Introduction

Good morning, church family. I'm sure many of you have heard the phrase, 'The Holy Spirit is God.' This simple statement carries a profound truth about the nature of the Holy Spirit, a truth we'll be exploring today. We'll also delve into the distinctiveness of the Holy Spirit from the Father and the Son and the importance of honoring the Spirit through worship.

As John Bunyan once said, "Prayer is a sincere, sensible, affectionate pouring out of the soul to God, through Christ, in the strength and assistance of the Spirit, for such things as God has promised." It's a call to embrace the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

Our Scripture passage today is from Matthew 3:16-17,

"As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, 'This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.'"

Let's bow our heads for a moment.

Heavenly Father, we thank you for your Word. We thank you for the gift of the Holy Spirit, who is both God and distinct from the Father and the Son. Open our hearts and minds today to understand more deeply the mystery of your triune nature. Help us to honor and worship you in Spirit and in truth. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

Now, let's dive into this together, shall we?

The Holy Spirit is God

The Holy Spirit, as we understand from the Scriptures, is not just a force, a power, or an influence. The Holy Spirit is God. When we say the Holy Spirit is God, we are affirming the doctrine of the Trinity, which holds that there is one God who exists eternally in three persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Each person of the Trinity is fully God, sharing the same divine essence, yet they are distinct from one another.

Not a lesser or secondary deity: He is equal in power, glory, and eternity with the Father and the Son. This is evident in numerous biblical passages. For instance, in the book of Acts, Peter confronts Ananias for lying to the Holy Spirit, saying, "You have not lied to men but to God" (Acts 5:3-4). Here, the Holy Spirit is explicitly equated with God. Similarly, in 1 Corinthians 3:16, Paul reminds the Corinthians that they are God's temple because God's Spirit dwells in them. The indwelling of the Holy Spirit is equated with the presence of God Himself.

Involved in divine works that only God can do: The Spirit was involved in the creation of the world (Genesis 1:2), the incarnation of Jesus (Luke 1:35), and the inspiration of Scripture (2 Peter 1:21). The Holy Spirit also has attributes that only God possesses, such as omniscience (1 Corinthians 2:10-11), omnipresence (Psalm 139:7-10), and eternality (Hebrews 9:14).

Impacts our worship: We do not just worship the Father and the Son, but we also worship the Holy Spirit. We honor the Spirit, not as a mere tool or resource, but as the living God who dwells within us, guides us, and empowers us for godly living. We pray to the Holy Spirit, seek His guidance, and depend on His power.

Deepens our understanding of God's love for us: The Father is not distant or detached. He has given us His own Spirit to dwell in us, to assure us of His love, and to make us more like Christ. The Holy Spirit is the guarantee of our inheritance as God's children (Ephesians 1:14), the one who intercedes for us (Romans 8:26), and the one who produces in us the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23).

Shapes our understanding of Christian community: The Spirit unites us into one body (1 Corinthians 12:13), empowers us for service (Acts 1:8), and guides us into all truth (John 16:13). The Spirit is not a force we manipulate or control, but the Lord who leads and directs us.

Pastor, here would be a good place to share a personal story about how the Holy Spirit has impacted your own faith journey. How is this connection different from your connection with the Father or the Son?

The Holy Spirit is Distinct from the Father and the Son

The distinctiveness of the Holy Spirit from the Father and the Son is a concept that is deeply rooted in the doctrine of the Trinity ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO