The Spirit of Christmas: The Holy Spirit
Jodi Lenker does not disappoint when she brings us the morning message. This morning was no different. She dove deep into: The Holy Spirit.
This season isn't about the presents or lights. It is about Jesus coming to earth in order to ultimately provide us a way to Heaven through His salvation.
Jodi has kept a Christmas card for the past 35 years that perhaps said it best: “He came to pay a debt He didn’t owe because we owed a debt we couldn’t pay.”
If you look at the world, people are a little kinder at Christmastime. There is a spirit you can feel at this time of year. It is really the Holy Spirit (which was the gift Jesus left with us when he ascended to Heaven). There are three fruits of the Holy Spirit that especially come to life at Christmas: PEACE, LOVE, and JOY.
PEACE
And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful. ~ Colossians 3:15
LOVE
Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” ~ Matthew 22:37-39
JOY
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. ~ Philippians 4:4-5
Peace, love, joy - We know we should emulate these qualities. We know we want to. We know that we fail. If we are honest with ourselves, we fail to carry these out in a single day, let alone for an entire season.
So, what do we do if our mug of holiday cheer is empty? Ask for a refill.
How and who do we ask? Answer: Holy Spirit.
We cannot sustain giving constant peace, love, and joy... we need help. We need the Holy Spirit.
We can get better at sustaining these qualities by becoming obedient to God's Word and by seeking and accepting His correction.
We must be still and listen.
God gave us the Holy Spirit as a constant companion. We need to lean on Him.
These fruits (peace, love, and joy) mature as we are in the Word.
So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. ~ Galatians 5:16-23
These fruits are also produced by faith. We have to try to keep our faith and obedience going together. Why?
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God. ~ John 3:16-21
We can't create darkness. It already is. We can only remove darkness with light. We can't do this ourselves. God gave us the Holy Spirit to help us.
When your cup of cheer is getting low, don't wait. Ask the Spirit for a refill.
