The Gospel of John - The Holy Spirit

Every good thing you have in the Christian Life comes through the Holy Spirit. Throughout Scripture and history, the Spirit of God has been actively at work. In the second verse of the Bible, we read these words: “The earth was formless and void and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.” (Genesis 1:2) It was out of that hovering of the Spirit that Creation burst forth. The rabbis in Jesus’ day loved this picture of the Spirit of God hovering over the waters. They used to reflect on it and write about it. They would compare the Spirit to a bird because of that word “hovering.” One ancient rabbi wrote, “And the Spirit of God was brooding over the water like a dove which broods over her young.” Another wrote, “The throne of divine glory was hovering over the face of the waters even as a dove hovers over its nest.” There is a long period in the history of Israel when the Spirit of God seems to be quiet and the voices of the prophets cease. They wonder: “Will the Spirit ever hover again? Then this man, Jesus, comes. He goes to be baptized by John the Baptist in Luke 3, and God is once again creating something new. “And the Holy Spirit descended on Him in a physical appearance like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well-pleased.”” (Luke 3:21–22, CSB) The writers of the New Testament wanted to be clear. Once more, the Spirit of God—in the person of Jesus—is hovering over the waters. God is once again creating something new, creating something the world has never known before, and it has everything to do with Jesus. He is creating a new opportunity for life with God with complete access to the resources of God, just like that original couple in the garden. Join us this Sunday as Jesus will teach us about the role of the Holy Spirit in our own lives.