Old Union Church has more in common with John’s Bar, the Scoreboard, and Uncle Bob’s than it does with Family Christian Bookstore. And that’s OK.
I recently spent time visiting area businesses, asking them to post flyers for our upcoming Wednesday Worship (you can read more about that elsewhere in the newsletter). Nearly all of the businesses in Mars, Evans City, and along Route 8 were happy to post our flyers on their community boards, tape them to their windows, or put them on their counters. The staff and customers wanted to shoot the breeze with me, even if they had never met me. As I got closer to Cranberry Township, my visits changed. More of the businesses told me that their policies didn’t allow them to post flyers. Our conversations were short, polite, and professional.
The difference in my visits reflects a difference in the values and standards of the communities. In Evans City, Mars, and along Route 8, people tend to prefer personal interaction and strong relationships between people and community businesses and organizations. This may come from the area’s rural past, which focused upon neighborliness and close-knit groups. Residents of Cranberry Township tend to have fuller, faster-paced lives. They value brief, efficient interactions with people, in order to accomplish as much as possible as quickly as possible. They prefer large national chains because the selection of merchandise and food is large and predictable.
At its August meeting, the session began to talk about the core values that define our church. Not surprisingly, one of the main topics of our conversation was the fact that our church feels like a family. We value being with and caring for each other, and we easily welcome people into our fellowship. In other words, our church’s identity fits in well with the community standards of Mars and Evans City. But we are a poor fit for the values of Cranberry Township. It’s easy to see why large churches, with more polished worship services and less opportunity for personal interaction, do so well there.
It would be a huge mistake for us to think that we should change what our church is like, in order to attract more people from the Cranberry Township area. God gave our church the character that it has, and being faithful to our call means nurturing and developing this gift. That doesn’t mean that we should never change or offer anything new; it means that we should ensure that whatever we do builds upon the values and standards that have brought us together as a church.
By doing so, we continue to minister effectively to the Mars-Evans City community by providing a way to connect with our Lord in a way that feels natural to them. At the same time, we offer a “counter-cultural” presence to the Cranberry Township community. Some residents of that community hunger for a sense of belonging and connection with others. Others may be pleasantly surprised by a different type of life than we’ve known before.
Monday, August 23, 2010
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Hank the Woodworker
Hank was proud to be a woodworker. He had a well-equipped workshop, complete with neatly laid-out tools, good lighting, lots of space, and even a state-of-the-art ventilation system to remove the sawdust particles from the air so that they wouldn’t contaminate surfaces or irritate the nose. All of his friends and relatives admired the marvelous equipment he had to create marvelous things from wood.
One day, as Hank walked through the booths at a craft festival, he met a young carpenter named Josh who was selling some simple items. Hank smiled to himself at Josh’s rough craft. He introduced himself, and asked Josh about his work. It was all Hank could do to stifle his snorts of disgust as Josh showed him his damaged, hand-me-down tools and described his dark, cramped workplace. “Josh,” he said, “Your heart seems to be in the right place. But without the right tools, you can’t really call yourself a woodworker.” And he proceeded to describe his beautiful workshop to the young man.
After a while, Josh looked up eagerly at Hank. “Would you be willing to show me some of the things you have made?” he asked. “I see an example of what you can make with your tools, I’ll have a better idea of what I should get.”
Hank replied, “Oh, I don’t actually make anything.”
“Really?!” exclaimed Josh. “You have all that fancy equipment, and you don’t do anything with it? What’s the point of that?” Hank was stunned at Josh’s question, and was at a loss for words. Josh paused, and then continued. “Hank, I might know much, but here’s what I do know. All of your fancy tools don’t really matter for anything if you don’t use them. Just because you have them doesn’t matter at all until you actually put your chisel and hammer to wood.” Josh picked up a rudely-made planter from his display. “This might not be much, but at least it’s something. I’d rather use the tools that I have to make what I can, than have all your wonderful equipment and do nothing with it.”
