The Personal Presence of God

Illustration: Discuss fine china that you or your family only takes out a few times a year.

— TENSION —

• Sometimes I worry that we treat the Holy Spirit like this fine china.

• Sure, we have read about the Holy Spirit, but that doesn't change our daily routines very much.

• Our awareness doesn't really alter our actions.

• We imagine the Spirit just sits on a shelf in our hearts, ready for us to dust Him off when we need Him.

• Irish theologian Alister McGrath echoed the same concern. He described the Spirit as "the Cinderella of the Trinity. The other two sisters may have gone to the theological ball; the Holy Spirit got left behind."

• The Holy Spirit is the most misunderstood and forgotten member of the Trinity.

• So, let's explore the glory hiding within the mystery.

— TRANSITION —

• First, let's tackle this.

• Who is the Holy Spirit?

• Notice we said “who” and not “what.” That’s important.

• Let's start by saying what the Holy Spirit is not.

• The Holy Spirit is not a force nor a vibe.

• The Holy Spirit is not reserved for certain types of Christians, nor does it only show up as goosebumps during worship.

• The Holy Spirit is God, part of the Holy Trinity.

The Holy Spirit Is Supernatural

• We are throwing around some complicated words, so let's explore one of the most complex pieces of theology in any textbook.

• What Is The Trinity?

• This is a question that many scholars spend their whole lives trying to answer.

• People a million times smarter than me still grapple with this question, but that doesn’t mean it’s a topic worth ignoring.

• Confusion shouldn’t lead to exclusion.

• We can break the Trinity down into three core truths.

• First, there is only one God (Isaiah 44:6).

• Second, God is One within Himself (Deuteronomy 6:4).

• Third, our One God exists as three distinct persons — the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19).

• This means that God is one in essence and three in person.

• They're all divine and distinct while also operating in perfect unity.

• At this point in our discussion, many people would discuss how God is like water or an egg.

• Water can exist as both ice, liquid, and steam while remaining H20.

• Eggs have three parts that all make up the egg's essence — shell, white, and yolk.

• Sorry Sunday School teachers, while these are clever, they are flawed.

• These illustrations suggest too much separation and distinction between the parts.

• No analogy, metaphor, or illustration perfectly captures the Trinity. It’s confusing.

• That's a good thing.

• Our confusion is a good sign. At the core, the Trinity is complex. Why? Because God is complex.

— TRANSITION —

• What’s amazing about God is that he is both infinitely supernatural and deeply personal.

• This truth is echoed over and over by the Apostle Paul.

• Tonight we will look at one example. Please turn in your Bibles to First Corinthians chapter three.

• God is supernatural, so He's way beyond our human understanding.

• We can find hope in that.

• We can find comfort in that.

• If God could be perfectly understood with clear definitions and

perfectly straight lines, then would we really be dealing with God?

• I don't think so.

• He's beyond our comprehension.

• He's beyond space and time.

• His identity contains some mystery.

• You could spend every hour of every day trying to understand

the mysteries of God better, and you would still only scratch the surface.

• My invitation to you is simple. Never stop exploring the deep waters of

God's wonder.

• The more you discover, the bigger God reveals Himself to be.

• The bigger God reveals Himself to be, the greater your wonder and worship become.

• That’s the whole point of our journey through this series on the Holy Spirit.

• Sure, we are tackling big words, but I mostly want you to be filled with wonder.

The Holy Spirit Is Personal

• Did you know that you are a temple?

• Paul uses a reoccurring metaphor where he says, "you are a temple of the Holy Spirit" (1 Corinthians 6:19).

• He's teaching that we are walking churches.

• Sure, you have green eyes instead of stained glass windows or a mohawk instead of a steeple, but you are still the living Temple of God.

• Why? Because the Holy Spirit dwells within us. God set up shop in your soul.

• When you become a Christian, God's presence becomes personal.

• The God of the cosmos moves into your body to minister to you and work through you.

• The Holy Spirit is God's presence made personal.

• The Bible describes God's super-close proximity to you with the Hebrew word "paniym."

• It's loosely translated to presence, but it goes so much deeper than that.

• It refers to the exact moment and the exact place you find yourself right now.

• No one else can experience "paniym" with you.

• Not a friend, sibling, or even parent.

• Only God can be that close. He's beside you, behind you, and present within you.

• Through the Spirit, God's not just in the same room as you. He's in the same moment as you.

• He's closer than the air around you.

• He's as close as your skin.

Landing:

• The Spirit is how our supernatural God gets personal with us.

• Why does God go to such great lengths to be close to us?

• It's because God wants to do things in you and through you that are far beyond your best ability and wildest dreams.

• That's why He's given you the gift of the Holy Spirit.

TALK IT OUT 

Go through these questions with your circle. Be honest. Be open. Talk through the tough stuff.

Ice Breaker: Introduce yourself and share this week’s highs and lows (the best part of your week and the lowest part of your week).

Q1: What did you think about the Holy Spirit before this message?

Q2: What’s one thing you learned about the Holy Spirit from this message?

Q3: Why do you think the Holy Spirit is discussed less than God or Jesus?

Q4: Why do you think God gives Christians the Holy Spirit to live inside of them?

Q5: What questions do you have about the Holy Spirit being present and personal?

READING PLAN

READ THESE PASSAGES IN ORDER EVERY DAY

Psalm 51:10

Jeremiah 24:7

Ezekiel 18:31

Romans 8:9

Titus 3:4-7 2

Peter 1:19-21 2

Timothy 3:16-17

Do the following with each passage: 

ASK– God to connect with you here. In prayer, start by slowing down and inviting God to be present. Begin with focus and openness to see what God has for you today.

READ– the selected section of Scripture slowly. Take note of the words and phrases that intrigue you, reading them a second time if necessary.

REFLECT– on what grabs you. How does this passage personally relate to your own life and experiences?

RESPOND– to the Scripture. Speak directly to God about what’s on your mind and heart. Look for ways to live out what you’ve uncovered.