Air Series

-so yesterday we took a little while talking about dirt. Today we’re going to talk about air.

-now, since you can’t see or touch air like you can dirt, I’m going to use this [LIGHT SCENTED CANDLE]. You’ll see why soon.

-but for air we’ve decided to talk about the Someone in particular. The Greek word for wind is pneuma, which is also the word they use to translate spirit. Many times when you read about the Holy Spirit in the New Testament the Greek word used there is pneuma. So for air we’re going to discuss the Holy Spirit.

-I’ll say it right now, I don’t have all the answers on describing God, so I’m going to do the best I can and show you where I got what I’m saying from. After that, all I can do is let you make up your own mind, hopefully being informed a little.

-but I think part of the reason we feel like that is we don’t have the distinctiveness like with Jesus and God. Jesus was a Person at a place. God did this. The Holy Spirit we see a lot as Something floating. He’s not as physical as the other two.

-and we’re Methodists. Methodists in general do not talk a lot about the Holy Spirit. We like God best, look to Jesus now and again but rarely ever talk about the Holy Spirit. Liz had someone in her Sunday School class who had a page in their Bible in which they put a check every time the pastors or class mentioned God, Jesus or The Holy Spirit. God won, Jesus close second, Holy Spirit was something like twice.

-which was kind of a shock for me because the church I grew up in everything was the Holy Spirit. If it rained it was the Holy Spirit, if you said something inspiring to me it was because the Holy Spirit inspired you to. You didn’t breathe unless the Holy Spirit allowed you to.

-so let’s talk about:

1. HIS BIG ARRIVAL

-the Holy Spirit is evident throughout the Bible, all the time we hear about Him. He was there at the beginning:

**Gen. 1:1-2 -> 1In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters. (NLT)

-so God’s Holy Spirit has always been there. Always been here. But I want us to skip ahead a little. Jesus promises the Holy Spirit a the Last Supper and in the garden. Then, Jesus dies and has been resurrected, He has spent the last few days teaching before He goes up to heaven. Right before He ascends, the last thing Jesus says, He tells the disciples this:

**Luke 24:49 -> 49 “And now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven.” (NLT)

-so Jesus says the Holy Spirit is coming and the disciple must wait in Jerusalem until He shows up.

**Acts 2:1-4 -> 1Seven weeks had gone by since Jesus’ death and resurrection, and the Day of Pentecost had now arrived. As the believers met together that day, 2suddenly there was a sound like the roaring of a mighty windstorm in the skies above them and it filled the house where they were meeting. 3Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on their heads. 4And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in languages they didn’t know, for the Holy Spirit gave them this ability. (LB)

-at this point al sorts of people walk by and hear the disciples and others speaking in their own native language even though they have never been there. They ask what’s going on and Peter, the guy who denied Jesus three times, walks them through all of Jewish history, from Moses to Jesus and explains to them how Jesus was the Son of God and died and rose for their sins.

**Acts. 2:37-41 -> 37These words of Peter’s moved them deeply, and they said to him and to the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?” 38And Peter replied, “Each one of you must turn from sin, return to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; then you also shall receive this gift, the Holy Spirit. 39For Christ promised Him to each one of you who has been called by the Lord our God, and to your children and even to those in distant lands!” 40Then Peter preached a long sermon, telling about Jesus and strongly urging all his listeners to save themselves from the evils of their nation. 41And those who believed Peter were baptized—about three thousand in all! (LB)