ParaklĒtos
The Person, Power & Ministry of The Spirit
Paraklētos (παράκλητος)
Who is the Holy Spirit? What does the Spirit do? How does the Spirit operate in our lives as disciples who follow Jesus and help others to trust and follow Jesus?
Some of us struggle to answer these questions. We may have heard little about the Spirit’s work in the life of the disciple. And what we have heard is often laced with warnings about going too far.
On the other hand, some of us love the Spirit so much that sometimes it can feel like we want to talk more about the Spirit than Jesus, the one the Spirit points to!
For the next ten weeks, we want to ask those questions of the Bible. Whatever understanding and experience of the Spirit you have, we invite you to find out what the Bible actually says about the person, power, and ministry of the Spirit through a sermon series we’ve called Paraklētos.
Why Paraklētos? Because this is the word John uses to summarize the ministry of the Holy Spirit. He is God present with us, for us, and in us—helping, guiding, and praying.
From creation to new creation, the Holy Spirit is the life-giver. From brokenness to beauty, He repairs what sin broke and restores what sin took by applying Jesus’ finished work on the cross to our lives. He points us to Jesus, brings us before Jesus, helps us stay in Jesus, and makes us look more like Jesus. It is by the Spirit that each of us individually and all of us together are empowered to love God, love one another, love our neighbors, and love the nations.
Week 1 | The Spirit of God in Creation
Prayer of Illumination
Almighty God and most merciful Father, I humbly submit myself to you and fall down before your Majesty, asking you from the bottom of my heart that this seed of your word that I am about to read may take such deep root that neither the burning heat of persecution cause it to wither, nor the thorny cares of this life choke it. But that, as seed sown in good ground, it may bring forth thirty, sixty, or even a hundredfold, as your heavenly wisdom has appointed it. Amen.
Key Theological Truth
The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity, not a force. He gives life and sustains the life of all creation.
Week 2 | The Spirit of God Grieved by Sin
Prayer of Illumination
O make your word a swift word, passing from the ear to the heart, from the heart to the lip and conversation; that, as the rain returns not empty, so neither may your word, but accomplish that for which it is given. Amen.
Key Theological Truth
The Holy Spirit is personal and holy. He is grieved by our sin.
Week 3 | The Promise of the Spirit
Prayer of Illumination
Blessed Lord, who caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning: Grant that I may hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that by patience, and the comfort of your holy word, I may embrace, and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which you have given us in our Savior Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.
Key Theological Truth
The Holy Spirit gives new life which enables and empowers God’s people to be in relationship with Him and live according to His ways.
Week 4 | The Spirit Upon Christ
Prayer of Illumination
Lord God Almighty, I thank you with all my heart for feeding me with the Bread of Heaven, for man does not live by bread alone but by every word that comes out of your mouth. I ask you now, as I read the Bible, so to illumine my mind with your Holy Spirit that I may increase in faith in you, in certainty of hope in your promises, and in fervency of love to you and my neighbor, to the glory and praise of your holy name. Amen.
Key Theological Truth
The Holy Spirit reveals the truth about Jesus, pointing us to Jesus.
Week 5 | Born of the Spirit
Prayer of Illumination
Lord, you have given your word for a light to shine upon my path; grant me so to meditate on that word, and to follow its teaching, that I may find in it the light that shines more and more until the perfect day; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Key Theological Truth
The Holy Spirit gives new life by enabling us to believe in Jesus Christ as our Savior.
Week 6 | Rivers of Living Water
Prayer of Illumination
Teach me your way, O LORD, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name. I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify your name forever.
Key Theological Truth
The Holy Spirit is the only sustainable and continual source of our new life in Christ. He helps us to obey, convicting us of sin, and guiding us into all truth.
Week 7 | Pentecost: Power from on High
Prayer of Illumination
O Lord, most merciful Father, receive your fugitive; to you I feel I must return. I knock; may your door be opened to me. Teach me the way to you. Amen.
Key Theological Truth
The Holy Spirit empowers us to proclaim the Gospel in word and deed.
Week 8 | The Gifts of the Spirit
Prayer of Illumination
Deal bountifully with your servant, that I may live and keep your word. Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law.
Key Theological Truth
The Holy Spirit gives different gifts to all believers to enable disciples of Jesus to love one another, love our neighbors, and love the nations.
Week 9 | Walking by the Spirit
Prayer of Illumination
Lord, I am now entering into your presence, to hear you speak from heaven to me, to receive your rain and spiritual dew, which never return in vain but ripen a harvest of either corn or weeds, of grace or judgment. My heart is prepared, O Lord, my heart is prepared to learn and to love any of your words. Your law is my counselor; I will be ruled by it. It is my physician; I will be patient under it. It is my schoolmaster; I will be obedient to it. Amen.
Key Theological Truth
The Holy Spirit unites us to Christ so that His death counts as payment for our sin and we can be made more like Christ.
Week 10 | The Spirit and the new creation
Prayer of Illumination
Almighty God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, establish and confirm me in your truth by your Holy Spirit. Reveal to me what I do not know; perfect in me what is lacking; strengthen me in what I know; and keep me faithful in your service; through Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen.
Key Theological Truth
The Holy Spirit helps us when we are weak, prays for us when we have no words, and works all things together so that all of us who believe in Jesus make it to glory with Him.