CATECHISM
What is the Third Article of the Creed?
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
What does this mean?
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.
In the same way He calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian church on earth, and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one true faith.
In this Christian church He daily and richly forgives all my sins and the sins of all believers.
On the Last Day He will raise me and all the dead, and give eternal life to me and all believers in Christ.
This is most certainly true.
READING
John 20:19 On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” 20 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. 21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.”22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.”
SERMON
There are three things Jesus says in our reading and three things Jesus does. Jesus says, “Peace be with you,” twice. He says, “Receive the Holy Spirit,” and He says, “If you forgive the sins of the any, they are forgiven….”
The three things Jesus does is come to the disciples, shows them His hands and His side, and breathes on them.
If you could highlight the three most comforting things about this window, what would it be?
I’ll point out my three:
1.) That the Spirit comes. Jesus came down from heaven, descended from above. Jesus came and stood in the midst of His disciples who are filled with fear and doubt. He sends the Spirit. The Spirit comes to us, to you. This window screams the comfort, “Let me tell you about my God who comes to me….”
2.) The Spirit shows us Jesus’ hands and side. Hands nailed. Side pierced. You can see behind the head of the dove a circle with lines to the left and right and a line going up. This is a the ancient way of saying, “This One, right here, is God.” Father, Son and Holy Spirit, three lines, One God, now and forever. The Circle. But of course, it makes a cross, too. The Spirit comes preaching Christ and Him crucified for us.
3.) The Spirit brings us the promise of God’s peace. The artist pictures the Spirit as a dove for a number of different reasons. The most important is Jesus’ baptism when the Spirit descends from heaven like a dove, as the Father declare this is my beloved Son with whom I am well pleased.
A dove also appears to symbolize because a dove is what Noah sent to see if the flood had dried up. After the second time, a the dove comes back with a olive leaf.
God’s wrath is over. The flood is receding. God is again at peace.
The Spirit is also pictured as hovering over the face of the waters in creation.
This same Spirit is hovering over these waters here. Waters that promise you through God’s Word that you are God’s beloved child.
Waters the remind that God is at peace with you.
You are God’s child – God is at peace with you.
Peace be with you – receive the Holy Spirit. Again. And Again.
That’s what having this window in the church is preaching.
The ongoing need to receive the Holy Spirit.
Imagine only eating one time a week.
Imagine a fire that once started is given no more wood.
Imagine only saying, “I love you,” to your spouse on the day you were married.
There is an ongoing need to be fed, to receive the fuel, to hear again from God, “I love you. I love you. I love you.”
Here are some things the Spirit does again and again:
When you need peace – Peace be with you. Receive the Holy Spirit
When you need comfort – He is the Comforter.
When you are so forgetful about – He is the one who brings to remembrance all things Jesus has said.
When you are struggling with the lies of your sinful flesh, the world, and the devil – He is the Spirit of Truth.
When your prideful flesh needs to be convicted of your deep sin – the Spirit convicts you of your sin because you don’t believe in Jesus as you should.
When your despairing flesh has shame and guilt revealed – the Spirit declares you righteous because Jesus has gone to the Father.
When you need to be reminded you aren’t alone – the Spirit is the paraklete – called to stand beside you.
When you hearing the loud accusations of the devil and can’t respond = He is the Advocate, the defense attorney?
When you need to be reminded that you are God’s child and He is well pleased with you.
When you need to be reminded that baptism is not mere water and God’s Word see the Spirit of God dwelling in, with and over the water.
When you need to be reminded what is this bread and what is this cup, see the Spiritual food that also creates in you a hunger and thirst
When you are weary of trying to believe and live a holy a life, God’s renews the right Spirit within you, takes not away His Holy Spirit from you.
When you think the world is out of control and God is not there – then receive the grace and mercy and peace from the one who was and who is and who is to come and from the Spirit before His throne.
So receive the Spirit again and again – He comes, He shows Jesus hands and side, He brings you peace.