It’s silly to imagine someone like Hank having the tools available to do a marvelous job, but failing to use them. Or is it? God has provided us with marvelous tools to develop and deepen a meaningful relationship with him. But instead of using them, far too many of us focus instead upon the tools themselves. For example:
• Many Christians call themselves “Bible believers.” But the Bible isn’t the focus of our faith; it is a tool that directs us to the true focus. Yes, the Bible is an invaluable, precious tool. But that’s all it is: a tool. Too many of us are like Hank: admiring our planes without every applying them to the wood.
• People treasure their church. Its building, traditions, events, and people are a high priority for them. Some people are turned off to organized religion because of single-minded devotion that some have for it. But again, church is simply a tool to draw us closer to God, his will, and his work.
How are you using your tools?
Peter
One day, as Hank walked through the booths at a craft festival, he met a young carpenter named Josh who was selling some simple items. Hank smiled to himself at Josh’s rough craft. He introduced himself, and asked Josh about his work. It was all Hank could do to stifle his snorts of disgust as Josh showed him his damaged, hand-me-down tools and described his dark, cramped workplace. “Josh,” he said, “Your heart seems to be in the right place. But without the right tools, you can’t really call yourself a woodworker.” And he proceeded to describe his beautiful workshop to the young man.
After a while, Josh looked up eagerly at Hank. “Would you be willing to show me some of the things you have made?” he asked. “I see an example of what you can make with your tools, I’ll have a better idea of what I should get.”
Hank replied, “Oh, I don’t actually make anything.”
“Really?!” exclaimed Josh. “You have all that fancy equipment, and you don’t do anything with it? What’s the point of that?” Hank was stunned at Josh’s question, and was at a loss for words. Josh paused, and then continued. “Hank, I might know much, but here’s what I do know. All of your fancy tools don’t really matter for anything if you don’t use them. Just because you have them doesn’t matter at all until you actually put your chisel and hammer to wood.” Josh picked up a rudely-made planter from his display. “This might not be much, but at least it’s something. I’d rather use the tools that I have to make what I can, than have all your wonderful equipment and do nothing with it.”
It’s silly to imagine someone like Hank having the tools available to do a marvelous job, but failing to use them. Or is it? God has provided us with marvelous tools to develop and deepen a meaningful relationship with him. But instead of using them, far too many of us focus instead upon the tools themselves. For example:
• Many Christians call themselves “Bible believers.” But the Bible isn’t the focus of our faith; it is a tool that directs us to the true focus. Yes, the Bible is an invaluable, precious tool. But that’s all it is: a tool. Too many of us are like Hank: admiring our planes without every applying them to the wood.
• People treasure their church. Its building, traditions, events, and people are a high priority for them. Some people are turned off to organized religion because of single-minded devotion that some have for it. But again, church is simply a tool to draw us closer to God, his will, and his work.
How are you using your tools?
Peter
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
The Flag in the Sanctuary
Virtually every church in our nation has a US flag in it. But that wasn’t always the case. During World War I, the patriotism of anything German was suspect. Sauerkraut was called “victory cabbage” and German measles was renamed “victory measles.” So, in order to demonstrate their patriotism, German Lutheran churches placed flags in their sanctuaries. It seemed like a great idea, and before long flags sprouted up in places of worship across the land. And a new tradition was born.
At first blush, this seems like a good thing. After all, flags are displayed prominently in other public institutions: schools, banks, sports arenas, even car dealers. So, as a public institution, it’s appropriate for a church to fly the flag. However, there’s something different about a church from other institutions. While we are active participants in our nation’s life, our ultimate allegiance lies not with the United States of America, but with the kingdom of God. That’s why churches also display the Christian flag, and in a place of greater honor than the national flag.
