Thinking about the Holy Spirit at Pentecost

People in mainline Christian churches don’t talk about the Holy Spirit very much. This is puzzling because we, according to our creeds, consider the Holy Spirit to be co-equal to the Father and the Son. This got me thinking—Why don’t we talk about the Holy Spirit more? Let me suggest that it is because the Holy Spirit points to the Son and the Son points to the Father. Let me further suggest that Lutherans mention Jesus more than the other two because of our focus on the grace of God that we receive in Jesus.

In response to our lack of attention to the Holy Spirit, the Pentecostals and others have placed a lot of emphasis on the work of the Holy Spirit.

Several other religions have a Creator God that they worship. And many religions focus on the spirit. For us, the work of Jesus makes us unique among world religious.

The Holy Spirit is very important to us in our Christian faith. Before Jesus left, he promised to send the Spirit. 

“These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. (John 14:25-26

And in the letter to the church in Corinth, Paul reminds us that just coming to faith is the work of the Holy Spirit.

Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says “Jesus is accursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit. (1 Corinthians 12:3)

Our own catechism reflects this passage in the explanation to the third Article of the Apostles Creed.

“I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to Him; but the Holy Spirit has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith.”

As we come to the season of Pentecost, we remember the work of the Holy Spirit through God’s Church. We give thanks for the gift of faith that we have received through the work of the Holy Spirit. We use the gifts the Holy Spirit has given us in service to others. And we pray that the Holy Spirit will guide us to grow more and more like Jesus in our words and actions.