Waypoints: The Arrival of the Holy Spirit

Have you ever started out doing something and then ended up doing something completely different? Or how about you look back to review and realize you missed the main point?

This can manifest itself in small ways such as heading out to the garage to grab a garbage bag, but while you are out there you notice the shovels are all messy, which leads to shoveling out the left over icy gunk from the cars, which leads to laying de-icer on the driveway, which obviously leads to getting the mail and getting the bills paid. Back into the house with no garbage bag in sight!

This can also show up in more important places in life when we simply do everything but the main things. We have jobs and school and tasks that need to be done. We have stuff to take care of and maintain. We have our “status” to update and our image to build. While these demands and many others vie for our attention the main things often get overlooked. In a nutshell, the most important things are God and people. And I don’t mean just a momentary bumping into each other. Our love for God and people need to be driving all the other things that occupy our lives. Isn’t it easy to get this messed up?

I mention this because this week we move into Luke’s second volume for our WayPoints series. We have walked through the Gospel of Luke to encounter the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus. Sunday, we begin Luke’s book “The Acts of the Apostles.” It walks us through God’s establishment and building of the Church. This week’s message will focus on Acts 2 and Pentecost. This is the event that really ignited the Church as God poured out the Holy Spirit for all people of all nations beginning in Jerusalem.

The main role of the Holy Spirit is to clarify the work of Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit creates and grows faith in God’s people. The Spirit of God is referred to in numerous places as the Spirit of Truth. This is vitally important as we often need to be reminded of what the Church is TRULY about. All through history, the Church of Jesus Christ has been tempted to focus on things that are not the main thing. Some of these can truly be good in their rightful place but if they take the place of prominence the Church loses its power and purpose for existing.

For instance, if our emphasis is on a program or a method or a style or a building project – we will miss the main thing and over time Jesus takes a peripheral position instead of being front and center. In our day of image and power we often want to appear a certain way or sound a certain way more than we want to know God’s Word more. Therefore, the Holy Spirit needs to be at work in our day and in our lives. The Spirit of God has been bringing the Church back to the main thing for 2000 years. If Oak Hill or any other congregation does not have the same center and mission and values as the Church that began in Acts 2 – an adjustment is needed. Please pray that Oak Hill will be continually guided by the Holy Spirit to build God’s Kingdom through the completed work of Jesus.

Connecting Lives in Grace and Truth,
Pastor Nick