To be honest, I’ve always felt uncomfortable about the flag in the sanctuary. It can be misunderstood to be an affirmation of a dangerous “God and country” mindset. It’s dangerous for three reasons. FIRST, it reduces Christianity to a civil religion practiced for the benefit of the country. That’s something Adolf Hitler tried to do, and German Christian leaders like Karl Barth courageously and vehemently denounced it. Their “Barmen Declaration” has taken its place in the Presbyterian Book of Confessions to declare that the church serves Jesus Christ alone. SECOND, “God and country” can lead to the false assumption that Christianity is an inherently American religion. American Christians are somehow more “Christian” than believers from other nations. Such bigotry has no place in a faith like ours that anticipates a gathering around God’s throne from “every nation, tribe, people, and language” (Revelation 7:9). THIRD, “God and country” is dangerous because it claims that the United States is an inherently Christian nation. If you’re a good American, then you’re a good Christian. This is false, even without considering the patriotism and faithful service of the many US citizens who follow other religions, or no religion at all. The United States is a great nation, and we are truly blessed to be part of it. But there are many ways that our country falls woefully short of God’s plan for our world.
And that is why it is not only appropriate but essential for the flag to be in our sanctuary. It is there to symbolize that our country, like each of us individually, stands under the judgment of God. It is there to remind us that our nation’s blessings are a reflection of God’s grace. It is there to hear God’s testimony and challenge for who we should be and what we should repent from.
The flag in the sanctuary is a reminder to everyone who gathers there to worship. The proclamation that we receive in worship is not for us alone. We are to carry its message to our nation: its leaders, its institutions, and its very values.
At first blush, this seems like a good thing. After all, flags are displayed prominently in other public institutions: schools, banks, sports arenas, even car dealers. So, as a public institution, it’s appropriate for a church to fly the flag. However, there’s something different about a church from other institutions. While we are active participants in our nation’s life, our ultimate allegiance lies not with the United States of America, but with the kingdom of God. That’s why churches also display the Christian flag, and in a place of greater honor than the national flag.
To be honest, I’ve always felt uncomfortable about the flag in the sanctuary. It can be misunderstood to be an affirmation of a dangerous “God and country” mindset. It’s dangerous for three reasons. FIRST, it reduces Christianity to a civil religion practiced for the benefit of the country. That’s something Adolf Hitler tried to do, and German Christian leaders like Karl Barth courageously and vehemently denounced it. Their “Barmen Declaration” has taken its place in the Presbyterian Book of Confessions to declare that the church serves Jesus Christ alone. SECOND, “God and country” can lead to the false assumption that Christianity is an inherently American religion. American Christians are somehow more “Christian” than believers from other nations. Such bigotry has no place in a faith like ours that anticipates a gathering around God’s throne from “every nation, tribe, people, and language” (Revelation 7:9). THIRD, “God and country” is dangerous because it claims that the United States is an inherently Christian nation. If you’re a good American, then you’re a good Christian. This is false, even without considering the patriotism and faithful service of the many US citizens who follow other religions, or no religion at all. The United States is a great nation, and we are truly blessed to be part of it. But there are many ways that our country falls woefully short of God’s plan for our world.
And that is why it is not only appropriate but essential for the flag to be in our sanctuary. It is there to symbolize that our country, like each of us individually, stands under the judgment of God. It is there to remind us that our nation’s blessings are a reflection of God’s grace. It is there to hear God’s testimony and challenge for who we should be and what we should repent from.
The flag in the sanctuary is a reminder to everyone who gathers there to worship. The proclamation that we receive in worship is not for us alone. We are to carry its message to our nation: its leaders, its institutions, and its very values.
Saturday, April 17, 2010
What I've Been Doing for the Past Several Years
Last month I successfully defended my Ph.D. dissertation, and on May 2 I will graduate from the University of Pittsburgh. As I write in the preface of my dissertation, “I am grateful for the prayerful support and encouragement I received from Old Union Presbyterian Church of Mars, Pennsylvania as their pastor undertook this challenge. Without their cheerful faith, this would not be possible.” So I’d like to tell you exactly what I’ve been working on all this time.
