11TH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY, SUNDAY OF 12th AUGUST, 2018
Introduction
You are most welcome to this service in the precious name of our Lord and Saviour Christ Jesus.
‘Trinity’ is a Christian doctrine which states that “God is one in His essential Being, the divine essence exists in three modes or forms; each constituting a Person, hence God, the Father (1st), the Son (2nd) and the Holy Spirit (3rd). Today, we shall focus on God the Holy Spirit, the 3rd Person who is the Lord and Giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is worshipped and glorified, and He spoke through the prophets.
God relates to the world, both in creation and in redemption, and the Persons of the Trinity have different functions or primary activities in creation – God the Father spoke the creative Words to bring the universe into being, but God the Son carried out these creative decrees and God the Holy Spirit was moving around to sustain them.
In Redemption of Mankind, God the Father planned the redemption and sent His Son into the world (John 3:16, Galatians 4:4). The Son obeyed the Father and accomplished redemption for us on the cross (John 6:38, Hebrews 10:5-7).
The Holy Spirit was sent by the Father and the Son to apply redemption to us (John 14, 15&16). Jesus speaks of “the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My Name” (John 14:26), but also says that He Himself will send the Holy Spirit, for He says “If I go, I will send Him to you” (John 16:7), the helper to help you. The Holy Spirit will convict the world concerning Sin, Righteous & Judgement (John 16:8). Jesus speaks of a time “when the Counsellor comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, even the Spirit of Truth” (John 15:26) who will guide us into all the truth. It is basically the role of the Holy Spirit to give us regeneration or new spiritual life (John 3:5-8), to sanctify us (Romans 8:13, 15:16, 1Peter 1:2) and to empower us for service (Acts 1:8, 1Corinthians 12:7-11).
Conclusion
The Holy Spirit is God and One of the Three Persons of Trinity as the 3rd. His work is mainly to bring to fulfilment or completion of the work that has been planned by God the Father and began or accomplished by the God the Son.
You are therefore obliged to believe and trust in God the Holy Spirit, the giver of life for fulfilment and empowerment for service.
Reverend Grace Lubaale
ASSOCIATE CHAPLAIN
QUESTIONS FOR HOME CELL BIBLE STUDY AND PERSONAL REFLECTION
Reflect on your life in relation to the work of the Holy Spirit and establish the extent to which you are filled with the Holy Spirit and the way forward, with your Cell Members.
