Epicurious Lutheran

Scripture for the week: Acts 2:1-13

Instructions

Read the Scripture above and live with it for the week. The devotion may either be done by yourself or with someone else. Good conversations will almost certainly come from sharing this with someone else.

Devotion

The Holy Spirit is a central piece of Christian theology.  Over the past few weeks as we’ve been talking about having a healthy mind, body and spirit, many of us have discovered that we may not really know how to describe or identify our own spirit not to mention what the Holy Spirit is and how the Holy Spirit is or is not part of our daily life.

Yet, we talk in the church about things like “discipleship”, “discernment”, “God’s will”, “listening to the Holy Spirit”, and being equipped and empowered by the Holy Spirit.  In the Adult Sunday School class on Sunday (2/17), we shared that we have an image of God the Father and an image of Jesus.  So, it is easier to understand how to talk or pray to God the Father and Jesus, but not so easy to understand how to interact with the Holy Spirit.  See the graphic at the right, which is one way we use to describe the relationship between the “persons” or “natures” of the Triune God.

As you read and pray this week, consider the following questions.  If you journal, these would be good questions to include in your journaling.

• When we talk about being disciples, which means that we are learners or students of God, it may seem self-evident, but who are we listening to?  Ourselves?  The Holy Spirit?  The Bible?
• When we feel or sense that we are “called” to do something, how do we know that it is of God?  How do we know that we’re hearing the Holy Spirit?

Resources

• Old Testament references to the Holy Spirit
  • There are many references to the Holy Spirit throughout the Bible with the first being Genesis 1:2 “Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters”
  • For more references to the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament, see the article “Putting Pentecost in Perspective (Part 1) The Holy Spirit in the Old Testament (Acts 2:1-13)”: http://bible.org/seriespage/putting-pentecost-perspective-part-1-holy-spirit-old-testament-acts-21-13
• Luther’s Small Catechism on the Apostles Creed

The Third Article: On Being Made Holy

I believe in the Holy Spirit, one holy Christian church, the community of the saints, forgiveness of sins, resurrection of the flesh, and eternal life. Amen.

What is this? Answer:

I believe that by my own understanding or strength I cannot believe in Jesus Christ my Lord or come to him, but instead the Holy Spirit has called me through the gospel, enlightened me with his gifts, made me holy and kept me in the true faith, just as he calls, gathers, enlightens, and makes holy the whole Christian church on earth and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one common, true faith. Daily in this Christian church the Holy Spirit abundantly forgives all sins—mine and those of all believers. On the Last Day the Holy Spirit will raise me and all the dead and will give to me and all believers in Christ eternal life. This is most certainly true.