In the 13th chapter of Mark, Jesus describes what will happen in the future, including the collapse of the stars, the darkening of the sun and moon, his descent to the earth from the clouds, and the gathering of the elect from the far ends of the earth. A few verses later, he says that “all these things” will happen before “this generation” passes away. In case you haven’t noticed, the stars, moon, and sun haven’t changed. We’re still waiting for Jesus’ return, and God’s people are still scattered far and wide. It looks like the prediction of Mark 13 was wrong. Over the centuries, people have come up with all sorts of ways to solve this problem. Some people argue that “all these things” doesn’t include the ones I mentioned. Others claim that “this generation” means something different from what we usually think it does. Still others think that the prediction was fulfilled in some symbolic way. In my research, I’ve found that none of these explanations work. Mark 13 predicts that fantastic events will happen before the end of the first century at latest, and they haven’t. The prediction is wrong.
To come with an answer for this problem, I use the approach of a French philosopher named Paul Ricoeur. Ricoeur explains that a book can mean more than just what the author intended to say, and more than what the original readers understood from it. When a book is read in new situations, different meanings emerge from it. A book can’t just mean whatever you want it to mean, but it can mean more than what the author thought it did. According to Ricoeur (who was a Christian), the Bible in particular offers multiple meanings.
In my dissertation, I claim that Mark 13 can be read today as a metaphorical text, even though it wasn’t originally understood that way. As Ricoeur explains, metaphor isn’t just replacing a straightforward explanation with a fancier way to say things. Metaphor makes us see the world in new ways that we’d never recognize otherwise. And the possibilities that come from metaphor are more than you could ever completely explain. Ricoeur sees this characteristic of metaphor as a great way to express the richness of the gospel, which always has something more to say to us, no matter how much we’ve listened in the past.
Mark 13, as a metaphor, describes the powers of this world that appear to be in control. They deceive, they destroy, and they persecute God’s people. But their power isn’t as real as it seems. God limits how far they can go, and he takes care of his people through it all. There is a regular, ongoing interaction between these apparent powers and the true power of God, which will eventually be fully revealed.
In the 13th chapter of Mark, Jesus describes what will happen in the future, including the collapse of the stars, the darkening of the sun and moon, his descent to the earth from the clouds, and the gathering of the elect from the far ends of the earth. A few verses later, he says that “all these things” will happen before “this generation” passes away. In case you haven’t noticed, the stars, moon, and sun haven’t changed. We’re still waiting for Jesus’ return, and God’s people are still scattered far and wide. It looks like the prediction of Mark 13 was wrong. Over the centuries, people have come up with all sorts of ways to solve this problem. Some people argue that “all these things” doesn’t include the ones I mentioned. Others claim that “this generation” means something different from what we usually think it does. Still others think that the prediction was fulfilled in some symbolic way. In my research, I’ve found that none of these explanations work. Mark 13 predicts that fantastic events will happen before the end of the first century at latest, and they haven’t. The prediction is wrong.
To come with an answer for this problem, I use the approach of a French philosopher named Paul Ricoeur. Ricoeur explains that a book can mean more than just what the author intended to say, and more than what the original readers understood from it. When a book is read in new situations, different meanings emerge from it. A book can’t just mean whatever you want it to mean, but it can mean more than what the author thought it did. According to Ricoeur (who was a Christian), the Bible in particular offers multiple meanings.
In my dissertation, I claim that Mark 13 can be read today as a metaphorical text, even though it wasn’t originally understood that way. As Ricoeur explains, metaphor isn’t just replacing a straightforward explanation with a fancier way to say things. Metaphor makes us see the world in new ways that we’d never recognize otherwise. And the possibilities that come from metaphor are more than you could ever completely explain. Ricoeur sees this characteristic of metaphor as a great way to express the richness of the gospel, which always has something more to say to us, no matter how much we’ve listened in the past.
Mark 13, as a metaphor, describes the powers of this world that appear to be in control. They deceive, they destroy, and they persecute God’s people. But their power isn’t as real as it seems. God limits how far they can go, and he takes care of his people through it all. There is a regular, ongoing interaction between these apparent powers and the true power of God, which will eventually be fully revealed.
