Essentials: The Holy Spirit May 2, 2021 For most people, the concept of a father or father figure is one that is understandable, if not relatable. Whether your dad was amazing or absent, fantastic or dysfunctional, regardless of personal experience, we each have a frame of reference by which we understand what a father is. By the same token, we all get what it means to be a son or daughter or to have a son or daughter. The words ‘father’ and ‘son’ describe common familial relationships that we can relate to. When the words are used to describe God, our understanding of human relationships, for better or worse, gives us a starting place for understanding God the Father and God the Son.

But then there’s this third part or person we also know as God. We don’t seem to talk about Him as much. And maybe part of the reason is because we don’t know how to relate to Him? I mean…I have a dad -well, actually, I have three, but that’s a different story – and I am a dad. I can relate to the dad part of God. And I am a son, and I have a son, so I get that too. But, there’s no frame of reference for me when it comes to the person of The Holy Spirit. And I think it’s the same for a lot of us. Which has resulted in a serious neglect when it comes to understanding and knowing Him. Or even wanting to. As humans, we seem to want to avoid the unknown.

And yet, when Jesus was about to leave this planet and return to His Father in Heaven, He promised to send His followers something, or Someone, even better. Now, what could be better than Jesus? And if the Holy Spirit is the “better” that Jesus promised, why haven’t we been more intentional about getting to know Him?

We are in the midst of an 8-week teaching series called Essentials: Live Like You Believe. We’re taking a look at the foundational truths of our faith, the non-negotiables of what we build our life on. This week, we’re going to dive in to what the Bible has to tell us about the Holy Spirit; to learn more about who He is, and His role in our lives.