article 6: WHO THE SPIRIT IS - Conviction & Empowerment
We believe that the Holy Spirit, in all that He does, glorifies the Lord Jesus Christ. He convicts the world of its guilt. He makes sinful people alive to God through faith in Christ, and through the Spirit they are baptized into union with Christ and adopted as heirs into the family of God. He also indwells, illuminates, guides, equips, and empowers believers for Christ-like living and service.
Objective:
To learn about and begin to rely more upon the Spirit of God.
[In each section start with the green question and do the others as time permits.]
Open in Prayer
Watch the Video [5–10 minutes]
Video Reflections [10 minutes]
- Why is it easy to think of the Spirit as a force and not a person? What would change if we started thinking of the Spirit as a person instead?
- What role has creativity played in your relationship with Jesus? How can we encourage and empower one another to be more creative as we follow Jesus under the guidance of the Holy Spirit?
- How have you experienced the Holy Spirit's shaping you as an individual? What about as a community? How can we be more open to the Spirit’s shaping?
Read
"We believe that the Holy Spirit, in all that He does, glorifies the Lord Jesus Christ. He convicts the world of its guilt. He makes sinful people alive to God through faith in Christ, and through the Spirit they are baptized into union with Christ and adopted as heirs into the family of God. He also indwells, illuminates, guides, equips, and empowers believers for Christ-like living and service."
(Lake Avenue Church Statement of Faith: Article Six – The Holy Spirit)
Questions from the Statement of Faith [20 minutes]
"Up" Questions (Worship)
- What role does the Holy Spirit play as we seek to live lives of worship? How does he influence us? How does he guide us? What is his ultimate goal?
- Read over the text from the Statement of Faith and underline all the words in it that reveal that the Spirit is worthy of worship. Which words did you underline? Which of them is most meaningful to you and why?
- What does it mean to be “made alive to God”? Why is this idea important?
"In" Questions (Community)
- What does the notion of being adopted into the family of God mean? What role does the Spirit play in making us into a family?
- What does baptism through the Spirit have to do with Christian community?
"Out" Questions (ServICe)
- Read the following actions of the Spirit from the Statement of Faith: “indwells, illuminates, guides, equips, and empowers.” As the Spirit does each of these actions in our lives how are we moved into service? Work through the list one at a time.
- What is “Christ-like living” and what does it have to do with our witness in the world? What role does the Spirit play in this?
- CHALLENGE: Take a friend from your group with you on a walk of your neighborhood (or theirs). Before you set out, ask the Holy Spirit to speak to both of you and show you ways that you can serve your community. If the Spirit shows you anything (anything at all!), write it down and share it with your group the next time you meet!
Questions from Scripture [10 minutes]
- Read 1 Corinthians 12:7-11. Paul says that the gifts of the Spirit are for the “common good,” which means the good of the community of believers. How does this idea change the way you think about how you may be gifted by the Spirit? Look through this list and talk about how each gift listed can benefit a Christian community.
- Read 2 Corinthians 7:10-11. What is the difference between the two kinds of “sorrow” or guilt talked about here? Describe them. Which is from the Spirit and which is worldly? How can you tell the difference? What role can your community play in helping figure this out going forward?
Prayer
Holy Spirit, forgive us for forgetting about you and for treating you like an afterthought. We want you to infuse us with your being, your power, and your love so that we can live out the calling Jesus gave us to make disciples. Move in us as individuals and among us as a community. Convict us of our sin. Guide us to walk in the ways of Jesus. Teach us to submit to the Father. Hold us in community with one another, in good times and in bad. In Jesus' holy name. Amen.