Monday, October 19, 2009
Damned for the Glory of God
Our session is engaged in a year of spiritual development, to learn how to be more godly leaders. As part of this process, each month one elder provides a statement of faith to help the rest of us learn more about his or her faith. At one of our recent meetings an elder said, “I love Jesus so much that I can hardly wait to get to heaven so that I can see him face to face.” This comment stuck with me because it was so different from what I normally hear. People tell me that they look forward to the joys and blessings of heaven. They say that they’re looking forward to seeing loved ones who have died. Will heaven be a place of joy and blessing? Absolutely. Will we be reunited with loved ones there? I think so. But these are not the reasons for our hope of heaven, any more than the reason for having school is for children to ride in yellow buses and eat in the cafeteria. School is for learning, and heaven is for us to be in Christ’s presence.
At times we are guilty of what I call a “mercenary faith:” following God so that we can receive blessings from him. There’s no doubt that God blesses his people. But if that’s our reason for being Christian, we’re missing a vital part of our faith. The focus of Christianity is upon bringing glory to Christ, not upon getting blessings from him.
The story is told of a young Presbyterian candidate for ministry who was interviewed by a presbytery a couple centuries ago. Unfortunately for the candidate, there was a crotchety old preacher in the assembly who loved to ask candidates a tough question: “Would you be willing to be damned for the glory of God?” The bright young man, who had been told to expect the question, had a ready reply. “I am. And I am also willing to damn you, and to damn this whole presbytery!” According to the story, the young man was approved for ministry on the spot, and the old preacher never asked his question again.
How about you? Would you be willing to be damned for the glory of God? It’s a ludicrous question, of course, because it’s inconceivable to imagine how God would receive any benefit from the damnation of any of his beloved children. However, it raises a matter that all of us should take seriously. The true question is: Are we more focused upon the good stuff that we get from God, or upon the things we can do to honor and praise him? This is what Jesus calls us to when he tells us to take up our cross and follow him. This is what Jesus himself did in the Garden of Gethsemane, when he turned away from a life of popularity and power in order to accept the bitter cup that brought glory to God.
The blessings of the Christian life may be what leads us to the Lord in the first place. But if we never move beyond it, something is sorely lacking.
At times we are guilty of what I call a “mercenary faith:” following God so that we can receive blessings from him. There’s no doubt that God blesses his people. But if that’s our reason for being Christian, we’re missing a vital part of our faith. The focus of Christianity is upon bringing glory to Christ, not upon getting blessings from him.
The story is told of a young Presbyterian candidate for ministry who was interviewed by a presbytery a couple centuries ago. Unfortunately for the candidate, there was a crotchety old preacher in the assembly who loved to ask candidates a tough question: “Would you be willing to be damned for the glory of God?” The bright young man, who had been told to expect the question, had a ready reply. “I am. And I am also willing to damn you, and to damn this whole presbytery!” According to the story, the young man was approved for ministry on the spot, and the old preacher never asked his question again.
How about you? Would you be willing to be damned for the glory of God? It’s a ludicrous question, of course, because it’s inconceivable to imagine how God would receive any benefit from the damnation of any of his beloved children. However, it raises a matter that all of us should take seriously. The true question is: Are we more focused upon the good stuff that we get from God, or upon the things we can do to honor and praise him? This is what Jesus calls us to when he tells us to take up our cross and follow him. This is what Jesus himself did in the Garden of Gethsemane, when he turned away from a life of popularity and power in order to accept the bitter cup that brought glory to God.
The blessings of the Christian life may be what leads us to the Lord in the first place. But if we never move beyond it, something is sorely lacking.
Friday, September 18, 2009
Uprooting Sin
This summer I wanted to get rid of some nasty prickly weeds in a patch of woods that I like to visit. So I brought my weed whacker and mowed them all down. It was wonderful – until they started to grow back again. So I realized that in order to get rid of them, I needed to pull them up by the roots. As I pulled them up, I soon discovered that the roots ran in a tangled network from one plant to another, sometimes in unexpected and confusing directions. I also learned that the biggest plants didn’t have the largest roots. Some of the deepest and strongest roots came from plants that I almost overlooked. Once I had uprooted the plants and pulled out as many of the roots as I could, I realized that new plants will quickly spring up from the roots that I couldn’t get. In order to fill the void that I had caused by pulling up the nasty weeds, I scattered some quick-grow grass seed. My hope is that by the time the weeds try to grow back, the new grass will have already crowded them out and the weeds will not be able to overcome their new competition.
