RIVERSIDE BLOG

Post Author: Judy Moore

Judy Moore is the Associate Pastor at Riverside Church.
April 1, 2022
And, Breathe | S10: The Holy Spirit & Me

Teaching Series Introduction:

“If God was small enough to be comprehended, he would not be big enough to be worshipped.” (Imad Shehadeh)

This is a series all about the Holy Spirit. Who, or what, is the Holy Spirit?

The bible is mainly written in Hebrew (Old Testament) and in Greek (New Testament). Each of these languages has one word (Hebrew – ruach; Greek – pneuma) that is used for three different English words – Spirit, breath and wind. And so, the way the bible describes the Holy Spirit can be both confusing and illuminated by these ideas…the wind that powers the sails, and the breath that gives life. So, what role does the Holy Spirit play in the life of Christians? This series takes a deep dive in who the Holy Spirit is and the difference he makes in our lives. It’s time to breathe again.

“The Lord of hosts is with us. He’s not watching us move through this stream of history, he’s actually navigating it with us through his Holy Spirit.” (Karen A Ellis)

Session 10:
The Holy Spirit & Me

TEACHING SERIES: And, Breathe
TITLE: Session 10: The Holy Spirit & Me
BY: Judy Moore
DATE: 3 April 2022
PASSAGE: Ephesians (Chaper 5, verses 15 to 20) Read online

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Children’s & Youth Resources:

These resources will be used within the various groups in-person on a Sunday morning. This means that if you are unable to attend one of our Sunday Gatherings, you can still study and follow along with the same material at a time that is best for you. However you study, we encourage you to engage with your group as much as possible. If you would like to know about how you can get connected with our children’s or youth groups please contact us, we would love to hear from you.

Youth Resources

This Weeks Youth Video:
YOUTH RESOURCE PACK

Children’s Resources

This weeks Children’s Video:
Children's Resource Pack

Bible Study Questions:

There are three different sets of questions for you to use, whether you are exploring God’s word within your Life Group, in other group settings, or simply using them on your own.

A. DISCUSSION STARTERS

These are simple questions to provoke discussion together out of the talk (ideal if you are watching our Sunday Service online with others in your group):

 

1) Was there anything that particularly struck you during the talk?

 

2) Was there anything that you didn’t necessarily agree with, or found difficult to understand in the talk?

 

3) How do you think you might live differently as a result of the talk?

B. QUESTIONS TO EXPLORE

These are questions that are based on the talk and the surrounding themes:

 

1) As we come to the end of this series, what has most impacted you about the Holy Spirit?

 

2) Read Ephesians 5:15-20. What do you think is the relationship between being ‘wise’ and making ‘the most of every opportunity’ and the fact that the ‘days are evil’? (v15-16) What is the author Paul saying here?

 

3) It seems as though Paul is talking about living lives devoted to God, rather than be sidetracked by other distractions. What is the role of the Holy Spirit in understanding ‘what the Lord’s will is’? (v17) What, in contrast, does it mean to be ‘foolish’?

 

4) In verses 18-20, Paul talks about our role in the church. Why do you think Paul contrasts a life of drunkenness and debauchery with being ‘filled with the Spirit’? What, according to Paul, does being filled with the Spirit lead to?

 

5) In v19-10, Paul highlights three different impacts of our sung worship – in us as individuals (‘from your heart’); for others (‘speaking to one another’); and towards God (‘to the Lord’). In other words, worship isn’t just one of these things – for example about the experience that I get out of it. How does this change the way you see singing in church?

 

6) We live in a culture that can so often focus on me and my rights. And yet, here, we have a description that a spirit-filled life is a life that really helps others and is fully devoted to God and his ways. How would this week look different for you if you lived in this way?

 

7) Take some time to pray. Ask God that he would fill you with his Spirit, and be open to him working in you personally; in our church; and in the world.

 

C. GOING DEEPER

These are questions to help you go a little deeper, by exploring the wider biblical context.

 

1) What questions do you have about the Holy Spirit?

2) Read Ephesians 5:15-20. In a sense this passage summarises a life that is fully devoted to God. What is the difference between a life lived with Godly wisdom (v15) and one that is not? See also 1 Corinthians 3:18-20 and 2 Corinthians 1:12.

3) What do you think it means to ‘make the most of every opportunity’? (v16) See also Colossians 4:2-6.

4) What does it involve to ‘understand what the Lord’s will is’? (v17) See also Proverbs 2:1-9 and Ephesians 1:17 and 6:17.

5) In v19-10, Paul highlights three different impacts of our sung worship – the impact on us as individuals (‘from your heart’); about our relationship with others (‘speaking to one another’); and towards God (‘to the Lord’). In other words, worship isn’t just one directional – for example, about the emotional experience that I get out of it. How does this change the way you see singing in church? See also Colossians 3:15-17

6) In her talk on Sunday, Judy used the following quote:
“God built a way for us to escape the downward spiral of our thoughts. But rarely do we take it. We have bought the lie that we are a victim of our thoughts rather than warriors who are equipped (by the Spirit) to fight on the front lines of the greatest battle of our generation, the battle of our minds.”
What role does being thankful play in this? (See v20 and Colossians 1:9-12)

7) Take some time to pray. As we come to the end of this teaching series, ask God that he would fill you with his Spirit, and that you would be open to him working in you personally; in our church; and in the world.

    TRANSCRIPT:

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