Studying the Spirit

I live in a place in which there is a strong focus on the Holy Spirit.  Gifts are sought and at some level demanded.  There is a pull to study the Word of God to understand the Spirit.  There are studies, well I would bet at any time of the week you could find a Bible study somewhere here that focuses on the Spirit.

There is at least one problem with that.

Read through John 16:12 – 15.  To be fair you need to look at the entire context.  This is just to the right of the middle of the most important section of John’s gospel.  The 21 chapters cover about 3 years of Christ’s life.  Chapters 13 – 17 cover about 6 hours.  So based on the percentage of space that John devoted to those 6 hours, that section is significantly important.  It was the final teaching to the disciples before Christ’s arrest, trial, and crucifixion.  Last words are important.  Especially the last words of the Lord.

In 14 and 16 the Lord focuses on the ministry of the Holy Spirit.  Note that John 16:12 – 15 is the last thing He says to them about the Spirit before He is arrested.

Based on what Christ says about the Spirit here what would one who is filled with the Spirit want to talk about?

Coming to Terms

A few days ago I mentioned differences in the use of terms in arguments.  In any discussion about controversial issues if there is going to be any understanding at all the parties involved have to define and agree what the terms they are using mean.

For instance, many will talk about free will.  Free will over what?  There are quite a few things over which we have no choice.  So the question becomes over what do we exercise free will?

The other side of the coin in this particular discussion may be God’s sovereignty.  So the same question supplies.  Sovereign over what?  What is the extent of God’s sovereignty?  How does He apply it in our lives if at all?

The challenge with many of these discussions is that we use terms and assume those in the conversation know what we mean.  That, in my experience, is rarely the case.  To make matters worse, most times the parties do not have the patience to take the time to explain what they mean.  The result?  The discussion escalates with neither side really understanding what the other is saying.

That might happen from time to time in our families as well.  Ya think?

Called to Serve

I have written about this in part before.  But it was driven home again today.  As believers we are to serve one another.  We are to do that whether we feel like it or not.  We are to do that whether our service is acknowledged or not.  We are to do that whether we are treated well or not.  We are to do that whether anyone knows or not.

I do not have the gift of serving.

Tough cookies.  I am called to serve anyhoo.

Serving others disrupts my schedule.  Philippians 2:3 – 4 and Galatians 6:2 remove the notion of inconvenience from the list of things that would allow me to forgo serving others.  Also removed as an excuse is death or sickness.  Still get to serve.

I have been called to fix things that people misused.  Misused to the point of breaking.  In some cases it has taken hours, hours that frankly I did not have.  I am called to serve.

My attitude is not always – well truthfully rarely the best.  That just means I get to serve with a bad attitude.  I am called to serve.  The great thing is that God promises to change my – well at least He promises to reveal that bad attitude… Philippians 3:15 – 16.

Some people are hard to serve.  They are cranky, rude, ungrateful, smelly, demanding, and even resistant.  I am called to serve.  By the way that list sounds a lot like the people that Christ came to serve… hmm.

So I get to serve.  Not my gift.  But it is a command.