Rancho Bernardo Community Presbyterian Church

Gen. 1:1-5, John 14:15-17

"Luke, use the Force." These famous words from a popular movie, Star Wars, have become an image of spirituality for many. When Christians talk about the Holy Spirit, are we talking about some cosmic Force? Another way to ask the question is to consider whether the Holy Spirit is a WHAT or a WHO.

The Bible gives an interesting progression of understanding as it moves from the ancient texts to the more modern texts. The ancient Hebrew word for God's Spirit, ruah, is also the word used for wind. Throughout the Old Testament God's Spirit is described through images conveying force and power. Not only does this force work on creation, this supernatural power can take over a person and compel that individual to do amazing things. Samson experienced God's power when he demonstrated supernatural strength in battles against animals and enemies (Judges 14:6). King Saul was a common shepherd who experienced supernatural power when he was walking home and became "spirit-filled" so that he prophesied along with the prophets of the day (1 Samuel 10:10-13). Most of the Old Testament stories about the Spirit of God show this amazing power which suddenly takes over a person in order to do something miraculous.

Jesus picked up this old imagery when he referred to the Holy Spirit as being like a wind which suddenly blows and we do not know where it came from or where it is going (John 3:8). In fact, it is the unpredictability of the Spirit that raised some concerns. If the Spirit is like a powerful wind, which is uncontrollable and unpredictable, then do we really want this wild thing impacting our lives?

I am thinking about a time Kathy and I were hiking in the White Mountains of Arizona. This particular day we were about five miles into a hike when we came to a clearing. The meadow looked beautiful but no sooner did we pass the last pine tree than I noticed a Brahma bull standing at the edge of the meadow. He had noticed me about the same time I noticed him. Our eyes met and I felt a surge of adrenaline.

I grew up going to rodeos. I love the courage of bull riders and rodeo clowns who pit their minds against the amazing strength of Brahma bulls. One thing I learned from years of attending rodeos is that these bulls can be mean and very unpredictable. They are incredibly powerful. One kick breaks ribs. I have seen cowboys gored with a horn and carried out of the rodeo arena on stretchers. All those memories came flooding back to me as I grabbed Kathy and retreated behind the tree.

We spotted a barbed wire fence running along the edge of the meadow. The bull was inside the fence on the side of the meadow. So I figured our safest bet was to climb the fence and keep the fence between the bull and us. Safely on the other side of the fence, we approached the place where the bull was standing. I was watching him and he was watching me. I'm not sure who was more nervous, him or me. When we were about fifteen feet from the bull, Kathy, walking safely behind me noticed an additional concern. While I had been focusing entirely on the keeping the bull to our right and having the fence between us and him, she realized that to our left was a herd of mother cows with calves. They were on our side of the barbed wire fence along the edge of the forest. Knowing the power of a mother's instinct, Kathy wasn't too sure we should walk into the midst of the mother cows and take a chance on their thinking we were threatening the calves. As we proceeded cautiously with me focused on the bull and her focused on the mother cows, the bull turned and walked down the line of the fence a few feet in front of us. Then he stepped over a section of fence that was down and turned to face us.

Kathy, walking behind me, was still keeping an eye on the mother cows when I suddenly stopped. "Kathy, back up!" She was confused for a moment. My voice was tight as I tried to whisper. "The bull is on our side." Still focused on the mother cows, she had a tone of doubt, "Our side of the fence? How could he be on our side?" By now I was having trouble keeping panic out of my voice. "The fence is down a little ways ahead and he crossed over!" I was pushing her back toward the safety of the trees. Long story even longer, we eventually crossed the far side of the meadow as the bull herded his cows into the forest.

A few minutes later, having crossed through a very muddy portion of the meadow, I stopped to try and get the mud unstuck from the bottom of my hiking boots. Kathy was a few feet ahead of me when I paused and stamped the ground to shake the mud loose. Frightened by the sound of the thumping, she let out a yelp and started to run away, thinking the bull was after us.

Is the Spirit of God like that threatening, powerful bull? Powerful and unpredictable? If I let down my guard will the Spirit push me to do things I don't want to do? These were the questions which the Old Testament answered.

The experiences of the prophets and kings of Old Testament times point to an important conclusion. Like the wind, God's spirit is powerful and blows where it will, yet in one respect it is still predictable. This wind consistently blows in the same direction: the Spirit always propels people toward God. The Spirit pushes people toward holiness. The Spirit helps people do what God wants done. The test of false prophets was whether their message agreed with the consistent direction of God's powerful Spirit. One could not say, "The Spirit of God told me to hurt my neighbor and steal his cow." This could not be God's Spirit because the Spirit always blows toward healing relationships and personal holiness.

