit. But why is it that the third person of the trinity is sometimes seen as “the other one”? One writer describes him like this, “Some say the Spirit is a distant member of the trinity. Neglected almost. Like Cinderella. Father & Son are at the Ball while the Spirit is home washing the floors.”
Over the next few weeks/posts we want to investigate the Holy Spirit and what it means to is be ‘S’piritual.
The Spirit may sometimes be forgotten, but he’s never out of the picture. He’s always here. We have to welcome him, acknowledge him, be aware of him, and if need be, invite him (even though he’s already here). From the first words of Genesis, we are made aware that God’s Spirit is very present. Intentionally included from the writer of Genesis.
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.”
If there’s one thing we want to appreciate and understand about the Holy Spirit, it’s this – He is present.
The New Testament talks about him being present in 3 ways: He is WITH us, he is IN us and he is ON us.
WITH US…
In Jesus’ closing remarks before heading to heaven, in what we call the great commission, he says that ‘he will be with them always, to the very end of the age’. How could he be with them if he was leaving? How could he assure them of this on his way out? Was he lying? Was he giving them a false hope? Neither. He actually meant it.
We read these words in John 14, “If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.
Jesus tells his first disciples and us that he will be with us, to help us, to comfort us, to assure us, etc. How? Through the Holy Spirit.
IN US…
Notice that he also says he would be in us. ( John 14:17b)
In Romans 8, Paul does a masterful job of connecting the Jesus story to the role of the Spirit. He teaches the early church that it’s God’s Spirit in them that gives them the power to live out the ways of Jesus. Through out that text, a number of times, Paul says that it’s God’s Spirit who will live in us and enable us to live a life that follows Jesus and reflects his Kingdom values. The Holy Spirit also enables us to be children of God. In a sense, he’s the one who signs the adoption papers. If you’ve ever watched, witnessed, or have been close to an adoption story, you know how beautiful it is when a boy or girl find a home to belong to. This is what the HS does for us.
When the Holy Spirit abides in our hearts, it is he who makes us understand that the Lord is near and takes care of us. (Pope Francis)
ON US…
We desire the ability to do good – the power to make a difference – the gifts to be on mission and do justice. The Holy Spirit comes ON us to do that through us.
Acts 1:8 says, you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses. This is Jesus promise to us, but we saw it on him first.
In Luke 4 (cf Isa 61) we read,
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.”
Jesus said we would do greater things than he did. That is only possible because the same Spirit that was on him is on us. This means that I can be a good news person…a proclaimer of freedom…a restorer of sight…a reconciler of brokenness…all because the Holy Spirit is ON me.
Here’s the question – will you be open to all that the Spirit has for you? Will you invite him to be with you, in you and on you? Every day – In every way!
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small(er) group questions:
What do you think about when you think about the Holy Spirit? How would you define or describe him?
Read John 14:15-17(above). How can you speak to that verse? What about Jesus’ use of the word ‘advocate’ (helper, defender, one who speaks in your defence). How do you sense the Spirit is that for you? What does it mean to you that the Holy Spirit is WITH you?
In Romans 8 we understand the Spirit’s role in us is to enable us to live a life for Christ and to identify as children of God. Can you describe what it means that you’ve been adopted into God’s family via the Holy Spirit’s presence IN you?
What about Acts 1:8 is exciting, empowering, mysterious? Have you sensed God’s Spirit on you for a specific task? Big or small? How’d it feel? What did you do? How did you respond?
What would you like to learn about the Holy Spirit in the next few weeks? Anything you’d like to see clarified? Any questions around him, his role, the trinity, being aware of his presence, etc.?