As I dealt with these annoying weeds, I thought about how we try to remove sin from our lives, and I recognized a lot of similarities.
• If we think that we can get rid of sin in our lives by removing the most obvious and visible parts of it, we’ll soon find out that the sin will come right back. Sin has deep roots that lie beneath the surface of what we’re usually aware of.
• When we start the difficult work of uprooting our sin from the deep places in our souls where it lurks, we will be surprised at where the sin runs. Calvinists call this “total depravity:” every corner of our lives is tainted by sin, just as the weeds’ roots ran even through the places that I thought were clear. As soon as you assume that there is one aspect of your life that is free from sin, you run the risk of allowing its undiscovered roots to spring forth.
• The most dangerous sins sometimes seem to be innocent and easy to deal with, just as the plants that were easy to overlook had strong roots. We need to be vigilant and address even the smallest sins because we never know how much they are ruining the goodness that God wants in our lives.
• Sin is never simple to deal with. Each sin is connected to other sins in confusing ways. If you attempt to remove one sin, you’ll soon find out that it is associated with other sins in ways that you would have never guessed. You can’t just work on sin in one part of your life, because it is part of the sin in other areas as well.
• It’s not enough to get rid of the sin in your life. You need to replace it with something healthy and blessed, just as I want to replace my weeds with grass. They tell addicts who come out of rehab that they need to change their lifestyles so that they are around people who lift them up and won’t allow them to revert to their old addictions. Jesus told the story of a man who had an evil spirit removed from him but hadn’t allowed the Holy Spirit to fill him instead. The evil spirit came back and brought seven friends with it.
Above all, we can’t weed out the sin in our lives without the grace that God offers us. Call upon the Holy Spirit to be the master gardener of your soul!
As I dealt with these annoying weeds, I thought about how we try to remove sin from our lives, and I recognized a lot of similarities.
• If we think that we can get rid of sin in our lives by removing the most obvious and visible parts of it, we’ll soon find out that the sin will come right back. Sin has deep roots that lie beneath the surface of what we’re usually aware of.
• When we start the difficult work of uprooting our sin from the deep places in our souls where it lurks, we will be surprised at where the sin runs. Calvinists call this “total depravity:” every corner of our lives is tainted by sin, just as the weeds’ roots ran even through the places that I thought were clear. As soon as you assume that there is one aspect of your life that is free from sin, you run the risk of allowing its undiscovered roots to spring forth.
• The most dangerous sins sometimes seem to be innocent and easy to deal with, just as the plants that were easy to overlook had strong roots. We need to be vigilant and address even the smallest sins because we never know how much they are ruining the goodness that God wants in our lives.
• Sin is never simple to deal with. Each sin is connected to other sins in confusing ways. If you attempt to remove one sin, you’ll soon find out that it is associated with other sins in ways that you would have never guessed. You can’t just work on sin in one part of your life, because it is part of the sin in other areas as well.
• It’s not enough to get rid of the sin in your life. You need to replace it with something healthy and blessed, just as I want to replace my weeds with grass. They tell addicts who come out of rehab that they need to change their lifestyles so that they are around people who lift them up and won’t allow them to revert to their old addictions. Jesus told the story of a man who had an evil spirit removed from him but hadn’t allowed the Holy Spirit to fill him instead. The evil spirit came back and brought seven friends with it.
Above all, we can’t weed out the sin in our lives without the grace that God offers us. Call upon the Holy Spirit to be the master gardener of your soul!