Max Lucado uses a helpful image to describe God's Spirit. He writes about his frustrations in attempting to cross the Dallas-Fort Worth airport in order to catch a connecting flight. Any of us who have traveled through that airport can testify that we have felt as though we were walking across the entire state of Texas to catch the next flight. Max Lucado humorously describes his weariness at walking and walking. Then he tells of the wonderful moment when we find a gathering of people acting refreshed in the midst of hauling luggage from one gate to another. "What could stir the hope of this trail of despairing pilgrims? What sight could strengthen exhausted legs? A hotel? An empty restaurant? An available flight?" Lucado answers. "As I turned the corner, I saw it. My face lit like the night sky on the Fourth of JulyŠ. I straightened my back. I hastened my pace. My heart soaredŠ." What was it? "A people-mover." This moving walkway doubles your steps. It carries you forward as you rest. It keeps you going toward your destination without exhausting you. Lucado draws the conclusion that the people mover in an airport is like God's Spirit in our lives.

By the end of the Old Testament then, the question had changed from "What is the Spirit of God?" to "How do we get our sails up in the air so we can experience the power of the Spirit propelling us forward toward God?" Using Max Lucado's imagery, "How do we get onto this amazing people-mover that propels us toward God and toward our destination?"

Once we realize that God's Spirit is not scary or unpredictable, we are ready for the teachings of Jesus about the Holy Spirit. Jesus picked up the discussion at this point and began to teach his disciples how to regularly tap into the power of God's Spirit.

'If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you for ever. This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, because he abides with you, and he will be in you.

John 14:15-17

The daughter of a minister experienced the death of her parakeet. She decided to invite her friends over for a backyard funeral. She dug a hole. She put the dead bird into a matchbox. Then she placed the little casket beside the hole in the ground and began the funeral as she had seen her father lead services.

She explained to the children that the opening prayer was called an invocation. Then she led them in singing a verse of Amazing Grace. She shared a eulogy. "We all remember the beautiful music which Tweety used to sing from his cage. He was a joy in our lives. I'm sure we will all miss Tweety." Then she raised her hands to close the service with a benediction. She repeated what she had heard her father say. "In the name of the Father, and of the Son." Then she moved her foot and nudged the little casket into the ground and said, "And in the hole he goes."

Unfortunately, too many Christians know very little about the Holy Ghost. Years ago Billy Graham wrote a book about the Holy Spirit. In that book he described his discussions with both Protestant and Catholic leaders as he prepared to write the book. When he asked the Pope what was the most important area of faith for our generation, the answer was "the doctrine of the Holy Spirit." When he asked Professor Karl Barth what was most important for our theology today, the answer was "the Holy Spirit." More was written about the Holy Spirit in the twentieth century than in the previous two thousand years of church history.

Jesus added a very important new insight to our understanding of the Holy Spirit. Jesus refers to the Holy Spirit in personality language. "He abides with you, and He will be in you" (John 14:17). No longer is the Spirit being described as simply an impersonal force. Now the Spirit is being described as a person. What is the difference between an impersonal force and a person? The difference is that a force is something we use. A person is someone we meet. We use things, but we relate to persons. If the Holy Spirit is no more than an "It" then we are free to use it. But if the Holy Spirit has personality, then we are challenged to meet and dialogue with this Third Person of God.

How do we get our sails up to catch the wind of God's Spirit? The answer is that we get to know the personality of the Holy Spirit. How do we get on the people-mover to experience rest and progress simultaneously? The answer is that we meet the Holy Spirit and enter into a relationship. Consistently the New Testament teachings about God's Spirit move us into the idea of personality and relationship. The Holy Spirit has likes and dislikes. The Holy Spirit has tastes and preferences.

When Kathy and I were first married, Kathy loved being a homemaker. She enjoyed making special meals that I would like. She often asked me my preferences and tastes in order to cook something I would enjoy. What she did not know was that I am easily content when it comes to food. My mom never put much emphasis on cooking. I had severe allergies as a child so that, without much sense of smell, most things tasted pretty much the same to me. Kathy would ask whether I liked toast dark or light brown and I would answer, "I don't care." "Do you like salad with varieties of lettuce or just iceberg?" "I don't care." "Do you prefer fish or chicken?" "I don't care." A few weeks into our marriage, Kathy became frustrated. "How can I cook to please you if you have no preferences?" With her help I began to realize I liked my bacon crispy and my toast lightly toasted. She helped me learn to have preferences.

Did you know that the Holy Spirit has very clear preferences and tastes? The further we go into our relationship with God's Spirit the better we discover the Holy Spirit's tastes. Then we can seek to move our lives into alignment with the Holy Spirit's preferences. Just as we would nurture any relationship by doing things together and enjoying each other's company, so we learn to do this with the Holy Spirit.

Jesus would never say, "Bruce, use the Spirit." The Holy Spirit is not an impersonal force that we use. Instead, Jesus invites us to develop a relationship with the Holy Spirit. Jesus invites us to ask, "Who is the Holy Spirit?"

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

What images come to your mind's eye when you hear the term "Holy Spirit?"

Have you ever felt the Holy Spirit moving in your life?

Have you ever been frightened that the Holy Spirit wants you to do something that you don't want to do?

What difference does it make to you to think about the Holy Spirit as a person instead of a force?