The Gift of the Spirit: Who is the Holy Spirit? John 7:37-39 (September 26th, 2021)

Begin with Prayer

In silence, invite the Holy Spirit to guide you. Suggested prayer:

Empowering God, we pray that you will send your Holy Spirit to move us to understanding; to help us to believe the gospel; to give us strength and wisdom to live by it. Amen. (Worship Sourcebook Q.3.5.8)

Reconnecting and Debriefing Take a moment to check in with one another (2 minutes each). 1. How have you noticed God walking alongside you this week? 2. What is one question you have about the person, work or gifts of the Holy Spirit that

you hope will be answered in this series?

Introduction Whether we gather in person or online, our goal remains the same: to be a people apprenticed to the life of Jesus. His life and teaching is our example and our source of truth. Remember the commitments we make to each other to foster safety and freedom as we pursue spiritual growth together: • Whenever possible, please listen to the sermon prior to gathering (Sunday or online). • While we are meeting (even online), commit to focussing rather than multitasking. Be all here. • Give every person an equal opportunity to share, even if it takes time to form or finish their

thoughts. • Be respectful and non-judgmental. • Honour sharing boundaries (only what you have permission to share, no gossip) and guard

confidentiality (what we share here stays here). • Don’t try to fix, problem-solve or rescue; keep pointing one another to the truths of the gospel

for our lives.

Listening to God’s Word Understanding the person of the Holy Spirit can be confusing and mysterious. Who is the Holy Spirit? What is His relationship to the Father and to the Son? Why is knowing the Holy Spirit so essential to the Christian life and to the church’s life? The Holy Spirit is “God’s empowering presence” (Gordon Fee), with us to guide and connect us to the Father, teach us the way of Jesus, and to equip and empower us to share in his renewing work in the church and in the world. In today’s study we are invited to open up our lives to the influence of God’s Holy Spirit in our lives. Small Group Discussion • Read Ezekiel 37:1-14. What is your first thought when you read through this

passage?

The “Valley of Dry Bones” refers to Israel’s sense that perhaps God had abandoned and rejected them in their sin. The Holy City, Jerusalem, had fallen. Ezekiel had seen visions of God’s glory departing from His Temple. And they had been exiled to Babylon, under threat of total assimilation. Perhaps all had been lost. • Is there a time – perhaps even today – when you’ve thought your own life or the

community around you resembled this “Valley of Dry Bones”?

• Read John 16:13, John 20:19-22, Romans 8:14-15 and Acts 2:1-4. How does the coming of the Spirit begin to answer the question posed to Ezekiel, “Can these bones live?”

• What do all these verses tell us about the nature and work of the Holy Spirit? Why do we need this work in our lives?

• Are there specific ways you’ve seen the work of the Holy Spirit, described above, happening in your life?

• Read Luke 11:9-13. Where are you longing for the Spirit to work in you right now? • What steps have you taken to ask, seek, and knock? • How do you sense the Holy Spirit calling you to respond to or act on what we have

read and discussed?

Practice: Group Ministry Time Many people have not had a deep experience of the Holy Spirit’s presence in a way they recognized. For others, it’s been a long time. Many journey through life without truly hearing or sensing the love of our heavenly Father in their life. The Holy Spirit delights to communicate the Father’s love to God’s children (see Mark 1:10-11), and to illuminate the glory of Jesus for us.

Take some time tonight to pray for each group member individually, that each one would have a deep personal experience of the Holy Spirit during this series as our church explores the person, work and gifts of the Holy Spirit. If necessary, break into smaller groups (male/female). Here is a suggested format: Gather around the one being prayed for (appropriately distanced/masked). • Pray, “Come, Holy Spirit.” Wait quietly for a minute or two. Encourage those praying,

and the one being prayed for, to speak these words out loud. • Invite 1-2 group members, as the Spirit leads, to pray for this person, to speak words of

Scripture (such as tonight’s) over them, or speak encouragement. • Based on Luke 11:13 and Romans 8:16, ask specifically for God to communicate his love,

through the ministry of the Holy Spirit, to this person. Wait patiently. • After a minute or two, whether or not this person experiences something tangible or

not, thank God for the assurance of his steadfast love. • After everyone has been prayed for, give anyone who wants to a chance to share.

NOTE: The goal is not necessarily a certain experience in the moment, and each person’s experience may be very different. Trust the Holy Spirit to communicate what is needed when it is needed, in the context in which He knows is best.

Caring for One Another • You have been caught by God’s grace; you are deeply loved by him! Thank God for his

mercy and for the guidance of his Holy Spirit in your life. • Do you or your family have a need that the Life Group can help meet?

Use the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13) as a guide, based on what you’ve shared together, and spend some time listening to God and praying for one another.