 On Wednesdays we “walk in the Word” through study & application of Biblical doctrine. Rightly understanding Biblical doctrine fuels doxology, delight in Jesus, & gospel centered discipleship. Today we begin a survey of the Doctrine of the Holy Spirit (Pneumatology): Knowing the Holy Spirit.  A river for life The Colorado river provides life for millions of people. A one arm explorer named John Wesley Powell first came upon the Colorado River in May, 1869 while pioneering in the American west. Powell felt the river was impassable and unprofitable (he was a bit disenchanted after seeing the uninhabitability of the Grand Canyon). Now the American west could not be settled without the Colorado river- it is truly invaluable. Beginning as snowmelt from the Rocky Mountains, the river flows 1,450 miles through seven states and into Mexico on its way to the Pacific Ocean. The river provides drinking water for 40 million people and supports some of our country’s largest cities including Denver, Salt Lake City, Santa Fe, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, San Diego, Phoenix and Tijuana. The river is vital to our food supply, irrigating nearly 90 percent of the nation’s winter vegetable crops. It flows through nine National Parks and is essential habitat for more than a dozen species of endangered fish and wildlife. The Colorado River supports a $1.4 trillion economy, including $26 billion in recreational spending and hundreds of thousands of jobs across the West. However, the river is so over-tapped that it dries up nearly 100 miles from its Pacific mouth. I imagine John Wesley Powell would feel pretty stupid if he saw the value for life through the Colorado river!?!  The River of Life Christians know the Holy Spirit mostly in transactional ways, appreciating what He practically does for believers. Some examples are how the Holy Spirit: Comforts- John 14:26; Guides in the truth- John 16:13; Convicts of sin- John 16:7-8; Is the vessel through which God’s love is poured into our hearts- Romans 5:5; Seals our sonship and eternal inheritance- Romans 8:15; Ephesians 1:13-14; Reveals of knowledge of God- 1 Corinthians 2:10-11; Gives Spiritual gifts- 1 Corinthians 12:7-11; Help in our weakness – Romans 8:26-27; Sanctifies and is the source of fruitful life- Galatians 5:16-21, 22-25… I could go on. But what if the Holy Spirit is a person who wants you to know Him beyond what He can do/ has done for you? What if to enjoy God means we get to know the third person of the Godhead in personal, not just practical, ways? When Jesus describes the Holy Spirit, He used the imagery of a river of water that gives life: John 7:37-39 “On the last and greatest day of the feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, ‘If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.’ By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.” Jesus was at the Feast of Tabernacles (sometimes called the Feast of Booths)- Celebrating and remembering Israel’s 40 years wandering in the wilderness (living in booths). It was a seven-day feast, but historians like Josephus help us know the “last and greatest day” of the feast was the eighth day. After booths had been built, psalms had been sung (usually psalms 113-118), trumpets and sofars blasted, water from the pool of Siloam poured out, and the word of God read (as the climax- this is what is going on in Nehemiah 8), Jesus stands up and says, “You’ve had the ceremony. You’ve seen the water, but the time of fulfillment is at hand. If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink… as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.” Scripture had promised this stream of living water (See Zechariah 14:8; Isaiah 12, esp 2-6; Isaiah 58:11-12) and Jesus claims the fulfillment of these ancient promises come through believing in Him, and through Him by receiving the Holy Spirit. This promise is for all who believe: Ezekiel 36:26-28  The premise of this short series is that Christians operate at a deficit of personal knowledge who the Holy Spirit has revealed Himself to be through God’s word, and because of this, we miss the blessing of knowing and enjoying the Holy Spirit (and Jesus through Him).
Most Christians are like John Wesley Powell, the one-armed explorer who came upon the Colorado River. We see the river but we are intimidated by the terrain and therefore do not enjoy or glorify Him faithfully. Or our relationship with the Holy Spirit is transactional, using the Holy Spirit for what He does. But a river offers more... To understand the full life a river provides we need to take time to know and study rivers, diving in to study and embrace all the life a river holds. How much more so the River of Life who is the Holy Spirit!? Yes, knowledge of the Spirit is experiential, but never at the expense of satisfaction in who He has revealed Himself to be. The Holy Spirit wants you to know Him and enjoy Him so you can find soul satisfaction (to never thirst again!) and be transformed by Him. Richly Dwelling -What is your relationship with the Holy Spirit- do you know Him personally or try to use Him practically? -What does it say about your relationships if you try to use people for what they can give you rather than enjoying them for who they are? -Do you want to know the Holy Spirit- His story and character? Ask Him to help you know Him and enjoy Him, that through Him you may know Jesus and enjoy Jesus to become more like Him.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |