Hey Guys,
Sorry for the late post, my memory has been failing me during this period of exams. I'm just making excuses.
This weeks sermon is on the apostle's creed again, the full apostle's creed is at the bottom of the post. Last month we talk about how Jesus will come back to judge the living and the dead, this week we will be zooming in on the next line.
我信圣灵
I believe in the Holy Spirit
So what does the Holy Spirit exactly do? The following verses might help enlighten us on the topic.
(ESV) John 14:26. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, He will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.
In this verse, the Holy Spirit acts as an educator. The Holy Spirit teaches and enlightens us about the word of God, and constantly reminds us of the teachings of the Bible. Sometimes we might be able to understand certain concepts of the Bible while non-believers cannot; that is the work of the Holy Spirit.
(NLT) Ephesians 4:30 And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption.
This verse tells not to bring sorrow to the Spirit by the way we live. Although this is an instruction, it tells us that the way we live can bring sorrow to the Holy Spirit. In other words, the Holy Spirit worries for us when we sin.
(ESV) Ephesians 5:18-21 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with all your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.
This verse tells us that we should be filled by the Spirit, so that we can, sing and make melody to God, which is worship, and so that we can give thanks always. This tells us that the Holy Spirit is able to fill us with the joy, so that we would be able to give thanks and praise God. Not only that, the Holy Spirit also helps us to fear and respect God.
(ESV) John 3:3-8 Jesus answered him, Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus said to him, How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born? Jesus answered, Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, You must be born again. The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.
In these verses, Jesus talks about being born of the spirit, and in verse 8, tells us about those who are born of the Spirit. "The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit." This means that you know that someone is born of the spirit like how you know there is wind. You know it is there, but you do not know where it is from or where the wind will blow next. The verse indirectly describes the Holy Spirit, as the wind. The wind blows wherever it wishes. Like the wind, the Holy Spirit goes wherever it wants to. This shows the authority of the Holy Spirit, as a part of the Holy Trinity. This verse tells us that the Holy Spirit is God, and has a will of His own.
(ESV) Ephesians 1:13-14 In Him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in Him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.
In this verse we see that believers of the gospel are "sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance" which refers to our place in heaven. This verse clearly tells us that the Holy Spirit is a sign to tell if one has salvation or not.
NLT: Romans 8:26 And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words.
This verse tells us that the Holy Spirit prays for us, for the things that we might not be able to identify. For example our weaknesses that we might not notice, or backsliding that we do not see.
ESV: Acts 2:4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.
This verse tells us about the ability of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit has the power of miracles. This once again highlights that the Holy Spirit is God, and has the power to perform miracles like the sudden gain of the ability to speak other languages.
Hope these verses gives us a basic understanding of the works and "functions" of the Holy Spirit.
The Apostle's creed:
I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
- maker of heaven and earth.
And in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
- who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
- and born of the virgin Mary,
- suffered under Pontius Pilate,
- was crucified, died and was buried.
- He descended into hell.
- On the third day He rose again from the dead.
- He ascended into heaven
- and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.
- From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
- the holy Christian church,
- the communion of saints,
- the forgiveness of sins,
- the resurrection of the body,
- and the life everlasting. Amen
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使徒信经 我信上帝，全能的父，创造天地的主； 我信我主耶稣基督，上帝独生的子； 因圣灵感孕，由童贞女马利亚所生； 在本丢彼拉多手下受难，被钉于十字架，受死，埋葬； 降在阴间，第三天从死人中复活；升天，坐在全能父上帝的右边； 将来必从那里降临，审判活人死人。我信圣灵； 我信圣而公之教会；我信圣徒相通； 我信罪得赦免；我信身体复活； 我信永生。阿们。 |
Labels: creed, sermon
