Empowered By The Holy Spirit

May 22, 2022

Hope Lutheran Church

Rev. Mary Erickson

Acts 16:9-15; John 14:23-29

Empowered by the Holy Spirit

Friends, may grace and peace be yours in abundance in the knowledge of God and Christ Jesus our Lord.

“But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything.” – John 14:26

Jesus promises his disciples that God will not abandon them. When Jesus will no longer walk with them, God will send them one who is like their Advocate. God will send the Holy Spirit of God.

Our congregation’s mission statement declares that our faith community is “empowered by the Holy Spirit.” And amen, thanks be to God! The Holy Spirit has empowered our congregation over our 78 years. That divine presence, the Holy Spirit, will faithfully continue as our advocate for generations to come.

Jesus also declares, “Peace I leave with you, don’t let your hearts be troubled.” As we look forward, we have the peace that we aren’t alone. God’s Holy Spirit goes with us and empowers us along the way, through all things.

It’s pretty easy to look at the state of the world and worry about what the future may hold for us. But knowing that God goes with us, the Spirit walks with us through all unexpected diversions and rocky pathways – this gives us the good courage to step into the unknown. If God is for us, who can be against us?

In so many ways our current world is very different from what it was for the disciples, what it was for the first generation church, for Paul and his partners, for the early faith communities in Jerusalem and Philippi. We face situations that were completely unknown to them!

But faith is faith. It’s the same for us now as it was for them. Faith is the reliance that God is steadfast, God is with you, through all things. Faith is trusting and listening to the still, small voice of the Holy Spirit nudging and guiding us into the unknown future. Faith is the assurance that in all things, the final word and ending is in God’s good hands.

As God’s people, we abound in hope, and we’re empowered by the Holy Spirit.

We can see faith’s reliance on the Holy Spirit as it plays out in Paul’s progressions in our reading today from Acts. I wish our reading had started just a few verses before it did.

Paul is on his second missionary journey. He has his own intentions about where he’d like to go. And not just once, but two times, roadblocks are placed before him. First, Paul wanted to enter the area of Asia; he could not. Then he intended to visit the region of Bithynia, but he was unable to. So, with no other way open, he went to the seaside city of Troas.

That night, Paul had a vision. He saw a man from the Greek region of Macedonia standing before him. The mad was pleading. “Come over here, Paul! Come to Macedonia and help us!”

Paul’s journey had been prevented in other directions. Now on the shores of the Aegean Sea, a dream beckons him in an entirely different direction.

There’s the old saying, “When God closes a door, somewhere God opens a window.” Was it all a coincidence, the way Paul and his associates were prevented from following their own fine agenda?

Let’s consider what had occurred. First, Paul’s plan was stifled. He had a notion of where he would go, what he would do. But his well-oiled plan was not to be.

Do you ever have a plan that doesn’t work out? I know I had a plan for my life. My plan was to become a psychologist, a counselor. But here I am, a pastor! It was not my plan! I always thought I’d get married and have children by the time I was 30. But my life didn’t end up that way. Dale and I were graced to meet each other much later. We got married when we were both 51. When I was in my early 20’s and in college, I had a very different plan for my life!

Sometimes, doors shut before us. Question: do you think that God works through closed pathways? Does God use red lights as well as green lights? I think so. Life is full of unanticipated detours. But the God who could open the door of Jesus’ tomb and bring new life into being, this resurrection God can bring new life into our dead ends. Sometimes those obstructed ways are just plain rotten. Other times, perhaps the divine Spirit has purposely blocked our way. It might be for our own good and protection; it might be to direct us to our true purpose. But whatever the reason for the obstructed path, God brings newness to all things! God does not leave us abandoned in a dead end. In every ending, there is a new beginning, this is true.