Sunday Sermon Series: Paraclete
OVERVIEW: You’ve heard of parachute and paramedic and parakeet, but what is a Paraclete? It is the Greek word for the work and gift of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit has been with us since before creation, but with the coming of Pentecost on June 8, we see a surge of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit that continues today.
June 8 • Pentecost: The Outpouring of the Holy Spirit
Acts 2:1-21 (NRSV); John 16:1-14 (NRSV)
God is involved. He has spoken through the prophets. He has empowered the most powerful and absolutely lowliest. He has sent His son, and He has sent His Spirit. The Holy Spirit has claimed you in your baptism. Gifted you, empowered you and is involved in your life - for the life of others. The Spirit is the very presence of the LORD and He is acting. It is not required to care, or use your gifts. But the struggle is real, and we are all called to be a part of what the Holy Spirit is doing in Charlotte at Christ Lutheran.
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June 15 (Fathers’ Day) • Creation: The Spirit’s Work in Creation
Genesis 1:1-5 (NIV); 2 Corinthians 5:14-20 (NIV); John 15:12-17, 26-27 (NIV)
The Holy Spirit has been a constant presence for God’s people. Even when the world was wild and formless, the Holy Spirit was present. In the Old Testament, we see glimpses of the Holy Spirit, guiding the prophets to speak truth, comforting the weary, and even being promised to rest upon the Messiah. As Jesus was preparing his friends for his departure, he told them that he had to go away so that the Holy Spirit could come to them. For us today, how do we know when the Holy Spirit is living in us? We can test it by the fruit of the Spirit and trust in his ongoing creative work.
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June 22 • The Church: The Spirit’s Work in Community
Romans 14:5-12; Matthew 18:21-35
The goal of Church is not to give you something else to do. The reason the Church exists is not so that we can be filled up for the week to come. The purpose of the Church is not even to get you into Heaven. The purpose of the Church is to get Heaven into you. In a world of fast food delivered to us. Of algorithms that cater to wants we didn’t even know we had. And the instant gratification of smart phones. What place does the Church have in today’s world? Maybe Christ is outdated and we should phone in our faith? Can we just beam to heaven already?
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June 29 • Sanctification: Becoming More Christ-like
Galatians 5:22-26 (NIV); 2 Corinthians 3:17-18 (NIV); John 13:13-17 (NIV)
You are the spitting image of… who? We can’t help but mirror the language, gestures, attitude and behavior of those closest to us whom we highly respect and honor. As we draw nearer to Christ, the same is true about our character. The fancy word is sanctification, meaning the process of becoming holy. The family word is “spittin’ image.”
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