_|_ | C O P | N E T PENTECOST A Sunday School Lesson College Level Azer Bestavros ``And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, Receive the Holy Spirit.'' [John 20:22] When was the Holy Spirit first mentioned? ---------------------------------------- "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters." [Genesis 1:1-2] Was the Holy Spirit also in the old Testament? --------------------------------------------- "Men and brethren, this Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke before by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus;" [Acts 1:16] "Yes, they made their hearts like flint, refusing to hear the law and the words which the LORD of hosts had sent by His Spirit through the former prophets. Thus great wrath came from the LORD of hosts. [Zechariah 7:12] "There is a man in your kingdom in whom is the Spirit of the Holy God. And in the days of your father, light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, were found in him; and King Nebuchadnezzar your father; your father the king; made him chief of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers.[Daniel 5:11] "I have heard of you, that the Spirit of God is in you, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom are found in you." [Daniel 5:14] Why is it important to have the Holy Spirit in the New Testament? ---------------------------------------------------------------- It is impossible to become partakers of the Father, or of the Son, without partaking of the Holy Spirit! Jesus answered, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. [John 3:5] On the Pentecost, the Holy Spirit descended to create the Christian Church, not as a social intitution, but as the Body of Christ. The divine life is called sacramental, for it is not from our own efforts nor from our own hands but from the Spirits's action. Our church has the following sacraments. 1. Baptism: ------- The Holy Spirit grants belivers spiritual rebirth and transforms them into members of the sacramental Body of Christ (First encounter). Through this divine grace, the Spirit grants us {\em new life} in Christ, the resurrected life, the illumination of the soul and participation in the divine life. Baptism is a sacrament to recieve the Holy Spirit to keep the unity: "endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism;" [Ephesians 4:3-5] After baptism we become sons of God and no difference between us: "For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. [Galatians 3:26-28] 2. Chrism: (confirmation - El Mairoun)} ------ In Chrism, the baptized persons receive the Holy Spirit dwelling in their souls to guide their lives. The gift of the Spirit is represented under the figure of oil; so that he who is converted from sin may not only achieve purification, but may also be filled with the Holy Spirit. As St. Athanasius says: ``There is one grace from the Father which is fulfilled through the Son in the Holy Spirit; and there is one divine nature, and one God.'' Also in [Ephesians 4:6]: ``one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.'' Confirmation follows the Baptism as clear in [Acts 2:38] ``Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.'' 3. Eucharist: --------- The Holy Spirit is invoked during the Eucharist both on the elements and on the elements and on those who are to partake of them. He makes the Bread and the Cup of the Eucharist to be given to the faithful - the Body and Blodd of Christ. 4. Repentance: ---------- The Holy Spirit dwells within us as His own temple. He finds a place in this human sanctuary, to act continuously for our sanctification. He desires to blot out our weakness, to confess before our God and before His priests. ``If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.'' [1-John 1:9] 5. Anointing of the Sick: --------------------- The Holy Spirit, as being the Spirit of the Son, reveals that Jesus Christ is the true Physician of our bodies, souls and spirits. ``Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.'' [James 5:4] 6. Marriage: -------- The Holy Spirit grants believers the communion with the Father through Christ, so they become one body of Christ, or one church. 7. Priesthood: ---------- The ordained persons receive special grace of the Holy Spirit; it is a spiritual fatherhood through which they minister the Church of God not by their own abilities, but by the Holy Spirit Spirit, the Spirit of Christ. Can the Spirit Guide us, stop us, send us, ...? ----------------------------------------------- ``Now when they had gone through Phrygia and the region of Galatia, they were {\em forbidden} by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia. After they had come to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit did {\em not permit} them.'' [Acts 16:6-7] ``So, being {\em sent} out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus.'' [Acts 13:4] ``And they were not able to {\em resist} the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke.'' [Acts 6:10] Which one should we seek first: fruits of the Spirit or gifts of the Spirit? --------------------------------------------------------------------------- ``And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills. [1-Corinthians 12:6-11] Why should we seek the fuits first and not gifts? ------------------------------------------------ ``And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.'' [1-Corinthians 13:2] What should our relation be with the Holy Spirit? ------------------------------------------------ ``For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.'' [Romans 8:13] ``Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: "Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, in the day of trial in the wilderness'' [Hebrews 3:7-8] ``Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace?'' [Hebrews 10:29] ``Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.'' [Romans 8:26] ``I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. [Galatians 5:16-18] ``But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.'' [Galatians 5:22-23] ``And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.'' [Acts 2:4] ``And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and laying his hands on him he said, "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit."'' [Acts 9:17] What is the role of the Holy Spirit? ----------------------------------- Unite: ----- ``For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body; whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free; and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. For in fact the body is not one member but many.'' [1-Corinthian 12:14] Teach: ----- ``But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.'' [John 14:26] Personnel Helper: ---------------- ``However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.'' [John 16:13] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- _|_ This article is one of many more articles about the Coptic Orthodox | Church, the Christian Apostolic Church of Egypt. These articles can be | retrieved from Copt-Net archives at http://pharos.bu.edu/cn/Menu.html COP|NET For more information, contact Copt-Net server at CN-request@cs.bu.edu -------------------------------------------------------------------------------