John 7:25-52
My mind is on the Holy Spirit these days. We just finished our four-part, “Three Streams” (Scripture, Sacrament, Spirit) Lenten series at church this past Wednesday. Michael brought the previous “three streams” talks together with a number of references and applications from the second half of Acts 2 (Pentecost, ff.), then Brian and I shared our own “three streams” experiences. Discussion and questions that followed focused on the third stream, the Holy Spirit and His work in our church, and how we are weak at St. Andrew’s in that third stream. So now, today, our RTB reading has yet another (John’s sixth) mention of the Holy Spirit in John’s gospel (see also John 1:32-34, 3:5-8, 3:34, 4:23-24, 6:63): But this He spoke of the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive; for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. (v. 39). John has much more to say about Jesus and the Holy Spirit in his later chapters 14, 15, and 16.
So, to this reference in verse 39… For us at St. Andrew’s the Holy Spirit has been given because Jesus has been glorified!! We have been filled with the Holy Spirit! However, when Archbishop Beach spoke about this third steam he said that we are constantly “leaking” and that we need to continue to be filled up, that it’s a daily thing for us – a constant infilling of the Holy Spirit. I believe we now have the responsibility to come to know the Holy Spirit better, to learn more about Him and then to come to know Him more personally, for our own benefit and for the benefit of our entire church. Let’s agree together to pray regularly a “Come Holy Spirit…” prayer, for our own lives and for the full life of St. Andrew’s Anglican Church.
See also: June 19 / John 7:25-36; June 20 / John 7:37-52
Debbie had an interesting comment two years ago from today’s reading.