The Body Without the Spirit Is Dead

Listen to the sermon Joel Russell-MacLean

Watch the worship service May 10 2020 Worship Service

Bulletin: May 10

Newsletter: Weekly Letter May 3

Scriptures: Deuteronomy 8.2-3; Psalm 66.8-20; Romans 8.11-13; John 4.7-14

Songs:

Hallelujah, What a Saviour (video, congregation, meditation)
Speak, O Lord (video, a cappella, men’s conference, lyrics & background story – interview)
And Can It Be? (video and lyrics

Joel Russell-MacLean

“Paintbrush Pentecost”, by Timothy Long.

The Holy Spirit is the source of life on earth. Throughout the bible, the Spirit of God is connected to the very breath within living creatures. In this arrangement, the physical and spiritual need each other to thrive. However, in common use, the spirit often is treated as the opposite of the physical and the spiritual is treated as the opposite of earthly concerns. Anyone too concerned with business, nature, politics, or food risks being accused of lacking spiritual depth.

Easter tells a different story, a better story.

Easter is made up of stories of people holding Jesus and eating meals with Jesus. Easter is the story of creatures transformed, communities healed and restored, and nations finding their way toward peace because the Holy Spirit has come to live within people.

Jesus borrowed the image from the prophets of a well of “living waters” within a person to capture the dramatic difference the Holy Spirit makes in their life and in the world. The vision of scripture is the Holy Spirit as the life within animals thriving, within cities and neighbourhoods thriving, and within people thriving.

Jesus commanded his disciples, “Receive the Holy Spirit, be filled with the Spirit.” The Spirit is water springing up within us to eternal life for the healing and life of the world.

God’s Grandeur by Gerard Manley Hopkins