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Listen to the Holy Spirit
Since the dawn of the Pentecostal movement about a century ago, references to the work of the Holy Spirit tend to deal with things like speaking in tongues and other flashy, sometimes intimidating, spiritual fireworks. It’s unfortunate that those of us who don’t emphasize these kinds of spiritual gifts have come to ignore the powerful work of the Holy Spirit in our lives, how She draws us to God, and how important She is for our Christian discipleship. (Re-read my May article if you’re curious about why I refer to the Holy Spirit as “She.”)
According to the ancient Greeks, Hermes was the messenger god. He’s the one with wings on his hat and feet. He had to be fast, but he also had to figure out how to take something that the gods said and figure out how to make it understandable for humans. After all, gods are different from people, and what makes sense to one is incomprehensible for the other. My doctoral work focuses on hermeneutics, which gets its name from Hermes. It’s a fancy word for interpretation: how to understand something that comes from a different culture, time, or way of understanding the world.
The Holy Spirit is the Christian Hermes. As the Bible tells us, God’s thoughts are as different from ours as the sky is higher than the earth (Isaiah 55:8-9). Because God is so different from us, we need help to understand what He wants to say to us. Otherwise, His word to us would be incomprehensible, and would probably overwhelm our puny human brains.
One of functions of the Holy Spirit is to bring God’s word to life within us. Without the Holy Spirit’s work, the Bible would be an ancient book written by people long gone. It would have nothing to do with our lives. Without the Holy Spirit, our prayers would be nothing more than talking to ourselves. Our words would fade away as soon as we speak them, and we would never hear God’s response. Without the Holy Spirit, even the work of Christ would be strange and inaccessible for us. We’d have no way to comprehend the new life that he offers us.
Fortunately, that’s not the case. As Jesus promised (John 14:26), He sent the Holy Spirit to teach and instruct us about divine matters and to help us continue to have an open line of communication with God.
The work of the Holy Spirit goes in both directions. We need the Holy Spirit to understand what God wants to tell us, whether it’s through the words of Scripture, a sermon, or some other way. And we need the Holy Spirit to lift up our prayers for us, because we cannot do it ourselves (Romans 8:26-27).
As you lift up your heart to God the Father and to God the Son, don’t forget the third Person of the Trinity. Praise the Holy Spirit for the connection with God that She makes possible.
According to the ancient Greeks, Hermes was the messenger god. He’s the one with wings on his hat and feet. He had to be fast, but he also had to figure out how to take something that the gods said and figure out how to make it understandable for humans. After all, gods are different from people, and what makes sense to one is incomprehensible for the other. My doctoral work focuses on hermeneutics, which gets its name from Hermes. It’s a fancy word for interpretation: how to understand something that comes from a different culture, time, or way of understanding the world.
The Holy Spirit is the Christian Hermes. As the Bible tells us, God’s thoughts are as different from ours as the sky is higher than the earth (Isaiah 55:8-9). Because God is so different from us, we need help to understand what He wants to say to us. Otherwise, His word to us would be incomprehensible, and would probably overwhelm our puny human brains.
One of functions of the Holy Spirit is to bring God’s word to life within us. Without the Holy Spirit’s work, the Bible would be an ancient book written by people long gone. It would have nothing to do with our lives. Without the Holy Spirit, our prayers would be nothing more than talking to ourselves. Our words would fade away as soon as we speak them, and we would never hear God’s response. Without the Holy Spirit, even the work of Christ would be strange and inaccessible for us. We’d have no way to comprehend the new life that he offers us.
Fortunately, that’s not the case. As Jesus promised (John 14:26), He sent the Holy Spirit to teach and instruct us about divine matters and to help us continue to have an open line of communication with God.
The work of the Holy Spirit goes in both directions. We need the Holy Spirit to understand what God wants to tell us, whether it’s through the words of Scripture, a sermon, or some other way. And we need the Holy Spirit to lift up our prayers for us, because we cannot do it ourselves (Romans 8:26-27).
As you lift up your heart to God the Father and to God the Son, don’t forget the third Person of the Trinity. Praise the Holy Spirit for the connection with God that She makes possible.
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