8 Weeks on The Holy Spirit

     On the first Lord's Day in June, I will begin an 8-week series on the Holy Spirit. The Spirit (pneuma) of God is mentioned throughout the Bible: the beginning we see Him waiting for God's command to separate the waters, He speaks through the prophets, He descends upon Jesus, He descends at Pentecost, and He speaks to the churches in Revelation. My first class will address the issue of the Spirit's personhood. The Spirit is described throughout God's Word as a person, not a mere force like what we hear about in Star Wars...or in the Jehovah Witness cult. The Spirit speaks, searches, discerns, convicts, vivifies. He can be rejected, grieved, insulted, and blasphemed.

    

In case you're interested, here's an outline for the class:

1. The Holy Spirit: What or Who?
2. The Holy Spirit throughout the Old Testament
3. The Holy Spirit's Role in the life of Jesus
4. The Holy Spirit commissioned by Jesus (pre/post resurrection)
5. The Holy Spirit's conviction of the world
6. The Holy Spirit's vivifying new persons in Christ
7. The Holy Spirit's fruits and gifts
8. Question of Cessation/Continuation of the miraculous gifts

     I may perhaps put up portions of each study on the blogosphere, so if you're interested leave a comment and I'd be happy to post them.

Recommended readings:
Doctrine of the Holy Spirit by George Smeaton
Perspectives on Pentecost by Richard B. Gaffin, Jr.
The Holy Spirit by Sinclair B. Ferguson
The Christian Faith by Michael S. Horton
Systematic Theology by Wayne Grudem
Finally Alive by John Piper