The Ghost?
The Revealer of Christ
February 11, 2024 • Steve Hart, Matt Deisen • John 16:12–15
It feels almost impossible to believe: Jesus says it is better for us to have the Holy Spirit with us than for us to have Jesus himself with us. The arrival of the Helper, the Holy Spirit, is a magnificent upgrade to Jesus' mission and ministry! In the Spirit, every single disciple of Jesus across time and space has direct access to the same presence and power of God that Jesus himself enjoyed. If that is true, then knowing and trusting the Spirit ought to be one of our highest priorities as disciples. This Sunday, we wrap up our series on the Promise of the Spirit, looking at how the Spirit comes as our Guide, personally directing each of us and all of us as a church family on mission. We'll celebrate the coming together of River's Edge and Soma Spokane into one body, tell the story of how the Spirit guided us into this partnership, and collectively ask the Spirit to continue to lead us as we live as brothers and sisters on mission in the things to come.
The Corrector
February 4, 2024 • Gabe Shippam • John 16:7–11
In the Upper Room, as Jesus prepared his disciples for his departure, the anxiety grew and the fear was likely palpable. What would it be like without Him right in front of them? How would they make it in an antagonistic world without Him as a compass? Jesus assured them that it would be better for them after he departed. The Helper (The Ghost) would arrive! This wouldn’t only be to the advantage of the disciples, the Spirit's arrival would be better for the world. The Spirit will correct the church about right living regarding justice, and then through a corrected Church, He will bring right living and justice to a world ruled by evil forces. The Spirit corrects and empowers the Church!
The Witness to Jesus
January 28, 2024 • Steve Hart • John 15:17—16:4
Depending on your church background, there are a lot of misguided notions about the third member of the Godhead. Thankfully, Jesus is really clear and spends quite a bit of time explaining to his disciples what exactly they ought to expect when he sends the Spirit. In John 14-16, Jesus is preparing his disciples for his departure, and for their role in carrying on his mission and ministry. They’re afraid and uncertain, and the promise of Jesus' ongoing presence with them by the Spirit is his solution to their worry! There’s a wealth of resources in the Holy Spirit, and in this series, we'll explore all Jesus' promises to give us when the Spirit dwells in us. This week we look at Jesus' promise to empower us by the Holy Spirit to bear witness to Jesus.
The Word and the Spirit
January 21, 2024 • Matt Deisen • John 14:25–31
Depending on your church background, there are a lot of misguided notions about the third member of the Godhead. Thankfully, Jesus is really clear and spends quite a bit of time explaining to his disciples what exactly they ought to expect when he sends the Spirit. In John 14-16, Jesus is preparing his disciples for his departure, and for their role in carrying on his mission and ministry. They’re afraid and uncertain, and the promise of Jesus' ongoing presence with them by the Spirit is his solution to their worry! There’s a wealth of resources in the Holy Spirit, and in this series, we'll explore all Jesus' promises to us when the Spirit dwells in us. This week we look at how the Spirit works in union with the word of God - calling us to remember God's word, reinforcing what is true, and empowering our life in Christ.
The Presence of Jesus and the Father
January 14, 2024 • Steve Hart • John 14:15–24
Depending on your church background, there are a lot of misguided notions about the third member of the Godhead. Thankfully, Jesus is really clear and spends quite a bit of time explaining to his disciples what exactly they ought to expect when he sends the Spirit. In John 14-16, Jesus is preparing his disciples for his departure, and for their role in carrying on his mission and ministry. They’re afraid and uncertain, and the promise of Jesus' ongoing presence with them by the Spirit is his solution to their worry! There’s a wealth of resources in the Holy Spirit, and in this series, we'll explore all Jesus' promises to us when the Spirit dwells in us. This week we look at Jesus’ promise to not leave us orphaned, and the Spirit’s role in bringing every disciple a deeper sense of God’s loving presence.
Introduction to John 14-16
January 7, 2024 • Steve Hart • John 14:12–17
Depending on your church background, there are a lot of misguided notions about the third member of the Godhead. Thankfully, Jesus is really clear and spends quite a bit of time explaining to his disciples what exactly they ought to expect when he sends the Spirit. In John 14-16, Jesus is preparing his disciples for his departure, and for their role in carrying on his mission and ministry. They’re afraid and uncertain, and the promise of Jesus' ongoing presence with them by the Spirit is his solution to their worry! There’s a wealth of resources in the Holy Spirit, and in this series, we'll explore all Jesus' promises to us when the Spirit dwells in us. This week we look at the context of these promises and begin asking Jesus to give us the fullness of His Spirit.