"I Believe in the Holy Spirit"

The Nooma Video does not directly discuss the Holy Spirit, but the concept is perfect for this discussion.  It gave the teens a lot to think about.  They loved "St Patrick's Bad Analogies."  It is a funny but informative video that discusses the doctrine of the Holy Spirit.  I was a little nervous about them getting it, but they were laughing throughout.

Apostles' Creed Week 10

Read Apostles’ 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, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; he descended to the dead.  On the Third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, is seated at the right hand of the Father, and will come again to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.”

Review

"I Believe in the Holy Spirit"

Watch “St Patrick’s Bad Analogies”

Discuss the theology of the Trinity.

Three persons, One God
Quote from the the Athanasian Creed that the youtube mentions:
That we worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity;
Neither confounding the persons nor dividing the substance.
For there is one person of the Father, another of the Son, and another of the Holy Spirit.
But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit is all one, the glory equal, the majesty coeternal.

None are created - all are eternal, the Three are One.

All are equal

The Father is not the Son who is not the Spirit, but the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Spirit is God.  Three in One - Tri (Three) + Unity (One) = Trinity

We only worship One God.

Complicated?  Yup, but we’re trying to express who God is with human words and human imaginations.  So, it’s impossible to fully grasp this - sorry guys!

Some ways we talk about the Trinity:
Father, Son, Holy Spirit
Creator, Redeemer, Sustainer

Deuteronomy 6:4 (The Lord is One)

Read Luke 3:21-22 (While the Son is being baptized, the Spirit descends and the Father speaks)

Read Luke 23:44-46 (The Son commits His ruach, His pneuma, that is that same Spirit that descended and entered him at his baptism, to the Father)
The breath of life leaves him as he dies a real death.  He leaves his person, his safety, his identity, in the hands of the Father, and breathes his last.

We see most vividly perhaps, in the story of Jesus how all three Persons of the Trinity are involved in everything God does.  The Father does nothing without the Son and the Spirit.  The Spirit does nothing without the Father and the Son, and the Son does nothing without the Spirit and the Father.

Three in One.

Perhaps the best way to talk about the Spirit is as breath.

Everybody close your eyes.  Breathe In.  Breathe Out.  Breathe In.  Breathe Out.  Breathe In.  Breathe Out.  Breathe In.  Breathe Out.

We sometimes talk about the Spirit as Sustainer.  We’re going to watch something that explains this pretty well.

Watch "Breathe" (A Nooma Video by Flannel)

Everyone of us has the Spirit of God in us, whether we want to or not.  We are all made in the image of God, and only as the Spirit sustains us, sustains all of creation, do we have life.

You and every single person with whom you come into contact breathes the Spirit with every breath.

How does that change how you view yourself?

How does that change how you view others?

Close in prayer.

Almighty God, you have revealed to your Church your eternal Being of glorious majesty
and perfect love as one God in Trinity of Persons: Give us grace to continue steadfast in the confession of this faith, and constant in our worship of you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; for you live and reign, one God, now and for ever. Amen.