| Don't Even Think About It - article by Joel Hempel
Don’t even think about living the Christian faith without the help of the Holy Spirit. As most of you know, we celebrated Pentecost, one of the three major holidays on the Church Calendar this past Sunday. I suppose there are many reasons why the church fathers elevated this day to be recognized by Christians. Two apparent reasons are (a) the importance Jesus placed on the work of the Holy Spirit, and (b) how totally dependent we are on the Spirit. Before our Lord returned to heaven, he made it abundantly clear that we can’t be or do what God expects of us without the help only the Spirit of Christ can give. Check out John 14:15-17 and 25-26; also, John 16:12. Recently, I carefully read the Gospel of Matthew and recorded all the commands or directives Jesus gave his followers (that would include us). Honestly, it is overwhelming. I know I missed some, but Jesus gives at least fifty-two mandates, which does not include the numerous implied expectations and lessons. There is everything from the commands in the Sermon on the Mound to the Great Commission at the end of Matthew. On Sunday, Pastor Scott drew the distinction between moral law and rules – especially manmade rules. What Jesus demands – yes, demands, is not just a suggestion. I know some of us view speed limits on the road as recommendations. Jesus is not making recommendations. Because Jesus is our Savior, Friend, and Lover (See John 3:16), we can often think of Jesus as comfortable and always affirming. Well, he is! But he also needs us to be the kind of disciple that is committed to faithfully serving and growing as his Word directs. Bottom line, we need the Holy Spirit. The life we are called to is radical. We have been baptized and set apart by God to be noticeably different than those who do not know Jesus or have little respect for Christianity. The cutting edge of spiritual growth for you may not seem all that radical or dramatic, but it could be critical to your living testimony. For example: Marcia is teaching me a gentler presence while driving. My tendency in the past had been to comment on what I perceived as imbecilic driving. After hearing my comment, she would respond, “Maybe they are having a bad day,” or, “Maybe they have a need to be cautious.” At first, I would quip, “Yea, right!” But I’m getting it; I’m learning. In many ways, Marcia is becoming the voice of the Holy Spirit. What do you need to be working on? Is there a particular fruit of the Spirit (see Galatians 5:22-23) you have been dodging? Don’t be surprised if the Holy Spirit quite literally grabs your attention. Look for him; listen to him; trust him. Surely, he will speak to us from the pages of Scripture. You may also find him talking to you through the wisdom of someone sitting next to you in the car. | 
